This New Year is certainly off to a great start. I have been having much more of a life.
1st things first. We had out night at the great wolf lodge two weeks ago. My mother gets a room for the family and while the parents are partying away with her coworkers the rest of us get to go to the water park. Now this year was a little different since little Richaliyah BKA Chickadee came along. She was only 2 ½ months old. But we all took turns passing the baby around so sister Michelle and my 4 yr old niece Adrianna AKA Sassafras could play in the water as well.
Well last year my dad talked me into going down the waterslide. I was petrified at the thought of doing again. Also as someone who has been morbidly obese all her adult life didn’t think they would let me go alone, let alone both of us together. They did. The weight limit was 500lbs for this particular slide. My dad and I being a good 60 lbs over that combined was a little frightening to me. Then you add in my fear of heights. Boy o, boy! But those crazy lifeguards Okayed us to go down together. There was no way I way I was going by myself. I may be an independent gal but I can admit I’m a scaredy cat most of the time. This is was no exception. Now this is where being heavier does come in handy for those speed seekers out there. The heavier you are, the faster those tubes go. We made it down to the bottom of the slide in no time. I was fearful for that and grateful too. I wanted no part in that thing ever again. At least that’s what I’ve been told. I was reminded of this when my Dad and I were making our way up to the same exact water slide for the 3rd or 4th time at my request. He turned to me and said, “Where did you get your nerve all of a sudden?!” Then he reminded me that after our attempt the year before, I said never again would I go near that crazy thing again.
It’s amazing what loosing 80 lbs does for a girl’s confidence level. Now I didn’t jump right at the chance to go down again when my Sassafras asked me if I would go down the slide with her “Just you and me, k?” I know, I know, I sounded like a mean old aunt when I said maybe as I was hoping and praying she wouldn’t ask again and therefore I wouldn’t have to do it.
So on that fateful Sunday at the Great Wolf Lodge when my dad asked me if wanted to leave my nice comfy spot in the hot tub to climb 3 flights of stairs to go down a slide I was afraid of the year before I just said maybe. Then about an hr later it dawned on me. Wait a second you big chicken. You had Surgery to loose weigh and to gain a life. I figured what did I have to loose. And this time, with out combined weight loss since the previous year we were under the 500 lb weight limit to ride.
By the end of the day, I had made it down the waterslides a total of 8 times. (Which means I walked up 24 flights of stairs to make it down 8 times) I didn’t get up the nerve to go alone. I really wanted to but by the time I got my nerve up I had to get home to let my dog out. But I did go down with my niece just like she asked me to do! Ended up she was more scared than I was after we got to the bottom. Turns out with me on it versus her mother it was much faster.
I’m still afraid of heights and I still have lot of weight to lose but I gained a lot of nerve that day!
Until next time~Princess Jenn~
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
I ache so much, but I feel so good
After working this last couple days all I really wanted to do was rest and enjoy my afternoon off. Go with a friend to a quick dinner (course with my band there is no longer is such a thing as a quick meal.) and get some shopping done for the week and hit the hot tub. Well I got 2 out of 3 done. The weather kinda put a damper on plans. Not that I mind driving in the snow. Ok, so now I am not nearly as fond of it some people. So rather that risk life and limb to soak in the hottub we made it home early. This also because I knew what awaited me at home with my parents out of town. Tons of snow (about a foot) still sitting in my driveway waiting for me to get home to get it done. Now it wasn’t so much the snow sitting in my driveway as the amount of hard packed snow sitting at the top of my driveway by the snowplow. This wouldn’t be a big deal if I had a nice level driveway. But of course, I have a driveway that goes downhill. So after the snow is done blowing and drifting, my driveway happens to look level. Ha!~
But again my concern was the snow packed by the plows at my approach. I probably could have (as my dad suggested) lined up with my driveway and plowed straight back into my yard and made it into the spot I normally park. Where you could still see evidence my car had once been parked 10 hrs earlier. I gave my options some thought with the resulting scenarios.
1) Back in as suggested by dad and get in just fine and unpack my purchases and head to a relaxing night as planned.
2) Back in as suggested by dad and risk getting stuck halfway into my driveway on the hard snowplowed snow in my approach. Spend hours shoveling heavy snow after from my car and still have to carry my purchases into the house immediately followed by collapsing on the couch (yet again!) with sheer exhaustion.
3) Park the ~Princess Mobile~ on the road for a while and start to shovel my driveway of my own freewill and remove the hard snowplowed snow before entering my yard.
As you can probably tell my my post title I did number 3. Plus doggone it I did more. After clearing out my approach by the road and making my way down to my porch and back twice with the shovel I decided to do a little bit more since I was already out there. I was already going to be sweaty and sore when I was done so why not make it worth it. And I did. I ended up getting so much done that I finished it! Nothing fancy, not nearly as wide as my driveway is without snow. But more than enough room for car and nearly the full length. I was able to accomplish something I don’t remember ever doing in the entire 7 years I’ve lived here. I was married the 1st winter, then after I got divorced my dad took over using a shovel or snowblower depending on the years (We are neighbors) and one winter a roommate/friend got the lovely job. Now don’t get me wrong, I have tried a few times over the years to do it myself. The first couple times I couldn’t do it. I am embarrassed to say it but I physically could not do it. That sucks when your in your early 20’s and can’t handle something like that. However, The last time I did try to shovel on my own. I got yelled at. It was a couple years ago and I felt bad because the snowblower had quit working. I took my cough medicine, bundled up like the kid in a “A Christmas Story”, stuffed my pockets with tons of tissues, and made my way outside. I was doing okay of a job. I got about 10 feet of my driveway done in probably a half hour. Okay, so my car was parked in that 10 feet area. But still I was on my way. Then I got to the point just beyond my trailer. Didn’t give it a second thought until my 2 minutes later my dad showed up. Took the shovel out of my hand and said to me “You need to get your butt inside. You don’t need to be out here doing this. Your already sick. Do you want to catch an pneumonia?” At least that’s how I remember it, the details are kinda fuzzy. I was on medication. J
That was it, my snow shoveling experience. And even this time as I answered about all the snow we had gotten I was still being told to not met with it. If my dad had his way I would have had my driveway plowed. But a girls gotta go what a girls gotta do. So I did.
My big point to all this? That I did it!! I was able to physically get the job done. I could not have been able to accomplish this before I lost weight. The Hottub is really calling my name now. But it will be so much more worth it.
What I found when I made it back into the house is a whole separate post.
Until next time
~Princess Jenn~
But again my concern was the snow packed by the plows at my approach. I probably could have (as my dad suggested) lined up with my driveway and plowed straight back into my yard and made it into the spot I normally park. Where you could still see evidence my car had once been parked 10 hrs earlier. I gave my options some thought with the resulting scenarios.
1) Back in as suggested by dad and get in just fine and unpack my purchases and head to a relaxing night as planned.
2) Back in as suggested by dad and risk getting stuck halfway into my driveway on the hard snowplowed snow in my approach. Spend hours shoveling heavy snow after from my car and still have to carry my purchases into the house immediately followed by collapsing on the couch (yet again!) with sheer exhaustion.
3) Park the ~Princess Mobile~ on the road for a while and start to shovel my driveway of my own freewill and remove the hard snowplowed snow before entering my yard.
As you can probably tell my my post title I did number 3. Plus doggone it I did more. After clearing out my approach by the road and making my way down to my porch and back twice with the shovel I decided to do a little bit more since I was already out there. I was already going to be sweaty and sore when I was done so why not make it worth it. And I did. I ended up getting so much done that I finished it! Nothing fancy, not nearly as wide as my driveway is without snow. But more than enough room for car and nearly the full length. I was able to accomplish something I don’t remember ever doing in the entire 7 years I’ve lived here. I was married the 1st winter, then after I got divorced my dad took over using a shovel or snowblower depending on the years (We are neighbors) and one winter a roommate/friend got the lovely job. Now don’t get me wrong, I have tried a few times over the years to do it myself. The first couple times I couldn’t do it. I am embarrassed to say it but I physically could not do it. That sucks when your in your early 20’s and can’t handle something like that. However, The last time I did try to shovel on my own. I got yelled at. It was a couple years ago and I felt bad because the snowblower had quit working. I took my cough medicine, bundled up like the kid in a “A Christmas Story”, stuffed my pockets with tons of tissues, and made my way outside. I was doing okay of a job. I got about 10 feet of my driveway done in probably a half hour. Okay, so my car was parked in that 10 feet area. But still I was on my way. Then I got to the point just beyond my trailer. Didn’t give it a second thought until my 2 minutes later my dad showed up. Took the shovel out of my hand and said to me “You need to get your butt inside. You don’t need to be out here doing this. Your already sick. Do you want to catch an pneumonia?” At least that’s how I remember it, the details are kinda fuzzy. I was on medication. J
That was it, my snow shoveling experience. And even this time as I answered about all the snow we had gotten I was still being told to not met with it. If my dad had his way I would have had my driveway plowed. But a girls gotta go what a girls gotta do. So I did.
My big point to all this? That I did it!! I was able to physically get the job done. I could not have been able to accomplish this before I lost weight. The Hottub is really calling my name now. But it will be so much more worth it.
What I found when I made it back into the house is a whole separate post.
Until next time
~Princess Jenn~
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New Year starting with a fill.
So I put off doing this post for a while. This past Tues (12/29) I seen Dr K. That was 3 weeks after my last appt. I was so nervous about this appt. I had lost a few pounds at my appt on Dec 8th after like 7 weeks. But this time I only had 3 weeks. Well Princess Jenn did better. I went back with a 5 pound loss.
After the last few appts not wanting a fill. I was ready. We held off because of all the issues I had been having with my restriction being too much or not enough. I got a .2cc fill. Now I'm up to 4.4cc. Woohoo! And so far so good. I feel good. i am able to tolerate food and less of it.
I guess one thing that bears mentioning. I feel hopeful for this new year and what it holds.
But now I gotta go. Time to clock out of work.
Until next time.
~ Princess Jenn ~
After the last few appts not wanting a fill. I was ready. We held off because of all the issues I had been having with my restriction being too much or not enough. I got a .2cc fill. Now I'm up to 4.4cc. Woohoo! And so far so good. I feel good. i am able to tolerate food and less of it.
I guess one thing that bears mentioning. I feel hopeful for this new year and what it holds.
But now I gotta go. Time to clock out of work.
Until next time.
~ Princess Jenn ~
Monday, November 23, 2009
S-T-R-E-S-S!!
Lately my scale has been back and forth in the same 2-4# range for the last couple months. I’d be lying if it was just a normal plateau. I know that I haven’t been good about my exercise lately. That and I have my days where I don’t even care what I eat or don’t eat (like protein). Usually its after I have a bad food day. Those are those days where it seems like nothing goes down easily at all. No matter what it is, or how healthy it is. So there’s that part of my stalled scale.
And the other major factor to this lack of loosing? Stress
Why yes, it wouldn’t be my life if I have no stress. I honestly don’t think I would know how to function in a stress free lifestyle. But of course, we all know that is not going to happen in this lifetime or another. Even when I went for my last appt with Dr K. he told me all about stress and how it affects weight loss. Then told me go get my stress under control. I have been trying to do for sometime now. But with the holidays, winter bills starting and the new additions to my household since my sister and 2 nieces moved in with me its been harder this time around. Anyway, I digress.
Now I would be lying if I haven’t gone back and forth on the whole gaining faith, loosing faith, giving up and feeling like I’ve just been jumpstarted with a car battery with motivation. Unfortunately those jumpstarts of motivation usually happen as I am finally getting tucked nice into bed around midnight and have to be up by 6am for work the next day. Not the most opportune time to hitting the gym if I do say so myself.
But as much as I want to just give up those are the times I go back to “Before” picture. Wow, what a motivator! I never want to be that size/weight ever again. And as these holidays come quickly upon us, I will keep that image in the back of my mind to pull out as I think about reaching for something yummy and decadent off the desert table. Not saying that will stop me completely but it will remind me to take much less that I would have before surgery.
For now I better get back to work.
~ Princess Jenn ~
And the other major factor to this lack of loosing? Stress
Why yes, it wouldn’t be my life if I have no stress. I honestly don’t think I would know how to function in a stress free lifestyle. But of course, we all know that is not going to happen in this lifetime or another. Even when I went for my last appt with Dr K. he told me all about stress and how it affects weight loss. Then told me go get my stress under control. I have been trying to do for sometime now. But with the holidays, winter bills starting and the new additions to my household since my sister and 2 nieces moved in with me its been harder this time around. Anyway, I digress.
Now I would be lying if I haven’t gone back and forth on the whole gaining faith, loosing faith, giving up and feeling like I’ve just been jumpstarted with a car battery with motivation. Unfortunately those jumpstarts of motivation usually happen as I am finally getting tucked nice into bed around midnight and have to be up by 6am for work the next day. Not the most opportune time to hitting the gym if I do say so myself.
But as much as I want to just give up those are the times I go back to “Before” picture. Wow, what a motivator! I never want to be that size/weight ever again. And as these holidays come quickly upon us, I will keep that image in the back of my mind to pull out as I think about reaching for something yummy and decadent off the desert table. Not saying that will stop me completely but it will remind me to take much less that I would have before surgery.
For now I better get back to work.
~ Princess Jenn ~
Thursday, October 8, 2009
One year out, Baby
This is going to short, snappy and too the point. Since I have been a little, ok a lot, behind when I want to do an awesome all inclusive post.
Basically, I made it thru my 1st year. I'm not down as much as I had hoped and planned to be. Mostly my own fault for not being good enough with the exercise and right food choices from time to time. Then you add in all the time I lost after that damn deer accident. Then after lots and lots of patience, prayers and tears we got a good consistent amount of restriction and then scales started to move in the right (left actually) direction.
At my 1 yr post-op appt. with Dr. K. He said so far he was happy with how status considering the difficulties with the right amount of restriction for me. That made me feel so much better.
Since I was down 11lbs from appt. from 6 weeks prior we agreed to stay at the 4.2cc restriction. Why mess with a good thing? No point in adding in .10-.20cc to have to go back and take .5-1cc back out because it was too tight and causing problems.
Anyway,
this is plenty long enough! The nice hotel bed is looking warm and inviting behind me! 14 hours on a bus to get to Bloomington, MN. I can turn to my right and look out our hotel room window and see the Mall of America. Our destination! So I'm going to go rest and get ready for the days ahead. Though I must admit, it will be hard to sleep without my big ole black lab right next to me. But somehow I think I will manage. *_*
Until Next Time ~Princess Jenn~
Basically, I made it thru my 1st year. I'm not down as much as I had hoped and planned to be. Mostly my own fault for not being good enough with the exercise and right food choices from time to time. Then you add in all the time I lost after that damn deer accident. Then after lots and lots of patience, prayers and tears we got a good consistent amount of restriction and then scales started to move in the right (left actually) direction.
At my 1 yr post-op appt. with Dr. K. He said so far he was happy with how status considering the difficulties with the right amount of restriction for me. That made me feel so much better.
Since I was down 11lbs from appt. from 6 weeks prior we agreed to stay at the 4.2cc restriction. Why mess with a good thing? No point in adding in .10-.20cc to have to go back and take .5-1cc back out because it was too tight and causing problems.
Anyway,
this is plenty long enough! The nice hotel bed is looking warm and inviting behind me! 14 hours on a bus to get to Bloomington, MN. I can turn to my right and look out our hotel room window and see the Mall of America. Our destination! So I'm going to go rest and get ready for the days ahead. Though I must admit, it will be hard to sleep without my big ole black lab right next to me. But somehow I think I will manage. *_*
Until Next Time ~Princess Jenn~
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Better late, than never!
So this is no where near my best picture. It was at Cracker Barrel (as usual) after a 2 mile walk and a big meal. For me it was a big meal.
Sept 23rd, 2009 - 2 days b4 surg. _____Aug 18th, 2009 (-60lbs)
Shirt size - 5X (& snug) ________Shirt size - 3X (feelin' loose)
Sept 23rd, 2009 - 2 days b4 surg. _____Aug 18th, 2009 (-60lbs)
Shirt size - 5X (& snug) ________Shirt size - 3X (feelin' loose)
I've been waiting on this picture for a while because of the fluctuation in my weight. It finally feels like I am really starting to lose again. I've lost off and on for the past few months but it is all been the same weight over and over again.
Now I am at a restriction that I feel comfortable with. There are plenty of foods that are hard to tolerate but then there are things I can do without a problem.
But now I need to get to bed. I'll get a better picture. Who knows it could be my One year pic. It is coming up quickly!!
Now I am at a restriction that I feel comfortable with. There are plenty of foods that are hard to tolerate but then there are things I can do without a problem.
But now I need to get to bed. I'll get a better picture. Who knows it could be my One year pic. It is coming up quickly!!
Until next time! ~Princess Jenn~
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Doing pretty good since my 7/7 fill!
I am finally getting something posted. I've started to do a post like a hundred times it seems but I just haven't been able to get it done. I have all these ideas of thing I want to say but by the time I make it to my computer, my mind goes blank. Like for instance, I am at work right now. I have been here since 11pm and I'm just working on this post now six hours later. I'm still not even sure in what direction this post is headed. lol.
I did make it to cherry festival and shared a corn dog with my dad. I wanted the whole thing to myself but I couldn't eat it all. (In reality I probably could have eaten the whole thing had I eaten slower, still working on getting better at that) That was on Sunday. I didn't get my fill until Tuesday. Now before surgery I could have eaten at least 2 and still have room for more. Since my fill I have been trying to watch my protein intake and getting my fluids in. I'm not doing so hot on the fluids. But I am getting better about my food choices. I have to be with what I can eat. A girl can't afford to waste what little bit of room she has on something that isn't worth it.
So it has been a little over a week since my last fill. To say it was a good visit would be a lie. I gained another 4lbs! Of course the tops scale didn't reflect the same thing that night. But it was still a gain there too. Which considering that I had been sick for so long, it could have been much worse. But now I am hoping to start back on the losers path.
Anyway, I left with .25cc more in my band than I went in with. I'm up to 4.0cc's. Yippeeee. I am at that point where my band can end up being too tight or feeling no restriction. Since I was too tight at 4.5cc, Dr K said from now on I will get fill's .10cc at a time. Yes, that's right, a tenth of a cc at a time. Dr K told me not to get discouraged since I am almost a yr out from surgery & haven't lost as much as I should/could and that people sometimes start to think "I could have just dieted to get here"
Well yes and no. I definitely feel defeated more days lately than I feel like this has been a success. But then I try to stop and remind myself how long of a journey this has been. (Boy there are days I have to really remind myself how far I've come. 50-60lbs is better than gaining or not still being at my heaviest.) . I have to look at all the obstacles I've had to face since my surgery in September. I know that I went 3 whole months without a fill in my band because of my 2nd surgery.
Anyway, I better close for now. I am starting to get tired. Which isn't a good thing. I've been here at work sitting as a safety companion since 11pm. (Why I volunteered I'm not really sure at this point!) I have 9 more hours to go. At least I get to go do my "real" job for the last 8 of them. Sucks to be me at this point in time. It better be worth it come payday!
I need to wrap this up for now. I need to get my books and stuff together to start my real job as mentioned above. It will be 7am before I know it. I hope the same can be true for 3pm :)
Until next time,
~Princess Jenn~
I did make it to cherry festival and shared a corn dog with my dad. I wanted the whole thing to myself but I couldn't eat it all. (In reality I probably could have eaten the whole thing had I eaten slower, still working on getting better at that) That was on Sunday. I didn't get my fill until Tuesday. Now before surgery I could have eaten at least 2 and still have room for more. Since my fill I have been trying to watch my protein intake and getting my fluids in. I'm not doing so hot on the fluids. But I am getting better about my food choices. I have to be with what I can eat. A girl can't afford to waste what little bit of room she has on something that isn't worth it.
So it has been a little over a week since my last fill. To say it was a good visit would be a lie. I gained another 4lbs! Of course the tops scale didn't reflect the same thing that night. But it was still a gain there too. Which considering that I had been sick for so long, it could have been much worse. But now I am hoping to start back on the losers path.
Anyway, I left with .25cc more in my band than I went in with. I'm up to 4.0cc's. Yippeeee. I am at that point where my band can end up being too tight or feeling no restriction. Since I was too tight at 4.5cc, Dr K said from now on I will get fill's .10cc at a time. Yes, that's right, a tenth of a cc at a time. Dr K told me not to get discouraged since I am almost a yr out from surgery & haven't lost as much as I should/could and that people sometimes start to think "I could have just dieted to get here"
Well yes and no. I definitely feel defeated more days lately than I feel like this has been a success. But then I try to stop and remind myself how long of a journey this has been. (Boy there are days I have to really remind myself how far I've come. 50-60lbs is better than gaining or not still being at my heaviest.) . I have to look at all the obstacles I've had to face since my surgery in September. I know that I went 3 whole months without a fill in my band because of my 2nd surgery.
Anyway, I better close for now. I am starting to get tired. Which isn't a good thing. I've been here at work sitting as a safety companion since 11pm. (Why I volunteered I'm not really sure at this point!) I have 9 more hours to go. At least I get to go do my "real" job for the last 8 of them. Sucks to be me at this point in time. It better be worth it come payday!
I need to wrap this up for now. I need to get my books and stuff together to start my real job as mentioned above. It will be 7am before I know it. I hope the same can be true for 3pm :)
Until next time,
~Princess Jenn~
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