8 months post op, 110 pounds gone!

I am now at 8 months post op.
110 pounds lost, I am 54 pounds away from my goal weight of 175 pounds!

A lady I met recently, who oversees the place where my dad lives, was talking to me about her experience. She is 7 years post op, and plateaued at 2 and a half years at 145 pounds. She was right at 300 pounds at her surgery. I was 339.9 at my surgery, and since I have already lost 110 pounds out of 164, I am hoping that I may be able to surpass my goal of 175! My New Year's resolution is to make exercising harder a priority. I do walk a good bit now, and make it a point to get some walking in everyday; however, now is the time where some good strength training would become beneficial.

I have re enrolled in school, work a full time job and I run a couponing/savings website - so I am pretty busy. I have to make time for me. Afterall, this was MY goal. MY dream - to be healthy. Not thin, but healthy.

For those who are asking, or for new readers who never knew, here are my before and after stats:

Before:
339 pounds (352 last year)
Size: 26 W
BP: 137/75
Glucose (Non Fasting): 180

Now:
229 pounds
Size: 14/16W
BP: 90/52
Glucose (Non Fasting): 88

Most Recent picture:

almost 8 months post op!

Wow! I cannot believe it has been 8 months since I have had RNY surgery!

So far, I have lost a total of 104 pounds! I still have about 65-75 pounds to lose, and I am hoping to to lose another 30 pounds by my surgiversary in March!

I will post more pictures soon!

Almost to my 100lb mark!!!

I am so very excited!
I got on the scale yesterday, and I am now 97 pounds down since surgery!!! This puts me at a grand total of....110 pounds lost since last year!

This is AWESOME news! Although I did not meet my 100 pound goal by the 18th of September, I am not sweating it. I have made AWESOME progress, and I think I am doing great!

6 months post op

Hey everyone! Here I am 6 months post op, and I feel amazing!



I have lost 91 pounds since surgery, and I am finally starting to feel confident and come out of the fat girl shell!







Yes, I am still technically obese, but honey, I am WAY smaller than I was. Looking back, I cannot understand how I was able to go about my daily life in the lifestyle I was living.







Here is a picture that I just took today! FIRST TIME EVER wearing leggings! I am getting a little more adventurous, just because I feel more confident and not so afraid to wear things that I like to wear.







Anyhow, I hope everyone has a great week!



~Liz

5 months post op

Hey everyone!

So here I am at 88 pounds down from surgery feeling great! I am still getting to achieve a 100 pound loss by September 18th, ani am excited about the fact that I am only a few pounds shy of being my high school size. That is not my stopping point though, considering I was overweight then, but it was a major accomplishment I wanted to achieve within 7 months of having the bypass surgery.

I also have decided to take another journey, which is to go back to school. I am hoping to move into another area of the company I work for, and I think ill be a lot happier there. We shall see :)

Have a great weekend!

-elizabeth

Four Months and 1 Week

Hey everyone!!!

I just wanted to post a quick update on everything!

I am now weighing in at 261, so now that makes 78 pounds lost! Iam still having issues with with hair loss, and I am just about to get my hair chopped off so I don't look like I have the mange :D lol!

I am wearing 18/20 clothes now, and I am very happy! I have not been this size in like 7 years!!!

Anyhow, Now I am gonna run!!!

Take care!

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

Elizabeth

New Pictures!

Okay, so I wanted to post new pictures now since I am only 4 days away from my 4 month "Surgiversary"! Woot Woot! So, for all of you that have asked, here you go! :-)
Total loss since surgery: 71 pounds
Total overall: 84 pounds

Nearly 4 months out!!!

Hey everyone! (above is a recent picture of me!)

No, I haven't disappeared, lol! I have been incredibly busy lately, that's all!

Update on weight: 268 pounds, lost since surgery: 71 pounds!

I feel great, but I am noticing some hair loss now. I am going to try to get some supplements to help with that and monitor my protein intake more carefully. I have been kind of guessing with it. As crazy as everything has been, I haven't been taking care of ME like I should be.

Anyhow, I need to run, but I will update more frequently now!

Also, I have new vlogs up on youtube, search for "edavis51907" and subscribe to my channel!!!

XoXo

Liz

6 week pictures

For all of your inquiring minds, here are a series of pictures of me thus far... I can tell a small difference, but it IS a difference none the less!

6 week Update

Hey y'all!

Sorry I haven't updated in a little while. I have been crazy busy and then I came down with a cold/bronchitis... icky!

Anyhow, as of right now, I am down to 299 lbs!!! Woot Woot!!! I am so excited!

I weigh LESS now than I did when my husband and I got married nearly four years ago! How neat is that?

Pretty much everything is back to "normal" now. I can eat pretty much anything I want to - within reason - and that does not mean junk like French Fries and all of that crap. What I am referring to are things like: whole wheat pasta IN MODERATION, ground beef, salads, soups and things like that.

For the most part, I have had fantastic results without complications. I tolerate pretty much anything, and as long as I remember to slow down when eating, and not to forget to stop when I KNOW that I have had my portion then I am ok. In the beginning it was a task to know when the limit was. Usually, for me, about 1/4 to 3/4 cup of food at meals fills me up just depending on the density of the foods I have at the time. I also do not usually do breakfast too much, and don't snack a lot so I will eat a larger portion at dinner - but that portion is still the equivilant to what my toddler would eat for a meal (if not less).

Well, for now, that is about all... I will continue to update as much as I can.

Thank you to my new followers!! :)

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

Liz

Three Week Update

Hey y'all! So tomorrow is exactly 3 weeks post op. So far, I am down 30 pounds since surgery, and I am seeing a difference in my clothes now. I actually can fit into some clothes that I haven't been able to wear in TWO years!!! I was a little bit disappointed because I am at a stand still this week, but it happens... I will just weigh again tomorrow or Thursday and see where I am at... this happened to me in week two in the middle as well... Stood still, then BAM 4 pounds came off. So ya never know. Other than that, things are ok. I am still a little short in the stamina department, but the Dr. said that is normal after ANY surgery and it will take some time. I walk as much as I feel like doing, and always try to get outside when I am home... If you are outside, you are more likely to get up and MOVE :) Anyhow, I need to go, but I will update again soon! Liz

Saturday's Video update

What is running through my mind?

Typically, I am one who is rational when it comes to important things like this. I tend to think, re-think, and then think some more about all of the possible outcomes that different decisions can create.

This time, I feel like I am missing something... Like there is one thing that I forgot to do, or look up along the way. I cannot pin point it, and maybe it is my mind's reaction to me being so nervous or something. I do not know...

I have had some negative feedback from some people, but that is not impacting me really at all - as though what they think would really matter to me at this point? NOPE! I have been ridiculed all of my life, so now that this time is coming for me to have a BETTER life and a better QUALITY of life I am not letting them get to me.

Lately, I have been sitting here really trying to soul search...

What am I going to accomplish five years down the road? ten years? twenty?

All of this, my future planning, is really playing into my way of thinking when it comes to how this surgery will change my life. Although life is not a map written in permanent marker, I would like to think that I at least have some concept of how it will go. I feel like within a few short years doors will begin to open for me, and I will begin to love myself more as I change from within to reflect the changes that will happen externally.

For now, I am just looking at the short term...
Surgery, then school probably, then another baby (hopefully)... who knows? :D

What I CAN say is this: I know that I have a lot of blessings coming my way, and God has not been short on blessing us here lately and that is for sure!

Thank you all who have continued to support me through all of this, and I will post as soon as I am able to do so following surgery! :D

Two Days!

Okay, so I actually created this video two days ago but I am just now getting around to putting it up!

Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVbjTZsG_X4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

8 days!

10 days!

Ten days left and counting!

Now is when every possible thought will begin racing through my head I imagine...
As of right now, I am not too nervous... Just contemplating the tereafter.

Mentally,
I still cannot grasp the whole "me being smaller" concept... I don't know what it is about the human mind that sort of blocks us from being able to accept the reality to come - even if we have never experienced it. It is so strange. :)

Anyhow, I will only be in the hospital for 23 hours according to the information I recieved at my Pre Op class. This was pretty good news to me... I do NOT do well staying in hospitals for extended periods of time.

Hopefully all goes well the Wednesday with my EGD, then itll only be a week until the big day!!!

With that said, Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers - I truly appreciate it!

While I am at home recovering, if anyone is interested in chatting I am all for that too!

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

~Elizabeth

Follow up on PreOp

Hey everyone!

So yesterday was PreOp, and I was completely ill afterwards.
Ill, as in p*ssed off!

Anyhow, this is how it went down:

I had to be there at 7 am, so I got my vitals done and then I was weighed. I have lost an additional 4 pounds. Which is great! I have started (kinda) my pre op diet habits to go ahead and get into the swing of it. Official PreOp Protein diet starts Tuesday though.
After some others arrived, our PreOp class started. This basically was just to re-emphasize the facts and important basics that everyone should have already known if they paid attention in their Nutritional Eval. (Clearly some did not.)
After the class, we all went down and signed up for pre-registration and had our blood drawn, urine tests and meeting with the Anesthesiologist.

The Anesthesiologist explained some very interesting details to me, but basically I did find out that I could wake up with a breathing tube in my trachea - which kinda freaked me out. I knew one had to go down during surgery, but they said they may have to keep it inside a little longer. She told me not to freak out and try to pull it out, because it did NOT mean that surgery didn't go well just because it was still there. She explained that with obese people, sometimes after general anesthesia they have a longer period of time before the gasses are expelled and they don't want to risk a collapsed trachea.

March 9th is my EGD (Endoscopy), and I will FINALLY meet Dr. Duncan face to face! I am very excited - to meet Dr. Duncan, NOT for the EGD lol!!

The hospital will be calling be within 2-3 days before surgery to give me an arrival time. I will be in surgery for about an hour and a half, and will be admitted to the hospital overnight and then sent home.

This is basically the whole shabang, and if anyone has anything they wanna ask please don't hesitate to email me or comment!

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans!*

~Elizabeth

Pre Op is this week!

Video Update

And We Have a DATE!!!!

Surgery HAS been scheduled! We have a date! I am SOO excited, this is all becoming reality - very quickly!

Ready for the Drumroll...................................................

March 15th! <-- This is the 1st day of the rest of my life!

I am so very excited, and I will be posting more as we get closer. I have to go in for Pre-Op Feb 25th, and an EGD on March 9th.

Since I have never had an EGD I will surely be posting my experiences on that :)
For now,
signing off...

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*
~Elizabeth

Communication is clearly lacking here....

Okay, so I know it has been over a week since I posted I believe....

There have been some minor setbacks, and hopefully by close of business Friday things will have been fixed.

Apparently, the case manager that handles my FMLA at my job did not clearly understand me and denied my claim. I really get upset when people do NOT listen. It is HER job to put those requests through accurately and efficiently, I understand that - but she should have just told me to hold off on sending my forms in rather than denying them because of some stupid crap.
So now, I am sitting here waiting on the Case Manager / "Nurse" from ANTHEM to get back with my Bariatric Coordinator about my benefits. This way I can resumbit my FMLA.

This is just more aggravating than anything, but I mean it's not like the world will quit spinning so I am moving on along.

Anyway,
I have really been going through some emotional valleys lately. I am not too sure as to what is going on here with me.
All I know is that I could always use a friend, and that sometimes I don't want to talk for hours, I would just rather email someone back and forth - to me that is better sometimes. Not to say I don't want to talk to my awesome friends, but when you feel down, you don't want to physically talk to anyone sometimes... so if you would like to email me, please feel free. edavis51907@gmail.com

Until next time:

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

~Elizabeth

Alright! Now we're making progress!!!

SO I did have to end up sending in my psych clearance myself, because the Dr. had not put the files in as requested. I knew ther'ed be a speed bump somewhere along the way lol!

Now, everything is going in - probably tomorrow at some point - for approval. This could take a week or two and then we will get a scheduled date :)

I am really getting excited now!!!

Off for now!

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

~Elizabeth

Random blabber

Just sitting here thinking about what things will be like when I get home from the hospital after surgery. I won't be able to pick my son up out of his bed for a while, so I will be needing a little help with things like that, but I also am a little bit nervous.

This too shall pass...

I know it is pretty normal to get anxious or nervous before going through something big like this, so I am not that worried about it.

Anyhow, for an upbeat tone, I went up to David's Bridal yesterday with my Mother in Law and future Sister in Law. I am one of the bridesmaids in her wedding, which is an absolute HONOR! She has some super friends, and I think we are all gonna have a blast!
She is going to be so beautiful, and I know my Brother in Law is very lucky to have her! Couldn't have asked for someone more awesome!
I know this will be the last time for me to be "fat" in a wedding though, lol.

Well, signing off for now.

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

~Elizabeth

Video!!!

I recorded this a few days ago, but I am just now getting around to posting :)

Just Wandering...

Okay, I was just doing some thinking today.

I have NEVER been even CLOSE to thin, or a healthy weight. EVER! {okay when i was little maybe, but I have been overweight since I was around 9-10ish}

What will it feel like to be "not huge"? I have no idea! I have just been really trying to imaging myself as a healthier, happier, thinner person and I really cannot come up with a visual image.

To me, this is shocking. It's almost like I am diving into an unknown identity. I guess this is why there are many support groups and counselors, and that is why Dr. Walfish told me I would need to see one after surgery. I am guessing that this kind of thing is what starts happening before surgery, and after. Identity.

If you are thin, could you picture yourself being obese? I bet you can't. The same way I cannot really grasp the concept that I will be close to "normal".

Anyhow, just random thoughts for today.

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

~Elizabeth

Psychological Clearance and Nutrition

Happy Thursday Y'all!

I hope everyone has had a great week so far! I am so excited to be finished with alllllll of my pre-operative clearances! (Yay me!)

Now, on to the "real stuff"....

So yesterday was the nutritional clearance and psychological consult/clearance. I went in, sat down with my "test" materials and finished the 3 hour test in 2 hours. I had lunch and came back to meet with my nutritionist, but the Doc was already available to see me - so I saw him first.

Apparently, through my IQ test and personality profile, he found me to be stubborn lol! He also said that I have a high IQ, that if I were in college that I should make A's. This gives me some inspiration for when I enroll in school again lol!

Along with all of the talking, he pointed out that I will need to begin saving NOW for a "Plastic Surgery Fund." Sounds good to me! I know a body lift costs way more than a tummy tuck alone, but I may have to have one thing done at a time, seeing as how it would take about 15 years to save for the body lift. I could have the tummy tuck and breast augmentation for less than that probably! (Not too sure, because I have not really researched the aesthetic surgery part of my journey yet). Either way, all of this will be at least 3-4 years down the road, so I figure that now is as good a time as any to join the credit union! I will get the highest return on my money there, and since it is not linked to my personal checking account, I won't be tempted to "dip into" that account! :)

Anyhow, Just wanted to post a little about how the appointment went yesterday - but I am off to work now!

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

~Elizabeth

Flashback!

By the Way, I wanted to share another picture of myself with you guys from years passed.

Still overweight here, but really compared to the years of suffering obesity what I wouldn't give to be back there now.

My LAST Clearance Appointment before Surgery!

I am so excited that tomorrow will be my FINAL appointment before insurance approves my surgery!

(For those who may be interested, you will have to go through a series of "Clearances" and Preoperative requirements set forth by your insurance company. It really depends through whom you are insured, but mine is pretty good and didn't require very many.)

Now,

I just want to take a little time and post about some of the things that are running through my mind right now about all of this....

I know what will happen...I am going to lose anywhere between 70-80% of my excess weight within one year of surgery, so now I am having "skinny anxiety" a little bit. By that, I mean that I cannot bring myself to pick up any clothes in smaller sizes off the clearance racks. I know some of you may say not to do that anyway because I may jinx myself, or that I may not get as small as I think - but I mean I wasn't looking at size 2's...I was looking at like size 16's. I still cannot really comprehend ever being able to fit in those.

Why am I looking at clothes right now anyway right? Well, in my mind, what I can find on clearance sales for this time next year, I try to calculate about how much weight I will have (should have) lost by that time. I want to get things cheap while I can, so be "frugal" and not have to fork out as much money later. Face it, I will be having to buy clothes at least once a month for a year. So, in a way I guess what I am doing makes sense :)

I don't know.... I just keep daydreaming about how it'll feel to go and shop for clothes and not be completely disgusted. I haven't gone to shop and go into a dressing room in over a year because I figured there was no point. I buy mostly online, because it disgusts me to even stand in front of a mirror and look at myself in clothes.

So many people who are "average" take things like this for granted, but I assure all of you that I will be doing some serious damage once I am able to wear the things that I like. :) My husband may have to supervise me lol! I will promise one thing - I will never take shopping in the "regular sizes" for granted ever again. For me, that is one of the things I look forward to the most....of course, AFTER the fact that I will FINALLY be able to jump and play with my son, take a destination trip with my husband, go to Disney World with my family, and a lot of other things that most of you wouldn't really understand (unless you are obese).

Well, for now I am signing off!

*Skinny Dreams of Skinny Jeans*

~Elizabeth

Why am I doing this?

"Having surgery is just a cop-out..."

"Gastric Bypass is just because you are lazy..."

"This surgery won't change anything because you won't change..."

Above are some of the negative things I have heard in reaction to my decision to procede with Gastric Bypass.

These comments are from people who know nothing of the world of obesity, nor do they realize that this is not an answer. It is a tool to help me in making a lifestyle change.

To me, I always have been a person who really does want so much out of life. I always wanted to be able to do the simple things and enjoy the same things that "normal" people do. Swimming, hiking, skiing, flying on an airplane without having to book an extra seat because you are fat... just to name a few. I could go on....

First of all, just to get this out there - this is MY decision.

I am looking forward to being able to take my sweet, angel of a son to Disney World. To be able to get on the teacups with him and to be able to chase him around all over the place! Those are things that I cannot do because I am FAT! I am changing my life starting NOW! He deserves to have a mommy that can not only stand in the bleachers at tee ball, but one who could also be out there playing tee ball! Get the gist?

Also, just to share with some of you the road I have come down, below are some pictures of me from when I was in high school. I was 198 pounds. I have never been able to shop out of the Plus Size department for pretty much my entire life. I think I got fat somewhere around the age of 8. My parents were divorced, my dad was suicidal and unstable - all in all a bad father to say the least, and my mother did the best that she could to raise me on her own without HIS help. Rather it be giving me candy and treats because she thought she was making me feel better, or by just letting me have what I want because she loves me and not realizing the damage that this behavior could one day cause.

No, my mother did not ever do anything that would harm me on purpose. In her eyes, she was always just trying to make me feel like I was "complete". I guess you'd have to be in the situation I was to understand.

I never really knew that I was "fat" until i started noticing boys, and one boy told me he did not like me because I was "fat". The rest is history, and a long line of painful and difficult self image issues, which dug me an even deeper hole of misery.

I met a young man my freshman year in High School. We became friends. He wouldn't date me though. He liked the Barbie Doll types. I knew this. He went away for the summer after he graduated, and I moved into the sophomore year of high school when he returned. We began dating, but this only after I had dropped a few pounds. Through the course of our "on again - off again" relationship, he would make comments about me. He would cheat on me with girls half my size, and this took its toll on my self esteem.

It didn't take very long before I began skipping meals, and I would barely eat in front of him - since he was always around, that meant I would get about 1 meal a day.

This lasted for about a year, and I lost about 30 pounds. (which brought me to the 190's).

I met a young man through a mutual acquaintance not too long before the previous guy and I broke it off for good. This new guy always made me feel like I was worth something. I hid my problem from him, and he had no idea what was going on with me at this time.

In a way, even though it didn't last too long, I think the Lord put this young man in my life at just the right time. It helped me realize that I did not need to put myself through all of the pain I was enduring just to make someone else happy, because in the end I would only make myself miserable.

After college, I began working and reconnected with some old friends from school. Through them, I also reconnected with the man who is now my husband. We knew each other from school, and even though I had put on a significant amount of weight, HE loved me just the way I was. From the time we were married (in 2007) up until last year, I have been researching and considering bariatric surgery. I wanted to share that with those of you who may be contemplating surgery yourselves, because it is a very serious decision. It has taken me three years to decide that this is what I need to do.

Well, for now I am going to sign off...be back soon!

*skinny dreams of skinny jeans*

-Elizabeth