GO CHICA GO!!!!!!!

I'm going to participate. I never really win anything so this will be just to keep my motivation up to exercise and continue to lose weight. Go on over to Draz's to get all the info or just read the abbreviated version below:


Keep a log - and the person with the most miles wins a prize!

In order to give everyone the chance to log in and check blogs and such I'd like this to start on Friday, August the 20th and end on Friday, September the 24th! That's 5 exact weeks - 35 short days!

Let Draz know if you want to sign up and I'll keep a list of competitors. I may ask for updates and post them randomly so all of you with competitive spirits can be motivated along the way so keep your logs current!

Be sure to let your followers know about the challenge since I'm sure all of your followers don't follow me so they won't know about it unless you tell them.

Repost the pic above.


GO CHICA GO!!!!

On to MUSHIES!!

So I'm a little bit happier than I should be about this, but I was so glad to be off liquids. I guess because I was doing it a week before surgery, I have had all the liquids I could take. I don't see how folk who had to do a liquid diet for pre-op lasted, but my hat is off to you.

Today I had a protein shake for breakfast and for lunch I had refried beans topped with fat free cheddar cheese. I noticed it before but had to mention it now....fat free cheddar is so not like regular cheddar. It doesn't melt the same or pull the same. I guess because of the missing "FAT," LOL! Takes some getting use to. Tonight I will be having soft scrambled eggs with ff cheddar cheese.

Alycejo over at My Rescue is Possible asked a question that had been on my mind. How do you know when you are full? I thought about this and she asked it before I did. My method since I am newly banded is just to eat the exact measure that my surgeon recommends and eat when I'm supposed to. I wrote out a plan that I could follow. To be honest I just finished lunch about 30 minutes ago and I feel some gurgling in my intestines. I don't know what to make of that. I am not ever hungry and can't even feel my stomach (I guess that's due to swelling) to know that I'm full when I eat something. So rather than over eat, I just measure eat and stop. I don't want to not eat because I'm not hungry and get malnurished so I will continue this way.

I have to share this good news though that has nothing to do with WL. My youngest sister who moved in with 2.5 kids (2 & she's pregnant again) called and told me that she has been moved up on the waiting list for an apartment. She is not working and trying to get her GED. Because of those reasons she can only get an apartment in which rent is based on income. I'm so happy I could do my Snoopy Happy dance!!! My house is not that big and her kids make a mess. Don't get me wrong, I love them so much, but LORD I will be happy to have my house back.

My Lap Band Surgery Experience

Hi all!! As promised here is a blow by blow account of my day of banding.

The day before I went to work as normal and had planned to stay all day. Well that didn’t turn out to be the case. At 1:30 p.m. I drank “as advised” my Magnesium Citrate. Well I was making such a horrible face as my Assoc. VP walked in with another director that I had to explain that I wasn’t frowning at them. I told them that what I had drank and the AVP said oh my you need to go home. He was so funny, he was scaring me with stories of my possibly pooping on myself. I was howling laughing and my VP said that I better run home. Well most folk know I don’t always do what I’m told. So I prayed that I didn’t poop myself and went to my bariatric doctor to weigh in. I’m sorry there was NO way I was going to drive 40 minutes all the way home just to drive back out 40 minutes to get weighed. Nope not gonna happen. So I took my chances. I felt my stomach gurgle a little, but I kept going. I walked in the office and signed in. They called me back in 2 minutes and I was down from 278 to 270. I was happy because my surgeon is a stickler for doing what you are told. He has a distinct rep for being an A..hole, but hey I can role with the punches. After getting weighed, I stood around talking to the office nutritionist about recipes and what it takes to be successful. All in all I got home about 3:30. That’s hour and a half after I left. The laxative didn’t start working on me until about 5 p.m. So I was good. I milled around the house and got my stuff together for the next day, got my last broth and apple juice in and called it a night with some Tylenol PM.

Fast forward to 4:30 in the morning…..ugh! I am SOOOOO not a morning person, but got up showered and walked around the house for 20 minutes. I guess I had some nervous energy. My mom was up and ready to take me to the hospital so we left about 10 till 5. I think she sensed my nervousness or was maybe trying to cover up her own by making small talk. Normally conversations between me and my mom are free flowing. We made it to out-patient check in at 5:30 on the dot. I signed in and walked to “same day surgery.” The minute I got to the desk one of the nurses showed me to my room and I commenced to getting on that really cute gown that opens in the back. Then I met the most wonderful angel, My nurse Marcele. She took my vitals and told me that they were ready for me. I was shocked because normally when I have a surgery the wait time is at least an hour. The reminded me that because I sometimes have problems with anesthesia (malignant hyperthermia) I needed to be the first to have my surgery done. Ok, not a problem. They anesthesiologist came in and introduced herself as she checked for a vein, while my surgeon came over and asked if I was ready and prepared to do what was right (while my anesthesiologist rolled her eyes, LOL). Now I must mention that my surgeon is not well liked, by his colleagues or some of patients, but I wasn’t there to be his friend. I told him that I was and my assumption of the band and its purpose and he left to check my OR. My anesthesiologist was by that time thumping my hand and saying that she was proud of me for taking such a bold move for my health. We talked a bit and she mentioned that of course I had a big part to play and we talked a little about what I needed to do. She talked about her food addiction, but tried to make sure she didn’t gain much. She also said she would not say anything since she couldn’t say anything nice about my doctor, but the she recanted that and said…..”well he is very good at what he does.” With that my doctor stuck his head in the door and made a face. He was a little frustrated that they didn’t have my OR ready yet. They had to re-stock because of my condition. About 5 minutes later it was ready and I was wheeled about 3 doors down the hall (my last look at the clock said it was 7:45). They stretched my arms out like I was on the cross and pinned them down on foam with some Velcro straps. I mentioned how cold it was in there and the next thing I know I was out like a light.
I wake up in recovery to a nice nurse monitoring my blood pressure and temp as they both have a habit of spiking when I go in surgery. They both finally came down enough for them to let me go to back to my room about 10 am. I called my mom and told her I was out and she headed in (she had went back to take the grand kids to day care). My nurse Marcele, comes in and takes my vitals and they look good. She says that I have to stay until 3 p.m. I sleep off and on and awake to Marcele saying if I feel up to it I can take a walk. And walk I did. I circled the out patient floor 5 times. I was to loopy to count the steps, but determined not to have any problems with pinned up gas. Marcele said I was the poster child for success and that she had never seen any patient do that. I just kept going like the Energizer bunny. They finally released me right at 3 p.m. I rode out in my cute gown and robe. They said hey why change just go in that…..so I did. I got home and laid it down as the sleepies were coming back. My mom went and picked up my ‘script and I dozed in and out of consciousness. I finally got up about 5 and trotted to the bathroom. A little tired but not extremely so. About 7 I make myself sip some broth and take my meds (liquid Loritab). I’m not really in any pain. A little sore at the port site, but that’s it. I decide to walk my hallway about 10 times which is 20 steps one way, text my son and call it a night.
The next day I was feeling a little better, but still sore. I got up and sipped some broth, watched television and just decided to walk. So I got my little walking dvd out and did about 10 minutes of it. I did this off and on throughout the day, whenever the urge would hit me. I must also tell you that I have had absolutely NO problems with gas in my back or shoulders. I am sooooo happy about this as this was one of my biggest worries. I have just kept it moving. I walked in Wal-Mart, I walked in Sam’s club I even went to Nashville yesterday to see my baby boy!! One of my BFFs (the one that has been banded) called to check on me and asked if I was excited, I told her that I can’t say “I’m excited anymore because excitement wears off, I’m more determined than anything.” She didn’t have anything to say. AAAHhhhh well!! Got to keep it moving.

Ok, I didn’t mention my eating. I am sooo not hungry. Even today I am just eating because I know I’m supposed to. Today I have my protein shake for breakfast and lunch along with some sugar free jello. I have also been taking my Flintstones, and my sublingual B12s and I’m not tired either. I attribute the lack of fatigue to the fact that after you go through chemo, nothing makes you tired anymore. I got energy!! I am though, sick of broth. I have moved onto full liquids which are ok, but I’m soooo looking forward to the 5 & 6 week where I can go to normal food consistency. I have my first 2 weeks of meals planned out 2 being putting chicken breast in my crock pot with some veggies and going ham (as my son says). Seriously, I’m looking forward to cooking for the week and putting things up in my new Tupperware for each day. The next week will be poached salmon with Idaho potatoes in the crock pot. Well Tuesday I start my mushies and I’m excited about my refried beans and cheddar cheese among other things.

With that I will end here and let you know that the new name of my blog is “The Life of the Band” starring me and my band ….Jiminy Cricket or JC as he is so affectionetly called (thanks Gwen). He has deemed himself my official conscience as you can tell from the picture so I'm gonna let him run with it.

I'm BAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKK!!!

I have this HUGE smile on my face right now!!! I am so happy and feeling great. I saw the comments on my last post and I just LOVE each and every one of you!!! There honestly are no words. I wish I could give you all a hug! Your kind words, thoughts and much needed prayers got me through. I thought about you all the whole time I was there. I will do a seperate (hopefully not long) blog about it later as I have stuff piled on my desk.

I will say also that I not only love you guys for the kind words and prayers, but for your ability to give back. All your advice helped me throughout this process. Without you I don't know where I would have been. So with that said I am doing WONDERFUL and have already lost...drumroll please...................


10 lbs!!!!!

I♥♥♥♥you guys so much. Be back with another post later!!

Stephanie, thank you again for being such a sweetheart and posting an update for me. you are a Godsend!!

Tomorrow is the day!!!!!

WOW!! Ok first off let me let you know there will be no structure to this post whatsoever. I am excited and have work to do in this office. How dare they expect me to come to work and WORK!!! ☺ Since I'm going to ramble I will try to put them in bullets so you can follow. As they appear here is exactly how they popped in my head.
*WARNING: This post does contain rants about poop! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!*

•I dropped my son off in Nashville to start band camp and in 3 weeks college. I miss him already. I didn't go into his bedroom at home for fear of crying. On that note, I was there all day and when it was time for me to leave, I just hugged him, gave him a kiss and told him to be good (like he was being dropped off in daycare or something). He looked into my eyes and I saw all the love I have cultivated for 18 years. I will see him in a few weeks when he comes back home to play in the Southern Heritage Classic.

•I started my clear liquid diet this morning and have to drink Magnesium Citrate. A laxative and I'm at work!!! OMGEEEEEEEEEE for realz!!!!!! I went to Fred's and picked up a 10 oz. bottle for a dollar in the only flavor they had "Sparkling Lemon." Yea..... I know some of you are going to say "well why don't you drink it when you get home??" The short answer to that is that I have to drink it between 1 and 2 p.m. They want my system clear and not pooping on them by the time I come in. So lets do the math here. LIQUID DIET + LAXATIVE = LIQUID POOP AND A LOT OF IT!!

•Which leads me to my next rant.....I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 a.m.!!! Actually I'm good with that so that I won't have to be there all day. I have had surgeries where I had to be at the hospital at 1 p.m. WTH!! My surgery is supposed to start at 7:30. From what I'm told that may or may not be the case. It's like a little cattle call......That's sad. Ok....

•I will be off work for the rest of the week and will not have internet access except through my cell phone. Not a lot of wiggle room with that small screen, so I will fill you guys in when I get back to work on Monday and play catch up with all you guys goings on.

•I can already tell I'm going to get sick of broth. I had beef broth this morning and after the first 2 or 3 swallows I was like ACK!!!

•I'm determined to see this through. Part of me wonders though is it to show my best friend (the one thats banded) that the band can actually work and that she is wrong. IDK. I know my primary reason is of course my health, but also to show my friend that she has to work the band. We had a discussion last week where I think she actually was trying to talk me out of this. I'm a strong head so she knew it wouldn't work, but she made slippery comments anyway like "You can do it on your own" and "It is really no difference." She said "it doesn't take away your cravings." Well duh!!! I told her this is a "lap band" it goes around your stomach, not your brain. If you were an emotional eater before the band will not make you stop medicating yourself with food because you just broke up with your no good baby daddy for the umpteenth time. Nor will it solve any other emotional issues. Those are your's and your's along to fix.

•While we are on it. Sometimes I wonder about my BFFs (I have two and they are sisters). One is banded the other isn't. They are both very competitive and not in a good way. They do it in a way that says "nah, I beat you and am better." I was over to their house last week and the sister that isn't banded asked me how much I weighed. Of course because I'm an open book 90% of the time I told her. She waited a while and in the middle of the conversation said something like "I wasn't going to tell you, but when you told me how much you weighed I was thinking I'm not going to let her beat me (in losing weight)." WTH!!! As much as I have been through you are worried about competing against me. The one who HAS to lose weight or die. COMMMMMMMEEEONNNNNNNN!! I didn't mention this to my mom (who is VERY supportive, btw), because my family is already a little perturbed with my BFFs for not coming to the hospital at all when I had my double mastectomy. One hates hospitals and the other was tired from work. I didn't know until this past week that my family had discussed this without me. They feel that people you have been loyal to for 17 years should have been supportive of you regardless. I agree and have since let it go. They apologized and I accepted. But sometimes I wonder.....

•I do have another good friend who was banded Oct '09 and has been VERY successful. Her story is similar to mind with a few exceptions. Her mother died of cancer some years ago and her brother has cancer now. She just made a decision that she wanted to live and see her beautiful babies grow up. I don't blame her. She is the reason I made the decision to get banded.

Anyway those are my ramblings for today. I have more, but this post would be exceptionally long and I don't want to bore ya. By the time I talk with you guys again I will be in band land. See you on the other side!!

Me Versatile...I'm a one trick pony!!

Oh my!! I am so honored to recieve this award. Wow!!

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person giving the award.
2. Share seven things about yourself.
3. Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs.
4. Let your nominees know about the award.

• Leah you are so AWESOME to have nominated me for this special award. I will cherish it forever.

• Share seven things about myself
1. I've always dreamed of traveling in space. I was a trekkie and watched every other space show that came on television. I watched Star Wars, Lost in Space, Space Ghost, the "old" Battlestar Galactica, The Jetsons, My Favorite Martian, you name it I was fascinated with it . Anybody remember "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century??"

2. One of the superpowers that I always wanted to have was to fly. I love birds and planes for that simple reason. I have even contemplated taking flying lessons.

3. I can be a snob. I hate being around ghetto people. I purposely avoid going to stores in the hood because I just don't want to be around loud black folk who have burgundy hair and cuss (not curse) out their children.

4. I wore neutral colors & navy blues for most of my adult hood because I wanted to look smaller. You know the old adage that dark colors makes you look smaller? Yea right. I didn't own a thing of color until I turned 35.

5. I have worked at the Univ. of Memphis for 13 years. I have never stayed in one place for more than 5. I will admit though I have switched positions in those 13 years 3 times.

6. I am deathly afraid of snakes.

7. I'm not so sure I want to be married anymore. In my 20s & 30s I would literally cry because I didn't have a husband. I have planned my wedding since I was a kid, now I'm not so sure. In this battle with cancer, I have learne to love my peace and space and now I feel like a husband would deminish all of that. I want to have a companion, but I want to be able to send him home when I'm tired of him.....is that bad??

• Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs.
Dang, I can't even count that high. Ok here goes and if you've gotten it before, sorry just add it to the bunch ☺.

1. Michelle
2. Lap Band Gal
3. LDSwims
4. Heather
5. Band Groupie
6. Kristen
7. Sumer
8. Christine
9. Kristina
10.Amy
11.Michelle
12.Catherine
13.Pie
14.Tessie
15.CeeJay
one more
16.Ice Queen

Again I want to thank the beautiful Leah for nominating me. I think these awards are more than just cute. They go a long way in encouraging someone. I took this seriously simply because I know that one day when/if I get another award after I'm banded this will lift my spirits and encourage me to fight on. So FIGHT ON my friends, FIGHT ON!!

Now off to complete #4!!

6 more days until band land!!!

Protein Review

Happy Monday to you all!!

I wanted to do a review on a protein that I have tried and love. My BFF suggested this (as well as the nurse at my surgeon) and I have found that not only is it great for protein, it doesn’t taste bad either. This is the website and you can click on the different Nectar links to see the different flavors.

1st up is Nectar Protein in Chocolate Truffle from the Nectar Sweets line. This is a chocolate drink that has a great chocolate flavor and doesn’t taste gritty. It has 23 grams of protein per full scoop and only 100 calories. There are 0 grams of fat, 0 carbohydrates and it has NO Aspartame!! I thought this was great as I have been seeing some very alarming things about aspartame lately. I will definitely be switching to Stevia. If you go to the website there are several flavors including Natural Fruit Punch and Natural Peach from the Nectar Naturals line, Twisted Cherry, Roadside Lemonade, and Fuzzy Navel from the Nectar line and Chocolate Truffle, Strawberry Mousse and Vanilla Bean Torte from the Nectar Sweets line.

2nd is Nectar Medical, which is a protein powder that you can mix in to drinks and or soft foods & soups. It has 10 grams of protein per scoop and only 40 calories with no carbs or fat. This protein can also be mixed in feeding tubes. The taste isn’t bad and you can’t really make a distinction in your food. Be careful not to mix it in anything to hot as it will denature the protein.

Right now I am on my (self-prescribed) pre-op diet and I mix the following:

1 full scoop of Nectar Protein in Chocolate Truffle (100 cals; 23 g. protein)
1 full scoop of Nectar Medical (40 cals; 10 g. protein)
1 teaspoon of Metamucil Fiber (25 cals; 5 g. fiber)
1/3 cup of powdered milk (80 cals; 8 g. protein)
1 cup of cold water

In blender combine all the powders and ½ of the water and blend for about 10 seconds. Let the mixture sit for about 2 to 5 minutes (as it will allow the powders to settle thus enhancing the taste) Add the remaining water and blend a few seconds more. Can add a few ice cubes if you like and pulse a bit longer. Can substitute 1 cup of skim milk instead for the powdered milk and water.

Cals: 245
Protein: 46 grams
Fiber: 5 grams

You can mix what you want and get a healthy dose of Protein and a low cal drink that will keep you full. I am drinking a shake for breakfast and lunch and eating a salad with tuna for dinner. Be mindful though that when you mix up the drink it will swell and be well more than 8 oz. I wouldn’t suggest mixing the Fuzzy Navel or other flavors like Natural Peach with milk though. You can do just water.

I bought these products from a local nutrition & vitamin store here. Check with your local stores to see if they carry it. I can tell you now that Wholefoods doesn't and neither does GNC if you shop at those places.