Holiday Time!

Hello everyone! I know that this is a busy time of year for everyone, but I just wanted to take a minute to update my blog...just incase someone checks in on me!

Last week I went to see Dr. Choban. I was pretty sure I didn't want a fill, but thought I would let her be the judge. I told her that I was not hungry at all until the afternoon. I told her that I do have a tiny problem with head hunger at night, but that it was not a band-problem, just a me-problem. I also told her that I didn't think I needed a fill, but I was afraid NOT to get one, mostly because my insurance will be changing in January and fills will no longer be covered.

She listened to everything I said and to my surprise she suggested that I get a tiny fill. She put .25cc in me. So far I am doing well with it. I have not had any problems, but I really need to work had to eat the right food. Yesterday, I ate ham at a dinner with my Dad, and it went down fine. The day before I ate a chicken leg with no problems. Both of these dinners were served with yummy side dishes that were MUCH easier to eat. I know that it is going to be an effort to get 70gms of protein in now, but I am going to have to give it my best effort. I guess that means back to protein bars and shakes!

As the weight continues to come off (last week I was down 85lbs!) the skin left behind becomes more of an issue. I am still wearing size 18 clothes, although most come off without unbuttoning them! I put a pain of 16 jeans on yesterday and they were baggy in the butt and legs, but gave me a little muffin top. What to do? I guess I will wear my 18's for now and look for the spanks my mom got me last year for christmas. Maybe that will be enough support to control the skin at that top of my jeans and I can wear more of the 16's I have in my closet!

I did talk to Dr. Choban about the skin, and she suggested waiting for 2 years before getting it removed! You can imagine how devastated this made me! She said that the band is a three-year-weight-loss plan, and that I am not even a year out yet. She said that I would want to be closer to goal (I guess her goal and my weight goal are different) before surgery. She also said that I have lost weight closer to a bypass patient and that if I get my protein in, some of the skin will tighten back up. I sure hope this is the case for my arms and legs, but I really think my tummy is a lost cause!

I hope this post was not too much for you guys...I know some of you are not and have never been overweight. These concepts must be completely foreign to you. To me, this has been something I have been struggling with since third grade (at least that is the first time I remember my mom putting me on a diet). Having food lose its control over me has been an amazing blessing that I thank the Lord for every day!

Coming Out

I had a NSV last night at dance class for my DD. I followed Jenna into the bathroom to help her change clothes and the owner of the studio came in after me. I turned around and she was toe to toe with me...and in a soft voice said "ok, me and Becky (the front desk girl) want to know what you are doing to lose all of this weight."

I was taken so off guard. I think this was the first time someone I was not "out" to said something about it. I chuckled and told her that is was a combo of having the LAP-BAND®, eating 1500 ish cals a day and working out. She seemed to only hear the LAP-BAND® part and was full of questions. I gladly answered them and then she left to go back out in the studio.

After she left I wanted to cry. I was not sure if it was an emotional release of the joy that comes with how far I have came, or if I was worried that the small town dance studio would be buzzing with the news of my surgery! Either way, I wondered how I would handle it when the day came, and I guess I got my answer!

Other news, I am officially down 81.2 lbs! Yeah Me!
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