Twenty Days & Counting!!

Hey Y'all,

Well, I woke up & weighted myself, hoping to have another huge weight change, but that didn't happen.  but I did have a small change of .8 lbs making my total weight loss from Aug 28th, 8 lbs!  So at least I am on my way!  I still need to lose at least another 3 lbs by Nov 19th & I am sure that can be done! 

Well, not much else to say except that I am getting ready to work my eyes & fingers to death!  I am getting ready to pull our tax information together, up to the current date.  We are self employed & our income has dropped this year (like a lot of other people).  This means that we may have already paid our tax obligation for our income this year.  So I need to figure out all of our Income/Expenses, etc so our CPA can advise us if we still need to make our 4th quarter tax payments, & if so, how much.  We are hoping that since our income has dropped, we won't need to make the last tax payment.   Cross your fingers for us!!  We could really use this break, especially since we have my Surgery costs this quarter!!  Well, I better get off here now, get started & stop procrastinating!

Aloha My Friends  :)

This Can't Be True !

Hey Y'all,

I just stepped on the ole scale, to see what my current weight is & I couldn't believe it!  It says 221.4!  At my first Consultation with the Surgeon on August 28th, I weighted 228.6, & at the Doctor's Office on Tuesday, I weighted 226.8 in their office.  Unfortunately, I didn't weight myself after I got home (silly me), to see if my scale is still reading close to theirs. 

Yesterday was the first day that I (kind of) started my diet, so I wasn't expecting to see much change.  I hope this is for real!!!  I had bought a new scale in August & at that time, it was reading about the same as the Doctor's, so I really hope this is for real!!  If it is, then I have lost 7.2 lbs since August 28th without really trying & possibly 5.4 lbs since Tuesday!  I hope the next 80-100 lbs goes as easily (it won't!).  Anyway, I'm sorry that I was rambling on like this, I am just sooo happy!

Today, I had my husband take my measurements for me.  So here they are (measurements are in inches for those of you who are checking in from out of the US).

Breast:
50
Measurement under Breasts:
43
Waist:
48
Hips:
50
Upper Arms:        
Rt: 17    Lt: 17 1/2
Forearms:             
Rt: 12    Lt: 11 1/2

Upper Thigh: 
Rt: 27 1/2    Lt: 26 1/2
Calf:                
Rt: 16 1/2   Lt: 16 1/2
Ankle:                           
Rt: 9   Lt: 10
Neck: 
18

Now for the scary pictures!  Here are my official Pre-Surgery photos.

The dreaded full frontal.

The even worse, side view!!  The Doctor said that I am a true apple shape, I carry most of my weight in my belly & chest.

My husband had something to say about my behind, but I better not post it!!  LOL.

Who needs wings with arms like these?

 

Well, I guess I will get off for now, except to say:

It's, 21 days until Surgery!!

Aloha My Friends

I Almost Forgot!!

Hey Y'all,

I almost forgot!  I spoke with my other BFF, Nadene today.  She is my friend that lives up in Truckee & I almost had to stay the night with her last night on my way back home from Reno.  It's a good thing that I didn't stay with her though.  According to Nadene, the storm worsened overnight & I would have had to drive home through the snow.  I am in my little car with no snow tires or chains, not our huge Dodge Diesel 4x4, that could have made it easily!!  So that made me happy that I had made the right decision.  I was sooo tempted just to stay there & have a good talk with her for the day.

But, the funny thing is.  She asked me when my Surgery was scheduled for, as she is going to be in Reno on Wednesday, November 18th for a work meeting.  When I told her we were driving up that day too, as my Pre-Surgery Doctor's visit was the 18th & my Surgery is scheduled for the 19th, she was thrilled!  She decided to stay the night there in Reno so she can have dinner with us.

Now I have a huge question for all you seasoned Bander's.  Since I am going to have lost all the Pre-Surgery weight I am going to lose by then, do you think it will be ok for me to have an early, lite dinner with them?  Or should I ask the Doctor?  I am supposed to be on a total liquid diet the last 2 wks, but the information they provided, says that on the last day before surgery, I am not to eat or drink after Midnight.

Has anyone else eaten an early, lite dinner the night before their surgery?  I know that at least 1 of the blogger's that I read, did.  But I am not sure how common this is.  So I would like to hear from those of you who have already been banded, your thoughts on this, please.

Aloha My Friends

My Bad!!

Hey Y'all,

My husband complimented me on the selection of photos that I put in my blog, but he wanted to make sure I corrected the information I gave regarding the Mayflower II.  I didn't realize that the ship was positioned where the Bow was facing the land.  I assumed that it was the Stern!  Now, I do know the difference between the Bow & the Stern, if only I had looked more closely! LOL.  Am I redder than normal?  Well, I should be at any rate!

Now, I am also going to say that my first day on the Pre-Op Diet wasn't my best.  I didn't even have my first drink until about 3pm when I made my first Protein Drink (& that was only after my husband got on to me about not eating or drinking correctly).  Luckily for me (as I do not do well with drinks that don't taste very good (think gagging & throwing up)), I remembered reading on one of the blogs I follow that she found a powdered Protein drink mix called Premium that you can purchase in Costco that actually tasted good. 

So I high tailed it to Costco & bought my first bag of mix.  It is a 6 lb bag, makes 70 servings & only costs $28.99 (about half the cost & made twice as much as the Protein Drink mix being sold by the Surgeons office)!!  I haven't tasted the Vanilla, but the Chocolate actually doesn't taste bad (of course, I mixed it with fat free milk instead of water to thicken it a bit)(we'll see how much I continue to like it after having to drink it for at least 3 wks!).  So, my day started out bad as far a dieting goes.  I obviously didn't follow it completely, I only had one of the 300 cal or less meals, & only 2 of the shakes with a string cheese, but at least my calorie count was within the correct range.   

I also forgot to make sure that I still had a pitcher, to make my sugar free Kool-Aid, for my water intake.  I wasn't able to find the pitcher, by the way.  Now, I don't drink coffee or tea.  The only thing I normally drink is Caffeine Free Diet Coke.  So I have to find a substitute for my water intake, hence the Kool-Aid.  I also don't drink water much, duh!  However, we will be putting in a water filtration so we can get some good tasting water, but until then, I HAVE to down my water with Kool-Aid for sure. 

So, I had to make a special run to our local CVS (Long's) Drug Store to purchase the stupid pitcher.  So, I know I was bad, bad, bad today, but I will start & follow my diet religiously beginning tomorrow.  I will also be taking photos, measurements & checking my weight tomorrow so I have a good idea of the changes I will be going through.  So until tomorrow.

Aloha My Friends

I'm Sorry In Advance!! :)

Hey Y'all,
 

Well, it's 22 days & counting till Surgery day!!


Now, I finally went through & picked about 56 photos of my trip to Cape Cod & New Hampshire that I hope you will like out of the hundreds of photos taken!!  Again, I apologize in advance for the amount of photos in one post. 

First day in Cape Cod, Walt had to go to the Harbor (Haabah) to get some clam chowder (or chowdah as they say).

This is the quaint Church where we stopped to take photos of a couple that just got married in Fallmouth.

This is a photo of the whole church.

Do you know how hard it is to get my Sweetheart to stop taking photos himself & just pose for me?

Chatham Lighthouse on Cape Cod.

View of Chatham Beach.

Still Chatham Beach.

Me at Chatham Beach.

My Sweetheart on the Harbor Cruise.

Wouldn't this be a great place to live?

More beautiful sites to see!

The Kennedy Compound.  You might think that it is the big white house with the collums, but you would be wrong!!  :)

Me & my Sweetheart on the Harbor Cruise.

The Plymouth Rock Memorial.  Impressive isn't it?

The Actual Plymouth Rock!  Really impressive isn't it?  Not really, but it is history!

Walt looking down on it, taking a photo of it himself.

The Plymouth Rock Monument is off my right shoulder & over my left is the Mayflower II.  It is small & held 102 passengers & 30 crew!  I walked on this thing.  I sure wouldn't have signed on for a trip of this magnitude in such a small ship!!

The Mayflower II

One of the Ships Mast/Crows Nest

Main deck area.

1 of 2 Bunks in Captains Cabin.  I don't know how he ever slept in it!  I am only 5' 3" & I couldn't fit without curling up my legs!!

The rear or Stern of the Ship in the Captains Cabin, one of the bunks is to the left in the photo.

The second bunk in the Captains Cabin looking to the door.

Looking to the Bow of the ship (front).  The white tarp is covering the stairs leading down into the hold of the ship where the passengers & supplies were kept.  It was in place as it had rained all that morning just prior to us arriving there.

Walt with the stern of the ship behind him.

Walt talking with one of the historians on the ship.

One of the woman Docents (someone who trains to represent someone of the time period, who might have been aboard the ship).  She interacted with you as her character would have.

Me freezing my a$$ on top of the Pilgrim Monument.  It is 252 ft high & there was a strong freezing wind blowing.  I was keeping guard on Walt's precious hat & his camera bag.  My turn came later for photos.  I knew I shouldn't have left my gloves in the car!!  Burr!!

A view from the top.

Check out the school with the grave yard in back.

Looking up the stair case inside the monument.  It had over 100 some odd stairs & 60 ramps.  This was supposed to make it easy to climb!!  I had people 65-70 yrs old passing me by!  It was only supposed to take about 15-20 mins to climb, (yea right) it took me somewhere between 30-45 mins!

Walt standing with the Monument behind him.

Driving through Massachusetts.

Now in New Hampshire.

A Lake near Keene, New Hampshire.

Some huge pumpkins lining the Main Street in Keene to set off the Pumpkin Festival.

More giant Pumpkins.  Can you say, "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?"

Here she is...my BFF Kelly.  We caught up like we had only been apart for a few month, not 19 yrs!!

Here's Kelly's better half Rick & my better half, Walt.  Rick is an amazing artist.

1 of 2 giant Pumpkin Trees.  At night they were lit up.  Including all the pumpkins turned in.

This guy lives in Keene, New Hampshire & loves Horror Movies, especially the Halloween movies.  He dresses up as Michael Meyer's every year & stands at this intersection all day.

My BFF Kelly & I.

Kelly, her youngest son, David & myself.

Rick & Kelly, don't they look cute together?

Not only is Rick a talented artist painting in Oils, Acrylics & Watercolors, he also does Etchings on Grave Stones.  This is Piccolo Pete, one of Rick's Etchings.

This is another one of Rick's Etchings.

The boys walking up to the dam.

Looking down from the dam.

The Four Musketeer's!!

The painting to my right is one of Rick's latest.  He painted this one in only 2 sittings.  I would consider this finished & it would have taken me at least 15-20 sittings, but he is still working on it.  He actually did some work on it so I could watch his technique & I was amazed at how fast he works.

This is a photo (a bad one I know) of my left leg/ankle & foot to show how swollen it was.  I took this after we got home after 1am.  Every night, my legs & feet were at least this swollen!  Hopefully on this diet, I lose a lot of my swelling.

Showing how my right leg was swollen.

Well guys, I hope this didn't bore you too much.  I know there were a lot of photos, but like I said, I only input about 56 of the hundred's of photos.  If this is TMI, let me know & I will try to not show so many photos at a time.  LOL  :)  Am I forgiven?  Till Next Time.

Aloha My Friends  :)