On The Losers Bench...

I am officially sleeved!!!

Surgery was yesterday morning. The dr said everything went great and that there were no surprises. I'm so glad because I new there was a chance I could heave had on of those hernias that he might have had to repair.

My surgery was at 11am and I think I was discharged around 4 from recovery.  I don't have much gas build up and have been able to burp a lot to get it out so that's good. I was pretty nauseous during my recovery hours and got sick a few times but it didn't last to terribly long.

The concept of my stomach now being so small is an odd concept. I have been soooo THIRSTY!! I know this is because I'm not taking as many fluids as I'm  used to  but its just hard to adjust to.  I am supposed to drink 2 oz. every hour which is like nothing!! 

My pain medication is a liquid form of Vicodin and Acetametaphine. Its disgusting! I have to chase it with a sip of water. Then unwind up getting sick once I think because I had to much liquid in my stomach. This is definitely challenging but I'm sure I'll adjust to this new drinking concept.

I have 5 incisions of my stomach. Only one is bloody and I'm thankful that none of them are really bad. The nurse said it was normal and to just put more gauze on it if I had to. Otherwise all my incisions are being held together by steri strips. Kinda creepy. loll

I weighed in yesterday before my surgery at 288 lbs! I was very happy about that.

So now its time to lose some weight! I'm on the liquid diet until next week and then I can start my purée diet.

Once again thanks for reading and thinking of me!!

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~ Justina

Day 1 Post-Op:

Starting Weight:     322 lbs
Current Weight:     288 lbs
Weight Lost:          - 34 lbs

Finally Almost Surgery Day...

Hola!!  Tomorrow is the big day!!!

My surgery is scheduled for 11 am and I'm supposed to be there around 9:15. I will try and update as soon as I get a chance.

Please say prayer for me that everything goes smoothly!

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~Justina

Day 50, Pre-Op Diet:       -32 lbs

Still A Go...

Hello again all my readers!!  I had my weight check in yesterday with my dietitian.  I was 290 lbs yesterday morning and proud to tell her that.  She said i was doing great.  And although i am 10 lbs away from my goal to just keep going and hang in there.  So that's what I've been doing, hanging in there.  It was inspirational to see my friend today who was sleeved last week.  She is currently in the puree stage and looks amazing already.  It's so wonderful to have someone right there along with you for support.

So surgery is still a go on Monday morning. I'm getting excited, but not nervous.  I doubt i'll get nervous, stuff like this doesn't bother me.  I think my excitement is overriding anything else. haha

Thanks for reading!!

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~ Justina

Day 48, Pre-Op Diet:   - 32 lbs

First Size Change...

Hello all!!  So the last few days I've noticed how loose my rings are getting.  Then today out of curiosity I was playing with them and realized i can fit them on my middle finger!!!

How stinking cool is that!!  So i'm thinking maybe I've gown down a ring size.  That is so awesome!!  My husband and I were just talking about my rings yesterday and how i will need to start wearing them on a necklace.  I think as my 1 year weight loss anniversary next christmas i might get a new wedding ring!  I've always wanted a 3 stone past, present, future ring so i'm really excited about a new ring!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas today and spent time with your friends and family!  Will check in tomorrow with news after my weigh in phone call! ;)

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~Justina

Day 46, Pre-Op Diet:      - 31lbs

Home For The Holidays...

Merry Christmas Eve!!

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful holiday and spending it with friends and family.  We are currently back in Ohio and enjoying the holiday with my in-laws.

My vacation to Florida wad wonderful but man was it hard to stay on the diet!  Being out everyday with my family and them eating pretty much whatever they wanted was torture!  I slipped up way to many times and really felt terrible about it.  The realization that my surgery is less than a week away really hit home with me and the fact that I need to keep on track. 

So I've buckled down and stuck to the diet exactly for 3 days now and am down to 293 lbs.!!  My surgery goal is still 280 (per the doctor) and I'm really praying that I can get there by Monday.  I'm supposed to have another weigh check in phone call on Thursday from my dietician.  I'm hoping I can at least get into the 80's by then.  I'm also praying they will have mercy on me and still let me have the surgery even if I don't hit my goal.

So, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.  I will check in again on Thursday after my phone call to let you all know how it went!

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~Justina

Day 45, Pre-Op Diet:      - 29lbs

Checking In...

Greetings from sunny Orlando Florida!! It's been at least 60 degrees every day, what's it like in your area?!

I hope you are all doing well. My challenges did indeed pop up and boy did they start right away! Traveling while on a strict diet like this is INSANELY hard! Every time I was in the car all I wanted to do was snack because I was bored! Sometimes I resisted, sometimes I didn't. 😔

I had a weight check phone call today from the dietician. I was happy to tell her that I've done well the last 2 days, got back on track and am down to 296! Woohoo!! Sixteen more pounds to go to hit my 280 lb goal for surgery. I'm getting TONS of exercise while I've been here and I'm hoping that will help!!

I hope to check in again soon! Take care all! 

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~ Justina


Day 38, Pre-op Diet:      - 26 lbs

1 Month Down...

It was officially one month yesterday since i started pre-op dieting.  It's definitely been challenging but it has been so completely worth it.

Today I put on a pair of jeans that i bought over a year ago that were to tight even though they were my size. So i never wore them, just put them on the shelf in my closet and they gathered dust.  It felt AMAZING to be able to put them on, button them and still have room!  
I then proceeded to put on a sweater that I've had for a few years now but haven't worn because it was tight and its striped and I was very self conscious in it.  Today that sweater fit well, wasn't tight and I didn't want to hide in it.

It's amazing how clothes can make you feel so different.  I felt like today i had better confidence, more self esteem and more energy than I've had in a long time.  I went to school for 2 finals and was proudly walking around with my head held high because i felt great.  

Never be afraid to be who you are. Be inspired, make a change and grab a hold of your future...its NEVER to late!!

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~Justina

Day 33, Pre-Op Diet:    -23 lbs

See Ya...

Today I officially went under 300 lbs and it feels AMAZING!!! I am currently at 299 lbs and am saying... 

SEE YA to the 300's!!!  I promise to never see you again!!

And with every high note comes a low note...I was so hungry today!!  I got my question answered from the dietician about how many meals i should be eating a day.  I've been doing it right (yay!) and can eat either 4 & 1 bar or 5 & 1 bar.  They just want to make sure you don't go under or over those.

Today's problem was i was hungry for something other than what i'm allowed to have.  I wasn't craving anything specific, i just didn't want what i'm allowed to have!  I had a shake for breakfast and a soup for lunch.  Then i had a bar around 3 when i was hungry again.  For dinner i made 2 chili packets and it was delicious.  But by about 7:30 i was hungry but didn't want anything i had.  Everything just sounded unsatisfying.  So i wound up eating some jello, until my 2 year old stole it from me. haha

So then i thought maybe a popsicle would satisfy a need to crunch or chew.  And that's how i survived the rest of today...on popsicles. ;)

Until next time!

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~Justina

Day 32, Pre-Op Diet:   -23 lbs

Living On Mostly Liquids...

   Well I've been on the diet for 4 days now and i'm finding it to be easier than i thought it would be.  I think a lot of my tolerance for this diet comes from the diet i was on previously.  While that one had a lot less restrictions it was a big change and restricted my food intake as well. So i think that's why this diet isn't such a shock to my system.  

  I am happy to report that I've lost 6 lbs since my weigh in on Thursday!  I was a little worried yesterday that i wasn't doing well but today kinda blew me away.  So far that puts me at an okay schedule to lose the 25 lbs that they want me to lose before surgery.  I have to call in my weight tomorrow to the dietitian just so they can keep in touch.  I'm supposed to do it every Tuesday up to my surgery.

  The food tastes pretty good so far.  Some of it is surprising, like the chocolate covered peanut butter bar yesterday that tasted like a peanut butter cup!  The soups are pretty tasty, i think i like the beef ones better than the chicken ones.  But i'm glad that i got a really big variety so i can go back a forth.  The shakes/puddings are all pretty good too.  I've found that my favorite shake is the strawberry.  The banana is the only one that is really over powering so i only have it as a pudding.  The one food that i found surprising was the eggs and pancakes.  Everything is powder of course, so i was worried about the eggs. haha  The first time i made them in the microwave, not bad. But i made them today on the stove since i was making a pancake and they were better!  

   I can't seem to remember if the dietician said 4 meals and 1 bar or 5 meals and 1 bar a day. So i had to write her an email tonight to get it straight.  I've been doing 5 meals and 1 bar up until today.  I have a friend going through the same pre-op diet right now and she said it was 4 meals and 1 bar.  So i'm all confused.  Hopefully i get a reply tomorrow morning so i can get it straightened out.

   I better go to bed so i can get up early for my Biology Final.  Thanks for checking in on me!

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~Justina

Day 31, Pre-Op Diet:   -22 lbs

Pre-Op Appt #2 and Nutrition Class...

Today was my second appointment and it also included a nutrition class.  Everyone has to go through this before surgery.  First i had some blood work done (ouch) and filled out a TON of paperwork.  Nothing really new there.  But i did get to see the facility where the surgery will be at.  Since I am not a high risk patient (meaning i don't have any pre-existing conditions) I get to have my surgery at the Journeylite facility instead of the hospital.

Luckily my scale matched theirs and I am down 17 lbs.  Yay!  This made them happy since it was exactly the weight amount that I was supposed to lose.  Since I'm still on track they said i could continue on to the next phase of the pre-op diet.

This new pre-op diet is way different though.  This one is completely regulated by their program and practically all liquid.  I have to eat 6 small meals a day.  These meals consist of their shakes, puddings, gelatin, soups, drinks and bars.  But you can only have 1 bar a day because of their carb content.  Here is 2 pictures of what I picked out. :)

Everything except the bars is powder and there are 7 packets per box (i think).  This is going to seriously be a big challenge.  I have heard from a lot of people that one of the hardest things about a diet like this is the lack of chewing.  The dietitian even suggested that some people take their bar and split it in half so they can have it 2 different times a day instead of once.

They once again decided to give me a weight goal.  I need to lose 25 more pounds before my surgery and will have to call in with a weight once a week!!  I am really extremely frustrated with this new goal.  Not only because i know it will be a huge challenge to lose 25 lbs in 25 days.  But also because it seems like I'm having to jump through way more hoops than i should.  I mean I'm a self-pay patient and i have a feeling I'm jumping through more hoops than an insurance person!  So all frustration aside I have to do this and I have to do it right.

I start this diet in the morning and have to pray i can do this.  We will be leaving for a vacation to Disney World next week and I will have to do this diet while i am on my vacation.  It will be a little crazy and a lot of complicated.  But i just keep telling myself that it's all worth it in the end and i just have to keep going.

Now that i'm starting this harder diet i'm sure i'll have lots of challenges and struggles to write about. Once again thanks for checking in and I hope you enjoy reading my blog!

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~Justina

Day 28, Pre-Op Diet:   -17 lbs

Finally Some News...

Hello friends! I finally have something to report!

Yesterday I talked to the scheduling person over at the surgery center. The next step in this adventure is to take the Nutrition class. and I'm scheduled to go on Thursday!  This class is supposed to basically be the ins and outs of eating for the rest of my life.  I'm excited to learn all about it.

Also before I have the surgery I have to go on the official Pre-Op diet.  It's all replacement meals from them that I will have to follow up until the day of surgery.  I've heard its mostly liquids with a few solids.  I think you can have their pancakes, eggs, bars and some oatmeal. But I think its mostly shakes.  So I'm not to excited for my diet to get even smaller but oh well.  Just have to keep telling myself it will all be sooo worth it.

At my class I will also be having a check up and meeting the surgical team.  Probably the most exciting news I have is an OFFICIAL SURGERY DATE!  I will be having surgery on December 30th! Happy New Year to me! lol

I am still currently following the diet I was originally put on.  I'm down 15 lbs and hoping their scale agrees with mine on Thursday!  I will have more to report after my class.  Wish me luck!

As always, thanks for checking on me and visiting my blog!

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~Justina

Day 25, Pre-Op Diet:     -15 lbs