Dinner last night

My husband said I out-did myself with this one. :)  Turkey sausage & broccoli sauteed with a laughing cow cheese wedge. :)  It tasted great and was VERY low in calories!

Someone give me a hamburger!

I am STARVING and VERY cranky.  This 800 cals a day thing SUCKS without restriction.  I am in a constant state of hunger.  On a happy note... Well, I can't think of anything right now because my mind is thinking of food. :)

I did have a wonderful dinner the other day.  I used my chopper to chop up cooked cauliflower which looks (and tastes) like rice then added turkey sausage.  An entire plate was under 200 calories.  I can't eat that much food so I cut the meal in half (after I took the yummy pic) so I could snack on it later.  Sooooo good.  I LOVE cauliflower "rice."  You really can't tell the difference.  It's just like rice only not sticky. 

To make the Cauliflower rice... boil cauliflower, don't over-cook or it will be to mushy to chop.  You should be able to stick a fork in it but it should not be able to slide right through.  Then get a good chopper and chop away! :)  Another good meal with this "rice" is to add teriyaki sauce and saute the "rice" with some chicken.  The possibilities are endless.  Virtually calorie free and filling.

HARD stuff

I will be meeting with the WLS soon to talk about the malformation of my sleeve and get a better idea on when he can do the repair. I know I am looking at maybe a year due to my other surgeries.  I am ok with that.  I am also going to look in to moving forward with the fight with the ins. company.  Right now I am eating about 800 calories per day in an effort to show the ins. company that I am capable of staying within that calorie range but it's the lack of restriction that makes that hard.  I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hungry.  I am so tired.  But, so far I am pushing though minute by minute.  I will see at the end of next week if the lower calories has helped.  I can tell you that when I first had my sleeve and it had not yet grew the malformation, 800 calories was MORE than enough to keep me full all day.  I miss those days.  I fI had to find a downside about the VSG surgery it would be that once you have your stomach cut out you will always require MUCH lower calories than the average person in order to lose weight.  If your sleeve is functioning as it should, that is much easier to do since you can full on so much less.  If your sleeve is not functioning properly, this is HARD to keep up.  Oh well, it's just me and willpower at this point and all I can do is see if I can make it though the week.  :/

Some interesting Pics from today... :) :) :)

Taken at my son's "Last day of school luau." 

Yep, I think I look half-way descent!  lol

Today I reflected over this year and was once again so grateful that I got the VSG surgery which allowed me the basic functions of life.  It was only able to take me so far because of the malformation, but the things I prayed for came true and for that I am sooooo thankful.  I am thankful I was able to be my baby boy's room mom all year, go to school events for all of my kids and enjoy life!  Now, I have a big challenge ahead.  Do I stay this weight and wait a year to fix my sleeve or do I push forward and try to lose more weight on my own.  I choose #2.  :)  We'll see if I can do this over the summer.  Today I kicked off my summer by going on a ride down the same water slide I conquered at the end of last summer.  (Remember that?:)  Still fat, but happy!  Enjoying myself one year later, stronger, healthier.  :) 

This pick was taken of me today by my oldest daughter on said water slide... lol :)



this is what happened... all the dramatic details and pics! :) :)

What happened: So I was getting ready to go to my older daughter's soccer playoff game last Friday when I started to get a bad pain in my right side. I already had my gallbladder out so I knew that wasn't it. Something told me not to wait to see if it gets better, just go to the hospital. I listened and went right away. Sooo thankful that my friend came over to be with the kids so I could go. My husband was already at the game with my oldest so I had to drive myself. When I got to the ER they quickly discovered the agitated appendix with a CT scan and told me that because I was still on my blood thinner, surgery could be risky (normally, if you are on a blood thinner they ask you to stop taking it about 10 days before surgery so you won’t bleed out) but HAD to be done right away. So, they put two iv's in just in case I needed extra blood during surgery and used a bunch of things during surgery to help stop the bleeding. Sooo glad I went to the best hospital. Since they did my other surgeries, they knew my situation and were able to take the right precautions. So... 4 days later I came home. They said my blood levels are now stable showing no active bleeding and I just need to watch out for the warning signs of internal bleeding and take it easy for two weeks or so until my follow up visit. I won't be able to sit at the computer much. Since this is my third abdominal surgery in a year, I can't get my sleeve fixed for at least 6 months to a year, but so grateful I listened to that small voice that told me to go to the hospital right away! :) I have such a wonderful husband who takes such good care of me and the kids and a wonderful church family who steps in to help, wonderful friends/family who have called or posted here.... Thanks so much everyone!!! Now I focus on not bleeding and getting better. :) To be really honest, I feel a sense of relief that the surgery is no longer an option for me. It has been my crutch, my excuse to "wait" on everything. Almost a burden. Now, I have no choice but to dig deep and do this on my own or stay this weight for yet another year. I guess the choice is mine.

Below: The view from my bed - yep, I got to overlook the ROOF of the other building. :)

 Below: each time they needed blood they had to do a fresh prick because they needed to see how it was clotting.  I was a human pin cushion for 4 days. :)

 Below: My first meal

 Me with my IV pole in the bathroom trying to take a pick of my digs for the week.  They really do have nice rooms.  It helps the stay to be as pleasant as possible.  Sorry, no make-up in this pic. 

I should have warned you.  lol

Lisa vs. The Appendix

Hello Everyone,

I am Lisa's husband, Eric.  She is in the hospital for an appendectomy.  She is recovering well and she plans to update you all when she is released. 

Details:
She went in on Friday evening after having sharp pains on her right side.  Welp, they said it was her appendix, so they performed surgery early on Saturday morning.  Her appendix was not too perforated to affect other organs, which was good, but she had to go through surgery without a chance to wean off Plavix.  So, bleeding out and post-surgery blood clots are the biggest fears.  They restarted Plavix today.  Please pray for Lisa to have a healthy recovery.  She will be back on soon!  

Thank you    

Watch this if you want to be inspired...

If you never give up, you will never fail.  I don't intend to give up.  Have a good weekend.

Update...

They said no.  I've reached the end of the line.

You know you are a long-term fatty when...

a construction worker whistles at you and it makes your day... ;)

I love miracles..

Tomorrow is the big ins. day...

My doctor is having a peer to peer review in order to fight for my revision.  It's the last stand as they say. 

It's FINAL! :) yay!!!

We finalized the adoption of our youngest child this morning.  I was able to hold her and carry her around the court house with no help.  I stood before a judge without pain.  I sucked in all the wonderful feelings I was having at that moment.  I absolutely KNOW this surgery was the right choice for me.  Even if I never lose another pound, my youngest baby will never know her mommy as an almost 400 pound, home bound woman.  She knows me as the mommy who takes her everywhere, who holds her, WALKS with her, plays with her... In time, none of my kids will remember the old me and for that I am so grateful.  What a wonderful day.  I am so grateful for adoption, I love my husband and kids, my church, my friends... I have a wonderful life that was just waiting to be lived for so many years.  Today is all about love. :) 

Get your tissues ready!

I wonder if I should try yoga...

Updated Comparison Face pic

 When I start to feel ugly and fat, I have to remember how far I have come. 

THIS helps.

 

I'm cool because...

I did this today... :)

Yes, I worked out to one of those dorky, free cable workout shows.  lol  Yes, we have two bouncy seats and yes, I am one of the only people left on earth with an old-school tv. :)  I was traumatized by the woman on the right.  She was moving her body in such freakish ways and was WAY to excited.  lol  Anyway, it was HARD but I only had to pause once.  I was sweating like a fat hog on a hot summer day and I felt very proud of myself.  I plan to do the toning one tomorrow then this one again the next day.  Like today, tomorrow I will close my blinds so I do not scare any neighborhood children or the postman during my workout.  It's a win win for everyone.  :)

Wish me luck.