Holy $#!T! The homestretch!

Gosh, it seems nearly impossible that my pre-op journey is almost over. I remember thinking -- at my surgical consult -- that six months would take FORRRRRRREVVVVVVEEEEER!!!!! I was almost angry with CIGNA for requiring such a ridiculously long supervised diet. Boy has that changed. I'm practically grateful for that time now. I honestly don't know if I would be anywhere near as prepared as I am, if I had been able to have the surgery within, say, 3 months...

I am thankful for my parents and my (sexy!) husband for supporting my decision to make this radical change. For never once second-guessing me, and always hugging me when I need it. For always cheering me on, even if I've only lost one pound in a month.

I am thankful for finding the ThinnerTimesForum. A wonderful community of men and women who have had all types of WLS, who open up their hearts and souls to painstakingly account for every ounce of pain, every NSV (non-scale victory), every hurdle, every failed marriage, every heartbreak, and every goal met. It's truly inspiring, and everyone there is a winner (as well as a "loser!")

I am thankful for Holly -- my strong, IRL friend of 7 years -- who had the sleeve surgery last year, and has patiently answered all of my ridiculous, paranoid, bizarre, and random questions with grace. Answering my panicked text messages about gas, poop, vitamins, extra skin, and skinny sex without the slightest hint of annoyance. Thank you so much, Holl, I love you!

I am so thankful for the few friends I've chosen to tell about this, because I know they wont judge me, or tell me I'm bound to fail. Realistically, I know that after the surgery, some friendships will not last. I've read about them on the forums, and some people just can't handle such life changes. So... to Syd (who helped me make the yummy fruit kabobs above), Ally, Tracy, Christine, Reed, Natasha, Soda Pop and Blondie: thanks for being my cheering section. For not pressuring me one way or another. For just "being there" through thick (heh!) and thin. Love you fools! :-D

I have ONE more nutritionist appointment before I can submit to insurance. I have gone to see the bariatric psychologist, had my upper GI sonogram, done the blood panels, gotten a letter of necessity from my PCP, and completed a sleep apnea study (I should have taken a picture of the helmet I had to sleep in!). This month, I will be attending two support groups and have an endoscopy, so by the time my last NUT appointment rolls around, I will have EVERYTHING complete. I'm pretty proud of myself for getting it all done. I LIKE to think I'm organized, but I'm a Gemini with self-diagnosed ADHD, so shit doesn't always keep my attention for very long. So this is a pretty big feat for me. I like being able to say I'm proud of myself. Especially when I know deep down I haven't half-assed it.

Thanks for reading! You haven't heard the last from me :-D

(PS -- I lost SIX pounds this month :-) That brings the total to 22 pounds lost!)

Read More

How much have you lost?

I joined the ThinnerTimesForum, which is a GREAT resource for anyone considering, planning, or post-weight loss surgery. I found a member on the board, and his blog has been very inspiring.

One of his posts has a great equivalency to see in "real-life" how to relate the weight you lost... it's incredible... 

**UPDATED 2/16/2012: LucasWithTheWeightOff.com is currently down. Here is the list:  **

1 pound = a guinea pig
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Mac Book Pro
6 pounds = a human’s skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= an average gallon of paint
11 pounds = an average house cat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs (or 120 eggs)
16 pounds = a Sperm Whale’s brain
20 pounds = a car tire
22 pounds = 200 golf balls
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
26 pounds = average weight of a Koala Bear
30 pounds = average vacuum cleaner
31 pounds = average amount of manure produced by a horse each day
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant’s heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant’s penis (yep, weighs more than his heart!)
65 pounds = Lotus Mk3 – Aluminum Body Shell
68 pounds = 40” SONY Bravia Widescreen TV
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World’s Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
110 pounds = a mature Rough Fell ewe (a breed of sheep, originating in the UK, I had to Google it!)
117 pounds = the average fashion model (and she’s 5’11”)
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopaedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
140 pounds = the average amount of sugar a human consumes in one year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she’s 5’4”)
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = a Vespa Moped
249.1 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football linesman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony

 
* weight loss met

Read More