Post-Op Day 60 - Time flies when your life is changing!

Wow…once you get out of the liquids stage, time sure does fly by! I cannot believe 60 DAYS have passed since I was reborn!

PLATEAU =UGH!

I’ve been struggling this month to lose the pounds. The plateaus can really play tricks on your mind. In fact, I struggled so much I found myself losing touch with the surgery.

What does that mean exactly? With the scale not moving and life kicked back into high gear, I guess the initial excitement of the surgery’s potential sorta fell to the wayside. It felt like that’s all there was, you know? I’ve never lost this much weight but, in the past, I always gained back everything I’ve ever lost. I guess it’s hard to get out of that mindset and realize the scale is going to keep moving.

Don’t get me wrong – I remembered I needed to drink as much water as possible and work on getting in the protein (something I struggle with daily). I didn’t eat sugar and I tried to make the wisest choices for me. It’s just that the magic of the surgery’s promise to take off the weight was missing. I was going through the motions and that’s about it.

I do have to say that I was, and still am, loving the fact that food is not so prevalent in my life. I no longer am sad I can’t eat like others. I’ve truly enjoyed the emotional detachment I’ve had from food. I don’t feel a slave to it – thank God! Sure, sometimes I wish I could have a goodie or something way off program. But, those feelings quickly pass. There’s just so much I CAN finally eat that I am enjoying it. I pretty much try what I want – but I never step too far outside the boundaries.

It wasn’t until the scale started moving for real the past few days and I’ve left the 280s finally for the 270s that I am starting to feel truly excited again. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I will get smaller. Right now I am wearing clothes I was wearing a year-and-a-half ago – so I am starting to just feel like me again. I am out of my 30s, 28s and 26s – and looking pretty good in my 22/24 sizes.

I have no idea what it will be like when I get into clothing sizes I haven’t worn in 10 years! I think then the excitement will overwhelm me. Right now I just feel like I am on the edge something really life-altering. I can’t see or have no point of reference, but the adrenaline is starting to pump more.

Hell, it’s been exciting hearing all the great comments from people about how my mid-section is shrinking, how my face looks different, how my behind is getting smaller. They are going to freak when I tread into new territory. I AM going to freak too! Haha

NEARING A GOAL!!!!

As of today, I am 4 pounds away from my first major goal of 50 pounds gone by my birthday – March 11. I sure hope I can hit it by then! How exciting is that?? What’s cool is that Scott is still losing weight too! He is down to 196 today; his starting weight was 211. I am so proud of him! We’re going to be the ‘too hot to handle’ couple. Oh wait - we already are! ;-) hehe

A TRUE PAIN IN THE A$$

This weekend has been the worst since my surgery – and it has nothing to do with my surgery! Ever since Thursday, I have been in terrible pain with my tailbone (coccyx). It was at its worst on Friday – so much that I had to stay home. This is not the first time I’ve dealt with this in my life. Last time I developed this pain was in the summer of 2003. I was off work for a month. Needless to say, this episode has me mega-stressed. I cannot afford being off work that long. Plus, being a supervisor now, I just need to be there. Plain and simple.

After going to my PCP, a chiropractor, therapy and a neurosurgeon, what I learned last time from a pain management doctor is that there's no real reason why the pain develops in the coccyx and there's no real reason why it goes away just one day. For me - it was a month of pain and then one day it was gone.

What I do remember is that last time it happened, I had lost some weight and I think I was right around this range. Eventually, when it went away, I went on to lose some more weight before gaining it all back and then some. I am wondering if my coccyx suddenly is vulnerable when I get to a certain size? Anyway – who knows?

UGH...I am miserable. All day on Friday I was crying out in pain just when I turned in bed. It would take me three minutes of pure pain to get in and out of bed or to get out of my chair. It's horrible. There's no comfortable position when it hurts like that. Just total misery.

LUCKILY it seems to be somewhat better. I do cry out in pain some still, but yesterday and today have been much better than Friday. I pray that this will all go away soon. I do know that when I get to feeling better, I won’t take the ability to walk, move and exercise pain-free for granted. This has been a terrible reminder that life has been pretty good for me and I need to make the most of it.

IN CLOSING
This week will mark my official two-month anniversary. Wow…at least 46 pounds gone in that time. I know the scale has been slow-moving, but even I cannot deny that those numbers are amazing. I am so excited to have this opportunity and I look forward to all the neat-o things that it will bring. Sure, it’s not the easiest thing in the world – but it sure is better than the alternative I was living.

THANK YOU GOD for all your many blessings. Please heal my body and please keep me on the healthy path with my surgery. Please bless everyone on this journey as well, no matter where they stand at the moment.