#verticlesleevegastrectomy

[arvoguard]

Yep! Lost a lot of weight. Because of the plateau fluctuations though, I am only down a total of 55kilos/121lbs from my heaviest weight. Just gotta try to maintain the loss now. Difficult, considering me being surrounded by good cooks. #wls #wlscommunityvsg #vsg #verticlesleevegastrectomy #sleeved #sleevedlife #lymphedema #secondarylymphedema #leftleg

[arvoguard]

Here, y'all can appreciate (so can I) just how different I looked 2 years ago. Look at the size of this leg from lymphedema. Look at the size of me! At my heaviest here. This is when I was picking out my powerchair. Lots of pimping out I did to it! #vsg #verticlesleevegastrectomy #wls #weightloss #lymphedema #secondarylymphedema #leftleg #powerchair

[arvoguard]

Folks been talkin' bout my grey 'fro. I know it's time for it to go. But since I have been out of the hospital, I have lost about 15kilos/30lbs. I may have broken thru that dreaded VSG plateau finally. But I think it's more mentally than physically. Ineeded to have a time when I didn't lean on comfort food to get me thru difficulty. And it actually started to feel good. I had a time in hospital where I had completely lost my appetite. Didn't want NOTHING. But my stomach felt good. Gave my sleeve time to shrink. Now, with 3 meals a day, I try to keep my calorie intake to under 800. It's actually the only way, because I'm too weak to exercise, and my metabolism is non-existent. So... I'm gonna give self-discipline a go, and finish the VSG journey. Because a handsome man lives under all of this, and the rollercoasters and overseas flights are calling! #vsg #verticlesleevegastrectomy #wls #weightloss #vsgplateau #nometabolism

[joelley-banana-belly-blog]

So my computer froze while I was typing... And I am too lazy to re type it! So here's my blog for today!!!

[joelley-banana-belly-blog]

600-lb life.

I'm sorry EVERYONE has their issues but this episode is really getting to me. This women understands she shouldn't let her children care for her. But these kids aren't just CARING they are BATHING her. Where is it appropriate for your children to bathe you? At that point I truly believe you could qualify for an aide to help bathe you. I would honestly commit suicide before I let myself get so big that I was 100% bed ridden and my child would have to clean me. I don't mean for this to sound rotten, I really don't. And I would have no issue bathing my mom at the age I am now if she broke a leg or something. But my brother wouldn't bathe her. Her sons are helping hold her fat so her daughter can clean her junk while her little 7 year old observes. No! No! NO! This is wrong! This is so wrong! I understand they love their mom I get it I would give my mom the world. But if she can't get out of bed... Give her food that is good for her! If she wants unhealthy food she can get UP and get it. I don't understand bed ridden obesity individuals and why their family enables them. And I totally understand addiction I grew up with addicts ALLLLL around me. But here this women is asking for junk food these kids need to tell her no. They are the ones taking care of themselves anyways it's not like she can threaten neglect. So she gets pissed at you? She needs you to bathe her so she won't be mad for long if she wants to be cleaned. And she needs you to roll her over to place a bucket under her ass to piss. Tough love. Wow I sound like a bitch. But this is just making me so sad. So sad. I know it's not that simple either I get it. But these poor children are raising themselves.

[joelley-banana-belly-blog]

Weekly weigh in!

Yesterday marked my two week post op which means I wanted to weigh in. I decided that every Tuesday would be my weigh in day. So last week I weighed 294.5 and as of yesterday morning I weighed 291. So in a week I dropped 3.5 lbs. I'm ecstatic because without this surgery I probably would have gained that much. But then I was a bit "bummed." I was under the impression that I would be dropping a bit more weekly. But then I thought about it and realized in 3 weeks I have lost 29 lbs. I can't complain because that's great. Prior to the liquid diet a week before surgery my eating habits were horrendous. I'm embarrassed to say a few days before my week long all liquid diet, I ate a large mushroom pizza to my self. And the worst part about it, I wasn't full! Prior to my pregnancy in 2013 I was heavy but I would over eat and feel stuffed. After having my daughter I never felt full, ever! I could eat and eat and eat and wouldn't even feel stuffed. I would stop when I finished something. Like "oh I just ate a 40 count of totino's pizza rolls so I'm done. Six more slices of the large pizza let me finish that. It was scary! It was a miracle that my surgeon approved my surgery! And that miracle saved my life. I LOVE this feeling of fullness. I haven't felt it in so long. And even though I'm puréed stage I'm fueling my body with healthy food and I feel great. Even though I never had the full feelings from eating it would just tear down my energy. Oh and I started going to the gym 3 days ago. I went the first day, skipped last night (I haven't been released to drive so I depend on my brother to go with me) and we went tonight. I was told by my doctor I could do light cardio but not lift weights because I'm only 2 weeks out. Well until later!!

[joelley-banana-belly-blog]

One week until V-day!

Exactly one week from today is my vsg weight loss surgery. Which means my liquid diet started today. It's only day one and this is the hardest fucking thing I've ever done. I'm shakey, hungry, my head hurts, and I'm FUCKING hungry. I heard the first four days are the hardest. Sugar free jello, sugar free Popsicles, clear broth & bariatric advantage mixed with water. That's it. I feel nauseous. I'm really questioning if I have it in me to do this. I'm trying to stay busy and keep my mind off food but this day has made me realize just how big my food addiction is. I would kill for a big ass spinach & cucumber & tomato salad right now. Or just cooked spinach. Or just a spoonful of dirt. Anything really. The pain in my stomach also is getting to me, it's like my hunger pains turned to pain instead. I need to go to bed. This gets easier right? Ugh!

[joelley-banana-belly-blog]

And the countdown begins!

So the other day I had an appointment with my Dr.’s APRN to discuss the surgery ahead.  At the end of my appointment she mentioned that my papers have already been submitted into insurance and I should be hearing back any time now.  So of course this made me worry! Why haven’t they called? Are they going to approve my surgery? So I went home and put my daughter down for a nap.  My phone rings.  After 7 months I get the news that my surgery has been approved.  So of course I am expecting at this point for my surgery to be in mid to end of March. Nope. February 23.  FEBRUARY 23! As of today I have 22 days left! After this long process I finally have an actual date.  I am ecstatic. Nervous. And now I realize I have SOOOOO much to do in 22 days! I want to clean my house top to bottom.  I need to organize my clothes by size because as I lose I have clothes that are smaller in size and may be able to fit into. I want my daughter’s room clean and organized.  Basically after my surgery I want to be able to have a clear mind and focus on my recovery and my daughter.  Not laundry & dusting.  Also meal prep! I know pureed food is roughly 2-3 weeks after surgery depending on how everything goes but I will be dammed if I am eating baby food! So I mixed veggies & chicken with some broth and seasonings and made a surprisingly tasty & healthy puree.  Next I am going to boil veggies in a fat free broth and freeze the broth for right after surgery when I am all liquid.  Okay. So my surgeon has his patients do the liquid diet of only Bariatric Advantage protein shakes a week before surgery. But I plan on putting my own twist on this.  Instead of just a week, I am going to extend it.  About two weeks before my surgery I am going to start with replacing one meal with a protein shake & do this for two days each.  Then two meals for the next three days.  Then by day 7 I may less likely to suffer the headaches as I go in to just straight protein shakes for the next week.  I feel like weening myself into it will help me.  Of course this is purely my decision but I feel like it’ll really help.  Especially because this full week of all liquid is a bit intimidating. It also might help maximize weight loss before surgery.  So here is to 22 days of chaos while I get everything in order!