newyearspic_new.jpgMy New Year picture.  I’m just 28 days from my 2 year Bandiversary.  And I’ve started my new 25 week challenge!

January 3, 2010 | Filed Under Fun Stuff

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Soon to be back with the Band!~

Today, I made an appt with my LapBand doctor to get a fill.  I haven’t had a fill since November 2008.  I’m ready to get to Onederland and it starts with a new fill!

January 2, 2010 | Filed Under My Everyday Life

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The Transformation continues~

It was just 27 days ago when I was preparing to leave for Monterrey Mexico for the first phase of my plastic surgery.  I felt oddly numb.  Not really anxious and not really excited.  I was just going through the tasks of getting prepared - almost as if I was on autopilot. 

 The first phase is coming early for me.  I haven’t reached goal yet and still I was planning plastics. 

I’m an avid swimmer and cyclist and my panni was very big and very heavy.  My arms were not only an eye sore (which I could have lived with - until reaching goal) but they were hindering my swimming. 

I left Denver at 10am.  Arriving at the airport at just minutes before 745am.  I stood in the American Airlines line waiting to check my bags.  Bags filled to the top with stuff, I felt I’d need for my two week visit to this foreign country.  A city I’ve never been to meet a surgeon, I’ve only communicated with via email and telephone.  As I went through the motions of passing through security and finding my gate, I fought back any anxiety that was lurking just underneath my emotional surface.  I wanted this, I have planned for this trip since June.  On July 3rd, I disrobed and had my daughter take very unattractive pictures of me in my undies to send to this surgeon.  A surgeon who had come highly recommended to me by several other WLS patients.  I had seen the results of his work and I was impressed.  I contacted him and he asked for 4 pictures, front - back, both sides.  I didn’t hear back from him for a day or so, I knew he most certainly had scratched his eyes out and had run for the mountains that surround Monterrey city.  A day and a half later he wrote and stated, he could do a Tummy Tuck and Brachioplasty and he gave me his price and his requirements for stay.  His website said, “if the price was greater than $6K, he would pay for my flight up to $600.00 and pay for my hotel for the entire required stay.  He said, I would need to stay for 12 days.   The plan started and I got the time off from work with FMLA and short term disability.

I arrived in Monterrey around 340pm Mexico time.  As I passed through customs I peeked through the door that was ajar and I saw Dr. Sauceda standing there.  After finishing, I met him and he gave me a hug and kiss on each cheek.  We took the 45 min drive to the hotel and he checked me in.  As we drove I asked him how WLS patients differ from other plastic surgery patients in reference to their expectations with surgery.  He stated several times that we as WLS patients, don’t expect perfection.  We only expect improvement.  He stated, he never claims to give perfection.  He only offers improvements. 

Once I was checked, he left to return in 45 mins for my preop markings.  I showered knowing that I wouldn’t be able to shower once I was marked.  I had to hurry because I wanted to wash my hair and be ready on time.  The markings took about 2 hours.  He was in a trance, totally focused on what he would be doing to change my body forever.  I had questions for him about my future procedures.  My thighs are pretty bad right now - and I know that after losing my last 100lbs, they will be much worse.  He wasn’t daunted and felt that I could have a good result once I met my goal.  I once again made sure that he would raise my Mons area.  I didn’t want a flat tummy and the “old mons.”  He assured me he would raise it.  He was willing to answer all of my questions.  He took his time and asked me several times if I had any further concerns or requests.  He wanted to make sure we were both on the same page and he was understanding my expectations and I was understanding his plan for my surgery. 

He returned me to the hotel and I had a bite to eat at the hotel’s happy hour and then went to my room to rest.  As I stood in my undies in front of the room’s full mirror, I looked at my body knowing this would be the last time, I would ever look that way.  How many times I have seen that large panni and big bat wings and wished they would disappear.  This was real, it was really going to happen now and I had all the blue ink markings to prove it! 

I slept short and sweet.  Dressed and met Dr. Sauceda in the lobby at 7am.  I had stopped all water/food after 10pm as required for surgery.  I wasn’t hungry, I was excited.  I just wanted to get started.

We arrived at the hospital, I filled out some papers and then put my valuables in a locker.  Dr Sauceda put my suitcases in a locked office and then I dressed for the OR.  Cap, booties, open gown… anesthesiology put my IV in with one quick and painfree attempt and I walked to the OR.  Once in the OR, I stood as the nurse washed my entire body - from neck to feet with betadine.  Talk about a humiliating time.  It was not fun.  After, I laid on the OR table and fell asleep.  The epidural was put in as I drifted off to sleep.  The next thing I remember was waking up as Dr. Sauceda and his assistant were putting my compression garment on.  I spent 8.5 hours  in surgery.  He repaired a hernia we didn’t know I had and I got the procedures I planned.   I spent 2 hours in recovery and then went to my room.  It was a clean room with a leather love seat and a private bathroom and shower.   A sink and closet on one side and a flat screen TV. 

I feel things went well at the hospital. I stayed 3 nights.  I didn’t eat or drink until the next day.  I started with some juice and water and then some fruit.  While at the hospital/clinic (they only have 4 rooms for his plastic surgery patients) you order your meals from a menu for a restaurant that is in town.  I thought the food was good.  A little different, but good.  I found an excellent pasta dish and great orange pancakes.  I wasn’t used to eating large volumes so the pancakes took me three days to finish.  The chef called me confused that I only ordered peanut butter for breakfast.  I wanted to eat those pancakes.  Everyone thought I was insane for not just ordering fresh ones.  These were light and fluffy with a bit of orange zest.  Very yummy!  (see I am a true former fat-girl here I’ve written an entire paragraph on food)

On Saturday night after Dr. Sauceda finished his surgery - he came and took me to the hotel.  I was with one of the other surgical patient’s Mom, Wanda.  She was great and had helped me set up my wireless connection while at the clinic.  Her daughter had surgery the day before and Wanda was staying at the hotel. 

We checked in and Dr. Sauceda put my luggage on the bed so that I could reach my stuff. He helped prepare the room for me since I would be there alone until the following Tuesday.  With the Brachioplasty, I couldn’t lift my arms very high and with my Tummy Tuck, I could lift more than 5 lbs.  

My time went quickly while at the hotel.  It seems now that it flew.  Each day, I woke at 8am and prepared for my shower - Patty, one of Dr. Sauceda’s nurses came every morning and helped me shower, change my dressings and squeeze me back into my compression garments.  The compression garments are a necessary evil.  I’m still amazed at what kind of material holds all of that swelling in so well.  Each day, I did a little more and was able to prepare for my trip home.  We (the other patients and I) walked to the market for food and water almost everyday.  We spent 3 hours (which was a bit too long) at the Galeria Mall on our last Friday there.  I bought a beautiful little swimsuit.  

I had all but one of my drains removed as they were appropriately putting out less and less fluid.  I had one drain left for home.  My tummy sutures were removed and my arm sutures had to remain.  I had most likely put too much neosporin on my arms and not allowed them to heal as well as my tummy had. 

The flight home at 13 days postop went well.  Thank God I had a friend with me and I had asked for a wheelchair.  Going through customs in Dallas was a breeze with my friend and the wheelchair escort.  I can’t imagine doing that by myself.  When we arrived in Denver, there wasn’t enough wheelchairs to go around, so I walked.  I was pretty exhausted when I finally arrived home.

So here I am - almost 4 weeks post op and feeling pretty good.  I’m still swelling, which is normal and I have a seroma which is pretty common.  I’m resting at home and trying to continue eating my increased protein to help with healing.  God has been good.  I feel well and haven’t had any real problems.

Any questions, I’d be happy to answer.  Dr. Sauceda is an artist.  My incisions are thin, smooth and clean.  I’m very pleased with his work.

Here is his website medicaltourism.com.mx - Home   His prices listed there are for individual procedures.  If you combine procedures you will get a big discount.  I’m saving my money now for the rest of my procedures.  I hope to return in the fall.

The transformation continues…..

December 29, 2009 | Filed Under plastic surgery

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Want it? Take it! OWN IT~

My new motto in life is “Want It? Take It! Own It.”  - well at least until just recently, it’s been my motto only in relation to calories.

For almost two years I’ve logged every calorie consumed - which doesn’t always mean I was good at keeping my calories within my budgeted amount.  Often times, unfortunately, I am sad to admit, I was overbudget. 

The LapBand doesn’t control what I eat, necessarily, with the exception of really really dry proteins!  Ouch!  If I chew slowly and I take those smaller bites, I can eat most foods.  Actually, the foods that go down the easiest are the foods that are the worst for me.  Cookies and chips are my slider foods.  I can’t be in the same room with a tortilla chip.  And cookies and I - well, we go way back.  We’ve been best buds for years. (or not!)

Recently, I had to cancel attending a party because it was going to be held at a Mexican resturant that serves the most amazing, fresh hot tortilla chips.  I knew I would have absolutely no strength to withstand that temptation.  (it was that time of the month when the hormones scream for the salty enemy)

Not far from my work there is a little place called, “The Cookie Company.”  They have these amazing cookies.  They taste like granola baked into the form of a cookie.  A really big cookie!  They make them all day long, they are hot and soft and yummy!  Everytime I’m on the freeway and I pass that exit, I have to use all of my power to not exit and drive directly to that little joint.

So why am I posting this?  Not to make your mouth water, but to say, we are all human.  We all have cravings.  We all have certain foods that tempt us beyond belief.  I often wondered if thin people had those same cravings.  Maybe not for chips and fresh, hot, soft cookies, but for anything.  Do they go through life avoiding the foods that drive them nuts?  (oh Nuts!  I love Nuts too!) 

If you looked at their waistlines, you might think they never eat anything besides fruit, veggies and lean proteins.  You might just assume they have more strength than Superman or Wonder Woman. 

Perhaps, they do.  OR perhaps, they don’t make a regular diet of giving into their cravings.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that every thin person is really good at avoiding all the bad foods.  I have friends who eat their weight in goodies and never gain a pound.  Those people are just extremely fortunate and I secretly hate them!  (not really, but I do envy them!) 

I readily admit that during my fluffy years (I’m going to refer to my past M.O. life that way now. “the fluffy years”)  I often did make bad foods my steady diet.  Why? Well, I always had this, “manana” attitude.  “I’ll eat today because I’m starting that ultimate diet tomorrow.”  Usually, the diet was supposed to commence on Monday.  Usually it did not.  But often times, I felt I better enjoy my meals because I was sure to be starving as soon as Monday rolled around.  Did I?  No, most likely I never did reach the starving stage -  actually pretty sure I never did - I had a BMI of 65 afterall. 

So what has changed in my thinking now that will keep me from gaining all the weight I’ve lost and keep me on the losing track?  My new motto - Want It?  Take It!  but OWN IT!  Log it!  Write it down!  Admit it!  AND then make up for it by decreasing your calories later in the day or increasing your workout.  If I want a cookie, I eat half of it and I log it!  I count my chips if I want to eat chips.  I know, I know that sounds obsessive, BUT did you know that a full serving of chips is only 14?  14 chips!  Count them!  How many of us sit down and eat 14 chips?  Not me!  But I do now.  AND if I decide I want more.  I count out another 7 and log in 1.5 servings of chips. 

What about the rest of my life?  If I see something I want, do I take it?  Do I then own the decision, whether good or bad? 

I’m going to Mexico for my plastic surgery.  Many may think I’m not thinking this one through.  Perhaps, they are not right.  But after losing the weight I’ve lost, I know I will never have the money to have all of my surgery done in the US.  However, I must be quite honest in saying, I did NOT choose Mexico because of the price.  I chose Mexico because of the surgeon.  I have several friends who have had many procedures done by him and they look amazing.  His incisions are straight, they are done in a manner in which they can be hidden by regular clothing and lastly, he is an artist.  He takes hours marking a new patient prior to surgery.  Hours!  It’s important to him that you’re happy with your result.  He’s realistic and admits perfection is not possible for someone who has lost a lot of weight and has a lot of excess skin, but improvement is.  I also chose him because he specializes in plastic surgery of the WLS patient.  We are a different breed.  Our skin has been stretched beyond normal and it needs to be handled differently.  I made my choice, I saw his work, I wanted it, I took it and now my friends I’m going to own it.  Good or bad, I’m hoping and praying for good, I own my decision. 

November 27, 2009 | Filed Under Assistance on your journey

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The Journey Continues…

My journey continues.  In one week from today, I will be in Monterrey Mexico preparing for the first phase of my plastic surgery.    I know I am not at goal yet, but I need to get two procedures done to help with my mobility.  I swim often and my “bat wings” are becoming more and more bothersome, limiting my swimming ability.  I also deal with a lot of lower back pain due to my large and very heavy lower tummy.   These are ugly issues that need to be addressed prior to reaching my goal.  I am well aware that revisions will need to be made after I reach goal and I am totally okay with that.  It’s important to be more active and after these two procedures, I believe I will be.   I’ll be having a Brachioplasty and Abdominoplasty.

My journey to good health continues and I’ve reaped quite a few benefits since starting January 29, 2008.  My cholesterol studies are remarkable.  Even on Lipitor, I was not able to get such excellent values.  There are so many NSV’s I can’t even begin to mention them all. 

I guess, the best part is the feeling of being accepted.  I flew out of town last month and as I was sitting in the window seat, I was amazed that someone asked to sit in the middle seat.  Most of the time, people will look and pass.  I’d be the last person, they would want to sit next to.   There were plenty of open seats, but yet this man asked if he could sit next to me.  Believe me, I looked around after he sat down.  I thought, surely, this must be the last seat available.  As silly as it sounds, I got teary. 

It’s important for all of us to feel accepted.  We need to know that society doesn’t look at us with disgust.  As an obese woman, I always felt so ugly and so unworthy of love or acceptance.  Society teaches us to feel that way.  We notice as people pass us - the expression of disbelief - “How can anyone be that big?”  It means a lot to feel that I no longer stand out in a crowd as the ‘fat freak’ -

Maybe I can stand out in a crowd now for a different reason…

November 25, 2009 | Filed Under My Everyday Life

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