Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Pay Day is Always Fun

Author: U.S. National Institute of Diabetes an...Image via Wikipedia

Yeah, right, like I have huge paydays any more!! LOLOL...ce la vie after retirement, folks! But, hey, life's good and I have a smile on my face, can't be all bad! My spirit is happy today...yesterday was a PAY DAY deluxe!

After being plateaued for many long, desparate weeks, I broke the barrier yesterday morning! I finally have hit my lowest number yet on the scale! And, in addition to the challenge in the past weeks, on the doc's scales, I was a couple of pounds heavier than here. However, following last fill three weeks ago, I have now dropped 6 BIG ONES!!!

Yep, go ahead...celebrate for me! I did. I danced and sang all over the house yesterday morning. I even called Michael at work to tell him the news...he chuckled because he knew I had really done what I said!!

It's been an interesting path since July, 2008. I've gone through so many changes, so many different perspectives and so many lifestyle/smart thinking paths! That's right. I find myself these days thinking long and hard prior to indulging in anything. Selective has become my key word and careful as I eat follows close behind!

Once you hit that third week after surgery, you are back to real food. Any food. All the food. You just have to be able to tolerate it without throwing up! Catching phrase, huh? Well, I've been through many dynamics in this process, but I've come to gigantic changes in my life.

I bring delicious foods that I used to inhale, home for Michael lately. I smile as he devours and I think to myself, should I have a Protein Bar or a fruit or something. You see, my miles of hard work have been life changing in so many ways.

The thought process has undergone severe re-construction, impulse eating has died (RIP) and common sense has finally stepped up to the plate (hahahah) Many folks have questioned me regarding the Lap Band and I've been honest in my replies. It's not a quick fix, magic bullet or otherwise. It's a gigantic HELP TOOL...they can't operate on your brain, but they can fix your tummy.

With the tummy the size of an egg now....I can ingest very small quantities of anything. That's okay. I stay full, I don't require constant intake like a garbage disposal and I have my health back! If you pause and study the diagram above, you'll see what Lap Band is and does. They rope off the top segment of the tummy and place a 'port' somewhere below the intial incision. Every month, I have gone in and my surgeon has input small amounts of saline into the port.

The saline travels up the tube connected to the ring around my tummy, increases that in size and reduces the size of my pouch. Does digestion occur there? Not really, it's like the Panama Canal...it holds the food in the pouch for a number of hours and slowly releases it through to the lower stomach portion.

Anyhow, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! This Lap Band experience has been the best thing I've ever done in my life! It gave me a new beginning, enriched living and has taught me new skills in the food department!

I no longer live to eat....I eat to live! No b/p meds, no blood sugar meds...and yesterday, my b/p was 120/60. What's yours?


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