WEIGH-IN (-22 pounds) Week 4

Well folks....No big changes this week. Had a great time at my company holiday party....see left. I must say that I am struggling in bandster hell but I am keeping to the diet even though I can eat quite a bit more than I could before. I have to say I have limits but I have plenty of room in that little ol' belly. I did manage to get a fill scheduled for Janaury 12 th so two weeks sooner than before. Thank god for cancellations.

This week I have eaten quite a bit of fish. All kinds. Mahi-Mahi, Salmon, trout and snapper. Needless to say, I am sooo tired of fish. It seems to be easy going down though and good for me. I eat like this........fish (protein first), veggies then carbs. If I eat carbs at lunch, I skip the carbs (potatoes) at dinner. Still eating a protein shake or egg beater omelet though. I have had more sugar than I was before which might be slowing the whole weight loss process but I have eaten them in moderation.

I am increasing my exercise from 45 minutes to 60 minutes at least 4 times a week and I feel like I am really ready to start jogging. I am going to wait one more week though because I dont want to do any harm. My schedule is crazy though and I am really exercising 3 times a week solid. I do at least 60 and if I feel good, I do 15-30 minutes more.

I am so ready to lose more weight. My goodness. I can not wait for my next fill. I have goals to reach and I want to get below 250 in the next month. Not very lofty ideas. exactly 18 pounds away.

Anyway, that is my report this week. I feel good, I feel healthy, lets move on to the next stage!

(11/21/08) 290

(12/1/08) 273

(12/7/08) 268

(12/14/08) 270

12/21/08) 268

WEIGH-IN ( -17 pounds) Day 9

It has a been a rollercoaster. I won't lie and tell you that I felt great from day 1-8 post-op but I can say that the hell you go through for the first 8 days gets better. Day 9 is when I started to feel myself and get used to the diet and the way it makes you feel. I felt very weak, hungry sometimes and bored with my choices. My body is going through changes and healing and I had to get used to it.


I had feelings of anxiety which struck me as odd at first but it makes sense. I feel restricted and that caused a certain amount of panic in me the first couple of days. I also experienced serious buyers remorse afterwards as well. I wondered what in the world I was thinking restricting myself from the joy of food. I also realized that where I thought I did not have an eating problem before, I might have because even though I am not hungry, I still desired to taste and eat certain foods anyway. That was a big shock to me as I always thought that I did not overeat. Well folks, maybe I do and have and thats how I ended up 290 pounds.


I can say that following the diet and getting the protein to add to what you eat has probably contributed to the success I am having so far. And success makes you want more of it. I have substituted ice cream for frozen yogurt and eat primarily no fat, no sugar foods. I am compiling some recipes that I will post at a later date. Definitely getting past the liquid phase is the worst part of this. But days come and go and all I can say is, stick to it and know that you will feel better soon. I am also keeping track of everything I eat via an application called livestrong.com found on my iphone but usable via internet or iphone. It has access to eveything. Even the Wendy's chili I pureed yesterday. I figured that I would track what I eat and if I had a problem afterwards, I would already see what I have consumed. I also have learned that I consume about 300-500 calories a day and that could contribute to my weakness. My research says that it is very common during the fluid phase. Since I paid for my surgery, I vowed to find a nutritionist to help me keep everything balanced. I will update you on that when I find one.

I have located a couple of fill doctors too. One in Chattanooga at the Chattanooga Memorial Hospital's Weight Management Center. There numbers are: 423-495-2244, toll free 1-866-313-2244. They charge $300 the first visit and $250 after that. It is done under flouoroscopy every time and it is easy for me to travel to.

Today I did my first 45 minute walk. I was active before the surgery so I am just getting back into what I am allowed to do. I highly recommend exercising when its time. Don't overdo it!

Start (11/21/08) 290
Today (12/1/08) 273

No Place Like Home...2 days AFTER

Well, I am back at home. I am so happy to be here. My experience with this doctor, the country and the hospital staff was great but there is no place like home. I am back at home finally and it has been a long day. I had to travel from Nashville to Dallas then to Monterrey and back. After such a long trip, I am very sore, very gassy and very tired.

The day after the surgery, I was so hungry I could scream. M y body and mind had to wrap around not eating the things I wanted to eat. I did not know that once you realize you cant have something you crave it even more! While travelling home, I automatically steered towards the starbucks before I realized that I couldnt have that for quite some time and that it probably isnt the best choice anyway. I realized too that I wasnt really hungry. I am on a liquid diet now and it seems crazy. I was tired of jello, broth and water immediately but I have decided to stick to it and commit before I got here. There is no going back. I look forward to a couple of months down the road when I can eat better tasting food that is healthier and still great. So, for two weeks I have bought broths and actual soups which I will strain, Special K protein water and powder, crystal light, pudding and fudgesicles all zero fat, zero sugar.

One of the biggest problems I feel now is expelling all the gas I have built up in my abdomen. It is so uncomfortable. I wish I could stick a hole in me and let it all out. Hopefully the feeling will subside soon. It is the worst the day of your surgery and gets better after that. Other than that, I feel pretty good. I think that the pain pills in Mexico dont come close to the pain pills we have here in the states so I cheated and took pain pills from a previous surgery and that helped out a lot.

If you plan on going to Monterrey, learn some passable Spanish. Most of the residents there don't speak English but Dr. Zapata's people take excellent care of you. They have a driver for you the whole time and make sure you understand every little detail of your treatment. The hotel they book you at is very nice and I still can not speak enough of the hospital. It felt more like a resort than an hospital facility. Everyone was also very nice even if the English-Spanish was a challenge. Dr. Zapata is a surgeon for the Mexican version of Extreme Makeover and after speaking to the COO of the hospital, I found that I was very lucky to get him.

So Thanksgiving is coming up and I am trying not to feel bad about not eating any of the delicious food BUT I will be able to enjoy some things at Christmas. I will report back each week with an update. See you next Sunday 11/30/2008.

Twas the night before.....and after...

I am here in Monterrey. My surgery is tomorrow at 11 a.m. I arrived at 12 and as promised my driver Santos was there to meet me and take me to eat and see my doctor. Dr. Zapata was an extremely nice and generous man and explained everything to me and allowed me to ask any questions I had to ask.



My patient coordinator Alma arrived at my hotel and explained what I should expect the next morning. It is now 8 a.m. and I am preparing to go to sleep and get some rest before the big day.



Today I weighed in at 287.

Its 10:30 p.m. and I am out of surgery safely. The hospital itself here in Monterrey is absolutely beautiful and I will include a shot from my hospital window when I get back home. The nurses doctors and staff are all great and treat me like a queen.

I have had to walk all day to get rid of the C02 that they pump into your stomach and even now, I am slightly uncomfortable. I had surgery at 11 and have been in my room since 2pm . The gas is the bigest pain and walking is supposed to disseminate the gas quicker. I have been going up and down these lavish halls all day to get a burp. They have taken great care of me here and I cant wait to put some pictures up of the trip.

My journey began when I walked in here.