Thursday Thirteen - My first Go!

I keep seeing this on Kim's Blog, and it looks like fun, so I'm now a participant!
Basically, it's an open ball game, and you just write a list of 13 things... Anything on your mind! We all know my mind is loopy, so this will be interesting for me every week!

I'll start easy this week and get myself conditioned.. Plus, it will give me a boost today that I need since I'm tired and grumpy.

Drum roll please.... Da da da! LOL

Thirteen Things That Make Me Happy

1. My boyfriend - he's a great, genuine person. What you see is what you get with him.. It's refreshing!
2. My friends - I'm blessed to have a handful of friends that I just adore. They are each fun and quirky in their own ways, and I love them to bits! I think they may love me too! :-)
3. My family - I'm also blessed to have a drama free family. I have a very large extended family and they're all crazy... but a good crazy! My immediate family is amazing as well! I just wish my sister and her family lived closer to me!
4. Coffee - Wow... I can't believe it is so high on my list.. and on another day, it may not even make my top 13, but today it certainly does! Today's selection - Starbucks Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte
   
5. Sunshine - Although I'd love to visit the Pacific Northwest.. I don't think I could live there b/c I need my sunshine. I was in a funk all winter, and duh! It's because I need sunshine to thrive! Too bad I'm such a pasty girl! LOL I think Casper is part of my family, but he has a nicer darker complexion! HA!
6. My Dog - I got my dog as a present to myself when I was going through a divorce. I was never allowed to have a dog b/c my ex husband was allergic to animals. We've been through a lot together, and she's a nutjob too. I love her, and she's a great dog usually! LOL
7. My iPhone - I love it. My boyfriend got it for me for my birthday, and it was a great present! I love playing with all the apps, and I don't know why I even liked my BlackBerry that I had for 2 years before getting this phone!
   
8. Flip flops - I love them. They're comfortable. They're summery.. I bet when people think of flip flops, part of them think of me! ha! My new favorites are the Skechers Tone Ups.. They're really comfy, and I DO feel the tightening in my quads and and tooshy! Wahoo!
9. Facebook - Yeah, I'm an addict. I love my stupid games, and I love catching up with people I haven't seen in 20 years, and making new friends through blogging. It's a wonderful thing!
10. Music - I simply cannot focus if I don't have music. I listen at work, in the car, at the gym, etc. I like many, many kinds but my favorite would probably be Indie/Alternative. I like feeling that I found the group since they're not mainstream. I know that's not true, but hey, if it makes me happy then I'm going with it!
    
11. Cooking - Wow, if you had asked me a year ago what made me happy, this wouldn't have been in the top 100! I like putting new things together, trying new recipes, and hearing John say how yummy it is! I know he means it too, because he'd tell me if something was icky! haha!
12. Austin - I love Austin. If you haven't been there, you should go! It's a fun, quirky city with strange people and strange places. I love quirky things. :)
    
13. Glee! It's my new addiction.. yeah, I'm a little late hopping on the train (what else is new!?), but I watched the DVD's for the first 13 episodes in 3 nights. Yeah - 3 nights! And now I'm completely caught up and hooked!!

There ya have it! If I were asked to do this again in a day or a week, it may be very different, but this is where I'm at today! :)

Edited: Oops - if you want to participate, visit the Thursday Thirteen Site! :)

All Caught Up! Well... Kind of!

My google reader is cleared... Yes, I did mark some as read if I was 10 or more blogs behind on some people, but it had to be done! I did make sure I read the most recent of all blogs that I follow, and there weren't too many where I was 10 or more behind on.. that was a tough feat!!! And I did it! WAHOOO!!!! Is it weird that it makes me feel less guilty? I just want to make sure that I'm taking the time to read what people take the time to write. It's a good feeling knowing that I'm catching up with everyone, and now that I'm not so bogged down with the world of blogs, I can comment with more ease... Wahoo again!!!

Yesterday I worked an 11 hour day and I am trying to do the same again today. I'm trying to make up some or all of the time that I missed from Monday's migraine. The thing that sucks though is that besides it being one long ass day, by the time I get home, the gym is kind of on the back burner. That's one of the reasons that I'm trying to get it over in 2 days. I'm not holding myself to a super regimented schedule, since that only sets me up for failure. 3X per week is my goal, and I've already gotten one workout taken care of.. and it is only Wednesday! Sigh.. ONLY Wednesday... this week is DRAGGING for me!

Who of you have an iPhone? Any apps that you absolutely love and don't know how you lived without them before? I've downloaded the SparkPeople, SparkRecipes, AllRecipes, Monthly Cycle tracker, and many, many others... Just seeing if there's anything out there I'm missing! :-)

Hope all is well with everyone... :-) Back to work for me!!
xoxo

It's Tuesday, but like a Monday... AHH!

Well, yesterday I was home ill. The weather in Houston is typical.. Nice and sunny one day, rainy and icky the next... The rain washes all the crap in the air, and voila! I get a lovely migraine... Blah!
I'm feeling much better now, thankfully... those migraines are a bitch!! Now that I'm back at work, it's definitely a case of the Mondays.

I weighed in yesterday, and I was up 3 lbs. I'm not too concerned, because #1, I've been working my ass off at the gym, and #2, I am drinking a helluva lot more water, due to #1! LOL If you've been reading me long, you know that water and I are not good friends... Sad, but true!! LOL So, I am just thinking that my body is wondering what this foreign liquid is that's replacing the coffee! And instead of it releasing, it's just staying put... But, today I have had to make a sprint to the restroom about eleventy times! So, hopefully my next weigh in will show my efforts. I'd love to weigh in again tomorrow, but I'm too obsessive. I'll wait until next Sunday, and just weigh in once a week. I should also do measurements, as I haven't done that in MONTHS! Actually, it's probably been a good year.

I'm waiting for two packages to come in to work, so I'm excited for both of those... I placed a Focus 28 order, and I also ordered the Brazil Butt Lift... I'm enjoying changing up my routine between videos at home and going to the gym.
AND OMG - the gym... I met a co-worker at the gym on Saturday morning, and did a class called Muscle Blast.. They weren't kidding! Every muscle in my body ached for a few days.. it was actually a good feeling because I haven't had a workout like that in quite some time! I'm looking forward to making it a weekly thing.. Next time I'll bring my iPod though, so I can do my elliptical afterwards and get a good cardio workout too!

I hope you're all doing well and are enjoying the spring weather.. It's an overcast day in Houston today, but I'm sure tomorrow will be pretty! :)
xoxo!

Another Doctor Update

Good morning to all!
I saw Dr. W yesterday, and it didn't go as well as I had hoped. My iron levels are still low, and I'm borderline to becoming anemic. I've been taking my iron supplements so I'm not sure what's going on there. I'm going to try my hardest to get more iron in my diet.. we shall see how it goes!
I asked about the heart flutters, and since it hasn't happened very often, he's at a loss. My thyroid levels have been normal in the past, so he doesn't think that's it. If it continues again, he will send me home with a heart monitor to see what's going on.
I asked for my highest rate on file - and it was 312. I know it was higher but just not on record.. but wow... I've sure come a long way! WAHOO!! LOL
Hmm.. what else...
I did mention to him that Dr. A said I may need a revision to cut out the part of my intestine that keeps getting ulcers... I asked if it would be like me getting RNY all over again, and he couldn't answer that question since he's not sure how much intestine they'd be removing. So, we'll cross that bridge if we come to it, and hopefully we don't.
Oh - has anyone else gotten tingly/numb feet after working out for awhile... I only get it when I am on the ellliptical or treadmill, ie. repetitive back and forth motions... My friend at work suggested that my shoes may be a little too small for working out. I should get 1/2 size larger than I normally wear since feet swell when working out. Do any of you have input on this? Dr. W was at a loss with this one too! LOL

Ok that's it for the doctor...

On a completely positive note - I've worked out THREE times this week! I couldn't work out Tuesday because of my gastroscope.. and yesterday I took the day off because I didn't get home until later than usual with my doctor's appointment, and we had guests come over. Soo.. I'm stopping by Academy on the way home to get some 1, 2 and 3 pound dumbbells and then heading home to do the Biggest Loser Boot Camp, and then some Turbo Jam or a bike ride. I did the boot camp the other day AFTER turbo jam, and doing jumping jacks with 5 lb handweights is kind of difficult, and frankly probably a little dumb for me since I'm not at that point yet! LOL So, I'll work my way up!

Although I'd LOVE to get to 149, I'm no longer focusing on losing weight. I'm focusing on getting fit and strong. If that comes with losing a little weight, yay for me. If not, then I know I'm healthy and getting stronger every day. Dr. W told me that I probably have 10-15 pounds of extra skin... so, with that, I'm AT my goal.. I just am carrying around a little reminder of where I came from! hehe

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. I am going to make the most of it! WAHOO!!!

Gastroscope Update

I had another gastroscope yesterday to see if I still had an ulcer, or if it had healed up. Unfortunately, I still have one. My doctor has added Carafate back into the mix with Prevacid, and I have to go back again in a month to see if it has healed at that point. This totally sucks!
If I keep getting recurring ulcers, then I will have to have a revision done... That scares me because I'm within 10 pounds of my ultimate goal weight.. If I have to get a revision, I think it would be like getting RNY all over again. I'm going to see Dr. W tomorrow and I already have a long list of questions to ask him..
AHH!!!!

Anyway, that's what's going on with me medically... Hopefully something more positive can be said next month! :-) I'll have another update after my appointment tomorrow - whether my vitamin levels have improved, and then some answers to my other questions that I have for him!!

Beyond that, I have already been to the gym 2x this week. I had in my head that I was going to go yesterday after my nap from the gastroscope. That failed - my nap ended at 4pm. I felt SOOOO drugged up, and I usually don't after that.. ick!

When I woke up yesterday, my TV was on an infomercial - the Beachbody one for the Brazil Butt Lift... and I ordered it! OMG! LOL It actually looks like a great workout, and I'm looking forward to getting it, but shame on me for ordering from an infomercial!

I added a new box to my blog - formspring.. It's where you can ask me anything, either anonymously or not. If you have any questions - feel free to ask away! I'm basically an open book! :)

Product Review: Focus 28 Ready-to-Drink Shakes

I have officially found the best tasting protein drink! The people at focus28 sent me some samples, and I'll be reviewing more over the next few weeks. But this could not wait! I am in love with this drink, and am sad that I have to wait for some more to come in.
All you do is add water to the top of the label, and shake! The consistency is wonderful.. it's thick, but not too thick, and it does not taste like a protein drink at all. I like to put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes after adding water, and it makes it taste even more divine!
Are you ready for more details? 1 bottle has only 80 calories. 60 of those calories are pure protein! There are only 2 g of sugar, and 3 carbs total. Not bad at all! I have tried a lot of protein drinks over my 2 1/2 years post op time, and I am serious when I say this is the best tasting one.
Although I'll be reviewing more products over the next few weeks, I will also say that everything I've tasted so far has not been a disappointment.. so if you want to try anything else before my review, I feel safe saying that you won't be disappointed either! :)
The folks at focus28 were kind enough to provide me with a coupon code for all of you as well. You can save 5% off of your order by using coupon code LAURIE5. All orders over $75 get free shipping as well.
I hope you enjoy as much as I do!!! :-)

Neglect!!!!

Sorry I've been neglectful lately. Work has been a beotch this week, and I'm just now starting to recover mentally. I've been getting to work between 6:30 and 7 am ALL week (normally it's 9 am), so just that in itself is exhausting to me. I am definitely not a morning person.. never have been, and probably never will be.
Next week, I go in for my follow up gastroscope to see if that pesky ulcer is really gone. I sure hope so. Seriously, that ulcer pain I had in February was worse than surgery, worse than having tonsilitis with a 103 fever... it was bad! Leave it to me to have an ulcer on nerve endings.. AHHH!! Next week I also go in to see Dr. W (my primary care) to follow up on my latest lab work and see if my vitamin levels are better. I was low on Vitamin D (which should be dramatically improved because of my Wellesse Vitamin D find.. as well as Vitamin K and Iron.. I've been taking all of my vitamins religiously and making sure I get my protein in... so, I should have a clean bill of health. Except... I've been getting some strange heart flutters lately.. has anyone had that? I've noticed that I get them in the late afternoon, usually if I haven't eaten in a few hours... It's strange!!
Stay tuned in the next few days and weeks... I have some awesome product reviews coming up (including a protein drink that is absolutely divine!) and a giveaway!!!

Back on "Track"

Or.... should I say, getting on track? LOL
I've never been one to enjoy journaling my food intake, even though I realize it's important. It's not fun. It takes mere seconds each time you put something in your mouth, but it's such an annoying thing to do. Then, if you're eating with someone, they ask what you're doing, then you have to explain it all... BAH! I will be honest, and say that I've never REALLY tracked my food very well.. I'd do ok for a day or two at a time, but this has always been my issue!
But, it's very important. Especially if you're at a standstill and not quite sure why. I'm sure it's all right there.. a bite of something here, a nibble of something there.. it sure adds up! I wonder how thin I'd be if I wasn't a stress eater at work - where our office manager buys snacks in bulk as a "treat" to us. Honestly, I'd probably be too thin, but I'd have hit my goal, instead of having 10 pounds to go.. 10 pounds that have hung around for a year! Sure, it's an accomplishment for someone like me to have maintained a weight loss for a year, but why am I holding myself back from reaching my ultimate goal?
So, here we are. I remember everything I've popped into my mouth so far today, and have started tracking on Sparkpeople.com. If you're on there, feel free to add me - Laurie9797 is my user name. If you're not on there, feel free to join me! It's a great community.

Word of the Day: Neophyte

I have a nifty little app on my iphone from Dictionary.com... it gives us the word of the day, as well as a full thesaurus and dictionary. That's great for me, as I've lost most words out of my vocabulary over 3 syllables.... and is it bad that I counted the syllables in vocabulary after I typed that? HA!
I liked today's word... Neophyte: a novice
I'm a novice..err.. neophyte in many aspects of my life.. I'm in this period of my life where I want to jump in and try so many new things, but I don't know where to start. I'm limited by my budget and by my time... and it bites! I've made so much progress in the past year with getting some debts paid off, but I'm not at goal yet. I need to keep focus, yet find balance in getting new hobbies for myself without breaking the bank. I'm a neophyte when it comes to hobbies. My time has always been filled for me in the past, or I lacked the confidence to try something new because I was so heavy. Now, I'm ready to jump in and try something, but at the same time, I don't want to lose sight of my ultimate goal, which is trimming all the fat out of my life.. DEBT!
I keep going back and forth on whether I should get a second job.. as that would help me with both cutting down on debt, as well as giving me something to do in the evenings. At the same time.. a job isn't a hobby, right? LOL Ahhh..... Frustration!!!
I know I'm venting... this is a place where I go to try to clear out the fogginess called my brain!

Here are some things I'd like to do in the very near future:

• Learn how to garden... I want to start with something "simple" like an herb garden.. I can't keep a cactus alive at this point.
• Ride my bike more often... I still don't have the confidence that I should on it.. I'm very shaky!
• Read more often
• Spend more time outside while the weather permits. Houston is known for it's heat, but we've been so chilly here lately! The weather has been PERFECT, for me at least... Sunny, warm, but not too warm.. and just AWESOME!!!
• Catch up on Glee before the new shows start up - I just started watching this last night, and fell in love with it! It's fun and quirky and just overall entertaining! :)
• Figure out whether I should get a 2nd job or try to find extra ways to "cut the fat"
• There's plenty more, but I don't want to overwhelm myself! LOL

Oh, if you've been reading me for awhile, you know about our puppy chronicles.. If not, I'll give you a quick refresher. In October, we went to the SPCA and got a puppy. He seemed healthy, but got a cold when he left the pound, and it ended up being distemper. We lost him on November 10. Fast forward to December, we found an ad on Craigs List for a German Shepherd puppy that a girl got, but her boyfriend wouldn't let her keep. She also seemed healthy, but promptly deteriorated in health and we had to put her down on December 26. They thought she had pneumonia, possibly distemper and possibly parvo-virus. One of John's friends contacted us last week about a puppy that has been at another animal shelter for 3 months, and is about to be put down. His friend's cousin volunteers at the shelter and has fostered the puppy, so she won't be put down, and is hanging on to her until she can find a permanent home. They brought the puppy over, and she's adorable... but, she has a cold. That scares me.. I know that it's common for animals to get sick when coming out of the pound, as it's a big change in environment, but it makes it no less scary for us because of all we've been through. So, we'll see in the coming days what happens on that font!

Also, if you're a praying person, please pray for my sister and her family. One of their puppies got out yesterday, and they haven't been able to find him. :( He's just a year old.

I've gone on long enough for today, but I will return tomorrow!

xoxo

Product Review: JEWELS!!!

Good morning all!
Sarah over at LuShae Jewelry contacted me about her online store, and after looking at her gorgeous items, I jumped on it!

After looking through all of my choices, I chose a beautiful ring, that I pictured above. I received my ring within 3 days, which is amazing on it's own! When I opened the package, I was very impressed! The ring is just as beautiful in person as it is on the website.

I really like that the website provides you with several pictures of each piece, with one being next to a 1 inch "ruler" so you have an idea how big the piece actually is. I have been very disappointed many times in the past on how the size was distorted in the catalog or online!

All in all? I am quite impressed with this company, and would be happy to order from them in the future! Check out their selection!
Here's the link: LuShae Jewelry

Product Review: Wellesse Vitamin D

I don't know about any of you, but Vitamin D has been my constant downfall since BEFORE my RNY. #1) I'm super duper pale and reflect the sun, rather than absorb the Vitamin D (for some reason my doctor doesn't think this is legit!) and #2) I'm not a huge milk drinker.. lactose intolerant to an extent.. so, it makes it tough to consume good quantities of Vitamin D.

I found Wellesse Vitamin D3 Liquid 1000 Iu, 16 ounce Bottle (Pack of 3)
and decided to give it a shot. I was nervous, since so many of the liquid vitamins I've tried have been just plain awful. But, I was quite pleasantly suprised! It has a nice berry flavor and is not thick or syrupy.
So whether you're pasty-white like me and won't absorb Vitamin D, or just hate the taste of what you have now, give it a try! :) It's only $21.97 for three 16 oz. bottles! Wahoo! :)

Rejuvenation!

It's unreal to me how much the weather affects my attitude. The past few months I've been in a bit of a lull. Not really a depressed state, but definitely not in a good mood. I couldn't explain why, but I just wasn't happy. This past week has had sunshine and nice weather, and I feel like a brand new person. I went to the gym yesterday, I got about 12 loads of laundry done (AND PUT AWAY!), some organization done, etc.

I had a half day on Friday, and I went to lunch with a friend I hadn't seen in awhile.. then went shopping for a few new pieces of clothing.. I ended up leaving with two dresses! I'm soooooo not a dress wearer, but I've been trying to feel more feminine thinking that would help my state of mind too... and I am actually wearing one today! Wahoo!

So... thank you, Mother Nature, for sending some spring weather my way. I have needed it more than I realized!

Breakfast and other Things..

Today's breakfast consisted of some cheese cubes on crackers, and a low sodium V8. I'm really trying to work the veggies into my life, can you tell? I'm so glad I like V8. And even more glad that I like the Low Sodium version... 8% of my daily sodium vs. 25% in the regular... NICE! :) For lunch I'm either having leftover chili or a chef salad.. or a little of both so I can have a more well-rounded lunch.

My friend Michelle and I are starting from scratch with the Beck Diet Solution book and Workbook (links to the books on sidebar). I had read quite a bit of it and benefitted from it, but life got busy, yadda yadda yadda. You need a diet coach, and we've nominated each other. Michelle has also had RNY so we have similar goals/issues. I'm also enlisting my co-worker to keep me on track at work, since that's usually when I fall off the wagon. Stress. Free Food (not healthy!). More Stress. You get the picture. The bonus? She's a Weight Watchers leader as a part time job. The not bonus? She's pregnant right now and hungry a lot. LOL

My job gives us the opportunity to work 2 half days a month.. So, instead of five 8 hour days, we work four 9's and then one 4. Tomorrow and next Friday are the half day weeks for us. Tomorrow my plans consist of going to see my friend Joanna and her new little baby. I'm excited but I KNOW I'll leave wanting a baby. lol Poor John.. so many of my friends are getting married and having babies.. and he gets to listen to me talk about it all! Muahaha!!!

Anyway, I better get back to work... I'm working on blogging more, b/c I know it helps me! ANd it's been one of my resolutions.. :)
OOH... I beat a sudoku game on Hard, so mark that off my March list! Wahoo!!! :)

Stop! Veggie Time!

As many of you know, I had gallbladder surgery just over a year ago. Once I had that, my tolerance of almost all vegetables has become almost non-existant. Every time I would eat vegetables, I would get intense stomach cramping and just pray for someone to knock me out. I talked to my doctor about this, and he told me that lots of people regardless of having WLS or gallbladder surgery have this issue, and he recommended that I take some Bean-0 before consuming veggies. Today, I had my first salad in quite some time, and wahoo, no stomach pains! Even with raw onions! Now, I'm pushing the envelope even further and having a V8!

I'm hoping that one of my reasons I'm completely lacking energy is that I'm not getting in my recommended veggies. Yes, I'm taking my vitamins daily, we all know that's not enough. I'm going to try new veggies every day along with my trusty Bean-o to see what I can tolerate and what I need to just give up on for awhile.

John is doing P90X workouts at home and is wanting to start eating healthier too, and I'm ALL ON BOARD for that. I've been enjoying cooking and am ready to make sure that everything is super healthy. I only wish I could tolerate chicken, as that's what he's wanting to eat. Chicken has been the thing I can not tolerate post-WLS. It is too dry, and feels like a brick in my stomach. I've had small shreds of it and am fine, but when that's the focus of my meal, I'm left with a big 'ole brick in there.. NOT FUN!!

Anyways.. on to new things!
As a way to make my blog new and improved (like I am trying to make myself), I am going to start featuring product reviews again, both for WLS friendly products, and just products in general that I love. I've gotten a few books from publishers that I'll be reviewing as well. I'm looking forward to breathing new life into my blog and into myself for that matter. Like I said in a previous post.. I live for spring. It's my time of rejuvenation and when I get that oomph back in my life!! Wahoo!!

Any suggestions for weekly themes/post ideas? I am completely open to any and all suggestions!

xoxox

Weekend Festivities... and Struggling!

Hello to one and all...
Our lovely Jil and her beau are officially married and are now on their honeymoon. It was a beautiful wedding for two beautiful people, and I am SOOOO incredibly happy for them. Guess who caught the bouquet? Hmm... well that would be me!! Muahaha! I certainly wouldn't object if I were next in the wedding festivities! :-)

I forgot my camera for the wedding, but I have all of the cameras that were placed on the tables at the reception. I'm going to develop them for Jil just so she has one less thing to do.. Plus, I got a picture of my man smiling in a picture (he NEVER smiles in pictures!)... I'll get doubles so I can snatch it! MUAHAH! I'm evil today. :)

I've been struggling a bit lately about quite a bit of things. Although I've had RNY gastric bypass surgery, that doesn't define me. Besides that, I don't have the same struggles anymore that I once had. I'm 2.5 years out now, and can consume an average amount of food. I can't eat a ton, which is a great thing, but I know I can eat a whole lot more than I used to. And sometimes I do. I've been finding that a lot of times I relate more to blogs that are in no way related to RNY. I still read and relate to all my RNY and Lap Band friends for certain, as I really feel a connection with all of them, and honestly they're probably feeling a lot of the same things I am. I guess the phase that I'm in now is just trying to find my own identity. Who am I now that I'm relatively at goal? And where do I go from here? I like to think of myself as someone who is always in transition, because being stagnant in life is just plain boring. I just don't know what I should be focusing my efforts on lately. I am sure I'm just rambling and not making much sense, but this is my "journal" so I get to vent even if it's just a bunch of blubbering words! hehe

I guess the biggest thing is that I'm lacking focus. I'm not sure what aspect of my life I want to focus on. I wonder if it's the weather that's making me freak out...!? It's been a long winter for Houston. It's normally spring time weather by now and it's still cold. I always feel rejuvenated in the spring, and now my spring has been delayed... BOO!

Anyway, I will stop venting for now... but just wanted to get some crap out of my head! :)
Love to you all!!!

March is Here!

Wow, time sure flies. February is proving to be a chaotic month in my life every year. I'm glad it's over!
I had a nice birthday weekend though. Friday night, John and I went to dinner with a couple of friends. Saturday, we went over to John's mom's house to celebrate his nephew's birthday. He just turned 4 and is absolutely adorable! Then, the festivities began for Jil and Jason's Bachelorette/Bachelor parties. The girls went to dinner at a yummy Mexican Restaurant and then we went back to my house and watched Mamma Mia with wine and cheese.. Actually, only Jil had wine, probably b/c she felt bad that I had like 7 bottles of wine and no one wanted any. I can't drink because of my ulcer, and everyone else was just drinking sodas.. lol. We had a good time though. I love getting time with my girlfriends! The boys went to a pub that had a cover band and they drank beer and played pool. They had a good time too.. Poor Jason had a little too much though, from what I've heard! LOL
Then on yesterday, John and I picked up my mom and we went to Benihana for my birthday dinner. If you have a Benihana in your area, sign up on their website, and you get a free birthday dinner up to $30! I had filet mignon and lobster, and it was only $6! Not bad, eh?

I'm still doing the resolution thing too.. February was kind of a bust.. b/c of my ulcer. I did lose my 5 pounds, but almost everything else just didn't happen for various reasons.. Especially my resolution about getting rid of my ulcer completely.. lol I am feeling better now though, but I'm still just trying to be good with my meds and not stress. Oh, I did get my medical bill paid too, which was the most important, and the most relieving!

So, rolling into March.....

• Have a blast at Jil's wedding... this weekend! WAHOO!!
• Try to be as healthy as possible... all pieces of the puzzle.. eating, exercising, destressing, etc.. :)
• Finish a Sudoku puzzle on the HARD setting on my DS...
• Try one new recipe per week.
• Organize my home office and pick out paint colors.

I'm being incredibly easy on myself this month because I want to. I need an easy month. :)

I hope all is well on everyone's side of the world. I will update soon and maybe even sneak some pictures on from Jil's wedding while she is on her honeymoon! :)

Turning Around... Wahoo

Well, I am finally feeling better. I am able to hold food down, and I am not in pain anymore. Thank heaven for small miracles! I'm still taking my medication until it runs out. I went to my gastroenterologist (that's a tough word to type out!) yesterday for my follow up appointment, and I go back in on April 13 to get another gastroscope to make sure the ulcer has completely healed. He freaked me out a bit yesterday saying it's possible I may need a revision on my RNY IF I keep getting recurring ulcers. The reason that is a possibility is that I could be getting low blood flow to that area of my intestine, so they may have to remove that part. Basically, snip it out and reattach my intestine back to my pouch. That doesn't sound fun.. but hopefully I won't get recurring ulcers. He told me to stay away from cigarettes, alcohol, and try to avoid high stress. The cigs and alcohol are absolutely no problem for me. I'm trying to unclench and not sweat the small things, but it's certainly easier said than done!

I haven't stepped on a scale in a week or so, but I think I'm still down about 5 pounds. I know I've gained around 3 lbs back at least just because I'm now able to eat and drink.

My birthday is Sunday... I'm very blah about it this year.. I'm getting older (duh!) and it's just not very exciting for me. We don't really have much planned, and I'm totally good with it. John did buy me an iPhone for my birthday a week early so I'd be able to play with it.. Wahoo!!! It is such a fun little phone. I actually am listening to Lady GaGa right now on it, just skipping a few of the crazily overplayed songs! hehe This will be a great playlist for the gym when I get back there... which will be soon! :)

Update - Sorry So Late!

Hi all - I'm really sorry that I haven't given you all an update!

I went to the gastroenterologist last Wednesday for my appointment. He agreed with Weinstein that it sounded like an ulcer, so he scheduled me for an upper GI scope Thursday morning. I do have a medium duodenal (intestinal) ulcer, and I just need to deal with it until it heals up. I've had trouble eating off and on every day since I started feeling bad, with this past Sunday being the worst. For some reason, whenever my ulcer starts hurting really bad (after eating most foods), I get accompanying back pain. The back pain is worse than anything.. I remember the pain post surgeries for every surgery I've had, and this was by far worse. I spent all of Valentine's Day crying. I felt TERRIBLE!! The good news is though, that I haven't had that degree of back pain since, and I am able to tolerate a few more foods. So, it sounds like I'm healing, slowly but surely. I have a follow up next Wednesday, and he wants to do another scope on me in 6 weeks to make sure the ulcer has healed.

Poor John.. We've been dating for a year and two months. This Valentine's Day, he had to deal with me being a wreck, not being able to sit, lay down, or get in any comfortable position without cringing in pain... Last Valentine's Day, I had my gallbladder/intestinal hernia.. At least he didn't have to spend a fortune on taking me out to eat, since I still really can't eat much! LOL He's going to take me to the Melting Pot as soon as I'm able to hold food down though. I would feel like I'm breaking every sort of law in the land if I went before then! LOL This is my absolute favorite restaurant in the world! I also get to go to Benihana soon, b/c I got an email from them for my birthday coming up, and I get a free meal! Wahoo!

I'm down to 154 lbs. That's "NORMAL" on the BMI scale. Wow! I know that the minute I am able to eat again, it'll bounce back up, but it's nice to see that weight if only for a moment. I also keep in mind that if/when I get my extra skin removed, I'd be in the low 140's, and I am close to being too thin. I think my comfortable weight is 154-160 lbs.

John and I went to see the Lightning Thief movie yesterday since I was too ill to see it on V-Day. I liked it a lot, but he hated it. The difference? He read the books, and I did not. LOL

I hope everyone is braving the crazy weather that Mother Nature has brought on.. All of you East Coasters, please bundle up! It's unseasonably cold here too, but we won't go there.. It'd just make you all pissed off! LOL

I've been enjoying catching up on TV a bit.. and watching the Olympics. I love all of the wonderful stories that all of the athletes have, and the Canadian who won the first Gold Medal for his country made me cry.. He was so sweet, and I am so glad that the no Gold drought was broken for Canada. I LOVE Canada.. I've been there once and I would love to go again.. such a beautiful country with so many beautiful people! :) I loved watching the speed skating and seeing Apolo Ohno win again too! Wahoo!!

Anyway - I'll end this now because I am obviously rambling!
Take care, all of you! I will write again soon!
xoxo

It's been rocky so far...

February has been one heck of a month for me so far. I'll share the good, the bad and the sadly terrible...
I'll get the worst over with first.
I have not been able to hold food down since Sunday evening. Well, I can hold waffles down, but that is ZERO nutritional value, and I can't just keep eating a waffle every few hours. That's just not right. I visited my doctor yesterday, and he said it sounded like it was my ulcers, or a bowel obstruction. I had an xray yesterday, and there is no obstruction visible, so we're rolling with the ulcers. I had been doing so good not letting things get to me, and trying not to stress, but obviously my efforts were fruitless. I go to the gastroenterologist today at 2:30 to see what to do from here. I'd love to not spend my time in the restroom throwing up. :( Along with the nausea, I've been getting really bad back pains, and sharp, shooting pains in my stomach. If you ever experience this, go to the doctor! My regular doctor wanted me to increase my meds until we find out for sure what is wrong with me. I will let you all know as soon as I know!

On the up side of not being able to hold food down, I've lost 8 pounds. So, mark that resolution off! HA! I'm sure once I can eat something, it will pile back on.. but I'll take a little victory where I can get it today!

I was asked yesterday if my surgery was worth it, even after all of my complications. To me, yes. My overall quality of life has improved dramatically. Yes, I've had some bumps and roadblocks, but before my life WAS a giant (literally) roadblock. So yes, I'd do it again.. it'd be nice to not have the complications, but they're better than the possible complications I'd be facing being super-morbidly obese.

Besides my health issues, life has been pretty decent. We had a nice little get together on Super Bowl Sunday.. I was in bed for most of it, but my friends came in to visit with me, and it was nice to see everyone. :)
I haven't spent a lot of time this week at work b/c of the above, but at least I'm not behind.. whew!

xoxo
Will update soon!

February Resolutions

Hello to all! Here's my January Resolution Recap, along with my February Resolutions!

January:

For January, I resolve to:

• Get back on track with vitamins. I've been a slackerface lately, and I know that needs to be corrected. I had glorious labs all of 2009, and I don't want to ruin 2010 lacking in vitamins! I have dramatically improved and am taking my vitamins on a daily basis.
• Get back on track with water... or should I say, get ON track with water.. I've always been terrible with it. I resolve to drink at least 40 oz of water a day in January... and then hopefully in Feb, I can up it to the proper 64. I'm not trying to be an underachiever, just realistic! Score! I've been drinking a lot more water, decaf tea, etc. I'm proud of myself, as this has always been an issue for me.
• No More Diet Cokes! As Chris H's blog is titled Diet Coke Rocks, oh, it truly does. But, it's my downfall, and I'm not even supposed to be drinking it. So, bye bye Diet Cokes. It's on to tea, Crystal Lite, and oh yeah, WATER! SCORE yet again! I've been Diet Coke free for 32 days now. I really don't miss it like I thought I would. Sometimes the fizz of someone pouring a drink over ice makes my mouth water a bit, but I move on, take a sip of my water, and know that I'm doing a good thing for myself!
• Get back on track with protein, go off track with the carbs! Are you sensing a pattern here? Why yes, Laurie has been a terrible post-op patient as of late! I resolve to focus on protein as my main source of nutrition again. The carb monster needs to be tamed.. bigtime! Improvements have definitely been made, but I still am working on taming the carb monster. I've been better with eating eggs for breakfast vs. a quick eggo waffle... Eggo waffles aren't high in protein even though the EGG is in the name.. don't let it fool ya! Especially if you're like me and prefer the chocolate chip ones! HA! I am definitely re-committing to this resolution.
• Be more active! I don't want to put a number of workouts per week or number of minutes, because if I don't make it the first week, I know I'd quit!! Negatory... I can't say I'll re-committ, but I will try again.
• Blog more. It keeps me accountable, and I miss it! I haven't been blogging as frequently as I'd like to, BUT I have been blogging more than I had been.. a hit and miss here.. but I'm working on it. :)

Now, for February. Happy February to you all. It's a nice short month, and I'm ready to tackle it! Here are my resolutions for February. Some are from the January cast of characters, and some are brand new!

• Be more active! Err.. be active! LOL 'Nuff said.
• Try to get rid of my ulcer completely by: a) not letting my stressful job get the best of me, b) taking my medications regularly, and c) trying to not let any stressful situations bother me.. I can not control others, nor do I want to. I need to let things slide off my back more easily.
• Continue to tame the carb monster. I got a good start to this today by going to the grocery store on my lunch break and getting some cheese to snack on instead of Cheese Nips. Huzzah!!
• STAY on track with vitamins. I have to go in on April 1 to get my bloodwork done again, and I want a glowing report!
• Be the best bridesmaid possible for Jil with her upcoming nuptials. I hope to help make the next month as stress-free as possible. We have her bridal shower and bachelorette party this month! :-)
• Lose 5 pounds by my birthday (Feb 28). I KNOW I can do this. I just need to set forth the effort, and follow all of my resolutions.
• Spend as little as possible and have $1,300 saved for a debt that has to be paid by 2/27. I know I can do it, but it will be quite challenging! .

I think that's good for now.. I don't want to keep my ulcer b/c I've made too many Feb. resolutions! HA!
Hope you all are doing great!!!

xoxo