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Information is Power

I have been having conversations lately with a friend of mine who is about to undergo Lap Band surgery, and it has become glaringly obvious that not all surgical centers are created equally.  Perhaps I lucked out when my primary doctor suggested I go to the surgical group I did, because from what my friend tells me there is a major lack of information sharing occuring within her surgical group.  Not only does the Sugical Weight Control Center (SWCC) of LasVegas offer ongoing support groups, nutrition classes, and other levels of support post-surgery, but they truly try to prepare you for the life-changes you will be making.  For example, we not only had a two hour nutrition class before our surgeries, but a four hour class just before surgery in which the surgical procedure was explained, the recovery was described, and more information was presented on how and what you should eat and drink through each stage of recovery and throughout your weightloss experience!

While I was going through the process with SWCC I just assumed these lectures and information sessions were par for the course, but according to my friend, her surgical center has not provided anything beyond her office visits.  So, here she is, preparing to have surgery soon with very little information to sustain her.  Personally I would be freaked out!  I NEED information, I crave it, it comforts me, it makes me feel I am making informed decisions!  It also ensures you are not undergoing a painful and stressful surgical procedure merely to have your efforts at weightloss fail, becuase the plain fact of the matter is that you can still fail at weightloss after surgery.  Why?  Because you don't have all the information you need to succeed!

So, my advice to anyone thinking about having any type of gastric surgery?  See what types of support your chosen surgical center provides to help you make sure your surgery is a success!  If they don't provide you with support and information move on and find another surgeon.  You take the time to shop around for a car, a stereo, even the best produce, so why not put the same time and effort into shopping for your best possible future?

Interesting Side Effects

So, it appears there is an interesting side effect to losing weight (I am down almost 30 pounds now!).  I have not only the energy but also the motivation to do all those little things I have been putting off doing for months!  Yesterday I installed a new faux rock fountain in our back yard, today I am reorganizing our family room (which is really just the baby's play room with a big ass TV in the middle of it).  I also signed up for a painting class onWednesday, and am folding laundry!  This is a huge change for me, where weeks ago I would have been content to sink my ass into our comfy couches and veg out playing WarCraft ALL day.

Look out world, here I come!  Oh, and you should be expecting a new novel from me any time now...yeah, that's right, I am in the editing stages then I am getting myself an agent!  Anybody know an agent looking for a rising new star in women's horror fiction?

Quality over Quantity or Price

So, I had another appointment with my post-surgical doctor yesterday.  I have lost a total of about 25 pounds, but expressed some frustration with what I feel is slow progress and a new desire to eat any and every type of junk food that might have the misfortune of crossing my path.  Turns out I may have been sabotaging myself on numerous levels.  First it appears that not all proteins are created equally.  Apparently proteins have what is called a PDCAAS score (protein digestibility corrected amino acid score) which basically determines how much of the protein is actually usable by your body.  This is an important value for numerous reasons if you are losing weight rapidly and are trying to control appetite throughout the day.  A higher PDCAAS for your protein will not only make you feel fuller, it will keep you feeling fuller, will nix your crazy carb cravings, and will help prevent your skin from sagging as you lose pounds!  The problem, of course, is that there isn't a protein on the market that puts its PDCAAS on its label, and it is difficult to get companies to disclose this information.  My doctor's office, though, has apparently investigated the protein supplements on the market and has selected a group of products they recommend, and the one I am currently using is from Bariatric Advantage (the orange cream flavor, and it's YUMMY!).  So, I am hoping this change will help invigorate the weight loss again!  Not, I imagine, that I should really be complaining about "only" losing 25 pounds in two months...silly me...

UPS AND DOWNS OF THE ELECTION

Authored by Leandro Delgado
I have been using my harrisburg wireless internet to stay connection and in tune with the Republican primaries that have been occurring. I can’t remember a race that has had this many ups and downs and surprises as this year’s Republican primary has. I don’t consider myself a Republican or a Democrat, I would say that I lean both ways, but I do follow politics on both sides and decide at the last minute what I am going to vote. The Republican debates and primaries this year has really been a roller coaster ride! It is out of control. One week Romney is leading and the next week Santorum, who was at the bottom of the totum poll at the beginning of the race is on top. One week Cain was a head and the next week a scandal broke and he was out. I am just really interested to see how this turns out. It should be wrapping up here pretty quickly, but the election in November is sure to be a news story that I will want to follow!

First Fill Down

I had my first fill for my LapBand Monday afternoon.  I have to admit I was pretty full of apprehension and was not at all sure what to expect.  I think I got a little lucky, though, that I had to schedule my fill early as I got a doctor who actually believes in giving you a local of Lidocaine to numb the area first.  Other doctors told us they didn't give an anasthetic as the procedure simply involves injecting silicon into the port using a 22 guage needle, which at first didn't seem to bad, but after the procedure I am glad I had the local as there was a lot of pressure on the area, and I can imagine that it might hurt more than I really anticipated.

After the doctor injected an additional 2cc's of silicon into the band he had me drink a little water to make sure the fill hadn't tightened the Band down too far.  I have to say it felt a little strange, and at first I thought it had been overfilled, as it seemed to take a little while for the water to move through.  By that evening, though I was feeling pretty normal.  They do require that you go back on a liquids-only diet for 24 hours post-fill, and that you take it easy and chew carefully when you start eating normal food again as the last thing they want you to do is throw up because you can't get the food down.  For me, though, everything is back to normal.  I had solid food immediately after the 24 hour period was over, and was fine.  Granted, I do have to admit that I chew my food obsessively.  I have heard from other's who have had the LapBand that getting food stuck is truly unpleasant and am trying my best not to suffer through the experience!

Anyway, I feel back to normal, not hungry between meals or overnight.  Looking forward to losing more weight!

Filling

So, I was scheduled for my first fill on my Lap Band on February 28, a month after my first post surgery follow-up appointment.  This is the usual amount of time recommended for your first post-operative fill, but it turns out I am going to need to have my first fill done sooner.  This has turned out to be a source of frustration for me, as during all the pre-operative seminars the doctors and nurses stressed the importance of coming in right away for a fill if you start feeling hungry between meals or if you notice your weight loss slowing down.  I called on Monday of this week (Febraury 13) to try to reschedule, but had to leave a message for the scheduler (who didn't bother to call me back until the following day).  Luckily I am proactive, so I called her later in the day again on Monday but she told me there weren't any appointments available until the 24th.  Not satisfied with this answer, I told her I was frustrated, because we had been instructed to call and get fills as soon as we noticed any changes in our appetite otherwise the effectiveness of the surgery is nullified.  Somehow, miraculously a time opened up on the 20th.  Still not as immediate a response as we were promised during our orientations, but better than the 24th or the original 28th. 

In the meantime, my weightloss has slowed to a crawl, and I get hungry at night to the point that sometimes it keeps me awake.  I think this is an issue I will be addressing with the Doctor on the 20th.  If they don't have enough available appointments to take care of their patients post-op, then perhaps they need to extend their hours or hire more people who can do the fills.  Not, I imagine, they will be doing so, but I plan on being vocally aggressive in ensuring my success with this procedure.  I didn't go through surgery to have my goals sabotaged by their poor preparation.

Anyway...that's my vent for today...lol... 


Surgery date:  January 20, 2012
Pre-op weight: 271
Weight today: 250.8

Reality Bites

So, it's been a few weeks since my surgery now, and I am adjusting pretty well to the new lifestyle.  The toughest thing for me, honestly, has been facing the reality that this is a LIFE LONG commitment to change.  I was driving around town after one of my appointments with the Doctor, and was looking at all the places around town that offer food (and since I live in Las Vegas, there is a plethora of really good Foodie stuff to be had), and I realized that unlike diets I have tried in the past there is no having a Cheat-day after you've had gastric surgery.  You can't go off your "diet" for a day just because your friend is visiting from out of town, you can't binge on Ben and Jerry's when you've received some bad news, and you can't order dessert even though you know you are really full.

I find myself adopting a philosophy from the wicked food critic from the movie Ratatouille, Anton Ego, "I don't like food, I love it, and if I don't love it I don't swallow."  If you are only able to eat 4 ounces of food in a meal, why not make it delicious?  I realize our dieticians are telling us to alter our mindsets about food as a pleasurable experience, and that we should instead look at food merely as fuel.  This is a philosophy, however, that I will probably never be able to fully embrace.  I love to cook, and good tasting food is simply more satisfying.  While I do admit there are times when it is necessary to just get the meal in as we are on such strict eating restrictions, I really do feel that most of the time it will be possible to not only satisfy my new dietary requirements but to satisfy my tastebuds too. 

Surgery date: January 20, 2012
Beginning weight: 271 lbs.
Current weight: 251 lbs
Goal weight: 150 lbs

Making homemade Valentines this year

Guest post written by Chelsea Rooper
One of my resolutions for this year was to make some more crafts. I look at craft blogs a lot but never took the time out to actually make any of those crafts. I would say that I'm doing pretty well with it so far already. I also thought that I'd take advantage of Valentine's Day and make some really cute cards!
I've bookmarked so many craft blogs by now, that I decided to browse through some of them to get some ideas for cards. When I was doing that I ran across information on debtcounseling and decided that it's something I need to check out because i need to straighten out my finances.
I've made a homemade Valentine for each of my family members and can't wait to see what each of them think of them! It's just a little something that I thought would be nice and because they're homemade they might treasure them a little more! I know that I would treasure some homemade cards a little bit more! I even made one just for myself because I loved the way that they were turning out so much!

Post-Op

I had my surgery Friday, and was planning on getting to come home the same day, but apparently my insurance requires an overnight stay at the hospital if you have a hiatal hernia repaired during the surgery.  Sooo...yeah, I had to stay overnight.  The upside is I had a night away from home!  Would have been like a mini-vacation if not for the pain and bad food. 

Anyway, the surgery went well, and I am on my way to recovery!  I have already lost over 10 pounds from my preoperative weight.  Granted that rapid loss probably has a lot to do with the fact that I was on a liquids only diet for the first day and a half, then moved on to soft-solids, but still could only get an ounce or two down at a time.  I have to say, the only thing that really helped is knowing I am getting plenty of protein from protein powder and some Bariatric specific hot beverages.  By the way, warm beverages go down best!  So, I have started drinking a lot of decaffeinated tea to get my daily water requirements in.

Anyway, I am up to 4 ounces a meal, and feeling great! 

Pregnant Move

The Author of this post is Rory Reilly

It's hard moving into a new house when you're pregnant. I definitely didn't plan it this way but things were already in motion when my husband and I realized we were going to have a baby. I couldn't believe it when I first found out, but I immediately started packing anything I could that wasn't going to be too heavy for me to lift. I absolutely love that we're going to have a little one to put in the spare bedroom when we moved in but it's been really tough being confined to all the logistical things about the move instead of the fun stuff like painting and packing. For example, I went to http://www.direc4u.com/ the other day and researched TV plans for us which I guess was helpful but at the end of the day I feel like I'm not pulling my weight because I can't get up and pick up a heavy box. My husband would kill me if he saw me doing something like that so I have to sit back.

Surgery Approved!

Ok, so it might sound strange, but one of the most anxiety producing aspects of this process has been worrying about whether or not my insurance company would approve my surgery!  Now, don't for a moment think that the idea of surgery hasn't kept me awake at night, or worries over the drastic change in lifestyle have me biting my fingernails.  It's just that beaurocracy is such a finicky beast, and one never knows what strange whim will skew your results in a direction you would rather it not go. 

I am pleased to announce that my insurance company has approved me for Lap-Band surgery!  So, now I have an actual surgery date and have begun the process of finding childcare for the recovery period (I am between interviews as I write).  Now that the stress of wondering whether or not my insurance company would think the cost of the surgery was worth it I am starting a whole new bout of worrying. 

What if I overreat?  What if I don't chew my food enough?  What if I am out to dinner at a nice restaurant when I discover some food no longer agrees with my uber-sensitive stomach?  What if?  What if?  What if...

Luckily my surgeon's office provides a support group specific to Lap-Band patients, and I have a 4 hour pre-operation class to discuss these very issues and prepare for a whole new life.  This is at once the most exciting and most anxiety ridden experience I have ever signed up for.  I will be posting a pre-op photo by the end of the week, and will try to post in-progress photos as the new lifestyle progresses.  Wish me luck, surgery is on Friday...phew...

Bored at Home

The article written by Alonso Kramer
I was so bored at home. We moved here and I didn’t have a job so after I found a Mississippi local internet company I started looking for things that I could do with a really general degree. It took a couple of weeks but I finally got offered a position at a local event planningfirm and I’ve never been happier! The whole reason we moved here was for my husband to take his new position and it feels good not to just be on the outside of that. I love that there are so many areas of event planning I’m specifically suited for and you know, I’m learning every day which is something to be thankful for. I’ve actually been thinking about opening up my own event planning firm in a few years but we’ll have to see how it goes. That’s a big commitment and I’m not exactly sure I’m quite ready for it yet but we’ll see. There’s time for me to decide down the road!

Krill Oil versus Fish Oil

This is a sponsored post, but I assure you the opinions and text are my own. 

I have been asked to write a little about the differences between Krill Oil and Fish Oil, which is better for you?  Since I am a daily popper of the gigantic Fish Oil pills, I figured it would be good to look into this debate.  I have been taking Fish Oil supplements for years, and I buy products that have DHA and Omega 3's added for my daughter.  So, I guess you could say I have bought into the idea that Fish Oils are beneficial to your health hook line and sinker! 

By this point we pretty much all know that DHA is necessary for healthy brain development, Omega 3 Fatty Acids are beneficial for regulating cholesterol levels and improving heart health, and that our skin and waistlines even benefit from the addition of these healthy oils.  Both Krill oil and Fish oil contain these beneficial elements, so where do the differences in proposed benefits begin? 

From what I have read, the major difference between regular Fish Oil and Krill Oil is that Krill Oil contains higher levels of an antioxidant called Astaxanthin which is able to cross the blood-brain barrier thereby carrying it's beneficial antioxidants into the brain reducing the amount of free radicals and protecting the eyes, brain, and central nervous system from potential damage.

The second difference proponents of Krill Oil are pushing is that Krill Oil contains fewer contaminants like mercury and other toxins than standard Fish Oils do.  This is mainly due to the fact that Krill is fished from cooler climates, further away from major sources of pollution.  Fish Oil defenders, however, remind us that no place on our beautiful planet is truly free of pollutants, especially airborne pollution, and claim that good Fish Oils are decontaminated prior to use, whereas Krill Oil is not decontaminated.  Of course, we have seen some of the techniques the food industry employs to "decontaminate" our food are pretty suspect themselves, for example they use ammonia to decontaminate hamburger...yuck.  So, personally I would rather have a product that requires less processing naturally than one that has to undergo complicated decontamination procedures to make it safe.

On a purely cosmetic side, Krill Oil is also supposed to be less "fishy".  I know a lot of people complain they get a nasty fish taste and get fishy burps when taking Fish Oil supplements.  Krill Oil is supposed to eliminate this nasty side effect.

One major downside of Krill Oil for me is the price.  It can be significantly more expensive than the standard fish oil, but proponents will tell you it's worth it.  If you have more questions you can check out this site http://krilloil.com/fish-oil-vs-krill-oil.html. 

I would be curious to know whether any of my readers have done a comparison for themselves.  Let me know what you think!

Things That Make You Go, Hmmm

So, you've made the life changing decision to have weight loss surgery.  Your doctors are behind you 100%, after all, the risks of having surgery are far less than the risks of remaining morbidly obese.  You have attended your weight loss surgery seminar to find out what the process is, what tests you need to do, what types of sugeries are available, etceterra.  You are ready to do this!  But wait!  What about the recovery period?  6 Weeks of refraining from lifting anything over 20 pounds.  And, guess what?  Your insurance may be willing to help pay for the surgery itself, but they are not willing to help you pay for any post surgical assistance you will need. 

So, what to do, what to do.  I happen to have a 20 month old baby who is more than 20 pounds, and I know for a fact there is no way she is going to agree to give mommy 6 weeks off from carrying her at least some of the time.  So, it looks like we are going to have to fork out more mullah to pay for some in-home child care, which, surprisingly will be cheaper than paying to send the baby girl to day care.  We opted for the in home care, though, not just because it will be cheaper, but because my husband and I don't want to force our daughter to adapt to an 8 hour day completely away from mommy without some sort of gradual easing into it.  That, and the simple fact that I love spending time with my daughter, and I just can't imagine handing her off to some group of strangers when I am sitting at home twiddling my thumbs.  I would probably miss her more than she would miss me, and I know eventually I will have to allow her to go to at least part time day care just to get her used to the environment, but I don't have to do it yet.

Either way, though, this is going to be an additional expense on top of our insurance copay that we hadn't really anticipated.  I am so grateful to my husband for being so supportive in this decision, not just emotionally but financially as well.  I couldn't do it without him, but he keeps reminding me that I am doing it for him too.

Winter Workout

This is a sponsored post, but the opinions and content are my own.

We have had a nice long summer here in the Vegas Valley this year. Today it is supposed to get up to the mid 80's, which is a Summertime high for people in other parts of our beautiful world. Tomorrow, though, the weather is due to shift, so my ideas about exactly how to entertain my family must change as well. I have to admit, I have never been a big Winter Sports kind of gal. I prefer sitting in the Lodge next to the fire with a steaming cup of hot cocoa to rocketing down a snow-covered slope. I realize, however, that this type of activity won't score me any points with my doctors or with my daughter who seems to enjoy running around outdoors more than just about anything!

I have only been skiing once in my entire life, which shocks people since I have spent the majority of my life living in areas surrounded by great skiing. I finally went skiing in Breckenridge when I was 29. My husband and I were there for a conference, so we decided to do what the locals do and don our snowbunny suits and skis. I signed up for a full day ski lesson. What a bad idea. By the time that day was over I was one big, aching ice-cube with a newfound fear of rapidly approaching trees. It took me days for the muscles in my calves to stop protesting every time I took a step, so I was never inspired to try skiing again. Now I am thinking this might have been short-sighted, as there is a more sedate type of skiing that doesn't involve speeding toward your doom. I am talking about Cross Country Skiing!  For 1 hour of this activity, at my current weight, even going at a decidedly slow pace I would burn about 900 calories!  This is amazing, especially considering the "new" amazing workout recommended in October's issue of Marie Claire which recommends a boot camp style workout in a 100 Degree (Fahrenheit) room to get to an 800 calorie per hour burn.  Just the thought of working out in a 100 degree room makes me feel faint and slightly nauseated.

So, now, rather than dread the cold months, I am starting to look forward to snow.  Granted we don't have the amount of snow here in Vegas that would enable me to slap on skiies and go Cross Countrying any old time, but I think it will be a fun alternative source of fun and exercise for our whole family.  Not to mention the opportunity to get out of what my stepson likes to call "the concrete jungle"!

In the Beginning...

When you imagine the ideal female form, what do you see?  Does Twiggy come to mind, Barbie, Angelina Jolie, Eva Mendez, or Queen Latifa?  What image does your daughter see, your son?  Where do these messages come from, these ideas of what is healthy and beautiful?  The answer, of course, is all around us.  It's on billboards, the TV screen, in magazines and newspapers.  The message is even further impressed upon us when we go shopping to buy those items the media tells us we must have since the best stuff, the really cute, hip, fashionable things don't come in any sizes over 12, and often aren't available in anything larger than a six if we are talking couture.  And don't think for a minute that these messages are only directed at our young women.  Abercrombie and Fitch doesn't make clothes for larger boys either.  The message is clear, you aren't worthy of being a hot, stylish, confident, powerful person, because you are FAT. 

Unfortunately most modern Americans do not come even close to fitting into this ideal with over 70% of us being considered overweight by National health standards.  Given these astounding statistics, it's no great surprise that the weightloss industry rakes in Billions of dollars a year selling miracle cures for obesity in shiny little packages.  Also, not surprisingly, none of these miracle diets is working, at least not for the long haul.  Otherwise we would no longer have overweight people living amongst us! Of course, you will hear it time and again, the naysayers will tell you that all these Fat people need to do is eat less and exercise more.  Well, duh. 

If you, like me, have had a weight problem your whole life you have probably spent a small fortune on workout videos, diet pills, meal replacement shakes, weightloss books, seminars, and more.  In my case I have gone so far as to have undergone hypnotherapy, accupuncture, and homeopathic chiropractic care as well as all the other more common diet endeavors.  Guess what, I'm still overweight.  In my case, in fact, I am considered morbidly obese, and the amount of guilt and shame I have felt over the years because of this have been crippling at times.  More than that, though, as I am getting older I am starting to face the ugly truth that there is a reason it is called "morbidly" obese.  My blood pressure is increasing (though still within a healthy range, shocking), my body aches, and I have GERD, and I have an 18 month old baby who needs her mommy to be healthy and strong!  Obesity causes so many comorbid conditions that are life threatening that the risk to staying overweight is considered less than the risk of surgery, so there it is.  I have finally decided it is time for Bariatric surgery.  While I try to tell myself that this decision is solely based on a health concerns, though, I am not being totally honest with myself.  I also want to be able to feel like a normal person.  I want to be able to shop in stores that carry the cute clothes, I want to ride on rollercoasters, I want to fit into theater seats comfortably, I want to fly on airplanes and not have to ask for a belt extender, and I want people to treat me like a human being.  Most of all, though, I want to be able to play with my little girl and my future grandchildren.

So, I have taken the first step in this process.  I have attended a seminar at a surgical weightloss center, and have begun the paperwork and necessary hoopla necessary to have bariatric surgery.  I will admit that I am terrified.  The surgery is an invasive procedure, and the dietary requirements post surgery are daunting, but I have tried everything else and nothing works for the long term.  This is my lifelong solution.