Updated Collages

New update!

Hello again!

I had a doctors appointment yesterday and wanted to update you all.

I have lost a total of 46 lbs, 6 inches off my waist, and 1 inch off of my neck. I feel so blessed to have had this operation.

I have noticed that this last adjustment has really made a difference in what I can eat. I have to eat a lot slower and I am really excited about it.

I recently got a gym membership and have been going everyday since. I have had the membership for two weeks. I love going to the gym, I thought I wouldn't BUT I DO!

Thank you for all of your continued love and support. I have my next appointment on December 18th and will post a new update then.

Weight loss collage

These are just collages that I made up to see a difference. I have a new post below.

September, gone too soon!

Hello! I am sorry this has taken so long. I haven't had any weight loss since July but a lot of things have happened.

I enrolled in boot camp for four weeks. It was a big commitment to make because it was for four weeks, from 5:20 A.M. to 6:30 A.M MWF. I really had a rough time the first week. Eventually, I wasn't sick and began to like it. It ended last week and I took a minute and a half off my mile run! GO ME! I also doubled my jump rope score, bicycles, dips, and push ups. I felt awesome after I surpassed my scores.

As for weight loss, I haven't had any change. I am about 40 lbs down and taking it day by day. I have had 2 adjustments so far and I can't wait for my next one on October 4th. I have 6 out of 14 CC's full right now so I can't feel too much of a difference. The doctors told me at 7 or 8 I will be really restricted so I am looking forward to that. I can tell that my body is smaller by the way clothes fit so that is good.

I am signing up for a gym membership and plan to go everyday after work because it is down the street from my house. I will keep you posted on that.

Thanks for all of your support. Until next time!

Love Shannon

July 23rd Update

Hello again!

I hope everyone is enjoying the weather today. It has been trying to rain for two weeks and it finally did last night. I am also back at work next week so my boredom should be over by then. I really need help so that I can enjoy not working, apparently that isn't how I operate.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday for my first adjustment. I was pretty frightened about the whole thing because I didn't know exactly how it was done. At work I heard that there was a big needle involved and I wasn't too keen on the idea after that. I begged my mom to go with me.

So mom and I headed to the doctor's office. She tried to explain that she didn't need to go back with me. I miss the time when I could lay on the floor, stomp my feet, and scream until I got my way. I had to come to terms with the fact that I am a grown woman and I need to suck it up. I went back with the nurse and he told me I had hit 34 lb weight loss! Woo hoo! I also found out I lost 5 inches in my waist! Then he told me that my neck stayed the same but I have a small neck anyway. Thank you? I asked him about good snacks for me to eat during the day while I am teach. He told me that string cheese, yogurt, and almonds were a good way to go. My heart rate was a little high. I explained to him that I was nervous and he told me that he didn't do well with needles so he couldn't help me with that. Thanks buddy!

The doctor came in and asked me how I was doing. I explained to her that whenever I squat or bend over I have sharp pains in my abdomen. She told me that it is most likely just pressure on my port where they inject the saline. I don't know if that lasts for ever but I sure hope not. Then she told me I had 3 cc's of saline in my lap band right now and that she was going to inject 2 more cc's for this adjustment. She had me lie down with a pillow below my lower back and she numbed my lower right stomach area. Then she had me do a stomach crunch so that she could feel the port. She had me lie back down and she inserted a bigger needle, I didn't look, and had me do another crunch while the saline went in. It wasn't nearly as scary as I pictured it in my head, most likely due to the fact that I kept looking at the ceiling. She told me that this adjustment wouldn't that big of a difference. It usually takes 3-5 adjustments to get to the "green" zone of happiness.

I had to wait in the waiting room until I could swallow a cup of water. Then mom and I took off. I was nauseous on the way home so mom drove. I am on a liquid diet for today and mushy foods tomorrow so that I can get used to the feeling of the adjustment. I haven't felt a difference but I am only drinking liquids right now.

So that is my update. Thank you everyone for all of your support. I will try to write another post in a week or so.

Update July 7th

Hello again! I know it has been a while since I did my first post but I wanted to wait and see how much change occurred in a couple of weeks. I am now down 32 pounds total. It is very exciting! I really can't tell a difference but everyone around me says that they can see it, especially in my face.

I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago and he told me that he could tell I had lost weight since surgery. He probably tells everyone that but I appreciated it anyway. I just showed him the incision that worried me and he told me that it wasn't too bad and that it would heal eventually. It is looking better now but not completely healed. It is near my belly button and it hurts every now and then but I know it will get better. I asked about calorie intake and they told me that it is more about portion control but that a normal range would be between 1,000 to 1,300. I am trying to stay within that range.

I am currently house sitting for my vice principal and luckily he has a pool and a new treadmill so I have been taking advantage of that. I am using the treadmill every morning and night for about 30 minutes while I am here. It is always funny to me how much better I feel after doing so. During the school year a few other teachers and myself walk at the track at PVCC before work and I always have a better day after the exercise. My summer job is less strenuous but I am always stress free and in a better mood after I use the treadmill. I don't suppose I will ever be one of those people that LOVE to exercise but I want it to be my new obsession if that makes sense.

In terms of eating, I am on solid foods now. I usually start the day with a protein shake, mostly because my stomach is really tight in the morning. For lunch, I usually have yogurt, a string cheese, and some apple slices (minus the skin). For dinner I try to have chicken and a salad. I snack on sugar free popsicles and string cheese but I am trying to cut out the string cheese because I read that it was 80 calories for one stick! I couldn't believe it! I went to Sprouts and picked up some organic juice and crackers. It is so much fun for me to look at the calories and sugars now. It is like a math equation. I know I am weird but oh well.

I often feel really full after a light lunch. It is like I have eaten a thanksgiving dinner after a meal. It is like an internal alarm bell that I never had before.

I just want to thank everyone for their support. I am so thankful that I was able to have this operation and I feel loads better already.

I have an appointment on July 22nd for my first adjustment. An adjustment is when they inject saline through a port. The saline goes to air sacs around the lap band to make the opening smaller. I am very looking forward to that appointment and I will make sure to update my blog after that.

A Whole New World

Hello! Here goes my first post. The first 2 pictures are before the surgery. The second two I just took today. First I want to say thank you to my family members that have helped me get my lap band. Aunt Susie and Uncle Rick, Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Mike, Porsche and Ernie, Mom and Jim, and my brother for all of his financial advice. I can't express how grateful I am to all of my family members for this wonderful opportunity I have to create a new life for myself.

SO...Here is what went down pre-surgery. Three weeks before surgery I was put on a diet to shrink my stomach and liver. It was slightly difficult but I tried to do my best and stay on track. I ended up losing 15 lbs before surgery which was fun to see as I got weighed right before the surgery. I had mom and Jim there to support me and make sure I didn't get too nervous. Before I went under, my anesthesiologist told me that I would be getting sick no matter what because I get nauseous easily when I have any anesthesia. That was not such a fun thing to hear. I was giving several shots and an IV was put in. I had to wear a diaper which made me laugh a bit. I was taken back for surgery and remember them spreading my arms and then I was out.

Post-surgery: I remember waking up and feeling sick immediately. The nurse gave me pain and nausea meds and told me I needed to get dressed. That wasn't too fun but eventually I was covered and back in a sitting position. She then gave me another shot of nausea meds and we waited to see if I felt better. No such luck. She let me know that I could go home or get another type of nausea medication and wait 30 more minutes. I decided to go home and sleep it off. The ride home was very quiet but mom was great, she checked to see if I was okay a few times but we made it back home. I slept for a while and tried to drink water throughout the rest of the day. I had pain but not too severe. I have to say that the worst part of recovering was the air pressure I felt for about a week after surgery. They needed to inflate some things inside my body and tried to get all of the air out but we not able to get rid of all of the air. Therefore I had to let the air absorb or get out the "natural way" (i.e. gas). It felt like someone was sitting on me. I couldn't breathe very well for a while and standing up was painful for a few days. I was on a liquid diet for a week post surgery. Basically, I could have broth, water, popsicles, skim milk, etc. Cold liquids were painful at first so that was disappointing.

I went back to work after 4 days. It might have been too early but I am not one to stay at home. My job is wonderful and it wasn't too stressful. My boss was taking good care of me as well my co-workers. After a week, I moved on to mushy foods. I can have apple sauce, cottage cheese, cream of chicken and mushroom soups, smoothies, etc. I am still on the mushy foods and it is going well. I have lost 30 lbs so far and am very excited. Work is going great and I have a job next year so everything is going really well. I still have an incision that isn't completely healed and a really big bruise above my belly button but other than that, I am feeling really good. I tried mashed potatoes the other night and got really sick so that is the one thing that is a no go that I have tried so far. I have a Dr. appointment next week for a surgery follow up.

That is my lap band life thus far in a nut shell. I will try to do new posts once a week with pictures. Thank you all again for the support.