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Hi peoples, here goes my first journal entry from the other side!! Would you like a boring blow by blow of the whole experience?? Well i'll try and if its gets too boring just skip ahead!! lol
OK, well i booked in to the hospital at 10am Tuesday morning and by 10:45 id done all the pre op tests and filled in all the blanks, crossed all the T's dotted all the I's so to speak , not to mention handed over my $6500 cheque and then sat up to wait in my lovely hospital gown, hospital dressing gown, lovely hospital foot things, and gorgeous white stockings and not to forget the pretty little hat. Then at about 11:30 they came for me and layed me up on the operating bed and we chatted for awhile whilst they did their business then the next thing I was being rudely awoken from a peaceful slumber at about 1:30pm, where I promptly heaved my stomach out, bit of a dry argument though considering id eaten or drank nothing for 18 hours. The pain suddenly hit me then with a vengence so they jabbed me with some morphine, no relief so they jabbed me again, ahhhhhh thats better. I dozed on and off then finally waking in my room. They told me to sip water and suck ice chips till the next morning where id be then allowed an optifast, YAY i said, just what i feel like! lol So i spent the next day till about 2 in bed watching tv and dozing, sipping and occasionally fluffing, till my husband turned up at about 3:30 to pick me up and now im home feeling pretty good really. A little sore and needing to burp, but pretty good on the whole and not regretful at all. I think thats all, I might head off to bed now again and watch some more TV!! lol Bye lovelies xxxxx GEm
SHOWERED AND FEELING A LITTLE MORE HUMAN
JUST BACK FROM THEATRE
GOING HOME
Friday 25th April 2008
Hey there everyone, day 3 and everything is great, virtually no pain, just the occasional bout of wind pain under the ribs.
Im loving the fact that im not hungry even though its now been 4 days since anything solid has entered my mouth. Im managing to get my 3 shakes a day in plus a litre of water which ive added the supradin to. I do feel like i spend the whole day sipping away but its working i guess, as i feel great and have lost a few kilos. I think i'll wait a week to post again so there is something interesting to talk about perhaps! lol bye for now, luv Gem xxxx
Monday 28th April 2008
Hi everybody, just thought id jump on for a quick up-date. Believe it or not im under 96 kg now, i know its only supposed to be fluid at this stage but how much fluid does a body carry????? So im going to assume that at lease some of it is actual FAT!!!! lol Im going to allocate 3 of the 6 kilos ive lost since surgery to FAT cause it makes me feel good!!! lol. But i think that dramatic weight loss is about to stop cause im HUNGRY today, i even licked the mashed potato spoon!!!!! Just for the taste. Ive decided that is going to be my first mushy, mashed potato and gravy.................mmmmmm, im drooling at the thought. YUMMO!!! I'll let you know if it was as good as it promises to be!! Im really looking forward to exercising too, i bought myself an eliptical training bike on ebay so hopefully it turns up soon and isnt dodgy!! And i can ride till my hearts content!! Ok, well theres not much news from me except to say that almost all the pains gone, and my 4 little cuts are almost gone, so im doing good. Chat later, xxxx Gem
Tuesday 6th May 2008
Hey peoples, its my 2 week bandiversary today and im feeling awesome!! Im 94.9 kg now, so thats 11 kg down!!! YAY, ive gone down a bra size and i have trouble seeing my scars now without pushing my boobs out of the way, so obviosuly my tummy has shrunk!! Im very hungry of an evening so am relying alot on will power but i guess im still eating alot less than I was, and im still losing weight, so it must be ok. I am really looking forward to having a little restriction though, cause when i first had the surgery and had restriction due to the swelling it was so easy to make good food choices and be happy with that, so having had that taste of restriction I know that when I get it back life will be alot easier!! Im hoping to lose the 4.9 by the end of May for band camp, would be great to be in the 80's!!!! I doubt it will happen but a girl can dream cant she?? lol I have invested in a new exercise bike so that should help. Anyways, chat soon, hope everyone else is doing well. xxx Gem
Thursday 15th May 2008
Hey everybody, sorry for taking so long to report on things, but not much had happened, i was really struggling with hunger and trying not to make bad food choices, it was getting me down a bit, i hadnt lost anything in days and days, and also i was suffering from the worst bloat, every day i would end up with a huge painfully swollen tummy that was making me miserable, but ive since worked out it was the Iron tablets i was taking, they obviously just didnt agree cause since i stopped them the wind and the pain has vanished!! Thank god!! On the positive side, on Tuesday I had a fill so i now have 5.5 ml in a 10 ml band and have a nice level of restriction and then yesterday i woke up to the scales having gone down to 93.8!! So thats 12.1 kg gone forever!!! YAY, things are good!!! xxx Gem
Saturday 17th May 2008
Morning all!! Lost another 300gms!! I'll take it!! lol A loss is a loss!!! Im doing my boat license today its all in preparation for the skinny me that will be water skiing next summer and not just sitting like a beached whale on the bank!!! Wish me luck!!! 5 Days till my one month bandiversary so i will update photos then, hopefully there will be a noticable difference!! Its a case of knowing the scales have gone down and even that your clothes have gotten a wee bit looser but it doesnt really show in the mirror and certainly not very much on the camera, probably next month will be a bigger change. Anyway, not much news so i wont bore you all!! lol, have a good weekend, Gem xxxx
Thursday 22nd May 2008
Well its been one month since i was banded and its been an up and down journey weight wise thats for sure, ive been as low as 93 kilos and am now back up to 96 so im not in control yet, but im happier and feeling like im going to make it, im excited for the future and cant wait to be thin, but i know its not a race, so im trying to be patient, i feel another fill will set me straight, its much easier when your restriction is right, thats for sure. Ive put new photos on my "along the way pics" page, but theres not much difference really. Maybe next month. Bye for now, Gem
Monday 26th May 2008
Well the much awaited Band Camp was on the weekend and it was awesome, burnt over 7000 calories in one day!! more than ive burnt all year!! So im very sore and stiff but absolutely thrilled in the same breath!! It was great, great also to know just how far I can push my body, and I now know that its never been pushed at all!!!!!! Anyone considering going DO IT!!! It was great on so many levels!! I cant wait to go back for a reunion thats for sure. Weight loss is dismal at the moment but im sure it will pick up now that im in the right head space!!! Talk later, Gem
Thursday 29th May 2008
Hey everyone, im pretty well recovered from Band Camp now, meaning that i no longer cry out when sitting on the loo and i can roll over in bed without whimpering!! It was certainly hard work but oh so worth it!!! Unfortunately Im not losing an ounce of weight at the moment, which is normally when id give up i guess but this time im not!! I'll just keep plugging along, keeping my calories to under 1200 a day and exercising when i can!! Im waiting for my new Heart Rate Monitor to turn up today which will motivate me to exercise more, its great watching the calories get chewed up!! Im also waiting on a fitball and various other pieces of equipment to turn up, so i never need to go to the gym, i can do it all at home!! YAY Andy, just learning that made it all worth it!!! So im hiping when i wake up tomorrow ive dropped at least 2 kilos!!! I feel like i shouldve dropped 5 on the weekend!!! Anyway, it will happen, just a matter of time!! (the power of positive thinking). Bye guys. chat later, Gem
Friday 30th May 2008
Thank god its Friday!!!! Well it was wishful thinking that I wouldve dropped some weight today!! NUTHIN!! ZIP, ZERO!!! I dont get it, at the moment its just like before I was banded, im having to go on a "DIET" just so as not to gain!! By that I mean, willpower and cutting out all carbs, butter, milk, sugar and fat!! I really need a fill, which i have to wait till the 6th to get due to my Dr being off on holidays till then, so perhaps that will makle the world of difference because im probably eating too much even though im eating the right things. ie: just then for breakfast i had a whole bowl of mueslie whereas im hoping after the next fill that will be reduced to a cup, and last night i had a whole bowl of homemade stew, same for lunch. So even though im no longer having the few slices of toast with butter any more im obviously eating more than im burning, im taking comfort in the fact that my level of exercise has increased so perhaps im currently building up muscle density which as we all know will increase my weight for a little while till my fat significantly decreases. WE'll see, i never took pre-band measurements, which im regretful of, im sure there would be a noticable difference in those. Anyway, enough dribble from me for today, hope your all doing well, xxxx Gem
Thursday 5th June 2008
Hi there everyone, sorry its been so long between posts but theres not been anything much to report. I have sero restriction which equates to zero weight loss, because shock horror portion control is not my strong point, hence the need for a band!!! Im going in tomorrow for my second fill im going to ask him to be fairly heavy handed, i want to really feel it!! I must admit im getting a little frustrated with it, i guess i was expecting id be really losing by now but no, not since the initial big loss due to opti and after surgery swelling. I guess i tend to forget its only been 6 weeks, im just an impatient kind of person. Im looking forward to the fill and starting to move forward again. Hope everyone else is doing great guns!! xxxx Gem
Friday 6th June 2008
Well i had fill number 2 today and he only give me .3 of a ml!!!!! Bloomin heck!! Cant feel a thing!!! Havnt tried to eat anything much yet except some macadamias and a piece of slice, i did chew to nothing, and felt that feeling of it moving through the band which i was only getting when i hadnt chewd properly so perhaps it has worked somewhat..........time will tell. He was happy enough, i hadnt lost any since last fill but hadnt gained either so for some reason he was pleased, he told me that alot of bandits gain in the first couple of months, trying to gain restriction. He is going to give me another fill on the 1st of July, and then another on the 21st. Hopefully by then im really feeling it!!! CHat later, xxx Gem
Thursday 26th June 2008
Sorry for my slackness!! its been a rough month!! I somehow managed to gain 3 or 4 kilos once i was allowed to start eating normal foods again and so id eaten my way back up and got stuck on 98 kilos for a month and I was ravenous with no restriction what so ever!! then after 3 fills ive finally started to lose and so now im down to 94 kg's and have a lovely level of restriction that has stopped me snacking in between meals and lets me fill up on roughly a cup and half of food!! So i now feel more positive and able to share!!. Ive updated progress pics, but theyre not very good cause i had nobody to take them for me and i cut off the top of my head. OK, well, talk soon, Gem
Monday 30th June 2008
Hi guys, last day of the month. Im looking forward to what July brings, i have a feeling this is going to be a good one!!! Im still sitting pretty well as far as restriction goes although it has loosened up somewhat so im having a tad more on Friday. Im enjoying the compliments that have started rolling in, at least one a day!! lol, im such a show pony!! hehe Im aiming to get under 90 kgs this month, im going to try my hardest!! Good luck everyone else. Talk soon. Gem
Saturday 12th July 2008
Howdy peoples!!! Im still alive, shrinking ever so slowly but most definitely still here!! lol. Im very happy to report that i am now 93kg, so thats 13kg gone for good!! Yippee. Alot have done it faster but much harder, im doing it the easy way. In saying that, i mean i dont exercise apart from day to day running around and i eat a huge range of foods albeit a very small amount, it took a while to get going (the weight that is) but it is going!! YAY, love my band!!!
Sunday 13th July 2008
Hi all, not much to report, just to say that ive started scale hopping and thats bad, DONT DO IT!!! I was up to 94.3 when i got on this morning, so wouldnt you know it i had a few naughty treats today, like a form of punishment or something!!! AAARGH!!! If i had just waited a week i probly wouldve lost more but no i couldnt wait!! And now i probably will gain, im going to run tomorrow and try and counteract the nutella, rissole sandwich, shortbread cream biscuit and lamington that i ate!!!! OMG!! Yes, i must admit, im still a food addict.....:( Getting a fill on Wednesday, that'll help surely!! OK, chat later kiddies, Gem
Tuesday 29th July 2008
Well, no news is BAD news on this blog im afraid!! Ive lost a bit of motivation and that has of course shown up in my weightloss or lack thereof!! Its all my own fault, the band is trying its best but im refusing to listen. Its a head game, one that ive played many times throughout my life, and one that is not going to stop just because i have a band. This is where the psychologist comes in and she is wonderful. Im not allowed to weigh myself for a month and i have to practice visualisation techniques. I will make it through this rough patch and i will be OK!! For all those food addicts, make a psychologist a natural part of the process, we need it. Stuck on around 94.5 at the moment, but im happy. Keep up the good work guys. Gem
Tuesday 2nd December 2008
Im Baaa-aaack!!
Sorry ive been gone so long. I just needed a little time on my own. Time to be honest. All previous posts telling you that I was on track, doing well, loving my band blah blah blah, pure bull-shit, i was suffering, fasting and binging, gaining and losing like i have all my life, the next thing i knew i was back up to 98 kg, just 4 kilos short of my pre-op weight. So when i went in for a fill, my doctor was so disappointed in me, i could tell he thought i was a head case, and that he thought id never lose the weight cause my problems were beyond my appetite. So that very day I snapped out of it, i woke up and started to work with the band, and now ive shed all the weight id put back on plus another 2, so now im down 15 kg since I started OPTI, and i NOW realise what im meant to be doing, we're a team now the band and me. Im happy, and looking forward to my future. See ya for now, Gem
Tuesday 16th December
Hi guys, things are still good, down 16.1 kg and feeling on top of the world, especially when i discovered that i could fit into a pair of size 12 jeans (albeit stretch) that i had waiting for me!! Slow and steady does it, gives your head a chance to keep up!!! lol just a few days off 8 months banded for me and whilst i wouldve liked to have lost at least 20 kg by now im not really complaining. OK, talk later, Gem
Saturday 20th December
Well I did it, I made my christmas goal of getting under 90 kilos!! I was 89.9kg yesterday and today im 89.4kg, so needless to say im wrapped, so now of course im hoping to get to 88.9 by thursday!! lol, enough is never enough!! hehe. OK, well hope everyone else is closing in on their goals too, xxxx Gem
Monday 5th January 2009
Happy New Year everyone, albeit a bit late, ive been busy celebrating!! lol
Well weight has slowed a bit, im hovering around 88kg, but thats ok, im not stressing, ive given myself till April to have shifted those 8 kilos plus another .1 or 2!!, i have a good friends wedding and my National Horse show that month so id love to be 79.9 by then, i think 8.2 kilos is fairly achievable in 4 months, i lost 10 in 3 leading up to christmas, so im fairly confident i can meet this goal too!! Its amazing how it just happens, and you try something on one week and its snug and you try it on a few weeks later and they fit!! Im discovering a whole new wardrobe id forgotten about, its like going shopping, only cheaper!!! lmao. Things are great still, all negativity and feelings of failure have gone gone gone, i feel home and hosed, unless something drastic happens like a slippage god forbid then i think i will be sailing to the finish line without a care in the world!! OK, well, thats enough rubbish from me for one morning, i'll update my pics at the end of the week, i know its been a while!! lol, take care lovelies, hope ur all experiencing equal success and happiness, and if not, please take comfort from reading of my previous struggles and know that you'll make it!!!! xxx Gem
10th January 2008
Nothing but sunshine and butterflies from my part of the world!! 87kg now, so 19 kilos gone!! and all size 14's fit me, some loosely, most size 12's are still too snug. My happiness and confidence increases daily. I would never have believed i would be feeling like this just a few months ago when i thought i was a failure, back then i honestly thought it wasnt going to work for me, but then it happened, i found that fabled sweet spot and "dadaaa" what do you know, the weight just started falling off, so anyone in the same boat, all i can say is wait, its just around the corner!! xxxxx Gem
Tuesday 13th January 2009
Well, just want to let everyone know im 86.9!!!! Just 900gms away from a 20 kilo loss!!! so im guessing i should be 79.9 by my bandiversary which will be just fine with me!! I could be less, YAY if i am, but 7 kilos in 4 months is realistic surely, and oh the joy to be back in the 70's!!! I remember a brief encounter with the 70's some time back in the 90's, lol, from memory it was gooooooood!!! hehe. Hope everyone is well, im getting those updated pics up today if it kills me, im having issues with my camera, it only focuses at night!!! WTF!! I dont feel at all pretty and camera ready at night, i wanna sit down and watch telly or go to bed!! haha, anyway, i thought id trick it today, i'll go into my room, draw all the blinds and feign darkness!! Arnt i clever!!! Its only taken me about 3 months to come up with that little pearl of wisdom, do you think my brains shrinking along with the butt!!! lol,OK enough crap for one morning, luv ya all, Gem
Banding Date: 22 April 2008
Pre-Banding Weight: 106kg
Todays Weight: 86.9
Total Loss:19.1kg
Height: 171cm
Age: 33
Wednesday 14th January 2009
Well todays my job interview, so i got a little dressed up, and heres my pics!! Wish me luck!! Gem
im soooooooo nervous!! lol
Thursday 22nd January 2008
Hi all!! Well i was hoping to have been jumping up and down telling you all id reached the 20 kilo loss by now but it hasnt happened, i actually gained 500gm's since 86.9kg so ive been 87.4 for a couple of weeks now, every day i get up, 87.4, 87.4, 87.4!! I had to get someone else to hop on the scales to make sure they wernt broken, but no, theyre fine i just weight 87.4!!!!!! BUT, im not going to lose the plot, or break down and cry, i'll just take it for what it is, a momentary plateu that will soon be on its way Im sure..............:) It is that time of the month so perhaps in a week, a kilo will just drop off me like magic, oh and my band has loosened up a little, ive been snacking somewhat, where as up until a 2 weeks ago i wasnt snacking at all in between meals, so im booked in on the 13th for a fill so that'll probly take care of that i'd say, it is so very easy when your fill levels right, and i obviously rely very heavily on that aspect of the band because as soon as my band loosens off all bets are off as far as what goes in my mouth!!! OK, well, not much else to report, talk again when im not 87.4!!!!!!!!! Gem
Friday 23rd January 2008
YAY!! 87.2kg!!! ROFLMAO!! Small things and all that............hahahahaha!
28th January 2009
Gawd Darn it!! 87.6!!!! What the trucks goin on!! Time to get serious me thinks!!! I can do it, I can do it, I can do it!!! Byeeeee
Hi guys, well my plateu has well and truly broken!! Im down to 85kg!! so 2.6kg in a week, obviously i was carrying a little fluid but heck i dont care, 85 flamin kilos!!! Im definitely on track to nail 79kilos by my national paint show in April!! YAY. Last time any of my showie friends saw me i was almost 100 kg!! So im expecting lots of lovely compliments!! YES im a show pony!! hehe, its so motivating!! OK, well keep well everybody, xxx Gem
Wednesday 11th February 2009
Well weight loss is slow and steady now, its taken me 9 days to shift half a kilo, so im now sitting on 84.5, but the scales are still going down and i havnt increased my exercise or decreased my calories, so i cant complain. However a couple of items of clothing that were a little tight are now fitting comfortably so that makes me feel good. Im finding most size 14's are now too big but size 12's are definitely still too small so im kinda in between sizes at the moment. Things are great though and the only trouble i have is getting my vitamins etc down, i make my shake and break all of them up into small bits and take it all with me in the car so i drink the shake and take all the pills all the way to work which is a 40 k drive, i only just take the last bit as im driving into town!! its an ordeal and a few times ive had to pull over and spit on the side of the road!!!! lol. Anyway, hope everyone is doing swell!!! Gem
Thursday 19th February
Had a fill last Friday, got over 9ml in now but still not too tight, probably perfect actually, he weighed me in at 83 kilos and informed me that my very first recorded weight was 110kg!! So by his records ive lost 24kg!! YAY ME!!! Im sitting on 83.5 now but, but still im wrapped!!! Hope everyone else is doing great!!! xxxx Gem
Thursday 5th March 2008
Hi gorgeous bandits and bandits to be!! Well its been a few weeks since i wrote, only because theres been not much news on the weight loss front, im still sitting around 83 kilos but ive had a big few weeks of eating, ive been doing some heavy duty training for my job for a fortnight, and so to break the boredom of sitting day in day out in a conference room I ATE!! We lunched every day on pastas in creamy sauce and ate lollies all day, biscuits with my cuppas, of which there were plenty to keep us awake!! So im considering myself lucky i havnt actually gained some!!! hehe. Fill wise im sitting pretty. Im wearing size 12 skirts now so thats cool, still size 14 pants but not for long, theyre getting loose!! YAY!! So on the whole everything is pretty bloomin good!! Ok, well chat later ok, Good luck everyone!! Gem
Sunday 26th April 2009
Gosh where do i start!! First of all, apologies for not being around!! Some major upheavels in my life saw me up and take my leave to Wagga! What posessed me? Im still trying to decide that, will keep you posted!! On the weighloss front, down to 81 so almost reached my 30 kilo goal, just 11 kilos off my final goal now, im almost home and hosed, im going to do the last 11 rather casually ive decided, i reckon i might need the extra padding for the winter im already feeling the cold now!!! A very foreign concept to me!!! BIZARRE!! Im happy happy happy with how everything has turned out, i celebrated my 1 yr bandiversary on Wednesday, I was hoping to be in the 70's by then but ah well, its still all good!! I'll keep it short and sweet for now and will post pics soon, hope everyone is doing great, luv u all!! Gem xxx
Monday 4th May 2009
Hello all and sundry!! Well no more loss of weight for me lately but im not worried in the slightest, for the first time in my life i feel in control, its all due to my band and i thank it every single day. Im definitely eating all the wrong foods at the moment, im putting it down to a period of rebellion!! lol. Ive had a lot of big changes in my life of late and true to form i turn to food. I know its just a crutch and its not doing me any good what so ever but i also know that as soon as im ready i can get back on with the job and lose these last 11 kilos, i just know it, whereas before banding i would have been a train wreck, im now allowing myself to have this blowout and keep my self respect, it is so mind blowing to feel so in control!!! THANK YOU BAND!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! ok, enough rambling, hope ur all well!! Gem xxxxxx
Saturday 1st August 2009
Hi all, again, long time no write, very sorry, just been somewhat busy moving to the country music capital and enjoying life!!
Weightloss wise apparantly my body believes that my ideal weight is 83 kilos cause i have absolutely nop problems sticking at this weight regardless of what i do and dont stuff in my gob! So i have set my self a goal of getting off at lease 8 kilos by christmas, hopefully i can find the motivation i need to succeed, i think i jsut feel like such a winner already that ive let myself believe that im fine now the way i am, lots of people bigger than me and all that, but i didnt go through all this to stop 2 thirds of the way, so i will really have to put my head down bum up so to speak, will let you know how i fair!! xxx Gem
