I'm here, quick update more later?

I saw fireflies this weekend.  This made me happy.  I live in Colorado, and after the last weekend, I've come to the conclusion that we in CO, haven't any idea what "having bugs"  means.  

This weekend eneded up being an emergency road trip out to Missouri.  My hubby's sister-in-law passed away very unexpectedly, so of course we went.   This would explain my lack of updating this week.  Found out Thursday evening, and I've been gone since Friday morning.   Being just a couple days after my fill, I was a bit worried about food .. but apparently i haven't hit that magic green zone yet.   I DID make mostly good choices this weekend, even while driving, but .. somehow as soon as i'm home, i manage to scarf down half a thin crust pizza.  Oops.   But there.  No hiding.  I ate pizza.  and a lot of it.  And now i'm regretting it a bit.  My tummy hurts.  but I'm pretty sure it's nothing due to the band other than the fact that I haven't eaten anything close to that much in a month and a half.   I don't know what I was thinking other than "damn that sounds good" ..  But it's back on track.  And staying on track.  And getting my fat behind to the gym. Or out walking, or fraking packing the house (we close in 2 1/2 weeks!!! )  *sigh*  too much to do.

But now it's bed time. I have to be at work tomorrow morning, bright and early ..woo... hoo.

<3 sam

And done!

I'm filled.  I think liquids are going through fine.. Maybe a little different than before?  not sure yet.  He put in 4cc's after a little bit of poking around to find the right spot in the port. (no fluoroscope or anything like that)  That was a weird feeling.  I could feel things moving inside me.  Waiting for an alien to burst out of there and start dancing or something ;)

That's about it for now, need to get ready to leave for my first support group in a few, just wanted to let you all know I survived.

Big Day!!

Big day .. two reasons!

1. First fill at 1:15 this afternoon.  After my follow up with the Kaiser Nurse Practitioner on Monday, I'm feeling good about where I am.   I've always been happy that I haven't really gone up in weight after hopping back on real foods, and she basically confirmed it.  She said with the gastric banding patients, they typically expect a 6-12 lb loss in the first 6 weeks.  I was 21 lbs down on their scale (which is never nice to me).  So I'll take it.

2.  My name is Samantha and I am addicted to Coach purses.  I only have had Seven, so all told not TOO bad, but since we're moving I made the commitment (the sad sad sad commitment) to sell some of them.  I was just telling my hubby that over the phone yesterday, and he was having lunch with a co-worker and she jumped all over it.  So already 3 are gone at $50 each.   I only have one left that I'm for sure getting rid of (might throw in a small wallet too) and if I can get blogger to show pictures I may put it up here for you gals to look at.

sorta this bag, but 6 inches deeper.

So I have basically this bag, but if you stretch it longer.. Like a rectangle shape.  and Used.   Blogger isn't letting me upload pictures to this.  But if anybody is interested leave me a comment with an email and I'll email you pics.  I figure $50, and 5 for shipping? with a free small black coach wallet thrown in.

But that's all.  I'll let you know how the fill goes.  Oh yeah, First Support group tonight also.  busy busy busy day.  and TOM might be showing up. I'm not sure how that's going work with the fill .. I saw something about avoiding fills the few days before your TOM/during.  We'll see.

TTFN
<3 Sam

Why?

I'm not sure why I ever read online articles that have anything to do with plus sized anything.  Just read one about the lack of real fashionable clothing for plus sized gals... And the comments, oy!  One started out "we should not cater to fat people; we should ridicule them until they lose weight."  I just don't get how people can be so cruel.  It's like if you're over a bmi of 25 you're not a person.  I know I let this stuff bother me more than I should, but it just reminds me of why I worry about the direction our society is going.  anyways, on the cell phone for this, so done for now.

<3 Sam

Have you seen this girl? or An award? for me? you shouldn't have!

Have you seen me? Cause I sure haven't.  Nobody told me buying a house would take up so much of my time! eesh!  But yes, I'm back by popular demand *waves* Hi Red! 

Things are going well for me.  I have no idea what my previous diarrhea/vomiting/bladder pain episode was, but I feel much better now.  Thank goodness.  My weight remains steady, up a pound or two one day, and back down the next.  I'm okay with that.  Considering I get my first fill on Wednesday,  I figure I'm doing really well not gaining back the weight lost from liquids after entering real food phase.   But yes, First Fill Wednesday! dun dun DUNNNN.   I'm looking forwards to it.  Want to start going down again.  Of course exercise would help.  Mostly it's the hectic crazy that has become my life.  Or me making more excuses to not go..   you pick one.  I'll give you a hint, choose the excuses.  >.<   I know, I know, I'll do better. Promise.  

Past news,  I got the Adorable Blog Award from Prudence!  Thank you so much!

Rules of the Award
       *Thank the person who gave you this award, and link back to them in your post.
*Tell us 10 things about yourself.
*Nominate your bloggers.
*Contact these bloggers, and let them know they received this award.

 

 

Thing the first:  I'm a gamer geek.  Not hard-core, but love me some computer games.  For the last few years I've been playing World of Warcraft, and very much enjoy it.  I'm a decent player, and enjoy the challenge of raiding with a group of people from all over the country.  (and am looking for a new raid group >.>)   In fact, I met my husband on an online game: Kingdom Of Loathing . 

 

B)  I am also a band geek.  I did band from 5th grade through the end of college.  I miss marching band.   A lot.  I miss the instant friends, and the forever friends. (It was also a decent source of activity) I played flute/piccolo, but personality-wise I wasn't a flute.  I was not a girly/princess girl.

 

3.   I worry that I'm too boring to come up with 10 things about myself.  

 

More:   I'm a homebody.  9 times out of 10 I'd rather stay home and read/computer/whatever.  (and then I wonder why I lose touch with friends).  I think that's why this last week had drained me to the point of avoiding my computer after i do finally get home.  I'm so worn out for being out, that all i want to do is read and go to bed.

 

Fiver:   I feel like I'm always behind.  I'm 31  and buying my first house.  I was 28 when I got married (barely). Buy the time I lose weight and am (hopefully) able to have kids I'll probably be 33-35.  I feel like I've let responsibility go by the wayside.

 

6:   Favorite food? Mexican.  even if it doesn't always agree with me.  I love spicy!  spicy gives me heartburn!  It's win/win.  somehow :)

 

7-up:  I hate my currently efficient body!  I've been wearing my body-bugg again and it says that I'm burning 2500 calories a day.  There is no effing way that I'm eating that much (probably around 1500), so why doesn't the scale move? grrrrrr.  This I need to work though (a.k.a. exercise!)

 

8 is great!:   I .. mostly like my job.  I work for the police department ID-ing all the prisoners by fingerprint.  The way we do it is sooooo old that only 4 or 5 places still do it like we do in the entire country.   On one hand I think it's awesome that I have a skill that so few people possess.. On the other hand, that skill won't take me very many places other than where I am.

 

8 1/2:  on a related note, I want to go back to school and get my masters degree in something that will let me work in the crime lab.  THAT I will be able to take with me wherever.  However I'm daunted by the fact that I need to take the GRE and it's been almost 10 years since I finished college.

 

Nein! : I took German in high school.  My grandmother thought I should have taken Spanish for a couple of reasons, a) She's Jewish and basically hasn't gotten over WWII (not that I can blame her) and b) because of where I live.  Looking back she's probably right (for reason b).   I did enjoy German though, and got to go to Germany which was awesome.   I also took a semester of German I in college.  I figured after 3 years of H.S. German, intro in college would be an easy A.  HAHAHAHAHAHA.  That one semester covered at least as much as all 3 years of H.S. 

 

The End:  Exercise is going to be the death of me.  I have NEVER been an active person (and it shows!)  Sure I played basketball at the Y.  I wanted to be a guard so that I didn't have to run back and forth all the time.  Same with soccer.  Stay back and guard the net, none of this running crap for me.  Bike rides were great, as long as they were all down hill.   I need someone to come re-program my brain to like exercise please!

 

 

 

And now the nominations go to: *drumroll*

 

Red!

 

http://realityslappedmeintheface.blogspot.com/

 

and

 

http://justawallflower83.blogspot.com/

 

ttfn! good luck reading all of this!

<3 Sam

I'm writing again?

Yup, I'm back writing to you all again! lucky you.  Band front, I'm still not unconvinced that I haven't done something.  But at the same time, I've been hesitant to try solid food today.  So just water and broth and applesauce for me.  But right now I've got that "stuck burp" feeling, kinda like I had right after surgery.  I'm hoping that maybe I just irritated things a bit with the throwing up (not that there was ever much, if anything, to throw up), and didn't do any permanent damage.   Here's hoping.  How much of a failure would I be if I slipped my band or something before my first fill (not that I'd really be a failure, but you know what I mean).  *sigh*

On to a much more up-beat/exciting note: We just signed a final offer for a house!  OMG! I am so freaking out right now.   It's more than we're paying for rent, and it's further for the hubby to drive, and we're adding in home owners insurance and all that, and I'm really really hoping we're not diving in over our heads, but YAY!!  (best part is, this house has a jetted tub in the master bath, and a hot tub in the back yard!)  But yeah. Freaking out. A lot.  Half over house, half over band.  EEP!

I think I'm done for the day!

Love ya'll!

<3 Sam

and the verdict is...

... a mystery?  I just got a call back from the doc, no bacteria in my urine sample.  So I'm to stop the antibiotics, and go back for a retest in10 days.   So mystery bladder pain it is.  At least it basically feels better today.  Let's hope it stays that way.

<3 Sam

another update

woke up feel lots lots better today. mostly. still waiting for the UTI culture to come back though.  But yesterday, went back to the doctor.  Bladder starting having excruciating pain.  and constant.  Took an x-ray with the caveat that IF it was kidney stones, only the calcium based ones would show up.  But there was nothing to show.  picked up the antibiotics and a prescription for some Tylenol/codeine.  Took a pain pill last  night,  waited a bit to see if it would make me nauseous, took my antibiotic, and felt almost human again.  I work up this morning with just a few uncomfortable twinges in the bladder area, but stayed home anyways, since yesterday when I woke up I also felt better before things got worse.   So far today has been mostly good.   Except eating, I tried a bit of leftover Chinese chicken probably too spicy/solid for my tummy after the last few days. Had a little applesauce also, and then my stomach hurt soooo much.   Coughed at the toilet for a few, nothing happened, and now I feel fine again.  My biggest worry is I somehow messed up my band before I even got a fill.  Is that possible?

meh, time to go down some more fluids. whee!

<3 Sam

update:

Went to the doctor.  She seems to think that despite the hour of vomiting last night it's probably just a bladder infection.   The initial sample said a few red blood cells in my urine (not a lot, but somethings probably up)  but not really any white blood cells (which having them means good sign of infection).  So i'm just taking some of the over the counter bladder numbing stuff and will find out what the culture says tomorrow.  Here's hoping it's just a  weird bladder infection.  I'd really like to save the pain of childbirth for childbirth, and not my bladder.

<3 Sam

OMG seriously??

So.. yesterday I'm cruising along (on 3.5 hours of sleep.. yay) .. and everything is good.  Put in an order for dinner (chinese food, I was going to have pot stickers) .. In the time it took for food to get here (about 50 minutes) I went from feeling fine, to OMG worst abdominal cramps ever!! I get fairly bad cramps with my TOM but these were just constant, not letting up.  They brought on diarrhea  and vomiting.  So not only do I feel like cr@p, but I'm sitting there worried that I'm going to mess up my band before I even get a fill.  Anywhos, about an hour of feeling like death, and then about as suddenly as it came on, it mostly left.  Just settled into a discomfort in my bladder.  

So I do what any intelligent, reasonable adult does and self diagnosed myself on WebMD.  Kidney stones!  It actually makes sense (and if I factor in the 10 mins of random stabby pains in my kidney area on Sunday, it makes more sense i think).  I do have a doctors appointment set up for tomorrow (this) morning.   But I was reading up on causes/prevention of future ones (since apparently once you have one, you're prone to more) and one thing that was listed was calcium in pill form.  drinking/eating it is okay and even encouraged.  but "uh oh, I'm supposed to take calcium supplements forever and for always"..  so keep reading.  HIGH PROTEIN DIET can also lead to kidney stones.  Anybody else see a problem with this?  yeah, me too.

So we'll see what's up.  Will keep you all up to date on the gory details.

<3 Sam

I'm still here!

I've been slacking this week on the posts, I know, I know bad me!  But I've been having a good time.   I beat the "I'm shy and don't know anyone so I'm not gonna do it" me, and actually went out and did something fun!

In Denver they have this place http://www.canvasandcocktails.com/  which is totally awesome.  They basically talk you through making a painting (and sell you alcohol, which I was very good and stuck to my water).  Last night I went with someone from college who I literally haven't seen in like 8 years, and bunch of her friends and one of my friends (so I didn't freak out). and it was so much fun!   Here's my painting:  

I'm way impressed with myself.  Not so impressed with my chin however.  But we're working on that.  I've been holding pretty steady at 250 (last weeks 5lbs probably was TOM related and some transitioning to real foods).  That's 25 lbs down from pre-surgery and 35 down from highest ever.   As I'm still two weeks out from my first fill, I'm perfectly okay with this.  

And my husband just commented "pretty soon, you'll weigh less than your husband, how does that make you feel? "  my answer "normal".   It's bugged me that I weigh  more.  That's not supposed to happen (unless you're married to one of those bean-pole types)  But time to go out and do stuff today!  ttfn!

<3 Sam

Another not band blog

I don't know where this technique has been all my life.  I just learned about Water Marbling nail polish.  I'm so going to have to try this some day (on my much shorter than these nails)

See Here

<3 Sam