Appetite

Appetite. At least I spelled it correctly.
Feeling full. Got that one right too!
Hunger.
Panic.
Which and who and what am I trying to do?
OK, first.

Feeling full

I used to sit on the couch to eat (still do). I would balance the plate on my belly and eat until I was done, and then some.
Now, I sit on the couch and balance the plate on my stomach, which is much smaller. The pouch is off to one side, and if I put too much weight on it with the plate, I can feel it. This helped me to find my pouch. I am careful to not put too much pressure on it.
If I feel like I have to burp and can't quite do it, I am full. That's how it now feels to me. Before, I never felt full.
The goal now for me, is to measure out the food that I need, eat it, and walk away, even if I am not "full". I haven't gotten to that yet. I still have baggage between my ears that prevents that from happening.
I also get low blood sugar episodes that mess things up for me sometimes.

Hunger

I've found that hunger is not just one thing.
There is an emotional hunger that comes from between the ears, of course. This type of hunger is the toughest to control. This is probably the hunger that caused the obesity in the first place, along with other things like self control, laziness, depression, loneliness, and other things you can add on your own.
Then, there is physical hunger. This is a real hunger. It's the only hunger we should be concerned about. It is a form of pain that is a signal, telling us that we need to get something to eat. We really don't need to eat right away because we have plenty of storage energy, but it is a good idea.
I can get dizzy, or have a slight headache, which is the way my body complains because it is too lazy to tap into it's reserves. Which leads us to:

Appetite

This is an emotional need to signal that we should be storing more energy just in case. It can be masked by the brain, or blown out of proportion by that same brain.
It is all an indication of how we are doing over a time period. If we have a strong appetite, we are "OK" in this society. If it is weak, we lose weight, and are probably not "OK".
Appetite is something we don't need with bariatric surgery. Many times, we have to eat out of necessity, not need.

Panic

This is interesting.
Panic that we haven't eaten in awhile.
Panic that we don't fit in.
Panic that we ate the wrong thing and out wonderful pouch is about to let us know in the worst way.
Panic that we forgot something.
I have experienced this many times since my surgery. There are so many rules and I forget things so easily. I have been very lucky so far. The younger folks are better off than me in the memory department.
I think that's all I want to say for now.

So where have I been?

I've been in the basement cleaning the place out and getting ready to paint the walls. My wife doesn't know about half the stuff I've thrown out, so don't tell her.
I cut the lawn by hand mower 3 times this week.
Couldn't do any of that last year.
I have had people over every day this week to look at the scooter. I think I have it sold, but no money just yet.....
I've been working on the old/new John Deere. I have to replace the mower belt because I messed it up last week and it broke. Now, when I'm finished, I will put the mower up for sale at a slight profit. Maybe, I'll buy another one to work on....
I am still trying to get to my guitar, but have been having too much fun doing other things. I will play it this week for sure.

Putting it all together

I started to copy and paste my blog today into a word document, so that I could read the whole thing and see what I went through.
If you would be interested in reading the whole thing, contact me, and I'll try to send you a copy.
It is 80 pages long, and there is both good and not so good information there.
91 pounds ago, I had more time to write because I was still stuck in my fat.
Now, I can go outside and do things, and I take advantage of that.
Now, my next step is to free myself from some chains, and make some real progress!
In my previous entries, I mentioned some thing, and I plan to do them very soon.

• I am going to rent a kayak and try my hand at it as soon as the water warms up a bit.
• I am going to organize a trip to Hershey Park, and take as many formerly fat people with me as I can.
• I am going to seriously look into relocating to a warm climate.

There are other private things that I am going to do, none of them illegal, or fattening, but I won't list them here.

The saga of the John Deere RX 63

The meeting on Thursday evening was a good one, but I was exhausted from another day of driving my school van, and working on my John Deere ride on mower. So, I left right after the main part of the meeting and got an early night.
They had 4 people in various stages of post op, including a lap band. One guy had the surgery back in November and has already lost 100 pounds! He looks good, so he must be following the rules to the letter. I am at 91 pounds, so I don't feel so bad.
We are going to have a clothing exchange in July, but I will probably pass. I am planning on taking all my stuff to Goodwill, or the Salvation Army. Lots of clothes that are in good shape, and a few pairs of pant that never got worn. And the best part is that I am too small for all of them!

The John Deere has obsessed me since I got it. I bought an IH Cub Cadet a few years ago that was ancient, with the intention of fixing it up and restoring it eventually when I was fat. I even went so far as to buy a snow thrower attachment. The work overwhelmed me, and I had to sell it due to lack of energy. I really liked that machine. There is nothing quite like the older machines with all their problems, and quirks. They were made before everything went plastic.
So, this past week, there has not been one day that I haven't been to Deere country, the local dealer.
The people there have been great, taking the time to answer my questions and print out pictures of the various parts and how they fit together.

• Fuel line replaced along with the fuel filter.
• Lots of carb cleaner sprayed over everything to cut the gunk.
• Mower deck removed, cleaned.
• Blade sharpened.
  
• New Belt for the mower drive.
• New pulleys/spindles installed.
• Mower deck put back on.
• New rope for pull start
• New spark plug
• bolts tightened to spec.

Now, with all this work, you would think that I have been able to use the machine, but sadly, I've only used it twice since the season started. The darn thing just won't stay fixed! This is not a bad thing because I am learning so much. But I sure would like to run it already.
I plan on draining oil sometime after I finally get to use the mower this morning. This will be a chore since I have to tilt the whole unit to do that. It has a drain plug on top of the deck, which is kind of dumb. It should be underneath, so the oil would drain and not spill over everything, but the dealer said they did this sometimes back then.
I have to wear ear protection because the mower is very loud, especially with the blade moving, but I don't mind. I did have headphones and music playing, but it was too loud to hear the music, so I just use the basic ear plugs.
I would like to learn more about the mower and engine, and maybe get a job repairing them, but I really don't know how to do that. The Vo Tech school is not the best place for learning that. They have been infiltrated by advertising for particular brands, rather than teaching tips and tricks for good old fashioned hard work.

The great thing about all this is, I am able to function as a normal human being, even after spending hours climbing all over the mower and getting to do everything except sit in the seat and drive it. No collapsing after labor for me anymore! Yippee!
I plan to take pictures of the mower and maybe send out an article to Stacey David's "What are you working on" to see if he likes it.
So, what are you going to work on?

Update: I finished the lawn, but the belt for the mower broke. I am trying to figure out what went wrong, and they can't get a new belt until Thursday. I am not sure I want to repair it after all this. So, I went for a ride on my Helix, and felt better. But, I still don't know if I should bother anymore next week with the JD. I have a life to live, and am tired of laying on a piece of cardboard in the garage. Oh well....

Livin life

Tonight is the support group meeting over at Lancaster General Hospital.
Last week we met with a group of students doing their final project for graduation. The subjects were various aspects of the bariatric experience, from pre to post and beyond. They had stations where they explained things.
I registered for several prizes and even won one. A bottle of skin care lotion is now on my night stand. The stuff isn't too bad!
So, this week I spent almost every day over at the John Deere Dealer asking questions, and getting parts for my RX 63 project.
The thing is running really well, but I still need to do some minor adjustments. I'm learning so much and extremely pleased to be able to climb all over the thing without passing out after 5 minutes!
I'm also down 91 pounds officially, and all my numbers are right where I want them to be. No more pills is a great thing.
I got some more tips from the dietitian, and passed another milestone.
I have one more appointment before I am finished with my post surgery visits. After the appointment in the fall, I will only go to see the team once a year for the next 5 years. Wow!

Up to date

I have been spending less time at the computer and more time outside doing things. That's great!
It is raining a bit since yesterday, and the grass needs to be cut, so I am going to go out after this and install the new pulleys on my new/old John Deere, and go cut the grass.
I read the other blogs I follow, and my coffee (decaf still has a bit of caffeine in it) caused me to respond to comments more than I usually would.
I have been trying to maintain control over new/old emotions, but they get out once in awhile, and I end up sounding like a know it all.
Even though I know next to nothing, I still look and sound like I know it all because I practiced over the years, and I know lots of big words!
Oh and let's not forget spell check!
If, you are reading this blog, please send me comments, or just leave them here. Good, or bad, it doesn't matter. I will learn from them either way.
Time to go fix the mower....

Tuesday, I think

I am aiming towards my first hundred posts, so I thought I would write here instead of my Facebook page.

I have driven some type of bus for a living since 1974. School bus has been my favorite. City bus is a pain, and Tour bus is too dangerous today.
During that time, I have had days where I will arrive at a corner and not remember which way I have to turn. This is strange, since I have been to this corner many times before.
It's not the same corner all the time. It's different corners at different times.
It doesn't happen all the time, otherwise, I would not be writing this now. I would be on the road somewhere, trying to find my way home. Pay Attention!
Sometimes, I forget how to drive. Sometimes, I forget where I am. I always recover quickly, and it's a fleeting feeling, but not all that different from how they describe Alzheimer's disease.
I have spoken to doctors, and they all say not to worry about it, but of course, I do.

So, I have been on a quest to quit driving all together. I have wanted to go back to playing my guitar and singing for a living for years now.
But, I'm afraid of change.

I'm afraid of success.

I'm afraid of failure.

I'm afraid of being alone.

I'm afraid of making my own decisions.

This surgery is the first things I've done to conquer those above listed fears.
If I ever get the belt changed, and the blade sharpened on my new/old John Deere, I'm gonna go play my guitar again.
Wait a minute.......
I must be afraid of taking the first step too. Better add that to the list,,,,....along with procrastination.
Hmmmm, what else?

A New Day

Just after my surgery, I played an event for my Chiropractor to celebrate the Grand Opening of his new office. (I am a Disc Jockey, in case you were wondering)
I had lots of help because I wasn't allowed to lift anything, and I was still on my pureed foods diet. My friend Charles helped carry my stuff in and set it up. He also stayed with me and took over when I needed to rest. It's tougher to DJ than many people think. I sat for most of it, and ate and drank as I needed.
We drew a very nice sized crowd. All of the businesses in the center donated door prizes, and I announced the winners as the day went on.
Anyway, I kept announcing prizes that I had no idea what they were. So, I finally pulled one of the office staff aside and asked them. She pointed me in the direction of the shop down the row. I had time, so I walked into the shop and spoke with the owner to find out what I was giving away.
Bruce, turned out to be a really nice guy. His shop was impressive, with lots of soft colorful clothing. I told him I couldn't buy any of it because of my dropping weight. But, I told him I would be back when I reached my goal.
I went into his shop this morning and bought one shirt. I know that's not much to you, but to me.... This is the first piece of nice clothing I have bought since my surgery. It's just a shirt, but I will post a picture of it on my Face book (look at my profile pictures) and will speak of it here. If I can figure out how to post here, I will.
The title of this post is a link to his online store. Free shipping and no minimum at this time, so feel free to do a little shopping and spread the word.
This is one of those small businesses that will fall through the cracks if the socialists stay in power too much longer.

New Found traveler!

Click the title of this post to go to the site I found.
I found this site by accident. I forget what I was doing, oh yeah, I was googling my blog to see if anything came up.
This site came up, so I started reading. I am still reading, and have been a bit distracted recently, so if you want to take a look for me, or just to get an idea of someone else on the same trail, feel free.
I am writing run on sentences today. I think it's just a phase I will pass through.
To answer the previous post comment, I have thought of buying a trailer, actually, more than one trailer.
I need something that I can haul things with, like my scooters, or lawn mowers, etc.
I also have been toying with the idea of selling my chili at fairs and flea markets and such, and the idea of a food trailer appeals to me because it allows me to be outside, since I hate being inside. I have always hated being inside for too long. To travel and be outside is a dream of mine, along with kayaking, and designing and building my own amusement park.
I probably would be happy doing lawn work too, if I could make a living at it, and have warm weather year round.
And, A hot tub. I would be in heaven if I had my own hot tub. I'd fill it with hot chocolate!

Saturday Work

I bought a new/old John Deere RX 63 riding mower on Friday.
My Honda Helix was having trouble.
So, I went over to the Uhaul dealer after putting my Honda Metro outside with it's for sale sign, and rented a trailer for transporting my new/old mower from Mountville to "The Pete".
I started taking my Helix apart after returning from the Uhaul place because my mower would not be ready until later in the afternoon.
In order to change the headlight bulb on the Helix, I had to take the whole front end apart. Honda is known for it's reliability, but they sure didn't think things out when it came to design.
The scooter looks like it was designed by 30 different engineers who weren't talking to each other.
There are millions (or so it seems) of screws to remove, in a specific order. The problem comes when I tried to place them so I wouldn't forget where they go when I re-assembled everything. No luck there. I just started piling them up here and there and hoped my memory would allow a reasonable semblance of the past.
I had already replaced the battery, which wasn't holding a charge, and everything worked, except the headlight, so I figured it was a good idea to get that fixed.
Well, the headlight bulb was fine, but I replaced it anyway since I had just done all that work.
Then, I started tracing the electrical lines to see if anything was amiss.
I made it to the fuse box, and took the old fuses out to see if they were burned out. They seemed fine, so I just replaced them anyway, just in case. I pushed the headlight fuse in and it stuck a bit, so I cleaned the socket out, and lo and behold, the headlight worked!
So, then, I spent the next hour or so finding out that my memory wasn't so good anymore. But, most of the screws made it back to one hole or another, and I didn't have any left in the end.
Then, I took the trailer and rode over to pick up the mower. I loaded it without problem, tied it down and transported it. I unloaded it, stored it, and returned the trailer.
When I got home, I took my Helix for a 30 mile ride, hitting speeds of 74mph at times. Mostly cruising around 45 the rest of the time. The top speed was only for short bursts on open highway.
I watched a movie last night and hit the sack around 10:30 for a good night's rest.
Sound boring to you? Well, a year ago, I would never have lived through this boring day. I would have been dead .
Thank God for bariatric surgery.

Donating blood

Just a quick message this morning.
I will be donating 15 tubes of blood this morning to be tested as I do every 3 months or so. I am hoping this is one of the last times, although my doctor has vowed to keep in touch for the rest of my life.
I have never had this kind of coverage before.
The downside, is that the insurance only covers so much, and I owe $600 from the last time. The total for the tests is around $2000.00 each time.
Oh well, it's worth every penny.
I am looking forward for the first time in years, instead of back. I have made contact with many people and managed to find closure with all but a few. I am interested in what I will be doing in the near future, and I think I have found my path.
It's about time.
Maybe I will grow up?



NAH!

Day 4 of 5!

I got to run the mower yesterday while is was still warm outside. I actually made it through the whole yard with only two breaks. I felt good at the end, but I was tired.
My mower is the old 2 cycle kind that you have to add oil to the gas in order to run it. It also doesn't have a self propelled drive. I used it to lose 27 pounds before the surgery, and now it seems I am going to use it to lose another 10 pounds in addition to whatever I lose on top of that.
I have been at my plateau forever it seems. I vary on the home scale between 212 and 217 depending on how much water I have inside me.
My mind is reeling too. I have been dreaming and remembering my dreams recently. They seem to answer questions I have been asking myself for years. It is amazing and scary at the same time.
I notice my personality changing too. I am much quieter now, and when I see or hear something that I don't agree with, I speak up loudly. I have taken to trying to keep quiet more and learning to listen, but I sometimes can't seem to help myself.
I have been spending a lot of time on Facebook too. I have been looking for an old partner of mine. She is one of the last people from my past that I really want to talk to. I have some unfinished business with her, and I need to apologize also.
I hope the people reading this blog can understand the changes that are going on with me as I lose weight and journey down this strange new path. I hope it helps them to find their own way.
Tomorrow, I should be contacted by the sleep study people to get me my new CPAP machine. They told me the pressure was too high and they recommended reducing it quite a bit. I am glad to hear that. I should be able to get a new machine paid for by insurance. My old machine is well worn and almost ready to be replaced. I am one of the few that actually use the machine every night. Many people can't seem to adapt to it. I feel bad for them. This machine has made life much better for me.
Oh, for the record, I cheated yesterday: I made a fillet Mignon, and added strips of bacon, and fried onions! Oh, how good that was!!!!!!

Long weekend!

Taken before surgery!








I have a 5 day weekend. Isn't that great?
I took the day yesterday to do a bunch of things. I was testing myself to see if I could keep going.

• I did the dishes
• I did the laundry
• I actually made a list of what I needed to do! (WOW!)

All of this before 8am. I got up at my usual time of 4:45am. The laundry was washed, dried, and put away.
I set up the crock pot for making my killer chili too, before 8.
Then....

• I went to Home Depot and bought a shut off valve for the hot water line. I also bought a shower plumbing set (Faucet, shower head, and ball for turning it on and off. And, a much needed replacement toilet seat.
  
• I went to Weis and got my chili fixins, as well as an RX for my wife.
• I started the chili, and set it to simmer for four hours. I used sausage this time, and kept the seasonings to a minimum. I did get a few hot peppers to drop in. The sausage was listed as "hot" too. Trust me, it is hot. I love it!
  

All of this before noon.
After I finished the chili prep to simmer (Add the beans an hour before eating), I cleaned out the bathroom closet, and took the tub fixtures off. I then climbed into the closet to access the water lines. Oh, I also turned the water off and drained the lines. Lots of trips up and down the stairs.
I cleaned off the old stuff and ended up frustrated, because the copper lines and the new fixtures aren't "plug and play". They require me to take the old lines off and install new ones. I didn't have time or energy to do that by the end of the day.
About this time, Paul started banging on my door because I had the music turned up and couldn't hear him. He talked me into taking a ride on the scooters to get away for a little while. Since my Helix is not running, I took my Metro (top speed of 38mph) which takes forever to reach top speed. It was a long slow ride for Paul, but I enjoyed it. He took a picture of our scoots in front of a barn. The view was fantastic.
I put the shower back together and tested the water lines for leaks, dropped the beans into the chili, and managed to clean up before my wife got home.
Oh, I also collected the trash, and took it to the curb.
And, I did all the dishes, pots and pans before I went to bed. The crock pot was dry and put away this morning.
So, I proved to myself that I could do the work. I am still sore today, and I took a nap this afternoon, but managed to go out and look at ride on mowers. I did some other things too, but really took it easy compared to yesterday.
Tomorrow, I will install the new toilet seat, and cut the grass with my non self-propelled push mower. I lost 27 pounds before the surgery last year with it's help, and I guess a riding mower will have to wait. So, I hope to lose 10 pounds over the next few weeks. I started to go down a little this week, so my plateau may be over.
I hope so.

Thoughts to help me move forward!

I didn't do this surgery to go to work at something I don't like.
I didn't do the surgery to look good again.
I did it to live.
I am going to live.
I am going to move forward every day until God decides I've done enough.
I am cleaning out the house, and cleaning out my mind. My mind isn't what it used to be, though. I forget things, and I don't have the youthful energy that I thought I would have.
I am fighting low blood sugar and pain that wasn't there when I was young. I am fighting years of relaxing when I should have been active.
I need to balance relaxation with work, needs versus wants.
I need a vacation. I want a vacation. What I have are bills and taxes out the wazoo!

Comments on the meeting last night 4/2/09

Once again, my brain didn't work.
I told people about this blog, and I gave them the address backwards. I hope they find their way here despite this.
The meeting was excellent. One of our post people introduced an aquatic fitness instructor who spoke about using the YMCA as a way of building the muscle without pain. It was a good program. I will look into it. There is a rec center closer to me than the Y that I will check out too.
We broke into groups after that, and I got the chance to hang with the "post" people. This is always a good thing because it re-enforces things that I learned but maybe forgot along the way.
Because of the information I got last night, I will be making some needed changes to my diet and exercise program.
I have way too many things I want to catch up on that I left go before God answered my prayers.

• Does anyone want to babysit me to make sure I start to write my books? I have 3 of them just waiting to get out of my brain. I need to manage my time better so I can write and exercise, and work at the same time. I get stuck, and can't break free.
• Talking about jobs, I need to find one that is full time, or I need to find another source of income in addition to my school bus driving. I have my DJ equipment, but have been holding off on that for some time.
• I need to play my guitar. I am going to do that very soon. I have songs that I want to write, and songs that are already written by others that I want to play. I have a very close friend who has accepted me for who I am. He plays and I want to work with him, but I don't have anything to present to him just yet. Again, it all comes down to scheduling my time, and doing it.

I need to break my fear of success and my fear of failure. They are one and the same, but I still haven't been able to beat either one.

Thursday

So, what do you eat?
I know that the amount of food is much less than it used to be, but the quality of food is much greater.
I don't eat fast food anymore. Wow, what a change!
But is it interesting that food has been something that is so much more important to me now. Thinking about food, and planning meals takes much of my time now. That is something I didn't do before.
I still go to Bob Evan's once a month. I go to the Akron Restaurant too. But I don't go to Wendy's, or Pizza Hut.
I do go to Two Cousin's Pizza because they have lots more than Pizza. They have great salads. I don't eat the bread for the most part, but I do cheat now and again.
My meals at home have stayed the same and I am trying to mix things up a bit, but this is proving to be very tough.
I am glad to be driving a school bus (Van) because the schedule allows me to make my meals at home. I still eat my killer chili, but even that has changed.
This week, I added spinach to some already made chili. This was the bottom of the pot with very little beef, so I "beefed" it up with the spinach and a bit of refried beans.
My exercise program is suffering some. I am doing so much around the house now, and taking care of computerwork (it used to be paper!). I am very active compared to before, but I am not working out this week with heavy weights. I guess I am tired and sore from last week's water heater replacement. I am still tweaking that. I would not like to do that for a living.
Today, I will bring up trash from the basement to be taken to the curb. I will make numerous trips up and down the stairs. I have to cut up the box that the water heater came in, and have a pile of other stuff. I don't think I can get the old water heater up by myself, but I will look at it and see. I am not ready to ask for help there yet, because my new body may be able to do it on it's own.
I have to contact a satellite TV company to see how much they really charge for service. Their start up costs and starting discounts are so deceptive. I am really tired of paying Comcast Cable to see infomercials on TV. Cable is way too high. $768 a year to watch infomercials?
I have cut hundreds of dollars by switching my insurance to Geico. I have a friend that switched and he has had experience with their actual service that was positive, so i checked into it, and found them to be very helpful. That service starts tomorrow.
I cut back on energy usage and improved our comfort level. I am warmer now than before.
I need to get to a dentist to have a tooth fixed. My regular dentist can't do the work.
I have new glasses and can see again.
So, I have made great progress.
Now, let's hope the government comes to it's sense and doesn't take everything away in their effort to create Hope and Change!

The heck with it!

I've been giving this a lot of thought, and after many days and nights of sleepless days and nights, I've decided to call Dr. Brader and ask him to reverse my operation.
I feel as if all the hassle of trying to eat small portions just isn't worth all the hassle of eating small portions.
I think I have learned enough now to lose the weight on my own now instead of later, and other times.
Besides, I already have a head and the rest of my body start.
So, forget whatever you read. It just isn't worth it.

Next meeting

The next meeting is this Thursday, April Tooth!
It will be at Lancaster General Hospital again. They are working on the new building and should be finished for us to use in June!
There should be some other events scheduled, and I will post them as they become available.
Contact me if you need information, directions, or just want to talk.

This past week

I did a few things I haven't done for awhile, or before.
I had some roadblocks and I am now moving them out of the way.

• I did up a stew that is great, and mixed it down to make it last.

• We went to Levittown last Saturday to support a Facebook friend, and Neshaminy Alumni. He had a CD release party at a place called "Cheeseburger in Paradise". I called out to a bunch of folks, and we had a nice reunion. Friends from Pennsbury showed up, and it was great. We stayed at the booth for about 3 and a half hours! We got to hear Michael Francis Hughes (I will try to remember to post his website). The waitress was great and we tipped her very well. She was happy about that. Nice memories were shared, stories were told, claims were made, no disclaimers!

• I am supposed to be going for a sleep study to lower the pressure on my CPAP machine, but I may not go because there is quite a charge involved and I can't really afford it. I will have to put up with the strong wind blowing all night.

• I put an ad on a website to try to get some music going.I have been playing guitar since I was 11. Last weekend, I saw my old friend and original guitar teacher. He and I were friends first. We played music to get girls and we did! Not as many as I would have liked, but you can never get enough now, can you?
• I took pictures of my guitar in order to send it out to the builder so he can post an updated shot on the website.
• I did a workout today while wearing leg weights. I pumped on the total gym, and did more free weights than I have in quite some time. It felt good, but I could feel it when my energy levels dropped. I had a bottle of protein drink with me and sipped it throughout.
• Then, I carried some of the junk up the stairs, and took it to the trash pile. I will take it down to the curb tomorrow night if I can still walk! I still have a truckload of stuff to bring up, but this is a new part of my life. Every time I come up the stairs from now on, I will carry stuff until it is gone. The leg weights are 5 pounds each and feel like they are 100 pounds!
• I am talking with my best friend about building a design that we have been talking about for months. It is a speaker system that is a miniature of a concert system. I will use it in small clubs. If we do it right, it will sound great and be able to be heard clearly. My buddy has CAD programs for this type of thing, so as soon as we finish with that, we will start to gather materials and assemble it. I didn't know how complex this could be.

• I am down to 215. These last 3 pounds have been the toughest so far. I think I am building muscle and my body may be getting used to the lack of food. So, every weekend, I will try to mix thing sup a bit food wise, and exercise wise. For the past two months, I have been eating pretty much the same thing everyday. I will start mixing that up. Also, it is getting warmer, so I will get out more often.

My Helix won't start, so I may take the Metro out soon. I have to dust off the 21 speed and get that going.
Anyone want to buy some music equipment? I will have it listed soon.

Aroma!

I am basking in the aroma of a new stew!
I did pretty much the same thing as I always do, with the exception of adding tomatoes.
I added red, yellow, and green peppers, red skin and white onions, scallions, lots of spices, black beans, beef cubes, and white potatoes.
I am going to check the freezer for spinach or other frozen veggies. I might have some green beans or snap peas. The more, the merrier!
There should be plenty of protein and complex carbs from the veggies.
Dinner is at 5pm sharp!

Wow, what a weekend!

I spent more energy in the past 3 days, than I spent in a month when I was fat. I did things I couldn't do, or at least, had to plan carefully to make sure I didn't collapse.
What a great thing this surgery was!
Friday, I did a workout to end all workouts. I hit blinding speeds of 3.5 mph on my treadmill at grades up to 6%. I stopped the treadmill every 5 to 10 minutes to do a workout on my total gym, or use the free weights. So, I was doing circuit training, and mixing it up pretty good. I actually went for 40 minutes, and hit 85 to 90% of my maximum capacity according to the heart monitor on the treadmill.
I got up Saturday morning and took a walk with my music. I covered the 3 mile loop at a fast pace for the most part.
I don't get tired as much as I get sore now. I have yet to get out of breath, but I really haven't pushed myself yet. I am still afraid of getting hurt and slowing my progress.
Now, in the fat days, I would have quit at that point for the rest of the weekend, but this day, I decided to go shopping. I took my wife and we visited 2 furniture stores, an RV place, and a Dunkin Donuts! We were out for about two or 3 hours, and even stopped at the Humane League to look at dogs. Sadly, they were sparse. I have been thinking about a 4 legged friend ever since I lost my two collies. They only had pit bulls at the humane league, and I don't want a pit bull.
I felt a bit sore on Sunday, but I went to Maryland and picked up my grand daughter, and we went to Ikea. I carried her a lot of the way, after she decided it was too much to walk. I did put her in the shopping cart about 3/4 of the way through the store. If you've never been to Ikea, you are missing a real treat.
I bought a desk chair that I couldn't find anywhere else, at a price that was soooo low.
Then, we went to a play park, but she fell asleep before we could get inside. So, I took her back home and sat and talked to my daughter for a few hours before coming home to write this.
All in all, I spent a very satisfying weekend and didn't once think about where the nearest seat was in case my fat legs couldn't hold me up anymore.
I am throwing out the sweater I wore today because it is so big on me as to be totally unusable. The arms are stretched out into orangutan length. I remember just barely fitting into it a few short years ago. Now, it just hangs. It is threadbare and worn out. Bye bye.

As time goes by....

It has been my experience that as time goes on, the post Bariatric people seem to lose interest in the whole thing.
This is both good and bad.
It's good that they don't have to think about the surgery, and they consider themselves able to handle life without worry.
It's bad, because some of them fall off the wagon and have a tough time getting back on.
My heart goes out to them, because this is by far the best tool I have found for losing the weight and keeping it off.
The whole of America is concentrated on trying to get us to eat more, and all of the things that aren't good for us. We are bombarded with drugs on TV, and Fast food franchises trying to convince us that their fish has a name, so that makes it healthy and good for us.
For convenience, we can eat our meals as pop tarts, or instant liquid drinks. We are "ensured" it will be the best thing for us.
I don't remember the last time they advertised vegetables, or fruits.
So, without support, how can we handle this onslaught?

Before, during, and now!

The first picture is when I was at my heaviest. I weighed in at 305 or more. This was one of the pictures that convinced me to either die or live. I prayed to God for just that. Either Kill me, or make me better.

This is the first post surgery picture. The belt I am wearing is a measure of my progress, waist wise. My starting waist was 52+ inches. I think I lost around 60 pounds at this point.

This picture was taken today (you can see the date stamp in the lower left). I am now 218 and feeling great, especially compared to picture number one. My waist is now at 42 and dropping. I still have another 70 pounds to go, or more. I am working hard on that.

I miss hearing Paul Harvey, but now, you know the rest of the story!

Life's been good to me so far! Joe Walsh!

The meeting was another monster!
Attendance was so big, that they had to open up the adjoining room. There were people lined up and down the walls!
Amazing!
The speaker was a Post Patient from Lifespan, which is a social worker/therapy type clinic. Her discipline is of course Bariatrics.
She spoke about the changes that happen to us and the people around us before, during, and after the surgery. Her boyfriend was there to offer his viewpoint from time to time.
They were very interesting, informative, and entertaining.
We never got to break into groups and that was a disappointment to me.
Not to belittle the speaker, but this is supposed to be a support group, not an informative talk. It's good to have these people speak to us, but I really feel that I need to hear others around me offering tips and tricks, personal experiences as well as understanding about what we are going through. I will express this to the team and suggest to them that they consider having an extra meeting just for post people to do that.
On a similar note, I am making two changes in my medical team:

1. I have found another family doctor, and am leaving my present one. I did this because I have not been satisfied this doctor has been meeting my needs. I found one closer to my home and it is actually within walking distance. I had my records copied and had to pay a pretty penny to have them done. But, now I actually have them and have read them. An eye opening experience. I bought a multi-function machine to copy them into my computer so I will have them in the future.
2. I am in the process of looking for a psychological counselor familiar with post Bariatric problems. I have spoken with counselors before when my son and I were dealing with ADD and all the other letters, and found it very helpful. I am not ready to check into the funny farm yet, though!

There are so many things I want to do, and have no idea of how to do them. So, I am working as hard as I can, and trying not to burn myself out.
If anyone would like to help, I have a list! I plan to make some real money in the next few years, as well as fulfill some of my dreams and goals. Money has never been my motivator, but I am looking forward to making some and getting out of debt, and feeling good about my life and my accomplishments.

I have many things that I want to do, and I have said this before:

Last year, I was getting ready to die. This year, I am getting ready to live.

Meeting notice

March 5th, tomorrow night (Thursday) is the next support group meeting.
This time, it's being held at the Lancaster General Hospital, instead of the Health Campus.
This is because of the large number of people (not the number of large people!) who have been showing up. The room we were in at the Health campus is full to over full.
So, until they open up the new office, we will have to bite the bullet and hang out in the thriving metropolis of Lancaster City (UGH!). I hate the city, any city, but I guess I'll be there.
They have information available about where to park and it is free, so you don't have to drop your hard earned money.
So, show up, and learn something, and know that you are not alone in your quest to lose weight and keep it off!

The Daily (under Links)

I use this as my home page. I listed the main page so you can pick which one you would like.
I use the Daily Bikini, of course.
This page has so many listings for searching that you can spend lots of your free time surfing around. There are lots of links listed too. Some are for interest, and others for information.
If you like it, send copies to your friends. If you don't like it, send it to your enemies!
Enjoy!

Mike the Post poster!

His name is Mike, and he is posting comments throughout the blog. His first comment is on the post before this one.
Remember, your experiences are different than his. He is an expert only in that he had the surgery way back before many of us.
Take what he says with a grain of salt. Take everything I say with a grain of salt too while you're at it. I am not an expert either.
Feel free to email me and ask questions. Or, you can find both of us on Facebook and ask us there.

Facebook!

I guess it's time to talk about it since so many people are there.
Face Book!
I was able to find many of my old classmates, and connect with some friends I haven't seen in way too long.
I have traded stories with folks, and debated stuff there, and avoided the games and gifts. I also caught a virus that my computer hasn't forgiven me yet.
Now, I found a fellow Post Bariatric patient. He is much further down the path than I am, so I asked him to comment about some questions, and see if I could pass them on here. He said yes, so I will do that as it happens.
If you go onto Facebook, you can join his group: the Staple Club. He asks many of the same questions, so people from both here and there can see them.

Holding pattern

Life has been at a stall speed for almost a month now.
I need to make more changes in order to move into the second phase of my weight loss.
My insurance company assigns a nurse to oversee things and to make comments.
This week, after talking to me for about an hour, she sent me a glucometer with instructions on how to use it. I am not interested in doing that, and am resisting. I can tell my blood sugar is dropping and take measures to correct it on my own.
She also has to make these disclaimer statements after everything she says to cover her butt for the insurance company.
I don't know how she can make any suggestions when she doesn't have my medical history in front of her.

Also,
I found a Facebook friend who just told me he had the surgery done back in 2000. I asked him to write some stuff for this blog and he said he would. I was interested in what it feels like after 8 or 9 years and he agreed to do that. I don't know if he will, but I'm hoping.

And,
I have another new FB friend who is making some very interesting suggestions about types of food. This person is from another part of the country, and they use different ingredients. All of the food here in Central PA is so bland, so this should really be a welcome addition to my diet. Maybe it's what I need to move on?

Next

Ok, the Doctor had a situation requiring him to reschedule the appointment.
So, I made an appointment with my Chiropractor for tomorrow, and will see Dr. Brader next Monday.
That gives me time to further recover from my hospital stay. I feel strong, but have taken some time off to think.
I had a visit tonight from the "Scootin Fool". He came over to introduce me to his son, and to show off his new lights. I would have liked to take a ride with him, but I tried to start my Helix, and it was too cold and too long between runs, and she wouldn't kick over. I have to get a trickle charger to keep the battery charged. It's much smaller than a car battery, and harder to get to. I have to remove the seat and make sure the cables don't lay over onto the metal and short out.
I took some pictures of the scooter in the dark to show off the LED blue lights. Now, I will try to send them to him so he can post them. I am not real good at doing that, but I'll try until I succeed.
So, I thought today:
If it took me all these years to learn how to eat wrong, and get set in my ways, how long will it take me to break all those bad habits and replace them with good habits?
I know the answer......but I ain't tellin you!

Health roadblocks

I have another appointment tomorrow with the doctor and dietician.
This is a follow up. I am supposed to have lost another 5 pounds since I didn't lose enough weight during this time period.
I should be around 212 now instead of the 224 that I weighed in at.
I had the blood sugar problem that I am working on and was talked about in a previous post.
I still have the Celiac problem.
Pretty soon, I'm not going to be able to eat anything. I'll just sit around and look at food, and get sick.
The above sentence is just my ranting. Things really are going well. I am losing weight and getting into shape. I feel good.
I am changing family doctors at this time. I will send my previous doctor a letter explaining my decision.
My Bariatric doctor is very good. I will keep him and his team. Good people all!
I am getting a glucometer to measure my blood sugar levels.
I will be going to a psychologist to make sure I don't have any problems that would prevent me from continuing. I've worked with shrinks before, and found them helpful. It allows me to make statements I wouldn't normally make to my family or friends.
I am hoping for warmer weather soon. I want to get outside more often, instead of working out in the basement all the time.

Up to date!

I did a workout today for the first time since my hospital stay.
I got on the treadmill and started chugging along to the music.
I went up and down hills, with no problems at all. I walked/jogged at speeds up to 3.1 mph, according to the screen. Hills were 6.0 and went down to 4.0 degrees.
I felt good. I drank my Crystal Light, and stopped the machine to fix the wheels, which were allowing the treadmill to travel across the floor.
I stopped the machine around 9 minutes left, and went over and did a workout on the Total Gym.
When I finished the Total Gym, I felt dizzy, so I took a glucose pill, and I felt better.
Then, I got back on the treadmill and started up again. This time, I took 2 dumbbells with me and did wing sprints with my arms while walking. I kept my heartbeat up to the level I need to be, and felt good, so I kept going.
When I finished the walk, I went over and re-arranged the weight bench, and set up the barbell so that I could do bench presses. I did a few with very light weights just to get a feel for the bench. I also did some leg exercises with light weights.
I will start to use the weight bench as a way of mixing things up. I will gradually work up to heavier weight, but for now, I am a wimp.
I did, however, like the fact that my biceps looked pumped when I finished.
I have been dealing with loose skin, and am not a happy camper about that, but all things considered, I'll take that over being fat any day of the week.
I now know that I can exercise without worry, as long as I am careful.

I looked at Kayaks over at one of the local stores, and found the price range as well. I think I can do the Kayak, and will try to buy one later this spring.
For now, I have to look for a "real" job instead of school bus driving, so I can make some money to pay the bills. I am looking into doing my DJ work again. I would like to make the circuit of the local clubs to see what is offered and if I can do better. I don't have the funds to start looking for weddings, and I don't feel confident to do one just yet anyway.
I am also starting to play my guitar again. I blew out the basement walls once this week, and plan to do that a lot more. Maybe attend a jam and get into a band???
Oh Yeah!

Balance

I was really looking forward to attending the Bariatric Support group steering committee meeting last night.
Unfortunately, I ended up in the hospital over the weekend.
I was walking on Saturday morning about an hour after breakfast. it was a nice day, with little wind, and I was feeling good.
I got chugging along and was thinking about what i was going to do with the rest of my life when all of a sudden, I ran out of gas. I had walked about 1 and a quarter miles at that point. I came to a dead stop because my arms and legs stopped working.
I looked up and saw a man and woman walking a dog coming towards me, and I decided I didn't have the energy to talk to them or interact with the dog, so I turned around right there and started slowly walking back towards home.
I managed to walk about a quarter mile slowly, very slowly, to a guard rail where I could sit down and rest. I sat there for a few minutes trying to figure out what to do. My mind was a bit mushy, and I felt disconnected to the world, but I was able to reason things out.
I hate to admit when I am really sick, so I had a tough time trying to figure out if this was real, or I was just watching too much TV.
I decided this was real, so I got out my blue tooth and had to toss an imaginary coin to see if I should call my wife who was still sleeping, or 911. The emergency service won and I punched the number into my new phone.
Before I had done this, I remembered to look at the street signs to know where I was. I can't imagine trying to explain to someone where I was when I didn't know the street name.
I spoke to the operator who stayed on the line with me until the ambulance arrived, preceded by the local police. They did a quick assessment and decided I should take a ride to the hospital.
The paramedic gave me some liquid sugar in a tube, and I began to feel a bit better. I didn't make the connection to low blood sugar until two days later, however.
I spent all day Saturday in the ER, and they then transferred me to a room. I didn't get to eat anything until 8 that night, so I was fasting from 7 in the morning. That's no fun at all! Not my choice, they just never got around to feeding me. I had one cup of water and a bag of D5W.
They did tests on me all three days. I had brain scans, Cat Scans, Dog scans, ultrasounds (I'm not pregnant!), and they also took 10 tubes of blood during my stay.
They did sugar level tests and my fingers feel like pin cushions!
All circulation tests came out just fine, and that is a relief. My heart and arteries are fine.
My blood sugar got low again on Monday and they managed to do a test to monitor it and figure out the problem. It's not diabetes.
It's just my body adjusting to the loss of weight. I burn too many calories because the body is used to having 89 more pounds on it.
So now, I have to carry some sugar around with me, and monitor my blood sugar levels with a thingy that poke holes in my body, mostly fingers.
...................But, I'm feeling much better now!

The dumbing down of America!

Today the congress will vote on the worst bill ever in the history of our country.
The Democrats will vote "Yes".
The Republicans will vote "No".
The three fools who think they are doing the right thing will vote against their party lines and the bill will become law.
I listened to Glenn Beck this morning and I think he has the right idea. He quoted George Washington who said that a party system will be the downfall of the country.
He suggested that the individuals in congress should be vote yes or no, but they should at least read the bill before they vote.
Many of the people in congress have not read it or been given time to read it.
Our new President is too naive and new to really know what he is doing yet, so he deferred to two of the most insane members of congress, namely:
Nancy Pelosi
Harry Reed
When history of this time is reviewed in 200 years, I can't imagine what people will think about us.
The bill they pass tonight or tomorrow, will affect my future as a bariatric patient. health care is going to change drastically.
Socialized medicine is on it's way!
I dare you to convince me otherwise.

Pick a diet, any diet!

Richard Simmons had a "Live it" because he said diets were finite. He was correct!
You start a diet, and finish a diet. They work while they are there, and then stop when they are done.
Before I get to my favorite list, here is a short list of things you should do before starting to do any weight loss plan:

1. Talk to your family doctor about getting a sleep test if you snore. If you have sleep apnea from being overweight, you can lower your blood pressure, and actually lose weight by getting it taken care of. Make sure you are getting enough quality sleep. I use a CPAP machine (ask me about it by email) and I love it. I breathe filtered air at night and sleep much better than I ever did before. If your doctor won't go along with the test, find another doctor.
   
2. Get an endoscopy/colonoscopy. Make sure you ask them to check you for Celiac Sprue. If you have it and eliminate all wheat/gluten products from your diet, you will lose weight and feel better. If you follow the guidelines even if you don't have Celiac, you will lose weight. But, be careful that you get enough fiber from other sources or you will get constipated.
3. Get a full round of blood tests to eliminate any other problems. When I went for the colonoscopy/endoscopy, they took 11 tubes of blood and got 20+ test results from them. That gave them an idea of what I needed to work on to improve. The blood tests for the bariatric is even more intense. 15 tubes of blood and a bunch more results.

If you do all of the above, keep notes or records so you have a starting point of reference in the future. If you get discouraged, you can look back and see the improvement/changes. Keep track of your progress.

So, here are some ideas for anyone reading this blog, who doesn't want to go through gastric bypass, or band surgery:

• Eliminate sauces from your diet. Use seasonings instead. They have fewer calories, and less fat overall. Instead of making a fatty gravy, use spices, seasonings, vegetables, or fruits. You would be amazed what an apple or orange can do for chicken.
• Get a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day. They cost around $10.00, and work really well. You don't have to buy the expensive fancy ones to get the benefits. Buy a decent pair of walking shoes. If you don't like the cold, go to the mall. Or, buy a down coat, rabbit fur hat, and gloves with liners. One of my diets called for walking 4 miles a day above what you normally walk. It's not easy, but you can increase your activity and not kill yourself, and still lose a few pounds and get into better shape.
• Eat more fiber. There are many fiber rich foods. Fiber One makes some decent cereal. I can't eat it now with my celiac disease, but you can. Fiber One makes yogurt too. I can have that. Metamucil is a high fiber material that is safe to take every day. Add a teaspoon or two to a glass of juice or iced tea, and drink fairly quickly. It gels very fast, so you have to consume it before it does. Quaker Oats weight loss oatmeal is very good, and I can eat it.
  
• Eat more protein. When you sit down to a meal, eat protein first, then your veggies, then any fruit. The protein breaks down into sugar the slowest, so it stays in your stomach longer and keeps you full.
• Don't drink anything with your meal. Drink your liquids 15 minutes before you eat, or one hour afterwards. The liquid tends to wash the nutrients out of your stomach faster, and you don't get the full benefits of a full stomach as long. Nor do you get the extra nutrition.
• Eliminate or cut down on potatoes. Gee, how do you spell it? They are basically empty calories.
• Eliminate sugar. Eat fruit because it has what my dietitian calls "binding" sugar. This sugar binds to other things, making it OK. Use sugar substitutes. I have been using Sweet and Low ever since they told me about the rats getting cancer. I stay away from aspartame, but not completely. Some of the others don't satisfy me. You can get rid of the aftertaste if you stop using all sugars for the first two weeks you are on your "diet". After about two weeks, you won't be able to tell the difference between sugar and sweeteners. Amazing, but true.
• Cook your own meals. Then, you can add what you want, and not include all the additives the processed foods have. If you don't want salt, don't add it! Simple and it works.
• Drink lots of water. I use Crystal Lite powder mixes. Iced tea, red raspberry, all with no calories. I bought a gallon container over at Wal Mart. It has a spigot on the bottom, and a lid on the top. I drop in two powder containers, add water, shake, and put it in the fridge. I bought a case of Fruit 2,O water, and as I finish the bottles, I refill them with the Crystal Lite! Cheaper than the bottled water, and tastes better to me. A good sign you're getting enough water is when you urinate during the day, it should be almost clear. The darker it is, the more you need to drink. Don't drown yourself.
• Take vitamins. Find out what you need according to your doctor's report and take them.
  
• Eat fruit after every meal. This adds fiber, and gives you the sugar you crave, instead of eating a dessert filled with calories.
  

I think that's enough for now. Let me know if you have any ideas to add to the list. I know I have more, but this is a rather long entry.

Diet fads and snake oil

I have been through the mill as far as dieting, exercise, and fads. I have seen many, many, many diets that I know won't work, or will work if you can maintain them over time. Once you reach your "goal" weight and go back to "normal" eating, you lose the fight and gain the weight back.
The only people who lose weight and keep it off for life are imaginary as far as I can tell. I haven't met any of them in real life yet, because, if they lose the weight and keep it off, they have solved their problems.
I haven't solved my problems yet, but I am moving in the right direction.
The gastric bypass gave me the head start.
The Dietitian gave me the tools.
Now, it's time for me to correct a few things that are still wrong in my life, and I should be able to solve my problems for life.
Prayer, diet and exercise are the keys.
Proper eating, having my head in the right place, and no major outside disasters will allow me to win this race. But, there is no end for this race. It will continue until I am dead.
The race will never end until I leave this body behind.

I had a teacher in 7th and 8th grade who told a story of the king who would give away his daughter in marriage to the man who could tell a story that would never end. We heard the story every day for two years, and the story never ended. We kept waiting for it to end, and it went on and on.
This is that story. It will never end.

Now, on to the snake oil:
I have a friend who sent me some chocolate that has ingredients in it to help you lose weight. It is part of a multi-level marketing system that is moving up the ladder rapidly.
I looked up each ingredient, and read about them to see if there was anything harmful in it. There wasn't.
So, the diet chocolate will work? Yes and no.

1. The stuff is expensive as all diet plans are.
2. There is not enough quantity of each ingredient to make any difference in your diet.
3. The diet required you to drink one glass of water with the chocolate before a meal. If you were 100 pounds or more overweight, you had to drink 3 glasses of water!
   
4. The main active ingredient besides dark chocolate was xylitol, which is a natural diuretic. So, you drink the water, and the xylitol makes you pee! Guaranteed weight loss. Xylitol also has benefits as far as your teeth are concerned. If you chew gum with xylitol, it has the effect of neutralizing the acid in your mouth that would cause tooth decay. This is something I learned from a dentist friend of mine. But, the amount of it in this chocolate, plus the fact that you get rid of the chocolate pretty quickly, negates it's benefits.
5. When you stop the diet, you lose the race, as I said before.
6. Some of the other ingredients haven't been tested long term, so their benefits/dangers may not be known. I do know that xylitol loses it's diuretic effects with usage, so it may not work after awhile. Your body gets used to it.
   

I have never met anyone who could lose 100 pounds or more and keep it off for life by eating one little chocolate piece. Or even 3 pieces!
Now, the water is a good idea. But three glasses? No wonder they lost weight. They were bloated with water! 3 glasses could be dangerous too.
If you want to make money with a multi level marketing company, Google "Send out Cards". This is the only company I know that has a legitimate product that will work if you work at it.

Last night's support group meeting

I gave out a pile of cards with my blog on it, in the hopes of growing my contacts with bariatric people.
This is a selfish thing on my part. I want to learn from as many as I can about what they do and how they do it.
I was surprised that many people didn't know what a blog is.
Well, in this world, a blog can be anything you want it to be.
So, back to the meeting.
The team and one other person took a walk around the grounds. I was in the lead for no special reason. I took us up and down the stairs and back and forth about 3 times. The building has 3 floors, and we saw all 3 of them twice.
I helped to move chairs and benches into the meeting room. That gave me a bit of a workout. I wanted to wait until the end of the meeting and help take them back, but I was tired from the snowy week. I shoveled two mornings in a row, and made two full batches of chili, along with everything else I did normally, so I am beat.
I was amused when one of the people mentioned that the meeting would have few people tonight because of the cold weather. I know that us fat and formerly fat people don't give a hoot about the cold weather. I also know how important this meeting is for me, and others. We learn so much, and we get the chance to ask questions that can't be answered anywhere else. It is worth it's weight in gold to be there.
THE PLACE WAS PACKED!
In fact, they had to go get more chairs. There was no room at all for more people and a few even stood in the doorway. One sat on the floor.
Wendy, our team RN and post patient gave a talk on resolutions. Very positive stuff with lots of encouragement for everyone. The Q&A afterwards was good too. Lots of questions.

The groups of people will probably have to be broken down into smaller groups. I will make that suggestion and others when the steering committee gets together later this month.

• Pre Surgery
• Post Surgery
• Pre-Band Surgery
• Post Band Surgery
• Family and friends support

There can be further breakdowns, but these are the main ones. The band people have different problems to deal with, and I would like to learn more about them in a few years, after I finish with my problems.
I was able to get into the post surgery group last night for the first time in 3 meetings. I really enjoy talking with the pre people and answering their questions really helps me to understand myself. But, I missed hearing from the people who are going through the post process.
Boy, did I pick up some tips and tricks! That was the best part of the meeting for me last night.
I managed to buy two bottles of calcium chewables for a song since the person selling them didn't like them and didn't want to take the time to return them. Now I have enough for another month or more.
I also met a few people that I am recognizing. This is good for my memory, since I have trouble remembering names and faces. It's tough at these meeting, though, because these people were heavier when I last saw them. The changes are amazing!
I let my hair grow out a bit because I haven't gotten to the barber in a few weeks, so I looked different as well. People still knew me....a great boost to my ego.
I am hoping people make contact through my email and this blog. It keeps me busy and the support is something I really need. I hope to support them too.

Next steps

Well, now I have to clear my head, and get back on track.
If you think that I am perfect, you had better think again.
I fell off the wagon the past month or so. I stopped eating properly thinking that the stomach surgery would take care of me. Well, it did, but not the way I wanted. I wanted it to do all the work, and I got lazy.
Now, I have to get it right. Fortunately, my "pouch" only allows me to eat so much before it stops me. But, what I put in the pouch is more important than how much.
So, I only lost 10 pounds between my last official weigh in and last week. I should have lost another 12 pounds on top of that.
This time, I know what I did wrong, and I can fix it.
When I lost weight before, I would look at this time as the end of my diet plan, and would have to find another excuse.
Now, I have a team to straighten me out.
I have reviewed my diet sheets, and taken some hard advice from Dr. Brader.
I am walking outside when I can, and working the treadmill and total gym inside when I can't get outside.
It's supposed to snow Monday night into Tuesday, so I will have time to do some things here in the house. That will work well towards my "between the ears" recovery. Getting the house cleaned up and some projects finished always makes me feel good.
At Thursday's meeting, we will hand out little pieces of paper with my name and blog site listed. If you know of anyone who is a Bariatric patient, or someone who could use some tips on how to lose weight the right way, send them my way.
I hope this site helps more people every day.
Now, you know I am not perfect. I am pretty close, but not quite......

Overwhelmed

Every Once in awhile, I have good things happen to me, and sometimes bad things.
I get overwhelmed.
That's where I am right now.
Too much is happening, and I want the good feeling to last, so I shut down.
I have to overcome that feeling and move ahead.
When I do, I will know I've arrived!
I will be posting some new websites to help both you and I to save money, and still get the bariatric stuff we want and need.
Stay tuned......

Next meeting.

The next meeting of the Lancaster General Hospital Bariatric Group is Thursday, February 5, 2009.
7pm. to 8:30pm. at the Health Campus.
I haven't heard what the topic of discussion is going to be, but the support of the fellow Pre and Post people is worth it's weight in gold.
If you are going, feel free to let me know. I will be there about an hour early to walk with anyone who is interested. We walk inside the Health Campus and it's enjoyable. We cover all three floors. Nice and warm with good company.
See you there.

This is me and Lilly now!

January, 2009.
We took Lilly to an indoor playpark. I could never have done this a year ago! I was too fat and out of shape.
Now, I can move around.
I can bend down.
I can smile.
I can stand up again.
I can stay on my feet much longer than I could.

One of the things I wanted to do was to visit Eric and Shona, and Lilly once a month and take Lilly so Eric and Shona could have a few hours of free time.
I can do that now.

What's changed?

Well, that is a tough one because in order for me to answer that, I have to go back and look at the past posts. Because, I am not really concerned with change anymore. Obama can screw that up, I mean, worry about that for me.

• I changed my chili recipe. I use it as a main meal now because I can prepare it in quantity and keep it frozen until needed. If I am lazy that day, or just need to do something else, I can grab it and heat it up in a few minutes without fuss.

My chili recipe doesn't have sausage in it anymore. I had to switch over to turkey or chicken sausage, and I don't really like either one that much. I will buy and eat other sausage in my other meals, but not add it to the chili.
I also don't use two different kinds of beef. I use ground beef now because I like the way it works smoothly into the chili. I still make up a batch with just beef cubes, but I don't mix them.
I don't add spinach to the mix anymore. I will make a stew with spinach, beef cubes, and beans, but it won't be chili.
I do add celery, onion, and carrots now on a regular basis. I also still use Lima beans and corn once in awhile. I can use them in other foods separate from chili now.
Chili was my main meal every day for awhile since it had all of the main food groups in it, and it is easy for me to prepare, but now, I am working towards incorporating other foods into my diet.

• I started to lose weight again. My plateau is now over. This is the first plateau, not the last. I started cutting back on quantity of some meals. I standardize some meals, and change things only once in awhile. This works for me, so I do it.
• I don't bother with the scale as much as I did. Since I started working out, I am not concerned as much with weight as I am with fitness. I want to feel strong and feel good.
  
• I am not too worried about my looks. I have some sagging, and I can see that I will have a lot more to worry about soon, but I am looking so much healthier than I did. I've seen some folks lose weight too fast (non-bariatric people) and they look like death warmed over, even though they are healthy. I am concerned with making sure I lose at a rate that doesn't allow that to happen to me. I will worry about cosmetics in the future. Not my concern now.
• I passed another round of blood tests with flying colors. I am now a fanatic about making sure I stick to my diet, and vitamin/mineral plan in order to be the best that I can be.
• I really am starting to believe that I can finish this successfully. This is the first time I can remember feeling like this. I am sticking to my exercise plan, and not feeling like I'm going to die anytime soon. Yippie!

So, what's next? Well, for now, I will continue to move forward, and not worry about when I'll get there.

15 tubes of blood and a Yo Ho Ho!

That's a new record for me, as I think I said earlier.
Got the results today.
Keep in mind that before I lost the weight, I was taking tons of pills for all kinds of medical conditions, all related to my weight.
I am now taking zero pills! None, Nada, no dope!
My BP was almost normal (just a bit high).
My other tests were all well within the normal range. I have never been normal, so this is a real experience for me.
The only test my family doctor doesn't like, is my cholesterol, which is high. So, he gave me some pills to take for 6 weeks until I can take another cholesterol test. I am hesitant to take them, and will resist if I can justify the risk, versus the rewards.
I hate Statin drugs. They probably were responsible for me gaining weight a few years back. They made my joints ache, and they still do. I will never take them again. Never!
Now according to the reports on this other drug, there is really no way to determine if it is working. That is because the results don't show up on any tests. Also, it came back a few months ago, that they weren't even sure the stuff did anything.
So, now I will begin a search for a new family doctor that is more interested in me, than in supporting the drug companies.
He better not mention chocolate......

Cold ? It's a 3 dog night!

I fell off the wagon for a bit. Things were going so well, and I decided to treat myself, so I had a little more food, and goodies than I should.
I also let my mind wander a bit, and should have stayed focused. Well, that wasn't to be.
So now, I am still at my plateau, and starting to get a little antsy.
I am working out more, so my muscle tone is improving. "Antsy" is good for workouts!
I found an indoor baseball park. I like baseball, so I am going to try my hand at a batting cage in the next few days. It will be part of my exercise plan if I can afford it. Otherwise, I will stay in my basement and work out there until it gets warmer.
Anyone who wants to join me is welcome.
I managed to clean out the dryer vent, since it was totally clogged. I also assembled 6 large, and 2 small boxes so I can do more "reading up". I have an area that is 10' by 5' and about 3 foot high of trash to be brought up from the basement to be stored on the porch until I can afford to have it hauled away. If I really get to it, I will break everything down and just take it down with the trash every week until it's gone.
I need to put up a tarp on the porch to cut down on the breeze. The wind comes through and blows everything all over the place. I have to keep hunting for the trash can.
This past week, we had a snow scare. The weathermen were all wrong and we just got a dusting, so moving everything around on the porch to pull the car up was really not necessary.
I took my scooter (Honda Helix) for it's weekly ride yesterday. It was really cold for that. I covered 30 miles and it took a few minutes to thaw out afterwards. I was dressed in layers and a goose down coat, so I was fairly comfortable for the whole trip. I would like to get a head to toe coverall that is down filled along with some glove liners, and a full face helmet, but that will have to wait. The wind gets into all the little spaces I can't cover up. I have a "buff" and that does well for my neck and head, but I could use a little more.
So now I am on my way to more weight loss, and much better health after a normal "pause" in the routine. All work and no play......

Stop sign ahead!

I thought I had it all figured out.
I was well on my way to losing the weight, getting into shape, and feeling great.
Then, I ran into my first stop sign. Blam!
My weight loss stopped.
I have been feeling great, but all of a sudden, I have to go lay down. I am beat. Blam!
I have been following my diet to the letter with a few cheats, but not calories as much as....well, I love chocolate, get the idea? Dark Chocolate, Yummy. I eat one small square.
I've also eased up just a little on my Celiac diet. I don't eat bread, but I did have a piece of pizza. Just one.
So, I wrote an email to my team at Lancaster General Bariatrics, asking them what was up. Was I having a problem, or is this just normal.
I got an answer. I reached my first plateau. It's a normal part of the weight loss process.
I honestly thought that would occur much later in the process, but it caught me off guard.
It got me!
But, with the help of the team, I am back on track.
I made it to 224, but have been all around that number from 226 down to 222. That's OK, I can live with that.
I have been walking. I took to the rail trail this past week. I covered 4 miles, 2 out, 2 back. I kept moving the whole time. I only stopped long enough to take a few sips of my Crystal Light Red.
It felt funny to walk. My legs felt so stiff without all the fat flopping around. I keep hearing my joints popping and adjusting.
I also have been giving my clothes hanger a workout. You know, the one they call "Total Gym"? I found out it was fun if I play some great music on my DJ outfit. As long as I shake the walls, I can go forever! Same thing with the treadmill. I climb hills and actually jog for a few minutes.
I used to run in my dreams and wake up out of breath. Now, I will be able to do it for real.
Wow. Bring it on! I'm ready for it all!

Happy New Year

I have been reviewing my life up until this point, and I hate writing things like "Happy New Year" for whatever reasons I have.
So, I wrote it many times today, and everytime I did, it made me think of things I hadn't thought of in years.
But in this new year, I will make some of the most important decisions of my life so far.

1. I really, really mind the cold for the first time I can remember. I am tired of the cold, so I will try to move to a warmer climate.
2. I was never a "jock". This year, I will try to become interested in exercise and non intellectual pursuits.
3. I will re-examine every aspect of my life, and try to change some of them.

So to all who are reading this......Happy new Year!

Rotisserie Chicken

While I cook the chicken, I listen to Jazz on the TV set. It's Comcast digital, and sounds great with my surround sound system that was very cheap.
Tools:

• Ron Popiel Rotisserie

• Paint brush. I use a 1" unfinished handle nylon brush. I wash it as soon as I'm finished with it and let it air dry.

• Teacup

Seasonings:

• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Garlic (you may use powder, salt, or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1/2 stick Butter (yes, I still use butter)
• 1/4 cup Vinegar

1. Put butter in teacup and microwave until the butter is melted and warm. About 45 seconds to 1 minute.
2. Add all ingredients to the butter and mix with the brush. Store the cup on top of the rotisserie to keep the butter soupy and warm. You may take it off if it gets too hot.

Use one or two 3.5 pound chickens of your choice, cleaned and rinsed with cold water. You may add stuffing to the chicken, but not if you are a Celiac like me.
Mount the chickens on the rotator and tie the legs so they don't flop.
Mix the liquid and seasonings together and paint the chicken before you mount it. Pay attention to the inside edges so they will brown and not burn too much.

• I set my alarm for every 10 minutes and I paint the chicken with the seasonings. When you run out of seasonings, you may clean up.

The rotisserie works well if you read the instructions. you run it 15 minutes for every pound of chicken. Keeping checking it, and especially around an hour. You should use a meat thermometer to check internal temp to make sure it is cooked inside. It will continue to cook after it is taken out of the oven.

Serve with vegetables of your choice.