Sunshine's Heart

9 Months Out - Before and After Photos

2009-11-06T18:45:00.005-05:00

Surgery Day February 5, 2009. 306 pounds

9 Months Out November 5, 2009. 298 pounds

Surgery Day Side View February 5, 2009. 306 pounds

9 Months Out November 5, 2009. 298 pounds

Things are going remarkably well. They weight loss has slowed down significantly but it is still coming off steadily and I cant complain. I am very happy being under 200 pounds. I feel good. I look much better than before and I am able to DO so much more. I have no regrets about my RNY. I only wish I had been ready sooner than age 45 to do it. So many wasted years, when I could have been healthier and more active. I cant feel too bad about it though because I simply wasnt mentally ready to try surgery. I have a lot to be thankful for these days. There have been so many changes that it is difficult for my mind to keep up. Just looking at before photos and photos of me now is amazing to me. I dont look or feel like the same person I was then. I am down a total of 125 pounds. I have 38 pounds still to go to get to my goal. I've lost a total of 64.5 inches from my waist, hips, bust, thighs, upper arms, and neck. I gone from a size 38 women's to a size 18 pants and a size 16 tops. I still have a way to go, but I feel I have madea good start and I'm looking forward to moving on.

More later.

Sunshine

A Lovely Day

2009-11-01T23:50:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year again. Today was my 46th birthday. It has been a wonderful day and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I did have to get another year older. I spent the morning sleeping in and then later in the afternoon, Dail took me shopping at The Dress Barn, my favorite store at this point in my life. I got a new pair of black dress slacks. They look really good. I got a maroon stretch lace blouse with a camisole already sewn in. I got a purple satin jacket/blouse with a separate camisole. I will take photos later in the week for my 9th month surgiversary and post them then. I also got some matching jewelry and a new purple handbag to go with all my purple outfits. Love it all! Dail made it a very special day.

We had to nix our trip to Atlanta for financial concerns. I'm really disappointed but I agree that it would really put us in a bind. So, no trip. However, Dail will be taking me to my surgeon's support group meeting on Friday evening so at least I will be able to get together in real life with some other weight loss surgery people. That will be a real treat.

We had a small family Halloween Party last night. Just Nick and Dail and I. Bethany and Brandon had too much to do to be able to make it out here and Kailee was working. Nick and Dail chickened out of dressing up but I still put on my full costume for the Trick or Treaters. We have a lot and they were all well-behaved and polite kids. This is a great neighborhood for this kind of thing. Lots of people in the holiday spirit. I have a couple of photos to share.

I'm not smiling because Nick was taking forever to snap the shots and I was getting impatient. I had cookies in the oven.

Had some wow moments at The Dress Barn. I've gone down more sizes than I realized. It was very pleasurable to be able to buy the smallest sizes I've worn since high school. I bought size 18 pants and size 16 shirts. I find it unbelievable that they actually fit and look nice. I'm so thankful for my RNY.

Getting late so I'm going to stop now. I will try to update more soon.

Sunshine

Onderland!

2009-10-23T14:33:00.002-04:00

I am finally below 200 pounds and into onderland. It is a great feeling. Now I'm only a couple of pounds away from the "overweight" category as opposed to the "obese" category. Unbelievable. Feeling good today and pleased with my progress.

Maybe more later.

Sunshine

The Prodigal Returns

2009-10-22T15:05:00.002-04:00

So sorry I havent been around to blog in a while. Real life has been busy with a lot going on and I am feeling a little overwhelmed. At my last psychiatrist appointment I was diagnosed with SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a seasonal depression usually caused by lack of sunlight. It has been a rainy dreary summer and I didn't get myself out in the daytime much this year. So I am feeling down and tired and have a very low energy level. I'm also getting a little reclusive again. Just not feeling like getting out much. I intended to spend the fall beating the streets for new Avon customers but I just havent been able to make myself do it. I'm very concerned because I seem to be slipping in all areas, including the housework. They place is a mess and I just cant seem to get myself up and moving, which makes me feel even worse. My psychiatrist raised my Prozac back up to 20 mgs but this is a dilemma for me. As the weight has come off the medicine affects me more and causes sexual dysfunction, as in inability to reach orgasm. I cant describe the frustration I feel to get all worked up and just not be able to find release. It leaves me moody and irritable and unable to sleep. I'm still trying to work out what the best thing to do is. I'm not scheduled to see Dr. Gyurik again until next month. I've depended on Prozac for many years but maybe it is time to try something new. In the meantime, I'm not taking it like I should but things seem to be going down hill. More on this issue when Peninsula returns my phone call.

Things are going okay with the weight loss. It has slowed down a bit since I passed the 6 month mark. I'm sitting at 200 pounds right now, just on the verge of Onderland. I will probably stall now and be driven crazy with anticipation. A few more pounds and I will also be out of the obese category and into the overweight range. I'm sure that will go a long way to helping me feel better about things.

I know this is a very brief update but I just dont have the emotional energy to post more. I will try to check in more often though.

Sunshine

In Loving Memory

2009-10-07T01:18:00.002-04:00

An old school friend of mine passed away today. Her name was Linda Brown Fox. We were in school together all the way from elementary school through high school. We were good friends all that time. We frequently picked her and some of her sisters up to attend church and Bible School with us. I remember when she accepted Christ into her life. She was a beautiful, sweet lady and she will be greatly missed. I heard from her sister that life had not been kind to her over the past few years. She battled mental illness and never found the right meds to keep her stable. She was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia, similar to my diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder, but her condition was much worse. A couple of years ago, she lost her husband to a massive heart attack. I was unaware of this. I thought of her often and wanted to get in touch but wasnt sure how. I have deep regrets that I never followed through with tracking down her number and giving her a call. I've been terribly reclusive and was embarrassed to let old friends see how heavy I had gotten. Evidently, the psych meds had the same affect on Linda and she gained a lot of weight on them. She was always wonderfully thin in school and I'm sure the weight gain had a major effect on her self-esteem. Tonight, I am thinking "There but for the grace of God, goes I." I thankful for all that God has done for me and brought me through, but I cant help but wonder why Linda was allowed to suffer so. She evidently had the flu and waited to long to seek treatment. By the time she went in to the ER, she already had pneumonia. It was too late for testing to determine if it was the regular flu or the swine flu. The pneumonia moved into the other lung and she lost her battle this afternoon. I'm feeling really bad that I didn't check on her and offer her my love and support. Too often, we lose touch with people who once meant a great deal to us. I hope I can learn from this. That next time I have someone on my mind, I follow through and get in touch. When God puts someone on our mind, maybe there is a good reason. We wont know until we make the call.

My prayers go out to Linda's family. Her husband preceeded her in death and there are two teen daughters who are left behind.

Sunshine

Before and 8 Months Out

2009-10-06T12:15:00.005-04:00

February 5, 2009. Surgery Day. 306 Pounds.

October 5, 2009. 8 Months Out. 204 Pounds.

February 5, 2009. Surgery Day. 306 Pounds.

October 5, 2009. 8 Months Out. 204 pounds.

So, things are going great. (For, Syl...this is one of my new sweaters from the Dressbarn. I love the neckline especially. The jeans came from Walmart.) So I'm down a total of 118 pounds. Down 103 since surgery. I weighed in at 203 this morning. So happy that things are moving again. I"m very pleased with my pr0gress so far and I'm starting to be more sure that I will actually get to my goal of 160 pounds. I'm very pleased. I also took my measurements last night and I've lost a total of 66.5 inches. Love my RNY.

More later from the homefront.

Sunshine

Peaceful Friday

2009-10-02T13:57:00.003-04:00

I'm having a very relaxing day at home today. Yesterday was busy and tiring but fun too. Bethany came over for a while and we worked on some Avon stuff. She has decided to be a rep and I'm going to get her signed up officially on Monday. We are going to go out prospecting together and then split all the orders. It will be great fun. It is also neat that I have started my own downline by signing her. We drove out to the bank so I could make an Avon deposit and start Nick's SSI account for direct deposit. I love our bank. It is so convenient to have all the accounts linked so that I can handle all of then online. Love the way it works. After the bank we spent the rest of the day at Bethany's apartment. It was fun to spend time with Chase. A good day.

When Dail picked me up after work, we drove to west Knoxville to meet a couple of ladies from the Obesity Help Rants and Raves board. I love these ladies and was so looking forward to meeting them. We had a wonderful dinner at Calhoun's and truly enjoyed getting to know each other in real life. Both are lovely, sweet ladies. I hope we can get together again sometime. It was so much fun. Even Dail and Nick enjoyed it. Afterward, we did our weekly grocery shopping. It ended up being a late night so we are all tired but nothing planned for today so I'm resting and relaxing. I'm sure Dail is having a hard time at work, though. It has been a long haul for him this week. Nick got up, had lunch, and then went back to bed. Typical male teen.

Had a few minor issues here this morning. My wireless isn't working so Nick had to run a cable from the living room into the bedroom so that I could get online. Hoping Dail will feel up to working on it when he gets home. Also, out little kitty, Stormy has gotten out again. She is just a baby but likes to run out the door as soon as it is open. She is safe under the house and is enjoying playing under there but she wont come to us. Maybe Dail will have more luck when he gets home.

I did have some happy events today, though. My checks for my new Avon account arrived and I'm loving them. I chose the Breast Cancer research motif for my checks and checkbook cover. They are fairly expensive but it is what I wanted. Avon is a big supported of the Breast Cancer and Domestic Violences causes and I thought these checks would be appropriate. It also fits in with the Breast Cancer pink and black briefcase and office items I am using for my business. I like to be coordinated and also, I love pink. I'm very happy with the way things are going.

Not much more news, really, other than that the scale has moved a lot this week. I'm down to 204 pounds as of today. 5 pounds until onderland. I'm very pleased and hoping the scale will continue to move at this rate for a while longer. If and when I get below 200, it will be the smallest I've been since my junior year in high school. That will be a great feeling.

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

Sunshine

A Productive and Happy Day

2009-09-29T21:22:00.003-04:00

What a day! So much going on and so much hard labor! Not really but there was a fair amount of office-type work involved. It was Avon shipment day. I have been wondering since I submitted my order, why it would need to be shipped in 6 boxes. I had about 7 customers and a few good orders but nothing huge. Turned out I have ordered brochures TWICE without realizing it. I now have over 300 brochures for campaign 22. I dont see this as a bad thing though. It is a good investment for someone just starting out. I now have enough to drop off one to each house in my neighborhood and also to all the businesses I frequent, not to mention family and friends. This could work out even better than I thought. Anyway, I spent the whole day labeling, date-stamping and flyer-stuffing the brochures. It was a little tiring. My shoulders are aching a bit but it was rewarding also to work at something I find significant and meaningful. Yay for Avon.

Late night last night. Dail had to work until almost midnight. A computer guy from Knoxville was supposed to help them last week with getting the servers moved to the new building. He left on Friday with the work not done and the burden fell on Dail's shoulders. This was work requiring special skills and knowledge of the new equipment that Dail doesnt have. The guy the company sent was supposed to get things in order. He was paid A LOT to do this. Dail worked hard all weekend to try to get things going himself but wasnt successful. The bosses were angry and evidently called the company to complain. They sent the same guy back up, but he didn't show up until 7:30 pm. I hate when Dail has to wear himself out like that. He even worked most of his day off. The good news is he will have a super good check next week. He is tired now though. Falling asleep watching TV. Bless his heart.

Long, long day, but very satisfying.

On the homefront, there was a little good news. The scale has moved the last couple of days. I"m down 2 more pounds which puts me at 207. I am dying to get below 200 but it is going slowly. The closer I get the more impatient I get. I guess that is normal. I'm still feeling a little tired too and usually need an afternoon nap. However, I made it okay today without it but I bet I will crash early tonight. I've been on the new dosage of Prozac for about a week. It will probably be a few more weeks before I will be able to tell a difference.

The weather has changed again. The rain seems to be over now but the temperature has really dropped. It is so much cooler now and fall is really in the air. I finally managed to get most of my fall decorations up. My scarecrows are standing sentry at the front door. I still need some hay and some pumpkins to complete the porch. Also, I found my giant spider and I'm thinking of weaving another spider web on the porch. The neighborhood kids love it. I already have my hanging ghost out there. Boo!

I guess that is all for tonight. I've had a good but tiring day. For Syl... my 8 month surgiversary is coming up so then I will dress up in some of the new clothes and take some photos. So glad you liked you Avon products.

Sunshine
http://youravon.com/kogle

For Syl

2009-09-28T18:26:00.004-04:00

Dear Syl,
I didn't realize how much you have been through recently. I got around to reading your blog and I am just amazed at how resilient you are. I'm so sorry about the accident. It must have been horrifying. I've never been in a serious crash myself but used to have a recurring dream about being in one. No wonder you are nervous when driving now. I'm so glad you are doing better. I will keep you in my prayers. Please hang in there and continue to share your feelings. It helps me so much to blog my thoughts and feelings here. I hope you will get back to your blogging and put it all out there. You are an amazing lady and I'm so glad to have found you here. I appreciate so much all your helpful and encouraging comments. So many times, your words have made my day better. Hang in there and take good care of you. Blessings to you.

Sunshine

A Wonderful Sunday

2009-09-27T23:58:00.002-04:00

Hello to Syl. Thanks for posting and saying such kind things. My surgeon is stricter than most about my fat limits for the day. I'm allowed 30 grams per day. I usually get most of my fat for the day in eggs. I love eggs and eat them frequently but 2 eggs have 14 grams of fat. That is almost half my daily limit. I just cant justify adding bacon or sausage to that. I do sometimes add canadian bacon or ham and a little low fat cheese. I love eggs scrambled with cheese. I also sometimes use the Fast Fixin' Omelets I found in the frozen food section. They are great when you are in a hurry or just not up to standing at the stove. I can work in foods I should avoid if I make them fit with my limits. I guess I just don't like bacon and sausage enough to go to that trouble often. I used to love them but now my tastes have changed a bit.

Had a wonderful day today. I made it to church again. Bethany picked me up and she and Chase went with me. It was a good service and I'm glad I made myself get up to go. I think Dail would like it there now if I can just get past his stubbornness to give it a try. I'm hoping to convince him to go next Sunday night. There will be special music that night. I really enjoy gospel music.

I cant remember how many days it has been since I blogged. Too many. I'm sure. I was kind of tied up with some of the business chores related to Avon. I sent in my first order on Thursday night. All of those things can be handled online now. I still have a lot to learn though about navigating my online office and store. There are several online courses that you can take to learn about how to build your business and to become familiar with the products. It is all very new and exciting. I havent set any records with sales yet but I'm doing okay and pleased with the few customers I do have. Bethany is getting interested in becoming a Rep. too and if she joins, I will then have a downline. Isn't that exciting? I think this means so much to me because I've had to spend so many years just lying in bed waiting for each day to end. I had no energy to get up, care about my appearance or clothing, or even to THINK really. Now there is some enthusiasm in me and I want to be DOING something that matters. It probably sounds silly, but I'm having a great time with this.

A word about tranfer addictions. I predicted it and I was right. Shopping is my tranfer addiction. I'm crazy about shopping and getting new ANYTHING. I've spent quite a bit on clothing, shoes and accessories lately, not to mention make-up and skin care products. I keep waiting for Dail to lose his cool over it but he hasn't so far. I've got to work on getting it under control. I could use some professional guidance, but for whatever reason, I still haven't heard from the new therapist about an appointment. I need some therapy for several issues. I hope they get it all straightened out soon.

I think I'm finally getting sleepy so I may need to stop now. I'll try to be more diligent about blogging in the future. It helps me to read back over posts to see how things are changing in my life.

Sunshine

Moving Right Along

2009-09-22T22:47:00.003-04:00

So, today started out to be a busy one. I woke fairly early to get my bath and shaving chores done. Dont you just love leg shaving days? At least now it is much easier for me. I did my make-up and got dressed and waited for Dail to pick me up. I had an appointment this afternoon with my Avon district sales manager. She is a very nice lady named Cindy. I think a lot of her and she is great at her job. She has given me a lot of good advice and encouragement. She brought me my brochures for the next campaign and also some special flyers for products with special prices. We had a nice long chat about new products and sales techniques and also about what is going on in our lives and with our pets. We both seem to be cat lovers and adore our babies. She also has a son with special needs and so there is a lot of common ground that we share. I look forward to seeing her again at next month's Representative Meeting. I can't wait to meet some of the other ladies in my area.

Cindy was very pleased with the number of sales I have so far. It doesn't seem like many to me but she says I'm doing great. I have about 6 local customers so far and 4 online customers. I will just have to try harder to build up my customer base. However, I do have my own rules about how to do this. I WILL NOT push or pressure anyone. That just isn't me and I always hate to have to deal with salespeople who are too pushy. That is a big turn-off for me. I just want to make people aware that I'm selling, get them the literature and website info and then let the products pretty much sell themselves. There are some wonderful products available now and I'm going to try as many as I can so as to share my experience with interested customers. Right now I'm really into the Smooth Minerals make-up collection. It is the most wonderful make-up I've ever used. It is so light you cant even feel that it is there but it offers good coverage and is priced very reasonably. I'm in love with it I think. It keeps my face dry too even when it is hot and muggy out. No oily shine like with liquid makeups. I cant wait to get my demo kit so that I can do make-overs and show people what a great product line it is. I'm really enjoying taking the online beauty courses and I'm learning so much about skin care, makeup, and fragrances. I never realized before how complicated some of these things can be. It has been a real learning experience.

Well, the scale finally moved again today. I'm so relieved. It has been a little over a week since I lost any. I have been bouncing between 210 and 212 for over a week. Very frustrating but very much to be expected at this stage. Today I was at 209. I'm really anxious to get below 200. That will be a major accomplishment in my book. It has been so long since I was there. I don't think I've been under 200 since I was in high school. I will probably throw a party and celebrate if and when I actually get there. I think there is this fear deep down, that maybe my weight loss is finished. I keep trying to tell myself that I have at least another year before I am out of the golden phase. I guess that fear is always there for anyone who has struggled with obesity. I'm thinking that fear may never really leave even if I get to goal.

Food has been a struggle lately. More things are tempting me now. I do allow myself a special treat now and then but I'm worried that will become too frequent as it has in the past. Last night, we had breakfast for dinner and I had some things I'm really supposed to avoid. I had an egg, over medium, which is okay, but I also had a small sausage patty and a slice of bacon. These are on my "avoid" list from my surgeon. I also had a small biscuit with some fat free gravy that I prepared from a mix. It was a wonderful treat but as always when I eat something that was an old favorite, I feel a bit guilty about it. There really was no harm done and I stayed within my limits but I guess the thought of eating unhealthy things really bothers me.

Lately, also, I've not been as religious with my food logging. I just dont seem to have as much enthusiasm and that can be a dangerous thing at this stage. I am determined to log my food for life so that things dont creep up on me unawares but this lethargy is making it seem harder than it really is. I saw my psychiatrist this week and she agree that maybe I am begining to have some symptoms of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). She raised my Prozac back up to 20 mgs and suggested that on sunny days, I get out in the sunlight for a few minutes. I was able to do that today and felt much better. It will take a while though for the increase in Prozac to be effective. She also raised my Trazodone for sleep. I seem to be more restless lately and am having trouble getting to sleep. Hopefully, this will take care of it. I've read a lot about other WLS patients battling insomnia after surgery. Haven't heard of what the cause for that might be though. Anyway, I will post more on this later as I see how the med adjustment works.

I guess that is all the news for today. Hope everyone has a good night.

Sunshine

http://youravon.com/kogle

Tired Today After A Great Sunday

2009-09-21T18:14:00.002-04:00

I did actually make it to church yesterday morning. The service was wonderful. I enjoyed the singing and the message. I saw several old friends that I havent seen since surgery. Some of them didn't recognize me. I really enjoyed myself and hope to be able to go back next week. That will be determined by whether or not I can find someone to take me. I described the service and the people and pastor to Dail. I think I gave him something to think about. He has been very hesitant to go back to church anywhere since out last experience with the church that failed. He has become very disillusioned about churches and modern Christianity. I dont know if I will ever be able to get him to go back. We do have a history with the church I attended yesterday. There were problems that caused us to leave. Things are different now though but I dont know if Dail will take a chance on visiting again. I will just have to pray and wait and see. I really want to keep attending and get involved again. I will just try to share my experiences there with him without pressuring him.

After church, Bethany and Chase and I drove to a nearby town to meet my mother and my Aunt Priscilla for lunch. We had a good time but my mom got on my nerves a bit. Sometimes she is just so pretentious that it really bugs me. Bethany didn't handle it as well and I'm afraid her ire showed through. Mom pulled me aside and asked my what was wrong with her. Bethany pulled me aside and asked me what was wrong with mom. LOL They dont really care that much for each other. Mom can be hard to take sometimes. She irritated me a bit by eating off my plate. When we arrived, she made a big production of saying that she and Priscilla had given up meat and were only going to eat vegetables in an attempt to lower their blood pressure. Later, as I was preparing my to-go box she started eating the meat off my plate. I was a little miffed because that would have made two more meals at home for me. Silly, I know.

After lunch, we visited Walmart and walked around for a bit. I picked up a shirt for Dail that was on sale and bought a much needed umbrella. It was pouring pain outside. We mostly just looked around for future reference. Christmas is in the offing and we checked out some gift ideas. The whole store there and just been remodelled. We had a great time.

We eventually made it home and I was so tired. Truth be told, I'm still tired today. I havent accomplished a single thing today. I think one more good night's rest will take care of me. Tomorrow I have a meeting with the local Avon district manager. She will be giving me the brochures for the next campaign. I'm very happy with the way things are going. I think I've made a good start and that makes me feel good about my efforts. I might be able to do a few followup visits tomorrow after the meeting if Dail has time to drive me around. The meeting will be at Starbuck's. I hope I can resist the goodies they have there. Last time I couldnt resist and had a few bites of apple fritter. Those were a favorite in my old life. I'll try harder tomorrow. I'll post more about this tomorrow.

I guess that is all my news for today. Having breakfast for dinner tonight. I think Dail has offered to cook. He is a sweetie when I'm not feeling well. Have a good evening.

Sunshine

You can visit my Avon site for amazing specials at http://youravon.com/kogle.

Lovely Morning and Peaceful Quiet Day

2009-09-18T22:01:00.003-04:00

It was a rough night last night as there was just so much running through my mind that I couldn't get to sleep. I didn't actually doze off until about 7 am after Dail left for work. Had to get up at 8 to get ready for a 9:30 AM appointment. It wasnt bad though. When the alarm went off it was gentle and I only hit the snooze button twice. I made it to the appointment on time. Dr. Gyurik was great. She suggested raising my Prozac back up to 20 mgs. I will start the new dose as soon as I can pick up the script from the pharmacy. She also increased my Trazodone a bit after hearing about my sleepless night last night and my trouble getting to sleep every night. I will give it a try when I can get the script filled. I'm a little worried about that one. Too much might make me drowsy during the day or make it harder for me to get up in the morning. I will have to experiement with it a little. She suggested I start with 1 and a half tablets before moving on to two tablets. More on that later.

While I was there, I dropped off a couple of Avon brochures. Maybe I will get some calls with orders next week. They were all excited about looking through the brochure. I'm hopeful.

After I dropped off the scripts at the pharmacy, I stopped by one of my old workplaces to drop off more Avon brochures. It has been over a year since any of these ladies saw me. I didn't realize how great the changes in me were until I saw their reactions. One of my favorite ladies there called me Ma'am and asked if she could help me. She absolutely didn't recognize me. I couldnt believe it. When she realized who I was, she jumped up and was very excited and complimentary about my weight loss. It was a great feeling. I spoke with them for quite a while and told them I still have 50 pounds to go to get to my goal. They told me to forget the 50 that I look great now. I'm telling you people that I am about to get a swelled head. I left there feeling really great mentally and emotionally but not so good physically. First time I've really felt ill since surgery. I got very nauseous and dizzy and thought I was going to pass out. That is what I get for hitting the snooze button. I didn't have time to eat or drink anything before I left the house. Once I sat down for a while I felt better and have great thoughts about all the nice things that were said to me today. The boss lady, Becky, is also the minister's wife at the church there with the childcare center. (I used to work in childcare when I was able.) She invited us to church. I love her greatly and I have decided to get Bethany to take me when she can even if Dail wont go. He was so hurt at our last church that he wont even really discuss going to another church. Becky's church did have some problems when we left there and I know Dail is remembering that, but I think he would feel so much better about his life if he could get back in a good church. Anyway, I've decided to go back on my own and hope that he will eventually follow. More on that later too.

So, things are going well. I have some new customers signed up on my Avon page. Not all of them have actually placed orders yet but I'm pleased just to have some new registrations. I really want to be successful at this, especially since Dail has put so much faith and money into getting me started. I feel really good about doing this. I hope God will bless my efforts.

I guess that is all the news for now. Nothing planned for tomorrow but housework. Nick is going to work with Dail so I will have the place to myself. Hoping to motivate myself to get some exercise in tomorrow. I've got to get moving to break this stall. My new pattern seems to be a stall for a week or 10 days and then lose a few pounds, then back to a stall. I've been lax with my plan the last few days too. I need a revival to get back to the grindstone. All prayers welcome and appreciated.

Blessings,
Sunshine

Had A Lovely Evening

2009-09-18T00:17:00.002-04:00

Dail and Nick and I had a wonderful dinner and evening out. We started with dinner at Bayou Bay Seafood House, one of our favorite places. Dail had fried oysters and fried shrimp. It looked yummy but I skipped the fried stuff and tried to stick to my plan. I had sauteed scallops with green onions and mushroom, and a few bites of salad and new potatoes. Nick had a fried chicken salad, his favorite. It was yummy and the atmosphere there is great. It reminds us of our favorite place in North Myrtle Beach. It is in the Cherry Grove area and is called Duffy Street Seafood Shack. We loved it and it was our favorite place when we lived there. Bayou Bay is a passable substitute. Someday though, maybe in the spring, I'd like to drive to the beach for the weekend and visit Duffy Street.

Shopping was great too. As we were browsing around Walmart, Dailo spotted a pink 3 drawer filing cabinet. He pointed it out to me and I fell in love with it. He said it would be perfect to keep everything for my new Avon business and he bought it for me. It was on sale very reasonably. He also found a pink and black shoulder bag that is lovely and is perfect for keeping my brochures and samples and order books and things in. He is really encouraging me and motivating me to work at this and be successful. I'm having a blast so far and have managed to aquire a few customers. Hopefully, I will be going out locally this weekend to give out some sales brochures and drum up some orders. I'm really looking forward to it. I haven't really had a job or worked since the first year Dail and I were married. 1996. Within a year after our marriage I was put on insulin for my diabetes and gained 100 pounds. I didn't have the energy to continue working and was so down and depressed I didn't even want to be around people or see anyone. I pretty much became a recluse. I never believed I would ever have the drive again to work. Weight loss surgery has given me the opportunity to do more things than I ever dreamed I would be able to do again. I'm so thankful for my RNY. It feels so good to be getting out into the world again and doing something I love doing. I just cant say enough about how happy I am with the way things have been since surgery. The difference in me and life in general astounds me at time. I really hope that I can pay it forward someday for the blessings I've been given.

Tomorrow I will be seeing my psychiatrist for my meds check. I've been down to 10 mgs of Prozac, but because I seem to have such a low energy level lately and seem to be needing more sleep, I'm thinking of going back up to 20 mgs. Sometimes the changes in the seasons affect me and I get a little depressed. Nothing serious yet but I would like to prevent a downer if I can. I'll post tomorrow about whatever she recommeds. I know many people go through some depression after surgery. I've been lucky so far. I did have a rough time when Dail was gone but that was more situational. Not quite sure how to proceed now so I will leave the decision up to Dr. Gyurik.

In the meantime, I need to finish my protein shake and get in my nightime meds and vites. Wishing everyone a peaceful night.

Sunshine

Thursday Here Again

2009-09-17T13:17:00.002-04:00

I didn't intend to wait so long before blogging again. Just been busy with new adventures and trying to get my Avon business started. I have aquired a few customers and for that I'm very grateful. It will be hard to build up the business locally until I can get a car. Dail keeps our one car tied up pretty well. It's okay though. The extra money will help but I'm mostly doing it for something to keep my mind occupied. It makes me feel great to be involved with products that help others to feel good about themselves. There are some great buys this campaign and soon the Christmas items will be out. If you get a chance, stop by and visit my site and see if there is anything that interests you. My contact information is on the page if you have any questions or concerns. Click Here To Shop.

As usual on Thursday evenings, we will be going out to dinner and then do the weekly grocery shopping. I love these evenings and plan on getting a little dressed up tonight. We are going to our favorite seafood place. It is called Bayou Bay Seafood House. They have great food. It is a little pricey so we dont go there often. That always makes it seem more of a treat when we do. My shopping list is ready. Just have to add a couple more things.

It is another dreary, rainy-looking day here in Tennessee. I really dont mind it so much as it means Fall is really here. Fall is my favorite time of year. This weekend I'm planning on getting out the Fall decor and putting it up. Love to get out the scarecrows. I've already purchased a few gourds and mini pumpkins to decorate the tables. I love everything about the harvest season. The cooler weather is really nice. I'm feel like I'm in my true element in the Fall. I can't wait to see the leaves changing. It will be beautiful in the mountains and I am planning to make a few trips for photos as soon as the changing begins.

Getting a little sleepy from the dreariness and the cool temps. I always sleep well in cooler weather. I might get in a quick nap before I have to get dressed for this evening. I guess that is all the news for now. Have a great evening.

Sunshine

DING! DONG! IT'S THE AVON LADY

2009-09-14T17:34:00.003-04:00

Ok, so most of you know I've been moody and irritable and teary lately because I've been going STIR CRAZY in this house day after day. I've been pouting and screaming for entertainment. Dail finally took pity on me and took me out to dinner and a movie on Saturday night. I seem to have this excess energy and I have been needing SOMETHING TO DO. So I have found a new venture and I think it will be time-consuming, fun and might even make me some money. I have joined the ranks of Avon Representatives. Yes, I am now an Avon Lady. Isnt that cool? I have recently, since my surgery and subsequent reinterest in my appearance, developed an interest in make-up. I have always loved Avon products. In fact, my mother used to be a rep. when I was a kid. I think it will be great fun to throw make-up parties and things and invite all my family and friends. I'm really looking forward to jumping in and getting started. My website is already up and running. You can visit
Here. Please stop by for a visit and browse around at the great products and low prices. Be sure to tell your friends. Things are different now than they were in the old days. You dont have to be a customer for someone local. You can order directly from my site and your products will be shipped to your door. Isnt that wonderful? I'm really impressed with the new system. Anyway, this is my latest news and I hope you will all stop by and check it out.

Tomorrow night there will be a local representative meeting and I'm really looking forward to that. It will be SOMETHING TO DO. I'm really excited to meet others from the area who are involved. A night out with some ladies is something I haven't done in a long time. I'll post about it tomorrow night.

A little disturbing news today. Bethany let me know that she and Brandon are planning to have their own Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners at their place and so wont be joining us. Bethany has become quite a good cook and I understand her wanting to do this herself but I have to say my feelings are a little hurt. The holidays wont be the same without all the kids here. I dont know what Kailee's plans are. I'm a little bereft thinking about it but kids do grow up and lead their own lives. I always do the holidays in a big way. I still plan to cook for Dail and Nick and myself. Times they are a changin'.

I guess this is all the news for today. Almost time to start dinner. Wishing everyone a lovely evening.

Sunshine

Down and Out Pity Party

2009-09-11T15:25:00.002-04:00

Having a horrible, rotten, very bad day. I was really looking forward to going to my surgeon's support group meeting tonight. It is really the only thing left I have for support in real life. They only take place once a month and I dont think it is asking too much to make the trip each month. It has been 7 months since my surgery and I've only been able to get Dail to take me twice. Well, today is one of his days to be "too tired" to do anything he really doesnt want to do. He has plenty of energy to give to his job but then, that work is fun for him. It doesnt make him tired. Evidently, doing things I want to do makes him perpetually tired. I'm really upset with him and haven't been able to stop crying all afternoon. He doesn't seem to realize how much I need a real life connection to people who understand what life is like after gastric bypass surgery. Either that or he just doesn't care. My support is completely cut off here now. He doesn't like to talk about or hear about my surgery related issues. I lost Diana, my therapist with my insurance. It is several more weeks until I will see my psychiatrist again. I feel like I'm losing it. I feel completely on my own. I wish I could go to sleep for a while and then wake up and not remember how I'm feeling right now. I'm glad I had weight loss surgery, but I'm not happy about how some things have turned out.

Sunshine

Burning The Midnight Oil Again

2009-09-10T00:41:00.002-04:00

Up late again. Just cant seem to wind down. It was a fairly busy day today inspite of the fact that I just stayed home. Today I focused on the laundry, washing all the sheets and blankets and comforters. It is quite a chore and requires several loads as out bed is king sized. Our washer is standard sized and I never overfill it so it takes several runs to get everything in. Dail and I each have our own comforters. He has two and also uses and extra sheet. I have a small comforter and a quilt. With the weather getting cooler it has been cool in the house at night. Great sleeping weather! I love to be completely snuggled in my quilts but in order to do that it has to be pretty cold in the room. Love a cold room when it is bedtime. Anyway, I got everything washed and tried and put away. Feels very nice to snuggle down in fresh linens.

I was a little tired earlier in the afternoon after several loads of laundry and a visit from mom and Kailee so I took a little nap. I'm sure that is why I'm awake now. Still, it is kind of nice to be up while the house is quiet, just enjoying the solitude.

Tomorrow is dinner out and grocery shopping. We will be doing a fairly cheap dinner as we will need to eat out again on Friday night. I have a weight loss surgery support group meeting in Johnson City and when we make the drive up there we usually do dinner at Logan's It is a great place and we love it. The Logan's here, not so much. Bad service here. Lots of bad food and bad service in this area. We much prefer to frequent places that depend on repeat business and therfore try to keep their customers happy. This is one of the downsides of living in a tourist area.

No big plans for the weekend. I promised mom I would babysit the girls on Saturday. I'm not really looking forward to it. They are hyper and rowdy and I like my peace. They are completely spoiled too. However, mom has no one else to watch them and she needs the money for the job she will be doing for the weekend. Thank goodness she already has arrangements for the other days. I will be quit glad and relieved when Saturday is over.

I will make up for the lack of peace on Sunday while Dail catches up on his sleep. Busy few days ahead and I'm sure we can all use Sunday to recuperate.

I guess that is all my news for tonight. Maybe something more exciting will happen tomorrow.

Sunshine

The Sweetest Thing

2009-09-08T18:02:00.004-04:00

Last night, while I was up very late enjoying some online amusements, I saw the cutest thing. Some of you may remember me blogging about our new kitten, Stormy. She is an absolute joy and is full of vim and vinegar. We have two other cats, Scamper and Skitter. We worried about how they would get along. Some people said it wouldn't be a good idea to add another feral cat to the mix. We raised Scamper from birth. She is our matriarch and acts like the queen of the castle. She has a first class hiss and prefers to be left alone, except on the rare occasions she wants some petting. As far as the other cats go, she rarely deigns to lower herself to associate with the peons. Skitter was a feral kitten when we adopted her last summer. She was very shy and hid under our bed for the whole first day, only venturing out to the food and the litter box when we all left the room. About 5 am the next morning, she came out to play with Dail. She woke him up pouncing on his feet. It was all downhill from there. She has become more and more outgoing, only shy around strangers and she prefers to stay in the house, only going out when I'm out there too. So, enter Stormy. Skitter's first reaction to her was fear but as time has gone by she has been drawn more and more into play with Stormy. Stormy is absolutely irrepressible. She doesn't hesitate to pounce on Skitter's head or nip at her tail. Skitter's reactions to these assaults have been varied. Sometimes she runs and sometimes she gives Stormy a good swat on the head. Well, last night, Stormy woke up from a nap feeling frisky and she jumped up and pounced on Skitter, who was asleep.. Skitter immediately got out from under her and pinned her down. I thought I was about to see a good mauling but instead. Skitter just held her down and bathed her face. I wish I had thought to take a photo. If I see it again I will. I was absolutely enchanted. It was just like a mama cat bathing her young. I think Stormy has been officially adopted. What is strange is that all 3 cats were spayed before they ever had kittens. Funny how that maternal instinct can be there anyway. I'm very pleased with all my kitties. Family is great!

Sunshine

Fun At The Fair

2009-09-07T23:57:00.003-04:00

Spent a really lazy day at home today. Rested, napped, watched TV, surfed the net, and facebooked. Love that virtual farming! After doing absolutely nothing productive most of the day we finally got up and showered and dress for an evening at the local county fair. We didn't stay a very long time. Maybe a couple of hours, but we had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. We rode a few rides. It was fun and very satisfying to be able to fit into the seats. It was a tight fit though in the umbrella chair ride as I still have quite a large panni and that was where the bar rested. Got to start making plans for that tummy tuck. We also rode something called "The Hurricane." None of us enjoyed it much. It was one of those rides that slings you hard to the outside of the seat and you get bruised up against the side of the car. It also kind of strains the neck as you struggle to keep you head straight against the G-forces. We WONT be doing that ride again. We also rode my old favorite, the "Tilt O Whirl." I loved it and so did Nick. Dail, not so much. Nothing else appealed to us so we walked around and looked at things and let Nick play a few games. He popped 3 balloons in a row with darts to win a framed print for his room. It has an American flag with an eagle on it. He said he chose it in honor of his cousin, Evan, who is serving in the Navy in Washington State. We miss him. All in all, it was a great evening. I did indulge in a few things I shouldnt have. When I saw fried green tomatoes on the menu I just couldn't help myself though. I've been craving them all summer. Tomorrow I will be back on plan and have fond memories of my last taste of summer.

Nothing much happening since we got home. I think we are all a bit tired from our adventure. I did the walking on my own. We didn't take my wheelchair. I feel like I got some good exercise in. We walked around the midway 4 or 5 times and it was quite a walk to and from the car. So glad we went early. As we were leaving the roads were congested with new arrivals. Glad to get out and get home. It has been a really nice and relaxing weekend. I hope everyone had as nice a Labor Day as we did.

Sunshine

New Numbers

2009-09-06T16:24:00.004-04:00

So, I finally got around to doing my measurements last night. Too tired to post again but now I'm up to it so hear they are:

February 19, ----2009 September 6, 2009

Weight: 306---- 213 (dropped another pound today)
Waist:49.5 inches---- 40 inches
Hips: 67.5 inches---- 53 inches
Bust: 48.5---- 42 inches
R upper arm: 22 inches---- 14.5 inches
L upper arm: 21 inches---- 15 inches
R thigh: 28.5 inches---- 23.5 inches
L thigh: 30 inches---- 23.5 inches
Neck: 16 inches ----14 inches

Total inches lost thus far: 55.5. Some people measure everything but these were the parts I was most interested in tracking. I know I've lost a lot in my lower legs and lower arms too. I just didn't bother to measure. I'm very pleased with how things are going though.

Size Comparison

Preop---- September 6, 2009

Shirts: 4x -5x , 38W---- 1x - 2x, 20W
Pants: 38W---- 20W - 24W
Dresses: 38W---- 20W
Bras: 48c---- 36b
Panties: ----14 11
Shoes: 9-9.5---- 8-8.5

I hope you all dont find this information boring. Kind of dry, I know but posting it here helps me document my progress so this is mostly for me.

Not much going on today. Did a little online shopping. A friend of mine is now selling Avon. If you are interested, please visit her sight. Her name is Beth O'Neal and she is a wonderful person. Check out her site if you get a chance. They have some wonderful prices, especially on make-up.http://elizabethoneal.avonrepresentative.com/

Nothing planned for the rest of the day. The boys will be having deli pizza for dinner. Walmart deli puts together a great 16 inch pepperoni pizza. They love it so something I allow them a treat. I will be having a low carb, low fat, tortilla pizza. Love these. Thanks, Eggface. Tomorrow we will probably do some house cleaning. I put a few things off over the weekend and need to catch up. Then tomorrow evening we are going to the county fair. Cant wait. it has been years since I've gone and I'm hoping I can fit into some rides. Just a couple, maybe. Never know how the pouch will react to that kind of thing. I'll post all about it when we get home.

That's it for now. Have a great Labor Day.

Sunshine

7 Months Out - Before and Now

2009-09-05T13:20:00.010-04:00

Surgery Day February 5, 2009 306 pounds

7 Months Out September 5, 2009 214

Surgery Day Side View

7 Months Out Side View

So, today I weighed 214 pounds. I was hoping to be down another pound but alas, it was not to be. Love seeing that scale move. In my new photos I'm wearing one of my new outfits. What do you think? This one is a Walmart special. I like it and feel that it looks good, but I wasnt too happy about the sizing. It is Just My Size brand, that caters to larger women but runs terribly small to the size. It would make more sense to me to cut plus size clothes larger. Smaller sizes make women happy and I'm sure they would spend much more money on products tha stroke their self-esteem. Anyway, in the JMS stuff I wear a 24 pants and a 2x shirt. In other brands, like The Dress Barn, Roaman's, and Woman Within, I wear a 20 pants and a 1x shirt. Those numbers make me feel GOOD and SUCCESSFUL. JMS should get a clue.

Below is a before picture I may not have shared before. It was taken shortly after I began the process for weight loss surgery. I was around 320 pounds there. Shocking even to me how much different I look now. The really amazing part is how much better I feel now than I did then. I feel like a different person. I'm so glad I made the decision to have RNY.

I cant post my new measurements yet but I will as soon as I get home to my tape measure. I'm really enjoying being at Dail's office today. It is fun having the whole building to ourselves. Only Dail's immediate boss has moved into his new office. The rest will be moving in a week or so. Dail needs to be able to work from here until everything electronic is installed and working. I'm sure he will spend a lot of time soon setting up people's computers in their new offices.

Anyway, I guess that is all I have to post for now. More later.

Sunshine

Blogging Late Again

2009-09-04T23:43:00.003-04:00

Up late again and decided to blog. It has been a few days and I didn't mean to let it go so long. Nothing exciting really going on. Tomorrow I will have more news. It will be my 7 month surgiversary so I will have new numbers and new photos. I always like to change my avatar on that day too so I will probably do that. I'm planning to sleep in a little in the morning. Dail and Nick are getting up early to go to the office. Whenever I'm up and around and ready, they will come get me and I will spend the day with them at Dail's new office. The other day we managed to get the wall art hung and I think it looks great. Dail is pleased too and that is what counts.

Got a little good news today. One of my favorite blogging friends, Mel is planning to go to the Atlanta OH conference. I havent been able to meet her in person yet but now I will have the chance. I'm so excited that she is coming. November seems far away because I'm so anxious to get away but it will be something to look forward to for the next couple of months. Cant wait!

Thanks again, to The Dress Barn for commenting. That is a great suggestion and I'm going to see about getting my girls together for a shopping party. Love The Dress Barn!

Fall seems to be in the air here now and I'm very excited about the cooler temperatures. I love Fall. It is my favorite time of year. Sometime on Monday I may get out the fall and harvest decorations and deck this place. Love my scarecrows. When October arrives I will get some pumpkins and other things to go with what I have. Might even weave a spider-web on the porch for Halloween. I still have my giant spider from last year.

For Halloween this year, I had planned to have a big bash but with the trip coming up in November, I dont know if funds will allow me to follow through. I may have to put it off until next year. I should be at goal then and will be able to find more costumes to fit me. I will just have to wait and see how things look come October.

I guess that is all the news for today. Looking forward to tomorrow. More then.

Sunshine

A Special Thanks

2009-09-01T21:51:00.002-04:00

Had some wonderful comments on my last post. Just wanted to say "thanks." Love hearing from you, Syl. Do you have a blog I can follow? Let me know.

Also, thanks so much to The Dress Barn. I dont know how you found my blog but I'm honored to have you visit. My experience there yesterday was wonderful. Plan on seeing me back there in the near future. Funds are limited for a while after my recent shopping spree but I saw some very lovely things and I will definitely become a regular custom when the budget allows. I will also be telling all my friends about your wonderful selection. I especially loved the beautiful sweaters I saw there. Cant wait to visit with you again. Thanks so much and blessings to you!

Having a blah day today I'm afraid. Maybe a little too much walking last night. I was tired all day but in good spirits in spite of that. We all have blah days so I'm not worried about it. Probably feel more like myself tomorrow. Hope everyone else had a great day today. I feel fall creeping in and I'm so anxious for it to arrive. Fall is my favorite time of year. Had a little break this evening. I made dinner but Dail loaded the dishwasher for me. He is always very sweet when I'm feeling off. Bless his heart.

Some good news... the scale finally moved. I'm down to 215. It has been about 10 days since that happened. I was thinking two weeks but I checked the date of my last entry and it was 10 days. Hopefully this is a trend that will continue. I really want to get to goal by February. Saturday will be my 7 month surgiversary. Maybe I will be down another pound or two by then. I will post measurements then and plan to take some photos of me in some of my new things. Hope I'm not getting vain. I am taking more interest in my appearance. I rarely go out of the house without make-up anymore. That is a big change for me. I rarely bothered when I was at my heaviest. I guess taking care of myself took my energy than I had at the time.

If any of you begin to see my head getting swelled, please let me know. :)

I guess that is my news for today. Have a great night.

Sunshine

Late Night

2009-09-01T01:02:00.002-04:00

So, its 1 am and I'm still awake and wound up. Cant sleep. Working on evening meds and vites. Maybe the trazodone will put me out soon. Spent the day shopping. First online and then at Five Oaks Outlet Mall. Have some very nice things for fall and also a few pieces of wall art for Dail's new office. Can wait to go over there tomorrow evening and help Dail decide where to put them. He is so proud of his new office and furniture that I wanted to help him decorate the walls too. He also has a lovely potted plant he was given from Charlie Blalock's funeral. Hoping to find a nice frame for his BS degree and also some desk frames for some family photos. The ones he has are very outdated.

A slight wow moment tonight. We went into Dress Barn Woman, just with the intention of looking around. I didn't intend to buy anything but there was a lovely black evening type pantsuit with rhinstones at the breast that I fell in love with. I looked for my size, 24 at the moment in most things, and saw that the largest size they had was a 20. I was doubtful but Dail really liked it and told me to try it on. Lo and behold, it not only fit but looked really good on me. He insisted I get not only the outfit, but a black evening bag and some costume jewelry to match. I feel very spoiled today. I have never, in all my life, enjoyed shopping for clothing. I think my husband and my RNY surgery have created a monster. Just as I expected, my transfer addiction is going to be SHOPPING. Dail will have to hide my bank card if this keeps up. Yikes!

I will be receiving many new items next week from the orders I placed online. I will try to make some photos to post to show off my new wardrobe. Dont get too excited though. Nothing I have is super expensive or very fancy, maybe with the exception of the dress I ordered for the OH conference. The over-jacket will be backordered so I wont have that for a while. No matter though. As long as it gets here by November, I will be fine. The other items are just everyday clothing. It will be very nice to have some real clothes in my closet. I've been making do with about 4 pairs of shorts and a few t-shirts this summer. I love fall and fall colors.

At Five Oaks mall we found a lovely store for home decor. I intend to go there someday. Some of the walls in our house are pretty bare for lack of funds for that type thing. The store is called Kirkland Home and it has some beautiful items that are very reasonably priced. I wasnt looking for the house while we were there as I had Dail's office in my mind, but some time I would love to go back there and see what they might have for our house. I would love some sconces. I need to chill out. Maybe I have a shopper's high and that is why I'm too wired to sleep.

Anyway, enough of the days adventures. I do have another slight wow, though. Although I didn't make it to the treadmill or bike today, I did all the shopping without my wheelchair. We visited Kirkland Home, The Dress Barn, and Lowe's and I walked all around on my own. Quite a change from 6 months ago. I'm so thankful God worked things out so that I could get the surgery before my insurance ran out. As always, His timing is perfect.

I need to try to wind down. Hope you all are resting peacefully.

Sunshine