12 days post-revision and feeling Good!

I started working with my new students full time this week. I was a little worried about my incision not being healed well enough for this week, however it is healed, scabs gone, bruising gone. I am however seriously lacking the energy I normally have. *yawn*.

I feel more restriction than I have since December of 2012. I only have 6  cc's in my band. I was up to 8 cc's October 2012. I was suppose to be at 7.95 cc's at my last fill in March. However, I don't think I truly was, I still think I was lied to by the NP. I back down to 1200 cals a day and happy that way.

I also have a work out group at work. It is a group that dances for their workouts. So...100 days of dance here I start (as soon as my after school meetings go away.)

Sincerely,

Angela Grossman

4 days after revision

I had a revision done four days ago. So far everything is going well. The dr. replaced my port and I for sure have 6cc's of fluid in my band. Today marks day two of soft foods and I already have more restriction than I did prior to surgery. I am not sure what was left in my band before the surgery. Today for lunch I ate 1c. of refried beans and felt stuffed. I am not going to get too excited I know my tummy is still swollen from the surgery. I am starting into year two of this band thing and I am ready to make year two better than year one!

I am going back to work tomorrow and have very little pain left. The pain I do have is controlled by Tylenol. Port revision is not that big of a deal.

Revision, Happy with True Results!

I am very happy with True Results to fix my port at their costs. My procedure will be on Thursday this week and 11am. I have to be their for the procedure at 10am. Then back in the running I go! I looked at a nice birthday gift for myself. My kids laughed at the cost, but I think I am going to go all out and get a Treadmill. This is the one I want: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Golds-Gym-480-Treadmill/11993389,

My birthday is next week and with my revision I want to make sure I am working out again. I have not kept up with my workouts this summer at all since I hurt my hand and foot.

I will keep you updated on my surgery as I can stand to get on here.

Foods that I eat:

I thought I should write what I each day. I won't post and advertise these blogs, but if you want to know you can read and find out. I will be honest!

Yesterday Breakfast: two poached eggs, toast and two slices of turkey bacon
Yesterday Lunch: 1c. of Mac and Cheese (not suppose to eat this, but it is what I can afford)
Snack :6  Lemon cookies that I had bought for the kids
Dinner: two pieces of church's chicken (hey it was 99 cents) 1/4c potatoes and 1/4c. of coleslaw
10pm snack: Doritos (i shared with my daughter) and a Hershey oh and a 32oz frozen Dr Pepper.

That looks like a lot of calories yep, it was 2477 calories in all.  1335 calories were from snacking late last night. The lap band is suppose to keep me from being hungry between meals. The band has never kept from my 1 pm snacks. That is something i have to work out on my own I guess.  Yes, Mac n Cheese is a slider food, but it was actually eating the full meal at dinner time then two hours letter getting my the chips, candy and frozen DP that hurt me. I didn't feel hungry after eating the mac n cheese. I did feel hungry after eating the full course meal. That is odd.

I do want to add that I was very active yesterday. I took four little girls swimming for two hours and played and swam with them. Then I went to my moms and helped her unpack somethings in her house. It was most likely the reason why I became hungry.

I use mynetdiary to track my intake and my output. While I ate 2477 cals I burned 2579 from the swimming and unpacking. That doesn't include my short walk to the pool, walking my dog or other daily activities. Therefor according to my phone app, my total daily calorie loss was 2862. Which should equal loosing 14oz's. Which does equal to the difference on my scale. : )

What is PCOS?

I still have some people asking what exactly PCOS and I think women need to know since most doctors do NOT know or think about it. So, I am going to give you some info from WEBMD feel free to click and to go to their website for more information. I am thankful I was able to have my kids with just using metformin for the last two pregnancies. (Johanna and my babies I miscarried). I also only have some extra hair that is easy to get rid of.

Here is the excerpt from WEBMD:
 

What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (say "pah-lee-SIS-tik OH-vuh-ree SIN-drohm") is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to getpregnant. PCOS may also cause unwanted changes in the way you look. If it is not treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes andheart disease.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS) is common, affecting as many as 1 out of 15 women. Often the symptoms begin in the teen years. Treatment can help control the symptoms and prevent long-term problems.

What are hormones, and what happens in PCOS?

Hormones are chemical messengers that trigger many different processes, including growth and energy production. Often, the job of one hormone is to signal the release of another hormone.

For reasons that are not well understood, in PCOS the hormones get out of balance. One hormone change triggers another, which changes another. For example:

• The sex hormones get out of balance. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount of male sex hormones (androgens). In PCOS, they start making slightly more androgens. This may cause you to stop ovulating, get acne, and grow extra facial and body hair.
• The body may have a problem using insulin, called insulin resistance. When the body doesn't use insulin well, blood sugar levels go up. Over time, this increases your chance of getting diabetes.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms tend to be mild at first. You may have only a few symptoms or a lot of them. The most common symptoms are:

• Acne.
• Weight gain and trouble losing weight.
• Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.
• Thinning hair on the scalp.
• Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.
• Fertility problems. Many women who have PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility).
• Depression.

Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts  on their ovaries. That is why it is called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful but lead to hormone imbalances.

What causes PCOS?

The symptoms of PCOS are caused by changes in hormone levels. There may be one or more causes for the hormone level changes.

PCOS seems to run in families, so your chance of having it is higher if other women in your family have PCOS, irregular periods, or diabetes. PCOS can be passed down from either your mother's or father's side.

How is PCOS diagnosed?

To diagnose PCOS, the doctor will:

• Ask questions about your past health, symptoms, and menstrual cycles.
• Do a physical exam to look for signs of PCOS, such as extra body hair and high blood pressure. The doctor will also check your height and weight to see if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI).
• Do a number of lab tests to check your blood sugar, insulin, and other hormone levels. Hormone tests can help rule out thyroid or other gland problems that could cause similar symptoms.

Port Revision coming to my tummy soon..

Anxious. Nervous. Is it worth it?

Okay, well I knew that having a revision was a possibility. I know the downside of a lap band is the promise of more surgeries. I am thankful that True Results is performing the surgery at their expense next week. I am not sure what happened with port or when the port flipped. However I do know we are going to fix it next week. I can't leave it the way it is. I know the band worked in the beginning to control the cravings. I have to be smart about it, but it does control the cravings.

I am looking for a classroom for this school year, but I know my surgery may cause issues with this. I also know special education is very stressful and time consuming. I also know that I need to have time to get healthy. I think for this school year I am going to sit on the sidelines and sub teach and focus my after school on my body and making my band work. On the other hand, we need the income and insurance to pay for my health. It's a catch 22. However, Do you know how hard it is to get a job teaching when you are overweight? Principals sometimes treat obese teachers horribly (unless of course they have first hand understanding).

While sitting here wondering if it is all worth it. Something hit me hard this summer. Our family has a membership to 6 flags over Texas. You may have heard about the lady that literately flew off the roller coaster. Some people think it was because of her size. The lady appeared to be my size. My daughter and I had planned on going on that roller coaster. That could have been me. I am dumb enough to ride on rides that I have no business going on. After all the rides all say as long as you can buckle up you can ride. Well, she was buckled up....so what went wrong? I have not been used our membership since that day. I will, I just need my thoughts to settle. I want to be able to go on all the rides next summer! I want to be able to ride them knowing that the restraints will hold me! I don't care to die on a roller coaster.

My friend thinks I should write a book about my health journey. I am willing, but someone else will have to pay for publishing! LOL

Weight loss Journey Bible Verse: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Matthew 6:25
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?