Finally Finished!!

I finally finished it!! The table that is..lol
Now I just have to do the side hutch, and I am thinking of doing the folding table and my hope chest in the living room....Then I will move into the bedroom and do all that. And I am considering repainting the bedroom too...sigh
But here is the picture of the dining room table!

Anyways diet is going good, other than I have a freaking cold and I am the all for that feed a cold, starve a fever saying..lol
My throat is sore, and I feel like crap but I am still moving. Yesterday I stayed in bed ALL DAY. I kid you not. I felt that bad.
Today I still feel like crap BUT I am going to finish cleaning the house. I am considering doing some deep cleaning of the living room. Moving the couches and chairs and all the other things and sweeping and mopping. IDK if I am just being too optimistic but I am hoping I can at least do part of it.

It has been raining like crazy the past 3 days, and I have 9 chickens that don't know they are suppose to get out of the rain. They look like drowned rats with feathers..lol

OH OH OH! I have found the plans that I am going to use to make my chicken coop!! It's actually a green house but with a few modifications it will be perfect!

Mine will have a floor and actually be about a foot off the ground,  I am going to have the same material for the top, but the side panels I am going to put chicken wire then either removable panels along the side so I can make it more airy in the summer, but I can close it up for the winter. or panels that lift up and open to let air in.  

The very bottom half I am going to leave like that, but I will be using pallet boards instead of the tin. 

As for the run it will be attached to the front of it a little above the door is where it will connect and will come out about 10 feet and be as wide as the shed.

They will still be able to free range in the backyard, but this way I will feel more comfortable about leaving them out during the day when I am not home.

I have been walking the dogs in the evening and trying to walk them in the morning. Keeps them from peeing in the house and makes them not escape the minute I let them out into the back yard to potty.

Oh and on another note, the grandspawn started school yesterday! First day of pre-K. I took him today, didn't get a picture, but I have one his dad took yesterday.

That's the ODD and the grandspawn :)

Well I am out, I have to go start that deep cleaning........ugh maybe I'll just sweep instead, lol

ttyl!

1st Fill.. Eek

Well I just left the Dr's office after my first fill. It was interesting. 

I have lost 9 pounds from my last visit, so I'm down to 249 pounds.  Total weight loss from the Dr. 

is 29 pounds. 

Yeaaah!

I cant believe my starting weight was 278. OMG I feel different with just the 29 pounds lost. I have more energy, that's for sure!

I cant see it though, I mean everyone else says that they can see a difference, me? I cant tell. 

I think I am still seeing the fatgirl in the mirror instead of the one that is actually there. 

Nothing new is happening.. Oh the little chicks are now laying rather sporadically but laying. 

I am supposed to be getting my pallets tomorrow so I can start work on building my chicken house. 

Ugh I am not looking forward to that..lol Me actually BUILDING something and expecting it to stay up? hahahaha We will see. 

Anyways I am going to update all my tickers and gadgets with the new weight... 

ttyl <3

Deedle Deedle Deedle

I have been working for a freaking month now on a table that is going into my dining room. I say a month because it feels like it. I got the table about 3 months ago, and it sat under my carport FOREVER.  So I finally went and got the stuff to ''redo'' it.  I had to strip it and sand it before I even got to start on it.

All I have to do now is put the sealer on the top, and I am done with it!!

I did Chalk paint on the bottom, that I made on my own btw.. Go me!

Here is a better close up.

It's pretty cool and super easy to make. 5 tbs of plaster of Paris, 3 tablespoons of cool water, 2 cups of paint (non primer type) And I even made my own tinted wax too :) 

And here is the top :) 

I am so freaking proud of it! 

Now for tomorrow... I am ''redo-ing'' six chairs to match the table. I am going to have red accents and I am going to chalk paint them and destress them like the bottom of the table. 

and here is the chairs I am going to be doing.. I will post finished pictures tomorrow. 

In other news DH got himself a new/used truck! 

I have been using the BodyMedia thing for about 4 days now. I had to move it from my arm to my left calf. I know it says blah blah blah don't do it blah blah but I have been on so many forums and there are quite a few that wear it on their calf and get the same results as wearing it on their arms. 

I have been trying out that theory today and yep, bout the same. 

So I think I am going to start wearing it there. I'm sorry but until I lose enough weight on my left arm where its not uncomfortable and the band wont roll or I have the arm fat surgery, on the leg is where its going to go. 

Anyways I am going to bed! 

Lata taytas!

Gadgets, Apps and Scales ...OH MY!

Well I broke down and bought me the BodyMedia armband that they wear in The Biggest Loser.
And I am already having a problem, not with the BMF but with the size of it and the size of my massively fat arm.

Here I'll show you a picture and you can draw your own conclusion from that.....

Yep, fatgirl got a fat arm..with a fat roll. So needless to say its a little uncomfortable.

I messaged the facebook page and got a quick response. they said I needed a bigger arm band and I could of course purchase one from their store... sigh

I am going to get one of course, and also get a ''skin'' to go on it. 

So far I am liking it, but I'm keeping the verdict out for a while on it. 

Anyone else using any kind of gadgets, apps, or fancy scales or bluetooth tredmills? lol

I broke down and weighed in today just to see if there was a difference. Well from my last weigh in, about 3 weeks ago, I have gone from 258.0 to 255.0. So 3 pounds, but I'll take it!!

Better than gaining 3 pounds!

Well I guess its time to go let the chickens in and go for a walk, make this darn armband earn its money!!

OH I also took a new picture of me, tell me what you think.

Lata!

Sabotage, it's not just a Beastie Boys Song!

Well I guess I am going to go all deep with today's post.

It seems like I am sabotaging myself at every turn. I know I am supposed to log every bite that goes in my mouth, I know I am not suppose to eat; fried, fatty, high carb foods. I know I need to walk a least 10 minutes every day. I know all this.  And I do it, but then when I start seeing/feeling results, NS victories I being to sabotage myself. I run for the high carb, fatty fried chocolatey foods, I quit walking, I tell myself "I'll do it tomorrow" and instead I sit in my chair with my computer in my lap (like I am doing now) and dwell on it. It's almost as if I DONT want to lose weight.

I know myself well enough, I know I should probably go see a therapist/counselor/shrink because I know where the problem lies. I know what it is that is keeping me from doing what I need to do and stop sabotaging myself.

Hell I cant even say the reason out loud, I cant even write it down. But I know it.
It's one of those things you cannot repress, and just when you think you have it whipped, and you start feeling good about yourself, it shows right back up in your mind like a big ole mental zit.

The past 2 days, during the day I feel thinner (No, I am not going near the scale, that's a once a month thing) my clothing is loose, and my stomach pooch is flatter. Then that night, IDK something happens, its like a switch is flipped off, and all of a sudden I go right back to the way I wanted to eat before. I eat faster, and I want sweet things. It's like one part of my brain, the smart side just flips off, and the little kid side takes over. And its hard to beat that kid into submission.

I guess I am going to find a therapist somewhere in my area, I need to talk about my weight and why I sabotage it. Last time I went to a shrink they didn't want to talk about my issues, even thought I told him what it was I wanted to talk about. He said that was not the reason I was like I was and that the real issue was I had anger issues.. Ya think? Well dumbass where did those anger issues stem from? SMH. All he did was try hypnotherapy to make me lose weight and then put me on Prozac.
So I was a zombie who craved fried chicken and chocolate pie instead of brains. Yeah, that helped.
Everyone in the family loved it, they said I was so much calmer, but it did nothing for me mentally. It just gave me more time to dwell and more time to want to eat.

Ok enough of the depressing bullshit.

I have to brag on my Duckies, Lucy and Ethel. One layed me a HUGE duck egg!! It almost doesn't fit into the egg carton its so big!

And here is all the eggs I have got in 2 weeks time!!

I am off here, I have to feed the grandspawn and go get dog food, chicken food, and a nice electric fence for the dogs. 

Later!

Pish Posh

Nothing exciting today, took the YDD and her BF to Texas Road House for lunch, then went to Walmart and got the GrandSpawn his school supplies. Then back home to watch some movies.

We rented Evil Dead, I laughed my ass off. At one point I was yelling Avon Calling!!!

The GS came over and picked up his school supplies, he was super excited at the pencil box I bought him.

Now just chilling and watching TV. Tomorrow I am going to go work at the SnoCone stand for my MIL.
So I am off to bed.
Night!

Hey Chickieeeee

Well nothing exciting happening today, yesterday was not fun. I was going to borrow my YDD's truck so I could to go Houston to finish the shopping I needed to do at Sam's. I went the day before, but I drive a very small Ford Focus, and we had 2 car seats so I could not get half the stuff I still needed.

Well she didn't really want to loan it to me, I don't blame her but still. She acts like I have never driven a truck before!! Ugh!

So the plan was, take grandspawn to the movies to see Turbo, then drop him back off and head to Sam's so I could finish up my shopping and then home to rest and relax. Didn't happen.

First off the movie starts at 12:15, my phone starts vibrating at 12:20. YDD calls to tell me she locked my keys in the car. How she did that is beyond me, especially since it was running and its not suppose to do that if you are not in the vehicle.
And she left her badge, and all her stuff in the car and she had to be at work at 1pm.

So I leave with a crying 5 year old in tow to go open the door of my car. I was soo pissed I just told her to take her damn truck. I promised GS I would take him back to see the movie that evening, but I had to go to Sams. I took out the car seats and everything that was in the trunk, and I was off by 1:30.
Houston/Pearland is a 45 minute drive from my house, and I had to do the shopping and make it back by 4:30, so I was on a deadline.

Even with me driving like a bat out of hell up there I would be cutting it close, but on top of all that the weather was crap. It was raining off and on everywhere I went so needless to say I did not make it back in time to go to the 4:30 movie, so we went to the 7pm one instead. By the time I got home last night at I was exhausted, I was in bed and asleep before the end of the news!

But on the plus side I got a lot of exercise in! All the fast walking and pushing a very heavy buggy!! I had been doing really good till I left Sams and needed to eat, I went to a BBQ place and got the regular 2 meat plate: sausage, ribs, coleslaw, and sweet potatoes, and I ate entirely too much of it. I was pretty miserable already, but I didn't think anything of it. Then when I got home I unloaded all the car and had to go potty, which I needed to drink some Metamucil,  and we all know how filling that is!! So I added that on top of what I had eaten, so I was getting really miserable, then I totally busted at the movies, I ate a whole movie box of whoppers.
So by the time I got home I was having one bad ass pain in my chest. Ugh I was miserable. I walked around and twisted and moved my upper body, raised my hands over my head, burped and passed gas enough to be a wind tunnel but no relief. I finally just made myself go to bed and hoped I would feel better when I woke up.

Now this morning I am going to take it easy on the foods!

For breakfast I have had 1/4 cup of cottage cheese and 1 regular Rockin Wellness shake and I am not going to eat again for at least 4 hours! lol I was in too big of a hurry yesterday and didnt listen to my body and I paid for it. Today I am going to take it easy and listen to what its telling me!

I am also going back to the movies today for me, I am going to go see The Lone Ranger!!
No popcorn, No candy. Just a bottle of water, me, a dark theater, and Johnny Depp in a loin cloth and war paint on..does it get any better??? I think not

Later!

Busy Busy Busy!!

Wow, where to begin!

It's been very busy this morning.  I started making the fig preserves.

I have the lids and seals going in hot water, and the jars in the dishwasher on sanitize, I have started the figs working on the stove.

everything workin on the stove

And the figs smell and taste awesome!! 

I had a tasty Rockin Wellness drink, just the plain one with ice. And of course YDD just walked in the house with freaking cheese sticks from Sonic...so I had 1. 

I am starving right now, but I am working on the preserves so I will get to that in a little while. I am feeling thinner, IDK, I avoid the scales at all cost though.

We went for a walk last night, not a good idea. I usually wear flip flops everywhere so I figured we were just going to walk around the block so I was not going to put on my tennis shoes. (around the block here is exactly 1 mile from my front door.) Well we were about halfway around the block when the bottom fell out, and we got drenched!! But let me remind you, I was wearing flip flops. We all know what happens when we wear flip flops and they are wet. You slip and slide EVERYWHERE! 

Still pretty proud though, 1 mile, 18 minutes in the pouring rain with flip flops! lol 

Today should be the last of the rain, me, my garden, my chickens, and ducks are liking it. I am not looking forward to the dry that's going to come back, or the heat. 

I wish it was October already!! At least it starts to cool down then! 

Ok I got to go stir the figs, be back on later with pictures of what the preserves look like finished!

Later!

Rain Rain Rain....

I had a great day today!

I went and met two friends for brunch and of course before I left I had my awesome Rockin Wellness shake, just the plain one. For lunch I had a BLT, and I just barely finished it!

I had to bump my darn calories to 1300, because 1200 was not cutting it.

I just had a 6 inch subway flatbread turkey breast with onions, tomato, spinach, and chipotle southwest sauce. No Cheese and only 231 calories!!! I still have like 571 calories left for dinner tonight!!

I'm excited about that, but I really need to get back down to 1000 calories. I think I might call the Dr. next week and ask if I can get a fill sooner.

Tomorrow I am going to be working on making Fig Preserves, I am going to make some sugar free, some regular sugar. The regular sugar ones I think I am going to do the Ginger Fig preserves... yummy!!!

This is the 8 quart bucket of figs that I am going to use to make the preserves. And I still have a ton more on the tree outside. 

I think I am going to go walk in a little while. It's been raining outside but it feels nice around 8pm and its still nice and sunny out at that time. 

Later!

Side Note and Abbreviations

If you are reading this and you see a lot of abbreviations and are like WTF is that? Here are some of the more common ones I use.

• DH - Dear Husband
• DD- Darling Daughter
• YDD- Youngest Darling Daughter
• ODD- Oldest Darling Daughter
• S1 & S2 - Spawn 1 and Spawn 2.. also known as listed above
• GM- Grand Monster (grandchild) 
• SOS - Also known as Son of Spawn
• FFY - Fend For Yourself (we have this about once a week, especially when we have plenty of leftovers)
• WTF - Seriously? I think most know what this means, if not its What The *Fork* I usually use the other word, but I'm being nice. 
• PIMA- Pain In My .... neither region
• IMO - In My Opinion
• JMHO - Just My Humble Opinion

the list will go on..lol when I think of more that I actually use.

Ok going to do something productive now.

Later.

Today was a good day, it's day uhhh 39 post surgery

Got up this morning after twisting and turning and having weird dreams (and the blanket was wrapped around me like a rope) and went to have lunch at Carino's with some ladies I have met in a local group from facebook.

I had a blast! One of the ladies has chickens like me, but she bypasses me on the amount, and another of the ladies, I think we were split at birth. She and I have the same sense of humor, the same likes, and the same loud mouth. You know we are going to be fast friends!

I come home, and YDD is cleaning the house, you cant beat that! And I didn't even ask her to!

Could it get any better?? Yes it can, its RAINING!! and we need the rain around here!

I had a Rockin Wellness shake this morning, plain; just ice, mix and almond milk, and it was very tasty.  I am now full of energy!
And for lunch I had the pecan crusted grilled salmon, which is strange because it had nothing on the salmon, nothing. The ''crusted'' pecans were beside it on the plate, and it tasted more like candied pecans, so I avoided them and ate some of the salad and all of the salmon.

I want to go outside and do something with all this energy but its raining, so it looks like I am going to Zumva in a few minutes and maybe go outside under the carport and work on the dining room table I need to sand down so I can stain.

I also did my sunflowers today, so they are soaking and I am going to go rewatch the video to make sure I am doing it right.

Yep I am doing them right, soak for 24 hours in a salt water bath, drain them tomorrow, let them dry then oven roast them and I have sunflower seeds!

I also took a picture of me today, I was feeling rather pretty. But I noticed I am getting ''old lady neck'' and I'm not liking that at all. Going to have to get me a facercise book and flex them muscles!

Oh and I have to put the weird mutant cucumber on here. It's just too odd not to. I have been calling it the vagina cucumber because, well, thats what it kinda looks like. I know, I know! X-rated vegetables is not something people want to really see but its not nasty, its just what it reminds me of. 

The mutant vagina cucumber

Let me know what you think it looks like! Anyways I am getting off here, tonight is ''FFY'' here at the old Urban Homestead so I am going to find me some soup and hide it so no one else sees it. lol

Later.

OMG... SWEAT!

I did it!! I just completed one whole song on the Zumba Rush Kinect. Yes it was a low intensity song but I FINISHED IT!

My ears are pounding, my heart is racing, my nose is running, and I think I even tinkled a little bit but I finished the song and got 4 stars! But I only burned 89 calories, but that's 89 calories less outta my body!

Now I have a headache so I am going to sit down for a little while but I am just so damn proud of myself. I am still going to walk this evening on my treadmill to burn some more calories, but I don't want to overdo it. Start small and work my way up. Thank God there was no one around to see me dancing other than the dogs..lol oh speaking of dogs, mine were watching me like I was an idiot. At least I'm not panting like a dog anymore  haha I'll have to get a picture next time.

OK I am going to go lay down now, I think my heart rate is finally going back to normal...my vision is not blurred anymore..

Later

I have a headache from staring at this darn computer screen!

I have been working on this blog, and I THINK I have it figured out, well kinda. I have a link so you can go check out my page on facebook, and I have figured out (thanks to Code It Pretty) how to put the Pin It hover button on my pictures. Now I just have to figure out how to get people to go follow one of my boards. lol

Food wise, bad, bad, bad today.

I had 3 mini sliders today for lunch, plus a half of a small avocado. I know this shows only 2, but this was dinner last night, I just had leftovers. I figured up the calories for my mini sliders and just for 2 its 561.. which is not bad on the whole, but when you throw 3 in there PLUS the avocado. Ugh. There goes those 1200 calories, I think I have like 200 left over for dinner so I am going to walk on my treadmill tonight and have some chicken breast with a salad!

Ugh I was just outside in the backyard making sure the animals (ducks and chicks) had plenty of water. It's 91 degrees outside with 100% humidity. It's freaking miserable. You come back inside you feel like you have just sweat out a gallon of water, and your heart is doing silly bumps and beats because you were in direct sun trying to get things done. At least the chicks and ducks have plenty of places to lay out of the sun.
The big ducks and my Sex Link Ladies like to lay under my herb garden bed. (I have to check there periodically for eggs) My gardens are 4x4 boxes that are about a foot off the ground. So plenty of shade and cool under there.
The Cochins I had to build a makeshift covering beside their pen with a tarp because they are not brave enough to venture over to the herb bed to get some shade. I think the bigger ladies intimidate them.
Then again I would be intimidated too, they are half the size of the Sex Links!

I feel so accomplished because I did all the little tweaks to my blog! I even have it linked to facebook.
I don't quite know how I feel about all my friends knowing about my surgery, but I guess its too late to worry now. I have had quite an outpouring of support so far, and it also takes care of the awkward questions of ''Hey you look different! Did you have plastic surgery?" (Yes, I have seriously been asked that. And I have only lost 20 pounds so far.)

Well the DH is wanting me to spend some quality time with him and off this computer so I am out!
I'll message back this evening with a dinner photo!

Later

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOO one cRaZy LaDy!!

I'm currently sitting here cooking mini sliders (the healthy kind) I got it out of a Biggest Loser Cookbook and I kinda tweaked it..lol
Plus I have on my headphones jamming out to some ''Before I Forget'' by Slipknot.
Yes, I know, a lot of people wonder WHY any sane 42 year old woman would listen, let alone scream along to some Slipknot.

It's simple, I am crazy. HAHAHAHAHA
I have told people but no one believes me. Plus I just like the music, it cheers me up strangely. I know most people it makes them mad and gives them a headache, but there has always been something about hard rough heavy rock that has always soothed me. Maybe my mother was secretly a headbanger... I kinda doubt that, but you never knew with her. She kept her secrets. But thats for another blog........

Now to get down to the meat and potatoes of this page, the weight loss.
I went and bought me 2 Zumba games for the Xbox Kinect since my DD took my Wii, my Wii fit, and everything that goes with it.

I have been logging into a new app I have found for my android phone (I'm still using MFP though) It's called Calorie Count. It's different, it wont let me set my darn calorie intake, its got me set at 1800.. we all know I will no way eat that much in a day. I just went to the website, and I think it let me do it. IDK I am really liking MFP better, but I am willing to give it a try.

I didnt do a Rockin Wellness shake today, I jumped out of bed and was running all day.
Feeding the chickens, had the grandmonster, cleaning the house, getting the laundry done, going to the hardware store to get a ceiling fan for the dining room, ( if I am deadly with things with batteries, could you imagine me with electricity?) trying to get my moped working so I can sell it and getting throughly frustrated because its now acting stupid.. like the carburetor. I know nothing about that either.
Thank God I married a mechanic :)

Now the DH is watching Walking Tall with the Rock and asking me when dinner will be ready.
SMH when I get it done..duhhh.

One thing I am going to do tonight is figure out how to get a little banner thing that tells you to come see me on facebook. I saw one on Lap Band Gal's site. Go check her out!! She's were I get most of my inspiration from.

Ok I am out again... if I think of anything else I want to write about I will come back tonight.

Later

New Shake and trying to figure out this bloggersphere.....pffft

Ok, I am at, uh day 36? Yeah, yesterday was day 35. Sorry my memory and my fingers do not want to work this morning.

I am trying out a new shake today, its called "Rockin Wellness", its suppose to do all kinds of neat stuff.
Mood stabilizer (God I need that), Energy (I need that too) and Focus.......oh look, kitty..
.
.
.
What was I saying? Ohh yeah ok the new shake, well I looked up a recipe this morning, because I never have any luck when it comes to just adding the liquid and the shake powder. It always tastes like ass. (and no, I have no idea what ass tastes like, but it has to be similar to some of these Gawd Awful shakes I have tried)

The recipe I used was 1 scoop of 'Rockin Wellness', 2 tbs of peanut butter, 1tsp of cinnamon (ok I didn't measure the cinnamon, I just dumped some in, a wrong decision) a couple of ice cubes, and 1 8oz cup of almond milk, because I cant drink regular milk, damn lacto intolerance.

I have to admit, it tastes pretty darn good! I love anything chocolate and peanutty so this is awesome. The cinnamon, mm a litte strong so I know to knock back on it next time. On the whole it made a pint sized jar, which I just finished and I have to say, I feel pretty full.

Here is what each scoop contains; Raw Organic Cacao Bean (CHOCOLATE!) * Non -GMO Brown Rice Protein * Raw Organic Goji Berry * Raw Organic Hulled Hemp Seed (bet that's what makes ya mood happy)  * Chia Seeds * Raw Organic MACA Root * Organic Flaxseed * Acidophilus + more... whats more??
It's certified lab tested and has over 2000 mg of Omega 3-6-9 per scoop. (?) mmm ok.

I will post a link to the site so you can check it out yourself, but hey with all that ''ORGANIC'' being thrown around it has to be good right? (Not necessarily but we will do some more investigating and see)

Rockin Wellness \m/

Now getting down to this whole blogger thing... oh wait is that my ducks talking outside? ugh let me go see whats going on with them.. they are only noisy when something is wrong.

.

.

.

.

.

(about an hour later) 

OMG!! I HAVE DUCK EGGS!!

I am soo excited! So almost all of my ladies (my sex links) are laying and now my ducks are laying!!

Now I just have to get the Bantam Cochins' to lay, and I will have an abundance of eggs.

The Cochins' are Bantams, which means they are going to stay fairly small. So the eggs will be smaller than a quail but not as big as a guinea. Unless you are a bird/chicken person this is like Greek so I will move back to my original chatter about learning the blogger thing.

I know I need to put a join/follow me button, but not quite sure how. I did manage to put a ticker on my page. (Yeah!) but it took me almost 2 hours and a lot of frustration and I ended up having to use lilypie or some ticker like that.. lol 

I need to develop a following, that might encourage me to come back every day... but the chickens call. Maybe I just need to make a chicken blog too..lol

Anyways I have to get up and go sand a table then stain it so I'm outie!

35 Days, Post Surgery and in Bandster HELL!

I know its been a while since I have written, but all hell has broke loose in the state of Texas.
Between the Trayvon Martin Trial and idiots talking about rioting, the Texas legislation forcing through a bill to put limits on abortion, and on a facebook page, the argument of religion, and I got 4 new Cochin chickens and 1 rooster, so to make a grand total of 8 chicks, 1 roo and 2 ducks....it has been one wild ride.

Let's see, I went to the Dr. on the 9th of July, so 1 month and 3 days after surgery and I didn't get a fill... W.T.F.
Ont he upside I have lost a grand total of 6 pounds in one month. Really? That's an upside? Sigh, slow and steady, remember Dory; just keep swimming, just keep swimming, but its getting harder and harder!!
I can eat like normal, regular chewing, etc. and I am hungry CONSTANTLY.

I can say from the start to now I have lost 20 pounds. From the day I started the pre-op diet. (278 lbs) to today, (258 lbs) but I guess I just hoped it would be different. I had hoped I would not be as hungry as I was before, and I know if I got a fill I would not be, but I cannot argue with the Dr. He has a reason why he didn't want to do a fill and I have to respect that. (I had to go back in the hospital a few days after surgery because I became dehydrated, dizzy and nauseated) He wants me to heal another month before we do a fill. I personally want to shove EVERYTHING I see into my mouth. I ate earlier, at 8:30, and I am starving again.

I originally started out eating between 900 to 1100 calories a day for the first 2 weeks I would say, now....ugh I don't even want to know. It's probably around 1600. I still weight and measure my food, but when I measure out that 4 oz of meat I end up going back for another 2 oz. And I need to work on making my food last again. When I am with the hubby he wants to speed eat, (so do the kids) and I am slowly eating, and they begin rushing me.
I cannot eat as much at least. That's a good thing.

Tomorrow we are going to go back on MFP hard and heavy, I am going to get rid of the ''calories'' per day for a few days to see what I am averaging and go from there.

I am also starting a new protein drink called Rockin Wellness so we will see how this goes too. It's suppose to be awesome etc etc.... we shall see.

I go back to the Dr. on August 6th (I think) so hopefully we will get a fill then. I am nervous but ready.
OK I am researching some recipes for bandsters so I am off to learn more than I thought I knew already

All fatness and tough

Mr. Matty, aint he handsome?

Exciting 2 days! (Day 19)

Well as the top post implies, it has been an EXCITING 2 days. And not in a good way.

My daughter has a dog named Tank, beautiful white pit bull puppy, he is about 6 months old. Well he has been feeling punk the past few days, and my daughter was very worried.
She doesn't have the money so I told her I would pay for him to go to the vet. We figured he just had garbage gut (he LOVES to knock over trash cans and see what booty they have in store)

Well a fecal exam later and he has parvo.
Talk about freak out time, they wanted 500 dollars up front to keep him and shes in tears. I'm trying to call Bret to get the ok to use the funds, she gets a hold of her bff who works at another vet's office, and they said for 200 deposit they would keep him. Now the only problem with that is we are an hour away...and of course they close in 45 minutes.

I think I broke every speed barrier to get him to that vet's office.

Now what has me freaking out is she brought him over only 2 days before this, and he and my newest addition were playing, and they were in the same kennel.
My baby Tildy is current on all her shots, but she only had 2 of the parvo shots, she was scheduled to get the third one next week. I called my vet and we went and got the shot today. Plus her rabies and bordetella. And we set up the appointment to come back in three weeks to get another booster to be on the safe side and to have her spayed.

She is 3 days from the day of exposure and I have to watch until Monday. If she shows no symptoms by Monday she should be good to go.
She's being her usual active self, but I am soo paranoid I am afraid I am over watching her.

We just got a call from the vet, Tank is reacting well with the medications, he's alert, he's active, and he has not thrown up since yesterday. (He never had the diarrhea, thank God) and they are moving him from ISO to another area (its still isolation but a little more friendly) He has to be kept calm because he has tried to remove his IV now twice from being excited. So we are guardedly optimistic. If he keeps improving the way he's going, he will be able to come home by Thursday.
But he cannot go ''visiting'' for a looong while.

Yesterday we bleached my entire house. Twice. We also bleached my front steps and back steps and porches. Today I did the back yard... and I have not finished it yet. But I got most of it. I have to go get another water hose and I also have to go get more bleach. I have a large back yard and so far I have used 1 and a half big bottles of bleach on the area's I can reach with the hose. I still have to do my front yard and the rest of the back. It's also 90+ degrees outside so I think I am going to wait a little longer to let it cool off. I let my dogs out (I have 5 total, but the others are all over a year old and up to date on all their shots) and I kept them in the area that I had already sprayed.

Now its time for lunch...haha the real reason for my blog.

That my dear friends is 8oz. of Chef Prepared Turkey salad with Cranberries (thats what the little dark things are, its not rabbit poo)
I was very skeptical at first but omg it was really tasty, and only 215 calories according to MFP. :)

I am still boycotting the scales, I do have a NSV. I have a pair of capris I bought a while back. They are size 20W and they were suuuper tight. I have them on right now :) and they are LOOSE!

Anyways I will keep you updated :)
TTFN

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY Day 14

Happy Happy Joy Joy!!

Another day and no nausea, no dizzyness. I honestly believe I needed real food, not just liquids. And I swear I will never eat another potato again for the rest of my life! lol Potato soup, mashed potatoes.. etc. You actually burn out of it.

I am now concentrating on getting in my protein and not really worrying about the calories. I have been keeping a tab and as it stands I have been eating close to 1000 to 1100 calories a day. Which is way less than what I was eating before. I kept a week of just plain eating on My Fitness Pal and I was consuming anywhere between 2200 to 3000 calories a day. So I think what I am consuming is pretty good. I just need to get over my fear of beef and fresh veggies.

I have been reading on the forum about the ''getting stuck'' and its scaring the hell out of me!!!
I know its inevitable, but its giving me a panic attack and I have not even got stuck yet. Just the thought of it freaks me out.

That much pain? And no way to make it go away? PB's (still don't know what that means) and projectile vomiting, foaming at the mouth, slime... I am not sure if I am going to become a zombie, die from asphyxiation, or crawl into a freaking corner and just cry.

Seriously the more I talk about this the more panicked I am getting. I knew all about this before I got the band, but I think now that I have it and the fact that it could happen has finally set into my mind IM SCARED POOPLESS!!

I guess I will just have to cross that bridge when I get there, but I have been given some good advice. DO NOT DRINK WATER TO TRY TO ''UNSTICK'' YOUR FOOD. It will make you feel worse.
One member told me that their dietician told them to make sure to have some ''fizzy'' drink on hand, and to be standing over a sink, a toilet, whatever when you consume it because its gonna come right back up.

Ok... I am stressing now enough. I think I am going to go to bed.

I am posting a 4 part picture of what I ate tonight. Hope you enjoy it

Day 13 and bored

Well, everyone is going on vacation, going to the water parks, going somewhere. Me I'm here at home, no plans, no money.
All my vacation money went to this surgery. It's going to work damn it!

I'm kinda worried I didn't stay on that "food plan" that the hospital gave me. I kinda pushed it up a little bit. Ok by a lot actually. I am logging my food, every sip, every bite. I'm not going over 1200 calories, and when you factor in how much my stomach actually holds I'm really not even eating that much. More like 1000 calories.

DH and I just ate at Luby's. I wish I would have taken a before and after food plate. I did take a before.. Well the after pretty much looked the same almost. And I am full. Take a luann plate and cut it in half and that's actually a little more than what I am eating. Lol.

I'm full but not uncomfortably. The burping is what's getting me lol I always thought people who burp were like ogres, now I'm like Fiona! I'm making Shrek look like a gentleman! Haha!

I am so bored, I think I have cabin fever, IDK what the summer version of that would be, but that's what I have.

I had fish again for dinner! This time it was baked salmon and leftover squash and peas from yesterday. This made me FULL!! Salmon size is 1/2 of a small strip, 1/4 cup peas, 1/4 cup squash.

I'm proud of myself too, I remembered to take all my vitamins! yeah me!

I'm now getting ready to go to bed, I hope tomorrow is just as good :)

Day 12 = Feeling Good, Finally!

Well today is a good day so far!! 

Yesterday I kept an eye on my blood pressure all day, and every time I started feeling dizzy I went and checked it. It was running 115/76 or 123/77. In that range, which makes me happy because that was without blood pressure meds. My pulse was a little high, but at the same time Yeaaaah on the blood pressure being low! 

Today I woke up at 10!! That is soo unusual for me. For the past 6 months I have been an early riser, not because I wanted to, but because that's just how I woke up on my own. So today was a total treat to me. Although not to my animals. The chicks and ducks were ready to be let out of their pens, and the dogs were ready to be let outside to go potty!

I ate 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, Yummm!! And for lunch I made en egg omelet. My first real ''food''.
2 small brown free range chicken eggs, 1 tbs of heavy cream, about 1/4 tsp of green onion, 1 tbs of pre-cooked bacon, and 1/3 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Took me almost 40 minutes to eat it but I did, slow and steady wins the race! I am now in my 30 minutes of no water after eating. I got 15 minutes to go and after I eat I don't feel dizzy, which is a total plus!

This evening when it cools off some I am going to go outside and transplant my lavender, my rosemary, and maybe some of my German and lemon thyme into some smaller pots so I can bring them in and out of the house. Right now they are sitting in my outside raised bed garden, and the sun is doing a number on them.
Ahhhh summer's in South Coast Texas.  

I am also thinking this evening I am going to make for dinner; pork chops, fresh green beans from the garden, and some grilled squash........ I personally will be having 1 cup of split pea soup blended into oblivion. 

I might even make some home made bread... mmmm maybe not. I don't want to push myself too hard. I'm feeling good right now, I don't want to jinx it.

I hope everyone has a great day!  

Feeling Like a Failure... Grrr. *Day 11*

Ok I feel like a total failure today.
I'm lightheaded Yesterday I felt great!! Today I am right back to the light headedness When does this get better? I am going to look into the vertigo meds that were suggested the other day, but I was soo happy yesterday, I felt absolutely wonderful! I woke up feeling great, ate some cottage cheese, then boom... the vertigo/light headedness sets in. SMDH.. Ugh!
But on the plus side...kinda,
My shorts are usually very snug, but yesterday I could pull them off and on without even unbuttoning them! I was like YEAAAAH!!
So this morning I figured I would hop on the scale (after my bm of course) to see what happiness the scale was going to show..... NOT. A. DAMN. CHANGE.
I know, I know. This is an NSV. Before the shorts were snug on me and I had to unbutton them to go to the bathroom, now I can just ''pull them down'' and they are loose. That is a good thing, and yes you can lose inches without losing weight. I know that.
It's just frustrating because I feel I hardly eat ANYTHING and it's not showing where I want it to.

I think I am going to go back to using myfitnesspal so I can keep track of how many calories I am eating.


Oh and to top it off, we have no water in our house. The city that I live in decided that we have a leak somewhere in my neighborhood and shut the water off. No warning, no nothing. Just don't flush!!

Boy I am just a ray of freaking sunshine this morning huh?
I will try to amend this post this evening with something positive that's happened today...but until them BLAH!

Happy Fathers Day!! Day 10

Today I made a HUGE FEAST for Fathers Day!!

I made; ranchy bacon potatoes, baked beans, corn on the cob (in the husks, straight on the pit) chicken leg quarters, ribs, and 2 different types of sausage, (pork with venison and pico de gallo sausage), home made chocolate ice cream (sugar free!) and turtle ice cream cake.

There was also buffalo ranch dip and chips and fresh brewed ice tea.

I had 1/2 cup split pea soup blended in my bullet and 2 bites of the potato ranch dressing chewed, chewed, chewed, chewed, till it was mush. (there was no onion or bacon in the 2 bites, just potato)

Then about an hour later, after I cleaned up the entire kitchen and put everything up in the refrigerator, I had 1/3 cup of the sugar free chocolate ice cream!

I am pretty damn proud of myself because ribs and chicken are my two most favorite bbq items. Especially since I made the bbq sauce and seasoned the ribs and chicken, but I resisted. I considered taking some bites of each, chewing them up and spitting them out (I know that's called dumping), but I didn't do it!!

Yeah me!

Now I am sitting here watching Rediculousness and feeling pretty good about myself. I am so nerdy.

Anyways I hope everyone else had a great Fathers Day!!

Day 9...IDK how I feel.

Lets start with yesterday, I went to Houston with the girls to get parts for Bret. We hit traffic coming and going, so we spent a lot of time in the car.
We ate at my favorite place, Panara Bread.
I am pretty proud of myself, I had clam chowder. About a cup of it with no bread. But I was not thinking and when I did my drink I forgot about the straw.
So I was sore from sitting in the car for so long and gassy from the straw. Not a good mix.
I actually went home and took some gas-x and some pain meds I was so miserable.
Now I wake up this morning and I was hungry. So I went and got me some yogurt and ate that slowly. Plus I'm drinking my water and IDK if its the water or if it was the yogurt, but I feel nauseated. Maybe I need to get up and move around, that might make my stomach settle down. Who knows.

I am just tired of the dizzy feeling that keeps coming and going. I have always hated feeling light headed, and this is not cutting it.
I think I am going to go get me some chewable multivitamins. I originally had a liquid multivitamin, and it was very very NASTY and strong. Just the smell made me feel ill, and that was before the surgery. I could not imagine trying to take it after.

I also have to start getting ready for Fathers Day tomorrow. I'm not sure what I am going to get DH, but I have a general idea.
He wants a BBQ, and I'm not looking forward to that, I'm trying to think of things I could actually eat. lol Since I am still on the stage 2 liquids I am thinking SOUP....sigh.

Right now I think I would kill someone for some fish. Just some baked fish, I literally dreamed about it last night!! But Next week makes week 2 and I can go to smooshies. So I am looking forward to some potatoes, or some eggs!

Hope everyone has a great day! And to all you awesome dad's, HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!

Motivation ... Day 8

I have none this morning, the most exciting thing I have done this morning was download the blogger app to my phone. 

I do not want to get out of bed, I do not want to go ''start the day''.

I think it started yesterday, wait, actually yesterday I had motivation. I got up, took a nice long shower and felt so wonderful!! I went to the Dr. too. Got cleared off bed rest, got cleared to drive, and got cleared to do  stage 3 diet :) I think its a little soon, but I have introduced yogurt and last night I introduced soup...YES SOUP. I had chicken and potato soup, bullet'ed and 1/2 cup. OMG it was soo good, but I was full and gassy the rest of the night so I think I am going to reign it back in some and stick with the yogurt and some more bland foods before going back to a richer soup again. 

I slept good last night! Which is a big plus. I have avoided the scale. When I went into see the Dr. yesterday I didnt look on the scale to see what it says, I dont wanna know yet. I think I want to concentrate on NSV (Non Scale Victories) before I start stressing over what the scale says. 

My fingers feel thin today, I know that sounds strange but my fingers dont feel swollen I guess is a better way to say it. 

Well the chickens and Ducks wait for no woman so I am going to get up and get moving. 

Hope everyone has a great day!!

Write tomorrow. 

The word No... Day 6

"You cant be afraid of what people will feel at the expense of what you feel." - Steve Harvey

I was half asleep with the TV on when I heard Steve Harvey say this. The topic on his show today is being able to tell other people no.

It got me thinking, "Do I say NO enough?" 

Kids wanna borrow money, if I have it I give it to them.
When my friends want to borrow something, I usually say yes.
When it comes to compromise it seems that I was always the one bending over backwards to accommodate everyone but myself.
Then I decided 6 months ago that I was going to do something for me.

I might revisit this topic above at another time.. but for right now I think I will just talk about how I am feeling.
Today makes day 6. How do I feel? gurgly hahahaha
My stomach is gurgling and talking bubbles. Which is a good thing, my incision sites are not sore anymore and I slept partly on my side last night. (I did cheat though and took some of my lovely liquid codeine to help me sleep)
Before I completely woke up this morning I got Bret (who was already up, thanks DD2) to bring me my medication so I could take it the correct way, no chewing up the pills and before I got up and started moving around. I have discovered I am going to take the blood pressure meds a little later in the day, and the thyroid soon as I get up with an empty stomach..haha but as it is now its an empty stomach all darn day!!
I got me 2 popsicles, some chicken broth, a lime jello and a small cup of Gatorade....and that was breakfast.
This liquid diet is murder, but I can say I do not have any diarrhea. So if that's what it takes then ok. But right now I would fight a wild pack of dogs for just one scrambled egg and a slice of toast.

I guess I can tie in the whole no thing after all.
For my health, for my healing I have to say NO. To myself, to my kids, to people who want something from me right now. It's not gonna happen. I have to put myself first right now and heal, then I can go back to being the pushover that I once was..lol

Day 5

Woke up with diarrhea and nausea then went to dizzy and it won't go away. Back in hospital for observation and iv fluid push.
New quote for the day is Dorey - just Kee swimming just keep swimming!






****UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE****

I'm out of the hospital back home and put back on the clear liquid diet. I'm still a little light headed but not like before. I am to see the Dr. again Thursday and if the diarrhea keep up take Pepto Bismol (or Imodium, I have Pepto) and if I become nauseous then take a nausea pill.
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest is the main thing he said for me to do.

I'm at home now, but look at where my IV was!!! 

But I had the greatest recovery nurse ever!! Her name is Mrs. Coker. If you are ever in BMH and you are in recovery hope you get her. She is the most compassionate person! The entire staff there is great but she was my favorite one. 

Day 4

Well, I guess that's how I have to start this out....
I woke up this morning feeling pretty good. First night I slept through the night and comfortable, woke feeling fresh and good. Then it went downhill.
I awoke around 10, which is rare for me since I am usually up bright and early.
My daughter got here by 10:30 and we went to go get me a protein shake, I was feeling a little antsy and shaky but I just figured it was from not eating anything yet or having anything to drink. Got my shake and took my aloe vera shot, and my lemon green tea, and my shake and dug in. Took the shot, and stared on the shake. Came home and had 4 oz. of my shake on top of what I had eaten on my way back home. And drank all the lemon green tea.
Then I had a bm. It was diarrhea. And to top it off I was feeling a little more shaky and nausea set in.
I figured I was hungry. (it had been about an hour since I had eaten, so I made some Soup on the Go Cream of Broccoli and measured it out, 4 oz. ate it slowly and had to go to the restroom again... another bm more diarrhea.
By this point I was feeling suuuper light headed, shaky, faint, and nauseous.
I called my Dr. and talked to the nurse explaining to her what was going on and if she could get me some nausea meds called in. They called me in something for nausea, and told me start drinking Gatorade. Lots and lots of Gatorade, and to take some Pepto and the nausea meds, and to come in and see the Dr. at 9am. 1st appointment.
After I took the medicine and drank about 3 cups (8oz) of Gatorade, I started feeling human then. I am now peeing very clear urine and since the pepto no more bm's.
I am still feeling a little light headed but but no more nausea and the nurse said I could scramble up an egg and have a half of toast, just make sure its mushy and wet. Or I could have some malt-o-meal.
I sent darling daughter to the store to get me some malt-o-meal and more Gatorade.
So I am not perfect like I think I am, and I need to be more in tune with my body instead of thinking everything was going to go back to the way it was.

My new mantra for today is ......

Day 3

Hello all!!
Today makes day 3 for me. It's been pretty exciting!
I woke up this morning with no pain. I almost cried, I was so happy. Then I moved, and the gas woke up..lol
I think my Dr. wanted to make me a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Balloon, he filled me with so much gas.
But I have been laying with the heating pad, walking, and sitting up a lot in bed. My urine is a weird pink-ish yellow-ish brown. Not dark, but I have increased my water intake. At first I was afraid to even drink water because I was soo positive it would get stuck or something. I have discovered as long as I don't gulp it and give it a few seconds between drinks I can actually drink quite a bit of water, that makes me happy I'm only doing 4 oz every 30 minutes or so, but I think that's a good start. I don't feel like I have water belly or that I am stretching anything. And when I drink water it makes me burp, so its a win-win situation! Also, this morning when I got up I had sinus drainage and you know how that makes you feel nauseated. I tried some chicken broth, didn't help, water didn't help, nausea bracelet and drops didn't help so I went and made me a protein shake, only had about 2 oz of it, but it got rid of the nauseous feeling. I know some people have said they were on clear liquids for 2 weeks then the solid liquids for 2 weeks then on week 5 onto smushies. I have gone over my paperwork over and over, and it doesn't specify when I am suppose to start stage 2 liquids, but I had to have something this morning. it was either put something in there or throw up. And I DONT want to throw up!

**Oh happy news** I just had my first bm post surgery!! YEAAAHHH!! No straining, I think the protein shake helped move the mail.

I am going to stop with the pain medication, I am not a big fan of pain meds anyways, I don't like the way they make me feel but they are great for sleeping! I have liquid Tylenol for the minor cramps and ickies so that should be good. If not I still have the other,

One thing I am going to to today is shower!!! I feel nasty. hahaha

anyways I will try to write here every day about how my journey is going.

Later Taters

One of my bandages got wet from the shower so I took a picture of what my port incision looks like.