Still losing...

Despite a month of hobbling around with no pretense of any form of exercise, I'm still losing! Dr.Green said he was pleased with my results so far (and I did NOT have to talk to the nutritionist). I do have to go have labs done before the end of the year just to make sure I'm staying nutritionally healthy.

I really wanted to lose a total of 50 lbs. by Christmas, but I'll be happy to lose a total of 50 by early to mid-January. Just losing 3 more pounds means that I'll have less than 100 to lose!! (Doesn't that just seem like an enormous amount of weight to lose??) It will be amazing that I'll end up having lost weight that is equal to the weight of a healthy person.

I'm beginning to really tell a difference. I think my largest lapband scar has slid down about 2 inches! (I won't mention other things that seem to be headed south in a hurry!)

Last week I made a quick low-fat chili recipe that is yummmy!

Kim's Quick and Lean Chili

1 md. sweet onion
1-2 t. minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. of 93/7 lean hamburger meat
1 can Ro-tel Chili Fixin's
1 can Ranch pinto beans with jalapenos
fresh cilantro, optional
1 can of water

Caramelize the onions and garlic in the olive oil. Remove and set aside when done. Cook hamburger meat until well browned. Add rest of ingredients and stir well. Let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve over low-fat tortilla chips and top with low-fat shredded cheese.

Bit off more than I can chew.....

I attempted to eat a sliced bbq sandwich this week.....and could only manage about half of it. The bun is too soft...which I expected. I just couldn't chew the meat up enough...which became painful in its journey from the small upper stomach pouch through the lapband ring to the lower part of my stomach. I finally gave up....fed the rest to Missy (the Arthur's dog).

Mentally, I'm having to come to grips with giving up some really chewy things (unless I cut them in teeny tiny pieces, which I haven't done yet). It's just so much easier (lazier?) to stick to yogurt, shaved turkey or ham, soups, jello & cottage cheese.

Right now I'm at 39-40 lbs. lost, which is a good thing....and when the next 10 lbs. come off, that will be a real milestone for me in this process.

Put the soup on...

Soups are so much easier for me to eat....even though I get really hungry for some meat to chew on! They tend to be lower calorie, very tasty and filling--which is what I need.

Found this recipe in a recent issue of People Magazine. :

Bus Stop White Chili
(a recipe from Martina McBride)

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 14 ½ oz. cans chicken broth
1 ½ t. white pepper (or use black pepper)
1 t. garlic powder
3 T. olive oil
2 15 oz. cans great northern beans or navy beans
2 4 ½ oz. cans chopped green chilies
1 10 ½ oz. can cream of chicken soup
3 T. (or less) jalapeno pepper juice (this could be optional)
2 T. minced fresh cilantro
1 t. salt

[Notes: Buy the low-sodium, healthy request versions of the broth and soup. This recipe could also be cut in half.]

Put chicken in glass baking dish, pour in 1 can chicken broth, cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 for an hour. Remove chicken and reserve broth. Cut chicken into small pieces and season with pepper and garlic.

Saute chicken in oil in pot for 2-3 min. Add reserved broth and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 min.

To serve, cut 6-8 corn tortillas into ¼ in. strips. Place in serving bowls. Ladle chili on top. Garnish with sour cream and grated mozzarella cheese if desired.

[Another note: the tortillas can be cut in strips and put in the soup pot while it simmers. This serves as a good thickener.]

Eating out...

While living without a fridge this week, I was pleased to discover how much my mind-set has changed. Some people wouldn't have complained about eating out for a week, but I dreaded the thought of having to deal with finding good choices. Mostly, I ended up skipping some meals. The bread on buns of sandwiches has become more difficult to get down since it is not toasted. It tends to ball up and stick a bit inside the upper part of my stomach. A new fridge was delivered yesterday and I promptly went and bought good things to eat---fruit, veggies, cottage cheese, lean sandwich meats. These are things that aren't fried, are low in calories, low in fat, low in sugar, and healthy.

On the subject of eating out, I ran across the list of the 20 worst foods in America:

[Keep in mind that an average person just maintaining his/her weight shouldn't have more than , 1,000-1,500 calories, 35 g fat, 300 g of carbs a day, and less than 2,300 mg sodium a day.]

20. McDonald's Chicken Select 5 pc. chicken strips--830 calories, 55 g fat, 48 g carbs (if you have lg. fries and pop, it is 1750 calories)
19. Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Powered Smoothie--900 calories, 10 g fat, 183 g carbs
18. Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie--1,020 calories, 64 g fat, 86 g carb
17. Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger--1,145 calories, 71 g fat, 56 g carb
16. Chipotle Mexican Grill Chicken Burrito--1,179 calories, 47 g fat, 125 g carb, 2,656 mg sodium
15. Macaroni Grill Double Mac and Cheese-- 1,210 calories, 62 g fat, 3,450 mg sodium
14. Quiznos Classic Italian--1,528 calories, 92 g fat, 110 g carbs, 4,604 mg sodium
13. On the Border Grande Taco Salad With Taco Beef--1,450 calories, 102 g fat, 78 g carb, 2,410 mg sodium
12. Carl's Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger--1,520 calories, 111 g fat
11. Lonestar 20 oz. T-bone--1,540 calories, 124 g fat (add the baked potato and lettuce wedge, it is 2,700 calories)
10. Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Creme Stacked and Stuff Hotcakes--1,540 calories, 77 g fat, 198 g carbs
9. Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie With Vanilla Ice Cream--1,600 calories, 78 g fat, 215 g carbs
8. P. F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein--1,820 calories, 127 g fat, 95 g carbs
7. Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers With Chipotle Sauce--2,040 calories, 99 g fat, 240 g carbs
6. On The Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans--2,100 calories, 130 g fat, 169 g carbs, 4,750 mg sodium
5. Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza--2,310 calories, 162 g fat, 123 g carbs, 4,470 mg sodium
4. Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meat Sauce--2,430 calories, 128 g fat, 207 g carbs, 5,290 mg sodium
3. On the Border Stacked Border Nachos--2,740 calories, 166 g fat, 191 g carbs, 5,280 mg sodium
2. Chili's Awesome Blossom--2,710 calories, 203 g fat, 194 g carbs, 6,360 mg sodium
1. Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries With Ranch Dressing--2,900 calories, 182 g fat, 240 g carbs

Kinda scary, huh, when you start looking at all the numbers.

It's enough to turn your stomach!!!!

After a very relaxing Thanksgiving break (although not as mobile as I'd like to have been)....I arrived home to a horrendous stench in the house!!

Ashley had been over this morning to feed cats and called me complaining about it. I told her to take out the trash and empty a bowl I'd left in the sink, but I couldn't imagine that it would be so bad that it would make her gag and throw up....twice!!! She took care of it....

Well, not really.....I opened the back door...lit a candle...double checked the trash can...poured bleach in the sink....and then decided I'd better put up the fruit and milk I'd carried in.....and then it hit me!!! OMGOSH....right in the face!!!! gag....ick....revolting.....

The fridge had gone out and everything in it was spoiled and stinking to high heaven....blowing hot air and a hot horrible smell....and had probably been that way for most of the time I'd been gone. I remember getting a bottle of water out Tuesday morning when I left and thinking it didn't feel as cold as it usually does.

I don't even want to think about how much in groceries I'm throwing away....the freezer was packed with shrimp, salmon, chicken, veggies, frozen fruit......

I'll be making a trip to Sherman tomorrow afternoon and come home with a new fridge.

Still dropping!!

I've enjoyed the turkey and dressing and pumpkin pie!!! ....and still losing!...despite not being able to move around much on my ankle. Woo hoo!!!

The bigger they are, the harder they fall...

Last night when leaving Lynn's to go home, I walked through her garage in the dark to my car. My left foot stepped on the little ledge between the garage and the carport. I immediately felt it give way, but before I could even shift my weight, I heard a snap or pop and because I was already in the act of moving to my right leg, I pitched forward on to my right knee....and landed hard on it, breaking the rest of the fall with both hands. Immediately, I knew that I had the most severe strain...and it hurt!!!....so much that I was just stunned with pain and couldn't even move as I lay on my stomach. I rolled on to my back and lifted my left leg to see how much movement I had in it and saw a large swelling on the outside ankle. It took a while before I could even contemplate getting up, because the right knee had taken such a bang on the concrete that it was painful also. I was right in front of the car, so I rolled over to it and was able to get some leverage to get up and get in the car....however, once in the car, I was shaking a lot and my teeth were chattering like a wind-up toy! I drove home and manage to get in the house....get a bag of frozen okra out of the freezer, lay down on the couch and get my foot elevated. I tried to call Kari & Warren, but no answer, so called Lori who told me the RIE treatment---rest, ice, elevation--and take ibuprofen. I called Lynn and told her what happened and had her call Ashley to bring me a bag of ice. Ashley was worried about me when she saw me and volunteered to spend the night with me and take care of me. She is such a good niece!!!

Needless to say, this is just beyond bothersome to me! I had a list of things to get done before I went to Lisa's on Tuesday and now I can't get them all done....and now Lisa is sick with some sinus/cough thing, so she is going to the doctor tomorrow....and my aunt Wilma is not doing well and Mother needs to go visit her this week.....please remember all my Smith cousins during this time....they are a special bunch and they've been blessed with a wonderful mother (my aunt Wilma) who is probably not long for this earthly world. My ankle just isn't all that important anymore.

Downsizing...

I know it is NOT my imagination that standardized clothing sizes are not what they used to be. Recently, I was looking at some denim/twill pants at Wal-Mart (for everyday school--I have a dirty job! lol with kids, boxes, the floor, books, which are the dirtiest! I'm not spending lots of money on school clothes.)...anyway, I was needing a smaller size. The size I thought I needed...I swear to you, looked like they'd fit Ashley!!! I looked at the tag to make sure they weren't supposed to be leggings--they weren't. I did NOT buy them. I looked at tops in Target today--because I'm celebrating wearing a size smaller bra!!--same thing---the tops look teeny tiny!!! Like this would fit Kari! I was under the impression that current clothing sizes have been cut larger--for example, a person wearing a size 4/6 today would have worn a size 10/12 thirty years ago.

I'm downsizing by inches and weight....but not necessarily by clothing size. Somebody is messing with my mind!!

Finally...a pic!

ok...here it is...finally! Can you tell I've lost weight?? This was taken 10/27 in Reno where we presented at the AASL Conference.

I've lost more since then....and will continue to do so, especially since I've had the fill. I'm having to relearn portions....and definitely having to eat slower and smaller bites.

I spent 30 minutes having painful spasms and throwing up tonight after eating 3 bites of smoked salmon and 2 bites of avocado salad. I didn't think I was eating too fast or too big bites, but I was really hungry, so maybe I did. I'll be eating some yogurt or cottage cheese/jello later...icky feeling and very painful and my mouth salivates a lot when I'm about to regurgitate (very weird!). I've had two other "episodes"---once I swallowed too much water, too fast and that caused painful spasms, till it all went down. Another time, I was eating a piece of shaved turkey and on the last bite, I didn't chew it enough....and came back up. Each episode has been different, so it's not one of those "why didn't you learn the first time?" kind of things for me.

Does it fit or not?

I wore a dress to school Friday that was too tight last year. I wore it once at the beginning of school this year (after the surgery), and it still felt a bit snug, so hadn't worn it since. Friday I was told TWICE by two different teachers that the dress was too big for me! What? Looser, yes. Too big? Hmmm.... One said, "It looks like you are going to have to start buying new clothes. Isn't that a great feeling that your clothes are getting too big?" The other walked up to me and said, "Honey, that dress is too big for you....and you can give it to me!"

I looked a little closer in the mirror---ok, the dress is not loose around my round backside, nor is it loose around my amply endowed chest. Now granted, the last person who commented is ALWAYS cinched up and poured in her fashionable clothes...she's got lots more clothes than I do and always looks like she stepped out of clothing shop. She is also from that cultural school of thinking that one should show off the junk in the trunk.

The dress is washed and I'm giving it to her Monday.

Shopping...in my closet

I'm thrilled to report that my last year's school pants are just getting too big to wear and look down right sloppy. So I've had to go "shopping" in my closet. The lower rack contains clothes that had been, sadly, too small for me to wear last year. I didn't even know what was hanging! Found a pair of khaki pants and was shocked to discover that they fit me even better than when I bought them about 2 years ago!

Haven't "shopped" for tops yet. There are two things that are prohibiting that for the time being....if you know what I mean~ ;)

I can assure you, I'm not pregnant!

After signing in at the hospital (and being told their records show I hadn't met my deductible...are they nuts?? I told her that I'd had surgery in August and had written plenty of checks and I was pretty sure I'd met my $500 deductible--she didn't argue. It's a good thing--6:30 in the morning is not a good time to pull that kind of stuff with me!), I was then escorted to the lab.

The attendant asked what I was there for (lord help!!! am I supposed to know everything that is going on??) I told her I was there for my first lapband fill, so she hands me a cup and tells me she needs a urine sample. For the life of me, I don't know what that has to do with anything, but ok--whatever.

Then I go to the waiting room in X-ray where, in addition to drama (written about in previous blog), I find out just from listening to conversation that I wasn't supposed to have had anything to eat or drink the night before after 10 pm! Well, I hadn't, but....what if it had been a night like tonight....when it is midnight and I've had a glass and a half of water!

I continue to listen and find out that the urine sample was for a pregnancy test!!! Hello! One of the women was explaining to another that she always refuses because there is no sense paying for one when you've had a hysterectomy and then she has to sign off on paper that she is refusing. Well, guess, what....there is no way I could be pregnant either!!! (*rolling my eyes in a dramatic fashion*)

Needless to say between all the sharing of what problems they've had (especially the one whose band was too tight and another one who'd had the same thing happen to her and ended up in the ER!), I was just a tad nervous about having mine filled! I'll be digging out those papers they gave me when I left the hospital that I'm supposed to have on hand at all times in case I end up in an ER, so they'll know what to do with a lapband patient. One felt the need to continue sharing info about how drinking the liquid makes her so nauseated (great--it's now 7:00 am and I've had nothing to eat and I have about and hour and a half drive back to school!)

Dr. Green comes to get me and he's wearing a big navy apron that is splashed with white stuff--oh, lord, help!! I'm told to lay down on the x-ray table and scoot down so that my feet are resting on a footboard. I'm told to pull up my shirt (note to self: don't ever wear a dress on these days). My stomach is swabbed with betadine and then I'm told I'm going to have a little local to numb the area. Yeah...well, the initial stick wasn't bad, but all that rotating around to numb the area was a tad uncomfortable. Then Dr. Green immediately tells me that he is going to insert the "special" needle. Special needle?!! I take it this means I probably shouldn't look. But wait! Doesn't that local need time to numb---you know, like at the dentist office?? Guess not. I didn't feel a thing except the pressure of him pushing and then sort of a "pop" feeling when the needle went through the port. Then he tells me he's going to inject the saline. I was pretty relaxed, thinking I wouldn't feel a thing. I was wrong. Gadzooks!! There was this sudden rush and squeezing sensation that caused me to audibly grunt!! I was then tilted up and handed the dreaded glass of white liquid and told to take a mouthful and not swallow it (gee whiz!)---thank you, God, for it turning out to just be white colored water---no flavor, no chalk! Then I was told to swallow and the two doctors watched to make sure liquid was going through. Took out the needle, stuck a bandaid on me, and told me to stay on liquids for 3 days. What?? All I have with me in liquid form is a protein drink!!! I have my stewy soup, string cheese, crackers, and cottage cheese.

Guess I'll be looking for even more soup recipes...


Cream of Pumpkin Soup (sent to me by Kari, who swears it is delicious!)

3 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 14-oz. cans chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked orzo or wild rice
1- 1/2 cups half-and-half, light cream, or milk
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
Cracked black pepper (optional)

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boiling. Stir in orzo or rice. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes for orzo or 40 minutes for wild rice or until orzo or rice is tender.

In a screw-top jar combine half-and-half and flour. Cover; shake well to combine. Stir into orzo mixture; cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in pumpkin; heat through. Transfer to an insulated container. Sprinkle each serving with cracked black pepper. Makes 6 to 8 side-dish servings.

[Note: might could add left over turkey to this?]

Drama in the waiting room...

While waiting to get my first fill (an injection of saline) into my lapband, I shared the waiting room area with 4 other women, two of whom were teachers, one was the mother of six (and I swear she looked like she was barely 30!). During the chit-chat, I discovered that one hadn't had a fill in a year, the other had lost 70 lbs., but gained it back and had begged Dr. Green's staff to get him to take her as a patient; another had had a fill a week ago, but had only been able to get about 3 bottles of water down and had lost 7 lbs., so she was in to get some of the "fill" taken back out; and the last one hadn't had a fill in a very long time either, but was wearing a size 18 after having been a size 26/28.

Then the talk turned to problems they'd all had with scheduling--one person said she'd had to call and make all of her appts. because the office staff just never followed through--they all got to sharing and it seems that one person in particular is the source of the scheduling problems.

When Dr. Green breezed through, one of the school teachers snagged him and said, "Wait just a minute, Dr. Green. I think you need to hear what we have to say about your office staff." I swear---you know how school teachers can be!! Needless to say, he got an earfull from this particular teacher and pointed out to him that 4 of the 5 had had scheduling problems due to this person in his office. Drama in the waiting room!!

Getting soooo hungry.....

I'm a month overdue for a fill. I'm not happy. Wondering if I can switch doctors. Defeats the whole purpose of the surgery if you can't seem to fill up, your stomach growls, and you feel hungry!

Am going to have to do some cooking this weekend using some low fat/carb things and stir in the whey protein powder. Hoping to find something to fill me up and satisfy me for more than an hour or two. Am feeling like I did when I was about 2 wks. out from surgery---the "I need some food!!" phase. Dips are helpful when feeling snacky--can use the soy chips or rice chips and get filled up pretty quickly.

Guess I should be thankful I'm not suffering any major cravings for anything bad and can't say that I've even cheated. Although it would be great to lay into a big bowl of queso from Los Amigos with warm tortilla chips! ;)

Have gone to Curves twice this week instead of every day, but will get up and go in the morning. Will get some more exercise tomorrow afternoon helping Ashley & Keith clean up my yard in prep for the winter.

Have felt so tired still from all the traveling, hard shopping, and conferencing that we did last week (not to mention those darn long plane rides!) I admit it--at this age in my life, I'd rather pay extra for a direct flight--problem was there were none! At least not on Southwest. Kari & Warren managed to get a direct flight back, but not out. And hotels are another thing...am really spoiled to staying in nice ones! The older I get the more I understand that old phrase, "you only live once." So why not fly direct and stay in a great hotel?


Healthy Artichoke and Spinach Dip (25 cal.)

15-to16-ounce can no-salt-added cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
4 medium green onions (green and white parts), chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained, or 10-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt or fat-free or light sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a food processor or blender, process the beans, green onions, and garlic until smooth, scraping the side several times. Add the remaining ingredients. Process until smooth.Transfer the dip to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 2 hours to 4 days before serving.

Anytime Frittata (130 cal. 11 gr. protein)

Note: You can use whatever veggies and cheeses that you like. To up the protein a bit more, you can add chopped ham, turkey, or bacon.

1 T. salted butter
1 small zucchini, finely diced
8 mushrooms, finely diced
6 lg. eggs or the equiv. with egg beaters
1/2 c. 1% milk
1 c. 2% low-fat cottage cheese
1 c. shredded Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese, about 1/4 lb.
3 green onions, sliced
1 ripe Roma tomato, diced
1 T. chopped fresh dill
vegetable oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat butter in md. nonstick skillet and lightly saute the veggies until the released juices have reduced and the veggies are lightly browned. In a lg. bowl, beat the eggs with the milk until well blended, then stir in the cheeses, onions, tomato, dill, and sauteed veggies. Pour into a 9 x 9-inch baking dish that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Chicken & Wild Rice Veggie Soup (a recipe of my own creation!)

1 lg. box chicken broth or 3 cans
1 box of Rice A Roni Nature's Way Long Gain & Wild Rice
1 sm. can sliced mushrooms
1 10-12 oz. can chicken, drained and shredded
1 heaping T. tomato paste
1 15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can petite chopped tomatoes
1 sweet onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 ribs celery, sliced
1-2 small yellow squash or zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 T. olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

In lg. skillet, saute onion and garlic with olive oil until soft and almost caramelized. Put celery and squash in ziploc steam bag and steam for about 6-7 minutes.

Put all ingredients in large soup pan (including onion/garlic mix and squash/celery mix) except for box of rice and bring to a boil . Add more water to soup if you think it is not soupy enough. Add rice and seasoning packet. Stir well and let simmer for about 25 minutes.

Losing my pants....

I'm going to have to start paying better attention when I get up and get dressed before daylight...especially if I'm still sorta feeling the effects of jet lag or something.

It was while I was walking across the parking lot this morning that I realized the pants I'd put on were feeling awfully baggy....I mean enough room for a couple of cats to race around in! Luckily, I didn't have my hands quite as full as I usually do juggling lunch bag, purse, and a box of books, so I was able to pull them up. Unfortunately, the long-sleeved pullover shirt was on the thin side, so I couldn't yank the pants up to mid-rib because you could see where the waistband is! What a dilemma, huh? lol I decided it would be a good day to re-catalog most of the 398.2 section since I'd be safely sitting and not in danger of losing my pants in front of God and everybody.

Needless to say, after washing these pants tonight, they go in the "too big to wear anymore" box! Woo hoo!

No cheating...

I think I just passed my first test! I was in Reno from last Wednesday night with no fridge (to keep milk, jello, cottage cheese---lo-cal snacky things) through Sunday, and, I must say, that it was very easy to continue eating well even eating out.

We split all of our meals out....and had more than one discussion about portion sizes served at restaurants. We ate breakfast at IHop where we ordered a spinach/mushroom omelet to share. When it arrived, we thought they'd confused the order because they brought us two omelets. Turns out that the cook had just prepared us two smaller (which were the size an individual should have) ones in place of the one large one. We split a grilled salmon and steamed broccoli dinner with an appetizer of a lobster "martini" (lord, that was soooo good! I'm going to duplicate the recipe and post it.) at Red Lobster. We split a shrimp and asparagus risotto at Olive Garden. Ok...I'll confess....I did cheat just a tiny bit....could you have resisted those cheesy garlic biscuits at Red Lobster? I didn't think so. Well, neither could I!

I took protein powder and string cheese with me and picked up some protein and soy bars, but I honestly didn't really need them. Actually, I probably did, but considering our "schedule" or lack of, I think I actually lost weight while there! Lots of walking and healthy food. Our last night there, we ate at an all you can eat sushi bar! My first time...ummm...it was absolutely beyond yummy! I stuck to smoked salmon and shrimp (all cooked stuff)---the rolls are to die for---wonder how far I'd have to drive from Bonham to find a sushi bar? lol

Kari and I had a wonderful two days together and then to finish the week out, Warren flew in Friday night. Esther flew in Friday night, too. We had even more fun with four of us! Kari, Esther, and I did our presentation at AASL Saturday and it went much better than we even expected (we presented a session about preparing a library for the future if you have one that needs clean-up, weeding, and/or organization) considering that we did what we usually do---tapped danced our way through it without a lot of prep. But hey, they keep accepting the proposals that are submitted, so we must be doing something right! lol The next conference (only held every 2 years) will be in Charlotte, NC.

Conflicting info....

ok...so when I visited the surgeon this past Tuesday for my 2nd post-op visit, I thought the appt. was to get the band filled. I was wrong (despite what I was told at the last visit). It seems this is only done AFTER he asks you if you are experiencing satiety. Well, my answer was "no." For about the past week and a half, I'm not satisfied very long after a meal. It seems the fill has to be done at 6:00 AM (ugh!) at the hospital and involves drinking some liquid (please, let it taste good!!...and not be a huge amount!!) and then they watch it flow through you. A little local shot to numb the port area and another shot of saline and it's over. [For some reason they can't schedule things like that right then while you are there....you have to wait for someone to call you. Having experience that "wait for someone to call" all summer, I gave them 24 hrs...no call. So called them the next day about 10 min. before they closed and was told they had me scheduled for Nov. 6th.]

I see a nurse before each surgeon consult who weighs me, takes BP, and asks a few general questions. Now I have been weighing on Lisa's digital scale since before the surgery, so that is the one I'm going by to track weight loss. I had NOT gotten on the scales since I'd weighed myself back whenever. After my shower that morning I figured I'd better go ahead and weigh so I wouldn't have a shocking disappointment at the clinic. I couldn't believe that it said I'd lost almost 10 more lbs.!!! I was so excited! However, I did get a shock....there is a 7 lb. discrepency between Lisa's scales and the clinic scales (digital also) and not in my favor!!!! Plus they don't count the 3 lbs. I lost the week before surgery even tho they documented it (*rolling my eyes*). I'm counting it.

The nurse asks if I'm taking my vitamin daily...which I am (I was told to buy Flintstones chewable, so that is what I'm taking). She asks what I'm eating....and I tell her the protein drink for breakfast...soup for lunch...and chicken, salad, fish, or baked potato for supper. WELLL....she proceeds to tell me that the soup is a no-no!! I shouldn't be eating it because it is mostly liquid and by the time I chew up any bits, it just runs right through me. I beg to differ. I told her it is not a very liquid soup, as it is homemade and quite thick like a stew. She still insisted I quit eating soup!

Ok...after the surgeon visit, he sends me to visit with the nutritionist who asks the same questions. She quite patronizingly told me that I should be taking 4 vitamins daily instead of one, after all they are children's vitamins. I had to tell her that I'd actually read the box and it said adult dosage is one vitamin daily and that I was well aware it is marketed as a children's vitamin.
She seems to think the soup is no big deal.

She is not excited that I started working out at Curves...said it is not cardio enough...and that she'd be bored to tears if it were her, but that it is ok for me to go right now, but later I'd have to do something "harder." I told her that I seem to be able to work up a sweat and that I find that it keeps me from getting bored since we change stations every 30 seconds.

I'm hoping that I heard the doctor correctly when he said, "I have patients talk to the nutritionist on the 1st and 2nd post-op visit." I understand that it is for the patients health benefit, but....it all goes back to knowing yourself and what is working for you.

As I leave, I stop at the front desk to make an appt. for my 3rd post-op visit. She gives me a date during the last week of November. I tell her I can't that week, but make it for the following week. She hands me an appt. card with the Nov. date!! Gad!!!

More discoveries...

1. I'm spending so much less money, it is ridiculous! I guess I just didn't realize how much I spent on food--mainly fast food and food already prepared.

2. My favorite canned soup (Progresso Chicken and Wild Rice)...just doesn't taste good anymore after making homemade soups for the past month. I had some for lunch the other day...blah.

3. The dishwasher is not being used as frequently. Mainly because I'm just a few things over and over, so it seems easier to just handwash them and have them ready again. I've always hated to handwash dishes, but I do it without even thinking of it now.

4. My grocery lists are much shorter! Of course it stands to reason that they would be, but it is quite freeing to just breeze by everything up and down aisles and not even give consideration to 95% of what is available.

5. I continue to be amazed at the energy level I have with only having lost about 1/6th of my goal. I had no idea that so much fat was affecting my brain function to the point of causing malaise.

6. I've noticed that every recipe (soup or meat/fish/chicken dinner) out of the book I'm using calls for 1 md. sweet onion. I've never eaten so much onion in my life!! Of couse, you've probably noticed, too, that they seem to call for tomatoes also. Granted, I've usually cooked with onion, although in a lesser amount than these recipes call for, so I was curious to see if there is some sort of nutritional benefit from onions that I'm not aware of (we all know about tomatoes--which Lisa and I consider the perfect food). It seems that onions are low in calories, and virtually absent of sodium, fat, and cholesterol. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, as well as vitamin B6 and potassium. Onions also have the flavonoid quercetin, which studies have shown to be extremely useful in helping to prevent cancer and reduce symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Some onions are also an excellent source of Vitamin C which can reduce the symptoms of asthma sufferers because it acts as an antioxidant and powerful anti-inflammatory. Also of importance in regards to the health and nutritional benefits of onions are the compounds commonly found in most onions that can help stimulate insulin production and reduce sugar levels. Consuming large quantities of onions has been proven to effectively lower blood sugar levels in individuals suffering from diabetes. Some of you have probably heard of using onions as a poltice on the chest of a person with a bad cough, but you can also use it as a topical remedy by putting a slice of onion on an insect bite to relieve irritation and itchiness. One can also deeply inhale just sliced onions to unclog a stuffy nose.

Ok...that's probably more than you wanted to know, but that satisfies my curiousity about why onions in all the recipes.

So happy...so sad...

I was so happy a week ago when I could wear my favorite bra again!!! However, I think I wore it too frequently....I shouldn't have worn it quite so much...especially to Curves.

This morning while working out, at some point I began to feel a bit "lopsided," to put it delicately. It was later in the day while shopping and trying on clothes (I know....I'm not supposed to be buying any new clothes, but I'm headed to a conference in Reno this week and I wanted at least one new thing to wear!) that I discovered that I'd "broken" my favorite bra! It's my favorite color, too...blue. It's so sad that my over-endowed chest, in addition to gravitational forces, conspired to snap a wire!

Still losing!!

Nervous Nelly!

Ok...I go see Dr. Green on Tuesday morning.....I'm so nervous that I'll have gained!!! I'm going to wear the lightest clothes I have and take off my shoes!!

Spent the weekend with Donnas & DeWayne (in central eastern Oklahoma--that would be at Panola) and did very well for my first time away from home. I'd packed a bag with string cheese, jello, cottage cheese, a slice of turkey, and my peanut butter protein powder. We went to grocery store on Saturday morning and I made the Epicurious Tortilla Soup for us...turned out delicious! They loved it and I brought some of it home. I certainly missed my Zyliss food chopper when chopping the onions! I had tears running down my face!!

Guess I won't make a soup today, but I am going to try this recipe:

Chicken in Tomato Feta Sauce

1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
flour for dusting
1 T. olive oil
1 md. onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes in puree
1/2 c. chicken stock (or can substitute apple juice or cider, veggie stock, or white grape juice)
1 t. oregano
1/8 t. cinnamon
4 oz. feta cheese, drained, rinsed, and crumbled
1/3 c. chopped black olives, optional

Season chicken with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour. Heat olive oil in skillet over md-hi heat and cook chicken until well browned on both sides, about 3 min. per side; transfer to serving platter.

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil remaining in the pan until golden. Add the tomatoes, stock, oregano, and cinnamon and season with black pepper. Return the browned chicken to the skillet with any accumulated juices.

Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 35-40 min., until the chicken is tender. Add the feta cheese and olives to the skillet, cover again, and simmer for 10 min. more, or until the cheese begins to melt into the sauce.

Addictive behavior...

I hadn't seriously considered myself as having an addictive behavior, but it is true. And strangely enough, I've been cautioned twice by total strangers to beware of becoming addicted to alcohol after having lapband surgery (*rolling my eyes* Do I look like I've been drinking...or just that I need a drink??)!! This is because food addicts tend to replace one addict with another. Having been on meds for years and also being fully aware of the dangers of alcoholism, I've never considered that being a temptation for me.

However, I must confess that the addictive behavior reared its ugly head during the past week and a half.....and it was over the soy/rice crackers!!! I found myself craving them! I wanted to eat the whole bag!!!! And on more than one occasion I ate half the bag!! This was quite unsettling for me to deal with. Maybe I'm really a carb addict instead of a sugar addict. Seriously...I think I'm going to have to give them up!! Crunchy, salty things.....

Someone suggested that exercise might be something I considered becoming addicted to. I hadn't planned on joining Curves until after the 6 wk. period was up and I'd had my check-up, but I guess you noticed that I hurried on down to Curves this weekend and joined up! If I'm going to have an addition, at least it should be a healthy one!

No more, no more, no more...(isn't that line from a song?)

1. No more eating in bed!....at anytime of day or night (this used to be a real "comfort zone" for me...eating and reading and bed....all at the same time!)

2. No more eating after 8:00 at night. (I know..the experts say 6 or 7 pm, but sometimes I have a "snack" of watermelon after supper.)

3. No more fast food. (I've been out to a restaurant once since the surgery and I had a cup of soup.)

4. No more sugar! (I really thought I'd shrivel up and die without it! Ok, I confess... my cleaning lady at school brought in a plate of brownies in celebration of her birthday this week and insisted I have one. I reluctantly took a small piece --I so did not want to hurt her feelings!-- and took a bite. After she left, I threw it away. That doesn't really count does it?)

5. No more being a slave to food. (One of the residents at school happened to be sitting in front of me at a school program this past week and asked me about having the surgery. During the course of the conversation she said, "Aren't you glad not to be a slave to food anymore?" I replied, "That describes it! I was a slave to food!" It ruled my waking hours and thoughts...and even though I have to think about food a lot now, too, it is in a very different way. It is more along the lines of what I need to buy to cook my soup of the week and my main dish of the week. I have to confess, it is a tremendous weight off --no pun intended--to not have to be a slave to thinking about food and obsessing over it all the time!)

Curves ahead...

Saturday I joined Curves and did my first workout (with 2 skinny minnies!). (This also means I have to start shaving my legs more often!!) I was really dreading the weigh-in, but it confirmed what I already knew...I'm just at a plateau...haven't lost any and haven't gained any, which means, if nothing else, I'm doing a good job of maintaining! :) They've added 4 new workout machines and a stretching machine since I went 4 years ago. Looking forward to the impact that this kind of workout will make physically and mentally. I plan on doing this after school every day and on Saturday mornings.

Now, I need to cook for the next week---Hell Week starts next week (I have early morning gym duty, the bookfair, and late afternoon bus duty where the kids have to wait for 45 min. in the cafeteria! I hate duty...how did I get so lucky to have both in the same week? Someone at school hates me.)--so I don't want any stress from any unnecessary areas--such as needing to cook to eat! I'm going to make the Mediterranean tuna salad again. It was absolutely delicious! I've really liked all of the soup recipes so far (I haven't made Kari's yet, but she did and said it was good.) I didn't care for the roasted tilapia much--too bland--but the green chili sauce was very good. I think it would be better with a different fish or even chicken.

I'm making these recipes this weekend:

Chicken Verde (141 calories--serves 4)

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces or 8 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, also cut into pieces
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
All-purpose or Wondra flour for dusting (I don't see why self-rising wouldn't work, too)
1 T. olive oil (actually, it takes a little more and I had to add to it as they cooked)
1 lg. sweet onion, diced
2 Anaheim green chiles, poblano chilies, or New Mexico green chilies, stemmed, seeded, and diced (I used a can of green chiles--fresh chilies are too darn high falutin' for Bonham! later, however: ok...I have to take back what I said...I did find Anaheim chiles at Brookshires.)
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
2 lg. jalapeno chilies, stemmed, seeded, and diced (I just cut up some from the jar instead of using fresh)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 c. prepared tomatillo salsa or salsa verde (look for the canned variety on the Mexican aisle--that's what I used--but if you don't find it, you can follow the recipe below--unless Wal-mart is sold out like in Bonham!! I'm thinking this isn't a staple in most white people's kitchen!)
juice of 1 lime, 1 1/2 - 2 t.
1 c. water
1/2 c. reduced-fat sour cream
grated zest of 1 lime

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat and brown the chicken pieces; transfer to a bowl. Pour off all but 2 T. of oil. In the remaining oil, saute the onion, chilies, bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic until tender, about 5 min. Add the oregano and cumin, and saute for 1 min. Stir in the salsa, lime juice, water, and the chicken pieces along with any accumulated juices. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat, and simmer for 35-40 min., until the chicken is tender. Smells divine!

Blend the sour cream with the lime zest and juice and drizzle a bit over each serving. This would be really good served over rice. And with all that cilantro you have in the fridge, you may as well add some to the dish when serving.

Tomatilla (pronounced "toe-mah-TEE-yo" for those of you not immersed in the Hispanic population) Salsa Verde (Makes 1 1/2 cups)

3/4 lb. tomatillos
1/4 c. chopped white or red onion
1/4 c. cilantro leaves
1 t. fresh lime juice
1/8 t. sugar
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
salt to taste

Remove the papery husks from tomatillos (the tomatillos will feel sticky like glue!) and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 min. to lightly blacken the skin.

Place tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, peppers, and sugar in food processor or blender and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season to taste with salt. Cool in fridge. You will have about 1/2 c. more than you need for the Pollo Verde recipe.

Note: You can easily double this recipe. Serve the extra with chips.

Epicurious Tortilla Soup (About 160 calories--serves 4) [Later note: This turned out delicious!]

Nonstick vegetable oil spray or 1 t. olive oil
1 md. sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. tomato paste
1 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. chili powder (I left this out...chili powder just isn't my thing)
4 c. vegetable broth
4 t. chopped fresh cilantro

4 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips, optional (I added them, tho)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed, drained
2/3 c. chopped zucchini (you could substitute yellow squash if you want)
1 can chicken
1 1/2 t. minced seeded jalapeno chili
salt and pepper to taste

Spray large nonstick saucepan with vegetable oil spray. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add broth and cilantro; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Add tortillas, tomatoes, beans, zucchini and jalapeno to soup. Cover; simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Vegetable Broth (makes 4 c.)

2 lg. onions
2 md. carrots
3 stalks celery
1 whole bulb of garlic
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Chop everything up coarsely, put in large stockpot, add water to cover veggies, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour. Remove and strain through a colander. If you have more than 4 c., you can freeze the extra

....OR...you can take the easy route like me and get some "Better Than Bouillon" base and use it instead. :) I ordered it from: http://superiortouch.com/btb.htm I got the veggie, beef, mushroom, and chicken.

Damn scales!

Ok...I couldn't stand it any longer...I'm feeling noticeably less "round" today. My arms feel closer to my sides. There seems to be a lot of fat gone from just under the most prominent part of my chest. My abdomen feels smaller. My arms are smaller. My capris are looser and I felt excited all day about losing weight and making progress...I decided I just had to see how much more I'd lost....it felt like at least a few pounds, but not more than 5.....so I got on the scales just now and it says I've gained 1.5 lbs!!!! I think the scales lie...damn scales! ...and yes, I took my clothes off (except for undies)!

And I'd just finished making some of the guilt-free bean dip and the Mexican meatball soup. I'd just gotten everything out to make some Mediterranean tuna salad and checked to make sure I had everything to make the baked tilapia tomorrow.

And Kari had just sent me a new soup recipe to try that freezes well. Well, at least I can say I'm eating much healthier, feeling and sleeping much better, moving with much more energy, feeling much more alert (did I have fat in my brain, too??), and clearer looking skin....and can wear some of the clothes I was wearing 1-2 yrs. ago.

White Bean & Turkey Chipotle Chili

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 lg. onion, chopped
1 garlic clover, chopped
16 oz. fat-free chicken broth
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. chili powder, chipotle variety (this is something I might leave out)
15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Spray skillet with cooking spray or use 1 T. olive oil. Cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until turkey is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off any fat.

Add turkey mixture and remaining ingredients to a large pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Note: Recipe can easily be doubled. Hmmm...I might add a can of diced tomatoes to this.



Mediterranean Tuna Salad (85 calories--makes 2 1/2 c.)

2 6 oz. pouches albacore tuna
2 T. low-fat mayo
juice of 1 lemon, about 2 T.
2 T. drained and finely chopped roasted red peppers
10 Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped (I think I'm going to substitute capers or black olives)
2 T. finely chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste

Empty tuna into small bowl and mash with a fork until very finely flaked. Add all other ingredients and stir to combine, adding a little water or chicken broth to further moisten if necessary.

Feeling smaller...

I woke up yesterday morning and felt smaller.....especially in the whole abdominal area. I put on a pair of pants and a shirt that I had not worn at all last year--and they weren't tight! So I walked around all yesterday and today feeling smaller. I can tell I'm not carrying around as much weight. I sleep so much better and that feels wonderful.

I'm not a slave to weighing myself. In fact, I'm actually afraid to. Losing only 1-2 pounds a week means that if I weigh daily then I don't feel like I'm making any progress because some days you haven't lost anything. But I feel smaller and I'm wearing clothes I haven't worn in a year or more, so that's ok with me. I think big changes will happen in a few weeks when I get my first band fill (Oct. 16) and I start going to Curves. In the meantime, I'm focusing on having a healthy eating schedule.

This is what my daily menu looks like:

Breakfast: 6 oz. drink made with Whey Gourmet and skim milk. The peanut butter chocolate flavor is super yummy! On Saturday mornings I fix myself an egg beaters omelet with sauted mushrooms and Canadian bacon.

Lunch: A half sandwich on wheat bread with turkey. Sometimes I add a piece of no-fat swiss cheese and/or a squirt of salad spritzer.....or I have a cup of soup. This past week I had the Italian Tomato Soup.

Supper: Baked fish (almost always salmon) with sliced tomato and another vegetable or a baked potato with Butter Buds and a chopped piece of sandwich ham (I only have this once a week), or soup.

Snacks: Water, string cheese, watermelon, jello & cottage cheese, or rice crackers. Sometimes I have have the rice crackers with picante sauce or the bean dip that I made. I usually take the string cheese and the jello/cottage cheese to school with me. Once in a while I have some sugar-free jello pudding.

That's about it. Not a lot of variety at this point, but I'm not suffering because of it. It has simplified my life a lot.

These are the 2 recipes I'm going to try this weekend:

Roasted Tilapia With Green Chile Crema (97 calories)

4 5-6 oz. talapia fillets
1 t. olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1 4 oz. can roasted mild green chiles, well drained, or 1/2 c. roasted salsa verde
1/2 c. reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime, 1 1/2 - 2 T.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Rub fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 6-8 min., until opaque throughout. Pulse the chiles, sour cream, cilantro and lime juice in a food processor, and season with salt and pepper (I might add a bit of garlic, too.) Transfer the fish to plates and spoon on the green chile crema.

Mexican Meatball Soup (79 calories--makes 6 cups)

1 T. olive oil
1 lg. sweet onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 qt. chicken stock or broth
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. medium-hot tomato salsa
3/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/2 lb. ground turkey breast
2 T minced red onion
2 T. yellow cornmeal
3 T. skim milk
1 lg. egg
1/4 t. cumin
kosher salt and pepper
Tabasco sauce , optional

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add, onion, half of garlic, and bay leaf and saute until very soft and golden brown, about 8 min. Add the stock, tomates with juice, salsa, and about 1/3 of the cilantro. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 min.

Combine the turkey, red onion, cornmeal, milk, egg, cumin, 1/2 t. salt, a few grinds of black pepper, the remaining garlic, and another 1/3 of the cilantro, blending well. Shape the meat by rolling generous tablespoons into 1-inch balls. Add the meatballs to the soup and bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally. Cover the soup, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco; stir in the remaining cilantro. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Note: I couldn't stand the idea of adding raw meat to the soup, so I browned my meatballs in olive oil first. Also, since the tube of turkey is 16 oz. I went ahead and just doubled the recipe for the meatballs, cooked all of them, then put half in the soup and froze the other half. This is really delicious soup! You can serve a bit of chopped avocado in your bowl with the soup, too.

It's a miracle!

Finally!! I've found a protein drink that I really, really like! Granted, it may not appeal to everyone, but when I opened it this morning and smelled of it (I've always smelled of new foods first, haven't you?)...it smelled so yummy! It is peanut butter chocolate flavor! 1 scoop mixed with 6 oz. of milk yields 22 gr. of protein and 120 calories. The brand is Whey Gourmet and I ordered a 2 lb. container of it from bariatriceating.com.

Now I really feel like I'm on the right track...was getting worried about not having a low-sugar, low-carb protein drink that I could stand to drink. This will make my life soooo much easier!!

Things I've discovered...

1. String cheese does not melt.

2. No matter what anyone says, I haven't found a ready-to-drink low-sugar protein shake (yet) that actually tastes good...I even "doctored" one up this morning (white chocolate strawberry flavor)...added 2 spoonfuls of crushed pineapple, 1/4 c. low-fat ricotta cheese, 1 t. vanilla, 1/2 t. Splenda....ugh! Drank about 1/3 of it...threw it out...and made an egg beaters omelet with green onion, mushrooms, low-fat mozerella, and Canadian bacon--all "legal" stuff that I can have.

3. It it so hard to NOT drink something with a meal....I realized in advance this would be a big struggle for me....like right now....it seems so wrong to not have a glass of o.j. with my breakfast!

4. I'm loving having 1/2 c. of watermelon as a snack almost daily.

5. They make a sugar-free Oreo---why? lol

6. Jello and small-curd cottage cheese can be quite filling...I take it for a snack at school.

7. My energy level has really shot up...I can tell a tremendous difference on the job....thank goodness! I hated that lethargic feeling, not being able to bend over, the mental sluggishness.

8. It i$ expen$ive to completely re$tock your cabinet$, fridge, and freezer!!!

9. I'm sleeping much better and feeling rested when I get up.

10. Rice or soy chips/crackers really taste good! I'll have to be careful that I eat only the recommened serving size! They really satisfy that crunchy, salty craving I get once in a while. They're also good to use with dips like hummus, guacamole, or bean dip.

Food management...

Last week was not an easy week for me--trying to juggle food intake with a balance of rest while not feeling well and trying to work yet faced with long drives--ugh!

I felt guilty for not following the prescribed/suggested food list. I hardly had any protein shakes. Instead, I was living off half turkey sandwiches, string cheese, jello w/cottage cheese, V-8, soup, and wheat crackers....and one night I even had refried beans, rice, and chicken enchiladas! (I could only eat half...but man, was it delicious!) While none of that may sound like anything bad to you, and it really isn't--I was not overeating by any stretch of the imagination-- I just felt out of control...like I'll be the only lapbanded person who won't lose weight!

Yesterday I went to the book store in search of a recipe book geared specifically towards people who've had weight-loss surgery....and I found a great one that addresses everything! The recipes are practical and sound delicious. There is a Q & A section about life after surgery. Food stages are discussed and outlined. Proteins and carbs are explained in detail. Reviews are given for protein drinks and powders along with sources for purchasing them.

After skim reading parts and looking at the recipes, I ordered $150 worth of protein drinks, samples, powders, and bouillon. Then I made my grocery list to match the recipes....so I'm off to buy good things so I can spend the day cooking chicken stock, pinto bean dip, chicken salad, and whatever else sounds good!

Chicken Stock (makes 4 qts.)

1 whole chicken 2 1/2-3 lb.s
3 carrots, cut in half
3 celery stalks, cut in half
1 large onion, quartered
2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. pepper

Place ingredients in 8-10 qt. stockpot and fill with water to cover. Bring to boil, then reduce and simmer, skimming any foam off as necessary, for 3 1/2 - 4 hrs., until reduced by about one third. Transfer chicken to bowl and pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl or pot, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. (I'm saving the carrots and onions to put in a soup.) Cool the stock at room temperature. Cover and chill until the fat has solidified, at least overnight and up to 3 days. Scrape off and discard the fat. Can freeze in 1 c. portions for later use in soups.

Pinto Bean Dip (makes 2 c.)

1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. olive oil
1 16 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/4-3/4 c. chicken stock or broth
1/4 t. cumin
kosher salt and pepper
1 T. finely chopped cilantro
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until lightly browned and very soft, about 6 min. Add the beans and mash with a potato masher (I put mine in the Magic Bullett) to make a coarse puree. Stir in enough broth to thin to a creamy consistency. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot. Add the cumin, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and cheese.

Italian Tomato Soup (makes 4 c.)

1 29 oz. can whole or diced tomatoes with juice
1 15 oz. can navy or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 t. dried basil
2 T. grated Parmesan
1/2 t. garlic powder
Kosher salt and black pepper

Place tomatoes, beans, basil, cheese and garlic powder in blender and puree until very smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 min., stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Of course, you don't have to puree this soup, but for people needing a softer consistency diet, pureeing it just makes it easier to go down.

Be prepared...

I'll admit it....I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. Oh, I think I was mentally prepared to make changes. I haven't had any cravings for sweets and snacks. I made as many physical preparations as I could--cleaning out fridge and cabinets, restocking with immediate need items.

However, I wasn't prepared for the things I didn't know about.

• I didn't know that I would be as sore as I was for as long as I was. Even now, if I sit too long, my waist area begins to ache and feel sore as if I had on pants that were way too tight--even tho I don't.
• I wasn't prepared for the waves of nausea that would hit me during the day this past week at school...and having dry heaves over the trashcan. Today is the first day I didn't experience any of this! I felt very down and frustrated yesterday, because this doesn't happen at home. The a/c isn't working in the library, but I have turned on box fans to help. I've left school every day between 1:30 and 2:00 after I've finished seeing classes for the day because I've just felt so drained....and still had a 45 min. drive home.
• I didn't know about the hard burps that I would have after drinking liquids. I get really thirsty sometimes and find myself not wanting to drink anything because I hate having those hard burps! I have no idea if this will go away or be a constant. Everything I read on the message boards isn't very encouraging in that area. Many people even years later still deal with the air/gas problem.
• I didn't have any idea that wearing a bra longer than 3-4 hrs. would just feel like torture!

It has been 3 weeks today. I'm probably wanting to heal faster than my 50 year old body wants to heal. I'm wanting to move around more and faster at school than I physically feel like doing. Patience was not a virtue I was born with, unfortunately.

To help myself out, I've learned to:

• Always travel with a wet washcloth in a ziploc bag in case of nausea.
• Always have a sleeve of crackers (wheat for me) to nibble on.
• Always carry a bottle of water in my purse. I've got 2 flats of bottle water in my office at school.
• Always carry a bag of food---pudding, crackers, protein drink, v-8, string cheese, yogurt.

I'm very happy to be down 24 lbs.....but it really has leveled off the last week. I don't think I've lost any during that time. I understand the it comes off much more slowly for the lapbander than for the bypass people. I'm ready for the energy level to increase so I feel like being out walking for longer distances and even re-joining Curves within the next month.

Set them free...

This morning Dr. Tom called to check on me...and had reassuring words that it is not my age that is causing me to not have the energy level that I think I should have--he says this is normal for any age. And reassuring words about listening to my body (he has 2 nurses who've had lap band surgery and they eat small meals throughout the day). I informed him that I had a few more things to add to "the list." Chuckling, he replied, "I knew you would!"

Who knew that you shouldn't use a petroleum based lip gloss/lip balm product if you are on oxygen?? Anyone ever heard that your lips could burst into flame? Well, we hadn't either. Only when I asked Lisa to hand me my lip balm in the presence of a nurse were we informed that I couldn't put any on while I was on oxygen!! When asked why, she told us it is because it is petroleum-based and, therefore, flammable! I give Lisa a look and her eyebrows have about shot off the top of her head. Lisa has been in the hospital I don't know how many times and she always travels with Chapstick and uses it regularly....this was news to her.

The smallest incision I have has now shrunk to about a half inch and is located about 3-4 inches below my bosom (I'm trying to not offend anyone here, so resorted to a thesaurus to pick the least offensive word for those who have delicate sensibilities or for those who might be horrified that I'd actually discuss my own). I say this because I'm trying to figure out why having lost about 25 lbs. and my whole chest & stomach area has begun to shrink in size that the wearing of a bra is just about more than I can stand! I even bought a front-hooking sports bra, thinking that if I could just bind them up for the sake of public decency that it would be tolerable. After being at school for an hour last Tuesday, I had to unhook it! It is like having a vice around the ribcage that just gets tighter and tighter.

I inform the good doctor Tom of this dilemma and tell him that I just want to set them free! He says, "Do it." To which I reply, "Size determines the level of public decency as to whether one can get by with this or not....and mine are not in the public decency category." Dr. Tom's advice, "Just tell them you are French!" LMAO!! Oui!

Listening to my body....

I'm a big believer in paying attention to what your body is telling you (this is what led me to pursue the lap band surgery in the first place).

Last night I just couldn't take going to bed and attempting to sleep while I was so uncomfortable with the indigestion/heartburn/gas thing going on. It even got so bad the first day I went to school this week that I had to undo my bra just so I could breathe!! I get cranky when I lose sleep....and this was going on my 3rd night this week. I start back to school full time next week (which is gonna be a huge change for me!)...I've got to get some sleep!!!

All this past week, it seems that everytime I have some protein soup, some yogurt, some Boost I would get the hard burps....to the point that the pressure would build up enough that I would find myself sitting up very straight...even stretching my neck a certain way...just to try to relieve some of the pressure. And if there was no relief that way, then eventually I ended up with a burning, uncomfortable pressure in my abdomen. Let me tell you....you can't concentrate very well, you don't want to eat anything....which meant I was always feeling hungry and never felt full. I've been using the Gax-X strips....can't say whether they help all that much or not. The gaseous build-up is coming out one way or the other regardless!

After doing some online research, I found it is considered "normal" to have indigestion early on....and on and on and on...sometimes for years for some people. Sometimes it is a sign of a slipped band (you can drink a nasty something for an x-ray to find out for sure).

So....time for some contemplation....what was my body trying to tell me? Feed me!!! I'm about 4 days away from going on mushy, soft foods (following the prescribed calendar of eating---which is designed to allow your body time to heal).....at 11:30 last night I opened up a can of V-8 juice...yes, the regular kind.....and had a few sips....then I got a piece of shaved turkey and nibbled on it....then a piece of wheat bread and nibbled (meaning chewed very well)....everything went down well....no pain...no throwing it up. So....I had a half glass of V-8 and a half turkey sandwich (just meat and bread).....AND....I had NO indigestion, no heartburn and I felt full....and went to bed and fell asleep. Amazing what happens when one listens to ones body!

Just because my body says something different than what the doctor/nutritionist recommends doesn't mean it's wrong....it's just right for me.

Things I'm looking forward to...

I started mentally preparing this list of things that I'm looking forward to after having the lap band (one word or two? I don't know!). So here in no particular order....

1. bikini panties

2. getting off BP rx and Lipitor (don't know that I want to give up the HRT--I think it might make me crazy cranky if I did...not to mention hot flashes that make me spontaneously combust!)

3. hiking at Robber's Cave

4. healthier food (let's pray that the current gas situation goes away!! It's driving me nuts! I'm not eating as much or drinking as much as I should because I'm so uncomfortable!!)

5. a bathing suit

6. a mother/daughter picture and a mother/daughter/son-in-law/dog picture

7. wearing my rings again (I took them off sometime in the past year because they were so tight....don't know that I've taken them off in over 20 years!)

8. being able to feel/see bones (you know, when you lay down and you can see your pelvic bones or rib cage---ok, you probably think that is weird)

9. having a waist

10. riding a horse (I'll let you know when I'm ready, Dustin!)

11. wearing Spanx

12. smaller bras (although Tom tells me this is the last part of the body to shrink....I'm praying they do! Is that TMI?)

13. kayaking

14. more energy

15. higher heels

16. being able to shop in any store

Stepping on the scales...

Haven't been told what my weight goal is, so I'm going to go with 140 right now...that's about 20 more than what I weighed in high school and it's what I weighed when I was at my absolute best toned and exercised in-shape self in my late 20s. I'm anxious to start the exercise process...probably in about a week. My incisions aren't healed--still covered in glue.

I found a great little ticker to visually chart progress. It includes the body mass index across the top, how much has been lost and how much more needs to be lost to reach goal weight.

Beginning of a disappearing act...

While the initial loss of 20 lbs. may not be drastically noticeable to some, there are some dramatic changes that I've seen thus far:

• the fat above my eyelids (thank you God! I may not have to have an eyelid lift after all! Which means, of course, that Dr. Tom was right all along :)
• my ankles reappearring--ok, they hadn't gone anywhere, but for the past two years I could always see and feel fluid accumulating on them, even on the top of my foot--they were in the beginning phase of old lady ankles (horrifying!).
• a crease on my jawline...ok, ok, you might call it a wrinkle, but it was only there in the mornings when I woke up or if I had my head inclined towards the left for a long period. This was due to all the fat fluid accumulating under my chin and the way I slept at night. I hated losing the feel of the bone of my jawline. Mother's side of the family seems to be genetically disposed to NOT wrinkling, and since I've had to swear off exposure to the sun, too, I really was only wrinkling due to increased fat squishing my skin in places. It was a happy moment for me yesterday when this crease was gone!
• the accumulated pillow of fat across my lower back/top of hips--uncomfortable while lying flat on my back--uncomfortable in clothing--uncomfortable period...not to mention extremely unsightly.

Those are the major physical changes which seem dramatic to me, but are probably not even noticeable to anyone else. It makes me feel encouraged, tho...and looking forward to other physical changes.....and the real me emerging transformed like a butterfly! (don't roll your eyes over that poetic remark! you know who you are~)

Living on...

You want to know what I'm actually eating? Here is the list:

lite o.j.
jello
yogurt
water
Boost High Protein
Genisoy protein powder stirred in with soup broth

I've had crystal lite once or twice, but it reminds me so much of needing a sandwich, so I haven't had any more of that.

You have to realize that I'm talking about a total of all this food equals about 16 oz. at the most for a 24 hr. period.

Forbidden fruit....oh, the temptation!

Yesterday Mother sent me out to Lisa's back yard to pick the ripe cherry tomatoes....I was seized with a craving to just bite in to one of them and taste the juicy acidic familiar flavor...ummm! Then I could just imagine it with a bit of pepper and basil sprinkled on it....

This event seemed to really trigger the mental demon of craving yesterday...something I've really had to work on the past 24 hrs. This could also be in conjunction with where I'm at in the healing process also, but I've really wanted a saltine cracker in my protein soup conconction...nice and soggy and salty with enough soft texture to just melt away in my mouth....and I've had an incredible urge to have a bite of a hot grilled hamburger bursting with juicy flavors and crisp lettuce, tangy mustard and pickles, and yummy tomato.

Part of the craving is, I think, just for some stronger flavors and variety of flavors along with texture. I really wanted something to chew yesterday...just a piece of meat to gnaw on! lol Then it seemed that something dry and crumbly and salty might be a good craving, too.

This means that for the next 6 wks. or so I'll probably be very aware/sensitive to others eating in my prescence, the smells of food, commercials on tv, ads in magazines. I've avoided being around when Lisa, Mother, and Lori eat supper at night or when Mother eats during the day, however, this morning, something smelled like toast that really triggered a craving. I did not go investigate...just stayed away until the coast was clear and I could start the day with Boost.

oh, the forbidden fruit is tempting!!

Small accomplishments~

I could lay on my side today for the first time! Not for a long period, but, hey, for a person who sleeps on her side, that has been difficult to give up!

I actually put on panties and clothes today! That made me feel more normal. This whole "clear liquid" diet in conjunction with being sore, cut open, etc. give one a "I'm sick" mentality....so I'm trying to work past.

Had orange juice! Lisa diluted it, but, being able to enjoy something that had always been part of my breakfast routine made me feel a bit more normal also.

Down 15 lbs!

Ok...I know that sounds pretty drastic considering it hasn't even been a week since the surgery, but when only a certain amount of food will fit inside, something is going to go away....and I've got lots of fat for my body to feed off of for a week or two. :) It is pretty shocking to get on the scales two days in a row and be down 5 lbs. each day.

Today Lori found some non-flavored high protein mix that we are going to try in some broth or soup. It really is critical that I get as much protein down as possible. And, thankfully, she'd bought me some chewable Flintstone vitamins! Woo hoo! We can throw out the Geritol! (ick! nasty! vile stuff!) Over the next week, I've really got to work on increasing the protein and liquids amount. Can tell that my energy level is flagging and I don't want that weak feeling.

It's a math thing...

Down 1.5 lbs.

Lisa has created a chart for me to follow (and to help Mother, too). She's got it scientifically worked out for a full day of how many ounces of what and how often. Basically, have to be sipping for 12 hours with 15-30 minute breaks in order to get 60 grams of protein.

The powder protein Cookies and Cream was just too sweet tasting. By last night I was nauseated at the thought of having anything else sweet tasting. The powder protein Chocolate was bitter tasting. I like the High Protein Boost and Slim Fast; they are just 5 grams less than the powder which means drinking more of it on a more frequent basis.

I'm loving being able to have jello (ah, the childhood memories! Grandma always seemed to have a bowl of it ready for us in the summertime--orange, black cherry, and strawberry/banana being the preferred flavors). Water is a chaser for nasty tasting things like my crushed meds, Geritol (gad! the pharmacist recommended it as the best liquid vitamin--it is nasty, and my vocabulary just can't find words to describe the taste! ugh!) Had about a 1/2 oz. of chicken soup broth last night, but was too full to have more.

I'm not quite as sore today. Still having a lot of burping, but the Gax-X strips are helping with that. Slept with the CPAP last night and felt much more rested. Was having difficulty trying to fall asleep. Could feel my throat closing up because of the position I was in.

Lisa and I have decided that there needs to be more patient education given as to dealing with the realities after surgery, i.e., the difficulties of getting 60 grams of protein down the first few days after surgery, time needed for the physical adjustment to be able to ingest the large amounts of liquid when you physically cannot ingest that much, the difference between tightness due to the banding vs. swelling from incisions vs. gas, a chart to help you plan what to buy before surgery, a chart to help you document your intake, your blood pressure, your temperature, your breathing routine, your leg lifts, your walking, etc. One can never assume that the average patient has had surgery, is good at math or problem-solving, or is in tune with their body enough to recognize signs (ex., I thought I was running a fever last night...sure enough 99.7...some people would have thought they were just hot).

60 grams of protein a day

It's been 48 hours since surgery. Despite my good intentions to not do anything which might cause me to throw up, I've had dry heaves twice. I've been told this was probably due to anethesia. With 5 incisions and absolutely nothing on my stomach, it was very painful.

Lisa stepped into the role of being such a good nurse that I don't even want to go home! She's figured out all the math of how I'm going to get down 60 grams of protein a day in a liquid form, made me do the breathing thing (which I hate doing since I'm so sore!), and has made several lists of things I need and sent Lori on at least three errands today.

Lori took my car and got it serviced and oil changed...thank goodness! The radiator needed flushed, the brake fluid needed replacing, etc. Not that this was a cheap errand, but I just had not had time to get it done in the past 2 weeks.

Lisa finally figured out that mixing up a scoop of 20 gram protein powder in 6 oz. of water would mean that I had 18 oz. to get down during the day. I've had Sonic ice, some jello, 1/2 of a popsicle, some Boost, Crystal Lite, V-8 Splash....and so far I've only had about 15 oz. of fluide today....and about 15 grams of protein. I think I'll end up being a bit short today of the recommended daily requirements. It has taken us all day to get it all figured out. Basically, I've got to get the protein down first....and then can enjoy having all the other stuff as I feel like it. I need to have a total of 64 fluid oz. a day. We'll start over tomorrow and see if we can manage better. All this number crunching, scheduling, etc. is right down Lisa's alley....so I'm pretty much at her mercy right now.

Lori is going to get Mother tomorrow to bring her down for the week. There is just no way I can go back to school this week. I can't even put underwear on! Can't drive while taking the Tylenol3. So who know...I may be off for 2 weeks...hoping for just 1 week, but we'll see how it goes.

Surgery schedule

I have to be at hospital at 10:45 am on Thursday, August 23rd for a noon surgery--I'll be the first one of the day. Should be checking out on Friday sometime between noon and 2:00 pm.

Blood pressure was good (124/62), heart rate good (74), chest x-ray clear, cholesterol 155, all that other blood stuff was good (I can't remember what all the numbers were).

Lisa is going to go with me on Thursday. I told Kari not to bother with coming up since she is trying to get started and settled in to her job (which is essentially a classroom teaching position!! People are so ignorant about the purpose of a library!). I'll spend Friday night at Lisa's and she'll drive me to McKinney on Saturday where somebody from the Arthur household will meet me and drive me home. Dr. Green told me that I can go back to school whenever I feel like it.

Will be glad to have this done and over with considering I've been jumping through insurance hoops for it since last November.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers! I have a great support group who I know will be thinking of me~

Have spent some time experimenting with what I can mix up in the Magic Bullet...got my little fridge plugged in at school today and 2 flats of bottled water carried in.

Post-surgery diet schedule

Step 1 (Aug. 24-25): First 24 hrs. after surgery-- clear liquids and walk every hour

Bring on the sugar-free jello, water, sugar-free popsicles, crystal light, diet V-8 Splash.

Step 2 (Aug 26-Sept 8): Two weeks of clear liquids--64 oz. a day

More of the same except can add vegetable juice, cream soups (that have been strained to get out any little bits of things), light orange juice, yogurt, smoothies, and protein powder drink.

Suggestion: use a sippy cup and/or disposable dixie cups (they hold about 2 oz.)

Step 3 (Sept 9-10): 2 days-1 week of thin pureed food (depending on what can be tolerated)--3 to 6 small servings per day

Total of 60 grams of protein a day in the form of meals, snacks, and protein powder. Can mix pureed fruit with juice, pureed oatmeal with milk, and pureed meat with milk.

Step 4 (Sept 11-25): 2 weeks of soft food--3 to 6 small servings per day--continue 60 grams protein daily

This will be the hallelujah phase! I can have baked fish, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, bananas, watermelon, tuna, soft-cooked veggies, applesauce, saltine crackers. This will be the part where I have to chewchewchewchew everything and it should take 30 minutes to finish a meal.

No drinking water or other beverage with the meal! Must wait 1 hour after meal.

Suggestion: use a baby spoon to eat with and a salad plate or dessert plate for portion control

Step 5 (Sept 26): Forever--low fat, low-sugar solid food--minimum 3 meals per day

Continue with a high-protein diet (aids in healing, weight-loss, muscle maintenance).

Note: A chewable vitamin is necessary from the very beginning of the schedule.

Shrinking my liver

Who knew you could shrink your liver!...or even need to! The liver sits in front of the upper stomach area and, when doing this laproscopic surgery, the surgeon needs to be able to retract the liver. The smaller the liver is, the easier it is for him to wrestle it out of the way! This is accomplished by a low-fat, sugar-free diet.

So...on to shrinking my liver.

Truly, medical advances are amazing! It has been about 12 years since I've had an echo and stress test. Much to my surprise, they now consider it necessary to use a piece of velcro-like sandpaper to literally scrub the top layer of skin off your chest. My chest now looks like I've been in a cat-fight with long red scratches down the front! This is to provide "tooth" for the electrodes to stick to you and not slide around. It wasn't too uncomfortable...until I was on the treadmill working up a sweat and then my chest starts stinging like blazes!! Think salt in fresh wound! ouch! Anyway, I "passed" the stress-test...thank God for that!

I met with the surgeon (who was not happy that I'd gained weight this past year--I told him I was practically chained to a desk all day!), had all my pre-op tests done, and had a 2 hr. nutrition class. All that's left is another meeting with the surgeon 3 days prior to the surgery and then the surgery!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Once I was gainfully employed again last year and receiving insurance benefits, I decided that I needed a really spectacular birthday gift to myself in the upcoming year. Why? Well, because it is the big 5-0 milestone, that's why. What better gift to give myself than one of better health with half of me gone!!

In late October I googled for lapband surgery in Dallas. I looked no further than the first hit that I received and immediately e-mailed them to sign up. On the following Monday, I had a follow-up phone call from them and I signed up to attend a required seminar with the surgeon on the next Saturday. Kari and I attended and we both felt very comfortable with the level of care, attention, and follow-up that is provided. So....began the journey.

I've been planning to throw myself a birthday party to celebrate the milestone achievement and invite family and close-est, best-est friends, but with all the juggling that has been going on all summer with trying to get final approval and pre-op and surgery scheduled (not to mention my full-time summer job with Edison--I could NOT turn that down!), not to mention the weather---who knew whether it would be 110 like the past several years or flooding? I've decided to "wear the crown" and put off the party until next year. If the Queen doesn't have to celebrate her birthday on the actual date, then neither do I! I'll feel better, look better (ok...there is a touch of vanity showing here!) and not have all this scheduling mess going on at the same time.

So....happy birthday to me....today!!

P.S. I did not just admit my age, did I??

Getting Ready

Yesterday I went through my closet and pulled out all the biggest sizes of winter clothes and had Lindsey bag them up...because I won't be needing them this winter. I'm taking them to a teacher friend tomorrow.

I also went through my cabinets and cleaned out things that I know I probably can't eat or shouldn't eat--things like corn, cornbread mixes, muffin mixes, etc. Sent home 4 sacks of groceries to Lynn.

Today Lisa and Lori gave me a food processor/blender called The Magic Bullet. It comes with short and tall cups and a variety of mugs, along with accessories to steam veggies and extract juices. [Kari and Lindsey were most impressed...even a bit jealous, that I've come in to possession of one these! Who knew? Apparently, they've been watching the Infomercials and consider it to be an amazing gadget!]

I think I'll be able to use some of the recipes that came with it such as hummus, chicken salad with apples, broccoli soup, and the babyfood chicken and rice. Having this little gizmo will make my life easier! Mucho Thanks, you two!!

Surgery Schedule

Tues., July 24th: 11:00 am Meet with surgeon, Dr. Green Done
Thurs. July 26th: 7:30 am Standard pre-op tests (echo, bloodwork, stress test, and chest x-ray) Done
2:30 pm Nutrition class with nutritionist Done
Wed., Aug. 1st: 6:00 pm Protein-shake tasting "party"/support group meeting Skipped due to weather
Tues., Aug. 21st: 9:30 am Meet with Dr. Green
Fri., Aug. 24th: surgery