sliders today... but a good reason

or at least *I* think it's a good reason.

I have had a mild toothache all week so made an appt to see a dentist this morning. within two minutes of probing my mouth, she utters the words 'ROOT CANAL'. Now for a confirmed dental-phobe like me, those are possibly the worst words someone can say to me, other, perhaps than 'EXTRACTION.'
So since the tooth was super sensitive and we're headed into a 4-day holiday weekend here (yay) I decided to just let her go ahead and get started. No sense in putting it off until next week and having pain and anxiety to deal with.
The real fun part is she also noticed a small cavity in a similar spot (between back teeth) on the other side and said I need to get that taken care of before it too turns into a root canal situation.... oh joy. next thursday I have part two of the root canal and the filling on the other side. am i lucky or WHAT!?!
Am torn now between hoping the numbness wears off in time for radio news in another hour and hoping it doesn't wear off at all because I know it's gonna hurt and all i got is antibiotics.... not a drop of pain meds.
the reason for the title of this post - i had potato chips for lunch. i can't chew so sliders it is

Hungry and full.

So since my slight unfill last Monday afternoon (just over a week ago) I've remembered what it's like to be hungry. It's wild how that happens. A few ccs out of my band (and by a few I mean .25 of a cc) and all of a sudden I feel hunger pangs again. I'm really only feeling them when I should, so that's ok. I'm managing that just fine.
What I am having trouble with is recognising again when I'm full. Or rather, satisfied. Am going to pull out the 1/4 and 1/2 cup measures and use those to portion out my food just in case. I'm generally pretty good about not going back for more once I've finished what's in front of me.
I've had to make a really concerted effort to avoid crap food. Sliders. chips. chocolate (easter candy is OF THE DEVIL). It wasn't a problem when I was too tight because I could only eat a wee bit before being too full. Now that's not so much the case. I'm able to scarf that crap down like nobody's business. And so, after yesterday's consumption of three single-serve bags of chips, a handful of malted easter eggs, 1/2 cup egg salad and about 1/4 cup of leftover fish and 1/4 cup leftover peas n rice, I made a truce. I am not going to bring in any crap to work and if I want some later on, I can only have it when I've eaten my real food. Read: my protein!
So today I have had:
1 cup of skim milk with a package of Milo stirred in
1/2 cup egg salad
1/2 cup of curried chicken and rice
Lots more water than I have been drinking in a long time

For dinner I'll probably have some more of the leftover (from Friday night) fish and peas n rice.

I feel much better today than I did yesterday when I loaded up on crap so that's a real good thing.

I know I can do this without the band being too tight. I want to do this without the band being too tight. Just have to get back into the swing of things and remember how to eat properly after having so much help from the band for so long.

Wish me luck my lovelies.

Oh... and my new walking/running buddy (had to get new partner since I moved to another part of the island) and I are starting the couch to 5k programme tonight.

Wish me lots of luck!

The athlete in me...

...is trying to emerge. At least that what my trainer and nutritionist says. I ran a mile and a half at a nice steady pace yesterday and then she threw me on the bike for 20 minutes and then there was more torture training. She's convinced that I have athlete written all over me. I'm not convinced of that at all! But it did feel good to get through a mile and a half. I just want to be able to run a 5k. Not so much because I want to be a runner, but because I want to say I did it and prove to myself that I can do it.

Oh... and now ALL of my size 8 pants all of a sudden are baggy. Good thing Mom is headed to Florida next weekend and will pick up a few pairs of size 6's. Holy crap that's insane!!!!!!!!

Down and up on the scale

Last Thursday i was 157.4. Monday, my dehydrated and under-nourished body weighed in at 153.8. Today I was 155.4. I'll take that in a heartbeat!!!!!!

I can eat.... and sleep

That little .25cc apparently makes all the difference in the world. On Monday Dr D took me from 6cc to 5.75cc. I ate soups only until Tuesday night and was intrigued to experience actual hunger around lunchtime yesterday. I'd kind of forgotten what that sensation felt like.
Last night I was craving sushi and since I was in the area of my fave sushi joint ordered up a roll for takeout. I was hungry again so scarfed down a piece in the car. Stupid. It got stuck. Thought for most of the drive that I was going to have to pull over and let it back out, but it eventually went down. Thank God. One of these days I'll learn!
I had two pieces last night, three for lunch today and two plus a scoop of ice cream for dinner. Food is definitely going down better, but I'm also having to prevent myself from indulging in the novelty of wanting to and being able to eat all of a sudden. I said I wanted to start doing more of the heavy lifting and rely on the band to be there in case I fall off track and just have to remind myself of what that entails.
More good news. not a BIT of acid reflux since the unfill. I have slept really well since Monday. Ahhhhh.
Been doing well on the exercise front. Had a session with my nutritionist/trainer last night and since I was feeling human for the first time in weeks she worked me hard. It felt good!
Tonight a friend who lives near where I just moved to went for a walk/run. Glad to have quickly found an exercise buddy.
I also went online and ordered some new workout pants - all of mine -- even the supposedly tight capris - are falling off. I also ordered the new EA Active for my wii and the zumba for the wii. I figure I really need to step things up and do more than my walks and two gym sessions each week if i want to whip this body into TRUE bikini shape.

relief.... again

So I got my unfill. It's so wonderful to have a doc who truly listens to each patient and will adjust your band when you feel it's necessary... of course he asks all sorts of questions and doesn't just give in to whims and fancies!

He took me down to 5.75cc from 6cc and instantly I was able to drink the glass of water on offer. In fact I'm quite certain I've drunk more water this afternoon than I have in the past 3-4 days. that feels good!!!!

I had to weigh in again since it was an official visit.. and good lord.... I was down to 153.4lbs.... I was 157.4 at Thursday's official weigh in. I guess that's what not eating and drinking combined with some lovely pb and sliming episodes will do to you! I won't log that because I'm not expecting that low to hold through till Thursday's weigh in now that I can eat and drink.

Everyone please say a little prayer that this unfill has also resolved the acid reflux issue so I can get a good night's sleep tonight for the first time in a week or so. that would be oh so nice.

I think when my folks head over to florida for easter I need to ask them to get me some size 6 pants... i realised today that the relatively new size 8s have already gotten a bit baggy. Madness!!!!

Oh.... and I think my surgeon will be quite happy to see me settle in at 150lbs.... I think he's concerned that I might be losing too much. We'll see. I think if only because I've NEVER AS AN ADULT been there, I'd like to be able to live my life saying i weigh 140-something.

vanity is a bitch. isn't it!

unfill tomorrow and a pic

after a week of seriously disrupted sleep thanks to acid reflux and being really tired thanks to not being able to eat enough and achy thanks to not being able to drink enough, i'm headed in to Dr D's tomorrow for an unfill.

I'm currently at 6cc in my 10cc band. I am thinking of asking him to take me down to 5.8 tomorrow. We know 5.5 is too loose so somewhere in the midst of that is my sweet spot.

I'm pretty darned close to goal. 7lbs away right now. Been thinking I definitely need to find the right balance while I'm still in the losing phase because right now there's no way I could figure out a maintenance plan because I'm simply not eating enough.

I am ready to take on my of the heavy lifting and have my band there in the background if I let things get out of control.

Truth be told, I'm at a size and weight that I could be quite happy with if this is it. I don't think it is, and I'm still training and working with my nutritionist/trainer so i know we can work this out. I just need to be able to get in three meals a day even if they are just 1/4-1/2 cup.

Input is welcome as i'm aware this is no exact science!

Oh - last night I went out for dinner with a childhood friend. We haven't laid eyes on each other in 19 years, but have kept in touch more recently thanks to the phenomena that is Facebook. It was amazing how we just fell into place as if no time had passed! I share a pic from last night

Chiming in on Dr Oz

Let me say first... i did not see his lapband episode the other day, but have a good idea of what was said from reading multiple blogs.


I found the outrage being expressed by fellow bandmates interesting because..... I am like these women in terms of the amount of food I can consume. I eat next to nothing and am satisfied. Satisfied meaning I'm not hungry. HOWEVER, I have determined that this is NOT a good place to be indefinitely and am thinking about getting in to see my surgeon next week to arrange a slight unfill. I am below my original goal weight... 7lbs from my new goal weight... i think at this stage of the game I can handle a bit more of the heavy lifting if that's necessary. I KNOW I'm not getting in sufficient nutrition and i have NO INTEREST in being skinny and malnourished.
So I don't think it's fair that so many are calling these women liars.... it's highly likely that this is all they eat. I just hope that they opt to get loosened up a wee bit so that they can consume more and get the protein and calories in.

Much of this post was written in response to a comment left by fluffy on her blog. Check it out as she also has published clips from the show so you know what we're all talking about.

Slime and Starbucks

Ok.... so I just slimed all over the bathroom floor in a Starbucks. Ewwwwwww.... was sitting here working when all of a sudden i felt the steady fast flow of saliva building in my mouth... I tried to ignore it but soon realised I was about to blow. So I grabbed my laptop and bag and dashed for the bathroom. Up came some slime. Then another gusher and I didn't realise so much was coming and mis judged my position over the toilet. didn't realise just how difficult slime would be to mop up with those hard non-absorbant paper towels. did i say ewwwwwww.... already. it's turning out to be a sharing day so thought i'd share again!

The pits!

I have arm pits. This is a recent development brought about by a 100+lb weight loss. I never really understood why they were called arm pits because mine were quite rounded out. Now, not so much. Just thought I'd share. Does this qualify as an NSV?

Ick 'itis and bikini pics

Dean's Blue Hole

The beach at Dean's Blue Hole

 Ok - so i got tired of fighting with Blogger over placement of these photos!!!!! First up are some shots of the beaches and blue holes and other stunning landscapes in Long Island, Bahamas!

Dean's Blue Hole

A view from up at Columbus Monument. No photoshop needed!

So before I get to the good stuff.... I've been fighting what I'd been told was tonsilitis for a few weeks. well when i didn't seem to be getting any resolution, I decided to try another Ear Nose Throat specialist. He was extremely thorough and told me I definitely have some issues and tonsilitis is not one of them! I've got sinusitis, otitis media, rhinitis and pharyngitis! I mean if you're gonna do it, do it all the way, right?!?!?
So I now have some answers and a small pharmacy.... pills, liquids, drops, gels... you name it. And tomorrow I have to get a CT scan of my sinus to rule out any polyps or any such fun stuff. At least I feel like I'm on the way to getting rid of this incessant pressure in the left side of my face and ear!

The trip to Long Island (Bahamas) was a blast! My girlfriends and I made the most of the brief getaway. We met all the characters on the island, saw all the beautiful sites and generally had fun. Of course I came home feeling like I need a vacation to recuperate from the mini vacay! I'm far too old to be out til 2am every night.

As promised, I have a couple of pics of me in my bikini and one in my beach wrap. Unfortunately I'm the photographer in the group so there's not a whole lot of me except when I demanded someone take the camera and snap a shot!!!!!

Here is day two with Michelle and Cherry. We're at the Columbus Monument overlooking beautiful blue waters

Added this pic because I just realised my legs are kinda skinny!

My friend Cherry and I. I look EXTRA pale next to her, but then this belly hasn't seen the sun in a lifetime!

This shot doesn't cut me at the best spot, but what the hell!

These pics were all taken at the beach next to Dean's Blue Hole. It's the deepest blue hole in the world!