First off, let me say that I know I suck. It's been almost 3 months since my last post. I wish I had a better excuse other than the summer was busy and I don't have internet at my new apartment, but that's all I've got.
I'm moved in and unpacked in the new place. I've also decorated and organized so it's exactly like I want it. Unfortunately, however, I have yet to take any pictures of the place and right now there's unfolded laundry all over the floor so I won't be doing it today! I will make it a goal though to get some taken within the next week.
Living in such a small space is easier than I thought it would be. There's less to clean, which is a bonus, but it doesn't feel like I'm living in a box. I do sometimes feel like I'm living in a grown-up's version of a dorm room but that's okay :) The space is compact but it works for me. I can still have people stay over. In fact, my sister and nephew have stayed with me several times and so has my mother. Who knew $60 on a push-a-button-and-it-inflates air mattress and bedding would be the best purchase I've made in a while??
The stairs leading to the apartment are taking some getting used to, though mostly when I buy groceries. I've learned to just split grocery buying into a two-day process. I could - I suppose - just do it in one day and make two trips up and down the stairs but... seriously? Do you think I'd want to do that??
But apartment aside, let's focus on what I'm most excited about which is my lap band surgery! The surgery went very well. My doctor also repaired a hiatal hernia while he was "in there," and oh my goodness has that made a difference! I didn't realize how much I suffered from heartburn and constant pain in my upper abdomen.
At my first post-op appointment 12 days after the surgery, I found out that since my first weigh-in back in July I'd lost 28 pounds! Do you know how heavy 28 pounds is??
I do. The surgeon - before telling me how much I'd lost - had me walk around with this ridiculously heavy vest that weighed 28 pounds. Talk about eye opening. Twenty-eight pounds hanging off your shoulders makes you hunch. It makes you walk slower. It makes you feel like you can't move. When I took it off and he told me that was how much weight I'd lost, I nearly cried.
All I could think was "Right now I'm carrying around 5 more of those vests." If that's not a motivator, I don't know what is.
Since that appointment I'm down a total of 35 pounds, and I'm definitely starting to notice. My clothes are starting to feel loose and even my shoes are slipping a little! In fact, I wore my favorite dress to school a couple of weeks ago and spent the whole day walking on it! It was like the dress grew about 6 inches. It wasn't until after talking with a coworker that I realized that the dress was longer because I was smaller.
I have also started exercising. I wasn't allowed to do any sort of strenuous activity until mid September because the doctor wanted my incisions to heal, but after I was given the go-ahead, I started swim lessons. I've wanted to learn how to swim for years, but I never wanted to join a class because I didn't want to learn with children. Fortunately, I met a certified swim instructor this summer who agreed to give me private lessons. As of last night (my fourth lesson), I was able to swim 16 yards! That may not sound like a lot, but I couldn't even put my face in the water and lift my head to breath before I started. When I swam those 16 yards nonstop last night using proper breathing techniques, I was super proud of myself . My swim instructor and I had a little high-five dance party in the pool :)
I could share a lot more about the procedure and my diet, but I'm going to save that for my next post. Since the surgery, I've gotten a lot of questions about the procedure and what I'm allowed to eat and so many more things that I've decided to devote my next blog post to Lap Band 101.
The last thing I want to leave with is this thought: I may not be there yet but I'm closer than I was yesterday :)
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