Festive Fun and Food....!

It has been noisy, emotional and fun here in my house with 17 of us filling our home for Christmas celebrations and family time. As always in our family get togethers, food has been a part of the days but perhaps not as much as in the past for me... which I have found quite interesting. Of course, I have over eaten or over indulged in treats most days since the family started arriving on 21st Dec but as I seem to have a reasonable level of restriction after my fill 2 weeks ago, I have still managed to lose some weight over the last 10 days - definitely a first for me at any Christmas time!
We do a family "thanksgiving" style around the table on Christmas day with everyone talking about the highlights of their year.... One of mine was my band - and the support of my "boys" for allowing me to spend the money and for supporting me on the journey. There are always tears when we do this (we get the "boo hoos" as my brothers call it) we are an emotional family and there has been a very serious health issue in the family this year - but it is a great way to reflect on what we have achieved and on the support of our loved ones.
It's the last day of 2009 and it has undoubtedly been a life changing year in many ways. I intend to welcome in 2010 with friends and family at a 50th birthday/new year's eve party. Bring it on!

Christmas treats

This Christmas I have learned that alcohol, chocolate, ice cream and potato chips are all slider foods - unfortunately they all slide past the band with no problem - that would be the reason I've stayed at about the same weight for the last 10 days,but that's better than a gain. Time to stop the treats now! Portions have been fine (still small) but the treats have been a little out of control.

Jenny and I have been to the gym a couple of times to an RPM class - ouch! Hard work but I felt very virtuous afterwards.

Filled and Full!

My first fill was an almost painless experience - I think I was lucky to have the surgeon do it himself and not the new nurse... judging by Maree's experience. I had 1ml added so now have 4mls in my band and it does feel different. David, the surgeon was happy with how I was doing - 12.7kgs since pre-op and 4.3kg since surgey. I am thrilled!

Had a drink of water in the surgeons room to make sure it went straight through and he told me to try some thicker liquid in the afternoon to make sure it was all OK before I travelled home later - didn't want to have a "stuck" experience and be 350km away. I had a smoothie - very slowly.... and I mean very slowly. I am certainly feeling full with very little food or drink. Long may it last.

The surgeon shared his "Christmas Story" with me and Julie the dietitian, which was basically that we should re-frame our thinking about Christmas (and other big occasions) as a time to get together and enjoy each others company rather than a time to be focused on what foods we can treat ourselves with. I think I am already in that space... especially given that there will be 17 of us in my house for the festive season and so far I have absolutely nothing organised in the way of food! Seriously... I am not normally this slow in preparing the menu and food lists and shopping lists but it just hasn't been a priority so far this year. As a family we have always said it is about us all being together and having fun. Given my current state of preparation, I hope they all still feel the same way!!

First fill - ouch!

Yesterday was my first fill (and Jenny's but she can tell you about her experience). First the surgeon, David, was happy with my weight loss - 9 kg on their scales (10kg on mine) - 7kg since surgery 5 weeks ago. He had told me after surgery that I had 4 mls in the band, but after the fill he told me it was only 3mls so with the 1ml fill yesterday I'm up to 4 mls. He said it can be hard to be sure exactly what the fill amount is during surgery.

Anyway, the fill itself - my port was easy to find (just above my tummy button) so he said he'd get the new nurse to do the fill. She had a feel around for the port and then had a poke around with the needle (eek!!). but couldn't find the base plate (the bottom of the port) and it was hurting quite a lot. I felt sorry for her and I know she has to train but in the end I said "ow!" and David took over - thank goodness! My next fill is in 4 weeks with the other (experienced!) nurse - hopefully if I need another fill wih the new nurse after that she'll have done a few more fills!

Anyway I think I may be closer to the green zone - haven't eaten much today (a flat white, half a cup of yoghurt, a couple of crackers with cottage cheese and tuna) and I'm not very hungry. We'll see. And I'm down more than 10kg! Very excited. And I finished work today for 3 weeks holiday! Even more excited!

Why are we waiting?

I haven't posted this week as there's really not much to post. Have been hungry soon after eating so definitely need to start getting some fills and see if I can hit the "green zone" - but have been to the gym this week (again) and worked hard (only got there twice with lots of Christmas things and work but that's better than nothing). Am also being careful with my eating - not drinking with or soon after meals and although I don't seem to have any restriction (or have very little) I'm eating as if I've have - small bites and sloooooow. Tonight we got pizza and I ate one slice (one!) - and some wedges - not a great choice but it was a treat for the kids and I was happy with myself that I only had a slice. My theory on eating after the band is that I don't want to count calories or obsess over every bite - I'm about eating a normal diet in small quantities - let's see how that works for me (as Dr Phil would say!!).

1 week till first fill...

It's an odd sort of limbo land at the moment.... in the morning the band is doing it's job and I am not very hungry when I wake... A flat white and half a piece of my beloved vogels toast and vegemite for breakfast can have me feeling full for hours. But by afternoon all hell breaks loose and I am really hungry with seemingly no restriction. I am having to be very disciplined to make sure I don't overdo it at night, especially since I have been out at rehearsal every night this week till late and am feeling hungry when I get home at 10.30 or 11pm. Don't want to end up eating a lot just before bed... want to avoid heartburn and weight gain!! I'm just staying the same weight wise this week which is OK I guess but I am really looking forward to our first fill next week and getting my band working for me again - all day!
In case you're wondering - we love to sing and have been involved in musical theatre all our lives so my rehearsals are for a Christmas dinner show called "80's Rewind". I'm doing backing vocals and a cameo appearance near the end singing a very appropriate song "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves"!! There are some tragic 80's songs but it should be lots of fun for audience and us - hopefully! Officially opens tonight so I'd better get ready.

Still ticking along

Nothing too exciting to post - still getting hungry but keeping portions small and eating small bites veeeerry slowly - taking 15 minutes to eat 3 litebread crackers with tuna and cottage cheese at lunchtime. Will be interesting to see if the first fill on Thursday 17th makes any difference. Will also be good to know where my port is - I think it's just above my tummy button but I'm not sure. Still having small losses and no major gains so all good so far.

Exercising Self Control

This feels a little more like diet days from the past than I would like but it is only for another 2 weeks until our first fill. I cannot eat the amount of food I would have for a meal before banding but I am having to consciously restrict myself to 3 small healthy meals. I could eat more and I feel hungry only a couple of hours after a meal but it is manageable. My weight loss is painfully slow this week but the net result is down a little so that's good. I went to my husband's work Christmas dinner in the weekend and enjoyed my first champagne and wine since surgery - it was definitely a celebration although I didn't tell anyone there just why! I was dreaming about how much I might have changed by the next Christmas party.... bring it on!

It is my work Christmas lunch tomorrow and as I generally work from home in a different city from the rest of my colleagues it will be the first time most of the people there will have seen me since I started this journey - it will be interesting to see if anyone notices. I'll keep you posted...