Hello after long absence

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone.

I have been busy lately, and haven't been participating in the group. I

have also gained back about 9 pounds over the past few months-which has me

sweating! I won't call this a new year's resolution, because I never keep

those anyway, but I do have to get back to the business of being diligent

about my health.

My revision was in 8/02 after being 9 years post op from my distal bypass

performed by Dr. Oh in Tacoma, WA. My stoma had stretched and I had that

" bottomless pit " feeling-thus gaining back about 100 pounds. Finally I

listened to my GP here in Alaska-who did an upper GI and found the stretched

stoma. Had it fixed and got down to 173 (the last 6 pounds I left in Kauai

and New York while on vacation in June) and was feeling pretty great. Now

my alarm is sounding over these 9 pounds: jeans are getting snug (my thighs

feel like stuffed saussages when I pull up my Levis!) and I feel bloated and

sluggish.

Looking back on what has changed since the weight loss cycle:

**I had begun using high protein/low carb bars, against my revision

surgeon's advice, as " the least of all evils " alternatives to a meal or

sweet craving attack.

**I added carbs back into my diet when I reached the 75% mark in weight

lost, and some of the carbs weren't good ones (starch and refined flour).

**I never did get my exercise resolutions off the ground. I DID, however,

put all my equipment in one room (my daughter went to Utah to college-and I

cleared/renovated her old room)-even painted it a beautiful-deep

turquoise-and added a tv/video combination unit and cd player-all for

motivation. I didn't commit, truly commit, to using that beautiful space

for my own good.

Now that I have put into print, to be seen by others, what I know I have

done wrong-I can move on to fixing it before 9 pounds become 19, or 90. The

toughest fix will always be the exercise. I can give you 100 reasons why I

can't (just had a shower/don't want to sweat, the walker isn't level, don't

have comfortable clothes, don't have workout shoes, too busy, would rather

spend my time doing household chores......).

The good news is:

**I stopped buying protein bars. Don't buy them/can't eat them.

**Baking 100% whole wheat bread for my husband, so 1/2 slice (that is all I

can tolerate) satisfies my craving-and is a complex carb (also use molasses

to sweeten instead of sucrose or honey)

**Trying to find vegetables that I can tolerate well-but isn't easy. Trying

cooking them to death in soups-and it seems to help.

**Still taking all my vitamins, protein supplements, drinking water.

**AND purging clutter from the house and my life...end of year

paperwork/records, excess kitchen clutter, basement full of stuff,

daughter's room converted to an exercise room (stored what we didn't ship to

her, and she gets the new guest room when she comes home for a week at a

time), and more. Reducing that stress helps me get control over food issues

as well. My poor shreader has been working overtime-and I think I need to

replace it! It feels great to be ABLE to do these things, to have the

desire and energy. I have painted two bedrooms, a border in one bathroom,

sewn drapes, a futon cover, pillows, spend many hours raising our parrot,

and much more. Maybe that is why I stopped writing to the group-I was too

busy!! Life is good.

To sum it all up-life goes on. We are constantly adjusting and learning

each day. Stay focused on the goal, and keep working toward it.

Sue D in Anchorage, AK

Distal RNY, open, 10/7/93, Dr's Oh & Fox in Tacoma, WA

from 301 to 149

Revision of stomach-Fobi Pouch

8/9/02, Dr. Marema in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

from 258 to 173/now 182 (ouch!) and counting!

Highest weight ever: 350+