Wow!! Already 6 months Post Surgery.

Hey all!!! Well this past Monday marked 6 months since I had lap band surgery and I feel fan-friggen-tastic! Tuesday I weighed in at 224.4lbs. A total loss of 67.6lbs since I started this lapband journey. Wow. Here are some more current pics taken this past Sunday:




Start of Pre-op Diet, Aug 28, 2012

6 months post surgery, March 10, 2013

6 months post surgery, March 10, 2013

Start of Pre-op Diet, Aug 28, 2012



Start of Pre-op Diet, Aug 28, 2012

6 months Post Surgery, March 10, 2012

 

I had a physical this week and my doctor was really impressed and said I was doing awesome. I have been getting a lot of "Shannon, you look fantastic!" I respond with a HUGE smile and say "Thanks, I feel fantastic!" On Tuesday I had one of the biggest compliments I think I could get. I showed up with my sister to a baseball meeting and one of the other players asked my sister where I was and if I was playing this year. She responded by saying "she's right over there" and pointed to me. The girl said, "No, your other sister. She's not playing this year? And mine responsed with, "Yah, she is, she's right there". Again, the other girl said, "Don't you have another sister". My sister says "Nope, just one, and she's right there. She's just half the size!".  OMG! Best feeling ever!

Ok, some recent accomplishments that have happened over the last month or so:

- As I mentioned, I had a physical this week. Well, every year, that little paper apron they give you seemed to be getting smaller and smaller and I could never get it around my body. Well, this year, I got it all the way around my body :)

- I'm fitting in chairs I never would have before. I would always question each chair I would sit in and be afraid I'd break it or feel ridiculously uncomfortable. Especially the ones with arms. Well, twice I've gone out and been able to fit perfectly fine in them. I still have a mini panic attack when I first see them and think, omg, am I going to fit. And sure enough. I do. No problem and I smile the biggest smile on the inside.

- I am now fitting into size 16 pant/jeans. Everything I bought just a month ago, is already loose. I am going to see about taking them to a tailor to see if they can take them in for me instead of buying all new pants. I did buy a belt in the mean time to keep my pants up. Also, I went to addition elle because I had a coupon. I had no idea what size I would be there. I grabbed a few shirts and I am now fitting into an X. The smallest size addition elle carries!!! WOOT WOOT! I used to wear a 3X.

 - I have now officially grown out of my old bathing suit. I had held onto an old one for years in hopes that I would get back into it as I only wore it for 1 summer. It's a size 16. It is now my sole bathing suit and fits me perfectly.

- I went snow tubing with Rylee and my sister. The hill was very high, much higher than the one I took Rylee too earlier this year. They had a tow rope, which we used most of the time. But twice, we walked up that hill. No problem for me the first time. Second time, Rylee had me pull her up in the tube. I did it, but was so poop'd by the end! Again, thank goodness for bootcamp!

- I have continued with my run training and I'm now on week 8. The final week. Yesterday I accomplished a run that I never thought I could ever do. I ran consistently for 25 minutes. By the end of the next week, I should be able to run 5km. I can already do 3km. OMG. For real?! Me?! So proud of myself.

I have been going to morning bootcamp consistently as well. I'm really enjoying my routine now. I run Monday, Wednesday, Friday and bootcamp Tuesday and Thursday. Bootcamp is really helping with the strength training. It's amazing. I can bicep curl 25lbs on each arm!

I had a band fill last week as I was feeling like I could eat just a little too much at one sitting. When I discussed with my nurse how I was feeling, she agreed that it was time for a fill. She was super impressed and happy with my success so far. So, I was filled last Tuesday and over about 3 days I transitioned through liquids, pureed, soft and regular foods. Right now, I think my band is at the perfect size. I am not getting any heartburn or pain. I am able to eat everything again, but am limited as I get full fast. Which is exactly what it's supposed to do. Yay! Success!

I can feel myself having more and more confidence as the days, weeks pass. I am so looking forward to this summer, to baseball season, to my trip to Vegas. It's a whole new life in so many ways. I have zero regrets at this point in regards to everything that has happened in the last year. Even though I suffered through some intense emotional pain in regards to my marriage failing, I have learned that it was the best thing for me. I would have never been able to do this surgery and change my lifestyle had that not happened. I am so greatful. Don't get me wrong, I still get sad sometimes and think about what happened and why it happened. But those days are so few and far between and I just think about all that I have accomplished in such a short period of time. And all that's to come in my life and I smile about it.

One of my favorite inspirational quotes that got me through the last year is "Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place". That along with "Do more of what makes you happy". These 2 combined make for killer motivation to keep me pushing for what I want. There's no stopping me now. :)