14 is such a beautiful number

I mentioned briefly and in passing that I lost 14 lbs. I'm sure it was more, but I probably gained a few back after starting work.

14 lbs! Even I was impressed. But not surprised. It was a rough 2-3 weeks of not tolerating much solid food unless it was pureed into a liquidy soup. Why did I ride it out so long? Well, I knew I was fine when I was tightened, it's just that I became bloated soon after, which caused further tightening. I was also on vacation back home and several thousand miles from my Dr. And you'd be surprised what you can puree if you put your mind to it and get creative with chicken broth. I was really craving some home-cooked meals, so I took my mom's homemade rice, beans, and chicken, pureed it with some added broth, and squooshed a ripe avocado into it. It was very little rice compared to the amount of beans and chicken, keeping my carbs down.

One thing I learned was how to identify when the food was really stuck and how to get it out quickly. One of the reasons I believe the tightness went on for so long was the induced vomiting I kept having to perform, probably causing some slight inflammation. I had never induced myself to vomit, EVER, but in my case it may be medically necessary occasionally in order to clear the blockage. An important thing to remember is that what I am expelling is not the stomach's contents but the upper pouch contents, which are not digested, malodorous, or that gross. It is similar to what a baby spits up when they eat too much or burp.

Is this one of the more disaggreeable parts of this process? Definitely, but it is a reality one must consider to reach the goal: health.

Speaking of health, I went to my regular doctor to get my 3 month diabetic and systems check and got great news. I am no longer on insulin! In fact, my A1C was withing a normal range without any type of diabetic medicine, although still a bit high for a non-diabetic person. The Dr is confident my diabetes will continue to improve as my weight loss continues. He also took me off my high cholesterol medicine, Crestor, and I no longer need Nexium, for GERD (gastro-intestinal reflux disease). I am now off all of my medications and I still have at least 100 lbs to go!

So many new things to say...

It's been awhile. Lots of things have happened since we last saw each other: Graduation from the M.S. program, Vacation in Puerto Rico for 3 weeks, guests for a week, starting work all over again, weight loss, Adal starting school again, well, yeah, lots going on.

I promise to tackle all of it, one bite at a time.

Right now, my mind is occupied with only one thought. My washer broke down and I need to buy a new one, which one is the best for me? I've pored over washer reports, washer reviews, washer inventories, and I think I've got it narrowed down. In the meantime, clothes are piling up of course. I'll tell you a secret. I actually bought a washer/dryer set from Sears, with all the bells and whistles, on Saturday. Then I cancelled it on Sunday. And let's just say I'm glad I did.

I'm resolving to post more often. The latest lapband report: 14 lbs down from my weight before vacation! I think I am actually the only person in the world that loses weight by going on vacation... It was a combination of lots of sightseeing, hence tons of walking, and being very tight and not being able to tolerate solid foods well, which caused some slight vomiting and in turn some inflammation which extended the time I was very tight. Got that? Yeah.