Stressing over Nothing

I don't know why I was so nervous.  Today I had my 15 month appointment with Advanced Laproscopic (Dr. Moran's office- I was seeing the PA, Julie).  Everyone there is always so nice so I don't know what I was stressing- well I do know and here's why I was being silly.

15 month appointment- This was sort of new to me because for the first 12 months I went every month.  As of October I was released to wait for 3 months to come back in- so I was a little out of practice.  I worried about what their scale would say- the dreaded doctor's office scale.  I knew I needed a slight band adjustment, a little tightening if you will.

The band adjustment- These really are NO big deal and I know this, I've been through 8 of them.  But every time I need one I build it up in my head.  It takes less than a minute and it doesn't even hurt, but I get so nervous. I HATE needles- but I have to say, in all the visits and fills, no one has made me look at the needle.  It's over before I know it.

Insurance changes- Recent government legislation determined that the AWESOME plan my husband's employer provided was just that TOO AWESOME and if they wanted to continue to offer it then there would be financial penalties, making it unfeasible to maintain.  THANKS for that by the way healthcare bill- penalize employers who take care of employees, BRILLIANT.  Anyways, so our plan changed from a simple copay to a HSA managed plan.  It's still not a bad plan, it just requires me to have to understand what I have to pay in the office and when my deductible is met and managing yet ANOTHER account at ANOTHER bank.  Well the staff at Dr. Moran's office had already called my new insurance and knew exactly what I would need to be charged on my new little HSA mastercard.  It was simple. 

So in other words despite all my stress and anxiety, today was easy.  I got my little band adjustment, came home to "enjoy" my liquid diet for the rest of the day and will go about my merry way to blog another day.

WOW

I am so excited to see so many people checking out my blog!

In year 2 of life with the band, I have a lot of hope to have additional weight loss success with the help of the band, and with the help of fellow bandsters.  I learned so much about my health and healthy living with the band- but I know there's more. 

I have also learned a lot about myself- and I know there is more there too.  I think I want to take a little time to reflect on that.  Now that things are calming back down for me with the completion of my master's- there's an opportunity to actually think and plan for what's next.

But first things first- I need to get my house in order and all of this Christmas stuff put away!  I love Christmas and hate packing it up- but now it's time to move forward with a new year- so farewell 10 foot frazier fir, with your 4700 twinkling lights and hundreds of ornaments- you have been a good tree.

 

Not a resolution

I came home tonight from Jazzercise, and there I was on the TV in the commercial I did for Rex Healthcare back in March just 5 months after having my gastric banding surgery. My husband had stopped what he was doing to watch- and he rewound- and he looked at me- and he looked at the TV- and we both said WOW.  I look really different now.  This was a great feeling because I have to admit, since August my weight loss has been stagnate.  My life literally got in the way of the effort needed to keep up with a weight loss mission.

I work full time and this past fall I decided to try and wrap up grad school by taking a full course load of graduate level history courses.  To complete my degree requirements, one of those classes had to be taken at the University of North Carolina Greensboro- so Monday, after working 7-4 in Raleigh, I'd drive to Greensboro, go to class from 6:30 to 9:30, then drive home 2 hours to Clayton.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays I was in another class at NC State.  The rest of the time- I was reading and researching and trying to stay on top of things.  There was no time to commit to exercise- there was barely any time to grocery shop.  My husband was also taking a full graduate course load while working full time- so we became takeout eaters.  I, much to my disappointment, became a drive-thru diva. 

In my past battles with food and weight this was a slippery slope that ALWAYS lead to weight gain.  But with the band, I had learned how to make better decisions, even in the drive thru lane.  I didn't need to super size- the band wouldn't let me eat all that anyways.  Drinking while you eat defeats the band- so no more chugging empty calories to wash down french fries.  I learned that I could eat less than half of the kids portion of french fries and throw the rest away- oh and that I didn't need to eat french fries every meal- or every day.  I had learned to look at labels to maximize protein per portion- so I was more aware of everything I ate.

So through the past semester and even the holidays, I didn't gain any weight.  The scale says I didn't lose any either, but that's OK.  Because I graduated and now I have the time back to recommit.  Recommit to eating healthy and get back to the exercise that I was surprised to find I loved doing.

So this isn't a resolution to eat right and exercise, it's just picking up where things left off before life got in the way of this weight loss journey.