And now we're just past 5 months ....

I just had a follow-up appointment today ... and I am officially down 60 lbs!!!!  WOOOOOHOOOOO! When I got on the scale and saw that number ... I totally freaked out! I honestly cannot remember the last time I weighed this and it feels great.  But as excited I was to get to this weight ... now I cannot weight to the next big milestone weight.  I love that my newest pair of "skinny" jeans are getting too big for me ... and while on vacation last week, I bought a hoodie sweatshirt in size "L" so that I can wear it next fall/winter.  I don't remember the last time that I bought a piece of clothing with just one letter size!! haha ... I also don't remember the last time my "number" sized clothes didn't start with a "2" and NOW that number isn't in my closet at all.  Again, I'll say, this was the best decision I have ever made in my life.

Anyway, I'm terrible at updating this thing - clearly! But I can catch myself up just a little!  This past week was Spring Break in much of Texas and so my mom was out of school ... so - she, my dad & I took a week's long vacation to the East Coast.  We stayed at a resort on the teeny tiny island of Edisto in South Carolina.  It is still technically the off-season there, so the island was very winterized still with very few places open and not too many people milling around.  So, we didn't spend quite as much time there as we had thought we would ... and what we thought was going to be a very slow-paced, very relaxing vacation - did not turn out to be quite what we expected!!  It was great though.  We were very close to Charleston so we did lots there.  We were there quite a few days of the vacation and I fell in love with the city.  I love the history, the charm of the old southern homes and I LOVED walking around all over the place.  Now, my feet didn't love that part too much the day that I didn't use my brain and wore cheap rubber flip flops while we walked around for blocks and blocks!!! lol ... but otherwise, I loved it.  (by the way, 6 months ago ... I would have NEVER been able to walk that much and enjoy myself nearly as much as I can now!!  and I LOVE that)  Anyway ... we also spent a day in Savannah, GA because that wasn't too far away and I shopped in Paula Deen's store next to her restaurant The Lady & Sons.  We didn't eat at the restaurant ... I'm not quite sure there would have been to much on her menu I could eat seeing as she is a true lover of butter!!! ... but I want to go back now and do that as well.  In both Charleston & Savannah we toured lots of homes that were built a couple of centuries ago and I have just decided I was totally born in the wrong century.  I am not sure how I would have handled the no electricity and scarce availability of running water - but I LOVE the homes and the clothes and the architecture from back then.  Anyway ... I've posted TONS of pictures on my Facebook page of our trip - so I won't do that again here, but here are just a couple.  The first is us on the beach at Edisto Island watching the sunset and the other is me & mom just before we headed out on a carriage ride tour of Charleston.

Almost 4 months in ...

A week from today will be 4 months post-surgery ... that just seems crazy to me!!  It was 10 months ago that I first made the decision to go down this road and I'm now 49 lbs smaller than what I was when I first started!  I knew I'd lose weight and my goal is a hefty one - but to be this far into it after what is truly such a short amount of time - is so exciting to me!!  I'm excited when my new jeans are already starting to get a little big on me and nearly all of my shirts are way too big now.  I've bought a few new tops - two sizes smaller than I was normally buying - but I know that as the weather gets warmer I'm probably going to need to buy some more.  One of my cousins told me about a resale shop that is near me that sales adult style clothes that are all brand name, new fashions ... so I'm probably going to make a trip there in the very near future.  I still don't want to spend too much money on clothes since I don't wear them for too terribly long - but some items are necessary.  One of the things I had mentioned a while back on here was that I'd be giving my "too big" clothes to a co-worker who had the gastric bypass surgery in December ... well I'd like to just take the time to say that I'm extremely glad that that surgery was not the one I chose.  I know that some people have had success with it - in fact most people lose quite a bit of weight just as soon as they have the surgery - but the problems that I have seen with this procedure truly seem to outweigh the positives.  This co-worker has still not been able return to work due to complications from her surgery and even though I've been told that she is down nearly 80 lbs already - she has spent more time than not in the emergency room.  When I get discouraged that I have yet to quite hit my 50 lb mark - I remember again that it took a long time to put all this weight on in the first place - and that I don't have to lose it all in just a few months.  I'm much happier losing it slowly and through eating correctly and exercising than risking the chance of spending so much time sick and in the hospital.  I hope that my co-worker is able to come back to work soon and I hope that she's going to be okay in the long run - but it has not been an easy journey for her in these nearly 2 months since her surgery.

I went to another follow-up appointment on Thursday and I continue to lose weight.  I have not gained at all since two weeks before the surgery and even though I go sometimes and don't lose either - I'm very happy that I am not gaining.  I did ask them to do a "fill" at this visit.  They didn't put much in - only .5 cc - but I'm hoping it will give me back that little boost to lose a few more pounds.  I think it is possible to reach my 55 lb goal by next week - just maybe not by Sunday.

This week begins a month of birthday celebrating in my family ... all 3 of my nieces will celebrate their birthdays in the next 4 weeks.  Brooklyn will be 3 on Tuesday, Cailey will be 5 on the 18th and Madison will be 7 on March 2nd.  It seems so impossible to me that they are so grown-up ... I can so vividly remember the days that they were born and how exciting it was to hold those sweet little "baby burritos" ... now they are turning into little young ladies and their personalities have definitely begun to show.  I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for them ... and for me as well.  We're having a big birthday party for all 3 of the girls in a couple of weeks and I can't wait ... I'm sure I'll have some pictures to post then ... and maybe a new one of myself.  Hoping you are all doing well ... and that all my family in the north is staying warm and safe in all the crazy weather you guys have been having.  I think we have some ice and snow in our forecast for this week - starting today - but I've got my fingers crossed that it will be minimal!!!! ... until next time ...

A Little Off Topic ...

So really quick ... things are going great with my weight-loss.  I was afraid I really messed up while on my business trip last week.  We were treated by the company for basically every meal so there weren't a lot of choices that I was able to make as far as the types of food I was eating.  I did indulge on a few items ... and initially, I was very fearful that I had gained weight.  But after being on the scale yesterday morning - it appears that while I have not lost any weight, I didn't gain either.  I'm being very strict on myself this week - hopefully I can lose a little this week and really get back on track next week!

On another note ... I need a place to vent about an issue I believe I'm about to be experiencing at work.  I have an associate in my office who has been there for just over 2 years now.  She's a very sweet person and she and I get along really well.  Sadly, her work has definitely not been up to par at different times throughout the past 2 years.  She very much goes in ups and downs in doing her work as she is supposed to.  I have talked to her about it as a friend and lead and she's been talked to more than once in an official capacity by our supervisor.  She's been given multiple chances to get on track and stay there - and now, I think her time has run out.  Part of my job is tracking all of the associates productivity at the end of each month and preparing them for our supervisor to "grade" them on how they met the standards for our job.  Anyway ... I reviewed December's work today ... and I don't think associate met the grade for last month.  In fact, I have a very awful feeling that tomorrow this associate's employment is quite possibly going to be terminated.  I realize that this is her own doing - she has been given chance after chance to get her work on track and she continuously fails to meet our standards - but I hate this.  She will not be the first employee since I started with this job 4 years ago that had to be let go ... but I hate this one.  As I was working on her reports today, I kept wishing there was a way I could help her out ... but there was just no way.  She can't manage to do her job consistently - even though I know she is capable of it.  It is just disappointing to me when someone so capable won't do what she needs to in order to keep her job.  I fear tomorrow or the next day will be very difficult and I'm not looking forward to it.

This is definitely not the normal kind of post I'd make - but I needed to vent ... and I definitely could not do it on Facebook.  If anyone has any kind words of wisdom or advice - please feel free to share!!

So Horribly Far Behind ...

So ... what I was afraid of happening, happened.  I am TERRIBLE at keeping this thing current!!!  So sorry everyone!!!  So, let me try to catch up - at least a little!!  I am still totally on the weight-loss track.  Even through the holidays I lost some weight and my current grand total is 45 lbs lost!!!  I am officially down 2 pant sizes and I'm SOOO happy!!!  Because my loss has been so continuous since the surgery 3 months ago - I have only had to have one "band fill" at my follow-up appointments!!  I'd say that's a good thing.  I'm sure if I went in and asked to have it filled some, I'd lose a little more - but right now, I'm really happy with how I'm doing.  I've (very) slowly started to get into working-out.  I have a friend who lives in my apartment complex and we're trying to hold each other accountable for getting into the gym here at our complex and walking on the treadmill and elliptical at least a few times a week.  Hopefully at my 4 month anniversary, I'll be down at least 55 lbs ... that's my hope right now, to lose around 10 lbs each month. ... It's been a while since I shared a "This Is Me" photo on here ... so, here you go!!!

As for other updates, my family had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.  It was a little crazy and we were running around a LOT ... I don't think I stayed in my apartment for more than a day or 2 over a nearly 2 week period!!  I spent a lot of time on couches ... at my parents and both sister's!  But it was fun and I love nothing more than spending time with my awesome family.  I know parents totally love getting to be the adults at Christmas now and seeing the faces of their children on Christmas morning and seeing what Santa brought ... and I have to say, I'm super lucky that my sister allows me to join in on that fun with her 3 girls.  It is so much fun to watch them come into the living room and seeing all those fun toys and clothes that Santa put under the tree for them.  It's also a lot of fun to have them run into the room with their new automatic Nerf guns and shoot their Uncle Jared with foam bullets!! :) ... those guns were the highlight (and annoyance!!) of every family gathering throughout the holidays this year!!!  Below are just a few pics that I took of our family fun (I am NOT a professional photographer - so please forgive the amateur picture taking!!!)

 Miss Madison & her new bicycle (no training wheels!!)

 My Cailey Bug - and her new keepsake box

 Little "B" was VERY excited about the make-up her sisters got!!! haha

 They were very good at saying "Thank You" for their gifts!

 GMa & PaPa with "B" ... she wanted to get on her knee too! lol

 Madison only wanted Uncle Jared to help her ride her bicycle

 Cailey Bug got a new bicycle too - she loves it!

My beautiful mom & sisters (I'm so lucky to have them!)

My Christmas was pretty awesome in the gift department as well this year.  I told everyone that there was no need (clearly) to buy me clothes as I am just "shrinking" right out of them every time I turn around ... so I really wasn't sure what they'd come up with!!  I was very surprised when I opened THIS on Christmas morning! Happy Happy Lisa :)

My other gift this year, came from myself.  I bought a new car a few weeks before Christmas.  Amazingly, I still haven't actually taken a picture of it!!  But it's a blue Chevy Cruz and I love it.  It's a 2014 and they literally rolled it off the truck for me ... it had 8 miles on it the day I brought it home ... it's now got close to 1500!!  I've had fun driving around during the holidays!! haha

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family & friends and you got everything that you asked Santa for!!  I'm leaving Tuesday to spend nearly a week in Florida on a business trip, I've got a week-long vacation planned in March with my parents, I have a family reunion in OK in June and I am planning for there to be at least a few days in Ohio this summer as well.  So I've got a busy schedule coming up.  I promise I'll keep you updated - even if it's only once a month!  And hopefully some of you who are reading these updates will get to see me soon too!!!  Thanks again for all your continued love and support - y'all are amazing!!

Happy Turkey Day!!! (Late!!!)

I am so behind in posting!!!  I have spent the past two weeks both house-sitting for my sister & her family and then in spending time with them for Thanksgiving!!  Backing up ... my has been on both sides of the country for the past few weeks.  My sister, Denise & her family were all in Orlando at Walt Disney World for a week.  My nieces loved it - the 2 year old was star struck by all the princesses and Disney characters that she got to meet!  While they were there, I went and stayed at their house and kept watch over it and their dog, Lucky.  Lucky & my dog, Rascal, have never been best buddies - but they tolerate each other and Rascal loves having a huge yard to run around and play in.  At the same time that those 5 were in Florida enjoying the sunshiny weather ... my parents & other sister and brother-in-law were snorkeling in the warm waters of Hawaii!!  Rebecca & Jared were the only ones of our family who had never been before - they're hooked now!  It doesn't take long though - the Big Island of Hawaii makes everyone happy!!  So ... half the family is on the east coast of the US and the other half is across the country & half an ocean!  I, on the other hand, was preparing for what they kept saying was going to be our first snow and ice storm of the season in North Texas.  I'm super glad that they had the forecast incorrect - but it was still very cold here!!  Good thing Denise's house has a fireplace!!

Denise & her family were home before Thanksgiving so I spent Wednesday - Saturday of last week with them.  We took the girls to go see Disney's Frozen (great movie, by the way!), we had a small little Thanksgiving dinner, Denise & I braved the crazy Black Friday shopping, we had an after-Thanksgiving dinner get-together with the rest of the family Friday when they got home from Hawaii, and Saturday I bought my new Christmas tree!!  It has been a REALLY busy, REALLY crazy, REALLY fun two weeks!!  I hope that everyone reading had a great Thanksgiving as well and had fun with their families for the beginning of this holiday season!!

I have done pretty good the past two weeks with my diet ... I am now at 37 lbs lost! Yay!  I've experienced a little bit of problems ... some regurgitation of my food because I've eaten too fast or taken too big of a bite.  I have to remember to slow down sometimes and well, I'm not a patient person - so I just don't do it every once in a while.  It's not a comfortable thing and it pretty much kills me when it happens, but I'm getting better and learning.  I have added in some exercise ... but not too much.  I had actually been doing more prior to about a month ago - that's when I got a really awful cold and my breathing became really bad.  Every time I ride my bike or walk for too long, I get very winded and wheezy.  It has gotten quite a bit better the past few days, so I'm hoping that I can pick back up in the next day or so.  I feel so much better when I am able to exercise and I feel like I'm doing more to help myself.  Oh ... and just so everyone knows ... we did GREAT with the Thanksgiving dinner this year!!  Since it was just me and Denise's family (as seen above - aren't they a great looking group!?!) ... we decided we'd keep it very small and simple.  We had a smoked turkey that one of the men who goes to church with Denise & Jeremy did up for us ... it was DELICIOUS! Denise made a broccoli/cheese/rice casserole, green beans, carrots, salad and cranberry sauce.  That was it.  We didn't have rolls or any other kind of bread and the only sweets that we had were mini-Chocolate cupcakes (made the WW way!).  Now ... my mom did get home on Friday and it was requested that she make her apple pie (it's just not a family holiday without it!).  I was really good though and I had two little bitty slivers and I didn't eat much of the crust.  I'm sure that made everyone else happy because it left more for them ... but it was totally enough to make me happy that I got a taste of my favorite dessert!! (and it wasn't a huge slip from all my good eating!)

Okay - I promise I'll try to be better at keeping you all updated!  I'll post some Christmas decoration pictures later this week.  Eventually I'll get someone to take a decent picture of me so I can post it on here ... I'm not great at the selfie!!  Maybe I'll get someone to take one of me & Rascal in front of our tree this year!!  We'll see!!  Thanks for reading!

Catching Up (and an answer for Jace!!)

Okay ... I've been reprimanded by the sister for not keeping this updated!!  Sorry about that ... life has been getting in the way!!

First things first, I'm answering a question asked in the comments of my previous post by Jace.  What is a fill?  First of all - I LOVE that my family in Ohio is reading this & keeping up with me!!  Since I can't see you guys as often as I totally wish I could, it's great that I can share this way with you!!  I do get asked this question a lot ... by everyone from my mom to people at my office who are curious.  The best way I know how to describe it is to sort-of start from the beginning of the lap band procedure.  A ring of sorts is placed around the top of my stomach/bottom of my esophagus on the day of the actual procedure.  At that time, some saline is put into the tubing in that ring which constricts how much food/liquid can go through to my stomach at one time.  Because everyone is different, they do not normally put a large amount of saline in at that time.  I will have to go to follow-up appointments throughout the next few months now to make sure that no more saline needs to be added or none needs to be taken out.  Because at my last follow-up, I had lost a good amount of weight and I was eating correct size portions without feeling hungry - they didn't feel like I needed a fill at that time.  It's been a little over a week since that appointment and my next follow-up with them is Tuesday and I know I will need to have a fill done.  Last week I had only been on solid food for about 5 days.  Now I've been on solid food for 2 full weeks and I am not losing any more weight and I am able to eat more than I was and still not feel full.  I'm still being conscious of my food decisions and trying to eat small amounts - but it isn't always easy.  Anyway, I hope that answers your question Jace (and anyone else who was wondering the same thing!!!) ... if not, keep asking & I'll do my best to explain more!!

Now ... let me tell you that the fact that I haven't lost any more than the initial 30 lbs is kinda discouraging.  I'm not gaining anything back (so that's good) - but those first 30 seemed to just fall off so quickly ... a plateau this soon is hard for me.  However, I have decided that any time I need a confidence boost - I need only make a trip to my hometown to feel 100% better!!  This past weekend was our town's annual craft show put on by the band boosters.  My sister's in-law's had a booth the very first year (15 years ago) and over the years, my parents joined with them and now it's become a big family affair!  Both my sisters and their hubbys and the nieces come to town and most of the time, my cousin joins us as well so that we can all work the booth all day long on Saturday.  It's a family reunion as well as a small school/hometown reunion as it seems everyone in our little town comes out for this event to buy their Christmas decorations and get the first pics of the year with Santa who always makes an appearance.  This visit home was my first since the surgery -- no one had seen me at all since I began losing weight.  I may not be able to look into the mirror and see the loss, but apparently everyone else really does see it.  I got so many compliments and congrats ... and even a few who told me that I look younger (woohoo!).  I am really glad I visited home! :)  Below is just a glimpse of the new me (I got the hair done too!!) - and it's a glimpse of how I spent all afternoon, dealing with my crazy little monkey!!!!

I have talked about my procedure with a few people over the past few weeks.  One of the first questions I get is why I decided to do it.  I love food, I love to cook and in turn, I love to eat what I cook.  What would make me decide to have a surgery that prevents me from eating some foods at all and all foods to very small portions??  The answer to me, came about 3 years ago when I realized all the fun things I wanted to do with my nieces were much harder to do than I'd ever anticipated.  I couldn't run around in the yard like I wanted, I couldn't climb around in their toys because I was afraid I'd break them and I couldn't even swing on their swing set as easily as I wanted because I was uncomfortable.  I took 3 years to talk myself into it completely - and by then my wanting to run and play with 1 little girl had turned into wanting to run and play with 3 of the little munchkins ... and if I am ever to have my own kids, I don't want to have this ever be an issue at all.  I wasn't feeling really great on Sunday of this past weekend (I was getting the beginnings of a nasty cold) but my nieces were at my parents house with me and they were playing in the leaves in the backyard.  All I wanted to do was run and play with them as well ... and I WILL be doing that with them this time next year.  Here are my 3 little inspirations

Okay ... so I know this is really long ... but if you'll allow me just a little more of your time ... I know I haven't kept up with my Days of Thankfulness and there are WAY too many days to try and go back and catch up on.  But today, of all days, I want to say that I am so completely and ever thankful for the health of my family.  On Sunday, a really great guy from my hometown (and the father of a really good friend of mine) lost his battle with lung cancer.  His funeral was today ... he was just a few years older than my dad, he left behind 2 sons (both younger than me), 4 sweet little grandbabies (2 who will never even remember him they are so young) and a wife of 39 years.  I have another friend whose mother is battling cancer as well and chances are very slim that she will be with her family much longer either.  I pray for these families, my friends who are saying good-bye to their parents so early in life and as much as my heart aches for them - I am so thankful that I am not living their pain and heartbreak. I still have 3 grandparents, both of my parents are in good health ... I'm so lucky, so blessed, so grateful.  So if you are lucky enough to have your family around you in the next weeks as you celebrate the holidays - hug them! Hug them, squeeze them, tell them just how much they mean to you.  Tomorrow is not promised to any of us ... you never know if you'll have that chance again.

First Follow-Up Visit

I completely worked myself up over this follow-up visit.  I have no idea why ... but I actually think I was more nervous going to this appointment today than I was for the surgery!  I did not eat much all day long and really didn't feel very hungry - my stomach was too full of knots.  I got into my appointment right on time (very impressive!) and the first person I met with was George - my nutritional guide for AfterCare.  He was great!!  He advised that my official weight loss is 25 lbs (15 post surgery) ... I was a little bummed by that since my scale says 30 lbs, but I always weigh first thing in the morning and not with jeans, shirt & shoes on!! ... so I say it probably evens out!! lol  George went over the basics with me - the ins and outs of what I should do and shouldn't do and how much I should be eating and what I should be eating.  I am VERY happy to tell you that I am doing everything already that he mentioned.  He did advise that I could probably eat a little more solid food - just to test out my band and to see if I have any problems with anything, but otherwise I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be.  After he left, Shunta (the NP) came to chat with me and discuss my first fill.  After she looked at all my numbers and asked me questions about what I've been eating - she decided there is no need for me to have a fill at this time.  She said that typically patients have only lost around 10 lbs at 4 weeks and since I'm already at 14 and I'm eating well, she doesn't want to fill if it's not needed.  YAY!!  I count that as a win because I wasn't looking forward to liquids for 2-3 days again!!!  She said that since I've only been eating "solid" food for just under a week - she would like me to continue where I'm at for at least 2 more weeks.  So basically, this appointment was GREAT!  I was worried over nothing and it all boiled down to me being told I'm doing great and to keep it up!  I go back again two weeks from today & we'll re-evaluate.  She said it's not abnormal for someone to not have to get a fill on their first follow-up - it's about 50/50 - so I am good with being right there with the average person!!

... Day 5 of Thankfulness ... I am thankful for my Grandma & Grandpa Cochran.  Family means a lot to grandma & grandpa and they instilled that into their children who then passed it onto their kids ... and I believe you can see that in each of us.  Family gatherings with the Cochran family is crazy & insane ... and fun & exciting!  There are so many of us now - we seem to get bigger every time I turn around!! - but it's clear that grandma & grandpa are the center of us, the glue that holds us all together.  I have learned to cook by watching them, learned to sew with grandma VERY patiently sitting beside me, and gotten to hear stories of not only their lives as young people but about my mom & her siblings as well (which I love!).  I love getting to spend time with family when are all able to get together - but I also love the times that I get to spend with just grandma & grandpa.  Glad you both are the glue that holds are crazy, silly, insane family together - we are all very lucky to have you!!!!