Landmarks are good!

I haven't updated in a few weeks so I thought that I better post an update. This blog has proved to be inspirational to me, as well as to others, and that makes me feel pretty good about it. Its always encouraging to look back and see how far I have come. I graduated from Upland High in 1996, yes, I know that was eons ago. Anyways, UHS has a website set up so that everyone can keep in touch ( before FB exploded) and I had posted some pics on there probably 9 years ago. I randomly went to that website the other day and I was shocked to see the pics that I had posted. Of course since all your high school friends would be seeing these pics, I would have chosen the "best" ones to put up. I was literally as big as the side of a house.... I'm going to post the picture because I cant even believe it! I remember that night... I felt pretty...but looking back on it... all I looked was chubby... I know that I have a long ways to go, but wow... that pic was sooooo inspirational to me because it showed the progress that I have made so far. Also... as of this morning I have lost 61 pounds! On September 7th it will be 5 months since I started this journey, and I think I have done really well... I am also pretty confident that I am on track to lose 100 pounds by April 22nd, 2010... I went on a much needed shopping trip yesterday afternoon, and I was pleasantly surprised at the sizes I was able to wear ;) I have had some rough days since April 7th when I started my pre-op diet... but wow has it ever been worth it! I haven't thrown up all week... and I have been able to eat ok... I am learning more and more to be more aware of what I am putting in my mouth. If i don't pay attention, that's when I pay for it. Its just a change in your way of thinking. Of course, I have my flaws... I am not doing good with my water drinking... I have to work on that... and I am not exercising faithfully.... that's not good... I have to work on that too because my body is changing so rapidly... and its turning into a body I have never been before... nothing has ever jiggled on me LOL... and i have some jiggly parts now LOL... I'm just being real!!

This week will be an exciting one for sure. My best friend Kristy is about to have a baby. She is scheduled for an induction on Tuesday morning. She has asked me to be with her when she delivers the baby, and I feel very honored to be a part of this. Some people that I have told have had mixed responses, but I think its probably going to be the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed in my life. The miracle of life has always amazed me, and everyone knows how I feel about babies :) I cannot wait to see baby Nolan's grand entrance into this world :) I pray that Kristy's labor and delivery goes well with no kinks... I will try to post another blog after he arrives...

I have also scheduled a trip to Texas for the end of October. I have been having that "itch" to get out of town lately and so I just made a spur of the moment decision and im going. Of course Jack and my mom are coming too... and I am so looking forward to seeing my family in Texas...

I think that's it for now... I'm gonna post a few pics for your viewing pleasure :) Catch ya on the flip side!!

Im being choked out!

Ok, so its been one week since my last adjustment, and I feel like I need to update my blog because it has been an eventful week as far as the lap-band goes. I used to go to the support group meetings and when the other patients would tell these horror stories about their struggles with eating, I would think, whats wrong with my band? I have no stories like that to tell! Well... This week I have gained SEVERAL stories to tell! For a few days after my adjustment I was on liquids only, but I started having issues even on liquids. I made a shake Saturday morning with 1/2 banana and a few frozen strawberries and it was too thick. I was unable to get it down. So, Jack had a "milk shake" lol... Needless to say I have tried to eat on several occasions but I am just struggling. When I eat something that doesn't go down well, I pay in a very painful way, and it usually ends up coming back up( graphic, I know). I attempted to eat a taco on Tuesday night, and that was the worst bout with getting sick that I have experienced so far. WOW, is all I can say. I was crying and everything. ( those of you that really know me would know that is no big surprise... I cry often) I have been a little depressed over it all because although I do want my band tighter so that I can eat less and lose more weight, but I would like to be able to eat more than one tiny bite at a time. I know you are probably reading this thinking wow, what a terrible thing to go through... But I'm doing ok. Its a complete change of mindset. I have to re-learn how to eat as a "banded" person. Today I am doing better. The key is that I have to eat very slow, and take very small bites, and of course ( like my mom says) CHEW CHEW CHEW. I have also learned another secret. The more "sauce" you can put on food, the easier it goes down.Sauces are not your friend though because of the calories and fat involved in them, so salsa is my new friend. It is good for you, and it moistens everything up. I have not attempted to eat meat yet, and I don't know how that will go. I am a lil scared to try it, but if I never try it, I will never know! These are just a few hurdles in the road. I am still very happy that I had this surgery, and I am excited to look back in a year or so and see how far I have come. Yesterday I had a puke free day, and today so far... no puking! So I am not complaining :) Ill update you all next week and hopefully I can give a victory report about more pounds vanishing forever :) Have a great weekend everyone!

Im encouraged!

Well, yesterday was a good day for Jennifer Boggs... It was my final class for this session, and let me tell you... I was never so happy to see a session end. This was a really tough one for me! I had some pretty tough classes. And if you couple that with the fact that I am quite the procrastinator... It has made this last week of school pretty stressful! But the good news is that I do my best work under pressure, so it was all completed and I'm DONE. Yesterday I took the day off to finish up some school work, and I also had an appt with Dr Krahn to get my lap-band tightened up a bit. ( The pic attached is of Dr Krahn and I)I have days where I get a lil discouraged with the lap band because the weight comes off so much slower than alot of people that I know that have had gastric bypass. Anyways, my last fill was at the end of June, and since then I had lost 20 pounds. I was really surprised when they told me that. My doc was VERY pleased with my progress, and wasn't completely convinced that I really needed another fill. Of course, I wanted one because I still felt like I could eat a little too much. So, I got my fill, and I am now on a liquid diet until Sunday. That is no fun! I am hoping that my fill is ok, because I have noticed that I have had a lil bit of a hard time getting the protein shakes down, and even big gulps of water are a lil rough... But I think in a few days it will all even out. Dr. Krahn was very interested in the fact that I blog, and he asked me to get on his website and blog. I have to check it out, but I am very interested because I want to meet people like myself So my grand total as of yesterday is 52 pounds. I will take it! My goal was to lose 100 pounds before my one year "bandiversary" lol...and I am on track to get there, and probably exceed that. Yesterday when I left the doctor's office and was driving to school I was thinking about my decision to have this surgery. I saw alot of people in the waiting room yesterday that were considering weight loss surgery, and I felt their pain. I know how miserable it can be at times to be overweight, and you honestly feel like there is no way out. I had myself convinced that I would always be fat, and my life would be lacking forever because of it. For the first time in years, I really believe that I am not going to be fat forever, and its the best feeling. As I was driving, I just started crying because I can really see myself changing, and its a good thing :) I don't know what my future holds, but I sure hope that in the mix somewhere is a good man who will love me for me, and can see past the scars of the fat girl that I used to be.... Anyways... I'm happy today :) I'm thinner, I have no homework, and to top it all off, Jack is spending the weekend with me!