New Focus

Have you ever seen a photo of yourself and barely recognized the person that you saw?  This happened to me over the weekend.  I saw the picture that I posted above and thought I looked really different.

I lost 20 lbs. after my surgery and it is kind of amazing how much of a difference that can make!  I now weigh about 150.  When I look at this photo, I think I look thin.  Really thin for me. 

I've decided to change the focus of my blog.  I will probably be losing my Lap Band in the next few weeks so I want to focus more on weight maintenance and fitness.  I've changed the blog name and look.  I've also removed many of the weight loss references from the page.  That isn't my focus anymore.

I really need some help.  When I originally lost weight after surgery, this blog was a huge part of my success.  At that time (in 2010-11), there was a really active online community of bloggers, but I now have very few people reading my blog on a regular basis.  I am hoping that you will consider posting a link to my blog on your blog and asking your readers to consider giving me a follow.  If you don't do that sort of thing or don't want to promote my blog, that's no problem.  I'm just hoping to gain a more active and current community beyond the few of you that are still checking in and reading.

I want to stress that the support is just something that I really need right now, but I won't think less of you if you do not wish to participate.  I know blogs are really personal  and we all have our own "rules".  If you feel comfortable helping out, thank you!

I feel so awkward right now.

So let's segue onto something else, shall we?

I went hiking yesterday.  It was about a six mile hike, round trip.  I found it really easy.  I also went to the gym in the evening.  I was going to do a light work out, but then I ended up doing a pretty tough leg work out.  I only lift twice a week so I do sort of a circuit and cover all the major areas.  I have been trying to recover from a shoulder injury that I've been struggling with for a few years.  I fell down the stairs in my house and wrenched my shoulder trying to grab the bannister.  I must have torn some ligaments or something.  I frequently re-injury it by doing things like putting on my coat and brushing my hair.  I've been trying to lift very light weights to strengthen my muscles. 

Here are some pictures from my hike.

This place is appropriately called "Blue Pool".  The water is so clear that you can see the bottom, even though it is 30-40 feet deep in places.  There were people jumping from about 30 feet above the water and it was kind of terrifying because the water looks really shallow.  I was not among those people!

Have you had Lap Band revised to the Sleeve? Please advise...

Have you had your Lap Band revised to the Sleeve?  If so, did you have a normal BMI at the time?  Did you have comorbidities?

I ask because I had a conversation today with the woman in my surgeon's office who applies for insurance authorization.  She thinks that even with another insurance company (my current insurance will be changing in July), I wouldn't be approved because my BMI is 22.8 and I have no health problems. 

So it kind of seems like I should just have it removed now, but I really want to hear your experiences too. 

I am freaking out. 

Please advise...

I was officially turned down for the revision to the sleeve.  This is the second time.  I believe my surgeon's office appealed because they told me that Dr. Mattar had a video conference with the insurance company doctor. 

They did approve removing the Lap Band.

The reason the insurance company gave is that basically I am just too healthy.  I have no health problems and my BMI is normal.

Duh, BECAUSE I have a Lap Band!

I am also expecting my insurance to change at the end of next month and I don't know if it will cover Bariatric.  Right now the surgery would not cost me very much, but that is an unknown if I wait and have it with another company.  I also may have to repeat all of the pre-op requirements, but there is a chance that the new insurance would approve the revision.

I am not having any symptoms at all of the band slip, although after it was repositioned, I had a lot of symptoms for several weeks.  The UGI identified the slippage.  With the previous slippage, I had no symptoms except smelly belching (sexy, I know), but apparently my stomach was in pretty bad shape at that time.  I don't know how significant the slip is this time around.

Part of me wants to just wait and see what happens, especially because I do not have anymore paid time off except for my planned summer vacation this year.  But a part of me thinks that is a really bad idea and I don't know what to do.

So please tell me what you guys think.  I'm really uncertain.     

A Boring Blog Post

When I was losing weight, I blogged at least twice a week.  I almost always posted my weekly weigh in.  I loved to hear the "way to go's".  I hit goals - onederland, 100 lbs. down, one-year bandiversary.  I developed an understanding of why I had struggled with my weight in the past and I learned how to be kind to myself.  I learned how to lose weight and keep it off.

My blog was such a big part of all of that.  It was my virtual support group.  I know people in real life who have had the same surgery who haven't been successful and I have suggested that they blog because it was such a vital part of my process.

But for me anyway, blogging during maintenance is boring.  I don't want to post a weekly picture of my toes and the number on the scale.  I don't want to hash out all of the same stuff that I've already discussed here, although I know followers come and go and it may not be all that boring to you.  But it is boring to write about it.

I also know there are other bloggers in maintenance that are not at all boring!  Lap Band Gal & Amy W. are just a couple of blogs that come to mind, but I know there are lots of others.  They post interesting things in weight loss news, or about their lives and I love to read them.

Like me, there are also lots of bloggers who have had health issues to blog about.  I came back to my blog in January because I was facing a band slip and surgery.  Then I blogged about the recovery (spoiler alert - it sucked!) and I've mentioned that my bland slipped again, although nothing is really going on with that right now.  It has slipped, but I haven't had it removed.  My surgeon's office is staffed by snails and slugs (all amazing, wonderful people, but they move really, really, really, r    e    a   l  l  y, slowly).  I am not having any symptoms (except outrage).  So there is nothing to report really.

Things are as boring as the weather in Eugene, Oregon today.  This is a "cold and gray skies" sort of post.  

I am maintaining the weight I lost when I a̶l̶m̶o̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶v̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶e̶a̶t̶h̶ couldn't eat much for several weeks following surgery.  I weigh about 151.  I am 5'8".  I am eating a lot right now.  Like three squares plus snacks.  I am struggling to stay in my calorie goal, but I am happy with my weight so I am not stressing about it too much at the moment.  My BMI is 23.  When I had my cardiac ablation on the 24th, the nurse called me "little" (at 5'8" tall I am not normally considered "little"). 

I like being called little.