Six Months Post Surgery

Today was my 6 month Post Surgery Doctor's Appointment.  A lot has changed since my last update.  According to the scales at my appointment, I am 48 pounds down.  According to my scales, I am 54 pounds down but since I didn't have the nerve to take off my clothes before stepping on the scale, we will stick with 48 lbs!


More importantly than the significant weight loss,  I was most impressed with a statement that my doctor made as she wrote down the "diagnosis" for insurance.  "Well, this is interesting...I have no previous diagnosis to write down anymore....your diabetes is gone, you don't have high blood pressure, you don't have reflux issues anymore and your potassium is normal. "    That was the best sentence that anyone could have delivered.  


I am thankful for this journey.  I am amazed at how the human body can work with just a few medical tune ups!  And I am astounded at how I am dealing with the fact that I will be on this strict diet for the rest of my life.


My BMI (Body Mass index)  has gone from 43% to 35%.  I am no longer morbidly or extremely obese...I am just obese.  It is very encouraging news.   :)


Although the weight loss has slowed down to a little less than a pound a week, I am totally ok with this.  I am not out to be a model...I am just out to be healthy.  


I do miss food.  I miss chewing.  I miss buffets.  I miss diet coke.   But I don't miss the 48 (54) lbs that are gone.  And all of the missing has been totally worth it!   


Make it a great day!  


Heidi

First day of high school AGAIN!!

I love going back to school.  It is fabulous!  Where else can you become a slave to the sound of a bell?  When you hear a bell, the kids enter.  You hear a second bell and the kids are now tardy.  The third bell of the day says that those kids can leave.  You scurry off to the rest room.  You have exactly 3 minutes to do your business because you will be late to your own class if things run long.  Then you repeat this routine all day long...with a lunch and maybe a snack thrown in between more bells.   It really is a very glamorous job indeed!

The learning curve is pretty high this year for teachers in my district.  We have a new phone system,  new computers with old and new software that doesn't always jive with our operating system, new furniture (which means that most have had to rearrange their rooms and ways of thinking), switching from microsoft word to open office software and today we completely ran out of paper in all of our copy rooms!  Taking it all in stride...that is what we do best!

My numbers are good this year.  42 in Mixed Choir, 19 in Varsity Choir and 25 in Mini Musical.  1 student will be in all 3 of my classes,  8 students will be in 2 of my classes and the rest I only have once a day!  I LOVE REPEATERS!!  It adds integrity and depth to my program!

During professional development days with only the teachers, I got lots of "Wow, Heidi...you changed your hairstyle...it looks great" type of comments.  The cardinal sin is to actually say to a fat person "Wow, you have lost weight" and then get the response, "No, I actually have gained some" so most people just don't say anything at all.  That is safe.  That is acceptable.  That is fine.

Kids, on the other hand, are very opposite.  They don't always have social filters.  They say it like it is.  Comments I got today:  "Woa, Pelkey.  You is shrinking".   "Mrs. Pelkey, your face is soooo different.  I mean, it's skinny and all".  And my favorite one:  "Pelkey, you are looking  smokin' HOT".  Honestly, I had to laugh at that one out loud! 

Overall, it was a great first day.  And now on to the second one!

Make it a fabulous day ahead.

Blessings,
Heidi

Eggs are NOT my friend.

A couple of weeks ago, when we were on vacation in PA, I noticed that eggs were a main staple at breakfast time.  When you have the choice between waffles, bagels, sugared cereal,  or eggs... eggs have to win in my new eating life!


I noticed that I was having some pretty sad digestion issues almost every morning that we were there.  So, when I got home, I decided to try other protein options and stay away from eggs.


Today, I was running very late to school so I stopped at subway and got an egg mcmuffin sandwich.  I took off the bread and only ate the middle.  An hour later, after fighting the gagging feeling for many minutes,  I got rid of the egg.


I think that eggs are the culprit.  SO, I will take another few weeks off from eggs and give them another try later this month.  I love eggs so this is hard for me but I know that I have other options.


I lost another pound this week!  33 pounds gone...forever.


Have a great day ahead!
Blessings,
Heidi

Cause and Effect

I have started to realize that when I have a sneezing fit during a meal, it means that I have swallowed something bigger than a peanut size M&M.   It starts as sneezing, then I get a pain in my chest area, and then I realize that there is no solution for the problem except for a trip to the bathroom.  It is one of the least desirable things that happens post surgery. 

Tonight I had a piece of leftover chicken.  It was dry.  And I wasn't enjoying it so I was hustling to get down because everything else on my plate looked way more appetizing.  Oh well, better luck next time.  :(

Tonight I will need to have a Greek Yogurt Fresh Peach smoothie in order to catch up on my protein.  I guess I'm okay with that! :)

Got a good amount of work done today at school.  I have to pick music today and tomorrow for all of my groups...

I canned a bushel of peaches yesterday as a way of procrastination. 

And for those of you who are facebook friends.... I got my circa 1995 Praise Walk tape replacement today.  It was utter disappointment as I realized that it was the same one that I already owned.  The seller said I can return it...so I will and I will keep looking.  Sadness in the fitness department!

Well, the kids are both in Praise Band tomorrow at church so it will be a fun service.  And then I plan to come home and cook lots for the week and get ready to start my professional development stuff on Tuesday.  The end of summer is so near.

Make it a great day!
Blessings,
Heidi

God's Gift to me.

In mid June, when I had to give up all fresh fruit and vegetables for the good of weight loss, I knew it would be a horrible summer.  I am in love with fresh peaches.  I love them.  When August 5th rolled around and all fresh fruit and veggie restrictions were lifted, my world changed forever.  This is my ultimate favorite snack right now:

And by the way, I would never take a picture with a dirty spoon.  But Google images was a bit short on the FRESH peach and cottage cheese pictures.  YUM. 

Canning a bunch of peaches this weekend.  Double yum.

Blessings,
Heidi

Doctor's Visit

I am sitting in my local walk in clinic at my doctor's office.  I am not fond of this clinic but when I called to get an appointment this morning, for a mystery rash on my belly, I was told that the earliest I could be seen was tomorrow at 3:30 and I was welcome to come to the walk in clinic today. 

I am frustrated that doctor's offices are so overbooked.  When you are sick or uncomfortable, you should be able to be seen THAT DAY!  And you shouldn't have to go to a walk in clinic and then have to wait an hour and a half to be seen by a nurse practitioner.  I am irritated.

On the upside, they actually have working internet.   So, I will be able to catch up on my games on Facebook.  Win-Win. 

Make it a great day!
Heidi

The Never Ending Pasta Bowl

I have never been a giant eater.  Each summer, when Olive Garden, brings around the "Never Ending Pasta Bowl" offer,  I usually go at least once and shove down one bowl and then ask for a second bowl just so that I can take the contents home for another meal.  It's a great deal, after all.  You get TWO meals for $8.95!!  Hello???  Is anyone listening to that ridiculousness?  Umm...cook at home and you can get much more for your money.


A few days ago, the kids and I went to Olive Garden.  Although I am still never hungry and don't really have cravings, I know that I LOVE pasta (or I once did!).  I also knew that it would be ridiculous for me to ask for a 1/8 of a cup serving of each sauce/pasta combination that I would have liked to try.


Buffets and never ending pasta bowls are no longer "good deals".  And as I ponder that last sentence, I realize that they were never good deals...for the waistline at least!


Make it a great day!
Blessings,
Heidi

Interesting thought

I just got home from a great visit with my husband's family.  They live in Perkasie, PA.  I love the company and the scenery but they really need to fix the roads!  They are way too curvy!  After driving them in the rental car for 5 days, I had just started to figure them out and then we left!

A vacation doesn't seem like a vacation when the scale registers LIGHTER at your return night than the morning you weighed in and left for the trip!  Very strange.  Looking forward to a real weigh in tomorrow!

Hopefully I will have more time to blog this week!

Blessings,
Heidi

A random thought.

If I ever need a "last meal",  I want Wendy's chili.  It goes down well, doesn't over fill me and has a whopping 19 grams of protein.  Tonight I ate a WHOLE small with 2 saltines crackers crumbled into it.  Delicious.  Nutritious.  And SO TASTY.  

That is all.


Blessings,
Heidi

A different weigh of thinking!

I am very punny tonight.    A little thought for my 15 readers! 

All of my adult life I have been chained to the scale.  I would weigh myself a few times a week in hopes of not gaining too much weight.    And when I was dieting, I would weigh myself to see if I lost anything, and sometimes be happy when the scale would move a half of a pound a week and be really sad when it was a good week of exercise and eating that the scale wouldn't budge.  At. All.

With this new journey, I have started to almost realize that I am not gaining weight anymore.  If I get on the scale, I either am down in weight or I stay the same.  I am starting to trust that my body is actually doing what it is supposed to be doing and I am just along for the ride.   Although it is exciting to still step on the scale and see that things are going in the right direction, it is also starting to get old.  I don't need to step on the scale every morning.  I just need to keep doing what I am doing and trust that things are good.  Just a different way/weigh of thinking.

And on a side note, after 3 years of training, Gracie is FINALLY catching popcorn in the air.  Hopefully when she stays with Grandpa and Grandma next week, she will catch those cheerios and impress them with her talent!