10 Months Post-Op: A Few Quick Observations

It was superhero day at school, so I decided to rock my Super MadMen shirt.

As of yesterday, I hit the 10 months post-op mark.  As is custom on the 8th of each month, I stepped onto the scale to see what I weighed so I could compare it to what I weighed the day I had surgery.

Since my surgery, I’ve lost 131 pounds.  Including what I lost pre-op, I’ve lost 167 pounds.

I am 9 pounds from my surgeon’s goal weight for me.  His goal for me is based on 70% EWL.  I told him last year at my consult (which was about this time of year) that I was not content with “average” and that 70% wasn’t good enough.

So I set my personal goal 50 pounds lower than his.

I am 59 pounds from my goal. 

It doesn’t even seem real.  Seriously, pinch me, because I must be dreaming!

It does, however, seem possible.  Perhaps within the next 7 months, even.  That’d be the best Christmas present ever–to hit my goal.

I have never felt so empowered or accomplished in my life.  It is a truly awesome feeling.

Here are a few things I’ve noticed more and more lately as I march toward goal.

• I obsess about eating now more than I ever did, and I kind of hate it.  Eating has become more a chore and less enjoyable.  I eat now because I have to, not because I want to.  And I eat things I HAVE to, instead of things I WANT to.  This makes me a little sad.
• I also obsess about looking completely put together when I leave the house every day.  God forbid I look wrinkled, hair out of place, shoes not matching, accessories not matching down to the colors in the pattern of the fabric my shirt/skirt is made of.  Did I just not give a shit before, or am I hyperaware of my appearance now because I look so drastically different than I ever have?  Furthermore, did I always just look like hell before and no one was ballsy enough to tell me?  Because now, I get told all the time that I look good–this is a constant thing.  Not complaining, just an observation.
• My capacity is greatly increased from what it was a few months ago.  Those of you just starting out in this sleeved life, YES THIS DOES ACTUALLY HAPPEN as your sleeve matures.  So take advantage of the tight little sleeve you have during those first few months–it does not stay that way!
• There are certain proteins I can eat way more of than others.  I’ll make a list this weekend and post it with my weekly progress report.
• I have become physically unrecognizable to some of my colleagues.  They literally do not recognize me.  This was evident Saturday when I chaperoned Prom, and one of our secretaries leaned over to the other and asked her who I was.  Then she came over and complimented me on my dress and told me that she was very proud and impressed with what I’d done to shed the weight.  She is not the first of my colleagues to tell me that they did not recognize me.  This happens a lot more now.  It is a little disconcerting.
• SO MUCH EFFING LOOSE SKIN.  SO UGHLY.  Typo, and it stays.
• I am having to work so much harder at the gym to get my heart rate up and to sweat.  This is both a good and a bad thing.  Good in that it means I am getting more fit.  Bad in that it means I have to spend more time at the gym.  I have learned to use the elliptical trainer though, so hopefully spending some time on that bad boy will mix things up enough that I can still get away with 45 minute workouts. 🙂

I’ve got to be up at the buttcrack of dawn tomorrow and I need to get some rest.  I’ll write more Sunday, I promise.  Work is finally slowing down a bit, and I’m finally able to get a breather as the school year winds down.  My summer is filling up fast, though, so my respite from work will be brief.  More later!