Bloggity blog

Whoa buddy, I suck at blogging. I haven't signed in since my last post, which means for 5+ months, I didn't realize that I spelled coffee wrong in the title of my last post (I put Coffe Bar...it's fixed now, so don't look).
Sooo, what's new, guys?! Not too much here. Just living life as a night-shifter in the ICU, while still occasionally moon-lighting as an ER nurse and a Lula "fashion consultant". It's fun but the night life has taken a toll on my weight a bit. I have gained around 5-10lbs depending on what day I weigh myself. Y'all know my weight loss journey has been an ongoing struggle so it's time to make changes NOW. I got a new gym membership - I figured why not? Planet Fitness was offering a deal, it's open 24/7 and it's 1 mile from my house. No excuses right? 
I am still selling LuLaRoe too, which is super fun! The only problem? Leggings grow with you. Comfortable...but makes you forget that you can't eat all the cookies. Or all the cakes. Or all the nuggs (Damn you, McDonalds...20 piece for $5...why get 10 nuggs for $4.59 when you can get 10 more for a mere $5???? WHY, MCDONALDS, WHY???). Sometimes...you just want all the nuggs. And leggings accommodate 20 piece nuggs. Jeans, however, are not so forgiving. So, 4 piece nuggs it is.
That's about all the news here...I will *try* to post more. I mean, I get a bug up my butt every few months but I honestly kind of ran out of things to blog about. I suck at doing projects and cooking and taking OOTD pictures. Honestly, I get exhausted trying to keep up with all the other bloggers who make it look like their life is perfect. Perfectly decorated house. House that's always clean. Hair that's always done. Cute outfits all the time. Cooks like Martha Stewart. Does this exhaust anyone else? 
So...here we go again friends...bloggity blog. Maybe in 2018 I will do the whole 365 day post thing again.
Maybe.

Here I am...unwashed hair, chipped nail polish and all...unlike most bloggers, I don't have my shit together all the time. Meh...

Until next time,

Coffee Bar

For my birthday, I asked my husband to build me a coffee bar. I love coffee. And I have a Keurig (to make regular coffee), a Ninja Coffee Bar (to make fancy coffees), fancy syrups, 200 K-Cups, and way too many coffee cups. All of this was taking up just too much room in the kitchen. And our dining room needed a little spicing up. Hence, my idea for this coffee bar.
First, let me show you the Pinterest inspiration (OF COURSE, this was Pinterest inspired. What did we do before Pinterest???):

So, I send this picture to my husband and basically tell him to create it. I tell him where I want it and let him take the reins. 

Isn't it beautiful???? He built it out of Cedar. I was able to put everything that I wanted in it and on top of it with some extra room to spare. It looks perfect in our dining room. He knocked this one out of the park! I can't wait to pick out his next project!!! :) 

I'm still here - promise!

Man. Life gets busy and before you know sooooo much time has passed!!! It feels like yesterday I posted and actually, it's been over a month. Like...March is half over. WHAT?!?!?! 
I did eventually get over my cold. It took a long time. It was horrible. First respiratory. Then GI. Then respiratory again. Terrible.
I didn't set any February or March goals. Mostly to just get back into a routine and feel better. Fair enough, right?
Okay, so the BIG announcement I was talking about...my mom and I decided to become LuLaRoe independent retailers!!!! We are so excited! We received our inventory at the end of February and have begun selling. So, please feel free to join our VIP shopping page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lularoechelsealisa/
We would love to have you!!! I will be devoting a lot of time to get this up and running, so I apologize if I'm not around as much! :) 

The Plague

It's official. 
I have caught whatever plague has been floating around. It's terrible. I hope no one else catches it. Needless to say, I didn't make it back to the gym in January. Therefore, failed the goals. Par for the course I suppose!! I can only do better this month. I was successful in decluttering the house a bit. It definitely could use some more.
So for February - stay tuned for a new goals/wish list. I signed up for a next subscription with Just Fab - just to try it. I will post a review once I receive the items.
Also, stay tuned for a big announcement later this month. So many exciting things happening!
Sorry for the boring post. Thanks for sticking it out with me. 

Being a "real nurse" again

Last week was a difficult week for a lot of people. While the government was turning over a new president and new people came to power, I was working the night shift in an intensive care unit. I think I mentioned before that I decided to leave my cushy office job and go back to being a "real nurse" (as termed by many people - I was still a real nurse in my opinion). 
I can honestly say that over the past 4-ish years, I forgot what it was like to be a "real nurse". I mean, I was still a "real nurse". I was educating staff and occasionally helping out on the floor. I picked up weekend hours. But I forgot what being on your feet for 12 hours felt like. 
I forgot that I will I come home and my feet and my back will hurt. Because I am constantly going between rooms to titrate drips, check vital signs, perform assessments, and make sure that someone's loved one is safe for the 12 hours that I am on shift. 
I forgot what it felt like to not be able to go drink, eat and pee whenever I need to. 
I forgot what it felt like to have a knot in my throat because I am holding back tears because I know, that despite my best efforts and the best efforts of the entire medical staff, I won't be able to save this patient. And I can't let the family see that I know their loved ones fate because they don't know or realize it yet.
I forgot what it feels like when a family thanks you for doing everything you could do to help. And what it feels like when you do actually help someone and they get better.
I forgot that after a 12-hour shift, when I close my eyes, I will hear the beeps of call lights, telemetry monitors, IV pumps, and ventilators until I eventually fall asleep.
I forgot how much I love taking care of people. I am happy to be a real nurse again.

Random thoughts

So, I was catching up with some TV shows on Hulu. One of them being The Bachelor. Now, I used to watch this show religiously. Then I stopped because it was stupid. Then I watched Bachelor in Paradise and I really liked Nick, the new Bachelor. Soooo, I decided to tune in. 
What. in. the. F. I now remember HATING the first episode. The girls act like assholes. I am sorry, I realize that they need to make an impression right away, but act normal. Don't be slutty. One girl dressed in a shark costume (though claimed the entire time she was dolphin and continuously made "dolphin" noises). Another girl made some dumb joke, "What do girls with panties on say? I wouldn't know". Uhm, gross. And slutty. One girl came in on a camel and said "I hear you like to hump." And another gave him a beard massage. 
Another girl gave him a book with an uncooked hotdog in it and said "You're a weiner in my book". As if that wasn't bad enough, she asked him to "Lady and the Tramp" that hotdog. If I was him, I would be like "Okay, thank you for being unique but please get back in the limo, cause I've seen enough."
All of these interactions just feel awkward. Like, I felt uncomfortable just watching. Did I stop watching though? Of course not, and I then I proceeded to watch the second episode. 
After this I got on Facebook and had 35 notifications...because I'm in 124903754348074 LuLaRoe groups. And I need to probably not to be because I want to buy everything. I can't help but go through the albums. And before you know it, I have typed sold 10 times and I have invoices before I can change my mind. #Addicted
Okay, enough random for today.

January Goals & Wish-list

One post that I loved doing before was my monthly goals and wish-list. I would make a couple of goals and at the end of the month if I achieved those goals, I would reward myself with something from my wish-list. 
Life is short...and stressful. Why not treat yourself once in awhile? I recently went back to working night shift and it has messed up my daily schedule. I went from having a relatively stable schedule (Monday-Friday, weekends off) to a schedule that is different all the time. The only good thing is that I am back on 12-hour shifts, which means more days off. I'm in the middle of a 6-day stretch off...aaaah, it's wonderful. However, I need to get back on schedule with housework and going to the gym. 
My January goals are:
1. Go to the gym! Just go. More than once, but try to get into a routine again. When I worked nightshift before, I worked out pretty regularly. This is only my second week on my new shift, but it's time to get adjusted to a new schedule. No excuses.
2. Get rid of some clutter. By the end of the month, I want to throw out, give away or donate at least 10 items. 
Okay, now here's my wish-list...

Ooooh, look at all these goodies!!

One. The Northface Jacket    

Two. Converse Chuck Taylors

Three. Jessica Simpson purse    

Four. Alex and Ani bracelet

Here's hoping I achieve those goals...

Hello Fresh review

So the hubs and I decided to try-out Hello Fresh...you may be asking yourself, "What the f is hello fresh?" Well, let me tell you all about it...

Hello Fresh is a weekly meal delivery subscription that sends recipes and the ingredients to cook those recipes right to your front door! We were finding that we were making the same ol' things for dinner all the time OR going out to eat because we were bored with our menu of dinner choices so we figured "Hey, why not?" Hello Fresh pricing varies depending on whether or not you want a 2-person meal plan or a family meal plan. We chose the 2-person meal plan and we receive 3 meals a week for about $70.

If you decide to try out Hello Fresh, I highly recommend that you download their app. You can easily pick your meals and skip weeks (you can also do this on the website). Hello Fresh usually has 2-3 weeks worth of menus up at a time. Each week you have 5-6 meals to choose from. You'll get an e-mail or a push alert that reminds you to pick what 3 meals you'd like. 

Our Hello Fresh box was delivered at like 8:30 pm on a Tuesday night. Which was lame, but not Hello Fresh's fault. The meals came packaged individually, which was nice, because all the ingredients were in a nice little package. The package also included a book with all the recipes from that week, including the recipes for which you do not get the ingredients so you can always make those later on if you feel ambitious.

I love how the ingredients were package - I didn't have to separate anything. It made cooking so much easier.

I have to say our first box was awesome. Two out of the three recipes we will definitely make again. The Salmon dish was just eh. It wasn't horrible, but we didn't love it. All the recipes were easy to make and didn't take a lot of prep work. It was refreshing to try some new recipes. It was worth the money. We will definitely be getting another Hello Fresh box!

Want to try Hello Fresh?? Click here!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, nor was I given a product to try. This was purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Oh hey, it's 2017!

Another year has come and gone. Seriously, where does the time go? I guess since it's now 2017, it's time for the obligatory "reflection post". I just realized that last year was my first on this blog that I was not going to school. I had though this would lead me to blog more, but as you can see...that didn't happen! 
So a lot of changes came with 2016. Bob graduated from nursing school - probably one of the biggest events last year. Five years of hard work and stress finally paid off and he is now a registered nurse/paramedic. I am so incredibly proud of him. However, once school is over, it's time to face the debt that piled up over 5 years of living on one income. Fortunately, my parents are great budgeters and got us on the straight and narrow...but we'll save that for another blog post. Luckily, we are a little less broke than when this blog was started. 

Bob and I at his nursing pinning ceremony in April 2016

Over the past year, I have lost over 100 pounds. So the big part of this blog is a little less...big. I am very content with my weight, however to meet my goal, I need to lost about 20 more pounds. To say that I only need to lose 20 pounds is ridiculous to me because I used to say "Oh, I need to lose 120 more pounds." This goal actually feels within reach. 

Left: Me November 2016 Right: Me November 2015

I also had a little bit of a career crisis last year. What I thought I wanted in the beginning of 2016 dramatically changed by the end. I sat down one day after work and realized that I have to be a nurse for 35 more years. I can't retire for OVER 30 YEARS! That is a long time. My job was an office job, which is a job that I took when I turned 25 and weighed nearly 300 pounds. My body was tired and needed something less physical. When I realized that 35 more years was ahead of me, I kind of freaked and realized that the stress of an office job was not what I wanted or needed in my life right now. The stress was leading me to have poor eating habits again. Not acceptable after all the work I did to get healthy. My body feels ready to have a more physically demanding job again. And I wanted to be a nurse again. I wanted to care for patients. So...I quit. I quit my job and found another one. I left "home" and went to a new hospital. I just needed to start anew. I needed to get away from the stress and I needed to prove to myself that I could be a good nurse again. I will move into management or education later in life...like I said, I have 30+ years. Right now, I need to be a nurse. 
So now, I'm back on the night shift working in an intensive care unit full-time and an emergency room occasionally. I feel lighter. I needed something different and I am proud that I did what I needed to do for me. 2016 was a year of change for me. So, what will 2017 bring?
I don't like to make resolutions. Here are somethings I'd like to see happen in 2017:

• I want to re-name the blog and revamp it. Big, Beautiful & Broke worked but it's time for more change. Suggestions are welcome!
• I want to run a 5k. I have walked 3. It's time to run...
• I want to lose the last 20 pounds
• I want to travel to 2 new places
• I want to pay off 5 credit cards

Five-Month Surgiversary

Whoa, Nelly - I am a slacker when it comes to updating this blog. I have been spending the last few months adjusting to my new lifestyle. The last time I checked in I weighed 265 lbs and I am happy to report that I am now around 225-227 lbs. The weight loss has slowed down, but it hasn't stopped and that's what matters. I am able to eat 800-1,000 calories a day which is the goal for now. 
I still suck at not drinking before, during and after meals...but I am getting better at it. I am finding that I don't have much restriction to what I can and can't eat, though I don't push the limits either. I don't test the limits on sugar and therefore, I have not experienced the dread dumping syndrome as of yet. 
I did walk my first 5k this past April. My parents joined me and it was so much fun!!! I hope to do many more and maybe someday, actually be able to run the 5k. I started using the "Couch to 5k" app at the gym and I was able to complete the first week on the treadmill. Now that it's nicer out, I am going to work on this outside...I tried to do it today and ugh, I sucked. Running outside, way harder than on a treadmill. However, it's a work in progress. 

My mom, me and my dad before the race

Dad, mom and I after the race - woot woot, we did it! And we weren't last!

Photo Credit: MLive.com, Jeff Schrier

Also, more exciting news - Bob graduated from nursing school!!! He was working towards this for 5 years, so it's a huge relief for both of us that he is done. Now he is just waiting to take his boards and find a job in his new career. Life is good, friends, life is good.

Statistics:

Surgery 12/8/2015

Highest weight (HW): 310 lbs

Surgery Weight (SW): 290 lbs

Current Weight (CW): 227.8 lbs

Goal Weight (GW): 175 lbs (first goal)

Post-Op: Week 5 update

Well, it's been 5 weeks since I had the gastric bypass surgery. As I have stated before, it has truly been a learning experience. When the dietician tells you before surgery that it will be hard to get in 60 grams of protein AND 64 ounces of water, she wasn't lying. However, when you stomach is a giant stretched out football, the prospect of eating protein and drinking water doesn't seem all that difficult because your able to fit in 60 grams of protein, 64 ounces of water and other greasy, sugary foods as well.
After surgery, however, this is a tough task. I am lucky to get in the protein and water. I feel uncomfortably full after about 1/4-1/2 cup of food. And water, I can only sip, which means I have to sip all day long. Plus, the biggest struggle -  I have to stop drinking 30-60 minutes before meals and 30-60 after meals.
The struggle is real. 
I think what has been the most amazing thing is how much I can eat. Or how little, rather...It's very different because my head still wants to finish that meal. When I feel full I have little "tells"...I either get chest pain, hiccup or my nose starts to run. If one of these 3 things happens, I have to tell myself to stop. Otherwise, food can get stuck. I also have to chew everything into a paste consistency...or food will get stuck. I also have to eat SLOW. I have had a couple of meals now, where I ate too fast and it caused extreme discomfort and I threw up. 
Below, are some examples of how much I can eat...before surgery, I could eat everything on my plate and then some. 

PROTEIN FIRST!

I have not had caffeine or sweets since November 28th. I have not had any fast food in weeks. The control I feel right now feels good, and I hope as I continue on this journey, that I remember this feeling.

Back to work next week and time to start exercising!

Statistics:

Surgery 12/8/2015

Highest weight (HW): 310 lbs

Surgery Weight (SW): 290 lbs

Current Weight (CW): 265.5 lbs

Goal Weight (GW): 175 lbs (first goal)

2015 Reflection

2016. Where the hell did 2015 go?! I know it's four days in, however, I never did write an obligatory "New Years Eve Post". Overall, 2015 was a good year. 

2015 brought many challenges, emotional decisions and a lot of fun. I never thought at the beginning of the year that I would make the decision to have weight loss surgery. At the beginning of the year, I was planning for my husband to start his nursing clinicals and I was entering my final year of my master's program. I was also preparing to go to Florida to spend time with my aunt, brother and husband and the Detroit Tigers (spring training!!!!). 

2015 took me to Phoenix, Arizona for a geriatric trauma conference. I climbed into a "Hole in Rock" while at my highest weight of 310 pounds. It makes me now wonder, what can I do, once I have lost weight? Only time will tell. At the conference I got to spend time with a great friend. It was a work trip, but it was fun!

2015 also took me to Florida. Wisconsin (another work trip, also a great time with some great people!). The upper peninsula for a fun getaway with my husband. We got to spend an awesome night in the Grand Hotel, a once in a lifetime experience!

2015 taught me a lot about myself, nutrition, and becoming healthier. I kicked my 15 year habit of drinking Diet Coke. I had my first major surgery. I witnessed my best friend getting married. 

And, I graduated from school! One of my lifetime goals was to have a master's degree. Check!

The thing to remember is that every year will bring happiness and struggles. It is how you deal with those struggles that help you grow. Was 2015 perfect? No. We struggled to make ends meat, with Bob in school full-time and working less. We had family members have health scares. Friends with health scares. 365 days will never all be happy and perfect. There will fights, tears, laughter, smiles, etc. 

So, was 2015 was a good year? Yes. 

I hope that 2016 is just as good, or better!

Happy new year to you all! I am excited to continue my health journey with you on this blog!

post-op life

Well, it's been about 3 weeks since the big surgery. The first couple of weeks, I was feeling pretty sore, especially on my left side. Bending and twisting has been especially difficult. My biggest battle is getting my 60 grams of protein in. It is very difficult because I am soooooo full after one shake, which is only 30 grams. This has definitely been an interesting experience. It is very exciting to be given a second chance at eating. It sounds weird to say but it really is a second chance. You have to relearn how to eat and learn how to look at food differently than you did before. It's very exciting, yet very challenging. Some foods sit absolutely fine, some foods make me nauseated and some foods run straight through - if you catch my drift. There are some days when a fart can NOT be trusted. 
My only real set-backs have been some muscle strains and pain. I have pushed some limits too soon and I think I might have torn or strained some of my abdominal muscles. Even actions like sneezing or coughing, cause severe pain and burning under some of my incisions. 
The month of December has been busy and overwhelming at times. The week after my surgery, Bob had his final exams and completed his second to last nursing school semester - only one more to go! The next week, his dad was admitted and we found out that he would need to have open heart surgery after the first of the year. Needless to say, we are ending a busy and decent year on a sour note. Luckily, his dad was able to come home for the holidays and has been doing well. 
More updates soon...

Post-Op, Days 1-2

Well, it's over. I remember going to the seminar in early June and thinking that six months of testing and nutritional counseling would go by slowly and really, it flew by. I also realized how grateful I am that I had six months to mentally prepare myself. Once I made the decision to go through with weight-loss surgery, I was ready to jump in and get it over with. However, after going through the entire process, I am happy that I was able to prepare my body physically and mentally. There is definitely a method to the madness of the insurance companies and bariatric programs here in the United States. If I could make a recommendation to anyone considering having a weight loss surgical procedure, I would say to do at least six months of preparation even if you have the choice to just do it. In the long run, it will help you be successful.
Day of Surgery: Tuesday, 12/8
I had to check in at the hospital at 5:45 am (yuck...). I had to shower the night before and the morning of, cleansing with an antibacterial soap like Dial. Of course, I didn't sleep well the night before because I was nervous, excited, scared, happy...and so many other emotions that I can not possibly explain. After checking in, I was taken into what I call a "pre" pre-op area where I changed into a gown, reviewed my medical history, had some labs drawn and was asked to wipe myself down with chlorahexadine wipes. During this time, my husband was able to sit with me, which was a relief because I was so nervous. At around 6:45 am, I was moved into the pre-op area which meant I was now alone and without my husband. Luckily, the pre-op staff was amazing and nice. The nurse put in my IV and gave me some pre-op medications (Lovenox, which is a blood thinner and zofran, which is to control nausea). The anesthesiologist and the surgeon both came to speak with me and gave me a chance to ask questions. After I signed consents and spoke with the doctors, the nurse gave me some Versed (a benzo to help control anxiety and relax me before going into the operating room).

Me, in the "pre" pre-op area - scared and nervous!

The Versed must have knocked my ass out good, because the next thing I remember is being moved into the OR and moving myself onto the operating table. Next, a mask with oxygen was put over my face. Then suddenly, I am being woken up. My first memory is feeling like I had swallowed something and I was not able to cough it back up. I am guessing this memory occurred when they woke me up while I was intubated, which they do to make sure that I will be able to maintain my airway. 
After this, I remember waking up and being able to thank the OR staff for taking care of me. I think I also mumbled some weird things to the CRNA, but I can't be sure that this happened or if I was imagining it. Once I was done in the OR, I was taken to the post-op area when the nursing staff monitored my vital signs and made sure I was stable enough to go to my room. Once I was stable and I had a room assigned, I was moved into a private suite which is where I stayed until yesterday afternoon. 
The day of surgery is pretty much a blur. When I came out of surgery, I was able to move myself from the OR stretcher to the bed...I remember the nurse calling me a "rockstar" because I was able and willing to do the moving by myself. I had terrible epigastric pain, which I was told is from the gas they used to inflate my abdominal cavity to see during surgery. I was quickly hooked up to a pain pump (PCA) which gave me a dose of Dilaudid every 10 minutes if I needed it. Basically, when I needed pain medicine, I could push a button and the machine would administer it to me. Not going to lie - I pushed that button every 10 minutes. I am happy I did because the pain never truly went away, but the medication made it way more tolerable. So, my second piece of advice - stay on top of that pain medication because once it is out of control, it takes longer to get it back down to a tolerable level.
I came out of surgery with a Foley catheter, which is tube that was in my bladder and drained my urine into a collection bag. This allowed the nurses to watch my urine output and ensure that my kidney's were functioning properly. It also let me rest in bed without having to get up to pee, which would have been often because they gave me quite a few fluids during the procedure. I also had a Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain in place, which allowed the staff to watch for any stomach content leaking, which is a potential complication of the Roux-en-Y surgery. The JP drain is a small tube that was by my stomach and came across my epigastric area (internally) and exited around my right mid abdominal area. I was also hooked up to IV fluids and the pain pump. On my legs, I had white TED hose and SCD's, which helped make sure that my blood continuously flowed to help prevent blood clots from forming.  My husband and parents spent most of the afternoon with me, which was awesome especially since I was pretty much in and out of sleep the entire time. I walked a couple times the first day, which was painful and I got a little nauseated, however it was necessary to get the healing process going as soon as possible. Ambulating helps prevent many surgical complications like blood clots, pneumonia and it helps get the gas moving.
Other than the fact that I had just had surgery and I had drains and tubes, plus 5-7 small incisions on my abdomen, I didn't feel like anything had changed inside. It sounds weird...I'm not entirely sure what I expected to feel. But I felt like nothing had changed. Of course, the day of surgery, I was kept NPO which meant nothing by mouth so I wasn't able to actually test out the new pouch and re-routed intestines. It was just weird to think about the fact that my stomach was now the size of the tops of my two thumbs and my intestines were moved around. 
Post-Op, Day One: Wednesday, 12/9
Early in the morning on the day after surgery, I was able to have the Foley catheter removed. I admit, I was pretty concerned about having a catheter in the first place because I know all about catheter associated infections and other complications associated with having a catheter. However, it was nice to be able to rest all night and not have to worry about getting up to pee 100 times...because that's exactly what would have happened. After the catheter was removed, I went for a couple of walks, up and down the hallway to keep the CO2 gas moving out (which was put in during surgery and causes quite a bit of pain when it just sits in your belly). That's my third piece of advice - walk, walk, walk...because that gas pain does hurt!
At about 8am, I was taken down to have an upper GI performed to check again for leaks. The upper GI is an x-ray. I had to drink 60 mL's of contrast and have multiple x-rays done to see if there was any leaking at the internal suture lines. That test was all good, so I was given the green light to start drinking fluids. I had to drink 30 mL's over an hour, for six hours. Once I was able to do that without feeling pain or nausea, I could move onto clear liquids which was 30 mL's every 15 minutes. I have been very lucky, because I have not had any nausea since the day of surgery, which is likely from the anesthesia and pain meds. I was able to take in some sips of water and some sips of chicken broth. Fortunately, I was able to tolerate this without any issues as well. After lunch time, the PCA pump was turned off and I was started on oral pain medications.
Later that night, I developed a low grade fever. This had me somewhat freaked out. The nurse reassured me that this is often normal after abdominal surgery and I needed to cough and deep breathe more often. I did just that and by the morning, my fever was gone. Bob came and stayed the night with me, which was awesome because I was scared I was going to have a complication and not do as well.  
Post-Op, Day Two: Thursday, 12/10
Discharge day - yay! I had 3 requirements to meet: pain control on oral medications, pass gas and be able to hold down fluids. I passed all the tests and was able to be discharged late afternoon. Prior to discharge, I had to have the JP drain removed. Talk about a weird feeling - I seriously felt the drain pull across my abdomen and out. I had some chest pain immediately after and for a couple of minutes. It was the weirdest feeling. Luckily, the sensation went away pretty quickly and I got to go home!
Whew, this was a long entry and I am exhausted, so more on the post-op experience to come... :) Thank you everyone for our love and support. The amount of messages, visitors, texts and phone calls from everyone has been overwhelming and so appreciated. 

Tomorrow's the big day...

I haven't updated recently and it's because life has been hectic. I am working on finishing my master's degree, so that has kept me pretty busy along with work and getting ready for surgery...which is tomorrow!
Yikes.
I have been on an a pre-op diet since Saturday, 11/28. So yes, I was able to eat a delicious Thanksgiving dinner before the horrible pre-op diet. The diet consists of:
Days 1-5:  A protein shake for breakfast, lunch and dinner Up to 3 servings of 1/2 cup cottage cheese or 8 oz fat free yogurt 1 serving of 1 cup of vegetables (non-starchy) Unlimited clear broths, sugar free jello and popsicles
Days 6-10: All of the above EXCEPT the cottage cheese, yogurt and vegetable
I have lost 22 lbs in 10 days. Whoa.

Surprisingly though, I feel good. My energy level has not really decreased. I didn't experience any dizziness. And I read a lot of discussion boards and Facebook pages and found that sooooo many people cheat on their pre-op diet. I can happily say that I did not cheat once. I stayed true to the diet and I am very proud to say that. 

So, tomorrow at 5:45 am I have to check into the hospital for surgery, which should take place at 8am.  I am very nervous, but I am trying to stay optimistic and calm. Obviously, since it is almost 10 pm and I have to be up at 5am, I can't sleep- which means I am too nervous to sleep. But this is a big step...I am making the decision to be a healthier me. A decision I really never thought I would make; that decision being having weight loss surgery. I am excited for this journey though.

I will try to post as this process continues on. School will be OVER this week and I can't wait! I will have so much more time to do things that I want to do. 

Update

Yikes. It's been a hot minute since I updated. 
Back in September, I had my EGD, which is a scope that went down my esophagus and looked at my stomach. This is a standard test prior to having gastric bypass. The surgeon looked for ulcers, strictures or any other problems that he wouldn't want to encounter during surgery. Fortunately, the test went well and everything came back normal. I had some mild inflammation, which he said isn't a huge deal.
The final two tests included an EKG and a chest x-ray, which are done. I have my 6-month appointment with the surgeon next Tuesday and then all the paperwork can be submitted to insurance for approval. Once approved, I will have a surgery date. He said we can definitely get this done by the end of the year - eeeeeek! I am nervous and excited. What a crazy ride this has been so far...I can't imagine what the next phase will be like. I will keep you all posted...
And no, I haven't started drinking diet coke again. But I do still miss it.

High 5 For Friday

Whoa. Two days in a row? That's unheard of anymore. I'm on a break from school so that must be it, right? It's also been awhile since I participated in one of my favorite link-ups: High Five for Friday. Working a job Monday through Friday it is only natural that Friday is one of my favorite days of the week. Here are my high's for this week. One. Technically, this was mostly last week but I had an amazing time up north with my hubby!

Two. My aunt was in town from Florida, so I was to spend Monday afternoon with her. Bob and I took her to a great restaurant in Bay City called Real Seafood Company. I had swordfish for the first time and it was delicious! Three. Miguel Cabrera was re-activated from the DL list. If you're a Detroit Tigers fan, then you appreciate what I am saying here. Four. My August Pop Sugar Must Have box, Love with Food and Ipsy Glam Bags arrived - woo hoo!!

Five. Found a great deal on a sweater at Torrid. I love a good deal. $70, on sale for $30 - woot!

How was your week??

Don't forget to link up!

An education on vitamins...a vita-cation.

At my last appointment with my dietician we discussed vitamins. After weight loss surgery, patients must commit to taking vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of their lives or unwanted complications could occur. Patients who have these surgeries eat less food and consume fewer calories, therefore the body gets few nutrients. This is especially true for patients who have had the gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y) which is the procedure that I am looking into. 
My current vitamin regime includes: 2 chewable multivitamins 1000 mg Calcium 4000 IU Vitamin D 5000 mcg Biotin 50,000 IU Vitamin A
These vitamins were recommended by my surgeon after I had all of my labs drawn and deficiencies were noted in Vitamin D & A, which isn't able normal for those of us who live in Michigan. Almost all Michiganders are Vitamin D deficient. Anyways, my typical dosing included taking all the vitamins with breakfast. At my appointment, I learned that this is not the correct method of taking vitamins. 

First, all multivitamins (MVI) have iron. Calcium can not be taken with multivitamins because the iron won't all the calcium to absorb. MVI's and Calcium supplements should be taken at least 2 hours apart. Also, the calcium and vitamin D supplements should be divided because the body can only absorb so much at a time. Therefore, my new vitamin regime is:
Breakfast Calcium 500 mg (1/2 dose) Vitamin D 2000 IU (1/2 dose) Biotin 5000 mcg
Lunch Multivitamin
Dinner Calcium 500 mg (2nd 1/2 dose) Vitamin D 2000 IU (2nd 1/2 dose) Vitamin A 50,000 IU
My next challenge is to find all of these vitamins in a chewable form - not gummy, but chewable. Liquid form is okay to. Any suggestions? My first stop will likely be the Vitamin Shoppe.  At my appointment, I learned that I have lost around 7 lbs since this process started. My highest weight (HW) was 310 lbs. I am currently 303.2 lb. However, this was before we ate a ton of food at the Grand Hotel. I am still off Diet Coke however, which is a huge accomplishment. Over a month and going strong. 

My experience at the Grand Hotel

I had the opportunity to stay at the world famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. If you live in Michigan, you have most definitely heard of the Grand Hotel and it may even be on your bucket list to visit and/or stay at the Grand Hotel. I know it was always one of my wishes to stay at least one night in one of the world's nicest hotels, where several presidents have walked the halls (Clinton, Bush, Ford, Kennedy and Truman), where movies have been shot (This Time for Keeps - 1947, Somewhere in Time - 1980), and where 130,000+ guests stay each season. Did I mention that it has the worlds biggest porch, measuring in at 660 feet? Yep, I sat in a rocking chair and drank an $11 glass of wine on that porch.
While I was planning a weekend getaway to the Upper Peninsula, my husband mentioned that he may be able to get us a stay at the hotel. I scoffed, never thinking that we would ever be able to stay in this luxury hotel. However, his friend pulled some strings and before I knew it we were in. I was giddy with excitement for weeks, planning what we would do, what we would wear (the hotel is so fancy there's a dress code), and dreaming about what it would be like to even walk inside of the hotel. Saturday morning we woke up in our St. Ignace hotel room. We got dressed, which I wanted to wear something nice but knowing we had to ride our bikes from the ferry dock to the hotel, I also had to be sensible (capris, Chuck Taylor's and a Columbia fleece). I left my hair down cause I felt it would look nicer. We check out of our hotel, have breakfast and head to the ferry dock to get to the island. 

On the ferry to the island!

First, it was a dreary morning and very humid. Which means, my hair was a little bit frizzy but not too horrible. We bought our ferry tickets at Shepler's Ferry in St. Ignace. If you are planning on taking your bikes, keep in mind that you will pay extra to take these with you. As for luggage, there was a great system. You check in and the ferry staff tag your luggage and ensure that it makes it to the island and eventually will be delivered right to your room. We sent our luggage on the 10:30am ferry (we took the 11am ferry) and our luggage arrived to our room about an hour later. This was super convenient because your choices of transportation on the island are either ride a bike or take a horse carriage taxi. It was nice to not have to worry about the luggage because my first moments on the island were not the greatest.

View of the hotel from the ferry

I wanted to arrive at the hotel looking nice. Well, we decided to sit on the top deck of the ferry and it was windy, which combined with the humidity made my hair a frizzy, wind-blown mess. Then when we arrived on the island, we rode our bikes. Now, not only is my hair wind-blown and frizzed out, but I am a hot, sweaty mess. When we arrived I stepped out into the street and was promptly almost run down by a horse carriage and about 20 bikers. I wasn't paying attention and stepped in horse poo, which is basically all over the place there. We start riding, which my bike wasn't cooperating because my back tire was flat and there was other bikers whizzing by me at high speeds and pedestrians EVERYWHERE. Talk about anxiety. We ride down a road and turn the corner, which allowed us to visualize the hotel...and the giant hill that it sat upon. My 300 lb self was NOT going to make it up the hill. So at this point, I have horse poo on my shoe, I was sweaty and my hair was completely frizzed out, and surrounded by tons of people and horses. Hot mess express. 

Hot mess express. Me after we arrived the hotel.

We walked our bikes up the hill after I threw a little temper tantrum on the street (I told you, hot mess). We arrive at the top, with me out of breath and sweating profusely, but proceed on towards the hotel. We are stopped by a hotel worker who informs us that bicycles are not allowed past this point. Note: If you are taking bikes to the hotel, before you turn left to head towards the hotel keep going straight past the Jockey Club and lock your bikes up behind the green building. You won't miss it - there's a parking lot that holds about 1,000 bikes. Just watch out for other bikers coming down the hill at 90 miles per hour, cause you will get run down. 
After locking up our bikes, we walk to the hotel to check in. The check in process was quick and easy and luckily for us, our room was ready. Others were not so lucky, as the rooms are not guarenteed to be ready until after 3 or 4 pm. My first impression of the hotel is that is smells old, which it is, as it was built in the 1800s. The decor is gaudy, but it works. The girl at the desk gives us our instructions regarding meals (breakfast and dinner is included with the room price, lunch is on you) and the dress code (more about this later). We are directed to our room.

Our room!

We trek on to our room, which ended up being a beautiful tier 3 room (which runs about $1100/night). We had a king size bed, a sitting area with a TV and a balcony with a view of the Mackinac Bridge and Lake Huron. It was beautiful. We also found a little information packet, which talked about the hotel and the different amenities it had to offer.

View from our room; sunset

First of all, the food. The food was amazing. As I said, dinner and breakfast was included. For lunch, there is several options but we decided to go to the hotel's lunch buffet in the main dining area. The lunch is $31/person, which was initially shocking but it has anything and everything you can imagine. The price was worth it. After lunch, we decided to sit on the world's largest porch and have a glass of wine. Rocking chairs line the porch, so there is plenty of seating. Several waiters/waitresses come around to take your drink order. The porch overlooks a beautiful garden and the pool area, which includes a hot tub and a bar/grill. If you look out, you will also see the Mackinac Bridge and lots of sailboats on Lake Huron. It was wonderful. We got out wine and the bill...about $23 for two glasses of Riesling. When I told Bob the price, he choked and asked if we got a whole bottle. Not so much...

View off of the left side of the giant porch

After lunch and wine on the porch, we explored the lower level. The lower level contains several stores including a newspaper/magazine stand, a souvenir shop, a tea store, a mens clothing store, a women's clothing store, a fine jewelry store, a flower shop and an ice cream parlor. After this, we went back to the room for a little nap before it was time to get ready for dinner.
The dinner included is a five-course meal. The Grand offers 3 different menus which rotate and is served from 6:30-8:45pm. All you do is go down during this time, present your ticket (given to you at check in) and you will be seated. After 6:30 pm the dress code is enforced. For women, this means wearing a dress, skirt or dress pants. For men, this includes a suit jacket and tie. If you do not have a suit jacket, you will be given one to wear for the night. The only area where the dress code is not enforced, is in the lower level where the shops are. We got all dressed up and went down for dinner. The food was AMAZING. After dinner, you have several choices for entertainment. There was a wine bar, which looked like a library setting. There were TV's that showed various sporting games (the Tigers, of course) and cozy chairs to sit in to sip your wine. There was also the Cupola bar, which was on the very top of the hotel (4 floors) and provides a view of the island. This was the most popular spot for the after dinner crowd. Starting at 9:30 pm, the Terrace Room offered music by an orchestra and dancing...brush up on your ballroom dancing skills! There's also professional photographers walking around; they will take pictures of you and the next day, you can purchase them. 

Ready for dinner!

We eventually retreated back to the room, watched the sunset behind the bridge from our balcony and finished watching the Tigers game. At around 10 pm, we wanted a snack. From 10 pm to 5 am, you can order from the late night room service menu. We ordered up a snack, after which, I fell into a deep food coma. It was fantastic. The bed was very comfortable and all the rooms have air conditioning, which came in handy since it was so humid outside.
In the morning, we packed up our stuff and called the service desk to have our luggage transported to the ferry. They provide instructions for this; you should give them about 2 hours, so I arranged the pick up to be done before breakfast. You call, leave the luggage outside of the room and when you go to check out you will be given tags to retrieve your luggage at the ferry docks. We went down to the main dining room for breakfast; here you are given a choice of either a breakfast buffet or to order off the menu. We decided on the buffet, which like everything else, was delicious. After breakfast, we sat on the porch for awhile, enjoying our last moments at the hotel before we checked out.  All in all, the experience was wonderful. I wish we could have had at least one more day so we could have experienced all that the hotel and the island had to offer. There are plenty of restaurants, the pool area, a self-guided garden walking tour, and so much more...and this is only the hotel! There's an entire island to be explored as well. I would recommend anyone to stay at least once, if given the opportunity.