i'm still alive...

so far im at 174lbs, would love to weigh less but that will happen when i put more effort in my exercise which, i wil do this summer in the pool and with walking. i,ve now had 4 episodes of kidney stones and hopefully no more to come...those suckers are killer painful! ouch!

well this is short but sweet, more later ...love you all!!!

Steph

i'm still alive...

so far im at 174lbs, would love to weigh less but that will happen when i put more effort in my exercise which, i wil do this summer in the pool and with walking. i,ve now had 4 episodes of kidney stones and hopefully no more to come...those suckers are killer painful! ouch!

well this is short but sweet, more later ...love you all!!!

Steph

I'M SELLING MEDICAL ID BRACELETS ON EBAY LADIES!!!

Hey Everyone, I just recently starting making interchangeable Medical ID bracelets for us ladies out there who don't want to be stuck with the same colored medical ID bracelet all the time.  Of course, you'll have your favorites that you'll want to wear a lot, but I would like to share with you my collection I have started selling on eBay for great CHEAP prices.  

Most interchangeable medical ID bracelets I've found are priced at almost $50 a pop!  That's outrageous! I couldn't spend that much even if I wanted to.  I decided to start up my own collection on eBay all for UNDER $15! That's unbeatable.  I hope you take some time to check them out.  :)

Here is the link: (PS: I am also selling regular beaded bracelets too)

http://shop.ebay.com/californiasgirl559/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

Or you can just go to eBay and look me up via my name on there, which is:  californiasgirl559

We are called "California's Creations".  I hope you take some time to help out a fellow gastric bypass person and spread the word even if you aren't interested.  Thank you so much for your continued support.  I hope everyone is doing FANTASTIC!

Lots of love,
Stephanie

I'm STUCK!!! Help!

It's been long overdue, i needed to update my blog for sure.  I've been stalling on that though.  Here I am though updating it now.  As you can see, I am stuck on my weight and for quite some time.  I really hope I get responses on this.  I've never been THIS "stuck" before.  I am currently at 199lbs.  I have been at 199lbs for about two weeks now or so.  It's so frustrating.  Yeah, it's great that i'm in "onederland" now, but I feel like at any moment I could gain a pound and be back out of onederland.  I guess i'm just panicing.  I'm feel much more safe if I weight at least 195 so I know I have 1 pound of room that I don't have to worry about.  Does that make sense?

Did you guys have that problem too?  I'm only almost 3 months out and I'm getting my protein in now, i wasn't for a short while because I didn't have the money to buy more but now that I have been getting my protein in i thought that would help, seems it's not helping though.  That doesn't mean I won't be getting my protein in daily, but that I just was hoping that by getting all my protein in it would help.  I knew i was bound to hit a plateau, but for how long?  I still have a whole 49 lbs left to go to my main 150lbs goal.  Ahhh!  So frustrating.  I had gallbladder removal surgery approx. a month ago and because of that I still can't do any really strenuous workouts to burn off the fat or tone up more.  I cannot lift more than 10lbs or I could get a hernia.  With all the junk i've been through because of this surgery, I can honestly say, i'm not going to dare try to get a hernia on top of everything else.

Anyways, I'm having a bad day... I'm gonna go now.  Thanks for reading...

*in my no losing weight slum...* booo !!!

how did i even survive this!?

Sunday morning during church service i started experiencing this horrid pain in my back on the right side only. I leaned toward my mom and told her. She said to go to the restroom maybe i needed to stand up cuz i pulled a muscle or something. It didnt help at all. By the time church was half way over i was hunched over in the chair about to cry, i told my mom i needed to leave.

She made me call the surgeon on call which was dr. Swartz. He said it could be my gallbladder and i should go to the ER. By now i was doubled over in pain that was constant and i was crying all the way to the hospital. ER was empty in the waiting room so i got called back quickly.

Unfortunately i have small veins so after 10 tries to find a vein for my IV and a bunch of "sorry's" i was in the ER for 3 hours in excruiciating pain, so bad i was dry heaving every few seconds, not to mention moaning, crying and could not sit still with no pain meds. Finally they found a vein i pointed out to them and gave me some dilouted medication which was my miracle drug. Instant pain relief. Believe me though that when it wore off i was begging for more. I was laying in the ER for 9 hours until they finally moved me to a room at around 9pm.

I spent the night. The pain subsided at about 12am. At 7am Dr. Swartz came to see me and to find out more about my symptoms. I explained that it started with a warm burst throughout my stomach and then went away. Then i had a terrible back pain on the middle of just the right side of my back. The Dr in the ER said they tested my blood and my liver count should have been 10 to be normal mine was 230!! No gallstones though said the lady who did my ultrasound. Dr. Swatrz said he isnt for sure whats going on but is about 90% sure its my gallbladder. He would do surgery that day, Monday at 4:30pm and he would check my gallbladder, remove it if its not functioning properly, check all of my intestines for a hernia and do yet a fourth endoscopy all while i am under since i am having problems keeping solids down.

Turns out my gallbladder had stopped functioning causing me extreme pain, he removed my gallbladder. I had no hernia, but i did have an ulcer so he prescribed me nexium for that. I was sent home tuesday morning at around 10am with vicodin. Which, does NOT work! It only makes me tired but doesnt get rid of my pain. Anyways....

I went home and was sooo constipated. I wont lie, i wanted to die. Felt like i had been run over by a BIG truck and left for dead. Couldnt take pain meds because it causes constipation. The constipation was killer!!! I was soo backed up and blocked that all the gas pumped into me from surgery was stuck and just moving around, and i was in so much pain. I tried a laxative, milk of magnesia, stool softener, two supositories and still, nothing. So embarassed and desparate for help my mom had to give me an enema. Yes, how embarassing. It was painful cuz i was so tore up inside. Well, sad to admit my shame but its got to be said you must know not to ever let it get this bad. I had a big accident after that and had to wash clothes and take a good shower, i am sure u can imagine my humiliation. My poor mom was gagging! I dont blame her. I laugh now but it was soo sad when it happened. Worst of all, it didnt work. I called Dr. Swartz who gave me a concoction for yet another enema that is homemade and a sure fix. 1 part molasses and 1 part whole milk slightly warmed and mixed well put into an empty enema bottle. Omg! He wasnt kidding. It worked!!!

Not to be gross or give TMI but after passing the "trouble" i realize why i was in so much pain when i saw the size of it. My poor colon!! I felt sooo much better afterwords! Lol!

Although i still have awful pain from the surgery and still cant take pain meds, i am just thankful the worst is over and on the good side i no longer have to take that stupid gigantic horse pill for my gallbladder. Yay!

Lets just say its safe to admit i have a high tolerance to pain. God has really been taking care of me i dont know how one person could go through so much pain and surgeries and still be alive.

Feeling better now,
Steph

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Syntrax Matrix Perfect Chocolate Protein Powder

Okay, THANK Goodness for the makers of this stuff.  Totally not disgusting protein powder!  I HAD to give a BIG mention about this.  Only because after searching through countless products and trying many of them, not to mention, spending money on them after they are now sitting unopened in my closet or opened and sealed because they are nasty, this is one product i swear by!  It's so tasty.  I also bought the cookies n' cream (which is personally not my favorite flavor), they also have vanilla, chocolate as you see (this is my favorite so far), orange cream, strawberry and banana's n' cream.  I plan on getting the banana's n' cream one soon because I know i love banana's so that might be a tasty treat.

By all mean, BUY this protein powder before you try anything else.  The best part is they sell it here in town and not only that but they sell it for a low price of only $19.99 for a 2lb jug!  Woo hoo!!!

A BIG thumbs up to Syntrax Matrix Perfect Chocolate Protein Powder!

-Stephanie

Citracal Calcium Citrate w/Vitamin D - PETITES

I will say this quickly.  I was highly disappointed when i opened up this bottle and realized that it was not in any way petite at all!  I laughed and said "goodness, if this is petite then what the heck does the regular pill look like?" ha! What a joke. 

Anyways, these are sitting in my cupboard for a time when I'm able to swallow large pills.  So for now they will wait until a later date to be taken. 

Although I'd like to give this a thumbs up for being an "option" at least, and for FUTURE endeavors I cannot at the moment give this a thumbs up because I'm only a little over 8 weeks out and the feelings of "doom" after taking a pill this big with my itty bitty pouch is not quite the best comfort for a gastric bypass person.  So for now, a thumbs down.  :(

-Stephanie