A long time coming...

I know I'm about to make a lot of people very happy!  Its the update many have been waiting for with....wait for it....PICTURES! I know...its probably a huge shock for you all right?  First, let me say that I'm not crazy about the pictures that Anna took.  But, hopefully, you'll get the picture (no pun intended!).  We'll start with some BEFORE pictures just to refresh.

This is in October before the dr. told me that I had to lose weight before surgery.  WOW.  Its funny because when you're that big, you have no idea how big "that big" is. 

This was just minutes before we left to go to the hospital.  I had lost 30 lbs at this point.

This was a week after surgery on Christmas Eve.  I had lost 10 more pounds at this point.

Weight loss became difficult after this point.  I was on a horrible liquid diet that didn't agree with me.  I only lost 16 pounds between surgery and my 1 month check up.  These next pictures are from about 1.5 months after surgery.  When I got off the liquid diet and started eating meat, the weight really started to drop off!  I had lost about 10 more pounds when these pictures were taken.

Sorry about the quality...Anna took these.  

 

Those were the last pair of pants I bought in Maine.  I could *just* get them on.  They are Old Navy 22W.  Since then, I've started swimming...trying to firm up the flab a bit.  I know I'm going to have LOTS of skin to deal with but I'm hoping that working out will help keep it from just hanging.  I've lost, as of today, I've lost 46 lbs from surgery but almost 80 lbs from October when I started loosing weight.  Here are the pictures from today:

Sorry the expression is so sour!  I was trying to give Anna directions on how to use my REBEL for the first time.  I'm wearing size 20 pants in this picture.  The ones in the first picture are size 26!  The ones I'm wearing today are baggy!  I just recently bought these and they fit great.  I got a good deal on them so I bought them in a 20 and an 18.  I wanted nicer jeans to be able to wear to church.  I can wear the 18s already but they are a little snug.  My stomach is still bigger proportionally than my legs but my chest and arms have gotten considerably smaller.  I have a coat that I bought the last time I was wearing size 20 and it was tight in the arms...now its not.  I know that I still have a LONG way to go but I'm starting to feel more normal and more like a normal person.

Food lately has been a challenge.  I haven't felt like eating meat.  I'm a little bored with chicken, fish and shrimp.  I have tried some veggies with a little success.  Mashed potatoes and me get along like peas and carrots.  And actually cooked carrots and I do pretty well too.  Its the raw veggies that really give me a hard time...really hard time.  When I eat something I shouldn't, I really do have to lay down to feel better, which isn't always easy when you are temporarily a single parent.  I have an easier time with carbs than fruits and veggies but I still try not to eat too much of that either.  Lately, I've had an upset tummy and that has made it even more challenging.  I don't want to eat and I'm not hungry but that's not really making my tummy issues go away either.  Its worth it though!  Busch Gardens opens in 2 weeks and I plan on ridding all the roller coasters this year!  YAY!

I'll write more of a family update soon.  BUT, the exciting news is that we get to go see Reed NEXT MONTH!  I can't wait!  The hotel is booked and I'm watching ticket prices right now...hoping they don't go up!