October's over, so before jumping headlong into the holiday season (which is probably my favorite time of the year), I think an update is in order.
First, let's get the big-bad stuff out of the way. Stalls. Yes, they happen and yes, I was expecting it. That doesn't mean I like it any better though. The scale has not been my friend for the last 2 weeks or so - bouncing up and down the same 2-3 pounds. Granted, I am 1lb less today than I was last week, however just saying that out loud is kind of depressing.
One. Pound. Really? Yes, really. There's this mental struggle I'm dealing with, that I'm sure many WLS patients go through.
I just put my body through hell and back and I've lost one stinking pound in the last week. I could lose more than when I had my whole stomach and my intestines hadn't been re-routed. Why the heck am I doing this again?
Those thoughts and many more have been swirling around in the back of my mind, but I've been doing my best to keep them at bay. I know they're not useful or productive, something that I don't have much room in my life for right now. I give myself permission to have my little pity party at some point during the day and then move on. Eventually the scale and I will become friends again, I just need to give my body a chance to catch up and stop freaking the heck out.
I might also get around to taking measurements one of these days - which may also help with getting through these stalls with some amount of dignity and grace.
Now onto the good stuff - the non-scale victories. These are changes that I can measure by something other than the digital readout on the scale.
The first is that I'm finally wearing both my wedding and engagement rings again. I've been able to wear them both, on and off, since my wedding but it was always a bit tight. Honestly, I think they were even a bit tight on my wedding day - but I'd have to dig through some old pictures before I could say for sure. Today though (and for the past week or two) they not only fit, but they're getting loose. This is both an awesome triumph and a conundrum.
They're going to get looser - hopefully by quite a bit. When the heck do I get them resized? Obviously I'd rather not go into the jewelers every few months to get them adjusted, but I also don't want to go months without wearing at least one of them. Even when my fingers were too fat for both, I always managed to squeeze my wedding ring on. Considering the hubby's ring has already hit the point of not fitting, I suppose it may be time to get a nice chain and wear them around my neck until our fingers stabilize.
I am, however, left with a conundrum there. There's another ring I have, which I've worn since it was given to me somewhere between 2001 and 2003. This was given to me by a dear and close friend and I've NEVER taken it off. Somehow, even when my fingers were too big for my wedding ring, this one always still fit. The problem is, I don't know that it's one that can be re-sized and that makes me sad. I'll definitely try, but I'm definitely not looking forward to the day when that one starts slipping off my finger. It's honestly been like my little talisman - there through thick and thin, the good and the bad, whatever. Silly, I know - it's just a ring - but if you understood the history, you'd understand the attachment.
The second is I'm fitting into more clothes - and not fitting into others. Both of these are worth celebrating.
The other day I was able to buy a 2X sleep shirt (with PENGUINS) from WalMart. Not only did it fit, but it fit the way it was meant to and isn't tight.
This past weekend I wore a pair of jeans that I haven't fit into since around 2004 or 2005. I don't remember exactly, but I know I was living in Tacoma with roommates (one psycho and the other awesome haha).
I no longer fit into my bras and had to buy new ones. The good news is, for the first time in ... ever (?), I was able to go to WalMart and spend less than $30 on a single bra. They're not the prettiest things and are more functional than anything else, but they'll work for now.
There have also been some physical victories that are worth celebrating. I was able to take Little 1 and Little 2 trick-or-treating by myself on Halloween. Not only did this involve the stroller and carrying Little 2 when she got tired of said stroller, but it also involved lots of walking. I'd say we clocked close to 2 miles total. I've also started walking Little 1 to preschool every day and am noticing that the walk is getting easier. I still dread the hills, but I don't feel like I'm dying halfway home.
Oh and having energy at 4:30 in the morning is kind of surreal. Even more surreal is feeling well enough (mornings are REALLY hard for me pain-wise) to get down on the floor and clean up the living room before I start work. Yep - two days in a row now. I'm hoping to keep it up, since it makes it harder for Little 2 to conjure paper out of thin air. I've also found myself able to handle more housework after I get done with work in the afternoon. Don't get me wrong - I still dread it with every ounce of my being - but at least I feel like I have enough energy to get it done before it's time for bed.
There's one more - that's actually pretty darned silly - but when you've been fat your entire life things like this make you stop and smile. Hubby and I were in the kitchen making dinner or something kitchen-y. Well, our kitchen has a huge island in the middle that houses our stove top and some counter space. Two months ago, if one of us was working at the counter and the other needed to get past, it was a tight squeeze. If there were knives involved, one of us would normally move. Well, as I said, the other night we were in there and Hubby was at the counter making something. I was wandering around the kitchen - either herding children or putting things away, I don't remember - and needed to get past him.
Not only did I not have to squeeze to get by - but I also didn't have to turn sideways. I just walked right by! After I did it I stopped, looked and did it again just for prosperity. It was pretty darned cool, if I do say so myself.
14 more days until I hit my 2 month surgiversary - I'm anxious to see where I land. I hope that, by then, the scale and I are on good terms by then. If not, I may finally listen to the advice and ditch it for a while.
....Nope, not really.
Next up: What's 'Normal' Anyway?
