Monday, February 12, 2007

Milestones

It's been TOO long since my last blog, so I decided I should update you folks on what's going on.

I'm delighted to say I've finally adjusted to my new lifestyle. That's not to say it hasn't had its challenges. I've nicknamed myself the Duchess of Yerk, because every once in a while, my stomach stages a palace revolt.

One of those was around Christmas. My husband is a cop, and he took me to his department's annual Christmas party a couple of months ago. We sat with a bunch of Mike's friends from the bomb squad, who, being cops, were proving their skill with sick humor. (This poor, dumb 17-year-old kid had built three pipe bombs just for the hell of it, and one of them went off before he could get clear. Luckily, he survived, but his thumb didn't. One of the bomb squad found it in a light fixture. Since the kid was missing a chunk of his hand, there was nothing to reattach it to. The way cops deal with horror is by making sick jokes, so these guys got into a pun contest. "Hey, he gave me the FINGER!" I was laughing so hard, I forgot to watch how I ate. I ate too much, too fast, and realized I'd obstructed. So Mike and I had to leave.

On the way home, we had to pull over so I could yerk. There's something about standing in a ditch beside a patrol car tossing your salad that really puts things in perspective. I guess it serves me right for laughing at those horrible jokes.

So anyway, I am now down 81 pounds at this point, six months after my surgery. This weekend, I was invited to Philadelphia to speak to the Valley Forge chapter of Romance Writers of America. Now, flying in the past has always been a huge source of humiliation and pain, because regular seat-belts didn't fit. Last year, I had to ask the flight attendant on each plane for seat belt extenders. But this time, no extenders were needed. I felt comfortable on a plane for the first time in years! Oh, it was wonderful! And I was able to scramble up and down the ladders and walk through the airport without feeling as if I was going to pass out or have a heart attack.

There are some problems, of course. I have a really bad cold at the moment, but gastric bypass patients can't swallow pills, and anything asprin related is out. So finding a cold medication is a challenge. But I found I could swall Dayquil Liquid Gel pills without obstructing, so I was able to get through the flight. (Though for a while, I was worried I would yerk up the pills. My stomach is REALLY picky about large, hard things.)

Anyway, I can honestly say I'm glad I had the surgery. Yes, there are times I think longingly of the chocolate I can't eat, or the desserts everyone else is enjoying, or the drinks I can't have. But wearing a size 20 instead of a size 28 is a very nice consolation, and so is feeling so much more healthy.

I still have 60 or 70 pounds to go, and I'm not sure how long it's going to take to reach my goal. My weight loss has been slowing down. Ironically, as my body has gotten smaller, it hasn't needed as many calories, so it's not burning fat as fast. But I'm losing at a good, healthy pace -- about two or three pounds a week (There were days early on when I'd lose a pound a day). Hunger isn't a problem (though cravings do hit, and you have to control them. Luckily, because sugar gives me dumping syndrome, it's much easier to stay out of the cookies and candy than it once was.)

If you're morbidly obese, and there is a GOOD, experienced surgeon in your area who does gastric bypass surgery, you should give the surgery some thought. (I'm not talking about some quack who does them every once in a while. You need a guy who has done at least 100 Gastric Bypass surgeries and has a low rate of complications and mortality. Any time you operate on someone who is more than 100 pounds overweight, there are very serious risks.) God knows it's not cheap, though, and you may have to jump through hoops to get your insurance to pay for it, but I think it's worth the effort.

Oh, by the way, the Valley Forge chapter was GREAT to me! I had a ball talking to them. They're a fine group of ladies, and they're very friendly and welcoming.

Angela Knight

13 comments:

BarbaraK said...

Hi Angela;

Because my husband is still hospitalized, I wasn't able to drive over to Valley Forge and see you yesterday. I'm very happy to hear you're doing so well with your weight loss after your surgery. Of course, I wish you didn't have your cold to complicate matters right now.

I was hoping to get my baby sister Mary to show up at Valley Forge to meet. Turns out she's sick with a cold too. Grin! If we would have showed up there to see, you would have seen an interesting pair of sisters. Mary is five foot eleven inches tall to my measly five foot two and she has blond hair and brown eyes versus my brown hair (mostly salt and pepper now) and hazel eyes.

Take care of yourself. I'm looking forward to seeing you again this year at the Romantic Times Convention.

Barbara K.

Angela Knight said...

I'm looking forward to seeing you too, Barbara. I know you've had a rough year, and I'm rooting for you. Hugs and kisses!

Sierra Dafoe said...

Angela, that is wonderful news! Congratulations on the progress you've made, and kudos for having the courage to make such an empowering decision! (Also a good wake up call to me, as I've watched my weight slowly creeping up towards the darned uncomfortable range)

I can't wait till the year I can actually afford a convention or two!

-- Sierra

sierradafoe.com

Jenna Leigh said...

Glad you a good trip and that the seatbelts fit this time. I know you want to lose it faster, but I'm kinda happy you're not doing the zombie zone down. That just seems so scary to me. LOL. I hope one day I'll get to meet you at one of these things. Til then, keep shrinking and doin the muppet flail every chance you get.

Saskia Walker said...

I'd been wondering how you were doing. Many congrats on the ongoing weight loss, you're a brave and strong woman! Happy Valentine's Day to you and the man :)

Hugs
Saskia

Unknown said...

Awesome on the weight loss ans seatbelts! sorry to hear you have a cold, have you found a sourse of protien you can use yet?

good luck :)

Mikaela said...

Um.. I am not sure if you have it, but have you considered tablets that are dissolved into water?
( Sorry, don't know the english name. I do know they consists of paracetamol)

Melisse Aires said...

Wow, so great the airplane was more comfortable. They are so uncomfortable anyway.

There are now cold/decongestant strips that melt on your tongue. Also, Zycam in the nasal spray decongestant works really well, and you can buy liquid 'sore throat' tylenol for adults.

We just went through a round of colds.

FerfeLaBat said...

A HUGE congratulations. I keep checking in to see how it's going and I just can't get over how well you are handling this. I'm rooting for you!

Cora Zane said...

Congrats on your weight loss! I keep popping in now and again to catch updates. I'm glad to hear that you've adjusted well to the new lifestyle.

Diane M. said...

Angela,

Congratulations on the weight loss.

Diane

Melanie said...

Hi Angela,

Congrats on the weight loss!! Keep it up!! Know that I'm rooting you on in this. Diets are hard to keep but it's rewarding in the end.
I also want to comment that I just read "Master Of The Night", first time to read your work. I couldn't put it down and basically devoured the book. It was...for lack of better word...AWESOME!!!

Keep the faith!

- Melanie

Angela Knight said...

Thank you. I appreciate that.