Nine Month Post-Op: Swimsuit Photos! 96 pounds lost!

Wow, nine months have passed already! Sometimes it seems like I just had the VSG surgery yesterday. Other times, it seems like I've been living this way for-EVAH!

Fun story with those jeans. They are a Levi's Misses size 12. The last time I tried to put them on...uh, it wasn't happening. That actually wasn't too long ago! I grabbed them to wear for my volunteer shift this weekend, and wow, they are almost too big! You see they are pretty baggy in the legs, also in the butt and waist. Mama feels day-um sexy in them, though! And today I am getting lots of compliments - I think it is a combination of just looking good and then *feeling* good, too, because on a day that I am getting compliments, I am generally getting LOTS of compliments. Attitude is everything, haha.

Also, I was talking with a new contractor of ours today. It's a bad news/good news sort of thing, because this will be a long relationship we're entering into. He and I were chatting, and he was TOTALLY talking to my ta-tas the whole time. Eyes on me, then eyes drifting downnnnnn...then eyes on me...then down...

Okay, this kind of thing annoys the crap out of me, but also, WELCOME BACK, HOTTIE! Hahaha. I was a little vexed, thinking, oh jeez, this is the first day of a three-year contract - oy, it's gonna be a long one. But also, "yeah, I'm hot, I know it!" ;)

Let's see, on each monthly anniversary I try to impart some post-op wisdom or lessons learned, or challenges I am still facing...

• Nighttime eating continues to plague me. It doesn't take much to make me feel overly full, but I can't seem to go to bed without feeling overly full!
• I am still drinking while I eat. I still do not think I care. It doesn't seem to make me eat *more* or *more often*, so I will not stress too much. I'm not drinking A LOT - I am just letting myself sip normally with food.
• Exercise. Oy. I am just so not into it. I am taking my iron, though, and I had the IV supplement last week, so I am hoping I continue to perk up.
• I did go to WLS support group last week, also. I was glad I went. But I also do not feel like I need to go regularly. I'll continue to go when it fits into my schedule.
• New people that I meet do not know I was ever fat. This is weird. Someday I'll expound on that, maybe. Basically, I've got people I've always known who love me whatever size I am; people I've always known that are seemingly ASTOUNDED that I was hiding an attractive woman under all that fat; and new people I'm meeting who have no idea that I've lost weight and thus I am just "normal." It's interesting.
• My weight loss and changes in eating have seemed to have zero effect on my overweight daughter. It is heartbreaking. She is not quite 5'0" and 215 pounds, at 12-1/2 years old. The nutritionist at WLS support group asked me about it, and I'll admit, it kills me. It is extremely difficult to think or talk about.  As the pediatrician and her counselor (who specializes in eating disorders) said, the psychologist leading our support group also said, "this is her issue to face when she is ready. You provide the unconditional love and support, and don't put body image issues where there are none now. When she is ready to face it, she will face it." Still, that sucks. And for all the people who muse, "Should parents of fat kids (fill in the blank) - lose custody of their kids, be fined, be publicly flogged," etc. F*** you. If a kid is going to eat, they are going to eat. You may think you have all the answers - you do not. Before I had kids, I tended to be rather judgey about parenting issues. With my diverse menagerie of children and childhood issues, I have pretty much learned to keep my goddamn mouth shut. Parenting is hard.
• /rant :) Sorry - it's a real sore spot for me. Try feeling like such a major success with your own weight loss and watching your baby's weight continually climb. A good way to make yourself feel like crap on a daily basis.
• Back to the good stuff - the dairy- and gluten- free diet will be very good for my little household, I agree! Thank you for the nice comments, and thank you Taylor, for your offer of help navigating our new eating! I will take you up on that! It's a difficult diet to implement, but it's hard to feel anything but positive about the potential benefits - both for my youngest and for the rest of the family. My intended emphasis is to avoid processed- and substitute- foods. Mainly because they are so flippin' expensive. I really need to read up on the macrobiotic eating - this sounds like the direction we're heading! Whole foods, unprocessed foods. I am full of both dread and optimism. :)
• Swimsuit photos. Well, it's been nine months, so it's a good time to post swimsuit photos. I haven't taken them in months and months! It would be better if I had a new swimsuit, as this is the original one and it is really hanging off me. I could never wear it for swimming! Wow, it is so exciting to see the differences! Amazing. I had such high hopes the night before the surgery (when the originals were taken), but I don't think I dared dream of this wonderful journey.  As you can see, I still have a ways to go, but I'm well on my way!

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