It is 2 days away from my "29"th Birthday! I am not to happy with becoming another year older and another year closer to 30! I guess in my mind since I was always the baby in the group, I always felt young! Not like I am much younger; only by a few months.

On October 8th, it will be 6 months of success! I have quit smoking and I am never going back. I realized that I am a true "NON SMOKER" when I was going through a seriously tough time this month and did not even think about smoking! The thought never crossed my mind.

So as for the Lap-Band; I am just a few more weeks away from surgery! I met with the surgeon last week and I have a few more tests that need to be done and they wait on the approval from insurance and I will be good to go! Wooo Hooo!

As for the things I Love...I realize more and more how much I love those around me, My husband and kids are the #1 reason I live today! My kids are the sunshine and happiness of my life. I have a wonderful support system with my mom and dad. Not to mention the life long friendship that is rare now a days! Trina has been my (Sister) Best Friend since we were 7 yrs old! Can you believe 22 years of friendship and I truly cherish every moment I can with her! Since we both had no siblings growing up we were more sisters than anything! Those are the things I love....

Mandy

Where to begin....

Its been a while since I have last wrote about anything. August 8th will be 4 months since I quit smoking!! Yeah for ME!! I have been through alot already with the Lap Band process.
I saw the Dr., Nutritionist, and the Psychologist. I have also completed my 4 week skills group and went to see the exercise therapist! I have been up and down with my weight (at weight watchers) I am down 7.8 since I started weight watchers. That was about 12-13 weeks ago. Not even a pound a week. I was at first unsure what procedure I was planning on having (Gastric Bypass or the Band). Its a tough decision and I am still on the fence a little bit. But since I do not have any serious medical problems (diabetes, heart trouble, or high blood pressure) the team highly recommends me having the BAND! No matter what you have to work hard, no matter what procedure you have done! You still need to work-out, exercise, walk, stretch, strength training, NO sweets and junk, and watch your portion sizes. First few weeks will be liquids, then on to proteins (but pureed & soft)...then onto more solid protein. Vitamins are a must to be taken daily...more with the bypass than the band. I am going to see the psychologist again in a few weeks...then from there I will be sent to the surgeons office. There is a discussion group I want to attend before all this happens so I can see for myself those who have had the surgery and what the look like, how the eat, what their life is like with having a procedure done. UGGGHHH, so much to think about. And they must think I am crazy because they said I was not cleared by the psychologist! I am thinking maybe its because I quit smoking? Its a big lifestyle change....and so would the Band. So alot of changes at once (am I able to handle all of this). Of course I am!! I can take on any challenge thrown at me. IF I CAN QUIT SMOKING.....I CAN DO ANYTHING!

I am off...

Mandy

Time Flies By

Well time has flew right by....6 weeks not smoking :) YEAH TO ME!! My motivation for a healthier lifestyle is great! I have my friends and family to support me and when I hear my 10 year old daughter tell me she is PROUD of me; that fills my heart up with joy. She is proud of her MOMMA! :) :) :) :) :)

So I began Weight Watchers the 8th of May and this begins the reality of weight loss! Not dieting, not starving myself, not using any suppliments but eating healthy and chosing a life style that will work and become part of my every day life from here on out. This past week was my first weigh in and thought the 1st week is usually the week you lose the most. I lost 1.6 lbs and felt a little discouraged because I tracked, walked and ate all my points, cut out my sugar and substituted with Sweet and Low, cut down my coffee to 1 a day and cut out sweets and chips and greasy foods. I even walked, started walking after my lunch at work; my co-workers have agreed to walk with me and support me and motivate me while at work....since they see me 8 hours of my day.

I will keep you posted as time goes on so you can see my progress or my failure...

LAP BAND PROCESS

Lets begin by saying I am Highly interested in getting surgery; I went to the Lap Band orientation and they gave me alot of information I wanted to know. They said they would call by the end of this week and guess what! They called me today, its only Monday....and my first appointment is tomorrow. So much to do for this initial visit, 6 page questionnaire, loads of blood work, insurance information, and documentation from my Dr's office. Maybe I should have made the appointment for Wed, but I was just too excited they called so soon, I told them whatever you have available!!!! TUESDAY SOUNDS GREAT!

Still not smoking :) and it was one of the questions on the forms. Do you smoke? (NO) Did you ever smoke? (YES) When did you quit? (3 weeks ago April 8th)!! Woo hoo for me! I have something to be proud of.

I went to the Lung Specialist on Friday and my Dr. told me my lungs so great! Not perfect, cause I know they are not; but I have come a long way! That was great news too! I still have a long way to go but like I always say ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!

Til next time.

Mandy

2 weeks of success

Two weeks of Success!!!! I have been smoke free for 2 weeks. I have to say I do not miss smoking. I rarely think about it now and really do not miss it! I do enjoy the smell of it sometimes, if my husband or a co-worker is smoking I will take a sniff and think that smells good...but I feel good so no reason to start up again.

Dreams have been extremely vivid and confusing, meaning I can see exaclty what is going on and who I am dreaming about...but I don't understand why I am dreaming about the things I am Dreaming.

I will tell ya, if anyone or anyone you know wants to take the Chantix, make sure you EAT with the medication like it says. I know when you take an antibiotic, you tend not to eat even though it says take with food. I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU TAKE WHILE EATING!!!! I for the first time took the Chantix without eating...I thought I was going to vomit. My stomach turned all night I felt so sick to my stomach. I think this was the first time that I ever felt like that with taking any medication.

Tomorrow is my orientation for the Lap Band...Trina is coming with me and I can't wait to see what they have to say. I know I will have much more meetings to attend to but I am excited to get going on that track now that I have quit smoking and just more reason for me to continue not smoking (I WANT THIS SURGERY DONE)!!!

Til I write again!!!

Mandy

Non-Smoking

Today is Day 6, can you believe almost a full week of not smoking! I am so extremely proud of myself!!!! I feel good about myself too and I feel refreshed, replenished and revitalized. I printed out a list that contains what happens to your body from 20 mins after your last cigarette to 15 years from now. I was really liking the results, i will really be putting my risks for heart attack, stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, throat cancer, and so on and so on....by 50%. Seeing as though there are huge risk factors for me since almost 1/2 of what I just named off runs in my family. I am excited and hope I will remain excited.

I will tell you one thing....I am SLEEP DEPRIVED! I do not want to sleep, I am afraid to dream and try to keep myself up as late as possible just so I can try to cut my dreams short. Have you ever had a dream and you wake up in the middle of the night the fall back to sleep and find yourself back in the same dream that you woke up from? Strange yes, but it happend to me the other night, not just once but 4 times I woke up in the middle of the night to go right back to the same dream that was really freaking me out.

I know that the side effects of the Chantix and I was expecting this, (although I was a little more worried about depression but that is no longer my concern)...its the dreams.
What are these dreams supposed to mean, for a week straight I dream about fish, fish tanks, water, what is it all supposed to mean....

I will leave that question for you.

Til then, :)

Another Week Closed

This week was quite the stride in regards to not smoking. The begining of the week seemed like this weekend would never come. I was excited because today was my official date for not smoking but in all it was actually yesterday Thursday April 8, 2010! I did not have one cigarette, did not even have the urge or the need. My biggest challenge was yesterday morning with loads of stress and anger and sadness; but I stayed honest with myself and my GOAL and I did not give in...I prayed for God to give me the strength to not smoke even when stress is high and feelings are low, God give me the STRENGTH! God did give me the stength and I did not give in!

This Chantix is absolutely an amazing presciption drug, that Yes, has it's side effects but it has helped me in 1 week to quite smoking. Today is day 2 with no cigarette, no nicotine, no tar, and you know what I can taste things and they taste different, things smell good (and somethings of course smell bad), but I can smell! Now I really thought the smell of smoke would bother me and make me feel like I wanted to light up, but it does not bother me at all! I have will power and it will not make me relapse.

The side effects for me are minor except for the dreams; all I dream about lately is fish, real live fish that swim in a tank and eat flaky food. Fish, why fish, i have no clue; but all I know is that I dream about fish. Every night since Sunday April 4th, I have dreamt about FISH!!!! Bizzare, Yes, but realistic!

Well, I will keep you posted; and as for now I am hoping to stay smoke frreeee!!!!