So my wife sends me an IM from upstairs...

Bernadette: My internet connection is messed up
Jase: How so?
Bernadette: I can't get to some websites, but some still work
Jase: Which ones are you trying?
Bernadette: etsy, amazon, yahoo, gmail, google, etc.

Jase: OK, fixed
Bernadette: how?
Jase: genius, that's how
Jase: mad internet skillz
Bernadette: was yr PC doing the same thing?
Jase: yep
Bernadette: so what was wrong? browser?
Jase: I turned off the "lame website" filtering
Jase: it was only letting you connect to websites with positive coolness factors
Bernadette: when did this even got turned on?
Jase: back when you started liking Twilight
Bernadette: but we had no problems yesterday.
Jase: true. your favorite websites must have gotten less cool since then
Bernadette: google is not cool?? makes no sense
Jase: depends on what you're searching for, I guess
Bernadette: homepage.. Duh
Jase: lol
Jase: It must think you're looking for pics of Edward or something
Bernadette: why wld u prohibit me like this?
Jase: no, actually I just reset the internet connection on the router
Jase: Miss Gullible
Bernadette: :^o
Jase: :P
Jase: gotta save this chat log for posterity
Bernadette: >:P

Back for a Gastric Bypass Update!

I had my 1-year post-surgery appointments this week, and I needed to share them on the blog so that anyone who googles this stuff will know what's up.

Weight: 240lbs (at the doctor's office, fully clothed. At home, I'm 236)
Weight lost from day of surgery: 77lbs
Total pounds lost from peak weight: 99lbs

Everything's great. I've been getting fairly regular blood tests at my regular doctor to make sure I'm getting proper nutrition, so the surgeon didn't need to do a lot of tests. I've been very slightly low on vitamin D, but most everyone is in winter, so it's not all that unusual. They took a bone density scan and I'll get notified of the results on that in a couple of weeks. Not much to fear there, since I've been getting plenty of calcium.

I've had some blood pressure incidents which are most certainly not related to surgery. I've been running and finished the C25K program before Thanksgiving and I'm intending to actually run a 5K in the spring. At my latest "normal doctor" appointment, they noticed my pulse was in the 40s and tweaked my blood pressure medicine despite my insistence that a low pulse is hereditary and the running has driven it even lower. Well, the new meds didn't work and since then I've been trying different meds until just after Christmas it seems to be back to normal. I know, high BP and low pulse seems weird. My heart likes to pump hard but not very often, I guess.

I met with the nutritionist and admitted that I'm not formally documenting what I eat, but I told her my typical day's intake and she was impressed. I'm eating a bacon egg and cheese biscuit for breakfast on weekdays from the company comissary, drinking one diet soda poured over a 32-ounce cup of crushed ice (and taking all day to drink it), having a snack at 10am, lunch which is usually a sandwich at home, a snack at 3pm, and dinner which consists of 5-8oz of meat and some veggies, then a snack at night. I'm eating little to no sugar and drinking G2 or Powerade Zero after running.

I'm a little light on protein, she thinks, so she asked me to snack on protein bars instead of crackers or fruit. That's not going to be a problem, since I like the bars and they're portable.

She asked me what my goal weight is. I told her I never set one, but I wouldn't mind losing another 20 lbs, and she agreed that is a great place for me to be.

Before Thanksgiving, I went on a low-carb diet for two weeks and lost 5 lbs and kept it off afterwards, so I know I can lose weight like a normal person now.

I got some new clothes for Christmas, size 38 pants, size XLT shirts. I even got a size L shirt that fits, although I expect it to shrink when it gets washed. I'll save it for next winter.

That's the update!

If you've found my blog via google for gastric bypass, I urge you to do it if you're considering it. Just make certain that your surgeon is as good as mine is, and that his practice takes care of you after surgery to make sure you stay healthy. This has been probably the best year of my adult life.

Shutting Down For Awhile

I'm shutting down the blog for awhile. I haven't had much desire to post lately. I'll keep it up here for anyone that might want to see my gastric bypass experiences.

Everything's good, by the way. I'm stuck at 245 (I've still lost a ton of inches while staying the same weight, though), and I'm jogging, working my way up to 5K using the C25K program. Once I get to being able to run 5K, which should take another month or so, I plan on that being my baseline fitness level for the rest of my life, no matter what weight I am. I'm trying to stay off the scale except for once a week. I think I look good.

I'll start posting again whenever I think there's something worthwhile going on.

What a difference a year makes!

Remember when I said I wanted to be thin by the time I was 40? I'm not quite there yet, but I can be pleased with the progress so far.

Old me:


New me:

Award-winning Pictures

Not really much need for words here. This was our Canada vacation:

We're Hooooooome!

Whew. Got back at midnight last night - sans luggage. I went to work today and it felt like a whirlwind. A grocery trip, a quick visit to my mom and dad, and here I am - in front of the computer with a million things to write, but no energy.

The trip went great and I'll write all about it tomorrow. Bear with me - I'm tired.

Heading Up North, Eh?

Tomorrow morning, we're on a plane for Calgary. 8 days of lovely vacation...ahhhhh...

We've got no concrete plans, but we do want to take a hike on Banff, see a glacier, go to Drumheller and see the dinosaurs, experience Calgary's Chinatown, and above all, relax.

This may be the first vacation we've taken where taking pictures is a primary goal. It's supposed to be beautiful up there, and Bernie just finished a photography course.

I can't wait.

Addendum: New York trip

I ate constantly for 3 days and lost 3 pounds. That's what walking does for you.

Now at 248. If I lose another 4 pounds, I'll start up the graph again.

***Reminder - inaccurate scales have caused me to stop tracking my weight loss on the chart to the right. I've replaced the scale and will start tracking again once I lose the 10 lbs that made up the difference between the previous scale and reality.