December 4th: Greetings everyone... I made it to Texas on Wednesday, but it wasn't until today that I got my computer unpacked and online. I haven't found my scale yet to weigh myself, but I think I'm still continuing to lose at a good rate. I've been having trouble eating meat...I have a hard time chewing it into small enough pieces and I sometimes get sick. It's been difficult to learn to "sip" drinks instead of gulping a whole bunch down when I'm thirsty...anything more than 3 oz's just comes right back up if I drink it too fast! Will try to get the scale unpacked so I can see how much I've lost this week and get my progress charts updated!

December 6th (248): Yay.. I lost 2-3 lbs last week...was a bit worried since my scale was packed away and I couldn't weigh myself for a week! Tomorrow I meet with my new boss and will probably start back to work on Wednesday. The new office I'll be working at is a bit further than I care to drive... almost 30 miles, so I'll probably get my resume out after the first of the year to try to find something a little bit closer. Not much else to talk about, will update more tomorrow.

December 11th (247): The scale finally moved today...it was stuck on 248 for almost a week. Was getting a bit nervous. I started my job on Wednesday and I really like it alot...I was hoping that I wouldn't like the new job so I could find something closer, but for now I think I'll stick it out because the girls I work with are soooooo nice to me. I think part of it is that since I've starting losing weight, I feel more of the "old" me coming back. I used to be so outgoing and sociable, and for the last three years I have not been that way at all. I didn't have any friends at my last job, never really talked to hardly anyone there. And now I don't feel quite as self concious about my weight as I did when I was around 300 lbs. I know I still have a LONG way to go...but in the last two months I've gone from a 28W to a 24W in clothing, and it is starting to be noticable. I added some pictures to my photo page...they are really disgusting pictures, I think....I'm so ashamed with how much I've really let myself go these last three years. I never wear makeup anymore and my hair just hangs straight down. But, I wanted to have front and side view shots so I could have a reference point. I never took any pictures when I was at my highest weight two months ago (300 lbs) Now I wish I had so I could have something to show my progress. But at least this will be a start. I'm going to update each month. I also included a picture of my incision...it's pretty nasty looking right now, but I figure if anyone reads this journal that is contemplating having weight loss surgery, they would want to know what they are in store for. I am going to do photos once a month to show how my weight loss progresses.

December 12th: I had my first case of full blown "dumping syndrome" today...I found out the hard way that I cannot drink egg nog. I drank less than half a cup of it and I was curled up in a ball miserable less than 15 minutes later! Ugh. I should have known that anything that has 200 calories in a measley 4 oz would have to be too much sugar.

December 14th (246 lbs): Not a whole lot new to report, things are going pretty well. Sometimes I feel like I am eating SOOOO much compared to what I did right after surgery...but compared to what I could eat BEFORE surgery, I know that it's really not much at all. I'm probably getting in between 800-1000 calories, I need to concentrate on getting in more protein. I don't want my hair to start falling out!

December 20th (245 lbs): Sorry I haven't updated much lately...it's been difficult to get used to going back to work full time...plus I commute 30 miles each way through Dallas...traffic is horrible!! It takes me at least an hour each way. I went to Austin this weekend and got to see my nephew for the first time in over two years. He's 3 1/2 and is such a doll. Alexis is staying the week with her other grandparents, so she's enjoying the extra attention. Not much else to report, will be going back to Austin this weekend for Christmas. Oh..one interesting thing I thought I'd mention...I tried drinking alcohol for the first time since surgery...one drink and I was knocked completely loopy! *g* I drank a bloody mary because I was afraid to drink anything sweet because of dumping syndrome...I felt the effects of the alcohol much faster than I did before surgery, and one drink and I pretty much went to bed and passed out. I guess from now on, I'll be a cheap date only needing one drink! ;)

December 26th: Just got back from Austin this weekend...had a really nice Christmas. My parents gave me a gift certificate to have my hair done, so I think I'm going to go back to being blonde again, like I was in that picture of Pat and Alexis, and me on my photo page. I'm thinking about getting my hair cut shorter too...it's about mid-way down my back and almost one length. I'm thinking about getting it layered...Since I'm almost -60 lbs, maybe it's time for a new look!

December 27th (242 lbs): Finally hopped on the scale, and it's starting to move downward again. I've reached my first plateau since my surgery...I knew it was bound to happen, but it's still been a bit disappointing. I've been losing about 2 lbs a week for the last three weeks and then it stayed the same for a week. I've dropped 33 lbs since my surgery 7 weeks ago and a total of 58 lbs in the last three months. Guess it's time for my body to catch up on the rapid weight loss and get used to being at this new weight. I got my treadmill fixed today so I'm going to start exercising for the first time since my surgery. I think that will help get things moving downward again too.