The Scales Of Justice

Tallying up the totals from vacation


The Diva has survived her first post-surgery vacation without doing too much damage to her program!  In fact, I am pleased to report that when I got on my scale this morning, I somehow actually managed to lose about half a pound while we were gone.  It's not much, but considering the variation in routine and the fact that I did not have my trusty scale with me on the trip, I am counting a half pound lost over vacation as a big victory!

There are other tallies to be added up, and a big one will get done tomorrow.  I am going in to get my big 1-year labs drawn at the weight loss center tomorrow, and while I am hopeful that everything turns out well, I am also a little nervous.  I'll go and do that right before I head to the hospice for my Monday afternoon at the front desk.  I won't be donating a pint of blood, but I will get several vials drawn to check nutrients, protein, iron and various other levels to make sure I am getting what I need from both supplements and food sources. I am especially hoping that my iron is better, maybe even in the normal range by now.  If you're a praying person and you read this between now and in the morning, a small prayer for good blood work for me would be more than welcome!

My actual appointment for the 1-year checkup is next week, when we will discuss my progress, my percentage of excess weight lost to date and the results of my big blood draw that happens tomorrow.  (They need about a week to process those results.)  And there might be a photo-op.  I know that right before surgery they took a "before" picture, so the 1-year checkup might involve an "after" one.  Which is fine.  While we were on vacation, I did something that The Hubs said took guts---I posted a waist-up swimsuit picture to my Facebook timeline.  The photo I posted is not pristinely clear, and there is a piece of wall art behind me that makes me look like I have spikes growing out the side of my head.  But it gives a good representation of the progress made since the weight loss journey began, both in the actual change in size and in the fact that I was willing to post a picture like that in the first place!  It's not indecent or anything, and there's not a foot of cleavage showing.

The Girls, however, are still very much present and accounted for.  Once the losing process is done and the maintenance phase is underway, there may be some body work ahead for me, depending on what my insurance will cover.  Years ago, when a co-worker's wife had weight loss surgery, insurance covered her tummy-tuck procedure after she had achieved goal weight.  That is something I would consider.  And there might still be room (and insurance coverage) for The Girls to have their own reconstruction/reduction.  While there has been significant breast loss as I have shrunk, The Girls are still large...and heavy.

Lots of things are sagging and bagging.  I have wing flaps on the backs of my arms and sagging thigh skin that exercise won't really address because it is skin and not muscle.  There is wrinkly-crinkly stuff under my chin and on my neck now that bugs me.  But, these things are just vanity and nothing that I will pursue surgical correction for.  Tummy reconstruction is somewhat different because there are literally pounds of skin in that area, just hanging there.  Not to be graphic, but folds of skin hanging like that can trap moisture and harbor infections if a patient is not careful, which is why loose belly skin becomes a real health issue, and why, I suspect, insurance often covers a tummy-tuck.

But I am getting ahead of myself.  Goal weight is close, but I'm not there yet.  Once I get there, then we'll start considering what else might need to be done for the sake of my health and well-being.  For now, let's get me through the next couple of weeks, the big blood draw and the 1-year checkup.