Time to check in!

Hello all!  I haven't been reading or obviously writing over the last week or two for many reasons.  First it was Thanksgiving and it's just crazy.  We celebrated my sons 6th birthday the day before Thanksgiving as well.  It was great!  I can't believe how fast time has gone!  He also lost his first tooth last night!  He didn't even know it, my husband realized it as he was drying his hair after his bedtime shower.  My son was quite devastated that he didn't have the tooth so we made sure to write a note to the tooth fairy and this morning he couldn't come get us fast enough to show us his loot that the tooth fairy brought!  It was fun and it makes me realize even more that every moment I have with my children I need to continue to soak up and I am going to be better at record keeping of their "firsts".  I can't believe the things I don't remember in just 6 years!

On the shoulder front, I am healing nicely.  Sleeping is still quite difficult, but last night I actually slept without pain  meds!  That is HUGE!!  PT is really tough, but I have been working with my therapist since my accident so he really knows me well and knows when to push me and when not to.  This I am thankful for!

On the band front I am stuck at 226.  I have been there for weeks. (I was down to 222 at one point, I am not quite sure what happen.) I finally called my doctors office after calling several other offices and had no luck with finding one that would take me as a patient because they don't use the realize band.  I spoke with my surgeons assistant and felt heard and we have a new plan.  I told her about the traumatizing last fill, about the NP ignoring my questions about my hair falling out by the handful, about not even really knowing how much weight I lost since the last fill and she was very willing to listen.  I told her I wasn't trying to get the NP in trouble or anything like that, that I just want to be successful with my band and weight loss and in order for ME to do that I need a different experience when I come to the clinic.  We decided that I would see a PA that is only there once a week and my surgeon sporadically so that I can "check-in"  The one thing she really emphasized is that with the lap band you are suppose to lose 1-2 pounds a week.  I am down 33 pounds in 19 weeks so am only a few pounds behind.  I am sure part of the plateau I am on right now is because I am not working out, measuring, or making sure I am getting enough protein.  This is partly due to laziness and partly because I just had major shoulder surgery a month ago.  Today this will change.  I am going to get my s#$% together and make this band work for me.  The nurse was really impressed with my weight loss and said I am doing really well.  This made me feel good and also motivated me to, like I said before....get my s#$% together.  Again I only have 17 pounds to go for my nose ring, I would really like to do this right after the holiday when my parents are here visiting.  I would like my step mom to be with me because she is one of my biggest supporters in all things in life.  Sometimes I am  not sure how I would get through life without her!  So....17 pounds in 4 weeks?  That is a little over 4 pounds a week.  It's a far stretch, but I am going to bust my ass to get as close as possible!  

Wow!  I didn't realize I was going to go on and on!  Guess I needed to get it all out!  I hope all of you are well and will be back soon to check in!

*edit*  Just weighed myself and the scale read 224.5!!!!!  yay...hopefully it continues!