WHEW!

I have good news!! I heard from my doctor's office yesterday afternoon, and the CAT Scan didn't show anything wrong with me. They looked at the whole thing, and my stomach, esophagus, ovaries, etc. all look good, and there was no fluid collected in my abdomen. WHEW!!!!

It seems that this may just have been a pulled muscle. Thank God!! Funny enough, yesterday is the first day in a week that I woke up feeling good, without any pain. Maybe the CAT Scan has medicinal effects?? Maybe the thing that was wrong was in my intestines and the barium (er, sorry.... gross) flushed it out?? Who knows? Not me, and not my doctor.

Regardless, I'm glad that I got in to the doctor for the scan -- even if choking down a quart of barium (seriously, it was so much .. and it was just SO SO SO gross) was one of the most unpleasant things I've done in recent memory. It's just comforting to know that they were able to take a look at my guts (!) and see that all is well.

Thanks for all of your concern and well-wishes!! Am so happy to report that this seems to have been less serious than anticipated!

Baby Steps...

I finally got my CAT Scan yesterday. The actual procedure was nothing -- I just had to lie down on a very comfortable moving plank, and it slid me in and out of a doughnut-shaped scanner (it wasn't the full-body-type scanner shown in the photo in my last post).

The worst part of the whole thing was having to drink two GIANT containers of "berry smoothie" flavored barium. The containers were each bigger than a container of Gatoraid, and the texture and flavor of the drink were just disgusting. It took me a good 35 minutes to get both of them down (oh, how I wish my band would have let me chug them to get it over with). I seriously almost hurled several times. And then, (sorry ... TMI...) the barium actually gave me an upset stomach, so I couldn't go back to the office afterwards due to that, er, side-effect. Lovely!

The results are supposed to be sent to my doctor today. I am going to do my best to find out what they are TODAY. I don't want to wait through another weekend feeling like this. I just want to get patched up and back in action. I can not let this derail me from my gym plan. I will not let this mess up the really good routine that I've had in place for so long. It freaks me out a bit not to know exactly what is going on and how long it's going to take to get back to normal. Hopefully I'll get some more clarity today.

Time for a CAT Scan... Meow!

For as much as I'm not looking forward to having to be in one of these machines, I'm psyched to be getting a CAT scan of my abdomen today. I am SO ready to figure out exactly what is going wrong in there and get it fixed!! I am frustrated that this process is taking so long. I wanted to be patched up by now and back on the road to recovery!

The other annoying thing is that my insurance won't let me get the scan at NYU, where my doctor is. Instead, I have to go to some random spot on the other side of town that is pre-approved by the insurance company. This just seems so inefficient.... but since it will save me about $1,500 by following the insurance company's rules, I'll suck it up and do it how they want. But I don't have to like it! :P

Oh the joys of dealing with insurance....

Soooooooooo.... I spent two hours at the doctor's office yesterday so that they could get me authorization to get a CAT Scan. Of course, my insurance wouldn't jump through whatever hoops there were fast enough that I could get it done that day, so I have to go back again...

So, I still don't have confirmation of what is going on with me, and have to spend more time away from the office to get it sorted out. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. And, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

In brighter news, this weekend ... for the FIRST TIME EVER IN MY ADULT LIFE, I bought a type of clothing that I thought was permanently off limits to me..... Cordoroy pants! I got a pair of black J Brand cords in size 29. (And I'm not even at risk of starting a fire with them when I walk -- wonder of wonders!) I was pretty thrilled to get them. This is as big a deal to me as when I first got white pants!

Now, if I could only get this pain situation fixed....

Hi.. and Hernia??

Hi! I've been a little bit missing in action lately because I've been swamped! I was out in Seattle for part of last week for work. It was my first time in that city, and I loved it! It was actually very sunny and warm, so I feel like I saw the city at its best.

At Pike Place Market in Seattle

Dinner for one, overlooking the water in Seattle

In other news.... I've had a pain just under my ribs on the left side of the front of my body for the past several days... I was hoping it would go away, but no dice. I am about 85% sure that it's a hernia because if I feel the area, I can sort of push something in that feels like a hernia (not that I've ever felt one before). I'm doing my best to get in to my band doctor today to get it checked out. She's at NYU, so they have all the equipment in the world to figure out what this thing is, and if it's not band-related, they can send me somewhere else. I just figured that it would make the most sense to go to a band specialist, in case this is related.

Out in NYC with friends this past Saturday night

With S, one of my oldest friends, who was visiting from London over the weekend.

I'm a little bit disconcerted (not freaked out... just disconcerted) about this. I had to cancel my Saturday, Sunday and Monday workouts, which makes me concerned about the impact this thing has the potential to have. But, my band seems to be working perfectly, so I'm not as worried as I'd be if I was having problems with it, too. I just want this thing fixed -- whatever it is -- so that I can get back to my usual routine. I really, really hope they can fit me in for an appointment this afternoon. Fingers crossed.

(Update: Whew -- got an appointment for 2:45!)

Mis-steak

I do a pretty decent job of eating things that work well with my band. I'm one of those bandsters who can eat steak sometimes -- but generally can't eat hamburger. With hamburger, I usually get stuck, so I virtually never eat it out, and very rarely eat it at all. It's just not worth the trouble.

When I really crave red meat, which happens about every two or so months, I will typically order filet mignon the next time I'm out. (While I love to cook, I almost never cook red meat at home.) Well, last weekend was one of those craving times. I ordered filet mignon when I was out with two girl friends on Thursday night. It was SO delicious!! But, I got stuck and .... long story involving one bathroom visit later, was not able to get much of it down.
Ah... but I still was really, really craving steak! I was able to carefully eat a few tiny bites when I came back to the table, but the next day, I still had that Must-Eat-Red-Meat feeling. I figure that my body must be telling me that I need iron when I feel like that, so I try to answer the call. Soooooo.... the next night, Steve and I were having dinner with a few friends at a steak house in Tribeca. We arrange to split the filet mignon. Once AGAIN, despite that I was being really careful, I got stuck. Mind you, I'm in the middle seat in a booth, so the fact that I had to get out twice made me feel a bit self-conscious... but it had to happen.

In retrospect, I realize that I was being stupid trying for steak two nights in a row. I should have given my band a break and ordered something easier to eat on the second night. Maybe I could have satisfied the meat craving with spinach on the second night. In any event, I'm not going to do that again. While it's easy enough to handle the situation if I get stuck in a restaurant (I have more than enough warning .. it's no trouble to get to the loo in time), I don't want to BE stuck in the first place, and it does take away from my enjoyment of the experience. Plus, it makes Steve worry, and I don't want him to feel like that.

I'm (lightly) kicking myself over this one. I know better than to try a problem food the day after a stuck episode, since I know my stomach might be irritated. Darn it. I just wanted red meat! Chalking it up to a lesson learned....

The Questionnaire!

Less than a month til Chicago! Here is my answer to the questionnaire...

1. How did you pick your blog name? It just popped into my head when I decided to start my blog. I typed it in without too much thought about it, but it seems to fit pretty well.

2. When did you start blogging? October 11, 2008 … 12 days before my surgery!

3. Theme of blog? It's really just a journal of my experiences with the band. I guess now, looking at it in its current form, the theme has turned out to be that the band really works -- that it's not always easy, it doesn't happen overnight, but it DOES work. Oh, and to get off your a$$ and exercise because, in all likelihood, you're not getting to goal without doing that.

4. Did you go to BOOBs 2010? Yes -- and it was amazing, overwhelming and incredible. It was also a really, really bizarre experience. It was like having a dream where all your favorite characters from the TV shows you watch are all there, in person. Except it was with bloggers. Very surreal. And every time someone cried, I cried too… (I'm such an easy-cry when it comes to positive, heartfelt things! Don't be surprised if you see me with tears running down my face at this one either!

5. When were you banded? October 23, 2008.

6. How much have you lost? At my lowest weight, I was 84 pounds down, but I tend to stay right around 80 pounds down… somewhere between 148 and 152.

7. What are you most looking forward to at BOOBs? Seeing all of my favorite blogging bandsters, catching up with everyone, seeing how incredible all of you look, to talking "band" with you guys, and to meeting some more incredible bandsters!

8. What/who do you hope to find/see/accomplish at BOOBs 2011? I just want to keep on feeling connected to our bandster community -- it keeps me on track, and I get a lot of positivity out of it. I also am dying to catch up with so many of you who I just freaking adore.

9. Children? Pets? Man-- this answer makes me sound so LAME!!! Ok, OK… so I'm 40 and I don't have any kids…. And I have a cat. FINE!! Thanks for bringing it up!! LOL

10. Who is your roomie? I have my own room. Last year, I did the same thing. It was just really overwhelming to be in Chicago, and I liked having a spot all to myself where I could be calm and regroup between awesomely fun events!

11. What day do you arrive? Friday evening -- around 6:30. Can't wait!!

12. What airport/flight/time? O'Hare, see above.

13. What events are you signed up for? Agh -- I don't know what to sign up for!! Clearly, I'll be at the Friday night and Saturday night shindigs. I'd like to do something fun on Saturday -- maybe one of the city tours?? Any suggestions? What are you doing?

14. Hobbies? Cooking, letterpress printing (I print cards… generally wedding invitations or Christmas cards), traveling … and … now that it's actually fun again, shopping. J

15. Career? I am a trademark and copyright attorney.

16. Single? Married? In a relationship? I'm single and in a relationship with the wonderful, adorable and handsome Steve.

17. Your birthday month? November! SCORPIOS RULE!!!!!!!!!!

18. What do you want other BOOBs to know about you? Nothing in particular… well, except maybe for the easy-cry thing I mentioned above so that no one freaks out if they see me with tears running down my face! What?!? This whole weight loss thing is really emotional!! When I think about how grateful I am not to feel like sh*t anymore about my weight and my body, I do tend to get a little verklempt!!!