Kary Loredo-Welch's Blog

8/25/09 – 230.5 (108.5 lost since surgery / 169.5 total lost)

I had my one year appointment last week. I weighed in at 230.5 down 108.5 pounds since surgery and 169.5 pounds since orientation.

The pain in my knees is gone. I used to have to wake up 30 mins before i wanted to get up to take 2-3 Aleve in order to be able to get up, now there are days I barely take a Tylenol.

When we used to go to the movies we always had to sit in the chairs that the arms went up because I didn’t fit in the cool rocking chairs, now I can sit in those chairs and my daughter can rock all movie!

The skin is not too bad, not as bad as I thought it might be. I do use what I call my “cheaty pants” (girdle) with some outfits to minimize the giggle… but before i couldn’t even get it on.

I save money by doing my own pedicure now because i can reach my toes. When i do get a professional pedicure it’s because i want to, not because i have to.

For the first time in my life, I am not the largest sister of 4 girls. I was the baby and on my first diet at 8 years old. I couldn’t borrow their clothes because I would stretch them out. And growing up I got bigger and bigger and even when my sister started putting on weight, i was always larger. I am flying to Florida (first time in a plane since surgery) and can’t wait to see her.

These are some of the good things. I wanted to share that with everyone… no matter what… i am VERY THANKFUL that I made the decision to have this surgery… i cannot imagine where i would be now with my weight if i hadn’t had this… probably 450 pounds and a heck of a lot more depressed… so i am grateful for each and every day that I am feeling physically good.

Kary

8/25/09 – 230.5 (108.5 lost since surgery / 169.5 total lost)

I had my one year appointment last week. I weighed in at 230.5 down 108.5 pounds since surgery and 169.5 pounds since orientation.

The pain in my knees is gone. I used to have to wake up 30 mins before i wanted to get up to take 2-3 Aleve in order to be able to get up, now there are days I barely take a Tylenol.

When we used to go to the movies we always had to sit in the chairs that the arms went up because I didn’t fit in the cool rocking chairs, now I can sit in those chairs and my daughter can rock all movie!

The skin is not too bad, not as bad as I thought it might be. I do use what I call my “cheaty pants” (girdle) with some outfits to minimize the giggle… but before i couldn’t even get it on.

I save money by doing my own pedicure now because i can reach my toes. When i do get a professional pedicure it’s because i want to, not because i have to.

For the first time in my life, I am not the largest sister of 4 girls. I was the baby and on my first diet at 8 years old. I couldn’t borrow their clothes because I would stretch them out. And growing up I got bigger and bigger and even when my sister started putting on weight, i was always larger. I am flying to Florida (first time in a plane since surgery) and can’t wait to see her.

These are some of the good things. I wanted to share that with everyone… no matter what… i am VERY THANKFUL that I made the decision to have this surgery… i cannot imagine where i would be now with my weight if i hadn’t had this… probably 450 pounds and a heck of a lot more depressed… so i am grateful for each and every day that I am feeling physically good.

Kary

August 18, 2009 – Today’s Weight 235.5  (103.5 post-op / 164.5 Total lost)

Hey there everyone. Today is my one year anniversary and I’d thought I’d share what’s going on in my head with you.

The Good Stuff…
- I’ve weight 235.5 today that is 103.5 pounds down from surgery
- Soooo much less pain! I could barely walk before starting this journey, now I hardly take Tylenol
- Feel better physically, can go up and down stairs, sit in chairs that i couldn’t fit in before, cross my legs and so many more things that i had forgotten.
- Healthier eating habits and healthier body. I hadn’t had labs run before i got into the surgery process but i have never been as focused on vitamins and nutrition like i am now… so i MUST be healthier!

The Bad Stuff…
- I didn’t reach even my doctors goal let alone my own personal goal. This is hard because although I should be very happy with the good stuff, this still looms over my head.
- I let a bad conversation with a doctor derail me. When I got into an argument with the doctor I quit doing things out of ‘spite’ and in the end it only hurt me.
- I quit losing weight at the 7 month mark. After the argument with the doctor, i got off track and it took me 3 months to figure it out, then it was too late to fix it.
- The depression and mood swings have gotten worse, not better. I’ve been struggling with severe mood swings and the docs have even tried different medications that haven’t seemed to help.

Overall…
I am sooooo very glad that I had the surgery. I need to come to grips that I may never get down to my personal goal and take responsibility for it. I am still stuck on the things that made me fat in the first place like not exercising and making some bad choices with food. I am happy that I am almost 200 pounds less that when I sat at orientation and need to focus on the good stuff.

Life Lessons…

This journey is definitely more mental than physical. I was asked in my psychiatric evaluation “What if you don’t loose the amount of weight that you want to?” and my answer was “I would be happy with the weight I do lose.” Now i have to learn to walk my talk because it’s easier said that done. Hugs, Kary

Today my best friend got married. It was an amazing day! I’ve known Luis for 9 years and he has helped me through so many ups and downs in my life that words cannot describe how grateful I am for him in my life. He is calming, caring and a very good man. A few years ago he met a lovely woman and he brought her as his date for my wedding to Mark. I was always concerned that he’d find a woman that I didn’t click with and we’d lose our special connections as friends. Well… that fear was unfounded because I have become very good friends with Rachelle and am excited to say that the four of us get along very well. Over the past few months in fact her and I have become very close friends and now I am grateful to have two great friends in my life!

The wedding was beautiful! I was blessed to be a part of helping organize and being a support to them both before the wedding, during and after! The church was gorgeous with a traditional Catholic wedding. The reception was held at a local hall in Hayward and was filled with laughter, tears and freindship!

Now you might ask why I am posting this under my ‘weight loss’ tab. Because… i found it facinating that I had a hard time sitting down at the table with my own family and friends. There was alcohol and lots of food and it seemed that each time I sat at the table I found myself wanting to eat or drink. So I would sit for 10 minutes then get up and run around helping clean or talking to people or keeping myself busy.

I was excited to feel great physically and be able to move in between the tables filled with people easily. I was happy that I could work on my feet for hours on end and realized that I hadn’t even taken a tylenol. I cut the cake without craving eating 2 peices

July 24, 2009 – 11 months Post Op

Today’s Weight 234 (105 lost post op & 166 total lost)

So things have been good although I’ve been on a plateau for a while now and haven’t lost hardly any weight. Although that is frustrating I’m am feeling really great about what I have accomplished and how great I feel everyday!

My best friend is getting married tomorrow and I had a hard time shopping for a new dress. Even now at the stores I reach for dresses that are too large and are ‘frumpy’ to cover my body… although I look so much better now in tighter fitting clothing.  I did by my first belt in YEARS!!! I have a couple pair of pants that fit just perfect and look great with the top tucked in.

I have also had some epiphanies recently that I can share with you. The first was that I was trying to ‘hurry up’ to get some things done. I wanted to book a cruise, ride a Harley and looked into getting a tattoo. I was driving my husband crazy because I had to get everything done now. I realized (with a little help from my therapist) that I had to hurry up to get things done because the weight was going to come back… because it always has in the past. That was a pretty major breakthrough for me because I realized how mental this journey is and I was setting myself up for trouble.

The second thing that I figured out is that I am scared of doing things that are physical. Over the years being 350-400 lbs I would try to do things to get more active. For example, I bough a bike, a bike rack, a helmet and a lock and started riding around the neighborhood. Then my sciatic was aggravated and I ended up at the doctor and on medication because I couldn’t move for three weeks. My doctor told me to get rid of the bike and it sat for a year before I finally sold it last summer… now I want to get back on a bike and I am afraid. Realizing this in itself has helped quite a bit and doing things at the gym is helping get over the fear of hurting myself also.

There is one more thing that I would like to share. I had been drinking. It started at Christmas with one little sip of wonderful Mexican Tequila. Then it was Friday nights while we played cards with our friends. Then in June my girlfriend came to stay for 10 days and we drank every single evening. After she left I had some alcohol that ‘needed to get used up’ and continued to drink daily. Then one night I reached for it as a NEED, not a WANT. For the first time in my life I realized what it was to need the alcohol to relax me in the evening. I reached out to my therapist right away and have not had a drink since that night. It’s been three weeks now and I am feeling good. I was embarrassed at first to talk about it because I was the first one to spout about “addiction transference” before my surgery and how you have to be really careful to deal with the behavior or it could transfer over to another addiction like… ummm… alcohol. Tada!

That is the update for now, things are good although I am nervous that I am stuck at this weight and will not lose any more before my one year anniversary. I am working on it and will let you know how it’s going.

Guestbook

submitted on May 26, 2009 9:46 PM PDT
Name:	Kelly Neff
Email Address:	kelnef@comcast.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Nice visiting your writings, and will look more at Amelia. I heard her singing on utube before and before I get off the computer tonight I will look her up on there again, from your info reference. Love ya!
submitted on February 19, 2009 11:09 AM PST
Name:	vern
Email Address:	virish3587@charter.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Keep up the good work!!!
submitted on January 8, 2009 4:52 PM PST
Name:	Your crazy NV BFF
Email Address:	fyrandice@frontiernet.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	You look great… now post an update dadgumit! Love you sweetie! I can’t believe how great you are doing. I know you’ll do great and be in Bay to Breakers in 5 months!
submitted on November 13, 2008 6:32 AM PST
Name:	Bonnie
Email Address:	bonnieluvscm@earthlink.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	WOW….you are doing great and you reached YOUR goal to be under 300…you should be so dang proud of yourself. Yesterday a friend of mind was doing some research for loosing weight so I gave her your website. Told her you’d done your homework and might be able to help her by reading your blogs. Her name is Mariann in case she calls to chat….hope you don’t mind. Keep up the great job….getting rid of clothes has to feel sooooooooo GREAT, by the end of the year you’ll be able to treat yourself to some new holiday clothes. Hope you get this rash thing figured out SOON! Love ya, Bonnie
submitted on October 31, 2008 10:29 AM PDT
Name:	Sara
Email Address:	sara.seipert@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Go Kary!! So do you live in the second apartment or do you use it for storage or a “get away” spot. I bet the feeling of going down shirt sizes feels amazing!! Can’t wait to see the pictures.
submitted on October 14, 2008 5:45 PM PDT
Name:	Sara Seipert
Email Address:	sara.seipert@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Way to go Kary! Slow and Steady girl. You can do it. I am glad to hear that you understand that some funk is just mental and you can be stronger than that. Maybe you can have a shirt burning party everytime you drop a size.
submitted on October 8, 2008 1:17 PM PDT
Name:	Sara
Email Address:	sstafford@surfmk.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Kary, what’s up girl? I have been following your WLS blogs since your procedure and I am hoping that everything is going well for you and you’re just too busy to give the blog much attention! If you need anything at all please let me know, I’m home during the day ~ Sara 510-582-6502
submitted on September 29, 2008 12:52 PM PDT
Name:	Bonnie Collopy
Email Address:	bonnieluvscm@earthlink.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Sorry it’s taken me this long to read and respond to your blog. But we talk often so you know how proud I am of you. This site is great for all to see and read what’s happening. I really love your stories. I’m sure they help you figure out what’s important and will help someone else, too. BIG HUGS…you are doing GREAT my friend.
submitted on September 27, 2008 1:04 AM PDT
Name:	Kathleen Hawkins
Email Address:	jkhawkins@sbcglobal.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Hi, Kary (& Mark!), Just read your blog. So glad to hear that you are doing well. Wishing you all the best! Sincerely, Kathleen
submitted on September 25, 2008 12:37 PM PDT
Name:	Sheri Thomas
Email Address:	sheri.thomas@gexpro.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Kary: So glad to see some additional information on your blog. I was starting to get worried. Please let me tell you from experience w/ stomach surgery, that the chewing is EXTREMELY important and small meals have helped me to let the stomach digest and not cause problems. I ended up in the hospital for 2 days over last Labor Day (2007) when I got a piece of chicken stuck going down my esophagus. Ended up having another procedure to stretch the esophagus and haven’t had a problem since then, but I have tried to be careful to chew the food and not let big pieces go down my throat. As far as energy, it took me also an entire year to get back to my pre-surgery levels. Don’t try to do too much and rest when you need to. Also I didn’t go back to the gym until about 4 months after my surgery and started slowly to build to the levels I was at before the surgery. I also added Pilates class in April of this year and just love that. Sounds like you are progressing nicely though and I’m happy it’s all working out for you.
submitted on September 24, 2008 12:25 PM PDT
Name:	Sara Seipert
Email Address:	sara.seipert@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	How brave of you to make it to a Scrapbooking retreat and all that yummy tempting food. Glad to hear you are figuring out what works and what doesn’t. Keep up the good (HARD) work!!
submitted on September 23, 2008 6:50 PM PDT
Name:	Delfina Alire
Email Address:	dalire0406@sbcglobal.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Can you tell me if there we any out of pocket expense for your sugury? I also have kaiser
submitted on September 19, 2008 9:27 AM PDT
Name:	Sara Seipert
Email Address:	sara.seipert@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Hey Kary! I love reading that your recovery is happening smoothly. 83lbs lost? I just can’t even imagine. You need to start posting pictures showing off your progress. Happy Birthday to you! ( a little late I know, but hey!) I’m glad to hear thast you are sticking to your diet and you have made goals more agressive than the doctor’s. You can do it!!
submitted on September 5, 2008 6:45 PM PDT
Name:	Sandy Schrader
Email Address:	Sandyzbugn@comcast.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Kary, I am sooo very proud of you. You have taken a HUGE step in your recovery. I have known you for many years and have seen many changes in you over the years. I can honestly say that you seem happier in life now more then any other times that Ive known of. (Except Amelia’s Birth)(of Course!) You knew that going into this surgery was going to be like 2 steps forward, 3 steps back sorta-deal & yet you still went FULL FORCE with it. You are an inspiration to all who know you. Keep up the good work. Love Ya,,,,,Sandy
submitted on September 5, 2008 6:27 PM PDT
Name:	Sandy Schrader
Email Address:	Sandyzbugn@comcast.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Kary, I am sooo very proud of you. You have taken a HUGE step in your recovery. I have known you for many years and have seen many changes in you over the years. I can honestly say that you seem happier in life now more then any other times that Ive known of. (Except Amelia’s Birth)(of Course!) You knew that going into this surgery was going to be like 2 steps forward, 3 steps back sorta-deal & yet you still went FULL FORCE with it. You are an inspiration to all who know you. Keep up the good work. Love Ya,,,,,Sandy
submitted on August 24, 2008 10:09 PM PDT
Name:	Diane
Email Address:	DMcMullens@aol.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Congrats you sexy mama! I am soooo proud of you.
submitted on June 3, 2008 3:34 PM PDT
Name:	Rhonda Elliott
Email Address:	rhonda@taar.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Dear Kary, You must be so proud of Amelia that you could just burst. She’s got a beautiful singing voice, and is growing into such a lovely young lady. Thank you for sharing her singing debut with me. Way to go MOM! Be as proud as you can be… and give Amelia a hug from Rhonda in TC.
submitted on May 23, 2008 2:06 PM PDT
Name:	Aunt Norma
Email Address:	snapcroft@verizon.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Where did Amelia get her talent from?Not our side of the family. She was excellent good luck to her I hope she keeps it up. norma
submitted on May 6, 2008 11:17 PM PDT
Name:	Sara
Email Address:	sstafford@surfmk.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Kary, I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother passing away…She sounds like a truly special person!
submitted on April 23, 2008 2:13 PM PDT
Name:	Rhonda Elliott
Email Address:	rhonda@taar.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	What a beautiful tribute to your grandmother! Thank you for sharing… Rhonda
submitted on March 4, 2008 11:51 PM PST
Name:	Chuck Horner
Email Address:	churck@comcast.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	It is an honor to know you and serve our community together with you.
submitted on March 4, 2008 2:07 PM PST
Name:	Diane
Email Address:	DMcMullens@aol.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	I am so proud of you and your decision to to go forward with the WLS. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
submitted on February 29, 2008 9:52 AM PST
Name:	Elisa
Email Address:	elisa@aradigm.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	Hey Kary! Keep up the great work missy. I’m happy to help any way I can. See you at the gym!! Elisa
submitted on October 12, 2007 1:46 PM PDT
Name:	Anna May
Email Address:	AnnaMay@AnnaMayRealEstate.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments:	My goodness, who would leave a mean comment on anybody’s website — do people really do that?

The
Relay For Life
of Hayward
will be held
on
May 30 & 31, 2009
at
Moreau Catholic High School
27170 Mission Blvd, Hayward CA
go to
www.relayforlife.org
for more information!

RELAY FOR LIFE OF HAYWARD
May 30 & 31, 2009
Moreau Catholic High School

This is a fund raiser and sooo much more!

We CELEBRATE cancer survivors by honoring them in a special way and having them open the event by walking the first lap!

We REMEMBER our loved ones that we have lost to cancer or are fighting the hard fight by lighting candles and placing them in luminairia’s all around the track… lighting the path all night long.

We FIGHT BACK against cancer by learning more and making a committment and pledge to share the information we have learned with people we know. We promise to be tested timely and encourage others to do so also.

Relay For Life is a 24 hour event that starts at 10:00 am on Saturday morning and goes through the night until 10:00 am on Sunday morning. We create teams and these teams work together to raise money to fight against cancer. The teams have campsites and team members are encouraged to spend the night in their tents while they take turns walking the entire 24 hours! There is entertainment through the entire event and awards for the participants.

Relay is in Hayward for Hayward, it addresses ALL cancers and it brings together every race, income level and education level… anyone effected by cancer.

For more information please contact me or keep coming back to check for updates!

Click HERE for the Relay For Life of HAYWARD website.
Click HERE for the Relay For Life general website.
Click HERE for the American Cancer Society website.