Fill'er Up!

So I went to get my lap band filled this morning. When they do this, they take an x-ray of your abdominal area so they can find the port (which is where they inject the saline). I am always nosey and want to see what it all looks like so I turn around to see the monitor. Today when I went to look, I saw all these little fasteners/hooks (9 to be exact) in the same general area as the port. Turns out they were from my bra! LOL I got a good chuckle out of it.

Speaking of bras, did you know that VS (Victoria Secret) now has 'memory foam' bras? I didnt either until this past weekend. In fact I am wearing one now and it is super comfy!

Weight Loss, etc

WARNING: THIS POST IS ON THE GRAPHIC SIDE AS I AM POSTING ABOUT MY LAP BAND ISSUES.
Well, I have kinda hit a road block on the weight loss. No loss in the last month or so, so its time to go back for a fill. I was a little hesitant to do it since I am still having some trouble eating. On the upside, I havent really gained any weight so that is at least good.

Basically with certain foods or even with foods I have eaten successfully, I can have problems. I have narrowed it down to a couple things...I am still taking too big of a bite of food and I am not chewing enough. I have been told you should sing the ABC's while chewing to make sure you chew it enough so I am trying to do that.

I seem to be ok on what I call my 'safe' foods. The foods I eat over and over at home. However, I seem to have issues more so when I eat out or eat at someone elses house. Occasionally I will have problems when I am starving and I take that first bite that ends up being too big (and I dont chew it as well) and I know it as soon as I swallow but there is nothing I can do at that point. But I have become a little smarter and immediately stop eating because I know it will just make it worse by eating more on top of something that is already stuck. Your first instinct is to eat more to 'push' the food thru but that does not work. Your other instinct is to drink, another big no no. Basically those things will just come back up.

After some research I found out what has been happening is called 'slimming'. Kinda gross sounding but at the same time perfectly describes what happens. This is what happens when you get a piece of food stuck in the band area and your body starts producing extra saliva (it also tends to be thicker too). When this happens it buids up in your esophogas/stoma area and after a few minutes it really starts to hurt as if someone just punched you square in the chest. The only relief is to cough it up. I say cough because it really isnt like throwing up. I really just cough a little and it just comes up. And honestly its not food that comes up so I am not turning anorexic or anything. :) It is just clear slimey goo. I have also read that it helps to use Papaya Enzyme. This helps to break up the blocked food. They are chewable and actually taste pretty good.

So I am going on Tues to get another fill. There are some foods that I can totally eat and not so sure I really should be able to eat so I know its time. Plus I have found that I can eat a little more than I should too. I am also getting a little more motivated by adding a new widget to my blog to track my weigh loss. Now that the weather is getting cooler and its not raining as much I am more motivated to walk again and am also going to start up on my Wii Fit again. I am still a little scared of Jillian and her Wii Fit workout but will be trying it later today!

Have a great week everyone!

My Favorite Reality Shows…

Let’s move on to my favorite reality shows…

Let’s face it, I probably watch more reality shows than regular shows and most of them are on Bravo, who’d a thought?

Flipping Out
I love love love me some Jeff Lewis. This started a few weeks ago but had to include. I am really bummed that it looks like Jeff and Ryan are headed to a falling out.
The Rachel Zoe Project
This also started a few weeks ago but wanted to include.I am also a big fan of Rachel Zoe, not sure why but I love that show too. I think I like it because I wish I could shop like she does. I think I can relate to her assistant Taylor. 

The Real Housewives of Atlanta
I think I am just about over this show…I see the same things happening that turned me off the TRHOC. They have turned into a bunch of petty, self involved, holier than thou bi-atches. I don’t find myself, waiting and anticipating for the next episode anymore. Bring on the TRHNY!

Top Chef
Even though I am one of the pickiest eater in the world, I still love this show. And as a special bonus one of the contestants in from Frederick! Actually now that I think about it, his brother would have to be from Frederick originally too even if he isn’t living there now.

Project Runway
I kinda miss this show being on Bravo. I am little disappointed that about some of the people that were sent home vs the ones still on. Also kinda diggin the models show afterwards so you can get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes.

Survivor
OMG ~ Russell is pure evil. I have to say though he is playing the game though. Probably better than most others before him. Sabotaging your own team is pretty low. Not sure I could play the same way though. Not sure who I want to win yet, give me a couple weeks. Oh and McDoctor is very yummy!

Fall Season Review…The New Shows

Ok well we all know I am a TV junkie, and my TiVo has been getting quite the work out the first couple weeks of the new Fall season.

Let’s start with the new shows…(I will post another one about the rest of the shows)

Accidentally On Purpose – B
I did enjoy the show and found it to be more realistic than Cougartown. The only reason I compare them is because they do have some similarities involving older women.

Community – A-
First off I love, love, love Joel McHale from The Soup…so I went into this not expecting to like it since that is normally what happens. Secondly, Chevy Chase is one of my all time favorites. I loved the tiny references to his movies in the second episode. (a line stolen from National Lampoon’s Vacation, ‘Nooo. She’s ugly.’ And of course the nod to the Three Amigos, even though I really hated that movie.) The first episode also had a nod to one of my favorite movies, The Breakfast Club.

Cougartown – B-
While I did enjoy the show, I found it to be unrealistic. Not very many women over 40 look like Courtney Cox and further more are we really supposed to believe her character was married to that dude up until 5 months ago? Sorry having a hard time buying that one. I still enjoyed the show and really liked Busy Phillips in her role and it was great to see Krista Miller from ‘The Drew Carey Show’ and ‘Scrubs’. Oh and loved how the main character was hatin on her neighbor for dating younger women. I am going to go out on a limb and predict she will be hooking up with him sometime in the near future.

Flash Forward – B+
Pretty good show…I like the concept, but at the same time, I heard this show is similar to ‘Lost’ and that makes me a little nervous. I never really jumped on the ‘Lost’ bandwagon so I am a little apprehensive. I tried to like Lost once upon a time but just couldn’t get into it. I think its because you had to think too much trying to remember everything. When I watch a show I don’t want to have to be tested the whole time trying to remember who did what when and how, etc. So far I am hooked and hope that I continue to like it.

Modern Family – C
I really wanted to like this show more than I did. I think most of the funniest parts were in the previews leading up to premiere night. I did find myself laughing out loud but not until much later in the show. The dad (the one with the family, not Ed O’Neill) trying to be the hip young dad was my highlight for the show. And if I am not mistaken his daughter is from the now defunct ‘Lipstick Jungle’ (which I loved and am so bummed it was cancelled.).

Dog Days of Summer

Now that fall is here, the pools in the area host Pooch Pool Parties and Gizmo got to attend for the first time. He had a blast but only lasted about 20 min before he was over the big dogs splashing around. He just wanted to lounge around the pool and the big dogs slashing around kinda interrupted it for him.

As soon as we got there Giz hit the water belly first. :)

Look, I am swimming, doggie paddle of course!

Can I get out here?

I didnt get a picture of it but before this last one, he was hoping out and jumping back in a few times. It was so cute. So I think he was trying to do the same thing by this big green slide.

"So how's the new job going?"...

I think I have heard this question about a thousand times in the last 3 months and unfortunately I dont have a good answer. The problem is, I dont know how I feel about my new job. I am very happy to have a job and the money is great but the job itself...well to be honest it is not really what I signed up for. Keep in mind I changed managers 3 times within my first 3 weeks of employment. The first 2 managers told me they would hire me permanently. Unfortunately my current manager does not have a permanent position for me right now. However, I do have a job until at least Nov. Again I am not sure how I feel about this considering, I cant really say I LOVE my job. Also looming over my head is that since my COBRA benefits ran out at the end of July, I now have crappy contractor benefits. I really need a job that has benefits and with the holidays coming up, it would actually be nice to get paid for them as well as some vacation time. So at this point I am keeping my options open and will see what happens.

Its been over a year now that I have been either looking for a job or doing contract work and am really tired of thinking or talking about jobs. So the next time you talk to me, lets try something else instead of how's the new job going? Maybe ask me about my newest niece or cousin? We have lots of baby love going on in my family right now. My sister had her beautiful baby girl Ashlynn 6 weeks ago and my 'favorite' cousin Lauren had her adorable baby girl Jailynn yesterday. So fun Aunt Amy is going to enjoy these 2 new family members and spoil them rotten every chance she gets.

Family

Ashlynn is still awesome and a great baby and we all love her a lot. My sister had a little bit of a rough time and was in the hospital again for a little bit but she is home now and is doing much better now. My dad and Chrissy came for a visit to meet Miss Ashlynn. It was a short visit but it was good to see them and we had lots of fun. Here are some pics from their visit.

Ashlynn and her Pop-pop and Granny

Dad, Chrissy, Me, Michele and Ashlynn

Ashlynn and all her Grandparents

Me and Dad

Gizmo getting some extra spoiling from his Granny