tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14948276410582523642024-03-19T05:14:02.291-05:00I Am Sweet PeaAfter struggling with my weight for 15+ years, I've decided it's time for ME to take the bull by the horns. I want to feel better----I want to be more active----I want to look better----I want to grow old with my High School Sweetheart and watch my kids grow up. The decision for me to have weight loss surgery, specifically Lap Band was NOT taken lightly. After much research, prayer, soul searching and approval from insurance I decided to take control of my life and make it better!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-75211082207156928812010-05-12T11:39:00.000-05:002010-05-12T11:39:28.676-05:00Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I thought that I would post a few of our most recent family pictures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A mama dove decided to make one of my hanging baskets her home and she brought 2 eggs with her. I discovered the guests when I took the basket down one day to water it, had it tilted towards me and mama dove flew out and hit me in the forehead. Luckily I didn't drop the basket. The eggs hatched over the weekend.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLLR6OnGS_aUrJn-T6RIZ34bWSN3zIZlP5wCbnoJaQ9IsPwXzU7rlFoFLGxCHY48BuCMyUNnA33ESKc078wznTE78Kvs62LeXhFoCk80BD4CenGMEPokOyoN2DifBiCwqBmRpoMpXl2pq/s1600/PICT0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLLR6OnGS_aUrJn-T6RIZ34bWSN3zIZlP5wCbnoJaQ9IsPwXzU7rlFoFLGxCHY48BuCMyUNnA33ESKc078wznTE78Kvs62LeXhFoCk80BD4CenGMEPokOyoN2DifBiCwqBmRpoMpXl2pq/s320/PICT0029.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Conner (L) and Xavier (R)</strong> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enjoying roasting hot dogs over our new fire pit (actually we've had it for a couple of years but it wasn't until just recently that Rick had the time to put it together)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TcfeJfktHKX8jdcKC7np_M9OuziAGQ77oxLToCFmwA9Cw3QqA86LvDakui40bEx1MibQx7o-_z-Uxoe-v-iV9sRN-_Bz9hk9Z-eybeIbNtLUK1VsBKvrvUTDPHBQLFkBBvZgbI68gy85/s1600/collage+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TcfeJfktHKX8jdcKC7np_M9OuziAGQ77oxLToCFmwA9Cw3QqA86LvDakui40bEx1MibQx7o-_z-Uxoe-v-iV9sRN-_Bz9hk9Z-eybeIbNtLUK1VsBKvrvUTDPHBQLFkBBvZgbI68gy85/s320/collage+1.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our little ballerina, Bekah, during studio rehearsal for her first ballet recital.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaguewhmOFi-PM4NQuYmmCowK-LCJlT4cHsJa56c41qquEeeUlsR79UQzi-GdnnU7ifd9oGbCIoo-p4xfvuAzOqCZps_UhMYqumWdMrIozDmqNmVRjARTT3Mc3yVQPn1lfQhyphenhyphenFLDmWoYAH/s1600/collage+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaguewhmOFi-PM4NQuYmmCowK-LCJlT4cHsJa56c41qquEeeUlsR79UQzi-GdnnU7ifd9oGbCIoo-p4xfvuAzOqCZps_UhMYqumWdMrIozDmqNmVRjARTT3Mc3yVQPn1lfQhyphenhyphenFLDmWoYAH/s320/collage+2.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bekah at her recital with Mommy (top L), Great Grandma Eckert and Uncle Tony (top R) and Rick (bottom middle)</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihHn2rSUACsvNUGLEVpAo9IMe4rhtCfBpUx7GIuyZ0J-cPiiG5gCcq4HS2T_051TY8PXdVloFdubGTw4-6EKBbrfuKumbV8OvExrEruw2be3hksZsqc6PJ7I3EYaw1g3WrVm3awtb32qI/s1600/collage+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihHn2rSUACsvNUGLEVpAo9IMe4rhtCfBpUx7GIuyZ0J-cPiiG5gCcq4HS2T_051TY8PXdVloFdubGTw4-6EKBbrfuKumbV8OvExrEruw2be3hksZsqc6PJ7I3EYaw1g3WrVm3awtb32qI/s320/collage+3.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not much else going on here. We've started baseball season (Conner) and softball season (Bekah) so I guess our summer is in full swing!</div>seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-57892072550546564352010-05-04T13:05:00.000-05:002010-05-04T13:05:34.204-05:00LurkingI've just been reading everyone's blogs, trying to glean some inspiration. Nothing new here. Same weight, no gain, no loss. Praying that sunshine and warmer temps will inspire me to get out and walk!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-59285584118730595772010-04-07T17:11:00.000-05:002010-04-07T17:11:43.765-05:00Un-fill updateSaw the NP this AM. She removed .4 cc of fluid. We'll see how it goes from here. She told me not to hesitate to call if in 4 weeks I feel like my hunger is out of control, we can then schedule a fill. Otherwise, I see the doc in August for my 1 year anniversary.<br />
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Doesn't look like I'm going to make my goal for my "50 pounds down by my birthday" tomorrow but I am 43 down and that's way better than where I was for my birthday last year.seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-89057416170101125832010-04-05T14:17:00.000-05:002010-04-05T14:17:07.264-05:00UN-fill scheduledI called my surgeon this morning and scheduled an un-fill for Wednesday. I'm hoping for just a tiny un-fill. This morning I got stuck taking my vitamin....OUCH did it ever hurt! I know I'm too full. I am not able to eat anything that is not soft or liquid. It will be 4 weeks on Wednesday since I got the 1 cc fill and I've lost 5 pounds. I am now ONE POUND under my lowest post surgery weight! Don't get me wrong, I am happy about that but I know that my doc would not be happy for me to continue eating the not-firm foods I have had to be eating. You would think that as tight as I am and as little as I am able to eat the weight would be dropping off but nnooooooo, of course not. I wake up in the morning and my stomach is growling so loud but I can't eat anthing. I drink coffee and sometimes have a protein bar but it doesn't stay with me very and I'm hungry again. Very frustrating to say the least.<br />
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Anywho....my current total lost is 41.4 pounds. I finally broke a plateau I had been stuck at for quite some time and now I am one pound below the lowest I've been in a while..<br />
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I'll let ya know how the unfill goes.seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-629547113002528482010-03-30T11:13:00.000-05:002010-03-30T11:13:41.367-05:00Good EatsJust for fun (and to give me some different ideas) will all you fellow banders post what a typical <strong>good food day</strong> looks like for you? Just list what you eat for meals/snacks for a day. Thanks and I really appreciate it!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-63549139320828204692010-03-24T11:40:00.000-05:002010-03-24T11:40:12.464-05:00Hump dayI went for a brisk 1/2 hour walk last night! Felt good...now I just need to keep doing it! My band doesn't feel as tight as it has been which is good. The other night I made Amy W's "Hot Meat" recipe and was able to eat a little of that with some mashed potatos and green beans. That's the first solid food I've been able to get down without gettnig stuck since my 1 cc fil. On the scale front, I weighed this morning and it's going down. I am ONE POUND away from being back to my lowest post surgery weight!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-10073505474283855792010-03-18T11:29:00.000-05:002010-03-18T11:29:18.998-05:00Still doing liquids/full liquidsSo far today I've had <strong>no stuck issues</strong>. Yesterday morning was the worst episode I've ever had! (Got stuck eating Greek yogurt with just a little bit of bran cereal in it) I was miserable for almost 2 hours. I litterally had to leave work so that I could slime in private! Not a good feeling. I made homemade black bean soup (thanks Amy W for the recipe) Tuesday night and baiscally that, Greek yogurt and water are all I'm taking in. I want to have a couple of no stuckage days before I try to introduce soft/mushy food. Thanks Sandy Lee for the advice. Hope that things are going well for you now too.<br />
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My weekend starts at 3PM today.....yeah me!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-42511760304009045922010-03-15T11:39:00.000-05:002010-03-15T11:39:26.386-05:001 cc fill!I saw the nurse practicioner last Wednesday, 1st time seeing her and I really liked her. Anyway, she gave me a full cc when she filled me! Not sure but it may be too much. I can't eat anything but soft foods right now but I think I've made my band a little aggitated. So I am going to give it a few days to see if it calms down. I hate to have to drive an hour one way to have some taken out so I'm praying it doens't come to that. I've lost 4 pounds since my fill. Not too shabby! Plan to go for a walk OUTSIDE when I get off work today! Looking forward to that.<br />
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Hope everyone has a good Monday!<br />
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Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-84832749637887616412010-02-20T07:44:00.000-06:002010-02-20T07:44:57.497-06:00Tom and Jerry on a Saturday morningWow! That brings back memories. Xavier (almost 6 YO nephew) and Gabi (3 YO niece) spent the night last night and we are up this morning watching Tom & Jerry. Rick is working today but so far has no calls. (He's on call tomorrow, praying that he doesn't get any calls and so that he can go to church!!!!) I feel motivated today to get some organizing done around the house. My sister Rachel is here too and she's the Orginizational Queen! Hopefully we'll get some things accomplished. Hope everyone has a great Saturday!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-46383750231019988212010-02-16T12:19:00.000-06:002010-02-16T12:19:23.157-06:00Trying to be a better bloggerI'm going to TRY to do a better job of blogging (journaling). I worry that I don't have anything funny, whitty, important or exciting to say but I've reminded myself that the <span style="font-size: large;">reason I started this blog was to journal my journey.</span> So, whether that journey be <em>good or bad, boring or exciting</em> I'm going to make a real effort to post more often. <strong>I'm just going to state the facts.....and right now the facts are not good.</strong><br />
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I have not weighed in 10 days or more and quite honestly <strong>I don't want to weigh</strong> because putting my jeans on this morning tells me what I already know. <span style="font-size: large;">I have put on weight.</span> I'm going in the wrong direction and it's my fault. I've been on a downward spiral since Thanksgiving and so far I have not been able to kick start my weight loss. I want carbs..............I want sugar.................I want diet (or not diet) pop........I do not want to exercise. I've totaly forgotten how to eat well for my body to be healthy!<br />
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<strong>A couple of observations that I have made:</strong><br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I felt much more alert when I was off all of the sugar & carbs following my surgery (previous to surgery, I had a really hard time staying awake. I was always yawning and sleepy)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had way more "get up and go" following my surgery. My "get up and go has got up and gone" I am quite content to sit and watch TV or read</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After surgery, when I was eating according to my surgeon's guidelines, I was NOT hungry or even thinking about food all the time. NOW, I think about food constantly!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I drink lots of water I do not have as many headaches....as of late, almost every day I am having headaches</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I 've been feeling a little "dirty" lately. Like I've been hiding something from all of my blogger buddies. <span style="font-size: large;">I've been kidding myself too, <span style="font-size: small;">I guess</span>.</span> Thinking that if I don't talk about the problem, the problem won't really be here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Plan of action - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Well I guess one of the first things I should do is make an appointment with the dietician and get back on the plan for eating. Maybe dig out the guidlines that I was given by the dietician prior to surgery. While I'm being honest here I've gotta say that it would be much easier to just keep doing what I've been doing....mindless eating, eating what I want when I want but if I continue to do that then I will continue to get depressed and gain weight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I don't think my doc will even talk to me about doing a fill until I have talked to the dietician so <span style="font-size: large;">I'M GOING TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!</span></span><br />
I'm going to get my head out of my butt and start make the changes that I know I need to change! And I'm praying that God will give me the strength to push on and be successful at getting this outta shape body in shape! I can't do this on my own, of this I am certain. I'm going to have to get honest with my family and ask them (DH and DD) to help me. I've got to be accountable to them. And I'm going to start journaling my food.....though I really hate this task!<br />
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I realize that nothing really profound has come out of this blog today but I think it was good to get it all down in writing!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-71677419327644781482010-02-05T19:58:00.000-06:002010-02-05T19:58:13.650-06:00"Dear John"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6O2vOI8kuLveqNlWRQ5IV02AfvmaBPPJ8M5bAdlEFPqfkyE4_fKke3CD8OKbpTLCFK39AvX5e4aLm4dG_TDJt6NjVONYXiipbrZxM4GFC21YuBD5R0HhMse416WpJC2FBoBmDqQ_8nROa/s1600-h/7010_11884353525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6O2vOI8kuLveqNlWRQ5IV02AfvmaBPPJ8M5bAdlEFPqfkyE4_fKke3CD8OKbpTLCFK39AvX5e4aLm4dG_TDJt6NjVONYXiipbrZxM4GFC21YuBD5R0HhMse416WpJC2FBoBmDqQ_8nROa/s320/7010_11884353525.jpg" /></a></div>My sweetie and I went on a date tonight. We had dinner and saw the new movie "Dear John". Did I like it? Well lets just say we went to WalMart as soon as the movie was over and I bought the book. It's a real tear-jerker that's for sure. But I think the reason I cried so hard....and my sweetie did too), is that so much of the movie was just like our own love story. Since the first time I saw "The Notebook" (also written by Nicholas Sparks) it made me think of Ricky and I. "Dear John" did the same thing. A really good move and I reccommend it. Just make sure you take the Kleenex with you!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-37883431837091793562010-02-04T11:08:00.000-06:002010-02-04T11:08:57.388-06:00ZumbaBekah (DD) and I went to Zumba Tuesday night. It was fun. The Christian church here in Greensburg holds classes in their mulit-purpose room/gym and it's free-will offering! They have 2 classes on Tuesday nights, 2 classes on Thursday nights and 1 class on Saturday mornings. It was fun! There were probably 75 people in the class that I went to. Almost not enough room to move. It certainly is a workout. By the time I left there I was wishing I could move like the instructor did. Don't think I'll ever get to that point. I plan to go again though. The hour just flew by.seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-28590243780749994072010-02-02T11:12:00.000-06:002010-02-02T11:12:43.327-06:00I can't get out of this funkI don't like myself right now. I'll just be real blunt about it. I went to all the trouble and expense to have this wonderful lap band surgery and I still feel like a failure. I am still stuck at 37-42 pounds lost (depends on what day I weigh) and have been stuck for probabably 6 weeks now. No, I have not been exercising.....I'm lazy and No, I have not been eating as I should. I am hungry alot and I am tired and sluggish feeling. All I can think about is eating sweets and carbs! What is wrong with me. Why can't I shake this?<br />
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I am going to Zumba tonight come hell or high water so maybe that will make me feel a little better. Who knows!?!<br />
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Okay, just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening.<br />
<br />
Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-80827381582246411182010-01-25T12:34:00.000-06:002010-01-25T12:34:18.654-06:00Happy Birthday to my baby girl!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yup, it's true....today Bekah turns 9! N~I~N~E years old..............where did the time go?!?</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0FK4UYc65bkGKeMr6-ywQIUueuv1vezRdETysrHeOWMU_4cHG49KczRb1M9yUyaJz5GTM-GSQNzwaZjLAS9kryPaEwlmbXfOMZ6vol_ckOA_6OCvdUw5AmBx52SU2fGIU-jg2_Y9yPKA/s1600-h/Bekah+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0FK4UYc65bkGKeMr6-ywQIUueuv1vezRdETysrHeOWMU_4cHG49KczRb1M9yUyaJz5GTM-GSQNzwaZjLAS9kryPaEwlmbXfOMZ6vol_ckOA_6OCvdUw5AmBx52SU2fGIU-jg2_Y9yPKA/s400/Bekah+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I love you Bekah Boo! </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I pray God's blessing on you today and ALWAYS! </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">I'm so proud of the little lady that you are becoming.</span><br />
</div>seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-36453305177769279322010-01-16T21:01:00.000-06:002010-01-16T21:01:26.118-06:00Questions answeredI had a few questions posted regarding my last blog, "National Delurking Day". I don't know how to link to other's blogs so I will just have to identify everyone by their screen name. Here are the questions and answers.<br />
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Amy W asked: "Have you ever broken any bones"?<br />
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Well, not in the usual way the most people break bones (by accident). When I was a Freshman in High School I had corrective foot surgery and the doctor broke both of my big toes using a little chain saw…..and I was awake for the whole thing! Freaky!<br />
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The "other Sarah" asked: "Did you ever go through a stage of spelling your name without the "H"?<br />
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No I never did spell my name without the “H”. I was always proud of my name and the fact that my parents chose a Biblical name for me. I actually get very offended when people spell my name without the “H”.<br />
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Carla asked "Why did you spell your daughter's name the way you did"?<br />
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I chose to spell my daughter's name (Rebekah Faith, nickname Bekah) the way we did because I wanted it to be spelled like it was in the Bible. I also thought it was cool that my name ended in “ah” and so does hers.<br />
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Thanks for the questions ladies and for "delurking". Keep those questions coming. I think it's fun to get to know each other by asking randmon questions.<br />
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I hope everyone had a great Saturday!<br />
Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-71707070379286817042010-01-13T11:15:00.000-06:002010-01-13T11:15:38.252-06:00National Delurking Day....what a great idea!So great of an idea that I stole it from fellow blogger Alexis! <br />
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"Did you know that today is National Delurking Day? Well, it is. For those of who that don't know, it means that if you are a regular (or even not so regular --heck even if I don't know that you read my blog) reader of my blog leave me a comment and say hello! I'll also open it up even further and open it to questions. Yep. Ask me anything you want (well...try to keep it PG-13 or so). You can ask me anything about my band, my life, whatever you may have been curious to know about me and I will respond with my answers in my next post.<br />
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Public readers and blog stalkers alike, I want to know who you are and get to know you so I'll start by letting you ask me what you would possibly like to know about me." <br />
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Thanks Alexis for the inspiration! <br />
Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-81062715497178647672010-01-06T20:37:00.000-06:002010-01-06T20:37:22.845-06:00PicturesI haven't posted any pictures in a while so I thought I would use the few minutes that I have to put some on my blog. They are miscellaneous pics from December.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bekah and Conner hamming it up!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Rick was supposed to be posing as Conner was in the above photo....I had no idea he was doing this <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">until I looked at the picture afterwards.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">My sweetie and I at the Eckert family Christmas. <br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">A pretty decent picture.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Bekah and my neice, Gabi <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Conner being silly!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">My nephew, Xavier<br />
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</div>seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-2404586230325208422009-12-28T13:50:00.000-06:002009-12-28T13:50:14.631-06:00Blah....blahhhhhhhhhhhI'm feeling kinda blahhhhh today! There is so much hype going into the CHRISTmas holiday and then for me it's always a huge let down when it's over. Usually takes me a few days to get over the fact that it's actually over.<br />
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We had a wonderful Christmas. My younger sister, bro-in-law and nephew & neice arrived in IN safely (treaveling from NC) and will be here until Jan. 2nd. My older sister, bro-in-law and nephew & neice were able to be at Mom & Dad's for our family Christmas celebration. My one bro-in-law is an EMT and had to work on Christmas day so the rest of us (12 in total) spent all day Christmas day at Mom & Dad's playing games and eating. We all spent the night....had a big slumber party, the kids really loved it! Then the day after Christmas we had our tradtional B~I~G breakfast and exchanged gifts. <br />
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My Sweetie got me 1/4 ct diamond earrings, DVD set of season 2 "Friends" (my favorite show), a pair of gloves and the best thing was that he hand wrote me a letter that made me cry. He's such a sentimental guy! The kids got me a pair of cool snow boots which came in handy yesterday for the beautiful snow we got.....too bad we didn't have it for Christmas day.<br />
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Other than the fact that I'm bummed that Christmas is over, I'm B~L~A~H because I have been eating horribly and I've not excercised in well over 6 weeks. I'm so mad at myself! Here I have been given this great opportunity (lap band surgery) to get myself in shape and better health and I've basically wasted the past 2 months. Even though I have not gained weight I have not lost anymore! I have decided that I'm going to start the new year off and refocus. I'm thinking I'm going to try the 5 day Pouch Test (<a href="http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html">http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html</a>). I'm calling on all my fellow bandsters to see what ya'll think. Do you have any better ideas to motivate me and jump start my weight loss....again? You ladies have been a wonderful support to me since my surgery and I'm calling on you to help me get this thing back in gear! I am desperate! HELP!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-4877491426549983562009-12-13T22:31:00.000-06:002009-12-13T22:31:48.540-06:0042 down and size 16W jeans!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Number_42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rs="true" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Number_42.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was pleasantly surprised when I weighed yesterday and found 206 staring up at me! I just about fell off the scale! That's a total of 42 pounds lost since my Aug. 4th surgery.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ricky and I went shopping tonight and I bought a pair of 16W jeans. I thought they looked really good....Rick said they were okay but he thought they were a little big. I went ahead and bought them because I felt good in them and I really neeed a pair of jeans to wear since the 3 pair I have now are just about too B~I~G! Yeah.....now if I could just figure out how to get that money tree to grow so that I can go on a real shopping trip.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://dyn-images.hsni.com/is/image/HomeShoppingNetwork/398207?$pd300$" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rs="true" src="http://dyn-images.hsni.com/is/image/HomeShoppingNetwork/398207?$pd300$" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wanted to give a quick shout out to some new hair products that I've recently tried and since fell in love with. Currently I am using the mousse and hairspray of the Fat Hair line. It's made a huge difference in the thickness of my hair. I plan to get the shampoo and conditioner this week to add to my collection. I got mine at Walgreens and I think that Target sells it too, though I haven't checked for sure.<br />
</div>seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-34878534728177838582009-12-09T07:33:00.000-06:002009-12-09T07:33:25.602-06:0038.4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3218/2454424229_912acf67ea.jpg?v=0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ps="true" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3218/2454424229_912acf67ea.jpg?v=0" width="320" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just a quick fly-by post..........weighed this AM and I'm down 38.4 pounds. Slow and steady wins the race!<br />
</div>seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-20390585476703014512009-12-02T13:52:00.000-06:002009-12-02T13:52:17.098-06:00Doctor visit and an un-fillI went to see my doctor yesterday. The GOOD news is that when the nurse measured my waist I was 5" smaller than at my last visit (my 1 month post op visit, now 3 months ago!) Yeah for small victories. He said that my weight loss is right on target but he was concerned that I was having issues with solid foods. I really didn't want him to do an unfill but after he checked me out he thought it was best. He said the best way to work the band is to eat solid food, not yogurt, soup, ice cream. He warned that eventually eating only soft foods would catch up with me. <strong>OUCH</strong> did that needle hurt. (way more than the 2 fills I've had). He only took out 3/4 of a cc which leaves me now at 2.50 cc's. That certainly doesn't sound like much but I do feel so much better since the unfill. No stuck issues. He thinks I'm pretty close to being at the optimum fill level. He also said that if I continue to have issues with solids foods then we would have to go back in under fluoroscope and take a look while I drink so he can watch the fluid pass through my band but I don't think that will be necessary. We'll see!<br />
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I wish I could say that I am drinking the HUGE amounts of fluids that I should be but I am not. I have never been a big drinker. I just never thought I needed that much fluid. But I will say that after having been plagued with horrible headaches for years I think I've finally figured out that I've been dehydrated for all these years! Soon after my surgery I realized that I was not having as many headaches and I started paying attention to how it correlated with my fluid intake. Sure enough....when I don't take in enough fluids I tend to get a headache and the less I take in the worse the headache! My doctor recommends 64-80 oz. of fluid/day (probably pretty much the same as my fellow bandsters?) We I usually drink a cup of coffee in the AM (8 oz) and if I get an UNsweet tea from McDonald's I drink that by the time I go to bed (not sure how many oz. in the tea) or if I am running late and I don't have time to stop at Mcydee's then I drink bottled water (sometimes with Crystal Light mixed in). One bottle of water (the kind we have at work) is roughly 16 oz. I must admit that some days I do not get even a whole bottle down.YIKES! Yesterday I drank one before lunch and one before I went to bed. So that would be a total of 40 oz (1 cup coffee and 2 bottles of water) and that's on a GOOD day! Why is it that I don't like to drink? I guess if I'm not thirsty I don't think about drinking. AAArrrgggghhhhhh! Very frustrating and definitely something that I need to work on.<br />
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I had an awesome lunch today or at least I thought so. I was in a hurry this AM (had to be at work at 7AM0 so I grabbed something out of the freezer. It was a Great Value (Wal Mart) brand frozen chicken cordon blue chicken breast and it was so good! Yum, yum and it filled me up! Just thought I would pass that along to anyone that is interested. They come packaged 4 to a box and they are individually wrapped. It's a quick and easy meal.<br />
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Gotta go get Bekah from school. I finally caught up on the back log of blogs I had't had time to read. I hope I can keep up now! You girls are doing great and it's so nice to have a group of friends (I hope I can call ya'll friends) who are going through similar circumstances and that we can support each other.<br />
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Blessings to ya'll,<br />
Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-19203739776043491472009-11-28T18:42:00.000-06:002009-11-28T18:42:22.222-06:00Still not eating muchI'm pretty much convinced that before noon I might as well stick with fluids. Nothing much else will go down. I had one bite of pound cake (I know....not a healthy choice but at this point just trying anything because I'm hungry!) and was painfully stuck. Had some refried beans for lunch with a flour shell & melted cheese. That went down fairly well. Tonight we had homemade tacos and I was able to eat two without getting stuck. I'm still feeling a little hungry in my tummy but I decided I'd better not push it. <br />
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I go to see my doc for my 4 month check up on Tuesday and I will be very honest with him on my "stuck issues" though I really hate the thought of having to have some of the fill taken out. But whatever doc says I'll abide by.<br />
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Rick and I put the Christmas tree up yesterday so we are already enjoying the holiday season. This is my favorite time of the year. I hope ya'll are doing well. I am far behind on reading everyone's blogs but hope to catch up soon. Thanks for checking in on me!<br />
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Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-30549089938253804652009-11-26T17:13:00.001-06:002009-11-26T17:13:04.467-06:00HAPPY THANKSGIVING!It was a good day all in all......had to drive 3 hours one way to be at my Aunt's for dinner but it was okay. The food was wonderful although I'm having stuck issues again and now I am sore even when I'm not eating (feels like my esophagus is swollen). I ate noodles and mashed taters, sweet taters, oyster dressing and a piece of sugar cream pie. I was stuffed! I hope everyone else is having a wonderful Thanksgiving and that your day was spent surrounded by family/friends/loved ones!<br />
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Blessings!<br />
Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-77305534869115864952009-11-24T09:31:00.000-06:002009-11-24T09:31:44.827-06:00Mad at myself!Though I am maintaining I am not losing<span style="color: black;"> and I'm mad at myself! I have been making poor food choices and I haven't exercised in a week! What is wrong with me?!?!?!? This stuck situation I am in is frustrating me too! I did 2 days of liquid/mushy food had about a day and 1/2 after that of NOT getting stuck and then this AM I got stuck again! PAINFUL and frustrating!</span><br />
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I just had to vent! Sorry ladies!seckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494827641058252364.post-25781265451361256382009-11-18T10:38:00.000-06:002009-11-18T10:38:25.460-06:00Back downI know that I should not weigh before I go to bed a night, it just doesn't make good sense but I did weigh last night and I weighed 216 (that is with the 5 pounds back on that I mentioned yesterday). So, just for grins, I weighed this AM as soon as I got up and I weighed 211! Back down to my lowest post surgery weight! How does that happen?<br />
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I've been having a problem with getting stuck when I eat certain foods lately. When I got my last fill for the first week or so I didn't have any problems. I ate, got full, stopped and not problems (no getting stuck). Now, I would say for the last 3 weeks, I get stuck all the time and usually after only a couple of bites. It's very painful and usually takes 15-20 minutes to pass. (I don't PB, just have major pain in my chest). Today I feel my iced tea passing through my throat. It doesn't get stuck but it feels like it's passing over a "bump" so to speak and then it goes down. Any suggestions? Do I need to go to all fluids or mushies for a few days? Have I irritated something and do I need to let it settle down? Please help me out ladies....I need your advice. I don't want to call the doc if I don't need to and I certainly don't want to have to pay for an unfill if it's not necessary.<br />
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Thanks!<br />
Sarahseckert08http://www.blogger.com/profile/04429043662275216063noreply@blogger.com3