So I am on my last day of my first two weeks post op with my band. I started out at 256 when my journey began. I was 235.5 going into surgery and I am now 226.6( In the morning that is not in afternoon or evening or any of the other times I get on the scale like a crazy compulsive woman- I always a pound or two higher then).

My first gem of advise is this- stay away from the scale: Ok, it exciting seeing the weight come off, but weighing yourself 3, 4 or 12 times a day isn't going to speed it up. It will just drive you crazy. I have been back an forth at 226/228 range for last few days. I get upset if it goes up a touch here and then get crazy about.

So here is gem number 2: Drink your water like you should. I was trying to figure out why wasn't loosing, and realize I'm not drinking enough water. Not drinking at meals is making it very hard for me. I use to drink a glass or two with meals and a glass or two after. So now I'm actually drinking less then normally. I really need to work on that now.

Gem number 3: Maybe you all are smarter then me. But for some reason I thought it would be ok to schedule my dental appt one week after my lapband. So here I am only drinking liquids and I go and have a crown fitted. I had a temp crown put on two weeks before surgery and this was follow up So Dentist put crown on without numbing me totally cause was only going to be a "little sensitive" she said. The shot to roof of mouth may hurt more. Whole cow was that awful. It was like brainfree on full force. And didn't go away for a day. I had stopped my pain meds form surgery but took them the next two day for my tooth. I wish I had the shot! So dentist then tells me I may be a "little sensitive" to temputure for next 4-6 weeks and should have anything to cold or too hot.Great. So luke warm seems to work. If I have something too cold or too hot and it makes it way to back of my mouth and new crown- instant headache. So allready only on liquids, now just warmish liquids. great idea Suzi. If you need dental work done get finish well before surgery. Don't make life harder then needs to be.

Now I get to start mushy phase. I just made split pea soup. A lot of split pea soup. 2 1/2 galloon- it seems. I also added other beans to it to pump up the protein. It is good to be prepared so next gem of advise: Before you cook a ton of food, make sure you have enough containers to store it in. I just ran out and got a much of rubbermaid single serving containers and now have 18 cups of soup ready to go. just the size I need. Going to put some in the freezer.

I got thru Christmas no problem. By the time New Years eve came around,I was on my fourth week of liquids and going a little crazy. I wanted to eat everything last night. Things I don't even like, just to chew something I think. I was mostly good. But, I did sneak a couple little mini pigs in blankets, chewed, and chewed them and was surprised that they went down so easily. But I felt really guilty and bad afterwards. I found myself tasting things last night. I little nibble here and one there. I would even spit it out after trying, but it was crazy.

Today I total goofed up. My kids were eating lo mein, and I was making my protein shake and reached over and grabed a piece of chicken from my son's lo mein he didn't eat. It was very thinnly sliced and not breaded or anything. I popped it into my mouth without thinking. I chewed it up a bit- and swallowed. I had gotten the little pigs in blankets down no problem, night before: but not the case this time. This was my first experience with something get stuck. It was scary and I did not like it at all. I felt like I was almost choking, but I could still breath. It was a tightening of my throat and lower. I was panicky, I didn't know what to do. Still have no idea what to do. What I suppose to try to get it to go down or back up. I was so afraid that I screw up eveything. I drank some water, at first it didn't help. Kept trying to burp or cough,anything to get it loose. It took a few minutes for feeling to go away. I drank my shake once I was settle down again. Won't be doing that again any time soon.

Otherwise doing well, trying to walk a bit every day. Today did 65 minutes on treadmill, yesturday walk the high school track with kids for a mile. They were getting bored with it quicker than mommy.

Today I wore a pair of pants I couldn't even button morning of surgery- Not even close to closing. My husband laughs, cause my new favorite thing today was sliding these pants down over my hips and off without unbuttoning them. " Honey, look, look what I can do! Isn't that cool" He's response " yes sweetie, just don't show that off to everyone, they might not all understand like I do"

I go see my doctor on the 5th for first post op check up. Wish me luck. Suzi