Okay with some minor setbacks (however major at the time, and dang it, it hurt!) I got banded and hernia repaired on May 9th. Didn't do so bad the first couple of days. Was able to pee which is very necessary to help the hospital staff believe you are back from the living dead. Didn't feel extreme pain. Hospital stay was not most pleasant, too isolate, too old, too behind the times, so I was anxious to get out. Maybe a little too anxious. I left the next day after surgery. Unfortunately, I had some set backs with a reaction to the pain medication (was hurting me more than helping) fixed that and got a new pain medication, also my intestinal works just stopped on me. After a night in the emergency center we got that under control also. I came back home still struggling with pain in the shoulder and neck due to the air pumped in my body during surgery. My doctor says this should subside substantially in about 3 weeks time. I sure hope so. My stiches were never a problem. Minimal pain in the abdomen, had a few issues with sleeping, nausea and couldn't keep anything down for couple of days, day of stomach bloating and shut down of intestinal issues, got it all fixed… now moving around fairly easy and things are appearing to be on the way up. Saw my doctor, lost 13.5 pounds the first week. Today my husband and I went to a movie (May 18) and I even got a small non-fat/non-sugar yummy peach and vanilla yogurt. Life is looking good and I hope I will be looking better with each day. I have hope, something I thought I lost!:clap2: :kiss