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One week ago I turned a corner in my life. I am new - I feel differently about myself already. I feel like I used to before I gained all this weight = more confident, happy. Once I went back to work this week, I found I wanted to put more time into my appearance, I was so much happier at work, and was more productive, even though I was recoverying physically. I know this was the right decision, and I'm so excited to work with my band and get this weight off and LIVE! Woo hoo!!! Graduating to soft, moist, mushy this weekend, and I'm ready. Rosemary chicken in the crock pot and some soft cooked veggies sound so good. Have some domestic chores to do this weekend and am glad I'm up to doing a little yard work and housework! I love my band!

OK, my surgery is Monday the 18th! 3 days away! I'm excited and tired right now. I keep wanting to have a farewell to food party, but I'm much better off doing what I'm supposed to. Am I prepared? Yes and no. I am prepared to have the surgery and I have no second thoughts about whether having the surgery is a good idea. But my surgery date came so quick, I don't think I'm completely prepared for post surgery. One of my faults is I don't like to wing it. Fortunately, the program at UMMC provides an instruction manual. The manual includes a checklist of items that are helpful or necessary after the surgery. It's so hard to believe the date is really so close! All of the work getting to this point makes me smile now. I can't wait for Monday!

Feeling much better today. I have been able to drink and eat with minimal cramps from my new sleeve. I'm getting up and down much better as well. I still have some pulling on the incisions when I get up but it is nothing like it was the past 2 days. The menu for the last 2 days included Jello, popcicles, broth, and of course water. My plan allowed me to add some new things today so I have added unsweetened apple sauce, light yogurt, and really think oatmeal. So far everything is settling ok although I am taking it really slow. Hoping tomorrow will be even better.

Hello everyone. My name is audrey. im 20 years old and overweight. obviously. i graduated high school in 2010 and from then on i felt like i needed to start my own life and find who i really am inside. Its a scary thought that i am on my own now and i actually have to start providing for myself. By doing this it means buying my own groceries on a telemarketers wage. Now, this is a good paying job, however, im very independant so i have my own house, a brand new car and a good paying job (i know, its rare for kids my age to have all of the above ). Now, since i have all those things it doesn't really leave much room for good healthy foods. My foods now consist of canned pastas, ramen noodles and take out. quick easy and simple. and of course i am a 20 year old so you have to figure in the partying and things like that. So now that i have described a little bit about me and my day to day life i will start talking about the journey to the lap band surgery. I grew up in a house hold that was full of abuse and depression. my mom was about 400 pounds. my dad was a sober abusive guy that had nothing else better to do with his time then to beat on us kids and beat the crap outta my mom. Us kids had rules that we had to follow and one of those rules was we COULD NOT leave the table until our plate was spotless. literally. Full or not. it HAD to be clean. some parents would eventually give in but not my dad. So, now that im grown, i still have those rules instilled in my brain and thinking process. I just cannot bring myself to leave the plate unfinished. as much as i try to waste the food i just cant do it. so i will fill myself till i am miserable till "i have a clean plate". When my mom finally got the courage to leave my dad, she met the love of her life (which is pretty much my real dad....he is the one that raised me when my dad wasn't around. and for that i thank him and love him very much.) My mom had the gastrice bypass surgery and lost over 200 pounds. Got down to 180 and still struggles with her weight but will never be that size ever again. So now that that my mom realizes how much i struggle with my weight she suggested this surgery. Ever since that day ive been hooked on having this surgery. I feel like i deserve this surgery because i never got that chance to be the skinny girl or have the nice clothes or anything like that. I want that so bad. Not to be the "thin girl" but to be the happy girl thats why i chose to title this Imma rock this...cause baby i am. Im going to do whatever necessary to make myself successful and to be happy and not let anything stand in my way of happiness anymore. sorry its kinda long but i guess that's what you get for a first blog

My name is Vanessa and I am turning 40 on December 14th. My first 40 years, it seems, I have spent trying to manage a healthy weight with a string of diets and will power. All of that has got me where? To my heaviest weight to date. My next 40 years, I want to spend traveling...reaching my goals......raising healthy children. All without my body being a hinderance. Earlier this year.....I couldn't ride a rollercoaster with my 11 yr old son. I couldn't fit in the seat. I was mortified for him...for me. That was my rock bottom. For a fat girl...I have alot of energy and am pretty athletic as I am on a softball team and a yoga student. My mind believes that my weight, in general, doesn't keep me from living life. In part that's true. But my heart and soul wonder, what could the healthy weight girl do? What could she accomplish? How much "better" could she be! I would be a rockstar....a super hero! I look forward to meeting her once I dig her out of years of weight gain and disappointment. I know she's there....I can hear her!

Hormones are stored in your fat and as you loss weight it plays hell with them. It will level out eventually. Just hang in there you will be fine. Just remember your goal and you do have support.

I can hardly believe that I had my surgery almost 29 hours ago now. I feel much better than I anticipated I would. My pain level immediatly after surgery was maybe a 6 and the nurse got it down to a 3 within minutes. Once I was back in the room the pain seemed to go down to a 2-3 and stayed there for a few hours then went down to a 1. As I sit here just 29 hours post OP I have to say my pain level is a ZERO!!! No regrets on the surgery so far. I have been drinking plenty of water (slowly) and have had Jello a couple of times, broth a couple of times, and popcicle. Can't wait to see the pounds drop.

Mylynn, tell the doctor about it. Many times the doctors don't know that their office staff are falling down on the job. I agree, this is completely unacceptable and unless she wants to lose you as a patient, she needs to make sure her staff is following thru.