Leaderboard

When I first decided to have VSG, I didn’t initially come to this board. I did my research, talked to my Drs. and went through the process. Any questions that I had, I was able to research through the internet and typically I found answers. If I couldn’t I would discuss them with my Dr. or my nutritionist during my 6 month pre-op requirement. I found this board just days before my surgery. I came here looking for mutant people like myself. People whose life had spun out of control and sought solace and comfort in excessive food and drink. People who had decided that they have had enough of the churn. People that were taking the steps to improve their health and their lives. People that actually allowed themselves to be spread out on an operating table and let a group of strangers cut out a perfectly good stomach. You see, I don’t have a lot of support at home as my spouse had RNY a few years back and failed to maintain her weight and is fairly obese again. She’s been pretty passive aggressive about the whole thing and, well that’s a whole Jerry Springer episode all in itself. I don’t have any close family, and I didn’t share my surgery with anyone who was particularly close friend wise. For some unexplained reason, I needed to be in a tribe for this journey, so I found this board. I came here and I met a whole raft of nice people, people that I enjoyed conversing with on a daily basis, mutants like myself (you all know who you are, and I thank you for the friendship that you all have extended to me). I learned things on this board and I contributed and tried to support. As I did, I came to realize that this surgery is a whole lot tougher on some people than it had been for me both physically and mentally. I guess that I had focused so much on trying to lose the weight and get healthy, that I didn’t see WLS as that big of deal. I’ve done every diet, taken nutrition classes as part of my school work, was a pretty faithful follower of good gym habits; I just couldn’t put down the fork and the cup. I barreled through all this like I always had, by not taking any prisoners. It never occurred to me that others weren’t like that, so it was an eye opening experience to hear the struggles of others. As I tried to pass along my experiences and support, I started getting offline messages. Some were funny, some were more questions, but over the last couple of weeks, I got a couple that were just down right mean. I was being chided for responding in an honest and forthright manner, not being judgmental, but offering an opinion based on experience and facts. Then last week, I was perusing a thread over in one of the other sections that basically called out the so called “vets” on the board for hijacking threads and interjecting silliness and nonsense into too many threads. The poster felt like all this should be relegated to the chat room and policed off the boards. What really melted my butter was a reply by someone that I had truly respected, and someone that had been chastised openly on the board for some of their responses, actually agreeing with the poster about how some of the “vets” handled their posts. This was someone that I had actually defended and sent a message of encouragement to, now blazing away at others (and myself, in my opinion) on the board. It was a wake-up call that maybe there are mutants here that don’t come here for the same reasons that I do. Maybe they feel that this should be a very narrow, well patrolled repository of information and facts, and that there’s no room for a joke and a smile and a bit of irreverent behavior among the tribes people. So, last week I decided to take a few days away from VST and figure out what I wanted from it. Had I graduated from the tribe of mutants? Was this drama that seems to interweave itself into threads on a regular basis worth it? Had I really been that callus in my responses as I was accused of being? I even visited another gastric sleeve board just to get a perspective of how the other tribes live. Then, it dawned on me that we all come here to get something that we need. It might be information, it might absolution, it may be reassurance, and it might even be a joke when we need one, but we all come here seeking something. Because my reasons for being here are different from others, I shouldn’t be castigated for offering an opinion or a word of tough love or even warm and fuzzy encouragement. I shouldn't feel bad to have a joke with a fellow mutant about some nonsense. But, I have decided that for now, it is best that I don’t participate as regularly as I have in the past. I want to continue to learn, I want to see how others react to their quest for health, but mainly I want to be with my tribe. I can do that from the lurkers chair just as easy as I can by participating and I don’t have to sweep the drama from my mailbox. Thanks for listening – I appreciate each and every one of you for taking the courage to make the life altering changes necessary to live a long and happy life. Peace.... John

Ok so I have lost over 60lbs since I began this journey last May. 51 of those have come since surgery on Dec 24. It's crazy because I know I am much smaller, I've gone from a size 22 to a size 14/16 but I still look the same when I look in the mirror! And what's crazy is I never thought I looked that big before. HAH my body image is clearly off. What I really wanted to document was the fact that I just went and picked up some stuff that I ordered from Lane Bryant. I'm proud to say that this order will be the last time I shop there. Even the size 14/16 stuff that I ordered is really too big for me! I walked past NY&Co on my way to LB and wondered when I will be able to fit into that stuff. I think I might be there! Granted it will be the biggest size they carry vs being the smallest size they carry at LB but hey, to have the joy of shopping in a regular size clothing store....PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!

They said that they should *hopefully* know if I'm approved by tomorrow, but they want me to go through the motions as if I am already approved... So that means I start my liquid pre-op diet on Friday. I know I'm going to get through this pre-op diet with no problem....while I'm at work. It's the weekend that is going to kill me. But luckily I get to knock it out early on in the week. My mom told me that I need to "see" it, when I told her that I was unsure of my approval. Not see my approval, see myself already banded and healthy. So I had a 20 minute pep talk in my car on my way to my best friends house. So here is what I know, what's see. 1. I will be banded in 9 days. 2. I'm going to be able to run a 5k without feeling like I'm dying in August. 3. I will be 100+ lighter on my wedding day. 4. I'm going to be a healthy wife. I. Going to be a healthy mom. 5. I'm going to ride a roller coaster without the fear of not fitting. 6. I'm going skydiving. 7. I'm going to love myself wholeheartedly. 8. My band date is March 15, 2013 Lets hope this works!

The surgery yesterday evening went well, they were able to get the kidney stone out, so that's good. I'm still uncomfortable, and running a fever on and off due to the infection it caused. My blood pressure is kind of all over the place, one reading high- the next might be low- the next normal...so between that and the fever, they're keeping me one more night to make sure they get all the antibiotcs on board that they wanted to. (P.S.- these liquid meds TASTE TERRIBLE! lol) As much of a bummer as it is to have kindey stones, I really took a lot of comfort in knowing, I have no remaining issues from surgery. The pain I thought I was having b/c of it turned out to be kidney stone, so I'm completely healed and doing well with my sleeve itself. I've also found now that the stone is out- and the pain is down, I'm much better at getting my fluids in- still working on the protein angle, but it's hard to fill that order at the hospital- I've been using muscle milk for now- just to get something in. Thanks all for the support and well wishes the other day! Best of luck to the rest of you sleevers!

I started this journey in June of 2012.... And today I recieved the news that I am approved for surgery! I will be banded on March 15th. Tomorrow I am starting my liquid pre-op diet. I can't believe it's happening!! This weekend I have so much planned! Cleaning and arts and craft, and finally starting my Vlog! I will keep you posted! Thanks for reading and helping me along the way everyone!

So on Monday I put myself back on the liquid diet. Go my first fill on Tuesday. Doctor told me to be on liquids for two days. And I been working out. I'm sitting at work and co-workers decide they want to go out for lunch. So they turn to me and say are you eating today I said yup I'm having my protein shake. Co-workers response was that's not food that's liquid. So I responded by saying its liquid food for me. Co-worker says well I will be thinking of you while I eat my fried fish. And I said I will be thinking of you while I drink my wonderful shake. Who would have thought that I have such will power.

I haven't posted in awhile....life is getting in the way. I am finally on track again, I started tracking my calories and protien and making a point to drink all of my water and of course exercise. I am at 220 now and I am on my way.

Hi guys... So, I am the person who if I can find a natural, fresh way to make something I will do it... I know everyone is told drink Chrystal Light... Well, its not bad for me, but what if I can make something that tastes better that is even good for me and adding to my health not just my fluid intake... I put together two different detox drink recopies and it tastes great! And its great for you! Not only would it be good for pre op when we are trying to shrink our livers, but its good for after surgery too because of all the toxins that are released in our system when the storage cell (fat cells) are being burned. I just had to share this with you all... 2 gallons of water 3 or 4 bags of dandelion tea (or liver detox tea) 1 lemon sliced up 1/2 a fresh mango sliced up 2 oz fresh ginger sliced 1/2 cup pure cranberry juice (no sugar added) I added 3 or 4 little packs of Splenda for taste Let it all sit in a pitcher for an hour or two and drink away! I leave all the fruit in it the whole time and just keep adding more water with a litle more juice and splenda till all the flavor is gone from the fruit. It should stay good in the fridge for about 2 or 3 days Its pretty good stuff!!!

Well, only 3 days to go before surgery day! I got a call this morning to pre-register for the surgery. They just needed to verify information. They set up an appointment for a nurse to call me tomorrow between 1 and 2, to ask questions about medical history for the anesthesiologist. I won't know my surgery time until some time on Thursday. After all the doubts and second-guessing, I'm finally at peace with this decision. I know it is the best thing I could do for myself. If I didn't do this, I would eventually be over 300 lbs, and have additional health issues, and probably die of a heart attack before I was 50. I can't weight to get off my medications, and get rid of this sleep apnea, and just be able to keep up with my kids.