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brandynd

LAP-BAND Patients
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Everything posted by brandynd

  1. Hmm...I'm just hoping that this feeling continues. I'm surprised by how easy this week has been for me. I guess I should mentally prep for the possibility of the cravings coming after surgery..but I'm not going to dwell on it for fear of losing momentum for the time being!
  2. brandynd

    Any other tattooed sleevers?

    I have 4 (well 41/2, but I'll explain that). I have a cluster of shamrocks on my lower back that I got when I was 17 (eeek! regret that one!), I have the kanji symbol for friendship on my right foot, which I will be getting covered soon, as I got matching tattoos on both feet with my "twin" in my sorority, who I no longer speak to (ahh, to be young and dumb again), I have an orchid on my left foot, which covered the other kanji symbol, the orchid I got for my grandfather, who was a master green thumb and grew the most beautiful orchids up until the time lung cancer took his life, and I have a pink breast cancer ribbon on the back on my neck in honor of my aunt who is a complete warrior and kicked cancer's ass to the curb. I will be getting a bird tattooed on my right shoulder after I get back from my surgery on March 1! Yesss.
  3. I should begin by saying I'm on a 2 week liver shrinking pre-op diet, with recommendation to eat no more than 50g of carbs per day. Everything started out great on the 11 of Feb. I was in the right mindset, and while I experienced a little carb crash, everything was going alright. So...my first wedding anniversary was February 13th. The hubby and I went to the zoo, I walked 6 miles, and had a salad for dinner. Grand total of 29 carbs. Not too shabby for pre-op. February 14...Valentine's Day. Got off work at 5, and my husband (still love him dearly, but could KILL him right now...okay, not really, because I'm getting into personal accountability and know this was MY mistake, not his) took me out to the restaurant where we had our wedding reception. HE had our wedding menu recreated (which in and of itself was SO sweet of him). I definitely ate some prime rib, green Beans almondine, and a few bites of rosemary roasted potato. I know I shot my carb intake for the day. I sat there staring at everything for about 30 seconds before looking at my husband and being like "You know I can't eat this....right?" He felt so bad and said "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about your pre-op diet. I'm so sorry, we can go somewhere else." I felt so bad, and decided I would just eat the meat. Then the check came, and because he had to have them make things that weren't even on the menu, our dinner cost him over $200..at that point I picked at my green beans and potatoes. I did NOT, however, volume eat, or eat until I was full..simply until I felt satisfied. I'm just scared I went over on carbs for the day. I have eaten under 20g a day for the past 2 days, and still have another 8 days before surgery. I have no intention of eating anything I shouldn't between now and then. You don't think I'm totally screwed now, do you?
  4. So I'm feeling pretty good....finishing up day 2 of my 2 week pre-op diet. I'm allowed up to 50 carbs a day, but yesterday rounded out the night with 28, and right now today I'm sitting at 21 with 1000 calories consumed. Don't get me wrong, physically I feel fine. Been a little bit hungry all day because I've been eating small amounts every 3-4 hours...I never really feel satisfied. I just want some carbs and starches so bad...mashed potatoes, bread, Pasta...you name it and I've got head hunger for it like mad. I know this is so ridiculous. I'm mentally prepared to end my love affair with carbs, but parting with them really sucks, especially since I'm not a big fan of meat. I've never been a volume eater, but geez, right now I feel like I could take out a whole loaf of french bread along with some garlic mashed potatoes. Ugh...alas, I will sit down to my boneless, skinless chicken breast, and my 2/3 of a cup of broccoli for dinner. 12 more days; I can do this...it just may drive me mad in the process. Any advice from the veterans on some good carb substitutes to help shut up the head hunger?
  5. brandynd

    Baked Eggs in Bacon Rings

    I'm on my 2 week pre-op and trying to watch every carb I put into my mouth, but I made a modified version of these for Breakfast and they were awesome! I didn't have any tomatoes on hand, and I used low sodium turkey bacon. Here's how I did it. 4 strips lo-so turkey bacon 4 Medium eggs 1/2oz low fat monterey jack cheese Made 4 "egg muffins" I microwaved the turkey bacon for 2:30, long enough for it to get a bit warm and for the grease to cook off. Then I drained the grease. I sprayed the muffin tins with a little bit of olive oil cooking spray (0 carbs, and doesn't leave a weird taste) Pre-heat the oven to 450 (I had to cook it on a higher temp to get the eggs to set right) Then I wrapped the bacon in the tin like the recipe calls for (except I only used 1 strip of bacon per tin), and put the egg in. I sliced a half an ounce of cheese, and put a little on top of each tin. I ate mine over some steamed broccoli....it was SOOO good, and with all of the calories and nutritional info. from the ingredients, I had 2 of the baked eggs and bacon and 2/3 of a cup of steamed broccoli for 240 calories and 4 net carbs. Yum! Using the olive oil spray really helped, and it didn't stick at all! Also, I think using the bacon fat might make these a bit oily in texture, so I opted not even to mess with that. My husband absolutely LOVED this recipe. I think this would be a good one for you ladies if, like me, you have a husband who LOVES to eat junk. He wasn't even aware that by feeding him this I was controlling is caloric and carb intake Overall, a pretty good morning meal! Enjoy! I've actually been experimenting with some low carb low cal recipes of my own. I'll post them as I figure out what works in my house and what doesn't.
  6. So...getting ready to go to the grocery store to buy stuff for my pre-op diet. I'm allotted very little amounts of carbs for the next 2 weeks. Any suggestions on what to stock up on in my house? I'm allowed to have solids until the night before my surgery, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to eat. I've been referring to pre-op as the meat diet, because other than cheese, I'm afraid to eat anything else. What did you all eat prior to surgery? I'm kind of lost...
  7. brandynd

    Dr. Rod in TJ on 02/26/11

    Congrats! You're scheduled for the day after Fern and I. I know you'll be happy with your choice, the staff alone has been amazing this far into my journey! Keep me posted, and feel free to message or call me if you want to talk. I'll see you in TJ in two short weeks!
  8. brandynd

    Sleever's Rendezvous...?

    Oh bummer . That's right after Berkshire weekend here in Omaha, so my boss will be out of town, which means nobody else can take time off. Have fun ladies!
  9. brandynd

    Sleever's Rendezvous...?

    So why don't we all push for August?
  10. brandynd

    Is Palin NUTS????

    If I'm not mistaken, you are attempting to insinuate that Obama was born outside of the US, am I correct? This is the same right wing conspiracy theory that other conservatives have been throwing around since Obama took office. I love how people keep insisting the Barack Obama isn't a real American..if these ridiculous accusations had ground to stand on, he would have been removed from office long ago. So forgive me for being blunt, but your rants sound like those of an ignorant NRA member more than anything else. Then again, me sharing a bit of reality with you will do nothing to change your mind, so perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut afterall.
  11. So I was over on OH, and I was just kinda looking through the different forums. I'm confident in my choice of the VSG (a month and some change away!), and I would not even consider another surgery, but I was just kinda curious about the stats for other surgeries (my family is throwing a fit about my choice). Anyways, I was on the DS board, and they have some pretty frightening things to say about the VSG....about how it'll surely fail and all sleevers will regain their weight eventually, etc. Any veterans have words of advice for a now terrified baby sleever?
  12. brandynd

    February 2011 - Sleevers

    Nerves are starting to kick in....good luck ladies, can't wait to talk to you all on the "other side" of this thing! <3 Brandy
  13. brandynd

    Is Palin NUTS????

    And it's a good thing too that she won't get elected! If that woman makes her way into the white house I will be showing up on the doorstep of one of our Canadian VSGers and moving in for 4 years ! But in all reality, I fail to see how Michelle Obama's campaign has received so much criticism; it's no different than the campaigns some of the former first ladies have worked on in regards to ending illiteracy and drug use....just my $.02.
  14. Any word on what happened? I'm lost without my pre-op info. Sad panda
  15. Hey there kids! I'm glad we've got this forum active now! I'm 22 and will be sleeved February 25 with Dr. Rod in TJ!
  16. brandynd

    Are there any SIZE Goal sleevers out there?

    Woo hoo kids! Sleeved in a month and I'm soooo excited! This is gonna sound ridiculous, but I'm already looking forward to June, when we head to Chicago for the NKOTBSB show. I know I won't be into a 6-8 by then (I'm currently in a 22), but I'm hoping to be down to about a 14/16...that's 3/4 sizes in about 5 months...doable? I hope so! Anyways...I've had my eye on the cutest outfit that I want to buy for the trip! So, from the warped mind of Brandy, here are the clothes I want for my first goal (granted, they'll be in the upper sizes of what the store sells, but at this point, just fitting into the clothes from my favorite store sounds AWESOME!!): http://evanity.com/category/fashion-outfits-for-women/outfit-1.do?nType=2 Soooo cute! Ahh to fit into regular sizes again! I'm tempted to buy the jeans in size 34 (vanity equivalent of a 17/18), but I'm hoping I have the discipline to be smaller than that by then (I typically go down a size for every 10-15 pounds...so by my count, that's about 45 pounds to fit into these pants!)
  17. So I just returned from a scary visit at my parents house. I went out to see my mom, and she's been on a four day drinking binge. She's had some depression issues since her RNY and chooses to self medicate with alcohol. My mom had a bad drinking problem when I was growing up, but got it under control by the time I graduated high school. She's maintained her weight well, but she's had some major issues since her RNY with regards to depression. I went out to visit her at 2 this afternoon. By the time I got there she was already half crocked, and had been drinking while taking her medicated cough syrup as she was diagnosed with bad bronchitis earlier this week. It was so bad today that she thought I was 17, and proceeded to lecture me about hating my boyfriend (I broke up with him almost 4 years ago). I explained to her repeatedly that I'm 22, in college, and married to a man who she adores. I'm so scared I'm going to turn into my mom. I know I'm predisposed to having an alcohol problem, and I'll be honest with you....there are days when I just get up and I want to drink. I never do of course, and I've never abused alcohol (I drink once a month--if that, and even then it's usually just a couple glasses of wine or a few beers); but still, sometimes the urge is there. This is probably irrational and I aware of that...I'm just so scared that I'm going to spin out of control. I can't exactly talk with my friends about this, because it's so humiliating to admit that she's back to her old ways. Just feeling a little lost this evening. Sorry if this doesn't make much sense.
  18. Oh you are so sweet. It's just been difficult dealing with that, as well as handling the stress of the upcoming surgery. Sometimes it feels like I'm looking into a mirror and seeing the worst parts of myself being lived out by her. I doubt that makes much sense, but that's how it feels. She called me last night sloppy drunk again. This time wanting to talk about how she's so excited to go to TJ with me so we can go out and have margaritas. Explained to her AGAIN that I won't be drinking...I'll be having surgery, and she's going to make sure that I'm okay. At this point I'm rethinking whether or not I want her to go. She's a wonderful nurse, and great when she isn't drinking; but I don't know if I can trust her to stay sober the entire time we're down there. That's awful. I feel like I've betrayed her just by typing those words onto the screen. I plan on getting into group for adult children of alcoholics, but right now the only time they meet in my city is Monday's, and I have class on Monday night. So I'll have to try and get there once I finish up this course. I'm in an accelerated program at my school (trying to knock out my last 5 classes before grad school!) and this class ends at the end of the month, so hopefully I'll be able to get in there soon! I did call and talk to my dad today. He's been pretty supportive of everything. I told him about being worried for her, and he feels the same way. He's been clean and sober for 15 years, after a particularly frightening incident when my siblings and I were children. I don't know how he does it being around her, but he's still on the wagon and going strong. Said he couldn't stand the thought of taking another drink and hurting the family any more than what he's already done. I'm just hoping he'll talk her into getting help before it gets worse.
  19. So....as my date nears, I'm getting more and more nervous about my surgery. Everyone talks about nerves, and their fears for the future after VSG. I too, have my fair share of fear; but, can I be honest? The thing that I'm most worried about is waking up and still having a catheter crammed in my chooney. I know that sounds ridiculous, but EVERY TIME I've been cathed I've wound up with a killer UTI. My body hates me (my kidneys have a tendency to act up), and I'm good for one UTI every six months as it is....seriously, it's like clockwork. I know they'll probably give me one anyways, but do you think it's possible to tell them to pull it out before I'm lucid? I swear I'll pee without it. Hell, I'll pee on command if that's what it takes to get the damn thing out of my vajayjay. Seriously...I think I have a legit phobia of catheters and their tendency to lead to urinary tract infections. I'm freaked out by it. Like...."If I wake up with a catheter still in my vaj I'm gonna beat you with it..." kinda freaked out. Oh....and beat them with the catheter bag; not my vaj. Just so we're clear. I'm sure there's probably nothing that can be done to prevent getting the foley, but it sure does feel good to get my irrational fear out on paper (you know what I mean). Does anybody else share in this fear? The thought of somebody poking around in my lady flower weirds me out. On a completely unrelated topic, I have successfully used four different slang terms for the female anatomy within one post. That has to be some kind of a VST record. Just trying to lighten up an otherwise terrifying situation. But all joking aside, if anybody has any recommendations or coping mechanisms for dealing with the catheter I would greatly appreciate it. Sad....I'm going in for major surgery, and this is my number one concern..not coding on the table, or developing infection; but having a tube shoved into my hoo-ha. Lovely. Oh, there's 5.
  20. I am 22 and will be sleeved February 25!
  21. Anybody sleeved by Dr. Rod care to weigh in on the catheter conversation?
  22. Oh hunny I didn't mean to scare you! I just feel like if somebody is gonna go spelunking in my candy cave they can at leastbuy me dinner first lol
  23. Apparently is was a VSG'er that made the comment about the DS'ers. Now I feel bad for starting this thread.....while I do agree that the DS forum tends to be a little....hostile I guess, I don't think it was right of a VSG patient to all out say that they think that the vocal chords of everyone having another surgery should have been cut. I think we all have a tendency to forget that the WLS community is a small one, and anything we say within the VSG community can easily be read by anybody else. Meh....guess I just added fuel to the fire on that one...my bad. On a completely unrelated topic, it got up to 14 degrees here today! Woo hoo...we're getting tropical up in this beyotch!
  24. I would be careful if you opt to go the RnY route.....your absorption will be out of whack and in order to keep your body supplied with the nutrients it needs it's possible you'll have to take a bunch of different vitamin supplements for life. That being said, if you feel that the RnY is the right surgery for you, then of course everyone here will stand behind your decision! Do you mind me asking you why you were debating the RnY? Was there something in particular about the procedure that appeals to you? Just wondering. I'm always curious about what makes people pick one WLS over another
  25. Thanks for the reassurance everyone! I'm very well aware that any WLS is a tool, and if you try hard enough you can defeat any of them. My mom is 5 years post op RnY, and while she's still maintaining at 115-120, she very firmly stood against me getting the same procedure due to malabsorbtion and continued difficulty with vomiting and dumping. She seems to be on board with my choice of surgery, as are the vast majority of RnYers and bandsters that I know. I was just trying to find some info about the DS "from the horses mouth" so I could use the firsthand info to back up my own choice to go with the VSG. I always knew it didn't sound like an attractive option for me because the idea of having my insides rerouted scares the living hell out of me, but I was just info gathering....and being a creepy lurker lol. I wasn't expecting to hear all of the trash talk and the scewed numbers about the success "or lack thereof" of the VSG. I wish I had copied the link.....I don't think I've heard any group of WLS patients talk so much trash about others simply because of their choice of procedure....I have to admit, I am completely baffled.

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