hlayne

So I went bck to work last night feeling tired, but overall pretty good. After about 2 hours though, omg my back was hurting. I sit at a desk for 12 hours and answer phones, so I wasn't straining anything except just sitting there forever. I had taken my heating pad and that helped at first. I got up about every two hours to just walk around and for some reason, sitting forward in my chair seemed to be more comfortable than leaning all the way back. I got through it all though. Had some tightness in my chest, I'm guessing it's gas, couldn't seem to burp though...I don't think I've burped yet, so I can't wait for that moment! I did go to work prepared, heating pad, gas x, chewable tylenol, jello, broth, special k water....I never realized how much the people on my shift talked about food. One even went to Walmart on a break and brough back one of those little packs of chicken and mayo and crackers and was showing it to me saying that it was so good and I'll love it in a week when I can eat again......yah try 2.5 weeks til I can have that. I'm not hungry, but I want a hamburger! Oh and I slept on my side last night the whole night...with a pillow up against my tummy. I slept gooood.

OMG that sounds sooo good, but I have a week of clear liquids then two weeks of creamy before I even get to mushy. There are Velveta cheese slices in my fridge that call my name every time I reach in for a water or a jello too. Also, I keep buying food processors and then taking them back without even using them. Walmart hates me I'm sure, but I just don't know what to get that's gonna work! I don't care about making the protein shakes with them cause I put that in a jar with a lid and just shake...but when I get to mushies, I'm gonna need something for the chicken salad and egg salad etc...that I'm sooooo looking forward to having. *drool*

When I was on South Beach, I had cottage cheese with splenda and cinnemon mixed together, it was REALLY good and I don't like cottage cheese. Can you have that stuff? I think it was called a mock cinnabon. I put nuts on top sometimes, but you probably can't, and don't really have to, still tastes good. I left about 5 hours after my surgery. They wont let you leave before you're ready, you'll feel ok when you leave.

I was so afraid of getting sick the week before!! I had hand sanitizer that I carried everywhere and I washed my hands all the time! At my part time job it seems like noone there takes care of themselves and they are all sick all the time. But I managed to keep the sickness away from me! Just don't touch any door knobs! haha Anyway, here's my day 3 I suppose? I woke up about 3am, stayed up til 6am then went back to sleep and woke up about 10am. I still think this is probably from me normally working nights so I'm not used to sleeping when it's dark. Anyway, it was much easier to get out of bed, not as much pain. I used my little sucky breath thing for the last time today cause I only needed to use it for 48 hours, I didn't like that thing anyway. I keep taking my temp and it's a little low every time, but I guess that's better than a fever. I had a jello cup for bfast, ate the whole thing! Tried to drink some Protein water and apparently that is pretty filling too cause I've been working on the same bottle of it since yesterday and I'm only half done with it. Probably wasn't worth how expensive it is. Had a popcicle around 4pm. My friend that was here for the weekend went back home, so I'm by my lonesome again. I slept most of the day cause I'm going to try to get back into my regular sleep habits tonight since I have to work tomorrow night. I was supposed to wait 48 hours to shower, so I had a niiiice shower a few mins ago....found a bruise on my lower belly and some under my upper arms....dunno what they were doing there...lol. Oh, I have gas in my chest today, it's not aweful but I feel like I really need to burp and it wont go away. Tried some gas x....didn't do much. I'll have some chicken broth later and probably go to walmart...I want to get one of those hamilton beach personal blenders if I can find one, so I'll have it to use next week. Hope everyone else is doing well, and good luck to those tomorrow!! Oh....forgot to mention....OMG I want some chicken SO BAD. I'm not hungry, I just really want chicken. Not in broth form. (Not gonna have it of course, but that doesn't stop me from wanting it.)

They actually kept asking me while I was at the hospital how much pain on a scale of 1-10....right after I woke up I told them a 4, a couple hours later, I told them 3.5, a little later I told them a 2 and that's when they let me leave. Now I'd say I'm stuck at a 1. I'm sure I'll be there for a while, but 1 isn't so bad! :Banane32: You could try getting soups and that sort of thing off the internet. I ordered a few things that way. Protein powder, boullion, some protein bars for later. You can order almost anything, it's great. :Banane32:

Sounds lie a good list, I also bought a pill crusher for some things I was already taking, I bought special k protein water and LOTS of Propel fitness water, yummm. I have a hot/cold pack, haven't had to use the cold though, only the heat. My water bottles have a sippy lid and they are PERFECT so that I don't drink too fast. A thermometer if you don't have one. I've been using baby spoons to eat my jello to learn to take those small bites. I'd say that's all I've really used so far. :myscared:

If your stage 3 is like mine..mushies... I was surprised to hear I could have cereal! Just has to be really soggy. Hope that helps! :myscared: I'm still on Clear liquids for this week, then creamy stuff for two weeks...so basically 3 weeks til mushies! YAY!

Hey! It's been almost 2 days since I was banded now. I didn't have too much of a gas problem. Yesterday I did use my heating pad on my shoulders for maybe an hour. It really didn't HURT hurt either it was just kinda a really annoying feeling in my shoulders, but the heating pad helped a lot. Besides that I just get up a lot while I'm at home so I've been getting rid of the gas pretty easily with no problems. My incisions hurt more than the gas and they aren't that bad, only if I have been sitting a little too long I'll get up and my tumy will feel stiff so I walk a little bent over. I just got out of bed a few mins ago though and they hardly hurt after sleeping about 5 hours. I've been drinking water CONSTANTLY, so I don't know if that has made a difference, but I know it doesn't hurt!Everyone has a different experience with the pain, and I know it's hard but try not to worry about it until you're there. (I personally was freaking out over it...hahaha) Oh, if it helps to compare...I had my wisdom teeth out two weeks ago and it was WAY more pain than this surgery...and I didn't have them cut out, only pulled! :myscared:

Hope everyone did well today and good luck to everyone tomorrow!! Day 2 for me.... Last night I went to bed about 11pm, woke up at 3, stayed up til 4, woke up again at 6am, went to sleep again at 7am, then woke up at 11am. Not sure if this is from sleeping on my back, or the fact that I work nights so I'm not used to actually sleeping at night. Anyway, the pain in my throat was aweful...sooo sore. Keep a Water bottle by your bed!!! When I got up I had about a half of a Jello cup. My friend staying with me drove me to Big Lots, Target, and Walmart...we also went to a scrap book store, cause even though my throat is REALLY sore, I'm still feeling pretty good. Not really hungry or anything yet and the only pain besides the throat is where my incisions are. Have been taking the pain meds sparingly, since they make me sleeepy. Got some Speciak K Protein water...haven't tried it yet, still waiting for it to cool off in the fridge. Also got some "Better than Bouillon" at Walmart. I read someplace on here that it had 42 grams of protein...yah, not sure where cause the can says 1 gram per serving. It's ok though cause when I made some for dinner it tasted pretty good. Had 4 ozs of that. I weigh the same tonight as I did this morning, which probably means I lost some cause now I'm full of liquids. Used my heating pad when I woke up cause my back hurt, used it again while watching a movie this afternoon on my shoulders. Ummm...what else... don't guess I can think of anythign else, so that's my day two update. :eek:

Got to the hospital at 9am this morning, a friend of mine went with me. They verified some information from me, then called me back to weigh me, I peed in a cup and then they put the IV thingie in my hand. Now this was the suck part because my veins run deep, the first try they missed the vein and my hand swelled a little, second time they stuck me in a different place and poked all the way through the vein...not so bad cause they had given me shots so I couldn't feel it.....BUT...they went to the other hand and decided the shots might not be helping at all, SO they stuck it in with no numbing and OMG, I cried, it hurt sooo bad. But apparently this doesn't normally happen, it's supposed to be a pretty quick easy thing to go through. After that they brought my friend back to sit with me and nurses came in a couple times to ask some questions, verifying who I was and why I was there...signed some more papers. Sent my friend back out to the waiting room and I was walked to the operating room. Apparently I was the third surgery of the day for Dr Ponce out of four...wow he does a lot of them. Spoke to the anestie...ologist (sp) guy, he asked to look at my teeth? Anyway, they put an oxygen mask over my mouth cause I was getting a little scared and they gave me the meds to knock me out through my IV...I was out seconds later. Woke up before I knew it in a room for phase 1 recovery....basically just where I wake up. The nurse was standing over me, I suppose she had to stand there and watch me til I was awake, but I didn't ask. After I was pretty awake, they wheeled me into phase 2 recovery where my friend was brought in to sit with me. Apparently I was white as a sheet and I was reeeealy tired, so the nurse told me to take a nap for about an hour and she would come wake me back up. Woke up feeling better, but my head hurt a LOT, probably from no food the night before or that day. I was given my pain meds, and a cup of ice and a cup of water. They had me get up and walk around, this is when I felt the pain...it wasn't much, just pain from the incisions...I felt discomfort from the gas also, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. After walking, I went back to my recliner chair that I was in and while I was sitting I could only feel the gas...and my headache. I walked twice more, went to the bathroom twice and was required to drink my whole cup of water before I could leave. I was WAY happy with the water because my throat was dry and hurt from the tube. I got to leave about 4pm. As of right now, I feel pretty good, my throat is sore as hell, that's the worst part...a little gas, but not much...just takes a little walking to relieve...shoulder feels a little numb every once in a while. Incisions are small, just a tiny bit of bruising around them and they are covered with some sort of glue instead of stitches. I have been sipping water constantly...got out a little cup of jello about dinner time to eat..it was 3.5 ozs and I only ate about half. Have had a couple vitamin c drops that have helped my throat a little. I got those instead of throat drops cause the vitamin c drops are yummy. Oh and I have this plastic breather thing that I have to suck on every two hours...something about preventing blood clots, as well as still wearing the really tight socks that are for the same reason. I think that's about it...over all my surgery was less than an hour and right now I feel pretty decent. Hope tomorrow isn't too much worse....eek! Anyway, sorry for the novel...just wanted to let everyone know what my surgery day was like.

I just woke up. I work nights 6pm til 6am....so even though I go in tomorrow....I don't sleep between now and then so it feels like it's today! AUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All I have left to do is wipe down the kitchen counters and take out the trash, other than that I'm prepared for the weekend. Not mentally of course, but I think I've mentioned that before. One thing I thought of that is going to help me through...maybe some of you have had the same experience...the only other surgery I've had was one where they had to cut me wide open (well it was like a c section cut...even though I don't have kids)...and this can NOT be NEARLY as bad as that. So that helps calm me down a little bit. Only a little bit. Hopefully it'll all be over before I know it.

GOOD LUCK MARCH FIRST-ERS! Haha I made a new word

I've sooo heard of the flying spaghetti monster! I can't remember where though?

Mtn Dew is for before surgery, not after. That's why I said "because after Friday I can never have it again."

I want to tell you guys about the people I have told that I'm having surgery...cause it's funny (to me anyway). At my full time job...7 others have had lap band, so when I tell people there, it's no big deal. At my part time job...I told two people I'm having lap band and they just said "What's that?" So I just asked if they wanted to see a picture (my patient card) and they dropped the subject...hahaha. I'm two days away and I made my last shopping trip tonight for some last min items... +a thermometer (sp?) cause apparently sometimes you can have a high temp afterwards...so I just want to keep an eye on that +sugar free Jello cups (I had boxes that I could make, but I decided the less effort at first...the better) +a new scale (I've been through 3 this month just trying to find a really nice one that I like) +Mtn Dew, because after Friday I can never have it again..haha +Orange Juice, it's on the list for the first week as long as I water it down +Propel Fitness Water....I'm getting a little obsessed with this drink, it's YUMMY +a couple things for a friend of mine that is going to come stay the weekend with me +plastic baggies...a friend of mine with lap band told me to keep one in my purse and one in my car for emergencies....I hadn't heard this suggestion yet, so I'm glad she mentioned it! That was only what I got tonight, of course I've had a few weeks to stock up on anything else I might need. I've done my laundry, because I work the next two nights and wont have time. Cleaned my apt too. I still just feel unpreparred!! Maybe it's just a mental thing, I mean, I'm only going to be in the hospital a few hours, I don't know what I think I'm gonna need!! Good luck to those going in tomorrow!!! I might not get to post again before I go on Friday!

Oh and I forgot to mention how after all the appointments I had this week how unprepared I still feel for surgery day! I didn't even see my surgeon, I saw him once in Sept, then maybe I'll see him before he does the surgery if he comes to talk to me before they knock me out. I asked the nurse where I'm supposed to go in the hospital...she said just go inside and ask them where to go for my surgery...ok, well maybe it's just because it's a different type of surgery, or that I'm a lot older now than the last time I had a surgery of any type, but the last time....my doctor told me every little detail from what entrance I go in, where the desk is...to where I park... UGH, maybe that's the difference in care from a 20 year old to a 29 year old...I don't know...because I'm 29 am I supposed to be more mature about all of this and not freaking out??? Am I the only one freaking out this badly?? The last couple hours I've been reading through posts taking notes on surgery day stuff so I can maybe feel a little more prepared. Did I mention they didn't say anything about when I'm supposed to stop eating the day before? I think when I had my appointment back in September they might have said something about no eating after midnight....but can I drink water?? I doubt that too. I'm just going to have to call them with 800 more questions I suppose. I even kinda feel stupid for having so many questions. UGH. I talked with a lady I work with tonight who was banded two years ago...she is so tiny now...maybe a size 6. She is so excited for me, I got her phone number too in case I have a (more) serious meltdown. I'm doing the right thing. I'm doing the right thing. I'm doing the right thing.

Yah I'm scared out of my freaking mind now. I'm in that WHAT AM I THINKING????? stage. I just paid $2000...every bit of my money that I had saved, paid the surgeon and paid the hospital.... now I'm hearing about the...however you spell it...anesticiaologist...(yes, very bad spelling). I hope to GOD that my insurance pays them cause I think after $2000, I'm not supposed to have to pay for anything else til next calendar year, but I have no idea!!! I haven't had insurance very long, just a few months!!!! Anyone know how much those people charge?? I keep thinking...I'm pretty happy with myself, why do I need to go and get myself all cut up by having surgery? I have to have nothing but liquids for 3 weeks after then mashed mushy stuff for another week, then I'll probably be afraid to eat any real food because I'll be afraid I'm going to break stitches or injure something, I DON'T KNOW!!! Can you tell I'm a week away from surgery????????? :think

So I did my Upper GI thing today and it was weird but not as bad as I thought. They basically used some kind of xray machine to take pictures of my stomach. I had to drink a thick nasty chalky liquid so they could see how it went down, I had to drink a fizzy drink and was told not to burp....they needed the air in there, and then I had to swallow a pill. It was funny watching the pill drop down into my stomach. Psych eval was easy, nutrition consult was fine...nothing I haven't already learned. Had a teaching appt with the nurse...again, mostly what I already knew. She told me that my surgeon doesn't require all of his patients to go on a liquid diet, and I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have to. It all seemed really easy. Hmmmm.......too easy with my luck. NINE MORE DAYS!

I got a card today. Didn't realize I was getting one, but what a good idea!!

OMG it's next week!!!! It's so soon it almost doesn't seem real! March 2nd at 11am. I paid for part of it today too...ouch. Tomorrow I go for an Upper GI (whatever that is), a nutrition consult, psych eval and a teaching appt at the surgeon's office. I can't eat or drink anything after midnight tonight. I had my wisdom teeth pulled a few days ago and I can't even take my meds after midnight. I feel sorry for the people that have to work with me until 6am. haha I'm excited though...has anyone else already done their pre op appts?? Maybe you can let me know what to expect? Or what an Upper GI actually is? lol

I'm less than two weeks away from being banded and I keep seeing gummy vitamins and really want to buy them. Anyone had them? Or are they a bad idea?

There are loads of books on amazon.com I found the other day. I ordered a recipe book for life after weight loss surgery, got it yesterday. Looks like it has some good stuff in it.

Two weeks from today! I'm so excited! But unfortunately I can't write any more right now because I have to go get my wisdom teeth pulled in 30 mins. Wish me luck cause I'm skurred!!!

Thanks. I'll make sure to look into it.

I haven't been banded yet, so I don't really have an answer for you except WOW size 8 is incredible! I hope I can get down to the wonderful single digits! Hopefully someone will respond with some good advice. Good luck!