Fadeout

Hi there! hope everything goes well for you, Ive been learning so much from everyone here and it really makes a huge difference, I only have a small support system available to me offline because of where I live now, so I tend to completely embrace and appreciate whatever I can benefit from in cyberspace!

Ive been experimenting with blending soups and some taste pretty good with the chunks smoothed out.. cream of mushroom.. lentil soup.. I even blended up a chinese take out's sweet corn chicken soup, added some extra lemon and black pepper and it was great! I think if you have a basic vegetable or chicken broth, it would make it less boring adding different flavors to it each time you have it, like one day add lime juice and a little soy sauce for an asian touch.. next day add oregano/thyme and garlic/onion powder for an italian mood.. hhmmmm a little curry powder and dried chilli flakes for an indian feel.. stuff like that you could probably find recipes online for healthy soups that have good blend potential, hmmm i wonder how much experimenting members have done with their blenders hehe

Hmmm I was planning to rely on the same GNC whey powder myself so Im nervous now hehe I havent actually tried it yet.. But I cant help thinking about how baby milk powder has the tendency to clump when its mixed with cool water.. and I remember that I solved that issue by adding just a tiny bit of water first to make a "paste" texture first, then gradually adding more water.. I have no idea if that would work with WHEY powder but its worth a shot?

I can relate to your sulking emoticon.. I really sobbed when I had to delay my appointment.. but then I realized (and hope you find comfort in this thought too) that a few weeks delay is nothing compared to years of being held back by extra weight. Everything happens for a reason, maybe you will get a bit of extra time now to make final preperations too. All the best to you

Hi everyone, I have been so excited about my Feb 1st date and was so hyper going back to the drs office and being told that all my tests came back with great results, I wasnt required to go on a pre-op so Ive been drinking soups and protein shakes to practice.. got my overnight surgery bag all cosied up with a soft pj, socks, lipbalm, moisterizer, etc.. and suddenly I felt a calm.. everything was perfect.........(pause for suspense).......! and then a week ago I got a call from a close relative, a close relative who has been a very painful aspect of my life because after they caused me so much pain they simply walked away, and because Im such an advocate for reconciliation (or kept taking the role of a doormat?) I kept trying to reconnect, only to be rejected, for years. Anyway. This relative called to tell me they just had a hysterectomy, and needed my help. So I literally dropped everything and rushed off to be by her side. She wasnt on my SUPPORT list of ppl to tell about my surgery.. so I realized Id have to delay my appointment until she was better so that I could disappear and get banded without her deciding that I've plotted something against her with my disappearance. I cried and cried after I told the Docs office I had to delay my surgery, because it took so much strength and mental preperation to get to this decision, and I was so afraid that I'd hit a wall and that I would never get to the surgery room for whatever strange circumstances... the fearful little child inside of me. But after a few days of sulking and biting my fingernails and rushing around with errands to help close relative, I realized that the good part of the story is that I DONT feel hesitant at all! which is so unlike me! I only feel more confident that I want this! and I called the docs office and asked for a reschedule ASAP! (I didnt say that, but you get the picture lol). And now Im waiting for a confirmation for an appointment between 18-28 of February.. So hopefully Im still a February bandster with all you FAB FEB people! ) I just needed to vent and have been too shy to do it until now.. So thank you

I wonder if the pre-op diet depends on our bloodwork test results as well as our BMIs? I was wondering about that too, I'm getting banded Feb 1st and since they havent put me on one, starting today Ive decided to try and get some of those liver-shrinking benefits myself! But Im going in for a pre-op meeting with the surgeon today and the take-you-to-lala-land specialist for final Q&A and mental prepping lol.

I dont know what time my surgery will be yet (will be told on monday), but Im actually worried about it being in the morning!!! :0 Butterfly tummy before 9AM always turns into headspinning nausea! And I stress out about being late ( cuz I usually am ), and I imagine that waking up from surgery with only a few hours til bedtime would help day 1 go by quicker then waking up to a whole day ahead of you to deal with.. I dont know, 1PM looks just about perfect to me! Good luck

Thank you all for sharing your journeys, and thanks Rockin for starting this thread.. what an inspiration you all are!

EEEK is right! hehee reminds me of the excited nerves/fear of a baby on the way, except this time we're delivering our own rebirth so to speak yes there is fear of the unknown but no second thoughts and as soon as those negative doubts poke my brain I shake it off! Im working on my list of things to prepare for the event, im getting those papaya chewables too.. and I have to go in next week to get instructions on my pre-op diet! Wish you all the best, here we go!

Oops double post.

My husband knows that I have serious insecurities that I have struggled to overcome for years. In general it has given him the impression that I lean on him for inner strength and self esteem which has had its cons of course. I have been teaching myself to become more emotionally independant to stop that negative cycle, a journey that also affected my decision to get banded. Soon after I told him i was pretty shocked to hear him ask me if I was going to get slim and all hard to get and turn my back on him!! This is coming from a man who has tons of ego, rarely expresses his vulnerability. Since i can relate to being vulnerable, so I have openly and repeatedly offered words of reassurance on how the band is an improvement for OUR life because I will be happier and healthier WITH HIM.. Even though he seems to be back to his normal, big headed self

I wonder if you gained because of the working out? And the stress of a weigh in might be causing you to hold water in? Stress definitely does that to me. But its your journey and your efforts and if she is mean again she might need a reminder that you are a person not just her job. One thing I remember reading is that if you drink three whole glasses of water as sooon as you wake up it will totally and immediately flush your whole system out, if you know what I mean, and that might give you a good jump start! Good luck!

Oh sorry, i thought you said you WERE big on fruity water!! Well another thing that comes to mind is vegetable juices, i used to cringe at the thought but i got a juice recipe book and some turned out pretty amazing. Good luck!

Im planning on making fresh lemonade and sparkling water a habit, Ive almost completely stopped drinking sodas now (surgery is in two weeks) but im still having a sip or two every few days hehe. I like flavoring sparkling water to make them interesting, like squeezing some lime into a perrier or crushed apple slices or some pomegranate juice, etc.. Makes it nice and zingy I want to try and stay away from artificial sweeteners as much as possible really.

Good luck with your Feb surgery! I just wanted to add a little thought. I imagine for a lot of us, making this decision took a lot of strength, and personally I think it is a stepping stone towards learning to love yourself better (better love better you!) and because of that I feel its important to remember the priority is you right now. I agree with mgmagnolia, your sis in law might feel threatened and react negatively but depending on personalities she might soon be inspired by you and support your journey. I had to tell my boss, and when my surgery date was confirmed I told some other colleagues because Id rather be openly discussing it and raising awareness than wonder if ppl are whispering their guesses about my weight loss over coffee.. Ive told my husband and daughters and two girlfriends who have been lovely and supportive. Ive decided I wont tell my family because they would only have negative things to say and would belittle any success. I feel I deserve to make that choice regardless of how I might be judged if they later found out, and I hope you feel as comfortable with your decision.

Well I got my date and its Feb. 1st!!! omg Im a nervous excited wreck because its real now hehee! Im actually glad its sooner than expected, I overthink things so the faster Im there the better! Also I love the date cuz 02.01.2012 looks good lol, total luck but yea Ive been thinking of a tat and wanted to incorporate the digits of the day my life turns around!

Hi! My surgery is planned for February, I'm seeing the surgeon next week and will set the actual date then! I actually want to ask him if it can be either the 2nd, the 12, or the 24.. Just so that the date looks nice lol.. Petty but Im not ashamed to admit it!

Hehee I love the humor that shines through in your post, you really got me laughing AND informed at the same time! Do you not like yoghurt at all? Not even the flavoured kind ( some of the calcium fortified ones made for kids are completely smooth if thats a concern), not even frozen yoghurt? You mentioned how accessible fresh juices are and your so right, herbal teas are also a huge passion in kuwait. I know that peppermint tea relieves gassiness. Also apples, carrots, and a chunk of fresh ginger all juiced together is a wonderful blend that relieves gassiness, diarrhoea, and boosts the immune system too. I love ginger powder in soup as well, maybe you could add some with a little lime juice to give your chicken broth a bit of an asian twist? Also specific to kuwait, many of the little local restaurants (even co-op ones) sell very cheap fresh lentil soup, chickpeas with lovely broth (you could probably ask for a cup of the broth without the whole peas), very healthy veggie stew (called aash) and another made with oatmeal and beef stock (called yareesh). Also very accessible are the mediterranian hummus variations that are sold all over the place. These are all very healthy, very cheap, and very easy to get your hands on and they will definitely be a part of my first weeks post surgery. Hope this helps!

Im so sorry, that must have been very difficult news to recieve from the very person you were expecting support from--to now need your support in a situation you can relate to from past experiences.

Amazing! Your story is such an inspiration, you prove that its never too late to turn life around, no matter how difficult a past you have survived! I'll be following your journey and cheering you on!

Hi Miekah, My advice to you is to realize what you want from the inside out. You said in your post that you fear the drastic lifestyle changes.. But you also said that the quality of your "current" life is drastically declining. So the way I see it is, a drastic lifestyle change to your downward spiral would be one that breaks the cycle and lifts you out to positive opportunities. I hope that thought, as well as the researching youve been advised to do, helps you make a decision that you are happy with!

Hi Mrs. Rogers in addition to all the advice youve already received, I just wanted to say that I can relate to the whole "awkwardness" of telling your husband your going for the surgery after years of insisting you are totally fine with the weight. I spent the last 18 months getting back into a workout routine and swimming and while it did gather me in a bit my weight didnt budge. THAT is when i decided to have the conversation, and told him that While i am "fine" with being a big girl (like ur hubby hes into that too), i was NOT fine with making so much effort and seeing no results, and that i have decided to get banded as a helping tool to finally see results that i deserve. That and answering all his concerns about the surgery and post surgery requirements, went really well! Hope you find it a positive experience and opportunity to create a supportive envirronment for you