Hi! I've been lurking for a couple of days and finally decided to post. My surgery was 02/22 so I am 4 days post-op. I've been doing great physically, other than some gas on the first day and soreness around my port. I hate hospitals so I was quick to get out of there right after surgery and have taken time off to recover at my grandmother's house. This morning (about 2 hours ago) I had my first protein shake and I am super full. I think I have never been so excited about a protein shake.
My head is all over the place. No regrets whatsoever. Just a lot of time to analyze my relationship with food and how it must change. I feel like I've gone through this before, 6 months ago when, after 16 years, I quit smoking. I've had to re-define myself in every old/new situation I am in. And while I was going through the toughest part of that process I would think: this is the first friday night of my adult life without a cigarette.
Today I have to do the same: This is the first saturday of my whole life without eating unhealthy fatty comfort foods.
My family and friends have been very supportive and I am very thankful for that. Everyone had the same first reaction, which from what I've read here is pretty common: "you're not big enough". But they all understood when I told them that I didn't want to wait until I was. I'd always been "chubby" and then graduated to overweight after college, obese was next. 4 days ago I stood on the scale before my surgery and weighed in at 202 lbs (height: 5'5). I am 28 yrs. old, and am ready to make the changes necessary now to lead a long healthy life. I already didn't give a damn for much too long, booze, drugs, whatever. I knew the band was right for me just by turning around and looking at my family, their obesity and comorbid diseases convinced me. People think this is the "easy way" to do it, I disagree...this takes a whole lot of conviction.
I've always hated that my character is judged so severely because of my weight, that people are allowed to label me as lazy, lacking in will power, etc. because of a combination between genetic disposition and a complex addiction to food. So today my main issue is what to say when after I've succeeded (I know I will) I'm asked how I did it. This might seem a little..."ugh" but I'm actually in a position where my honesty can reach thousands, where if I reply with the truth and say "I was banded and I followed through" and not pretend I just did another diet and more exercise, some of the taboo of WLS for at least some people, might be lifted. I'm not famous, just considerably well known within my business and have been honest about every other aspect of myself, including my sexual orientation. Why would I be so ashamed about this that I would lie? Why would I be ashamed about actually doing something positive about my health?
Anyway, sorry about the long rant. Congratulations to everyone banded this month! I hope we all keep sharing our progress, doubts, motivations, etc. here and supporting each other. We should all be very proud of ourselves and take this bold move not only as an opportunity to be thin, look better, or be healthier physically but also as a chance of a lifetime to redefine ourselves.
Stay strong!
