kwindham

I was cleared at 2 weeks for swimming and took the oppertunity to hop in my pool and do some exercise with minimal impact!

Hit onederland this morning!!! Whoo Hoo! Sooo exciting! Now to just get the last 69 off!!!

That airline attendant should be reprimended. That is terrible that she just ignored your request. Feel so bad for you, but like another poster said, dont carry these neg feelings around. Realize you are going to get slimmer and healthier very soon! Hugs!

I know the feeling! I was riding 201-202 for several days and thought I will never hit onederland, but I did! congrats Mrs Riene!

To me its not only what others think, I just think my health is none of there business! From preop to 3 weeks post op my hubby was in Saudi. Before surgery he tried to talk me into post;poning until he was home saying You will not be able to do this alone without help. You will need help etc. After a while he saw my point and relented. I have support from my mom, she had bypass 23 years ago and I knew my hubby (no matter how hard he tried) would not understand how I anticipated feeling after surgery (head hunger, etc) He is a 30 in the waste, same size as my teenage boys, and has never been overweight in his life. He eats only to survive, he doesn't sit down to eat to enjoy food, he eats when he is hungry and stops when he is full. He has never overeat to my knowledge and to him eating is something that is required to survive. His entire family is slender whereas my whole family is either very overweight or obese. I dont think he can REALLY understand why everyone is not like him. He doesn't get that people eat to be entertained, feel better emotionally, or just because it taste so durn good! Or whatever reason we all have for overeating for years. I am def not blasting him because he does try to understand, I just dont think he is really capable of COMPLETELY understanding because of our different backgrounds and habits. There are still times I have to catch myself from telling my kids, "clean your plate, dont waste that food"! Old habits die hard but I do not want my kids to grow up obese. On the flip side, I knew I would have support from my parents and baby brother. my family has battled obesity my whole life! At the time of surgery my mom had just had total hip replacement 4 weeks previously, but still she followed me around the halls after surgery to do my required postop walking using a walker, when I would fall asleep walking she would pat my face and say wake up you gotta walk. Her and my dad stayed at the hosp the whole day until baby brother got off work to come stay with me. He took off for 3 days to stay the night at hospital and bring me home and stay with me at home for a couple days until I was sure I could get around alone. My point is, we all really need some type of support, but it doesnt really matter where it comes from as long as they understand how hard this can be. I have never regretted the vsg, but it isn't always an easy journey. Sometimes you feel like an infant learning how to eat, what works, what doesn't, etc, finding your limitations, figthting head hunger, and realizing you CANNOT have a cheat meal anymore. its not like a diet when you could take a day off and go to the buffet and pig out. Its simply not possible unless you enjoy pain and vomiting. I stand by my decision to keep my surgery to myself. This journey can be emotionally draining at times and I simply dont need negativity in my life from people who choose to sugarrcoat sarcasm. It is my journey and I choose to surround myself with people who are genuinly proud for me and say to heck with the others.

I told my 2 Bfs, parents, baby brother, and hubby. I did not tell my oldest brother or my teenage boys. Brothers wife is a ***** and he would tell her, and my oldest son (16 going on 30~thinks he know eveything) has no concept of social boundries so I told neither of my boys. Its no secret I have had twice yearly scopes for bleeding ulcers, so the few that asked, such as my brother I told I was getting those ulcers fixed by a surgeon. Obviously I would be on liquids mushies etc after having ulcers repaired. The other general people that I see in town etc who comment I just say I have been on a diet with high Protein limited calories etc under the care of a nutritionist. I feel it is NOBODY'S business what youdo with your body. yes there are a few out there that would be honestly proud for you, but mostly people are just cruel, esp in a small town like mine! They will say oh she took the easy way out, which is totally not true but hurtful all the same. At my preop seminar my surgeon told a story of a man that had vsg and came back to a seminar after the surgery and said this is not the easy way to lose, it is the hard way! My surgeon stressed this to us, the VSG doesn't make it easy, it just makes it possible! just my 2 cents FWIW. But I think you should tell only who you are comfortable telling. I dont like lying either, esp to my brother, butI come first in this battle, no one else!

Hit onederland this morning!!! Whoo Hoo! Sooo exciting! Now to just get the last 69 off!!!

First off~~~have a wonderful time! I love cruising!!! Second, traveling after the sleeve requires some thought. I was not 12 weeks yet, but at 4 weeks went to Hawaii for 2 weeks. Talk about super nervous, but my surgeon assured me I would be fine! I waited until the week I was leaving to pick up a few neccesities as I was down a size already. Coming home those same pants that were slightly tight when I left were falling off my butt! I was careful about what I ate but didn't stress to badly, just made sure I got my Water in and ate meat first. Found out that ribs were my best friend, they settled so easily with no discomfort and they tasted wonderful after a diet of fluids and eggs for 4 weeks! Just take your time eating, and enjoy the cruise!!! if you dont want your tablemates to know, push your food around your plate, Ive done it several times and no one is the wiser!

Yay! Congrats!

You will be fine! Yes it will probably hurt, you may have nausea, gas, and you may be sore. My mom said my first waking word was "it hurts" and my nausea was terrible. I maxed out on zophran and phenergan, plus i had the patch behind my ear. My dr wanted me up walking within 2 hours of being in my room. I did NOT want to! But I was coaxed out of bed to walk. Held the railing with one hand and the nurse had my arm on the other side. I continuously fell asleep trying to walk. Mom would pat me in the face and say wake up and walk. My mom had total hip replacement 5 weeks prior to my surgery and she will tell you I took care of her for the 4 weeks she was unable to get up and down etc. and stayed in the hospital with her for the 5 days post op. She says I told her while she was patting my face waking me up that I said "I wasn't this mean to you!" It is uncomfortable, and sometimes pure misery. I am now 6 weeks out and sometimes feel like a baby trying to learn how to eat, but would I do it over again if I had known how miserable it would be? Absulutly 150%!!! I feel like I have my life back! I feel better than I have in years!!!!

Yay!!!

love it about the bra! I didn't realize my boobies didn't fit in my correctly either until they actually did fit properly! hahaha

From first appt with surgeon to surgery less than a month!

The sizes probably have to do with how there bodies are proportioned. I dunno! When I was 160 (years ago) I wore a 10. Im now at 202 and in a very loose bout to fall off my butt 16. I read on the forum that you lose a size around every 15 lbs so that sounds about right for sizes. Myself personally, I dont want anyone to see my "jelly rolls". Ive gotten good at hiding them over the years. Everyone except my closest friend that has seen my jellyrolls always said my size was proportionate with my body frame. BS I say! When I got back from HI (gone 12 days) my best friends eyes bout popped out her head. I only lost 6 more lbs while I was gone but apparently the size finally started dropping. Talk about a feel good moment. She said OMG, you lost a ton while you were gone, you look so good! its so nice to hear those things NSV*** Neither of my teenage boys know what I did. I have had bleeding stomach ulcers for years and they think those were repaired. My oldest (16) has a BIG mouth and no concept of social boundries so I didn't tell them. I have only told my parents my baby brother, but not the older one (his wife is a b***h and he would tell her) and my 2 closest friends. Anyway when we got home from HI I noticed my oldest son kept looking at me funny. finally he said, are you losing weight or something? Haha! I said yea it was all that hiking and dieting Im doing! Sweet!

Notime, wow, 48 lbs! That is awesome! You will come out of this stall in "notime" at all!

My dr cleared me for diet soda @5 weeks

My dr cleared me for A cup of coffee @ 3 weeks. Regular caffeinated coffee! Yay! I have one cup in the morning to get woken up (so not a morning person!). I have had zero problems, but ask your dr!

I ate watermelon starting about 2 weeks postop

At that stage, I was tired seemed like all the time. It just depends on how well you think you can handle the fatigue & trying to learn how to eat away from home. At 3 1/2 weeks I flew 16 hours to Big Island, HI (still here btw) My dr knew I was going before surgery & said I could travel @ 2 weeks to places where there were medical facilities. At my 3 week postop I took a list of things I wanted to do & he cleared me for everything but Scuba (to much weight) and zip lining (the brakes sling you pretty hard sometimes). However, I can snuba, hike lava fields (tough hike), snorkel, deep sea fish, parasail, swim, etc. I have to say, some of those things I wouldn't have been able to do preop, 30 lbs makes a huge difference in how you feel! I haven't had any problems yet except for finding food I'm comfortable trying in public. We have been to Outback 3 times because I can eat there ribs(ok only 1) and they are so tender they melt in your mouth! Btw---grand canyon is awesome but last time we were there it wasn't the easiest walk along the rim. Uneven ground but they were doing work on it so it may be better now. In any case, watch where your walking and don't trip on uneven ground. Ouch!

The pain is almost completely gone. I'm thinking it was the 4WDing in waipio valley yesterday am. It was a rough ride & felt like it was gonna beat me to death! Notime-congrats on your NSV! Gaining back some independence was one of my goals as well. I hate asking for help! Lol

Hi, from Jena La here. Surgery 4/23/12 with Dr Parrish in Alexandria

From LA here too! . Jena, surgery 4/23/12

Hi everyone! I'm scared to try salad too but I want one soooo bad! I'm feeling better/stronger every day. I have done things on this vaca that I could have never done preop, like hike 5+ miles over cooled lava fields, hike 3+ miles over rocky coastline, & walk 900 ft up very very steep ramp. I have been so happy at how much easier things are after losing only 30 lbs, makes me feel like when I get to goal I can conquer the world! Lol Yesterday my left side hurt a bit like maybe a pulling/pinching sensation. Not enough to need pain meds but uncomfortable. Any ideas?

I have gotten hiccups a couple times & I have to say, they weren't comfortable! This will sound weird, but they were like hard hiccups or big hiccups. Jerk my body hiccups. Loud too. So embarrassing! Lol