A New New Dawn

Perhaps, your sister has a neighbor or friend that could pick you up. It is worth asking. I am sure she may have friends with school aged children that may be able to take you. We are all in this life together and there are many people that would do things like that. Or perhaps she has a friend that could stay with her kids while she takes you. Don't give up, this is a speed bump in the road, not a road block. It sounds like you are nervous and also that you don't like to impose on others. This is one of those times that you need not feel bad asking for help (from your sister) or others. If she cannot, there may be a medical transport van that could.

Unfortunately, this is all normal too and many of us experience this. You are not taking in much/any Fiber and probably not drinking your full recommended amount yet either. As able, try to up your liquids. That helped me a lot so I didn't have a reoccurence of what you are experiencing!!!! In light of all my corny jokes that my kids roll their eyes at..... I won't say "hang in there" and instead "hang loose" my friend!

Good luck to you!!!! Are you going to go vote before your surgery, lol?

Sorry, I never saw this post before or I would have replied. My surgeon is in Winfield out of Central DuPage. He is also the Chief of Surgery I believe at the hospital. He is AWESOME!!! Him and his staff are so patient, make sure you understand everything, they are very encouraging and he is awesome at what he does. The dietician is right there too and comes in my follow up appointments to see how I am doing and offer recommendations. My surgeon is Dr. Klem.

Banana2363 reminded me about the comfy pants. I bought a couple pairs of loose fitting, elastic banded pants and they came in handy!!

I highly doubt it. A lot of what you are losing is Water weight too initially so it could just be water retention/gain to be that big of a difference in that short timespan. Just make sure you are following the preop diet your doctor prescribed. Good luck on your surgery.

I am so sorry to hear about the loss for you and your family. She sounds like a very special woman. You, too, were very brave to go it alone and that same strength will help you in your success with the band. I hope your husband returns soon. Peace and love to you and your family.

If you feel you have no restriction, perhaps you just need a fill. I would talk to your doctor. As we lose weight and over time as it loses some of the saline it can become looser again.

Oh, please don't be so hard on yourself. You are still human and don't need to be "perfect" with the band. Right now, your body needs rest and nourishment to get over the bronchitis and stress issues. Please focus on getting that part healthy. I wouldn't go out and order Big Macs and chocolate shakes but continue to make good food choices and focus more on getting healthy rather than beating yourself up. You cannot exercise now since you cannot breathe easily. Perhaps, as able, go for walks to help get rid of the funk and to get moving without over exherting yourself. Hang in there... it sounds like you are doing just fine given the circumstances.

I don't know if you have a costco by you but they have (in the refrigerated section) a tub of the tzatski (spelling, sorry) sauce that is lowfat/low cal (theirs is made with Greek yogurt) and very yummy. I use it in moderation and my kids like it for veggie dip.

I signed up on Pinterest!!!

You will get there. Look at all the weight you have lost already. These were definitely tasty and worth making. They were very easy to make too. If you go on that site, there are similar recipes for cheeseburger cupcakes, and several others. Your mushy stage should be here soon and it will be great to get some semblance of food in you. Hang in there. The liquid stage seems to drag on as your appetite comes back but it will be gone before you know it.

We all have these moments and thankfully they pass. Are you counting calories and not just carbs? If so, are you staying under 1200 calories per day and getting in 60+ grams of Protein? If not, those could stall you as well. Good luck, this will pass.

Awesome!!! Congrats!

Pb'ing usually involves a lot of salivating too (to the point of foaming at the mouth) ~ gross and tmi, but "it is what it is".

They were very easy to make. Browning the meat before assembling them is the only thing that takes effort. Note, the wonton wraps are typically in the produce refrigerated area.

Yum, the zucchini tots look yummy. I will have to try that. Have you ever reheated them? Do they reheat well?

I should sign up for pinterest... I have been on it and there are a lot of cool ideas. Maybe I will do that. Which other ones have you made? I was going to make the cheeseburger one but i didn't have cheddar cheese so maybe tomorrow. I love making these cupcakes as they are so nicely portioned and a quick reheat for other meals. I put a bunch of meatloaf ones in the freezer that I can easily take out a couple pieces. I love it!

Chapstick is my staple item for the hospital. You'd be surprised how dry your lips get. Also, if you are staying the night don't bother trying to bring a magazine or anything to read.. you won't use it. For home, make sure you have tried out some Protein drinks beforehand so you find one(s) you like, have other liquids and Soups, sugar free Jello, yogurt, at home and a heating pad. Also, after a couple weeks my stitches and incisions itched like crazy. I got hydrocortisone spray from Walgreens that helped a lot. Good luck!

I would strongly suggest you set some boundaries with your mother. My mother is a lot like that and it was toxic for me. I still care about her and make sure she is ok but she is rarely invited into my personal life as it is unhealthy for me to deal with her comments and judgements. I would tell her that your surgery, eating habits, etc. are off limits and thank you but no thank you. As an adult woman, you do not need to justify having tomato soup or anything else for that matter. It sounds like you are really trying to get her to change or hoping she will. I tried that for years and it doesn't work. My mom couldn't see the err of her way even when I explained very clearly she would still do/say the same things. Finally, I "let go" and realized I was putting far too much energy into the sitatuation and it wouldn't change anything. It has been very liberating to let go of that negative energy. My sister doesn't speak to my mother at all for this reason. Sometimes we have to accept that we cannot change the sitatuation and learn to accept in ourselves how it is by setting boundaries. I have to wonder if some of her controlling is her way of trying to make up for the years she wasn't there and wanting to feel like she is playing that mother role now. It sounds very unhealthy for you though. Good luck and please don't feel you have to justify what you do to anyone but yourself.

I work in the healthcare industry myself and HIPAA is a huge topic for us. I agree with the 2 earlier posts that your HIPAA rights were strongly violated. I know that won't undo what happened with your sister; however, I would urge you to report it. That is unacceptable and they need to be put on notice. As for your sister and other relatives you can simply tell them your medical history is not open for discussion as it is your personal business. It sounds really caddy how it was handled at the party. You did this for YOU and it is YOUR business. Be proud of yourself and your success. One of the things we have to do as banders is be strong, strong to make smart food choices, strong to follow the guidelines, strong to stay committed and make this a success. Use this as your opportunity to be strong with those around you as well and set your boundaries. You don't owe anyone an explanation. You can simply smile and say "thank you" if they ask about your weight loss or mention you have lost weight. Good luck to you! Be strong!!

You are still in the healing stages. I don't think you would have slipped your band this quickly. I am glad you are following up with your doctor but I think you are ok. The body does a lot of funky things while you are healing. Have you been throwing up repeatedly? That typically would be what would cause it to slip.

Once the swelling goes down more, that should get better too. You may want to try some hot tea to help southe your tummy a bit. It will get better before you know it.

I think planning ahead is the best idea. Also, I noticed some of my problem with eating out is sometimes I am caught up in conversation and eat faster than I should (not even realizing it) or because I am trailing behind others that are eating or being distracted I haven't chewed as well as I would normally. You have to be very conscious of what you are chosing as well as how you are eating. The distractions can cause me to derail. I went out the other night though and told my daughter ahead of time that I need to eat slow so bare with me. Thankfully this time it was uneventful and all went well. I loved being able to order from Applebees under 550 calorie menu and finishing about half my meal.