Babysteppin

Oh, that's so reassuring to hear. I feel like you are the brave 'guinea pig', helping us all out here! LOL. -17 lbs already?!? Dangy! That's awesome.

I just bought a Ninja blender with the to-go blender cups, and it's pretty kickarse! (This comes after burning out not one, but two crappy Magic Bullets.) I am now on a mission to smoothie-fy everything, and just tried an awesome combo: Indian Mango Lassi with cardamom & fresh mint leaf. 1 cup plain greek yogurt 1 cup sliced mango (I used frozen) 1 tbs splenda brown sugar 1 tsp ground cardamom 3 fresh mint leaves a bit of Water to get it blending Yum!!

Had my upper endoscopy this morning, and the good news is that I don't have an esophageal stricture (there were some concerns that I might). But found out that I have an ulcer, and so I'll need to have another EGD in 2 months to see if it's healed. Just kinda bummed to find out that my surgery is going to be indefinitely pushed back, right when I thought I was almost ready to go I'm also worried that these added months might give me enough time to talk myself out of having the VSG altogether....cause honestly, I've been mentally flip flopping like crazy lately! I have days where I'm totally motivated and pumped to be having it done....and then other days, I feel so insecure about my decision, and say to myself: "What the hell am I doing? Am I really considering doing this??" Has anyone else out there struggled with the 'flip-flop syndrome' too? Or struggled with just being too much 'in your own head' about getting surgery? In any case, thanks for just letting me vent!!

Oh gosh, that is so true! I'm definitely glad to have found out as well....I probably would never have had an EGD if it weren't required, so I wouldn't have known either!! So sorry to hear of your father's illness. My father has Barrett's Esophagus, which he gets EGD's for every few months to make sure it doesn't turn cancerous. So um, yeah. Not something to mess around with! Here's hoping all goes well for us both at re-check time. Thanks for sharing with me. I don't feel so alone with this problem

Thanks so much Denise. You, and other folks here are right....this setback could give me some extra time to really work on developing better habits in eating/exercise, etc. Plus as they say, sometimes blessings come in disguise. So in the meantime, maybe I'll just try to look at it as extra batting practice for the real thing. Way to go on your insurance submission! I hope you hear back soon!

Thanks so much everyone. It's so comforting to know that I'm not alone in the ups and downs of the whole pre-surgery process....especially the mental olympics involved in sticking with the desicion to have surgery. I had been thinking to myself: "Well, if I'm questioning my decision so much, then I must not be the 'right type of person' to have the procedure. The 'right type of person' would know that they know that they know......and know it 100% of the time!!" Um, yeah - craziness. Anywaaays, moving on from that kind of thinking... lol I think it's time to be stuck in my own head a little less :ph34r: , and listen to you guys a little more! And Sissy Kay - you're so right also...the extra weight DOES take away a part of living, and I want that part back! Thanks again friends. You are amazing.

So glad to hear that everything went well! Way to go

I know...they have so many! I got the 'Ninja Kitchen System Pulse' because it has a decent sized blender bowl, without being huge. But even more so, because I like that it comes with 3 16oz 'to-go' cups where you can just blend right in the cup. (This model was also the cheapest, so that goes a long way with me!) Here's a pic of the one I'm talking about: http://www.target.com/p/ninja-personal-blender-white/-/A-13742353#prodSlot=medium_1_2&term=ninja

Thank you Stacie! And wow..small world, eh? hehe. It's fabulous to hear that you're having such great successes, at only 6 months out no less! Very inspiring to hear.

Just stumbled upon this thread, and I was so happy to find all of these wonderfully supportive Bostonians! So far I've been having a hard time finding us northeastern folk on VST I live in Winchester and I'm pre-surgery with Dr. Julie Kim at Mt. Auburn. I can't tell you how RELIEVED I am to read all of your wonderful posts about her, and Mt. Auburn in general. But anywhoo...just wanted to say hi and hello to everyone, and thanks for sharing all the great information. P.S. Best of luck George! You'll do great

This fits my situation to a T. I think one of my biggest faith challenges in this whole pre-surgery process is discerning between what is God's voice, and God's will for me.... vs. my own will and desires. He's certainly way smarter than me, so I'd rather cheat off of His paper, instead of struggling to scribble my own on the fly! lol

It's as if my body suddenly got wise to the fact that I'm having VSG surgery, and it's crying out for that glorious day! Just since starting the long pre-surgery process, my knee suddenly has a mysterious "snap, crackle, pop!"....my left heel is totally rebelling...and my tailbone is starting to say enouuuughhh! LOL. Thankfully these things haven't been an issue until now because of my weight....but man, is the timing almost comical Can't freakin' wait!! That is all.

Hi everyone, Well, I'm a newbie to the group...A super-newbie, really - since I'm still trying to decide whether to take the plunge into WLS or not. I swear...the more research I do, the more confused I get! It's good to research all the 'facts and statistics', but I feel there is still such a huge 'uknown' to it all. I hate 'unknowns'!! I know every person's experience is different...and I also know there's no way for me to predict exactly how my body & mind will handle the sleeve before going ahead with it. (Sure would make this decision easier, if I could though!) Anywhoo...I was thinking it might help to hear from those who've had the surgery. My biggest question is the whole, "If I knew then what I know now" deal. If you could do it all over again....would you? I totally welcome any responses...the good...the bad...or the ugly Thanks in advance. This seems like a really great forum for support.

Hi everyone. It's really just an arbitrary number I've picked....But are there people here that are say, 3+ years out from surgery that are willing to share a bit about their journeys? I think since the VSG procedure is still considered 'new', I haven't really been able to find or speak with many people that are that far out. Not to single anyone out, or to exclude anyone either - I've just been curious lately about what the sleeved experience is like for folks that are years out from surgery. Successes? Slips? Woes? Joys? Biggest challenges? Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their ups and downs alike with this nosy Nelly.

Thanks so much for sharing your story. It has been helpful to many.

The info on that thread was really helpful for me to read and become aware of. Thanks!

Now that's pretty badass. Love it...rock on.

You go, girl! It sounds like it's at least worth going in and asking questions. Hey, the worst that could come of it is that you decide the surgery is not for you, and you don't go back. But yet even if it goes that way, it's still not really 'bad' because you'll have made a more informed decision. In any event, you'll be so much more aware of your options; be educated about the procedure, and have any doubts/concerns addressed by the doctor. Good luck, and go with your gut! No pun intended

So I'm struggling to decide at what point I should tell my boss about my plans to have VSG. I don't know whether to tell her right away, while I'm still in the middle of all the bah-jillion pre-op appointments, and dieting....Or whether I should wait until the process is nearly over. (I've been told the surgery prob won't happen until around January.) I guess I've been holding my tongue because I'm so neurotic that I'll tell her, and then either A: the insurance doesn't work out...or B: I chicken out of surgery!! (It's a story of fear and pride combined, I guess.) Has anyone else obsessively agonized about this too?! How did you navigate through telling your employer? I just want to do the right thing for us both Thanks much.

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I think one of my priorities is to give my manager some type of notice (another person on my team just started a 4 month leave of absence, which kind of stinks). But I think you guys are right though, about maybe not saying anything until I get a little closer to getting approved/getting a date. But it's definitely the: "why will you be out? are you ok?" part that has me shaking in my boots a little too. Thanks for helping me see that I don't have to feel obligated to share my 'entire story'. Luckily because I work in human resources, everyone is pretty "kumbayah-like" anyways. lol. But sometimes I just wanna say enough with all the touchy-feely stuff! I'm going on a 'vague' leave of absence! :ph34r:

I hear that Nicci. My first surgeon consult is this Friday, eeek! But we can do this. We can freakin' do this!!....Right? Best of luck.

That's awesome Mom2Five. I'm sure it wasn't easy bringing it up, but so happy to hear it went well, and that you can add your Dad to your growing list of supporters. So, um....would'ya mind telling my Dad for me next, since you seem to be pretty good at it? No pressure or anything...just sayin'. lol Seriously though, I admire you for your courage today!

I remember thinking that getting the sleeve was a pretty drastic thing to be doing to my body....But then I'll never forget what another VST member told me once - That continuing to stay at this weight is just as drastic of a thing to be doing to my body, if not more! That way of looking at it really helped my mind turn the corner. Good luck with whatever direction you choose, and know that God is with you either way, and through it all.

I cannot WAIT for my new sleeve to be "born". If it's a boy, it'll be Rodrigo. If it's a girl, Svetlana. LOL! This thread is fun

Welcome, John! I appreciated reading your blog so much. I can relate a lot with your latchkey kid stories...especially the: go to school, come home, flip on the tube, snack, commercial, more snacks, and repeat...lol. I'm also in the pre-surgery stages, and also a BIG TIME researcher. Medical journals, online support groups, seminars, you name it! I wish you well in your, yes - "journey". I've been on the boards for about a month now, and it's been such a great resource for info and caring support...and even a laugh or two