awchili

My Day One was yesterday Have had much less pain and the whole thing was much less of an ordeal than I expected. I was really scared. We had to drive an hour to the surgery center and I was grinding my teeth the whole way. We got to the surgery center. They asked for a urine sample to do a pregnancy test, which was negative (bonus!) I gowned up, they got an IV started, and I said goodbye to my husband and they wheeled me into the O.R. They injected an anesthesia cocktail into my IV port, I was asked to breathe through an oxygen mask and I was out. I woke up in recovery with no nausea and the only pain I had, or have continued to have, was on my left side where the incision for the port was located. I rested in the recovery room for about an hour. The nurse was great and gave me sips of cold bottled water. I finished almost an entire bottle of water before I left. I was given a dose of Lortab for the ride home (liquid Vicodin and acetominophen). I was a bit apprehensive about taking a narcotic, but so far it has just helped my pain and not made me feel goofy. I rested upright in a chair and watched TV for a little bit when I got home, but decided to try to go to bed. It was only about 6 p.m., so I lay awake for a while. I was a bit uncomfortable during the night, and awoke once to take more pain medicine. I had to sleep on my back to avoid the pain from the residual gas in my upper body, and I usually sleep on my left. I wear a CPAP for sleep apnea and I just hope I didn't wake my husband too much, as I am better off with the snoring if I sleep on my side. Today I have had the following: diluted juice, chicken broth, herbal tea and water. I never realized how many cooking shows and commercials with food they show on TV. It is something I will just have to avoid. I am looking forward to tomorrow (Day 3) and having some protein shakes and pureed soups. And a shower. If you're reading this, and wondering if you should do it, don't let the fear of surgery stop you from getting the life that you want. I fully intend to make this a new start for me. I look forward to being a happy, healthy thin woman again.

This is my first entry on my first blog ever. I was just banded yesterday, and so far am feeling very good. Just some soreness on the left side of my abdomen and some discomfort by my shoulder where I think some gas got trapped. Drinking liquids and doing all the stuff I am supposed to do. Why did I get the band? I got the band to hopefully start to undo the damage done by 7 years of overeating that I couldn't undo through dieting. I did it because I couldn't do it by myself anymore. I did it because I am tired of hiding from mirrors and photographs. I did it so I could have some pride in myself again. And, so far, I am glad I've done it and grateful to be on the journey back to myself.