Wenjea

Mal - I'm thinking of you and praying you will heal and this will resolve itself. We are all here for you. I did the craziest thing last night. I was cutting up cantaloupe for my family and talking to my daughter-in-law to be and without even thinking I poped a piece in my mouth, chomped three times, and swallowed. Mindlessly! I had this panicked look on my face and she was like 'oh my gosh you just ate that'! I was sooo afraid it would pop my stitches and slip my band or get stuck. i felt it go all the way down but it was not painful just weird feeling. I called my band friend in a panic and she said I would either throw it up or it would go down. The point is that we are so used to mindless eating that it was a good reminder to pay close attention to my eating (drinking) everytime.

Pinenut - I totally get what you are saying about the hair. Mine feels awul, dry and limp. I tried conditioning it and it felt a little better but it still sticks to my head. i wonder if it has anything to do with the amount of Protein we are drinking? I think it is a very good possibility that the meds had something to do with it. I walked twice around the mall yesturday with Merrillee and was practically in a cold sweat. I start the day feeling great but by afternoon I am exhauseted! I'm feeling like my self most of the day. Starting back on protein and vitamins has helped a lot! Taken the hunger away. My first incision to loose all it's steri strips is the farthes on my right. It is a small hole with a small cut underneath it. I am wondering if the small hole was a oops. They are right on top of each other. I cut off all the loose steri peices and my skin is very rashy under the strips, red and bumpy but the incision itself looks good. LJUHT115 and Sue - take it easy this weekend and don't rush anything. You will feel a bit better everyday but are not full strength yet. it is okay to be babied awile longer. Milk it!

ragdoll - My doc wants us to have 90 gr. of protein in shakes plus 64 oz of water per day. You pretty much have to be drinking every five minutes to get it all down. My water bottle is with me more then my cell phone! I pretty much live in the bathroom now.

Evilah - Dr. Oh didn't do a barrium swallow on me and I wasn't cathed either. i remember it was hard to potty the first time, couldn't feel anything at all. i'm sure if this became an issue they would have to cath to empty your bladder but I haven't heard of that happening. Today is the first day I didn't lose any weight which is okay because things were going down at an alarming rate. I get to start Protein shakes today and back to my walking everyday. I know I will start to lose again soon. I am feeling very good. I am able to sleep on my side now and only feel port pain when I twist or bend on that side. Now i have to get through the next three weeks of liquids without losing my mind.

I think it's an either or thing with the bowels, Either you have the squirts or you are constipated. My guess is it all works itself out in the end. hee hee I would definately not pay for the extra night but I bet they will try and charge you anyways. Mer - I have a 10:15 appt with Oh and a 1:30 appointment for my car. I'm hoping that we can walk in between the two. The waterfront on Rustin Way would be cool. I'll call you when i'm done at Ohs.

MaryumC - you have had a lot of weight loss already, way to go! I am 8 days out and tried pudding and yogurt and both were a little painful. It might be you have more swelling then some, a smaller band, etc. Don't push it, my doc says it takes one month for your stomach to completly heal. Stick with what works for a while.

Ljuht115 - you will have to read your post again when you are off drugs! lol glad it is finally done for you, guess it is better to have your doctor fresh in the morning then tired after a long day. Bet you got to know your nurses well. Take it easy and rest!

Metalband - when hungry . . . . . drink!

just got back on line Merrilee. Sue is out of surgery but I havn't had an update yet. Is it to late to walk? Could you give me your phone number on PM so I can call you. Oh wait . . . . anna has a concert at 6:00pm so I guess I'm stuck. Maybe tomorrow, send me your number.

melissa - I heard you can put vit. E on them too. I'm using all my old gel caps that I can't take anymore on my scars as soon as the steri strips come off. the first one came off today. My post-op is tomorrow so maybe he will pull them off to check them out. Eljmom - I totally think the chew and Spit thing is a good idea. I did it with a bite of hamburger pre-op. It totally tricked my brain into thinking it was eating. I think I would be scared to do it now though until I am on solids, in case a piece slipped down my throat. Mpatrizzi - I think a lot of people feel worse on day 2 & 3. Hang in there because it does get better. I am on day 7 and I still have to rest a bit. I still feel my port side if I twist or bend to far. I think there is still some swelling on my stomach. Wearing anything tight or high on the waist is not tolerable yet. I'm wondering when that tenderness goes away.

anjul 19 - send someone to the store for liquid tylenol PM. The heating pad helped me relax the most so I could sleep. My back was the only position that was possible. I have just started sleeping on my side again with a pillow to prop up on. Hope this helps. . . .I know how hard it is and when you read how easy someone else is having it, it makes you think something is wrong. I have a very high pain threshold and I had a rough 4 days. Don't push yourself, relax, stay in bed!

jessica - how tall are you? I was just noticing that you and I have almost exactly the same amount of weight to lose and banded on the same day. You are a heck of a lot younger though . . . I am young at heart!

I took a lot of gas x strips (4-5/day) and lived with a heating pad on my stomach for several days. Try to stay in bed propped on pillows and only get up to go to the bathroom. When you have to get up then take a lap around the house a few times and get back in bed. My doc said 3-4 sips per ounce of water . . . . small amounts.

anjul 10 - did they send you home on different meds then at the hospital? I felt worse at home but partly do to lack of strong medication. The nurse told me day 2 & 3 would be the worse. I thought day 5 was the turn around day when I could say I was feeling better. Hang in there cuz it does get better eventually.

my heparin shots were in my left thigh. A couple of days after surgery i was lookin at these purple dots on my thigh wondering what they were and then I remember the shots . . . .oh yeah. Hey Band-mates - twinmommy, eljmom, Wej, LisaM, Laurienj, and pinenut! Isn't it good to feel almost normal again? I had some yogurt today even though my doc doesn't consider it liquids but since most of yours do I decided to try some. I'm losing way to fast (2 pounds per day) and am light headed all the time so I hope this helps a little. Plus I think it will be good for my digestive track. I am not supposed to be on mushies for three more weeks but I do get protein shakes and vitamins added back tomorrow so maybe I will feel stronger then. okay . . . the yogurt is a tad painful . . . can feel it in my pouch. maybe I will wait till tomorrow.

dawn - I'm wondering if I'm losing to fast also. The last few days I've been dropping 2 pounds a day. The loss is great but I have this light headed feeling all the time. The nurse suggested regular apple juice and don't dilute it. she suggested my blood sugar is low. I see the doc on Friday and he will add back vitamins and protien shakes so I know that will help. i won't be surprised if I gain a little. Sue - keep in touch while you are waiting. Let us know your surgery time as soon as you get it. My prayers are with you. Mer - It's beautiful outside! Do you have anytime to walk today? Pinenut - I slept without meds last night and my steri strips are very close to coming off. I feel more like myself everyday now and I haven't seen this weight in . . . . . .I can't remember it's been so long. Cool! Evilah - be sure to record your weight and measurments at your highest. It's pretty impressive to see how fast it goes. Good girl for starting now!

I'm glad it is going so well for you Kacee! Hope it continues with no gas pain. Mine hit the 5th day but only for a day and nothing to awful. Happy healing!

Are any of you LOST watchers? I can't wait till next season! Jordan Rocks! So glad she won cuz boy does she have a voice! I love Blake for what he does but singing isn't one of the things he does well. Good Luck Sue!!!!!!!!!

Have you gone to the store yet!!!!! Can I bring my little dog to try stuff on? Thanks for the ID info Mer. You are the best! Wanna walk tomorrow?

You guys inspired me to try on some of my capris today. I pulled two because they looked rediculously big and most of them fit well. Ten more pounds and my 20's will be to big. I tried on my 18's but they were to tight in the waist (still swollen) I was shocked they fit on my hips and huge thighs. I have plenty of clothes till I reach a 14. I'm 5'10'' so I'm thinking when I get to size 12 I can buy,buy,buy! I totally over did it today. Started to get the cold sweats in the grocery store but I felt soooo bad for my family that they didn't have hardly any food in the house. i had to come home and rest for two hours. The store loaded them for me and my kids unloaded and put it all away. Yea kids! I never got the barium swallow so that might be why I was plugged up so long but things are moving daily so I'm good. My doc doesn't allow any dairy the first month so that might have something to do with it too. I have to say though that I did make some SF, FF pudding today and took a few bites. Sinful but yummy. I just couldn't take another broth. i called the doc and asked if I could start on my protein shakes and they said no. I told them I was lightheaded from the lack of calories and they said it was probably low blood sugar and to have some apple juice. You think!!!!! Everything I've had for 3 weeks is sugar free!!!

Mer - I was looking for medical ID tags for my wrist and I couldn't remember where you said you got yours from. Everything I found was pricey. Can you tell me again. Please . . . .

Patty - I have kids with learning issues also. My youngest is medicated everyday just to function normally. People don't get the amount of work we do and the emotional drain is pretty taxing sometimes. I wouldn't trade any of them because their hearts are incredible. Sometimes we just need a pat on the back and a break from it all. You are a great mom!!!!

does anyone have six insicions? I was reading that most people have 4 small and one large but I have 5 small ones and 1 port one. I'm wondering why?!

lisaM - I am definately swollen still but it is getting better everyday. I wore jeans with a belt for a little while but when I sat down it was just to painful so as soon as I got home I changed back into a loose waist. That shoulder pain can be intense! I thought I had managed to escape it but on day 6 it was there. Hope that is all of it. Have you had the hiccups yet? That's fun! Melissa O - I was thinking I would go through my closet today too. I have put on some things that I would of thought should of been to big but they weren't. Goes to show you how tight we were wearing our clothes before. You would think 30 pounds would make a difference but it just made everything comfortable.

ontheway - it does get better but takes a few days so give yourself time. Day 4 was the turn-a-round day for me. Day 5 and 6 were making me glad I did it. This is day 7 and I'm actually going to try driving. Go slow and it will be okay. Good luck!