Sissy Kay

You sound like a really upbeat person, sippsters! That will help you get through your harder challenges. But I'm sure that with your attitude, success is a slam dunk! We'll all be rooting for you on Monday!

To All Owners of a "Mr. Happy": Just think about how much happier Mr. Happy is going to be after you're all slimmed down and the babes think you're one hot dude! You just have to look at the "Big Picture", even if Mr. Happy isn't feeling very Big at the moment . . .

How dreadful for you to have to go through all this, Hopeful77. Do the doctors think they have the spasming of your esophogus under control? Can you keep liquids down now? I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll be doing so much better in the next day or two! And when the dust finally settles, I'll bet you'll be bragging about all the weight you've lost! Keep trying to be optimistic, and get to the other side of these awful problems. We're rooting for you!

What I have deduced from reading everything I could get my hands on is that with the sleeve, it takes a while for your stomach to figure out it doesn't need to produce as much acid as it did when you had a full stomach. It takes it a few months to come around, so during the first 6 months or so after surgery, Sleevers need to take an antacid, maybe even two, every day. But eventually, the GERD is supposed to let up. At least, that's what I'm counting on! Logic tells me that the reason I usually get reflux is because I eat too much; I don't get it on the days that I eat less. Well, after the Sleeve, I won't be eating nearly that much . . . right? :-)

I loved the move "What About Bob?" as well, Babysteppin! How extremely frustrating for your surgery to be pushed back. It takes a lot of soul searching to get just to the point where you're convinced that the Sleeve is the way to go, then to have it postponed must feel downright aggravating. But, just like being pregnant for 9 months, all the while feeling like the birth will NEVER happen, all of a sudden the day will come and you'll be SO ready for it. I don't believe that you'll actually talk yourself out of having the surgery. We ALL flip-flop just because it's such a big life change that we get to choose to make. You already know, like the rest of us, that the extra weight takes away a part of living, and you really don't want to live that way. You are a very pretty woman and you deserve to be the healthiest and happiest and most confident you can be. YOUR DAY IS COMING AND YOU WILL BE READY FOR IT!!!

Marveous, Tamjo! Don't you feel like you OWN the world? Think of all the great things you're doing for your body -- putting less stress on joints; lowering risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease; and then there's that part about feeling better in your own skin! You're a beautiful lady and deserve to feel good again, all the time! Just never give up, never surrender.

What a scarey story, Amazong! Had you not had any clue there was a problem before you had heart failure? That's simply not fair! I'm so sorry that the liquid diet is so hard on your stomach -- if you weren't having your surgery tomorrow, I would suggest (with your doctor's okay) to eat one or two saltine crackers very slowly. You have my complete support and I agree that, as miserable as you are right now, everything will be worth it in the end. Major good luck tomorrow!

You guys are SO right! Saying you don't eat sugar is way better (on so many levels) than saying you're on a diet! GREAT THOUGHTS -- THANKS!

You are HOT, Kansas1965! You're leading the parade!

Oh LaBelle, I have often stated that it's not money or sex that makes the world go round. It's plain ole' JEALOUSY. And when you do achieve your goals, be sure to thank this "friend" for her unintended motivation! Sounds like you're probably more self-conscious, self-examining, and considerate of others -- stay that way and it will make your total personal "package" the deal of a lifetime !!!

Oh LeBelle -- You are beautiful! I am so happy for your terrific new outlook on life. With your great enthusiasm and that wonderful smile of yours, you will be successful in every aspect of your life. Being a "normal" body size certainly helps attract the male of the species, but a good attitude is the other half of the battle. YOU GO, GIRL!

Oh my goodness -- you've done so great! Please don't be down just because you haven't done anything great today. Think how many thousands of folks out there would give anything to have accomplished what you already have! (And I'm jealous that not only have you lost a good chunk of weight, but you're 8 years younger than me as well! ) Yes, life is what it is, but that doesn't mean you can't influence what it is. What do you think will make you happier? Do you need better friends, some time off, a new hobby, a change of job venue, a new hairdo, a new challenge in your life? If you truly can't think of anything that would make you feel better, you might be slipping into a period of depression. Don't shrug depression off -- it zaps all the fun out of life. Please talk to somebody if you just can't find contentment; you only have one life to play with!

Hey SlimShadee, Truly -- I feel your pain! I'm not sleeved yet (big day is Dec.3rd!), but constipation runs in my family, and my sister and I have had incidents very much like your story. Talking about feeling like you got shafted! As Doxieville mentioned, impacted bowels can be very serious and are a big problem in nursing homes where folks just don't get enough liquids or exercise. I would be interested in hearing what your doctor said and what he recommended, if this occurs again. I might mention to you that at the assisted living facility where my Mom lived, the nurse said specifically that Metamucil was NOT good if you didn't get lots of fluids with it -- that it actually became more solid in your intestines, so it then prohibits regularlity. Who would have thought? Of course, you need to follow the advice of your physician. But some of the things that I do to avoid reocurrences is to be sure to take in plenty of extra Fiber everyday, unless I happen to eat a lot of Beans or have a big bowl of bran Cereal that day. To provide that extra fiber, I keep fiber tablets on hand (I think the ones I use are called Fiber Choice, but all the major stores have their own generic brands that seem to work fine); there are also the Fiber Gummies, though I don't know anything about them except that they're fairly tasty. If I have a meal with a lot of white flour, white rice, meat, and/or cheese -- the things that seem to stop me up the most -- I make sure to chew three of those fiber tablets right after the meal. That way, I don't get "stopped up" like you experienced. I should warn you not to overdo the fiber tablets, because they are quite tasty, kind of like eating a Sweet Tart. I ate about 6 of them in one sitting once because they were so tasty and I literally EXPLODED the next morning! My sister, who is an M.D., has warned me repeatedly not to use laxatives or stool softeners on a regular basis, because it is not difficult for your body to start depending on them to the point that you won't be able to go on your own. She said to prevent constipation with regular fiber and Water whenever possible, and check the label of products you use. If the label says "for ocassional use", don't use them regularly! Thank you for your honesty and graphic-ness, this is just part of life! Sissy Kay

Hi Lilee, As others have said, thank you for pulling this summary of "Sleeve Literature" together -- it is most helpful, and clears up a couple mysteries for me. One mystery I still haven't figured out is the term "Onederland", which I believe you use on the bottom of your messages. What does it mean? Thanks! Sissy Kay