hopefull

I am married, have 3 kids:2 boys, 1 girl, Oh Yeah..2 dogs. I am a retired Medical Assistant doing Home Daycare while kids grow. I love going to sons HS football games. TV games not so much. I am quite ignorant of the game and get teased alot!! Cheering is my daughter's gig..Alot of time spent driving to and from.

Wish me luck....I'm drowning in all the Clear liquids I had to have to day. Hope to sleep tonight and not spend it in the bathroom. I have to leave my house at 5:00 am for the 7:30am surgery. On Saturday I am off the Old Orchard Beach in Maine for a week of resting in front of the beautiful ocean. Will post when I get back. Thank you to all of you. You have made waiting much more bearable and your posts were great to read. Pix were so great! Thanks..... Robyn

Just a post to let you know I made it through. Nothing ever goes as planned in my life. I suppose that is good for I love the surprises but not the oh ohs! My band procedure went fine but they discovered a hernia probably caused from a gall bladder removal last year. They decided to go ahead and fix it as it would cause more problems in the future. Then the biggest issue of all was that there was now to much liquid and bile from the liver floating around for the surgeon to feel OK about. They inserted a drain. Has anyone ever had one of those (XXXX)things taken out of their body. I wanted to roll over and die. UGH!. Well it is now day 3 and I am much better. Just slower healing than a regular band procedure. That side of me feels fine. It's the other side. I am only doing liquid extra strength tylenol because the percocet is hard to get down all chopped up with just a sip of water. I delayed my trip to Maine. DH will come get me tomorrow. He took the kids up while I stayed at Moms for TLC. Doing fine on CIB and liquids. All clear for 2 weeks. I am so swollen still. My rings are tight and my feet and ankles are still swollen. Hopefully that will go soon. Thanks to all.

Congratulations...I too am being banded on the 22nd!!!We'll be band twins!!

My heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all over there...

I am going to have surgery in 16 days(but who's counting!!). I was told sex in 2 weeks.

I finally got a band date of July 22.......I was so depressed at how long it was taking BCBS to approve this and the couple of screw-ups they had made, but all things happen for a reason I guess....Some good some bad. This was a good one. I go on vacation on the 23rd and I can have the whole week to myself and recuperate in private. You see I do home day care and I was concerned about what I would say to parents as to why I couldn't really move to well. My home is a crazy place during the week with 10 kids around. I really wouldn't have much time to myself at all. Now I don't have to be concerned. My DH's reaction was that it was too bad it was vacation. No lobster at the beach...no steamers at the pier. I told him it didn't matter. I have been on 40 + vacations at the beach and this time I will be more concerned with the ocean view and sounds of people having fun, the smell of the salt air and the peacefulness of the waves. I will not be pre-occupied with my next meal. This will be my last summer as a fat person (God willing) and I will spend time reflecting on that. I AM SO HAPPY I WANT TO SCREAM!!!!!! I

Way to go Mandy!!! We by July band buddies...I am approved for the 22nd!

Flower....Meet in the chat room

Hey......Congratulations.....I can't believe it came that quick. You'll have to tell me all about it. The ilnsurance company has my stuff so I should have at least a banddate next week....I'm so jealous. I hope all continues well for you.

I am so frustrated that I have tears in my eyes. I have been going thru the very comprehensibe lap band program at U-Mass in Worcester. Just before my appt with the surgeon (finally at the end of my pre-surgical journey) the office calls me and asked why din't I go have a sleep apnea study done. No one scheduled it for me. They goofed and now because of that I had to see a pulmonologis who did clear me of needing one. Now after taking a month and a half to do that I probably won't get my band until the end of July or beginning of August, depending on when my insurance approveal is received. UGH!!!!! I have a wedding in California in October that I so wanted to have pounds gone for. I could just have a 4 year old temper tantrum. Hugs needed

Thanks all....I went and drowned my sorrows in a Long Island Ice Tea at TGI Fridays...Your right DeLarla...No one is going to be looking at me. Sometimes I can be so self centered. I needed that. Zoe...I am going to call her Monday and ask her to ask the Dr if anything can be done or at least be put on a cancellation list. I have to understand that there are some things that I cannot control. But being the control freak that I am this is so maddening. I am also worried that I will gain weight instead of losing it. Summer is definitely a tough time of the year to keep pounds off. Patience, Patience Patience..........

My 16yr old son and his girlfriend just left in a limosine for the jr/sr prom. They looked so handsome and beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. I can't believe my little boy with the blond tossle of hair and beautiful blue eyes is off to a magical evening with his beautiful girlfriend. I feel so old......

Kathy....Thanks for asking....Ben had a good time with his girfriend. They, in my very biased opinion were the most handsome and beautiful couple there!!! He is only a sophmore...Bailey(girlfriend) is a junior. They have been dating almost 2 years. They are a cute couple. I sincerley hope neither is devistated by an inevitable breakup. I wish he would have met this girl 5 or 6 years from now as she is a really nice person. I will have to invest in scanner soon. I would love to post the pix and will soon have to post before and after pix of me! Robyn

I am a home daycare provider so that makes me a teacher, parent, cuddler, nurse, language consultant, parenting counselor, gym teacher, etc......I have been doing this for almost 11 years after the birth of my 3rd child.

Have anyone experienced jealous husbands after weightloss and how did you deal with it?

Has anyone been told about whether Splenda sugar substitute is OK to use??? I am not banded yet and have switched to it..Its expensive but you can cook with it, sprinkle in foods, and use in coffee. I love it.

I don't put much credence in that theory either as lifestyle, demographics, income level, all play a part in obesity. I personally was breastfed for about a month in 1960. My 3 children were all breastfed, by last one being fed this way for the longest, about 7 months. None of my children are significantly overweight but the youngest one struggles with a few extra pounds. The middle children is tall and lean as can be, bordering on being too skinny at times. The oldest one is muscular and big, but with the propensity to put on extra pounds during off seasons in sports. All three are encouraged to participate in sports and exercise activities. Thank Goodness they enjoy this.

Thanks Paula for the information...a well rounded and informed decision is always the best!! I will use the Splenda with caution...I should try to give up the added sugar ...boo hooo.:{

Who carries stevia??

I haven't been banded yet..but I have been viewing lots of before and after photos and amazed at how different people look after losing 50 to 120lbs or so. My daughter, age 10, doesn't want me to have the surgery. She is so scared that I won't be the same mom she has had. She does want me to be happy and healthy but she will miss all the cushiony bumps and lumps. Robyn:)

I was wondering about that myself...I am a picker..I am not yet banded but I am trying not to graze. some days are better than others. My question to you seasoned bandsters is "Does the quick picker uppers like Cookies, cheeze-its, snacking stuff present a problem going down?" Robyn

The liquid phase recommended at U-Mass Hospital in Worcester, MA is 4 oz sugar free nutritional supplement every 2 hours 8 times a day....ex 8am, 10am, 12pm... Also you need 4-8 oz sugar free clear liquid every 2 hours, ex 9am, 11am, 1pm...This was we are getting 48 oz of fluid and 45 grams of protein. We also need a multivitamin such as Flintstones and 2 Tums. Water, Crystal Lite, sugar free Kool Aid, bouillon, broth, tomato or v08 juice, sugar faree popsicles(only 2/day), sugar free gelatin are on our fluid list. As far as I know..mashed potatoes is not liquids. We have to do this for 2 weeks to allow for healing.

Hurray....the surgeons office has finally booked my pre-surgical consult for May 4th.....:Bunny I'm almost there!!!! So hopefull......

I too have been overweight all my life going from slightly overweight as a teen to morbidly obese in my 40s. My most vidid memory of being fat as a kid was when a teenager, (who I was friendly with in my younger years and had just grown apart from), made fun of my and called me names in front of others on the school bus. I just was so hurt and confused as she was bigger than I was. Now I realize she herself had a hatred of fat people and I agree with most of you thinking we hate in others what we hate in ourselves.....This post has really been one of the most insightful ones I read and it pulled at my heartstrings to think of how much time we think "Fat" thoughts and how much beauty in things and people we are missing...