Castle Girl

Aloha Everyone, My appt. is today at 2:00p.m. I will look around and wait and see to find any and all of you in his waiting room. I assume we will stay there, go to cafeteria, or over to mall. i am really looking forward to seeing each of you. Mahalo, Kathleen

Aloha gals and good morning! It is great to catch up, I am back "in the loop." I have two other bandsters that I have met through this jouney...patients of Dr. Fowlers that i will invite too, OK? One was my roommate during surgery which is a great story, it was an accident. The other is a woman that Jennifer gave her name to contact when I was trying to figure out whether I wanted the band or gastric bypass. I ended up meeting this gal and she was very helpful. Anyways, it sounds like everyone is doing great!!! Lisa, hang in there with all the toilet issues, I still dont fee quite right in that area. My left shoulder still hurts sometimes which apparently is gas. I have not read anybody describing vomitting yet. I have 3 times so far and that is really a bizarre thing. That whole "hair ball, losing breath, not going down experience." My other scary thing is twice I have had what i would consider 2 "healthy binges." Meaning I overate...I ate a pound of poke on two occassions. I am thrilled I have not cheated on sweets, binged like I used too. I have been so dedicated to being healthy, but I have been concerned that I ate that much. I am toying with an idea of a fill. Have any of you had a fill? I think if I just re-group and stick with my protein, 5 small meals and not panic here I will be fine. I am excited about my apt. with fowler on the 28th and to see all of you beautiful ladies. aloha ladies, kathleen

Aloha Ladies, I have a follow up with Dr. Fowler on September 28th at 2:00p.m. so I am up for a gathering if any of you are? My surgery was 3 1/2 weeks ago and I am still being very careful with my food intake. I thought some chicken and fish was ok but was wrong. I finally experienced the slimy vommiting/losing your breath scary feeling that you have probably read about. Back to jello and chicken broth for me. Mary says when it is time for meat it will be the size of the top of a pencil eraser. I did not mean to jump into meats, I was just feeling very good and guess I was sick of liquids. I am now trying to focus on working out at the gym. I feel like I learn a bit more about this new body insert and how I relate to it everyday. I am so happy to have the help. It was great to meet you Lisa and Miriam in person and I look forward to seeing Hawaii Girl again and our Kauai friend!!!! Take care, aloha, Kathleen

Aloha Gals, wow did I miss the boat on this gathering today, so sorry. Kaohinani, for some reason I had it in my head that you would be at Castle today so I was going to visit you tonight or tomorrow am. I was thinking that your surgery was early this morning. I am so sorry to have missed you. I just opened my computer to find that you gals were just up at the mall this afternoon. Oh, so close, yet so far. I really want to meet as many people as possible. Soon enough I guess. I am glad you are doing so well. It has been 2 weeks for me and I am doing mushies. My challenge is enough water and to exercise. Take care! Aloha, Kathleen

Its interesting that your doctor is discouraging the lapband. Hmmm. My experience is that I really wanted a recommendation from my surgeon because I struggled with the decision: which one shall I do, the bypass or the band? He simply would stuck to the facts about both. He found my hiatal hernia through an upper GI and wanted to treat it for a month with Nexium. He repaired it during my banding last wed. (no extra charges). Hope all of our experiences help you as you explore your options. Aloha.

Aloha Band Friends, I am very interested in all the comments and thought I would share a few that might be helpful. My baratric team did not stress a major pre-op diet, there was a "transition diet" which meant I had drastically modified my eating habits and started back at the gym as a requirement to prepare. I did liquids only the day before. But to address the folks with anxiety about grieving and fearing depression? I think something changes once one is banded. I got banded on the 15th, only 5 days ago and there is like this new sense of strength and commitment that has taken over me. Very different than when I was pre op dieting and preparing. I was an emotional wreck then, I would fight and sometimes cave in to binges. I would panic about liquids and think the worse... But now that I am "post op" it is clear to take it all one step at a time, be mindful of what I am going to eat and when. I realize I am no expert but as someone with bipolar illness for many years I want to give hope to the folks struggling with the extra emotional baggage. I think this procedure lets us be free of some of our demons. I think this is going to have a stabilizing effect because it is going to center me on taking care of myself and giving control back to me as someone who simply lost control over a very basic human activity...eating! I wish everyone the best. Hope you are keeping a journal, I just read mine, wow! Aloha from hawaii.

Aloha Bev, if you are staying around on the Windward side after your appointments, please let me know. My appoinment is at 3:45p.m. I know Castle Medical Center has a cafeteria, I would love to meet up with you and anyone else that could join in. I think I will see if one of gals that I met that was banded 5 months ago is available too. Jennifer hooked us up with each other and it was a great support meeting someone live that had gone through the procedure. My current challenge is to count up the protein. It is hard to get the 70-80 grams of protein in! I am feeling so blessed, grateful and best of all? Hopeful about the future...sending you all aloha, Kathleen

Aloha Ladies, Oh so good to have you back with us Hawaii Girl, I have been worried. I knew you were in some pain and figured you just wanted to rest a bit. I had a rough evening last night. I got all excited about the potato soup recipe but did not read the last line. It is meant to be used as a dry mix to store and keep on hand. to use 1/2 cup, just add boiling water. It also makes 7 servings. Well it was our normal "sunday sit down dinner" and my family was having a huge pork, potatoes, etc. dinner. I was so proud of my soup bowl and crytal light. In fact I ate way too many servings of this soup!!!! I felt terrible and my stomach felt like it was 10 feet out in front of me. I layed down for the rest of the evening. I gotta get my head around this idea that it is all different now. 1/2 cup of everything. I still think this potato soup mix thing is a great idea, especially to have on hand at work. I have not gotten on the scale but I assume 5 days of sipping clear and full liquids would show some kind of difference. Just in case it is not gonna show up on the scale? I'm not gonna get on it. I figured out very quickly that the protein drink will prevent light headedness. Afterall, we gotta get some substance to our brains, right? What a journey! Wow, I am so glad I did this. I have so much hope about the future as a thin and healthy person. My kids are eating jello and pudding now and even drinking tea. So this Friday, my post op appointment with Dr. Fowler is at 3:45. I will be racing from Honolulu. What is the plan? I'm gonna go rest and will check in later tonight. aloha!:notagree

Muscle Milk (light kind) hs 20 grams of protein and 0 carbs. They have it on sale at Longs right now for 4.99 for a 4 pack. The other high protein drink is isopure which is like a koolaid drink with different flavors. (GNC for 3.99) The team at Castle Hospital really push the message that its all about the protein...which seems to be consistent with everyone in bandland. I want to prevent feeling weak. I will be going back to work next week. Take care & I am so glad you got your referral in...good job, you are getting closer...yeah!!!

Great to hear from my Hawaii friends too! Yes, all seems too good, I am almost worried. When I sip and then swallow, I don't notice anything different. Hmmm. I woke up with the sore left shoulder pain again and walked up my street. Its now gone. I am having my muscle milk with an extra shot of whey protein shake that I add ice to in a blender right now as I cruise the lap band site a bit. The incisions look good, a bit bruised around the bandages. My stomach is definitely swollen, I feel larger than ever which is annoying but this must mean I am getting ready for all the gas...I am prepared with gas x. I'm gonna add some different kinds of creamy soups today. I am thinking a lot about the future as a thinner, healther person. This gives me strength. i am so glad that some of will re-unite at the support meeting! Aloha, Kathleen

Aloha Ladies, I have spent the day laying around and taking little walks up the street. I have been sipping water, boulion, jello, and protein shakes. Pain? Not too bad, the left shoulder area is sore. Afterall, this is major stuff so I had expected some pain. The whole team at the hospital was great and I was able to ge to know a fellow banster really well in the hospital. Most of my family is under the impression I went to get my hiatal hernial repaired, others know the full story about the band. I have showered twice and covered the stitches up with saran wrap & tape. I have had a few sips of the paid medication. I tried decaf coffee today and that was yucky, I have a feeling some of my old favorites will not be so now. That will be a good thing. Hang in there everyone whereever you are on your journey. Mahalo for all the support & thoughts for the 15th, so glad that part is over...on to the next steps:)

Aloha Miriam, Your physician's referral is not a big deal. I am sure they will be understanding and supportive. The packet will flow. One question at a time. It all sounds a bit overwhelming but it really is one step at a time, it can go very quickly. Afterall, here I am and its almost Aug. 15th! Hope you are working on it now:) I have your phone number and will give a call. Aloha, Kathleen