Darragha

Here I am, about 10 days post-surgery and Trader Joe's opened up one block from my house. I had my first "big excursion" this morning. I showed up at 8am, listened to the mayor and the high school band and then went grocery shopping. I love Trader Joe's. I bought hummus and salmon burgers and all kinds of lovely proteiny mushies. I also bought foods my family will eat. I didn't ever really feel remorse while shopping, but I did kind of wish I could eat some sushi or a really nice salad with salami and chickpeas as I wandered the aisles in a huge crowd of fellow "first day early morning shoppers." My adventure took nearly three hours. I was famished by the time I got home. I cooked a salmon burger and it tasted like heaven. I look forward to being able to eat non-mushies like "Thai green beans" (beans with chili paste) and salads again! I even miss chicken! I did buy some chicken salad for myself--and some really nice organic, free range and Kosher (the magic trio) chicken breasts for my family. All the Trader Joe's treats...the chocolates....the breads...they didn't call my name. I guess my mind has been banded, too. And that's a good thing! Darr

I had the most magical moment with my teenager today. And all because of my band! I posted it on my weight loss blog. So, how are you all doing? Darragha

Another victory for a Washingtonian! Darr

Agreed! Darragha

Being the mother of a teenager is the hardest job I'll ever love. Any quality time with my busy daughter is cherished. She has school, a job and a horse. She's always on the go. Sometimes I just want to hold her and cuddle her like I did when she was a baby! But she's growing up, and has a good head on her shoulders, and I love the woman in her, too :eek:

Hi Been awhile since I visited or posted. Life gets busy, huh? I had a heck of a time in December when my band was too tight and had an emergency unfill on 1/3/08. I've had a little fill since then and am doing OK. If your band is too tight, do not wait to get an unfill, no matter how slight that unfill may need to be to correct the problem. Lesson learned! My clothes are hanging off me and I've lost just shy of 50lbs. I love my band. I am so glad I did this thing. So...how's by you? Darragha

If any one ever wonders about me (and thanks!) you can always give me a boot to the behind at darragha @ gmail.com (no spaces). I have a "contact" form on my webpage, too. Goodness sakes...being supported and supporting others in return is one of the best things about being banded! Darr

Wal-Mart brand acetaminophen "caplets" with a red and light blue casing. I am soooooo stuck right now. And I do not relish trying to make the things come back up when they wouldn't earlier. I guess I'll wait (and wait) until they dissolve a little from south-traveling saliva and then do my happy dancing for the day. Darr

Yes, yes, yes I have trouble taking pills! I must take them one at a time or they get stuck. I used to be able to shovel a handful into my mouth, take a swig of coffee and be on my way. No longer. I have a sore throat and ear thing going on, so I took two acetaminophen caplets this morning. Big mistake! They're not going down and they're not coming back up. Stuck! Banding is a learning experience, man. Darr

All of the above. How's about not feeling so bleedin' out of place all the time? Not being the fat chick any longer. Looking completely fabulous on the back cover of a book.

I drink a hot liquid--like coffee--before I eat in the morning. I drink my water before I eat and take little sips all day long. I have trouble eating dense meats like steak. Bummer. Darr

Thank you LessNLess! Darr

Carne Asada. I made nice thin sliced red meat tonight. The nurse told me to eat foods that "will stay above my band" for awhile instead of going for stuff like garden burgers and hamburgers. One bite, chew chew chew chew, and it is stuck. I've had 3 minor PB's before, but this one is painful and prolonged. I assume it will go down at some point, because it sure as Hell isn't coming up! Sliming is icky. I've learned my lesson. If I think I'm taking a small bite, make it even smaller and chew it longer. Darr

I did something yesterday I have not done in...forever. It was a dark and stormy night. And I'm not kidding. The weather was most foul. Cold, cold, cold, biting hard rain and wind. We took the kids (the daughter and her boyfriend) to a movie last night, deciding to have dinner at a Mexican place first. I was looking forward to carne asada or some kind of Soup. I had already prepared my "no rice no chips" mindset. The wait would have been too long, so we decided to head up the street (about 2-3 blocks) to Round Table pizza. Somehow, by the grace of the weight I've lost and my ever-increasing ability to walk upright, I literally dashed up the street. I did not waddle. I did not amble. I did not whine and ask my husband to get the car. My ankles did not hurt. My hips did not hurt. I felt so good pushing through that nasty weather I actually felt like running. Holy cr*p! I WANTED to run! I could hear my daughter and husband behind me going, "Mom's running! Look at mom go!" I made it into the restaurant before any of them. My husband was so proud of me he gave me a hug and let me catch my breath in his arms. It took only a few moments for my body to return to normal (no hard breaths, racing heart) and I made it through the dinner eating a personal-size extra crispy crust chicken garlic pizza. Comparing my itty bitty four pieces of pizza to "regular" size pizza slices, I think I had about 1.75 slices. Nothing got stuck. I had no trouble because I CHEWED and took little bites. I had a huge snack at the theater. Three Milkduds. Not a whole box. Not two boxes. Three. And I was done. I love the way my band say, "Way to go, Darr! You just ate your fill of this treat and congrats on stopping right now! Oh, and baby cakes, if you don't stop now, you are going to sit through the entire movie with a golf ball lodged in your throat." It was wonderful to taste a little chocolate and caramel again. A little goes a long way! Saw "30 Days of Night." Both the daughter and I are hankering for more back story on the vampires. They were wicked little beasties! Darr

I started out at 347, banded at 333, and am now 320 as of my last weigh-in at the local postal scale. I had never considered by-pass before, though I do have relatives who've been successful with that surgery. I "have heard of" more people with success having the band. Friends of friends. "She's lost over a hundred pounds." I personally know 3 women who've been banded and they are all doing well with their weight loss journey. I'm one month out, just about healed up, had my first fill and am doing OK. I'm suffering through my first major PB as I type this and that's not fun, though I'd never go back. Darr

Really, freakin' small. And that's OK!

I did! I did run like a normo! OMG! I'm less fat!

1) I know who was eating all the bread in the house now. I didn't think I was eating *that* much bread. I've bought two loaves for "my family" over the last three weeks, and one molded and the other went into the freezer. 2) My tummy is musical! Little funky rumblings is the name of my stomach's...(cough, choke) band. 3) Walking after eating is a good thing. I seem to digest things better with exercise. Go figure. 4) I have completely lost my craving for coffee. 5) Nothing "hurts" any longer. My hips, ankles, etc.--like OMG! Does losing weight actually make a difference? It's true! Darr

10/17, 4pm, I had my first "fill." Apparently the doctor left "3cc of primer" in my band which means I've been working with a slight fill since being banded. I knew that. I've had cold salmon and noodles get "stuck." The nurse had me lay down on a table top and lift my legs with knees straight after asking me numerous "banding" questions. She scolded me for not getting in enough "chewy" Protein (like chicken) and for not drinking milk. I'm also supposed to add a high Fiber Cereal to my yogurt. I am "off" smooth things and need to eat solids that will "stop at the band." I thought I was doing that, but apparently not! As I lifted my legs she poked around to find my port, than jabbed me with a needle and withdrew the 3cc of saline already in my band. She then added 2cc more. I sat up and drank some Water. The water got "stuck." My band, filled to 5cc, was too tight. I had to endure another poke so that the nurse could remove 1.5 cc, leaving me with 4.5 in my band. I got the water down, went home and ate dinner, did fine with Breakfast and then had my "snack" at 10:30 a.m. I couldn't eat my 10 grapes. I made it through 7 of them (chew chew chew) and was "finished." I waited awhile, then ate the last three. I was ravenous at 11:40, so I ate my handful of spinach leaves, salsa and garden burger. Everything went down OK. I made it through the day, cooked dinner and didn't run into a problem until I popped some Ibuprofen to get rid of a headache and STUCK! I think I need to get smaller pills! It took awhile, but the pill went down and my evening snack of a handful of blueberries has been fine. My fill hurt. It bled and I had an allergic reaction to the adhesive on the bandaid and have a rash. I suppose it will get easier and easier to be filled--but hopefully my sweet spot will be found right away and I won't have to be poked once a month for the next year! I weighted 324 fully clothed with clogs at 4:00 p.m. at the "fill" clinic. I weighed 333 fully clothed the day of my banding. That's 9lbs lost or 3lbs a week, which is exactly what I'm suppose to be doing. My starting weight was 347 on August 1st. Last time I weighed myself without clogs, in the morning wearing lighter clothing, I was 320. I'm on my way! My next fill is 11/7. I'm going to increase my walking from 10-20 minutes per day to 30, too. I finally feel like I'm coming out of the surgical fog and am definitely having more energy now.

I've never been told not to take Ibuprofen. I will ask, however. And about eating...I figured I was supposed to be on liquids or mushies after a fill but the nurse told me to EAT. I'm doing fine, and I do have restriction. But I haven't downed a whole roast chicken yet (as if!) Darr

When my belly is making beautiful music, I swear, at times, I can feel "my band."

I'm kind of *there,* too. Except that I cannot eat cold meat or Pasta. In fact, even hot pasta doesn't go down. I have a 14cc band, and kind of believe I already have some restriction. I can tell! My first fill is today. Darr

I'm kind of *there,* too. Except that I cannot eat cold meat or Pasta. In fact, even hot pasta doesn't go down. I have a 14cc band, and kind of believe I already have some restriction. I can tell! My first fill is today. Darr

Mine, too! I'm not keeping it a secret. I'm finding people think I'm very brave and they applaud my efforts. Darr

I am commiserating with y'all. I'm 3 weeks out, do have a bit of restriction, and am craving salty Snacks. I'm doing pretty good staying away from them, but I'm hungry, still a bit tired and trying to "enjoy being in the band." Darragha :eek: