Carsons_Mommy

Ya' know, Jill, I hear you not wanting to give up your Diet Coke, but you really should try weening yourself off *now*. Otherwise, going cold turkey after surgery is going to be a REALLY bad headache. I had to become a decaf coffee to NO coffee gal and that was ROUGH! But the headache was manageable because I did it slowly. I really would like to urge you to start the process of getting it out of your system now. Plus, the carbonation is also something you don't want to have coursing through your digestive system right up to surgery day.

Thanks Jill!! I'm so excited. Your surgery's just around the corner too. YAY!!!!!

Yeah, my pre-op nurse said that the blood thinner will be what causes extra bruising. I haven't found anyone else that said if they have to do the 2-week heparin therapy like I do. I have to give myself injections every 8 hours for 2 weeks. Anyone else? I know that we're all getting it before we actually go in for our procedures, but what about continuing after?

SUCH a nice image, Linda. Thanks so much for that. LOL!!!! Now I REALLY can't wait for my surgery! Woohoo!!! Stinky, yellow surgical tape. YES!!!! Score!!

Well, in 24 hours I'll be in having my surgery. I'm looking forwawrd to just getting it done and starting my new life! Thanks to EVERYONE for all of the great, sage advice - so many people with such words of wisdom. I'll try to hop online and let everyone know how it all went. YAY!!!!!!!!! My surgery date is finally HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ooops "should pain" in my last posting was supposed to read "shoulder pain" DUH!

Linda: I'm so sorry you're still having problems with your shoulder pain. I'm going in this Friday and now, with so many others telling of similar pain, I'm really curious! What do the doctors say the should pain is from? Is it gas? Is it from instrumentation used during the procedure? I'm glad that you're feeling so much better other than the pesky shoulder thing.

Wow, wnt2lose... Thanks for sharing that whole experience. I absolutely believe in signs as well. Now I'm even more excited to go in for my surgery on Friday!! Keep posting and telling us about your recovery. WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!

Goldie1109: I know you said you don't like the whey powder, but I use the Designer Whey <plain> and I don't taste it at all. I've used it in tomato soup, juice, mixed with yogurt & vanilla soy milk... it's really kind of a "non-thing" because I can't even tell the difference, taste-wise. I've read of some others using a product called Unjury <?> but I've never tried that. They've mentioned getting it at GNC. I shop at Vitamin Shoppe. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

:think:think:think No. Coffee's not going to be my wake up juice anymore, at least not for a very long time. It's a diuretic so it can cause you to become dehydrated... <sigh!> Given the fact that we can only consume a medicine cup of water at a time, there's just not enough water going in to keep the dehydration from happening. I'm tellin' ya! The first couple of days on decaf were BRUTAL! The caffeine headache was like an ice pick to the brain.

Kristin! I love the idea of bringing your clothes to your support group meetings. What a fantastic idea!!! I've got some really beautiful clothes that I would love to see someone wear that's already lost a bunch of weight. What a great, great, GREAT thing to do!!

Hey Kristin1031! We're only 2 days away!! Can you believe it????? I'm so ready for this. As far as working, I'm going until Thursday and then I'm off - likely for the entire following week. We'll see how I feel. My coworkers have been very funny about me "abandoning" them. I keep saying, "You guys had better send me flowers! I will make your lives so miserable when I get back if you don't!" LOL! Yeah, the whole liquid diet... geez! This is rough! Scratch that. It just plain sucks!! I have weak moments here and there and will either crunch a couple of Triscuits after my Protein shake just hasn't filled the bill. Considering what I **used** to eat, I think I'm doing pretty darn great! I haven't been as strict on my "clear" liquid thing as I should have been, but I'm being really good about doing liquids for everything but ONE meal. I get to actually have some real food once a day on my pre-op plan. Not nearly as rough as some have it though. Are you just straight clear fluids for the 2 week pre-op or a combo of fluids and solids? I think I'm more fortunate than some of our fellow forum posters in that I'm actually in pretty good shape, physically. Considering I'm as overweight as I am, I don't have any co-morbidities other than sore knees from being heavy. My "internal stuff" is all really healthy and I'm so grateful for that. No high blood pressure, no diabetes, no scary stuff of any kind. Working, keeping busy with my 4 1/2 year old son, watching movies, reading books, cleaning house... these are my distractions when I feel the urge to raid the fridge. I'm actually looking forward to having some down time to sleep, though. We've had a lot of "life stuff" happen in our family so it'll be nice to put my feet up and be waited on by my husband. I'm sure he's just THRILLED at the prospect. LOL! What time's your surgery? What time zone? I'll send all kinds of good thoughts your way while they're wheeling ME in for my GRAND EVENT! Woohoo!!! Healthy bodies, here we come!!!!

Yeah... I remember running. LOL! I believe it was nineteen eighty "something", the last time I was able to do that kind of activity. I was actually a really good athlete and dancer when I was younger. I would love to be able to do those things again and will!! Especially the running - with my little boy at the park.

Linda & omlagirl: I was getting some pretty bad headaches too, but I upped my Water and that helped a lot. I think Linda's right about the lack of carbs. They create sugar in your system and with that being taken away, it's likely your body's going through some withdrawals <?>. Seems logical anyway. Water really is the best natural remedy for a headache. ...but what I'd REALLY love to have is a triple, grande, 4-pump sugar free vanilla, stirred caramel macchiatto!!!!! That'd get rid of my headache! LOL! I'll refrain, however. Giving up the coffee was a hard one for me, my friends. Especially being here in Seattle where there's a "coffee temple" <a.k.a. Starbucks> on every corner, in every mall, in the grocery stores, in the bookstores, at the gas station, in the lobby of my doctor's hospital!! It's a great test of will power, I have to tell you.

YAY, CHERLITA!!! That's so awesome! Congratulations!!! :whoo: I'm so excited for you!!

Ok Banded4Life - so we've all been jumping all over you for thinking about your wanting to go and have a "Fairwell To Food" extravaganza... but come on people! We've all thought about it. Heck! Last night I even went out with my Dad, husband and little boy to my favorite Mexican restaurant. I ordered my favorite food, munched on a couple of chips w/ salsa and then my meal arrived... I couldn't bring myself to eat it. Well, ok - back up and I'll be honest here. That's not completely true. I ate a very small portion of it and then realized, "What am I doing? I don't really want to be eating this. It's just out of habit that I'm doing this. I know I need to be getting my body and, more specifically, my liver read for my surgery this Friday!!" I put my fork down and asked the waiter to take my plate. The other folks are right. You'll get to eat your favorite foods soon enough, but for now it's about making sure your body is ready for the surgery. Getting through that safely is what's most important, right? Drink some Water, have a Protein Shake, drink some more water, go for a walk, listen to some music... whatever you need to do to focus on the success of your surgery. You can do it!!! :clap2: I know it's really rough getting through what feels, at times, like a form of medevil torture with the food "deprivation" but YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!:whoo: We're all here cheering you on!!!!! Don't inflict anymore bad food on your system and give it the rest it needs before you have your procedure. You'll be glad you did.

LOL!! That is so hilarious! Those little Cookies are such liars!! Never know hunger... riiiight! Oviously, the author of that fortune has never had to live on a low-carb, liquid diet! Good grief!! Well, I can't wait to hear how you're doing. I'll be sending you all kinds of happy, healthy, "heal fast" thoughts! Be sure and log in to let me know how everything went. GOOD LUCK!!!!

kandiceb! I know what you mean! I was beginning to feel a little panicky because the forum wasn't working this morning! My surgery's not until this Friday but I still wanted to get in here and chat a little to help my anxiousness and excitement. Are you doing an outpatient procedure or will they be keeping you overnight? So many people are doing the "in at 7am; out at 2pm" kind of thing. It's really amazing! I'm supposed to be an outpatient deal and that's entirely my plan. Nothing's going to go wrong and everything's going to be great. Same for you!!! You must be so excited! Some of the post-op folks have offered some really GREAT advice and suggestions. A couple of them that are on my list are A. Bring a pillow for the ride home from the hospital B. Have your heating pad waiting for you by your bed/chair C. Get some Gas-X or Rolaid <strips?> because apparently gas can be a problem As soon as you feel up to it, let us all know how you're doing. I'll be thinking of you and sending you all kinds of good thoughts tomorrow at 11:30am. I'm PDT too - in Washington State. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!!!!!

Really? My exercise of choice has been water aerobics and my doc said I have to stay away from that for at least 2 months - which SUCKS! I'd love to get a bicycle too. I was looking at them last night with the thought of buying one for my son for Christmas and that's when I realized how much I'd love to have one for myself too.

Hey! I say get rid of 'em!!! That's a very positive step. I'm doing the very same thing only I'm posting a lot of my summer and lightweight stuff on eBay. I'll likely be doing the same thing with my winter clothing when the warmer weather rolls in next year. My Dad is actually going to take me out and buy me a whole new wardrobe after I hit my goal weight. Woohoo!!!!!

You guys are all so awesome! Thanks for being so open and forthcoming with everything! It helps me so much to know what you're experiencing, good and bad. My best friend is the one that found this forum for me. Everyone give Hayley a big shout out and thanks for doing that. :-) Did I mention that she's having a limousine drive me to my surgery next Friday? She's so awesome!! My best friend for 28 years. So now, from all of the information about what I need for the hospital and after, I'm going to start my lists. Thanks EVERYONE!!!! Keep the info and updates coming!

Hey Ashley! My name's Andie. I'm having my surgery on the 9th up here in Washington State. Kind of wish I was going to Mexico as a little sunny getaway prior to the surgery would have been lovely. Hehehe... I'm sure the crying is due a lot to nerves. There are probably a lot of other emotions that are coming into play too. This is an incredible, life-changing thing that you're going through! You've decided that your health and living a longer, happier life is more important than being able to have just *one more helping* of this or that. Saying goodbye to the "old friend" is really tough. I don't know about you, but I LOVE food! It used to be about emotional eating for me, but now it's just because, well FOOD IS AWESOME! But, frankly, it's killing me. I have the most beautiful little boy who loves me so much and wants nothing more than for Mommy to play at the park with him, or build train tracks in his room with him... but I just can't. So for him, for my amazing husband, and most importantly for ME so that I can live a more comfortable, healthier, happier life, I'm having this surgery. That's why we've all decided to do it. It's not vanity -- well, not entirely. Hehehe... I'm really proud of you for making the decision to do this. It's HUGE! We're all here for you and will continue to be here as long as we need one another. Wouldn't it be great if the November bandsters could have some sort of reunion somewhere? I would so totally LOVE that!!!!!

Thanks Nessa3678. I hope your recovery goes smoothly. I'll be sending you really good healing thoughts!! I'm getting so excited now. Listening to your and Longhorn's stories makes me even more confidant about my decision to do this.

Kristin! Well that's just kind of scary! I'm sure it's just fine. It's great that they're being so careful, though. You know, I've just been hearing so many great stories about so many great-sounding doctors. I'm really impressed!!! By the way, we're having our surgeries on the same day. Let's keep in touch and compare notes. Let me know what you find out after your EKG. Good luck and think good thoughts!!!!!!

Thanks Linda. That's great advice. I'm definitely going to knuckle down the rest of my 2 week period and try really hard to stay on my liquid/1-meal plan. I can do this! No problem!!!! Hehehe...