SpecialK

Me too, home and glad to be in my own bed! They don't let you sleep at all in the hospital but I'm officially banded. Doing fine. Little sore throat from the tube they put down your throat but I figure that will go away quick enough.

Okay friends, I'm up and ready to get the day started. I guess I should say I was up before the alarm and also woke up several times during the night, I guess a few pre-surgery jitters. I feel confident this is the right decision so I'll post tomorrow when I am home from the hospital since our docs and hospital require an overnight stay.

Thanks for the info about leaving the PJs and robe at home. I guess I'll endure the ugly gowns for a day. They gave us socks with those treads on it so I probably won't bring slippers now that I think of it. Less to take in, less to bring home. I'm going to bring a book and maybe a little game - solitaire, soduku, or mini-Scrabble electronic hand games. Don't have a laptop except for work so that's staying home.

I have chicken broth, Unjury chicken soup protein mix, Vanilla and Choc protein mix, skim milk, SF pudding, 80-100 cal FF lite flavored yogurt, frozen fruit like strawberries, cherries, and I'm freezing some bananas after peeling them to be able to put into the blender with the Vanilla protein shake mix. I have low sodium soups that I was going to puree in blender/food processor. SF hot chocolate, SF cough drops - I was told your throat might be a little sore after due to tube down it, Chloraseptic for your throat for same reason. Be careful and don't use SF cough drops if you have any tendency at all to chew it or swallow it. Need to just let it melt in your mouth.

I'm getting banded tomorrow and have about 180 total to lose and I came here to the March 2007 thread for some inspirational stories and yours just filled my heart with hope. Thanks for sharing your story. I definitely will take your advice about the gym and getting exercise because I want this weight off so bad I can taste it...LOL :biggrin::wink:

Since I started this thread once I found out my banding date of St. Patricks' Day, I want to just say good luck to everyone and I'm praying for all of us to have a successful surgery and recovery. Here's a funny one to tickle you -- I bought GREEN nail polish and painted my toes!! I told my doctor and he just cracked up laughing.

My banding date is Monday -- tomorrow! I'm so excited but nervous at the same time. I have a feeling I'll need to take something to help go to sleep tonight but maybe not. I have all my grocery shopping done and I think I'm ready. Just need to do laundry today so I don't have to think about that after getting home. One question I haven't seen is --- did you take your own pajamas and robe to the hospital or just wear the ugly hospital gown! I think I'd be more comfortable in my own but would like to hear what others did.

Hang in there Sarah. Remember Protein is the most filling. Protein shakes or SpecialK protein Water helps me in between. Next that helps me with hunger is dairy like skim milk, yogurt, I put the yogurt into a vanilla Protein shake and some flavoring to help. I can't put fruit into them for me for now post surgery on Monday, but I think you're far enough out that putting frozen strawberries into vanilla shakes, frozen cherries into chocolate shakes, or frozen banana or whatever in, gives you more flavor and fills you up. I'm sure I'll be begging you for ideas too in a few weeks.

Welcome WTLI -- I would start by going to the website of each of the major programs that have bariatric programs - OSU, Barix, Mt. Carmel, and Riverside and each of them offer an educational session to start. Second, and this is very important, check your health insurance plan to see which programs' doctors are In-Network. Some like me found that only Mt. Carmel's doctors were on theirs, others found Riverside or OSU. We have had a couple cases where folks started going to Barix thinking they were In Network only to find out after almost 6 mos of working with them that they were not, and it would have to be self-pay out of pocket. If you are a Self-pay, insurance doesn't cover it at all, Hippiegirl went to Cincinnati and Growingpanes went to Detroit and I think both had their surgeries done for about $12K. You can Personal Message those folks for details. Hope this helps you get a start.

One last thing, I tried to call and get scheduled into the April 2 post op nutrition class and they said they are officially not scheduling anything now for that day. They told me to check at the hospital before I leave or call back after I'm home. Maybe Michelle couldn't fit in doing the last nutrition classes on her last day.

Redbone Lisa -- we haven't forgotten you're just a couple weeks behind the folks being banded this week. Hang in there! March 31 will be here before you know it!

Down to 24 hours to go now until I get ready and leave the house to go to the hospital. Wow! I'll be praying for all us bandsters at church today. I've only told my closest friends at my church for now but let me tell you, those ladies in my Weds Bible Study are a great group and I know they will be praying for us!

Strike up the band-- St. Patrick's Day is Monday and that will put me, Sue and Greg in the Bandsters. I can't believe its here. Say a prayer please for all three of us. Thanks. Kathy

Me too. Had my surgeon appt today and he's all smiles and ready to roll on St. Patricks Day with me. He was real glad I'd lost about 8 lbs in these 2 weeks. I'm going to have a nice steak dinner out tonight with a friend and then be good and reasonable with eating Saturday and Sunday.

Okay, I've got my surgeon appt done now today and we took a Before picture together in the office! He said he'd see me Monday! Wow... its really here.

Niki - glad to hear you made it home okay! It was fun sitting and visiting with you. Hope the kids liked their St. Patrick's pencils! Be sure to let Grandma help take care of the kids and you take it easy.

Hi everyone. I visited Nurse Niki at about 5pm and she was doing great. Said it was a piece of cake. We sat and talked and she was really happy and said her DH was good now that the surgery was over and was bringing their kids for a visit and grandma is coming to help at home. Yea!

Here's an interesting one from my nutrition class - to put evap skim milk in soups to thin them down because it adds 2X the Protein compared to skim milk. Comparison of nutrition info of 1 cup of each, cut it in half if you use 1/2 cup in soup but its a key idea for getting protein I hadn't heard before. Nutrition Facts for Milk ~ Evaporated Serving Size: 1 cup Amount Per ServingCalories199Total Fat0.5g Saturated Fat0.3gCholesterol10mgSodium294mgCarbohydrate29.1g Dietary Fiber0g Sugars29.1g Protein19.3g Vitamin A 20%Vitamin C 5%Calcium 74%Iron 4% Nutrition Facts for Milk ~ Skim ~ 0% Fat Serving Size: 1 cup Amount Per ServingCalories100Total Fat0.6g Saturated Fat0.4gCholesterol5mgSodium145mgCarbohydrate13.7g Dietary Fiber0g Protein9.7g Vitamin A 10%Vitamin C 5%Calcium 35%Iron 1%

I bought 2 candle warmer plates (like $5 each) at Bed Bath & Beyond. I had looked at some bigger stores and didn't see them so a friend told me where to find them. I've been told to put my food on a ceramic saucer and set the dish on the candle warmer while I'm eating and it will keep my food warm since it takes so long to eat once you get to mushies and solid foods. I bought 2 so I could take 1 to my work and keep 1 at home.

I bought Liquid Tylenol - Childrens version at Target. The generic was alot cheaper than the brand name. I've been told they don't make an Adult version of liquid tylenol so to use the children's version. Anybody know any different than that? I'm sure Walgreens, CVS, and all the major stores have childrens tylenol.

Warning--Long post Redbone - sorry I wish I could have gone this Thursday but apparently I should have been in last Thursday's class with Greg & Sue. When I went today, Melissa and Michelle that teach the classes were thrown off because they do GB patients on Tuesday and LB patients on Thursday so I had to keep dealing with each step of the day that people assumed I was having GB. They said it was the infamous office person we have all come to know and love making a scheduling mistake. I said all I want to be extra sure is that Dr. Price knows he's doing Lapband surgery and not GB... He does.. and they said they have all kinds of safety checks in place to be sure they do the right surgical procedure on the right person. Anyway, I got there early enough that I got in and got the chest x-ray and blood work drawn within just minutes of getting registered. Then I hit the Tim Horton's and had a toasted bagel with cream cheese and coffee. A big calorie splurge but I'm glad I did because I didn't finish up until about 1:30pm or so and I would have been starved by then if I hadn't eaten something or taken a snack. Melissa taught the medical aspects review of the lapband and gastic bypass procedures, what to expect, etc. then Michelle came in and did the dietician parts. Then they whisked us off to pre-admission testing for our history and physicals, EKG, get blood gasses drawn (ouch! for 2 seconds), then a short physical by a doctor that goes very carefully through all your medical history. So, after all that shuffling I just chose to go ahead and drive myself home and relax. So, the fact that Melissa and Michelle both had to cover GB and Lapband at the same time in front of me and the two GB patients, I got to see side by side all the different warnings and restrictions she told the GB patients about compared to lapband. Let me see if I remember some of the ones that caught my attention. Days in hospital - 1 overnight for LB - 2 or 3 for RNY/GB Full liquid diet for 2 weeks for LB, vs 3 weeks for RNY No sugars for RNY or they'll experience dumping syndrome - said not an issue for LB Fibrous foods that supposedly LB can't ever have anymore -- broccoli, asparagus, celery, pineapple and rhubarb, doughy or sticky foods like breads that will 'ball up', Hard to chew foods such as Steak, coconut, chips, popcorn, dried fruits including raisins, or chewy protein bars. Said this food warning list comes from the lap band vendor. Said the GB/RNY folks didn't have a list like this. Appetite - said the GB patients will totally lose theirs for 6-8 months and that the LB won't have the same. Some foods taste different. Starting Portions at one sitting - 1/2 cup for LB, 1/4 cup for RNY. Portions later on - LB will get up to 1 cup, GB will never get to eat that amount, if they do, the pouch has been stretched out and this isn't right. Calcium supplement - said the GB patients need a special version because they lose or don't absorb calcium the same vs LB can take basic Calcium 1000-1200 mg or Calcium Carbonate like Tums, Centrum chewables. GB folks also need B12 - sublingual - under the tongue to let it dissolve. Swallowing a B12 pill doesn't work. She later said if fibrous foods are blenderized like pineapple in a smoothie that is okay for LB. Some LB people eat really mushy broccoli okay but she would tell you to see how it goes for fibrous foods. Last, Michelle, the RD, said her last day is April 2 and she'll be teaching the GB post op diet class that day at 10 am and LB post op diet class at 11am. Said to call and get scheduled in for that. Mt. Carmel is interviewing and trying to find a replacement RD by the time she leaves. She is going to be able to work from home for Aetna doing nutrition counseling over the phone. Sounds like a lot less stress than being a RD for a big hospital. Last, there were BIG warnings not to gain weight between now and surgery time -- to not do the Last Supper Syndrome or Farewell to Food Tour! She said some doctors are really sticklers that if the person has gained, they start the laproscopic procedure, they'll immediately convert to open incision if they have to. Sounds like good motivation to me to stick to as low calorie as I can reasonably do from now until Monday.

Welcome Elsie from Ireland. Must be funny for you to know we're calling ourselves the Shrinking Shamrocks! I'm getting banded on St. Patrick's Day so I will have a reason to celebrate being 'Irish' for the rest of my life now!

Yes Sue, getting a little nervous as the time gets closer too. Picked up a sore throat from being outside shoveling snow so much and I'm gargling at least twice a day with Listerine to help chase that away. I was planning to take my pajamas, robe, slippers and send my other clothes home with my family overnight and have them bring them back the next day. I'm heading off for my pre-admission testing here shortly. Hope they will draw my blood early and let me get down to the Tim Horton's and get coffee after! Its hard to start the day with no coffee, nothing to drink. P.S. Loved the story about holding onto the bear to protect your tummy. Now I don't feel so guilty for buying my stuffed green 'good luck' Care Bear!

Nurse Niki - what time if your surgery on the 12th!

OMG! Haven't experienced blizzard conditions and this volume of snow in a 12-18 hour period of time in over 30 years. Thought it would be fun for those of you in warmer climates to see a picture of this. Also, I'm going crazy thinking what if I can't make it to the hospital for my surgery date due to a blizzard after working for 6 months to get there ---I tell you this-- it will be a cold day in ...... before I'll miss that surgery date! :redface: