TexasT

Hi y'all, I won't have my first fill until the 20th of this month. I am anxious to get the fill. Lear, I too am going to the HEB office. I sort of have the same feeling, it's not a place that gives you a lot of confidence. I haven't had anything actually done there yet. Now this makes me a little nervous about it, but I am anxious to get going on the fills. I don't seem to have a problem eating anything at all. I just have to take my time. Those of you that have gone before, how long did it take for the port site to get where it didn't bother you? T

Baggio, I guess some folks go through that. I was just READY to get it done. I will tell you be prepared for a longer wait once you get there than you might think. I was there for 5 hours before I ever got to the back. Then I think it was another hour before going to the OR. You'll do fine. Dr. Kim is great and I really was pretty much about my business the next day. I went back to work on Monday with no problems at all. Hey Dianne, I got a new bike for my birthday. Well it's not really new, it's used,but new to me. It's a Honda 1100. It's a little tall so we've got to get stuff to lower it, but I Love it already. So far the only problem I have is getting hiccups. I think it happens if I eat to fast. I really don't think I like the things they've done to the site. It takes way to long to load and I can't find things anymore. Plus that sponsor bar area reloads every few seconds and while it does that I can't type anything. It's very irritatating. We're getting more storms right now so I better get off here. T

Hi y'all, Once again I have been a while in checking in. Actually I checked in one night and fell asleep trying to catch up on the posts. So tonight I decided to check in and maybe catch up later. I have not had any problems eating anything, but will not get the first fill until May 22nd. I will be out of town earlier in the month when I would have been scheduled. At first I was very disappointed in that, but now I think it may be a good thing so I won't be having adjustments to make while I'm away. We have been busy with a lot of clean up from some of the recent storms. We have had lots of branches down and other minimal damage. Seems like we just got the branches picked up and stacked when then next storm came in and took more down. We still have piles to get cut up. I am still not quite able to comfortably bend over to pick stuff up so it is taking a lot longer than it may normally have. Did anyone else have any problems from the weather? T

Hi gang, I've been out of pocket for a little while. I had my follow up last week and I have graduated to real food. I'm still swollen and pretty tender at the port site, but the rest have pretty much healed, they just look like a couple of scratch marks so when the red goes away I don't think you'll even see them at all. I was told to stay away from beef, bread, rice, and some of the more stringy veggies for now. I've had fish of various types this past week and chicken a couple of times. The only problem I have, is not drinking before and after the meal. Sometimes there are things I've just had to wash out of my mouth and in a public sitting it just isn't cool to spit it out. Anybody have any tips on how to do this? T

Hi gang, I've been out of pocket for a little while. Had my follow up with Dr. Kim and was told everything looks good. My first fill isn't going to be until May 22nd, because I am using the Euless office and apparently they are only there twice a month and I'll be out of town again on the 8th of May. My port site is still uncomfortable and is a little swollen, the other spots are pretty well healed up. If you rub them they are tender, but not bad and probably in another week or two you won't even see them at all. On the subject of those bullets, I have tried the peach and fruit punch and they work pretty good in the crystal light peach tea and punch flavor. I can't just drink them, they are way to stong and actually kind of bitter tasting, but they work out pretty good otherwise. So far I have not had any trouble at all with anything I've tried to eat. The only thing I have had issue with is if I try to eat to fast and I can feel a little uncomfortable. Sometimes when I don't think the first couple of bites I think I may not be chewing them up good but I just take a minute and then it's okay. I think the hardest thing is not drinking before or after a meal. Hope you're all still doing well. T

Tweenwaters thanks for the tips on the bullets. I mixed it with water and the crystal lite and it was much better. I still didn't get the whole thing in. I think each day it gets a little better so soon as the swelling is gone I think it will be much okay. It's just that I need to remember it will only be one week tomorrow. I'm still having some trouble sleeping. I can't lay on my left side and I sleep on my side alot. Anyway, I went with some of my co-workers to lunch today and ordered a bowl of soup, I thought I'd be able to eat the broth, but I couldn't get much more than about 3 or 4 spoons down. I just told them I didn't really care for the soup. I'm looking forward to mushies that's for sure. Ty

Nope I'm on liquids for two weeks. I'm having trouble getting in all the liquid, but I think each day I do better as the swelling is going down. I'm looking forward to mushies though. That's next week. T

Not sure what it is but I was told it takes about 10 days for the strips to come off.

Christine, glad to see you made it back okay. Sounds like some very rude roommates. I'm doing much better today, not nearly as sore, but starting to itch around the incisions. I've been pretty careful in the shower to keep my back to the spray for most of the time. I am still having trouble getting the fluids in, but I think each day gets a little better. I started walking on my treadmill today. I need to get geared up because I'm signed up to do the 5k in the Race for the Cure at the end of April. I'm a little worried about how to make sure I get enough fluids during that time, but I'm thinking I may wait until its over for the first fill. Not sure yet. I'll talk to the doctor about it when I see him next week. Fenton, I think 38 sounds great and my dietician said to expect ups and downs that will average 1 to 2 lbs per week. He said some times you may loose 4 then gain 2 then loose 3 and not to worry. He has the band and he said it's just hard to realize that what goes off is not coming back on so long as you follow the rules. T

Charity some of us had to do liquids for two weeks pre surgery. Trust me, you can do this. It's the post surgery liquids that are kicking my butt.

Well I haven't had a breast surgery but Mine are lopsided. LOL I think though you just have to remember that your body just went through some major trauma and give it time to heal. I'm just going by previous surgeries I've had in the past but not everything heals at the same rate and time. I think you also have to think about which side is it. Are you left or right handed. Could it be you're working one side more than the other? I'm sure it will be fine. T

Tweenwaters, I went today and bought some of the bullets. They only had three choices at GNC, peach, lime and fruit punch. I did not like the peach at all, but I brought it home and figured I'd try to doctor it up. I think I'll add a CL Peach Tea with water and see how that works for me. Thanks for the tips. I haven't been on a scale since I got home. Pre surgery I lost 10 lbs. I figure I'll just wait until my followup to find out how it's going. My tummy has started to rumble and I'm definately starting to want more than the liquids so the next 9 days I think will be hard. Especially since I can't hardly stand these optifast shakes any more. T

Hi All, Yesterday I had several tummy rumbles, but I didn't really want anything. I found the Protein bullets at GNC today. I bought peach and fruit punch, all they had were the 45's. I didn't care for the peach, I've watered it down and I'm going to try a little splenda in it and see if that helps. It's pretty bitter to me. I'll try the fruit punch tomorrow. I worked all day and made it. I did have one little episode where I sort of felt like I might get sick, but it passed and I just laid off the drinks for a little while. I still haven't been able to comfortably get in the full amount of liquid they want you to, but each day I think as the swelling goes down it gets a little easier. T

Hi All, Well I finished a full day at work with nobody the wiser. I did have few minutes around mid afternoon that I felt kind of like I might be sick, but it passed. I think more than anything it is those awful Protein shakes. I just can't hardly stand the taste. I should probably have bought some flavor besides vanilla. As for what to take to the hospital, I suppose it depends on if you will be staying overnight. I didn't so all I took was myself in comfy clothes and flip flops and thats the way I went home. As for the incisions. Mine do not seem to be anywhere close to the bra area so no problems there. None of mine had bandages. They used superglue and said to let in naturally slough off. No shower for two days but that was not that big a deal. I think most of mine are less than an inch in size except for the main one and it is maybe 1.5 to 2. My incisions look pretty good it's the bruises around a couple of them that look bad. I am still having problems getting in all the liquids. I kept stuff by me all day and sipped every few minutes until nearly noon and I just couldn't handle anymore for awhile. I'm sitting here now trying to get down another god awful shake. I don't know if I'll be able to stand this for another 9 days. T

Teri, I hear you. I'm only 3 days out and I haven't been successful yet in getting it all in. I did better today, but not anywhere close to the amount we are suppose to. I'm thinking as the swelling goes down it may get easier because yesterday I was barely able to get one of the Protein shakes down and only about 48 oz of liquids. I've manage two juice bottles and several cups of Water, 1/2 cup of soup and one Protein shake today so that is progress for me. But I do feel to full. T

Well, I just typed a whole message and lost it somehow. B, you aren't a wuss, we all respond different. Just like I have some major bruises going on and I never bruise. Even the 3 sites where they tried to do the IV are bruised. I'm thinking that may have something to do with the pre-diet and something I wasn't getting enough of. Anyway, I can tell the swelling is better today. I have been able to get down more liquids today. I really didn't do a lot today. I decided to read one of the books I bought for the recoup time and thought I'd kind of conserve energy since I'm planning to go to work tomorrow and I'll see if I make it all day. If I get to feeling like it is to much I'll come home. I'm so looking forward to the mushie stage. I can barely tolerate the taste of these shakes. T

Well, I'm not as swollen today and able to take in a little more on the liquids. I'm just having a really hard time with the Protein shakes (the taste) so I think I may go tomorrow and see if I can find those protein shots you're talking about Lauryn. I have quite a bit of bruises. but then the cuts are really small so I'm thinking maybe that's because of the way they had to manuver things in those tiny holes. I go back to work tomorrow. I'm hoping I make it the whole day, but I may not. T

Thanks Karey, I appreciate the support. I am so excited to think some day I have a chance of looking like some of you. It is so hard to comprehend that it is a possibility. But I can see from all of you that it is and it is what helped me make the decision to go ahead. I go back to work tomorrow. I'm hoping I'm not rushing it to much but I know if I don't feel good enough I will be able to leave. Thank you again for sharing. I can't tell you all what it means, but then maybe you know because of those that have maybe gone through it before you. T

Christine, Good luck tomorrow. I know you'll do just fine. As for the lifting thing. I agree you need to be really careful with that. As Fenton suggested you might be able to let the little one sleep with you or one of the other siblings or even make a pallet on the floor by your bed. You might want to start that even before your husband leaves. Get your 7 year old to help as much as possible with lifting things. It will probably be good for the ego there anyway to know you need the help. For my own report I will say yesterday was the worse day but it wasn't bad. I did have more swelling and bruising and the swelling made it harder to get in the liquids. I did a lot better with it today however. I plan to go back to work tomorrow. I'm hoping it's not to soon. I am starting to feel hungry from time to time now, but it quickly disappears. I'm beginning to look forward to being able to add the mushies but I know I still have 9 days to go for that stage. Those shakes are really starting to be hard to take. T

Well two days post and I'm doing pretty good. More swollen and bruised than I thought I would be. Yesterday was a good day and I have not had any pain meds. I have been doing a lot of moving around so I think that has helped. I'm actually planning to go back to work on Monday. The only thing that I am having a problem with is getting things down. I don't want anything either so I have to force it and I feel like I need to burp really bad but don't. T

Wow Cowboy 35 lbs, congratulations! Bonnie, glad you are doing okay. I do have a little trouble at night getting a good solid sleep because when I move it hurts some and I'm only really comfortable on my right side. Tweenwaters, good for you, glad you had a successful trip. I'm doing good. I had a really busy day yesterday. I haven't had to take any pain meds so that's good and no gas pain. I think probably becaue I have been up and about so much. Today I'm planning to go out to my shop and do some quilting, it's a long arm machine so I'll be up and moving the entire time. The only thing that I sort of have that I think is probably normal is the feeling that I need to burp. I am having trouble getting in the liquids because I just don't want anything so I have to sort of force it. T

Karey you look beautiful. Just think when the swelling is down how even more wonderful you'll be looking. You are an inspiration. I had not even considered the need for PS until watching and learning from you gals. You are all so inspiring and I so appreciate your willingness to share. I hope in a year or so I'll be able to see these wonderful results as well. I am now banded and just trying to get liquids down is a chore right now. I have to keep coming to see what I have to look forward to so again Thanks.

Hi all, Glad to see it wasn't just me not able to get in yesterday. I kind of had a bit of a panic attack thinking I wouldn't have this resource. Fenton, I did plenty of moving yesterday. I went with my husband to look at motorcycles and tried on a couple myself. I recently took a rider saftey course and went and got my license. So pretty soon I'm going to need a sexy bike to go with the new sexy me. LOL Then we went to our weekend place and checked on it. Recent rains had the river up and we wanted to check on how close it got to the house and make sure it didn't get in the shed (where I had left my current bike). All was well there. We are about to add some windows to this place so we took measurements. Checked all my bird feeders. We left there and when we got back to town we went to order the windows, then went by the drug store to pick up a few things before going home. So I was up and out and about most of the day. I have not taken any pain meds. No gas pain, but I do have that brick in my chest when I try to take in the shakes. I haven't taken in the Protein shakes until today. I was told Clear liquids the first two days so that's all I did. juice, clear broth, Water, ice helped to satisfy the chewing crunching thing. I will probably go out to my shop and do some quilting today. But that is with a long arm machine so I'm on my feet and moving the entire time. I agree that moving is key. T