JoannMarie

Honey, if you were educated in Minnesota, you got a good one!!! I know that from experience! I remember your story about the operating room tears. I thought about it in the hospital last Wednesday when I was there for lab draws - not because the draws hurt, but because I am very emotional about this, too. I will not be surprised if the same thing happens to me on Thursday morning. I just hope hubby can handle that! After being married to me for all these years he is used to my emotions being expressed (!), but tears always throw him. He will try to fix it. It will be hard to convince him there is nothing for him to fix - Dr. Berntsen is going to take care of all of it. I have a very mundane day ahead of me. I have to get the tires rotated on my car. wow. It is done at Costco, though, so I'll take care of the script for my liquid pain meds, find a good book, and maybe search out some Christmas things while they play with my car. This afternoon I go to the Orthopedic clinic to have the first of three injections of faux cartilage in my right knee. I had this done in March and it helped. Doc recommended one more round this fall, then on to a knee replacement if it does not hold. By the time I have to make that decision I will be about 40-50 pounds lighter and I am hopeful it will be postponed indefinitely. If not, at least the surgery/recovery will be a lot easier than it was the last time when I gained 30 pounds during recovery. That will not happen again. These guys are gone. forever. Apples, thank you so much for your words. You have no idea how much you have helped me. I now know what happened in your life will happen in mine.

GIRL - you are on your way. You have made such a good decision and you're right - we are so lucky to have this option after all these years! My excitement is growing each day since the pre-op began. I am not esp looking forward to Wednesday when it will all be clear liquids, but I will focus on Thursday! It all begins anew that day. Tomorrow for you! I am so excited for you - shrunken liver and all!!! God bless!

Karen, good plan - sending the leftovers away! I was glad to have TG at my DS&DIL's house. I brought enough leftovers home to satisfy my husband and give him something to enjoy while I am on these liquids w/o my having to cook much. He has volunteered to cook his own meals while I am under such restrictions - he is a sweetie. I saw what he fixed last night. He is going to be glad when I am cooking for him again... I do enjoy cooking, and one of the things that appeals to me about this program is that I should be able to eat like a normal person - just drastically smaller portions. We are a family that enjoys our protein and veggies. DH does not care about potatoes, rice, sweets, or pasta at all - would do without happily (and will!). That's one of the reasons I believe this is the plan for me. I can still cook for us - we can eat the same food - both of us will lose weight and be healthier. We can even eat out w/o going crazy at the table. Getting through the next 4-6 weeks will be the toughest part - and we will do that just fine. I am excited!!!

Good morning all, Into the 4th day of pre-op and I sure do want something to chew on. Apples, you cannot believe how good that beef jerky sounds right now! teehee. DH makes great STRONG coffee, and I am enjoying my cup in the morning. Actually, that is enough caffeine to take the edge off - but I'm so glad to have it. I was so miserable on Friday. The last two days have been fine - just miss chewing, but I can wait a few weeks for that. Jerky is going on my grocery list... Soo - I am thinking a lot about you today. Don't let your fears jump ahead of you, girl. Yes, you may get stuck one of these days - but you may not - and if you do, it will pass. and you may get hungry - but you may not. There are lots of things to be concerned about and we would be foolish to totally ignore them, because sometimes they are symptoms of something wrong and we need to call the doctor about those symptoms. BUT, lots of times we just need to focus on the core of the process - eat right - plenty of protein - exercise - small bites chewed to death - etc. The successful banded people have found ways to overcome their problem areas and they practice those ways until they no longer are problems. Try to look ahead at your fears and think about what you will do if and when. Then you have the problem and the solution to file away for future reference - if and when. The suggestions from Apples and Janet have been invaluable to me. I have no idea what this all will actually feel like - still no real band experience. But I know how to problem-solve. I have a positive attitude. I have great advice from people who have been there and DONE THAT! and I have you friends who are here 24/7 to vent with and to play with. I think Brydie was actually talking about LBTalk in general, not necessarily the people on this thread. I agree there are a lot of negative comments on LBTalk. I read a lot of those posts when I first came here because I believe we have to understand the negative issues as well as the positive. But if you have decided to do this, you have decided the positives outweigh the negatives. At that point, you need to focus on the positive aspects of this process and step out on that limb. I no longer read those posts - it is not worth my time and effort since I have made my decision and I am going for it. I certainly do not want to diminish any problems any of you might be having with head hunger or exercise motivation - or anything else. I have those issues, too - and I'll probably be on here talking about them very soon. Those issues can come up for Brydie, too, and I hope she will feel welcome to discuss them here where it is safe to do so. That is part of the solution to those fears and issues - feeling free to come to this thread and others for support and good advice. I am so grateful for all of you, my friends. I can't believe how much you have given to me over these past few months. It is such a blessing to have you in my life. Thank you.

Hi Motivated - welcome! Tomorrow is your big day - and yes, it is coming up fast. Good luck to you. We did a name poll - don't know if you were aware or had the chance to vote, but the name chosen was "Holiday Hotties." Second choice was "December Diamonds." One of our prolific posters, Florida Pete, kindly made a nameplate for us from each of those names. The people who did not like Holiday Hotties REALLY did not like it, so Pete created each name in his inimitable style - we can have a choice. If you check back on Pete's posts on this thread or the thread for December names poll (final) you will find his creations and the codes. I had trouble with getting the codes to work so I clicked on the siggie he had created for Holiday Hotties, and just copied the name to a word document, then pulled it in from my computer like you would a picture. (CP at the top of this page - go to edit signature and follow the prompts to browse your computer and add to your sig block.) Pick either name you like. Glad you are joining us - we will be thinking of you tomorrow and hopeful you will be back with us soon to let us know how you are doing. Best of luck! :thumbup:

Trina, you are in my prayers today. I wish you a successful surgery - and a great speedy - painfree - recovery. My best to you! :thumbup:

Twirl, I am 66 and having surgery this Thursday. There are a lot of people on this thread and others who have been successful with gastric banding, and lots of chronic diseases that have been improved or eliminated with this weight loss. I am very healthy and thankful for that, but have severe arthritis, so I am hoping to have a lot less joint pain and postpone my 2nd knee replacement a bit longer. You have a real incentive to do well, and will probably lose your necessary weight and be on the transplant list before you know it. Surgeons differ on their recommendations for post surgery diets, but most require a diet of 60-70 grams of protein/day, followed by vegetables and fruit as the pouch will allow. Most people are able to eat a good healthy diet after healing - just a lot less food and being careful to eat small bites and chew it to liquid! With your kidney problems, your doctor may have other Protein requirements for you, as well as hydration requirements. I think your specific food plan may be different than most of ours because of your specific health issues. Find a good surgeon at a Center of Excellence facility (for medicare coverage) and follow his/her recommendations to the letter. Good luck to you!

nljs - you need to look at other threads! There are a lot of positive people on LBTalk who are following the rules and losing weight steadily. Check through the home page for those folks - in the mentoring area there is a thread starting "I'm here to help..." started by IndioGirl for those who need the support of people who have been successful at reaching their goals. I believe we need to know that complications are a possibility, and that some people are not as successful as we would like to be. But after you have read some of those, please turn your attention to those who are successful and who can give you positive advice and help. This journey you are going on is a mental process, as well as a weight loss process, and what you feed your brain will determine how successful you will be. Be committed, follow the rules, and you will reach your goal!

Sue - welcome and good luck tomorrow! We will be thinking about you and hoping you are back to report soon! and SuzeQ! Wow - what a surprise! That is a great advantage to you, but when I think about trying to get prepared in 3 days it is mind-boggling! After all this waiting, testing, etc., it is great that you don't have to wait another 2 months. Good luck Tuesday! Hurry back to let us know how you are doing! 4 days to go for me...

You all are getting pretty creative with the Optifast! I have been known to doctor shakes with just a teaspoon or so of SF-FF jello instant pudding powder. A bit of choc fudge inst pudding blended in that strawberry shake may help it along. Be sure to put the pudding powder in blender with just a little of the pre-made shake to blend, then add the rest of the shake. Most strawberry flavored things - candies, shakes, etc., taste pretty bad IMHO. I add SF-FF pudding powder to other flavors - choc fudge to improve the choc shake, butterscotch or pistachio to flavor the vanilla - it works pretty well and you can pick the flavors you like. I am on 2 Adkins shakes a day, along with the usual SF juices and drinks, broth, jello, etc. I can also have 3 or less servings of dairy (8 oz sk milk or 8 oz. light yogurt or 1/2 cup cottage cheese). I always liked cottage cheese, but I can't believe how good it tastes these last few days! Please - anything that is not SWEET! The Adkins shakes are pretty good and filling. I am in my 3rd day, have lost 7 pounds, and not hungry... Doin' okay. 4 days to go.

Hi SO! Sorry I missed your message on Thanksgiving. I have been busy with STUFF and have not even looked at the computer since last Tuesday! I had my labs drawn and visit with bariatric nurse at the hospital on Wed, followed by my last visit before the big day with the surgeon. She said to start my preop on Friday. I was glad to be able to have a "normal" TG with my family. I had a little of everything I wanted, and felt satisfied the rest of the day. I think if you went back over your Thanksgiving "transgressions" and really added everything up, you probably did not do as badly as you felt like you did. I hope you have climbed back up on the wagon of pre-op and are sailing through. My first day on the pre-op was pretty bad - lethargic and a severe headache all day. I made the mistake of denying myself coffee - someone had told me caffeine was a no-no. Fri evening I re-read my doctor's instructions to find that she does not prohibit caffeine, but leaves it up the the patient. Believe me, this patient is not giving up her coffee! Sat morning I had my cup of coffee first thing! Within 30 min the headache was gone. I managed to space out my food better on Saturday, had no hunger to speak of, and felt a lot better. DH and I went to costco yesterday and I purchased a lot of the foods I will need for the full liquid stage after surgery. I figure I need it here now, cause I don't know if I'll feel much like shopping for a few days following surgery. Doc keeps me on broth type liquids for only a day after surgery - then on to the full liquid stage for a week or so. You are going to be fine, Marg. It will be a tough week, but it's only a few days in your lifetime, and your life will be so much better in the coming months and years. Your hypertension and pre-diabetic situation are both conditions that are frequently gone from your life within a short time after this surgery. You have lots of friends and support right here on LBTalk. We are all pulling for each other on this journey. and you are in my prayers... and BTW - pumpkin pie is the healthiest pie you can eat. Only one crust - and pumpkin is a healthy vegetable that is naturally sweet and requires less sugar in pie-form than other fillings.:cursing:

Hi All! I have been busy with lots of stuff going on and have not had time to devote to my daily social activity - my time with my LBTalk friends! I had several pages to catch up on. No excuses - the computer has been sitting here, but busy with the holiday and aftermath. Thank you all for your messages about Abbie. She is actually doing pretty well, drinking water, but hardly eating anything (and only when she is hand fed!) Not interested in anything we have offered. She follows me around, waits until I am settled somewhere, then lays down and sleeps by me. She does run and bark in the backyard with Jack, the 2-year old sheltie, but after a couple of rounds, stands in the middle of the yard and barks while he covers the the outlying area at top speed. I think we may have a little time left with her and plan to enjoy it. Had labs drawn and a visit with the bariatric nurse at the hospital on Wednesday, followed by my last meeting with the surgeon before the big day. Got back to KC with perfect timing - middle of rush hour which started a little early on Wed due to the Thurs holiday. We had a nice TG at DS&DIL's house with our local grandchildren and oldest daughter. We miss the daughter and her family who are in Korea till next summer. Each holiday gets harder without them - my heart goes out to all the families with soldiers overseas and in the war areas. It is very difficult for the soldiers and their families. You all have my heartfelt thanks for your sacrifices. I started my pre-op on Friday. The first day was the toughest, I was pretty hungry all day, lethargic - and a terrible headache. Yesterday I had a cup of coffee first thing(!) and the headache went away. Doc does not recommend giving up caffeine - she leaves it up to the patient. I'm glad, because I am not giving it up if I don't have to! Yesterday went much better - satisfied with the shakes recommended and I seemed to have a better handle on spacing the foods I am allowed in order to balance everything out better. Today has gone well, too. I've lost 7 pounds. I like that, too! I am sure it's primarily water weight, but it still feels good. 4 days to go.

Welcome to all the new posters! I'm glad you are no longer lurking! and decided to join us. We have lots of company being banded in December and it will be great to share our experiences in the next months as we reach our individual goals. Danielle, my date is Dec 4th, too, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka KS. I had my pre-op labs at the hospital on Wednesday and at this point I am impressed with them. I hope to be as impressed next week at this time! I have been very happy with my surgeon, Dr. Bernita Berntsen, and her staff. They are very responsive, and claim I have not asked a dumb question yet. I think they tell everybody that! I only had to do a week of pre-op diet, so today is my first day. So far I'm not starving. I do think it will be hard the first couple of days, but will get easier. It will help to see some pounds go away, esp since I know they are gone forever! The journey has begun!

Hi Marg, it sounds like things are going pretty well for you. It is a good thing they found your high blood pressure now. I'm willing to bet you will be back off those medications after you have lost some of your weight. Your insurance should be paying for treatment for that diagnosis - really has nothing to do with the WLS, was just found during the pre-op testing. We had Cigna for a while through an employer. I was never very impressed with them. They took forever to pay claims - I know my employer was fielding complaints from us all the time. They kept them for a year and switched, to the cheers of all their employees. It does help to complain sometimes!

Good morning all, I started the pre-op this morning. I enjoyed my Thanksgiving with my family. DS and DIL had the festivities at their house and others brought many of the side dishes. It was fun, good food, grandchildren (including our first great-grandchild!), time to visit and enjoy. We missed our DD, SIL, and grandson who are posted in Korea till next summer. It is getting harder and harder to have family celebrations without them. My heart goes out to families whose family members are serving in the war zones. God bless them and bring their children home safe. As I said, I started my pre-op diet this morning. I think the first couple of days will be kinda tough, but it will get better as I get used to it. We did not bring many leftovers home with us - just a few things DH really likes - so I don't have a lot of temptations around here. Off to a good start - the ball started rolling this morning! I am excited!

May, I think a lot of men have that reaction - fear you will leave him for another man... What he really should be concerned about is that you will remain heavy and unhealthy yourself and consequently shorten your own life. The healthier you are the better you will function in your life - and he will be able to function better, too. This change has to be scary for him - and of course the guys will seldom admit what they are really feeling if it is feelings of fear, esp the fear of loss of love. Your hubby will need a bit of cherishing, too, won't he... Hopefully you can cherish each other.

Wyllis - that was tough for you (it is for all of us). There is a beautiful young woman in there - and she is about to emerge. It will take a little longer than it does for a butterfly, but she is there and she will have a long and healthy life in her new body. This is true for all of us...

You are a good guy, Pete! We are lucky you are here...

Peaches, thank you for your kind thoughts of Abbie. She is a gentle little soul - in all her 10 years I have known her to growl only once, and that was at Jack when he was a new puppy in our house and she was trying to teach him to be a squirrel dog. It took her weeks to get him to focus and she became a little frustrated with him. She finally did get him trained and they are a tough squirrel herding team now. We received some tough news yesterday, though. Our vet (a very caring man) called with the results of Abbie's tissue biopsy. She does have cancer and it has spread. She is recovering from surgery very slowly - not eating or drinking. She follows me and lays down and sleeps wherever I am. We are having some difficult days but we will just love her for as long as she has. Peace to all,

May - tell your husband there IS NO EASY WAY OUT OF MORBID OBESITY!! This way may be more successful for most people, but it is not easy. I am looking forward to months of hard work and a total lifestyle change. How will that be easy? p.s. I can't wait!

YLJones - you need to go to the positive threads on this site! Go to the age-group area and try the 50's and 60's. Esp in the 50's - a thread called "Hey 50 and over gang -" and the 60+ thread in the 60's age group area. Also there are mentoring threads - esp "I'm here to help" started by IndioGirl. Other threads in December 2008 Bandsters are also great positive threads. Start with "Do You Have a December Date?" and go from there. I read all the negative stuff when I first started with LBTalk - I believe we need to know both the negative and positive aspects of this venture. After a while most of the negative posts sounded like a continual b**** session. I figured if it was that bad, why would anyone do it??? I began to look for the positive, supportive threads and found several. You are going to need positive support and sometimes some tough love as you go on this journey - you can find it here. Sorry I got off your original topic - I am 66 years old, my starting weight is 244, my surgery date is December 4th, surgeon is Dr. Bernita Berntsen at Tallgrass Surgery Assoc, hospital is St. Francis, Topeka, KS.

Pete, I'll be thinking of you on Friday if you will be thinking of me on Thursday!! Get back to your computer as quickly as possible. We will all want to hear from you!

I have been told - quite graphically - if you eat absentmindedly, too fast or too large a bite - your band will remind you it is there. and in such a way you are not likely to forget for a while! That sounds like a pretty good deterent to me. I also think recovery is not going to be too bad. I am planning on taking it very easy for 3-4 days, but most ppl I have talked to are starting back to a semi-normal schedule after that point. Even during the "take it easy" stage I will be walking around the house and outside if the weather is cooperating. I am fortunate enough to be retired and not have to keep a work schedule right away, but I also think we need to get up, get out, and push ourselves a bit. Marg - I will be especially thinking of you next Tuesday... Our December bandsters get started next Monday, folks! I hope each of you will post the day before your surgeries so we can say special prayers for your speedy recoveries. There are LOTS of people to keep track of and we don't want to miss anyone!

Lori - thanks for saying what so many of us feel. I am so grateful for finding my new cyber friends! I hope you have a great time. What a great feeling to be visiting family and friends far away with your new look and your new life! We are going to DS and DIL for the holiday - and taking the cornbread stuffing and the sweet potato souffle. These are my husband's and my grandchildrens' favorite dishes in that order. The rest of the family likes them, too - I probably would not choose to show up without them, as I might get sent home. We have so much to be thankful for...

Hey Phyl - all that brain work helps to prevent Alzheimer's according to some recent studies. That's a great reason to keep playing. Why should the kids have all the fun?