heartfire

Thanks, Lanakila! To say I was a little surprised is an understatement. I just kind of looked at him and then stated that I was thrilled whether he was or not! I don't usually speak up like that but it made me mad! It still kind of irks me! I've always been a slow loser so I'm assuming that this process with the band will be the same. I don't care (much), all I want is for the weight to come off and not go back on!!! That's the whole point to doing this! And I am just like every one else in that I would love it if the weight would just fall off, but that's not going to happen, so I have to work for it! He was disappointed with my pre-op loss of 7lbs in 10 days! I think he was wanting 10lbs or more. BUT he did say that I had a beautiful, small liver so the pre-op diet did it's job! He can't be too mad! I think I'm going to be one of his more disappointing patients!! LOL! Take care!

Hi Everyone! I'm now 2 1/2 weeks out from surgery! Last week: 206.4 This week: 204.7 Weekly loss: 1.7 Total loss since surgery: 5 I'll take it! I'm on the never-ending TOM right now (started 8/21) and I think that has something to do with it (get another Depo shot next week so I'm hoping it'll finally stop!). I'm also only getting 300-400 calories a day. I just can't seem to get that much in and if I get more, I'm so full for soooo long, it's uncomfortable! Had my first post-op appt with my surgeon on Wednesday and everything looks good. I'll go in for my first fill on 10/7. In the meantime he said, "DO NOT GAIN WEIGHT!" Okay, not like I intend too! I'm sure it'll be difficult though! He was actually disappointed in my WL! He expected more. Said most are doing 6-7 lbs! UGH!! I was thrilled with it! I also had to lose the 7lbs they pumped into me the day of surgery so I thought I was doing well! I still feel I'm doing well! Phooey on him!!! Not much exercise this week unless you count running around the hospital going to appointments or shopping costco, Target and Trader Joe's. All these errands just kicked my butt and I just couldn't manage the treadmill. Going to do better this week! Best wishes to everyone in the coming week!!

I'm so sorry you're struggling right now! You really don't need the added stress of reading anything in the media regarding your strike. You are right when you say you know why you are doing what you are doing. Please try to hang in there. Prayers that it doesn't last long AND you are able to get some of the things you need in order to stop the strike. Instead of spending the AM crying, why not go for a nice walk? That would help with the stress, get you out and be productive, band-wise, in the meantime? Just a thought. Take care and hang in there. Come here more often too. It'll help take your mind off things. Best wishes.

I'm also one who can hardly stand regular yogurt. It's a texture/consistency thing. I can do a few bites but then start having trouble with it (nothing to do with band, I have food issues!). I can't eat cottage cheese either, unless it's in something like tuna or lasagna! I have discovered that I really LIKE greek yogurt! It's thicker and you need to stir well but it's tangy and just really good! You can buy it at any grocery store. Raley's, where I shop most of the time (in my little town), only has a small variety of one brand but I just bought some flavored ones at Trader Joe's today when I was in the city (an hour from home). I went ahead and bought one of each flavor. I have to go back to the city next week for more appts. so I'll buy more of what I like next week. Try it, you might like it! And Sue, if we lived closer I'd have taken those off your hands for you! LOL!!

I think I'd try it in my own home sometime before that day/night to see how it was tolerated before doing so in public! Although that isn't a guarantee either especially if you forget to pay attention at the party and eat too fast or too big a bite. You'll also have at least one maybe 2 fills by then and from what I understand, it also depends on how "tight" you are. Sounds good though, that's what I'm craving right now and I'm on full liquids/very soft foods! A friend suggested pureeing it but uh, no thanks! Ewwwww!! I'll wait til October when I'm off any eating restrictions! LOL!

Emily's Dad, first of all, I want to commend you on sticking your neck out. Second, I would encourage you to go to counseling on your own if your wife won't join you. Yes, it would be great if you both went but if she won't, go anyway. It will help and eventually she may decide to go with you. Do NOT succumb and step outside your marriage. You are right, it's not worth it. You really won't find what you are looking for. It will be a brief and fleeting feeling and then will come the guilt. I know you are worried about your kids. Please try to see what you and your wife are putting your kids through by acting the way you are. Approach her that way, maybe it will help convince her to go to counseling. Just be careful of your approach b/c you don't want another battle on your hands. Take care and best wishes. [/size][/font]

No regrets! I even went into surgery with no nervousness! Miracle for me b/c I hate the unknown and had never had surgery before! There was a moment the night of surgery when I was home. My 2 year old daughter had a complete meltdown at bedtime. It'd been a long day, mama and papa were gone when she got up (we had to leave at 4:30AM to get there by 6!) and my mom was with her all day. Then we get home that evening and mama's not 'right' and sleeping all the time, can't pick her up, etc. So by the time it got to bedtime, she just completely fell apart. My mom was trying to take care of her, I'm almost in tears and all DD and I want is for me to hold her. I finally got a thin pillow, sat in the rocker and had my mom carefully put her on my lap with the pillow between us. It took almost 2 hours but we finally got her to sleep. She'd been crying so hard for so long she was still kinda doing that light sob/gasp thing in her sleep. I held her for a long time before mom put her to bed. While this was going on I was wondering what the hell I'd just done to us! But that's the only time I questioned it after surgery. Since then, DD is doing great, goes to bed like a big girl. Helps mama get stuff off the floor, lifts her own butt for diaper changes on the pad on the bed (I have a 10lb lifting restriction), helps get herself dressed and undressed, etc. If she wants to snuggle she says couch and climbs up gently and very carefully climbs onto mama or snuggles up next to me being very careful of my stomach area. She's great! So, other than that moment the night of surgery, no, I can't say I've regretted it at all. Even with the pain, discomfort and food issues!

Ugh! I'm glad you were okay with the novel I wrote! I am one who likes as much detailed info as possible so that's how I tend to respond to people if I have info to impart. I also just talk too much! Even in cyberspace!! I'd just toss the crib mattress on the floor and go from there. Would the crib be stable enough if you just took the one side off? We weren't sure about ours b/c it's not a convertible crib, just a standard one and it's been fine. She was barely 18 months old when we had to take the side off. I stuff a swim noodle (trimmed to fit) under her bottom sheet to use as a "bed rail" to keep her from falling off. She'll still go over every great once in awhile but that's usually b/c she's pretty restless and just goes up and over. I actually keep a pillow on the floor next to her bed! The mattress is at the lowest setting so he's not that far off the floor but the pillow makes me feel better! She never wakes up, she just gets comfy! One of our carseats looks like a booster so it has low sides and is easy for DD to climb into and get settled. The other one, looks more like the traditional carseat even though it goes to 65 lbs! That one she can climb into as well but she never gets settled right and I have to adjust her, which I can't do right now. So the booster type is in the car. You'll figure it all out. Just make a list of things you need done before surgery and as you do things, think about what it would take to do it after surgery and see if it's feasible or if you need to come up with a plan.

I am so sorry. You are not crazy and he lis lying! Sounds like you both need some counseling and if you want to save this marriage, he has a lot of work to do. Again, I'm so sorry.

I agree, I think you should do it whether you have surgery or not. You just never know. Obviously, as with your kids' dad. I had some of those same thoughts before surgery. My DH is alive and well but we have a 2 year old DD and I just didn't want to die and not see her grow up and have her lose her mama at so young an age. I knew she'd be well taken care of but still, I wouldn't be there! I think all of us with kids have the same thoughts going in and it would be more so for a single parent. So, talk to your family, get it in writing and talk to your kids about it. Don't need to scare them but let them know that if something DOES happen, they're going to go live with ... and be well taken care of. Maybe even ask them who they'd prefer to live with. They are old enough to have an opinion. Best wishes to you on your band journey!

That is sooo COOL!!!!! I graduated in '86 and haven't been to any of my HS reunions either (not even my 20th, 2 yrs ago!). For the same reason. I was thin in HS and started gaining after I got married at 19. I didn't feel comfortable going. I plan on going to the next one, even if I'm not at goal yet. I think I'll just be feeling better about myself. I have seen a few people since that still live here and I hate meeting up with them. Of course no one has said anything but my imagination fills in the blanks for me! UGH!! Thanks for sharing your NSV!!!

I have a 2 year old that's bordering 30lbs. I have a 10lb lifting restriction for 6 weeks! We're managing and it's working out okay. Baths are hard only because they wear me out. We'd taken the side of her crib off (yes, it's stable) MONTHS ago, when I realized that the side of the crib, in the upright position, was just above her belly button and not at her nipple line like it should've been! She's tall! Anyway, we have a cedar chest at the end of our bed (bed is high) and she can climb up on that to get on our bed so that's where I change her diaper (move the pad to the bed to prevent messes) and her clothes. She helps by planting her feet and lifting her butt for the diaper switches. It's a great game and she's helping mama!! LOL!! She also used to like to fall asleep on me for bed time, but we now go to her bed first, like a "big girl" and she goes off to sleep there. Naptimes, she usually just falls asleep on the couch or the floor. We started practicing a couple of weeks before surgery. Changing on the bed, lifting her butt, can't jump on mama, mama can't pick her up right now, head to the couch for a snuggle, etc. It really helped. Oh and at first, the floor is going to be near impossible because you have to get down there but then you have to get back UP again!! The night of surgery she had a huge meltdown but it was understandable. There'd been A LOT going on and she just knew things were different and didn't like it and didn't understand a lot of it. She and I are also very close and she knew I was hurting and not feeling good, sleeping a lot, etc. Grandma was here but mama and papa were gone when she got up in the AM, gone ALL day and when we came home, mama wasn't "right" so it's no wonder. She'd also gotten overtired and we just had a marathon crying jag that lasted a couple of hours. We finally got her to sleep. She's been fine since then. Just be aware that it can happen and make plans for it. Just think of all the different things that you might need to lift her for and try to make different arrangements. Oh! Don't forget about the car! You won't be able to lift her in and out. I usually drive a lifted, 4x4, full-size Chevy truck. DD can climb in if we stand behind her and just make sure she doesn't slip BUT it's hard for me to get in and out right now and if she slipped, I'd have to catch her and I can't do that right now. We decided that I should drive DH's little '87 Camry. DD can climb in and out with no problems AND we put the carseat that's easier for her to get in and out of by herself in there so I don't have to adjust her at all once she's in the seat. All I have to do is buckle and unbuckle her. Just remember that 10lbs isn't a lot. Shopping is going to be near impossible to do on your own for awhile. No lifting your toddler in and out of the cart. No carrying bags of groceries. A gallon of milk is about 10lbs! If you have a large stroller, no lifting it in and out of the back of the car. Laundry is another thing you're going to have to work around. You can't carry a basketful of clothes. Once it's at the machines, you can manage but no carrying the basket. No vacuumng the house. My vaccuum is very heavy and I can't push and pull it around. It's hot so we close the windows in the AM and open them in the PM when it cools enough. I can't do that, it takes your core muscles to help move those windows (granted we have huge windows and they are hard to slide open and closed on a good day!). Just taking a big dish or casserole in and out of the oven is going to be more than your lifting limit. It's amazing how much things weigh. You have to be very careful. I am blessed in that my mom was here for the first week to help while DH had to work, he then came home for vacation for 10 days, my mom is coming back down this afternoon to stay the week because DH goes back to work tomorrow til Thursday (he's a fireman and works a 72 hr shift). By the time DH goes back to work the following Monday, I'll be starting my 4th week after surgery and should be fine on my own with DD. I'll be more healed so if I really MUST pick her up or lift something, it shouldn't be too bad as long as I'm careful. I'm sorry this is so long. I'm just trying to think of all the things that you may need to make accommodations for. If you can get some help in the house on a daily basis, that would help a lot. Take all you can get! If you have any questions, let me know. I'm 2 weeks out from surgery, starting my 3rd week tomorrow. Take care!

I'm so sorry.

Please stop comparing yourself to others. It's just not healthy. Everyone loses differently, some faster, some slower. Sometimes if you have more weight to lose, you lose faster at first, then you slow down. I averaged your WL over 7.5 weeks and it's 2.4lbs per week. That is fantastic!! AND right on target! Actually, a little more than target! I also think the others might be adding in their pre-op WL as well. I know since March, when I started my classes, I've lost 30lbs. BUT since surgery, with the post-surgery gain (7+lbs!), I've only lost about 3lbs. I'll take it! Do I wish it were more? Of course! BUT I've about 100lbs to lose (less now since the pre-op loss) and I have no idea how long it's going to take me to lose it. Do I care? Sure, but if I wanted a faster WL I'd have gone bypass. I WANT to lose slowly, I'm not telling people unless they ask about it so I don't want a lot of talk or speculation. I also am hoping to not have much loose skin by losing slower as well. I've seen people lose a 100 or more lbs in a year. I've also seen people lose 20lbs in a year. If it takes me 2 or 3 years to lose this, fine. It just means that I'm losing and not gaining which was my alternative without the band. This whole thing is a game of sorts, BUT it's a game we're playing by ourselves. (Kinda like playing Solitaire!) Hang in there, I think you're doing great! Keep up the fantastic work!!

Leighann, I also want to throw my hat into your ring of supporters. It's tough to not have support. I knew my mom would be supportive as she had gastric bypass about 5 years ago and has done really great with it. She's also seen/heard/felt my struggle with my weight for the last 20 years. My husband, I wasn't so sure how he'd react. He's always been supportive of my WL efforts but surgery? I had no idea how he'd react. We talked and I told him the only way I knew I could do this was with insurance. There was/is just no way we could afford to be self-pay. Turned out he was willing to have me go through the process and see what would happen. I was approved by our insurance and he agreed that he would support me. He would also police me some too! LOL! He does that when I'm dieting. It helps, whether I like it or not and he's not mean about it, he just gives me a look! I'm praying that your DH gets the reassurance that he needs on Tuesday. Encourage him to write down questions as he thinks of them in the next couple of days and take them with you so he can ask them if they don't get answered throughout the evening. Unfortunately, with my DH's schedule, the first thing he was able to attend with me was the pre-op appt. with my surgeon! That was after starting this journey in February and going to classes for 20 weeks! He's a fireman and when he was home, needed to stay with our DD so I could go to class. But he was there with me for surgery after managing to get the day off (miracle! it's fire season!) and has been taking good care of me and DD (2yrs old) when he's home. Anyway, I'm pulling for you. Hang in there. Be proactive, whether that means with your DH, mom, doctors or insurance. I'd also suggest that you just ask you mom for her support whether she agrees with you or not, she CAN be there for you and your family! Best wishes and keep us up to date!

Mine is directly above my largest incision. To the left, about 4 fingers width below my ribs. So basically the left middle of my abdomen. I can feel mine if I push on the area slightly. I'm thinking the nice thing about this site is that it won't interfere with clothing and it won't been seen or felt. I'll know more as I lose weight. Too early to tell at this point, I'm barely 2 weeks out!

I'm able to do full liquids/purees and very soft foods now. I've been on shakes for 3 weeks (10 days before surgery, 2 weeks after surgery). We were in town yesterday running errands and DD got hungry (of course!) so we went to KFC (yes, I know that isn't great but there wasn't much in the way of choices for me). We ordered a side of mashed potatoes and gravy for me. I ate really small bites and waited in between to make sure it was all okay. I stopped after a few bites because I just wasn't really hungry. I'm not sure if I felt full or not. If you'd have seen the container you'd think all I did was stir up the gravy in it and play with it some! I was concerned about how my stomach was going to handle it as well since I hadn't had actual food in so long but it did okay. Another reason I stopped is because I don't know what full is supposed to feel like and I just didn't want to have one bite too many and have to run to the restroom! Today is not much better. I had about a 1/4 of scrambled egg w/ milk and cheese cooked in it and some taco sauce on top. I drank about 4oz. of tomato Soup, again made with milk and some parmesan cheese grated into it. (Trying to boost the protein!) I'm not hungry at all, unless it's been a couple of hours, so I eat a little and am not hungry anymore. I was curious so figured I'd better start tracking my calories again on daily plate and I'm at 178 for the day so far! It's 3:30PM here right now. Do I just measure it and go from there or do something different? I'm so confused. What was it like for you that are a little farther ahead of me? Thanks for any help you might be able to give! And sorry this is so long!

Thanks! I've managed to get up to 488 calories so far and that's after dinner. I've also hit the 25+ grams of Protein my surgeon wants us to aim for right now. I'm trying for a little higher calorie foods with more protein. I made SF lemon pudding last night with 1% milk and I'll have a serving of that later. Dinner tonight was Amy's Organic Split Pea Soup and I tossed some FF sour cream in it. Ate about a cup of it over 30 minutes. My bigger stomach feels full. No problems with the pouch even though there were some soft "chunks" in the soup. I just went slow and made sure each spoonful was good to go before trying another. I ended up having a serving of creamy Peanut Butter, it's got 200 cal, 7 grams of protein and only 3 grams of sugar so that helped. I may have to be having a "snack" of peanut butter to help with my numbers. I'm feeling fine even with the low calories but I'm not doing anything right now either! I'll keep tracking to make certain of my calorie and protein intake. I've got to watch those numbers! Were you both getting more calories than that at this stage? How?

Thank you Brandy, for your story. I love your posts and look up to you as an excellent example to follow. Between you and some of the others on here (if I named 'em I'd forget someone!) I have a realistic view on how this process should work. I hope to also be my own success story someday! Great job!

I agree with most of you. I don't think it's up to the eating establishment to accommodate us because WE decided to have ELECTIVE surgery! Yes, in some (most) cases this surgery is saving our lives BUT it is still elective and we made the decision to do it. I actually plan on just starting to carry a small ice chest with frozen cold packs in it for leftovers. Especially if we're in town (an hour away) running errands since I know we'll be eating out. I'll just be bringing leftovers home and between the 3 of us, someone will eat it! And buffets will be a waste of money but I sure got my money's worth before banding! Not that we go very often. Only once or twice a year.

Last week: 210.8 This week: 206.4 Total Lost: 4.4 Treadmill a couple of days and walking in the woods. I start full liquids (goodbye shakes!), purees and very soft foods this weekend. I'm only getting about 200 calories a day right now so hoping to bump that up some. We'll see what happens with the WL next Friday! Good job everyone!!

I just started on Depo and had my first shot the first part of July. I go in the middle of the month for my next shot. I "started" the Thursday before my surgery (08/25) and am just now slowing down to an almost stop. That's 2 weeks for me. From what I hear, when you lose weight quickly, you tend to do some breakthrough bleeding. Sometimes it takes a long time for it to "right" itself and sometimes not. I have no idea what's going to happen with me. Just when I think it's stopped, I start a little again. I've taken to wearing panty liners daily just to make sure I'm okay. I've heard it's b/c fat stores Estrogen and that b/c we are losing quickly it's released into our systems too fast and that throws us off, pills, shots or whatever to no avail. I think if it stays much longer (did you say a month?) and doesn't let up at all, I'd put a call into your Gyno soon. He/She may want to have you do an Iron test too to see where you stand on that. You could be low and that would affect your daily life (unusual fatigue for one). Take care and let me know how you do. I hope your system rights itself soon!

THAT is so totally AWESOME!!!! I am sooooooo happy for you!! WooHoo!!!!!

I have Kaiser and I started the process with my PCP in February and got banded August 25th. It actually went a lot faster than I at first expected. I thought I was going to have to go through the program here, then get transferred to one of the Bay Area programs but then they got a new surgeon here. Going to the Bay Area I was hoping to get banded late spring of '09. When the new surgeon came, I thought it might be late '08 or very early '09 and was thrilled with that. Late July they called me and wanted me to have surgery the next week. I couldn't swing it with my DH's job and our 2 year old so I had to put it off a month. It all worked out great in the end. I think Kaiser has a very comprehensive program. I had a BMI of close to 42 and was already on a diuretic to control my BP. It was but barely. I'd also noticed some things were starting to happen more. Asthma acting up more often, back aching, foot problems, etc. I am glad that I had to go through their program. It made me research and really LOOK at myself and decide whether this was going to really work for me and whether I was really going to MAKE this work for me. By the time I got to surgery, with God's help, I was not nervous AT ALL about surgery. I went in with a great attitude and came out with one as well. All of my nurses commented on how much they loved my attitude and what a pleasure it was being my nurse that day. Take it as a blessing that you have so much time to prepare for life after surgery with a band. Do your research, go to your classes, make the program work for you! It will ALL be so worth it in the end. I'm a week and a 1/2 out from surgery and I feel good. I'm healing nicely and am eager to start my new life! I'm also eager to get to full liquids, purees and very soft foods this weekend too! LOL!! Can I ask which program you are going through? I went through the Fresno program. I also know of Fremont, Richmond and S. San Fransisco for Nor. Cal but I don't know about any of the ones for So. Cal. Or are you even IN California! LOL! And I do totally understand your frustration. Especially if you made the determination that this IS for SURE what you want to do. I got that way for a bit. I'd decided that this was what I wanted and darn it! I wanted it NOW!! I am glad I had to wait. I learned more for it. Take care and keep us up to date on your progress!

Oh! Forgot to add that I can feel exactly where my port is. It's above the largest incision and you can even tell about here he might be sticking the needle for a fill! Kinda cool, kinda weird! Big man, firefighting, EMT, DH won't touch it! LOL!! I keep feeling it, it's really just so strange!! (Yes, I'm weird and I do know that!)