LittleBill

I lost al my hair by the time I turned 30. But I am a guy, so it doesn't matter. I'm going for the Jean Luc Picard look.

You can't drink too much. The only penalty is peeing more often. The upside is that your body will process Protein better and you will lose more weight faster.

I'm going to tell a story here, because I am good at stories. Yesterday I visited my parents. I do this regularly, because I am a good son. I am not bragging, just stating the facts of the situation. Every time I visit, my father takes me out for lunch. For reference, he is 82, coming up on 83 years old. We went to his favorite diner, one which we have been eating at since the mid 70s. I ordered the cheeseburger with nothing else. He ordered one of his favorites, a bowl of vegetable Soup with a toasted roll, and butter. The roll itself is close to 8" in diameter, and comes with a quarter pound of butter. He proceeded to finish it off with a HUGE slice of "homemade" French apple pie. It is made right there by the owners of the diner. I love French apple pie. It is one of my favorites. I didn't care. He ate these things right in front of me, but he is my father, the man who raised me and taught me how to be a man myself. I was more interested in his company than what he ate. Who knows how long I will have the privilege of his company at his age? And isn't that the important part? Learn to find the fulfillment in the people around you rather than the food they are eating. We need to eat to live, not live to eat.

I would call the office, ask to speak to the manager, explain the whole issue, and request that the person in question be torn a new rear end. She does not need to be fired, but she does need some training.

It is called bureaucracy. Whether your surgery is government funded, insurance funded, or privately paid, there are a whole bunch of people in the system who do one job, and one job only. Sometimes they are good at it. Most of the time they are adequate. Sometimes they are barely able to keep from being fired. We are all up against it to one degree or another. You are your own best advocate, so keep plugging away.

Any time you expel matter from your body, you lose weight. The amount of weight will vary. Some people are so full of you know what that they could practically disappear with a healthy bowel movement. The truth of the matter though, is that you will lose more weight from taking a healthy leak than pooping. But in either case, you will lose weight.

@@Fredbear I am not going to get into the whole thing about revenge, or who is right and who is wrong. None of us know the whole story. But I do have to write a few things in response to your posts. There are a lot of men out there who still believe in honor, integrity, and responsibility. I have no idea what the dynamics were in her marriage, but I do know that two people created not just a "contract", but a family. That family has been torn apart for whatever reason. The man involved still has responsibilities, whether he chooses to acknowledge them or not. Regardless of what passed between him and his wife, the children are the ones who suffer the most in this. They will spend the rest of their lives wondering if it is something they did, and if they could have done better or made it right if they had just tried harder. You might want to consider editing your post to reflect the fact that it is only your opinion. You sure as hell don't speak for me, or people like me.

You know how people who were one thing, and then reformed themselves all of a sudden become fanatical about that thing they used to be? Ex smokers are one of the best examples, policing the ranks of those who continue to smoke, evangelizing them to save them from that particular sin. They are especially known for their zeal. I sort of felt that way today. After my post op check up (which went very well), I drove up to visit my parents and help my Dad with a few chores around the house. While we were working, my Mom declared that we needed to go to the store to get some things she had been wanting for a while. Now "we" translates and "Dad and I". As for the store, she did not care, as long as it had everything she wanted on her list. It was that discussion that led to the circumstances where I found myself a short while later. We wound up in the mecca for fat people. There were more fat people there than at the Golden Corral on 10% off day. Yes. I am talking about Walmart. I hate going to Walmart. I don't like having to walk for what seems like miles just to discover they really don't have what I want. What's even worse sometimes IS finding what I want. Then I have to stand in line to check out - a line that stretches into the hazy distance like people lined up waiting for Judgment Day. And today was even worse. We were at a Walmart in a popular vacation spot for people from a very large city whose initials are N.Y.C. So it was fat people with an attitude. I also made the mistake of texting Mrs. LittleBill to tell her I was at Walmart, thinking she would at least sympathize. I received an LOL and a list of stuff to look for. So now I had two missions. We had to park so far away from the building that all we could see was the top, peeking over the horizon. I am pretty sure we were in a different zip code. The parking lot was solid with vehicles. In the distance I could see people dodging back and forth between the city drivers zooming around looking for the best spot. I said to Dad, "Maybe today isn't such a good day to try and go in there." He turned to me and said, "It's not worth my life to come home empty handed! We're going in!" We eventually made it to the door. I grabbed a cart, and waded into the mêlée, calling out to Dad that we could split up and cover more territory more quickly. It was like a cross between bumper cars and the demolition derby. People were smacking into one another left and right, coming out of the ends of the aisles like they had been fired out of a cannon. Baleful glares and insincere apologies were exchanged with abandon. And in all of this, there was a huge number of human juggernauts, cruising through slowly, yet unstoppable. They drew my attention with fascination. Like the ex smoker described above, I looked from person to person, thinking: "You need bariatric surgery. You need bariatric surgery. You REALLY need bariatric surgery! I can't believe I used to look like that! Did I really look like that!?! This place is a GOLD MINE for my surgeon!" It was actually kind of weird. On one hand, I felt something of a kinship with these people while on the other hand I was repulsed. I think a lot of the latter had to do with attitude though. I really get impatient with rude people. In one sense it was something of an NSV for me. I am still fat, but I am not the land yacht I used to be, and to a degree, I felt a whole lot slimmer as I negotiated the killing fields of the retail environment. It was also something of a wake up call, to learn that I do not perceive myself in the same way that I used to. I am going to have to work on that one for a while. It kind of snuck up on me and grabbed me by the throat. But at least I made it out of there alive.

Jokes like that aren't kosher! @@xoxococojay I haven't really had any issues, but we have been told repeatedly that it can take a while to be able to eat some things we used to eat. If it bothers you, let it go for a while, and then try it again in a few weeks. There are a lot of physiological changes going on right now, so don't give up on it forever because of one bad experience.

I didn't get my catheter until the day after surgery. That's when they told me, "Oh yeah, the anesthesia does that sometimes, stops your bladder from working". "Thanks a whole bunch for warning me, bariatric team!" I did not think I could grit my teeth that hard. Especially the second time. But I got better.

Yeah, I've got some friends and family members who could definitely benefit, but they are smart enough to see how things are going with me. One or two have even alluded to the possibility, and I said I would be glad to discuss it, but they will have to bring it up. As for fat strangers from NYC? Fuggedaboutit!

It's on TLC, new season begins January 4th! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Thank you! I will have to check it out. I don't watch TV, and have not for years. Mrs. LittleBill had to tell me there was something wrong with the cable the other day. If it was up to me, there is no telling how long it would have gone on. But give me a good movie...

I was off mine during the day on the second day. I took it at night before going to bed for a few more days just in case I rolled over. I wanted to minimize the chances of waking up because of a sharp pain. As has already been said, everyone is different in their situation both because of tolerance and the way our body was handled. Good luck with it!

@@theantichick We must have some sort of psychic connection, because I am the person who thinks that I am going to be the ONLY ONE who this doesn't work for. As for hunger. Pre-op, there were days where I thought I was going to have to gnaw my left arm off to survive. Post op, I still get hungry, but it is very controlled. In other words, if I am eating my protein first (and I am) and I am eating at my regularly scheduled intervals (which I do, most of the time) then I will feel hunger, but I do not feel like it is controlling me. I eat the portions that my nutritional plan recommends, and I am fully satisfied. Between meals, I drink plenty of fluids, which also helps with those occasional hunger pangs. Before my surgery, Tastykakes were a big part of my life. I loved them. I have not had a Tastykake since June, and I have not had any cravings for them. The same goes for Dunkin Donuts. I drive through there several times in a week, and sometimes twice in a day. I have yet to buy anything more than coffee. Well, there was that one time where my rider bought me a turkey sausage sammich, but that wasn't a doughnut. And I didn't eat the bread. I think you will do fine if you stick with your program, and find things to occupy your mind with besides TV shows, advertisements, and fantasies about food.

Congratulations! You sound a lot like me. Why wait for something to wend its way through channels when you can make some calls and accelerate the process! Good luck with it!

There's a TV show about fat people?

I employed the suggestion made by @@blizair09 and showed up in my stretchy pants, which are getting quite baggy on me. They are SO baggy I was afraid to put my wallet in my pocket for fear of being arrested in the parking lot for flashing people. I changed afterwards at my parent's house. I hate wearing stretchy pants if I am not lounging about the LittleBill compound. @@Dub Back in my really fat days, I was getting on the scale at my PCP's office. I forget the number, but it was well over 400, probably over 450. I looked at the young lady with the chart as deadpan as a judge, and said, "Well, I've got a lot of keys on my key ring." She nodded knowingly and replied, "Oh, I know, they can really throw it off!" Either she was an incredible actor with very fast response time, or it sailed right past her.

Tomorrow I have another follow up visit with the nice CRNP at the surgeon's office. I have seen my blood work, and all my numbers look great, with the exception that I seem to be a little low on zinc. Maybe they will try to rezinc my settings while I am there to see if that helps. But that's not why I am posting. No, I started this process in warm, sunny, June. I showed up for all my appointments in sandals and shorts. Even as the weather grew cooler, I was able to show up in stretchy pants and my sandals, because I was coming right back home. I dressed that way to be consistent on the scale for their records. Well tomorrow, I've got to leave out of the doc's office on errands, visits, familial obligations, etc. and I am NOT going to prance about the countryside in stretchy pants. No way. I'm going with my regular dress and load out for my belt and pockets, and THAT is going to add to the scale. I'm gonna have some 'splainin' to do. They will think I hijacked the Tastykake truck. Note to self: Don't schedule appointments on errand day.

I did not do much in the way of socializing while I was on my liquid phase, since it was liquids in and liquids out. I had a few friends stop by to visit, and of course I interacted with Mrs LittleBill every day. She offered to eat bland, non aromatic foods around me so as not to cause me any grief. I told her to eat what she wanted, and not to worry about me. As has been mentioned, this is a lifetime choice. You are going to be in this position over and over again, unless you decide to go all Jeremiah Johnson on people, and go live on a mountain by yourself. Now is a good time to start getting used to it. The other thing, and I want to write this as gently as possible, is this. People cannot read your mind. If they ask you for input and you give them input, you should not be surprised or offended if they respond according to that input. Writing as a man who has dealt with the feminine psyche for many years, this is a sensitive topic. If you tell us things are fine, we are going to act that way. You can't tell people you are fine with something when you aren't, and expect them to parse that to get your true feelings. A little transparency will go a long way for you.

The past in in the past, and there is no amount of dwelling on it which will change it. Look forward to what the future brings, and resolve to be victorious one day at a time. You only have to do this for today, not tomorrow or the next. When tomorrow arrives, it is today, and you only have to do it for today. But if you dwell on the past, and contemplate the entirety of the future, it will crush you.

This really is bariatric related. Today I received a visit from a very good friend of mine. He started out as a student. We became friends about eight years ago, and have been close friends ever since. He had sleeve surgery about four years ago. What is strange though, is that of all the people who knew I was doing this, he has been the least supportive. He practically begged me not to do it. He came to visit immediately after surgery, and fairly shocked me with his imagery of huge sandwiches, sumptuous meals, and high calorie Desserts I would never be able to eat again. I have been learning more about him and about this new lifestyle, and how the two aren't working out so well. We are still friends, and will remain so, but following is a lot of what I learned. My friend is one of those who is failing, and will continue to fail. I am pretty sure he was coerced into the surgery by his wife, who didn't want to see him dying prematurely of all the things that were going wrong with him. As far as I can tell, he never really bought into the premise of changing his lifestyle along with the surgery. As such, he has not changed it. He had enormous success during the honeymoon period, but has since regained at least 80 lbs of the weight he lost. His blood pressure problems have returned, and if I had to guess, he is going to have blood sugar issues again, if he isn't already. So he came to visit this morning, and we had a fairly blunt conversation. He was impressed with my progress to date, so I let him know, un no uncertain terms, that it was because I was FOLLOWING THE RULES. He does not eat Protein. When he gets hungry, he will eat a small piece of fruit, or a vending machine snack. He will often eat a Caesar salad for lunch. On his way to visit, had a coffee roll as the sole sum and substance of his Breakfast (along with coffee, which he drank to wash his roll down). When he is not hungry, he will not eat. I offered him several items, including some freshly made chicken salad, which I had for my mid morning snack. It was no go. It was kind of sad. I discussed some of his culinary choices, and offered him some ideas (he refuses to talk to a nutritionist). Simply put, he has not changed his mindset, and is fairly surprised that I have. But that is the difference between success and failure. While he was here, we were out doing some recon at the local Cabela's. I am about to embark on making my own beef Jerky, so I wanted to peruse the offerings they had in the way of food dehydrators. They didn't really have anything that got me excited. And we really did go to Taco Bell. We were on the way home, and I knew he had to eat something. Heck, I knew I had to eat something! So I asked him if he liked Taco Bell. I already knew the answer. It was kind of funny though. Even though he is completely off the reservation on content, he is chained to his sleeve for volume. So we go walking in, and up to the counter. I ordered a beef and bean burrito, figuring I would eat the insides and scrap most of the wrap. I also ordered an unsweetened iced tea for later on down the road. My friend said to the guy, "Can I get just one taco?" The kid taking our order looked at us like we were some sort of weirdos, eating practically nothing. He asked a few times if that was all we wanted. The total for our tab came to $6.43. For two people. I almost burst out laughing at the expression on the kid's face. As we were sitting at our table, slowing eating our pittance, a hugely overweight woman came lumbering by. She could not contain her interest in seeing two big guys eating almost nothing, and doing it very slowly. I almost wanted to get up and tell her why. He munched down his entire crunchy taco. I ate the insides of my burrito, and had a couple of very small bites which included part of the wrap. I tossed the rest of it. My friend was impressed that I did not stuff the whole thing down my neck. And the tea? It was awful. I don't know if my taste for tea has changed, or if it was just this batch or this brand. But I won't be getting any Taco Bell tea ever again, unless I am about as desiccated as a mummy. As for my friend, he has all the tools he needs. He just needs to change his attitude. I hope he does, now that I am in this thing right along with him. Why am I posting about this? This is for any of you out there who might be tempted to be like my friend. Most of this is in your head. You will win or lose mainly because of your mindset. Your sleeve is a tool, and one of many. If you learn to use your tools well, you will do well. If you think they will do the job for you, and you need not put any effort in, you will be left wondering why others are enjoying success while you linger in the land of the large.

@@blizair09 That's an idea I didn't even think of! I may do that.

There is a whole team. And they have been doing this for so long, that they are plodding along in their rut. I had a whole team too, and there were a number of times I had to do some stern talking on the phone or in person to get things cleared up, straightened out, or fixed the way they should be. Do not be afraid to advocate for yourself. You are paying these people (one way or another) which means they work for YOU. You need to make sure that they understand you want to be a satisfied customer.

Speaking of dumping... They call them slider foods, and not just because they slide through your sleeve. You may very well find they keep right on sliding out the other end. With force. All that is left behind is a sore butt, calories infesting your system, and a feeling of guilt. You need to get some help with the mental and emotional aspect if you want to win at this. Good luck with it.

Mrs LittleBill says I will never be normal, but as far as feeling that way, I have been feeling pretty good for the past month, and I am about two and a half months out from surgery. Life is all about changes. Some are more abrupt than others. This is one I had time to prepare for, so it is going well. Ninety per cent of this is mindset.