mscarly

Two things have about trashed my month of July - as well as my fragile lap-band routine.

At the risk of sounding like making excuses, we've hosted three teenage grandsons for the last three weeks - nice kids, but very hard to manage everything with house guests. Eating out a lot, no down time, no organization time. This was not a good event, starting just days after my first fill.

Also, have been working early and late on a big project (many 12-14 hour days). In combination with above, did not do a good job of bringing healthy lunches / dinners.

That being said, have managed to manage my weight - about 235 (down 32 total since starting program in Nov 08). But so disappointed, wanted to have made more progress by now, almost 2 months post-surgery.

Also, am just plain overwhelmed. Made a list of all the things I'm stress over, and it is very long. DH isn't a worrier, and can't figure out why I worry about things I can't control. We have a strict policy: I worry about everything, he worries about nothing. No wonder I tend to overeat.

Visited the "Struggling" section tonight. I'm not feeling like a failure, but I can see one could fall off the grid very quickly - especially after the tremendously long build-up to surgery.

I think my other problem is I need a fill. I have 3 ccs in a 10 cc band. Virtually no restriction. Was going to wait until Sep, but will call and go asap in Aug - why wait.

Got to jump restart. Hope FitDay is fixed by now on this site, need to drink the water religiously, get back to walking more.

Well, signing off for now. Be back tomorrow, I know that helps a lot, too.

Got my first fill on Jul-1. No problem, didn't hurt a bit. Dr. Galvani uses some sort of pneumatic anesthetic pen, then inserts the needle. 3ccs in a 10cc band.

Down 31 lbs since the beginning of my journey. Started size 24 jackets and pants - now 20.

I still have a lot of aches and pains with the hip and arthritis, but people are telling me that I'm getting around better - so that's good.

I was on a road trip from Tue-Sat. Before I left, I was struggling - weight loss was flat for many days.

So naturally I was concerned about taking a road trip - where would I eat? when? what could I eat? dinner at conference? etc

To my surprise and delight - I came back and had lost 4 pounds!

I found that Cracker Barrel was actually a pretty good place to eat for someone 3-4 weeks out. I could choose the vegetable platter and had some good choices: applesauce, cottage cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes.

Also, Ruby Tuesday's salad bar had good choices - cottage cheese, edamame, garbanzo beans, parmesan cheese, diced ham, beets, etc.

Kept the water consumption up - and avoided all the bad stuff - worked out pretty good!

My big emotional victory - went from 267 (highest weight) - thru the 260s, 250s, 240s, and now am in the 230s ... finally. The farther I get from that top weight the happier I am.

Also, have gone from size 24 jackets and slacks to 18-20 jackets and 22 slacks. It makes a big difference already.:thumbup:

I'm a little down in the dumps ...

Haven't lost much post Jun-3 surgery.

Logged into my lap-band (Allergen) site today and realize I'm only consuming about 900 calories a day.

I am following my program quite well - mostly protein shakes, soft foods - think I'm in plateau of sorts - have lost 23 lbs since pre-surgery diet. Kind of hungry, but not bad.

Gotta do better with the water, though.

Am hanging in there - I'm sure the scale is going to change in a couple of days.

It is a blessing, indeed! I'm 7 days out. Keep up the good work

Went back for my 1-week post-op visit today. Dr. Galvani says I'm doing great. Just have one little incision that's healing up nicely.

First fill will be Jul-1.

He estimates I'll be down 50-60 lbs by the time the weather turns cold again, if I stick to it, so that'll be good for my bad old hip.

It's hard to imagine being that much lighter - but I know it'll happen!

Went back to work today to lots of hugs and nice comments.

Had my first mushy food today, a scrambled egg with a little shredded parmesan and a little cottage cheese - about 1/2 cup in total. Tasted good

Thanks Band-Buddies - I feel much better

Love the "Julia Roberts / Pretty Woman" idea!

One of my big treats was to get a new hair cut and color this past Mon, to get ready to go back to work on Wed.

Went to the beauty parlor, and sure enough a skinny minnie hair dresser worked on me. (Like a dummy) I blabbed about my surgery. She regarded me with a thin veil of contempt.

When I got out to the car, to my horror, my hair was a completely different color than I had requested (it must be most dimly lit beauty salon in Chicagoland), and I had a blotch of mismatched color by my left temple.

I went back in to complain, the manager was in a meeting offsite, so the receptionist begrudgingly took a message

Hours and several phone calls later, the manager *still* hadn't gotten back to me, so I went back to the salon in person.

I raised particular hell about the lousy hair color, and the poor customer service on top of it. I demanded my money back, and got it - but the rub was the snotty receptionist acting contemptuous of me, too.

At the risk of sounding paranoid, I can't help but think if I was a skinny minnie like them, they would have been a lot more apologetic about my hair. When you're overweight, you're a throw-away person in society. You can just read their thoughts.

Chalk up another reason to do the Lap-Band. Still smarting, gotta get over it ...

Tomorrow will be 1 week since my surgery.

I'm glad I didn't push it. The extra two days this week really helped.

Really got spoiled on taking it easy, tough - no more naps!

Just like others have said, I got a case of left shoulder and neck pain with post surgery gas.

My wonderful husband went out and bought me a "husk bag" - one of those buckwheat / lavender bags you warm in the microwave for a couple minutes - shaped like a neck pillow you'd have on an airplane.

The warm, moist heat chased the pain away in minutes - amazing!

Thanks, DH!

Just like others have said, I got a case of left shoulder and neck pain with post surgery gas.

My wonderful husband went out and bought me a "husk bag" - one of those buckwheat / lavender bags you warm in the microwave for a couple minutes - shaped like a neck pillow you'd have on an airplane.

The warm, moist heat chased the pain away in minutes - amazing!

Thanks, DH!

Got banded on Wed Jun-3. It was a great experience. Went to Day One surgery in the Bloomingdale's building downtown Chicago. Surgeon was Carlos Galvani. Everybody was top-notch, the surgery center was excellent. Galvani fixed a Hiatal Hernia I didn't know I had, also.

After surgery, we went to the Whitehall, a charming European style hotel right across the street from the surgery center.

We had a really nice room (much nicer than a hospital - fluffy white pillows and bedding). The nurse that was on my surgical team also stayed overnight to watch me - take blood pressure, pulse, blood gasses, etc. She was WONDERFUL - I would have never received that kind of 1:1 treatment in a hospital.

BTW, while I was getting ready for surgery, the nurse told me about one of their patients who got up at 3a on the MORNING of her surgery and had a HAM SANDWICH! Good grief. Obviously she didn't get a band.

The sweetest words I heard the second I woke up from anesthesia - "You have a lap-band!" the anesthesiologist told me in a loud voice so I'd understand (still woozy). All the pre-op dieting was worthwhile.

I am doing great, except for the left shoulder pain everybody here talks about. But that'll pass soon - nobody said it was going to be easy!

Thanks to all my great bandster buddies on this site for all your support. Pretty tired, gotta get to bed.:wub:

-mscarly

6a Wed surgery. All set - see you on the other side:thumbup:

- MsCarly

I think on-stage nudity is disgusting, shameful and damaging to all things American. But if I were 22 with a great body, it would be artistic, tasteful, patriotic and a progressive religious experience.

- Shelley Winters

I have to say, this has been the easiest thing to do. When your mind's made up, when you're committed, when you've visited this tremendous supportive site about a million times in 6 months, you're ready.

My surgery is Wed Jun-3. Got a pretty French pedicure today as a treat. Got all my chewable vitamins ready and waiting, C-PAP machine ready to take with me. Nurse and hotel are arranged. All that's left to do is pack my bag and show up.

Made a cut and color appt for next Mon, so the hair will look nice when I go back to work on the 10th. My plan is to grow out a great mane of hair in the year+ it takes to lose the weight. Whole new look for a whole new me!

What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease.

- George Dennison Prentice

Went to my final appt today before surgery.

Met with anesthesiologist and surgeon.

I asked the surgeon the merits between Lap-Band and Realize. He said, "You're the first person who's ever asked me that."

He said they do both. That I should research and decide which one I want. Most of it seems to be about web-based after care.

Any thoughts / experience? Surgery is Jun-3.:devil:

Thanks for the tip - I'll try them!

The skin on my upper arms isn't very pretty - little pink bumps.

Some years ago, when I asked my (rather insensitive) dermatologist, he responded to his medical intern (like I wasn't even sitting there), "We see that a lot in overweight people."

I hope as the weight comes off, and with some TLC skin care, I'll have decent upper arms ... even if they'll be a little flabby.

This morning, after the first 2 full days of my pre-op liquid diet, I'm down 6.6 pounds already.

I am very much at peace with this decision. Not eating isn't bothering me in the least. I'm not hungry. It's very easy.

Of course, after my cancer scare earlier this week ... liquid diet? No problem!

Last week I had my pre-op testing, which included a chest xray.

The results came back that I had a "nodule" in my lung. (What the sam heck is a nodule?!) My doctor said it had to be tested further before she could sign off on my surgery.

So, for SEVEN DAYS I've been waiting to get in for a CT scan and get the results back - sweating out a cancer scare, on TOP of all the emotions of this surgery. :cursing:

I was out of my mind, worried not only would I not get a "second chance" at life with this surgery, but I'd be facing a serious illness that would have made the last 6 months useless - that I'd be getting chemo instead of fills ...

On the eve of starting my pre-op diet, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY I got the call from my doctor tonight the tests came back COMPLETELY NEGATIVE - no sign of cancer whatsoever - just an old scar from a childhood respiratory illness. :cool2:

I swear, Bandster Hell will be a cake walk after this harrowing experience. Whew!

Excellent post - I'll heed your good advice. Thanks for sharing! - mscarly

I read an article last night on Kirstie Alley in the recent issue of People magazine.

I feel sorry for her. She may be rich and famous, but why-oh-why she just doesn't get a lap band and be done with the chronic yo-yo dieting thing is beyond me.

Now she's creating her own diet and writing a book about it. It might make her some $$, but it doesn't take a crystal ball to see she'll be right back where she is a couple of years from now ...

There is peace in knowing you're moving past "just one more diet" - "just one more book" - "just one more gym membership" and that you're getting a tool that can help you permanently.

Cardiologist at Northwestern knows of Galvani, too - sounds like he has a great reputation in Chicago.

Congrats, Pete - you must be really happy you made this decision. When you see these silly weight loss commercials on TV, you can see it's almost impossible to lose this kind of weight "the old fashioned way." Good for you - keep posting! - mscarly