natrlblonde

Hi Jodi, I'm sorry you had a week from hell. Something must have been in the air last week. On Friday I had my first fill and my husband called me from his office telling me that someone had dumped a dog there, and the guy who was taking care of her already has two other dogs that had been dumped and wanted me to stop by and see if I wanted the dog!!! Well long story short I can't say no to a dog and now we have another dog which makes six!! I think I'm going to be one of those old ladies with a lot of dogs!!!!! oh and cats as we seem to end up with a bunch of feral cats.... I don't understand why people do these things to animals... Hope things get better and easier for you. Hey i'm thinking about going to New York in about a month or so. My nephews are going to come to Oregon for the summer and so I am going to stay with my sister and then fly home with the boys. Maybe when I'm there we can meet! Let me know. Monica

Happy Monday!! I hope everyone survived the weekend. This is the start of my fourth week on clear liquids. Next week I start the mushie stage, then the following week my first fill. I think that i'm at the stage where I'm not feeling very restricted. I am getting hungry, but still sticking to the liquid program. I know i've said it before, but if i never see broth again it will be too soon!!!!!!! Have a great day.

Good Friday Everyone!!!! Thanks Kendra. I wish I could switch to soft foods. I'm not sure why my doctor has his patients do Clear liquids for four weeks after surgery. I've seen where others go to mooshie (sp) food ten days after surgery. I guess I should not worry or question since it has allowed me to drop what I consider a lot of weight. This weekend is Easter, and my mom always makes a ham and all the side dishes to go with it. It is going to be so hard not to get to eat any of it. Holidays have always been a big deal for my mom, and especially since my dad passed away it is even a bigger deal for her. She loves to cook for us. So I have question that i would love some feed back on. I've not had meat in a while and i'm wondering about some of the vegetarian meats. I've never been a big fan of red meat, i do like chicken and some fish, so i'm wondering if anyone knows if the vegetarian meats are any good? I've heard that some taste like cardboard. Let me know! Have a nice evening. Monica

Hi All, I hope everyone had a good April 1st. I had a small victory today in that I was able to return my CPAP machine today. I have been sleeping through the night, and have enough energy during the day that I'm not taking naps like in the past. My sleep apenea was very mild in the first place, and loosing weight has helped me sleep better. Yea Me!!!! I so hated that machine, I could never get it to fit my face properly, and it was noisy, noisy, noisy!!!! Well thats all I have for now........ Have a wonderful Friday!!!!! Hugs, Monica

Hi Jodi, I guess I need to clarify, I am going to the gym but I am only using the tredmill and walking for about an hour. I can't lift anything for at least six weeks which is why I am not back to work yet. I work for the Post Office so we handle a lot of heavy stuff!! Have a great evening.

Hey Kelsey, Hang in there you WILL start seeing results. Good luck to you!!!!!

Hi Kelsey. I lost 10 pounds pre-op. I was only on the pre-op for 7 days. I've lost 28.2 pounds since surgery. I am on liquids for 4 weeks post op. Weeks 5-8 pureed foods 3 meals a day one ounce each meal plus protein shakes in between. At 9 weeks regular foods 3 meals a day at one ounce each until goal weight is reached. Yes my surgery was on the 12th. At least I can have sugar free jello........yummy...not!!!! It is a good thing i like crystal lite because it makes drinking a lot less boring. I hear you on the broth. I can only do the chicken broth, because i don't like the taste of the others. My husband and I do work out at least five days a week. Have a great one!!!!!

Good evening all, I've not posted in a while. I'm doing great so far. Still not back to work as I have a very physical job, a lot of lifting and pushing and pulling so the doctor told me he wants me to take at least three if not four weeks. I am so bored being home. I have gone into the office to do some work that doesn't require lifting. Most of it is my computer work and doing the things that the boss has no idea how to do or does not want to do as may be the case. I see a few people talking about a scale. I do have one, and for the first week I was checking the scale everyday, but when I went to my first pre-op appointment my doctor gave me this chart that I can track my weight loss on. So now I am weight once a week so I know how i'm doing. I am looking forward to the soft food stage as i'm a bit bored with the broth. I get my fill on the 23rd of April at my six week appointment. My band is not filled at this time which i guess is normal so that the band can heal properly. So far I've lost 38.2 pounds which is just amazing to me. I'm wearing clothes that I've not been able to wear in I can't remember how long. Well the husband is home and I've made him a pot roast for dinner!! It smells yummy!!!!!!! Everyone have a great evening!!

Good luck today Finding Me. You will do well!!!!!

I'm not a big fan of fish, I'm learning to like it, but only like salmon, and the white fishes, however I do love tuna. I have never had sushi so i don't know if i would like it or not, but i might be willing to try it. :cursing:

Hi Parisluver, Good Luck on Friday I know you will do great. The liquid diet is not that bad, at first I thought it might be, but it really is mind over matter. I do tend to get bored with the broth as I am not a fan of beef broth, so I have only chicken broth. Also I had a lot of people in my group at the doctors office raving about this MISO soup. They were saying it was so good and full of flavor. I purchased some to try and unless you really like fish soup it is NASTY!!!!!!!! I could not even get it past my nose........no one told me it was a fish broth.......YUCK!!!

Good Evening all, So it is official I am banded. My surgery was last friday, and I'm feeling pretty good. My starting weight was 300, and the day of the surgery I had lost 20 pounds on the pre-op diet. Today I weight myself and I have lost ten pounds since the surgery. I'm having to learn to drink all over again, in the past I was a Water gulper and now that hurts like a bad word when I do it. Someone had suggested purchasing the sippy cups that kids used so I did. I am now drinking from a SpongeBob cup, which is making it kind of fun!! Today I probably did more than I should have, and am feeling it now. I also decided to make my husband dinner instead of him eating another cardboard box meal. He does not mind them, but I wanted to do something nice for him. I made meatloaf, mashed taters, and gravy. It was nice making dinner, and not even being tempted by it. I've seen posts about a card for the lapband, I did get some information, but no temp card. I will ask the doctor on friday when i go in for my one week check up. I also ordered a medic alert bracelet which my doctor suggested. Did anyone elses doctor advise getting one? I hope everyone banded before me is doing well and to the ones yet to be banded good luck and hang in there. I know you can do it!!!!!

Hi All, First off Congratulations to everyone who has been banded so far this month!! Second sorry I've not posted or responded in a few days. My darn internet was out until last night!! I can't believe how much i depend on the internet......its crazy sometimes!!! This pre-op diet is the hardest things i've ever done. I do not like the Muscle Milk, but i am drinking it because I got the industrial size from costco!! Also I have to take liquid iron and that is so nasty I put it in the shakes which makes them taste even worse!!! Anyone have a suggestion for a more flavorful protein shake?

Congrats Amy!!!!!!

Good Wednesday all, Hope everyone is have a great day. The weather here in the Pacific Northwest. Tomorrow I have my pre-op class which will last all day!! I believe they will start me on the liquid diet tomorrow as well. I can't believe it is only nine days until the next chapter of my life begins. I'm so excited!! Last night my husband and I were talking, and he was being his normal supportive self, he said he was proud of me for taking this step, and he was also excited to go through this process with me. We purchased a couple of weeks worth of "smart choice" meals at the grocery store because he said that he did not want me to have to fix dinner just for him. What a guy, anyone who knows me knows that I am beyond spoiled!!! Not just in a material way, but he is the most supportive person I know. Anyway I digress, congratulations to all the March Bandsters who have had their surgery so far I look forward to reading your updates. To the ones who have yet to have their surgery, our day is comming!!!!!!!!!!

Good evening all, Today was my day for all my final testing. I had a chest x-ray, Pulmonary function test, pulse oximetry test, upper G I test, lab work, and an EKG. I think that is everything that I had to do. I have to get clearance from my regular doctor, but i can't do that until the 5th as he is out of the office. I'm sure it will not be an issue as he is the one who refered me to the Lap band doctor in the first place. I can't believe that the 12th will be here so soon. I am so jazzed about this how procedure, i'm looking forward the the next chapter of my life!!! Have a great rest of the night and day tomorrow. Monica

Hi guys, If you double click on someones you can make your own. At least that is what I did to add one to mine!!!!!!! Good luck!!

Happy Thursday evening all, Today was a good day!! My husband and I joined a fitness club. We worked out for about an hour and half which was not bad for our first time at it. I feel good, nothing hurts.....yet!! I am going to go at least five times a week, maybe even seven depends on how things work out time wise!! Hope everyone has had a good week so far!!

Greetings all, So a small victory for me this weekend.....my husband I were at Target and they were stocking the Easter stuff, and the baskets and candy. Well I walked right past the Peeps and did not even grab any for my cart. For me that is such a huge huge victory!!! Peeps are my weekness, I so love those marshmallow confections!!!! Anyway, everyone have a wonderful Wednesday!! Monica