Texarkolina

But you WILL be able to eat everything again after the surgery. Just not for a long long while! Ask any of the "veterans" here on the Forum. They eat whatever they want! But they make sure if it's not healthy and part of their long-term maintenance plan, that it's a VERY small amount of the "treat" and that it is only on rare occasions.
That's one of the great things about this surgery. You don't actually have to GIVE UP anything! You just have to let your stomach heal, teach yourself your new food life plan, and then once in a while, give in to your craving or treat (in a small way). It's the only way to live with this radical change for the rest of your life and be really happy (and not feel deprived, the way we always did on our previous diets).

Yay! Something told me to call my doctors office today, and ask..and the nurse said "yes, you got approved!" I was so happy! So she said she will be calling me next week to set pre-op appointment dates! Surgery is scheduled for July 17th! Yay!!!

One year ago today, I was given one year to live if I didn't get a lot of my extra weight off me in a hurry. It's only 6:40pm, but I'm hoping I'll live until Midnight.
Just thought I'd share that huge milestone with my family here. I'll Celebrate with an extra long workout tomorrow morning! And a cup of Decaf coffee!!

I am scheduled for surgery on July 23, and it can't get here soon enough. I just changed jobs and got a last minute call from the new job telling me that they wanted me to travel the first week. This involved flying to Chicago. Now I am the biggest I have ever been, and I am bigger than the airplane seats. On the way up I sat next to a very nice lady that threw the armrest up as I approached and said, "I am going to leave this up if you don't mind because they make these seats too small and it makes me feel too closed in." I appreciated her being kind so much I nearly broke down in tears right there. I was able, by some miracle, to get the seatbelt fastened but it was so tight I was in a lot of pain. I swallowed my pride and asked the flight attendant for an extender, but she never brought me one and I just couldn't make myself ask again. I sat there in agony--spilling into the next seat and into the aisle--and praying that the seatbelt buckle was strong enough to hold my mass in without exploding into pieces. I can just see the headlines, "fat woman explodes seatbelt--plane makes emergency landing". I chatted with the lady beside me and apologized for crowding her. She was very kind and said that she was glad to sit by me and have someone there to talk to so she would be distracted because she is afraid to fly. I had bruises on my legs and pain in my abdomen all week where the seat belt was during the flight and I was miserable. I decided to call the airline for my return trip and see what I needed to do. They told me to wait and ask at the gate. I did--humiliated--and was treated kindly. She moved me to a seat without a seatmate. The flight attendent brough me an extender--subtly--and I made it home without further bodily injury. I know this could have been a lot worse, but in my mind I felt so humiliated by the whole experience. I worried about the return trip all week and wondered if all the people I was meeting in my new job were judging me for being so big. I just want to live in a world where I fit.

Thank you all so much for understanding. I know it could have been much worse, but it was upsetting enough as it was. I can't wait to be on the other side of this.

Omg this thread is awesome. Fyi...growing up my grandma called it my "twinkie". haha
" wash your twinkie" she'd say.
Did I also mention that I loved the hostess cake twinkies? Every day at lunch I would open up my lunch box and then think about my Vagina.
Dang now I want a twinkie....the snack cake...not a vagina

NOOOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOOOO!!!! A THOUSAND TIMES NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! :lol:

Haha... You did go there! That's why you need panties as a buffer, so if they fall out they can't go far! You turned the kinky up a notch with assuming you'd be "free ballin" on the treadmill lol

How do you explain it if you're a klutz like me and the balls fall out and you trip over them and break your neck while running on the treadmill. "I was...um...er...ah... just put the cast on." -not that I can't keep them in with the best of them......(oohoooh she went there!!!)

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHHA!!! "Sausage wallet!!" (choke choke sputter!!) :lol:

LOL i was looking forward to coming to work and reading the comments. I knew there would be more.
LadyIvy. i didn't say VAGINA because i didn't know if they are strict about that stuff on here. A lot of forums don't let you post certain words....i coulda said coochie, clam, poonani, pootang, vag, tunnel of love, "inner goodness" , sausage wallet, among about 1000 other words but i chose to stick with hoo haa thinking it would be safe and not get moderated And like someone said...its all in good light fun ....Glad everyone enjoyed the post and I think it was pretty informational.....
To the poster that got sick after the band and ended up at 98 lbs, hope your feeling great now.

I assumed the women (like me) were saying it to be funny. Of course the correct term would be more appropriate in most conversations and in teaching children.
The thread is/was kind of going the way of "let's top it with this funny word for vagina."
Great, funny, educational, light conversation!

Seriously? that means when I get to goal I'll gain 13 inches..(400/30}..that can't be right, that would put me in the guiness book of world records for sure. Lmao

Someone should do a study on this. I'm thinking we would need a pre-op test & 3-6-9-12month post op tests.
I feel we could really do a service for our fellow man. Poeple want answers.

Wow...I can only imagine your humiliation and embarrassment. However it does seem like you did have some angels in disguise, sub as the lady next to you, bless her heart. On the bright side soon you will no longer have this problem.

I know the feeling, I have been a frequent business traveler over the last 10 years. One time i was crammed into a tiny seat next to a very tall (6'6") and large (broad shouldered build and overweight) Swiss man. We were both big people so, we had to laugh about it and he was very friendly and socialable so we made the best of it, but wow was that an uncomfortable and long flight for both of us.
I also say... don't carry the humiliation, guilt and shame you feel. It is a heavy load and you don't need that! I personally think guilt and shame are unnecessary burdens, on top of everything else an obese person is dealing with!

I am sorry you felt that humiliation. Sometimes I think these things happen to solidify our decision of getting sleeved. My preschoolers graduated this Friday and I had the full intention of being BEHIND the camera.. Well, that changed. There I was in my most unflattering work polo shirt, my sports bra boob smooshing bra and no gut sucker underneath. Out of nervousness i seemed to keep my fat little arms unnaturally close to my body, like that cartoon dinosaur from I think meet the robinsons "I have a big head and little arms." Anyways, it was horrible to watch. I did some creative cropping on the video to try to limit the constant side view of Miss Fatty McFatterson.... But, I am now forever etched in the videos of the class of 2012. (Thank GOD preschoolers don't judge you by your weight!!!) I am more then ready to get this done when my 6 mo diet is over. I guess my point is don't let humiliation have the victory... The victory is this will be the last time you experience this and when you are flying skinny you will probly look for the girl who is facing humiliation and rescue her. You will always have compassion because you lived it. I pray your surgery and recovery go textbook and look forward to joining you on the losers bench, where we ALL fit!

I am scheduled for surgery on July 23, and it can't get here soon enough. I just changed jobs and got a last minute call from the new job telling me that they wanted me to travel the first week. This involved flying to Chicago. Now I am the biggest I have ever been, and I am bigger than the airplane seats. On the way up I sat next to a very nice lady that threw the armrest up as I approached and said, "I am going to leave this up if you don't mind because they make these seats too small and it makes me feel too closed in." I appreciated her being kind so much I nearly broke down in tears right there. I was able, by some miracle, to get the seatbelt fastened but it was so tight I was in a lot of pain. I swallowed my pride and asked the flight attendant for an extender, but she never brought me one and I just couldn't make myself ask again. I sat there in agony--spilling into the next seat and into the aisle--and praying that the seatbelt buckle was strong enough to hold my mass in without exploding into pieces. I can just see the headlines, "fat woman explodes seatbelt--plane makes emergency landing". I chatted with the lady beside me and apologized for crowding her. She was very kind and said that she was glad to sit by me and have someone there to talk to so she would be distracted because she is afraid to fly. I had bruises on my legs and pain in my abdomen all week where the seat belt was during the flight and I was miserable. I decided to call the airline for my return trip and see what I needed to do. They told me to wait and ask at the gate. I did--humiliated--and was treated kindly. She moved me to a seat without a seatmate. The flight attendent brough me an extender--subtly--and I made it home without further bodily injury. I know this could have been a lot worse, but in my mind I felt so humiliated by the whole experience. I worried about the return trip all week and wondered if all the people I was meeting in my new job were judging me for being so big. I just want to live in a world where I fit.

Thank you all so much for understanding. I know it could have been much worse, but it was upsetting enough as it was. I can't wait to be on the other side of this.

We went kayaking yesterday and it was awesome!!! I can fit into a lifejacket and it is loose. It's great. My bathing suit is loose mainly up in the chest area. I am going to need to get a new one. I feel awesome.

I have that situation monthly as I travel a lot for work. At least you had a nice seatmate. I have had men make rude statements then get up Ina huff and move. I always try to get a seat next to an empty seat but that is getting harder and harder! Just know in a few months it will all behind us!!!!! Here is to all of us flying with no added stress and a thinner future!!!!!

There are so many things I want to say to you right now...after I give you a big virtual hug.
The first thing I want to say is this: there are more people like the wonderful lady on your plane than there are "negative nancy's". Your new co-workers were more worried about impressing you than anything else. Believe me.
That being said....I understand how you felt.
Only another overweight person can truly understand the "prepping" it takes just to plan a trip to the mall/store/friends/park. From planning how far of a walk it is from the car to one's destination to seating to what to wear that will be comfy and not show how much I'm sweating. It's agonizing. Then to have that flight attendant ignore your request like that!! Unacceptable. The attendant allowed you to be physically harmed when she had the ability to avoid that at no cost to the airlines or you. This makes me upset.
I am so happy with the sleeve and I think you will be too. I went from a 22 to a 9 and still have about 30 lbs more to go. Before you know it you will no longer look at chair and think to yourself "will I fit" but will look at chairs and think "it needs more padding". I say this because now that the fat is gone from my bum, it gets so sore sitting!!

You are not alone. I have had so many experiences just like yours. God sent you a sweet angel to sit with you. That is so awesome how you were treated on the way home. It is easy for me to say don't be humiliated, lots of people have been there, but I know from experience it doesn't matter. Soon we will be the sympathetic sweet angels, tiny enough to help someone in the seat next to us. Good luck! You are gonna do great!

I got on a flight a few weeks ago, sat down, fastened the seatbelt easily and had to pull it tighter. I will happen for you.
I also fit easily into booths at restaurants. I used to be terrified that a place would have no tables.
Never fear! These thing you are experiencing will be in the past sooner than you think!