hi there,
i was banded monday july 14. regarding your concerns about your independence, here are the things i have and haven't had trouble with: i underestimated how tired i would be from the incredibly small number of calories i can get down. i've slept about 14 hours a day since monday. stairs are no problem, except for the fatigue (i'm 210 lbs.). walking my dog is no problem, but she's 15 lbs. and not a puller. i tried walking my dad's dog, 40 lbs and a puller, and it was too much. you definitely can't lift anything over 10-15 lbs.--garbage, pets, backpacks, etc.--for two weeks, so small, frequent garbage runs would be wise.
in short, i think you'll be just fine, but factor in the fatigue and reduce your calendar to let you rest a lot.