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Loose as a goose. I did not drink any alcohol. This started the 3rd day postop

Miranda, thanks for what you wrote.. I throw food out all the time now.. I make it for some reason or other and if DH doesn't eat the leftovers fast enough I throw it out... He never knows the difference.... Or I do send stuff to my kids or whomever, too.. I love rice pudding........the kind that is cooked on the stove very slowly and is so creamy and delicious.. DH doesn't like that, so I just never make it anymore... DH is a 34 year recovering alcoholic.. I've never seen him drink so don't know how he was then, but I've often made that same analogy about drinking and eating... You can quit drinking and smoking and drugs, but you have to eat to live.... Most everything is a temptation... A whole box of sugar free/fat free Cookies is still bad for you..... Anyway thanks for the encouragement.. Hope you have good days ahead, too.. Well, no sleeping with DH again tonight.. We spent all this time cleaning the bedroom and putting up our new sleep Number bed and it doesn't work!!!!! Dang air pump doesn't blow any air.. I've just been on the phone getting a new one on the way. They promised to have it by Wednesday... So, back to my recliner... At least my bedroom is spring-cleaned... and we are working on the living room now... Hey, Long, sorry you have a bug.... My SIL had it for a week... hope that doesn't happen to you.... take care of yourself Bye all, talk again later.. Julie

I dont usually reply to posts but you sound so blue and some how you touched my heart. being in New Zealand my comments seems of so little help as I feel so far away but here goes. We carry so much emotional baggage with our weight and it makes the whole food addicition thing much harder for us to accept. We should equate it more to alcoholism but much worse because we HAVE to eat to stay alive. I have been struggling with a rice pudding which I made as I had left over milk....why I did this I have not idea...but I have just taken it out and fed it to the chickens. It is so depressing and I try to remember what my alcoholic daughter says to me 'mother if I have one drink I will die' and i suppose if we hadnt had the LB and went on putting on weight we would die too. So what I am trying to say is that at least we have the tools to be able to lose but it is a struggle. In NZ we have to have regular check-ins with a psycologist to aid us with the baggage that we carry and it is a help, sometimes.

I get a lot of discouragement from lifelong dieters and from Gastric Patients. It seems that a lot of people think their method of weight loss, whatever it may be, is the only answer. Even fellow bandsters have disagreed with me about the diet I should be following as if their way is the only way. I know a couple gastric patients who are now eating their words but in the beginning told me that I would probably only lose about 1/3 of my excess weight. Many of them are now gaining weight back and actually considering Lap Band. My MIL tried to talk me out of getting Lap Band based on comments from three people, one was her cousin who said a neighbor had it done and actually gained weight. One co-worker that had Gastric Bypass and obviously knew nothing about Lap Band because she told MIL that I would have to go back and get several surgeries to get the band adjusted and another co-worker who had lost 75lbs. with Jenny Craig and insisted that was the way to go. I politely ignored them all and did what I knew was best for me and I am so glad I did. :frown: 1.) Addiction transfer is very real but it can be avoided. For me, being aware was my biggest weapon against it. I gave up caffeine, cigarettes and got the Lap Band all at the same time. I have not been a big drinker for years but I found myself strongly desiring liquor to calm my nerves I realized why I was wanting the alcohol and resisted. Those cravings are pretty much gone now. Actually, the co-worker that told my MIL that I would need several surgeries, did do well with weight loss but has since been fired from her job...she lost her drivers license due to DWI, MIL was helping her get to work but even still she was often late or out sick. She was even caught drinking the mouthwash from the office restroom just to get some alcohol during the workday! 2.) There are good and bad doctors out there. No doctor who wants to preserve his reputation will simply take your money and run and the law is on your side. You do have to do your homework and find one that offers a good maintenance program and will be there for you long-term 3.) I also agree on the Psych evaluation. I have not needed it post-op, but I also feel that the psych should be there long-term in the event that you need counseling during this process. 4) Just take a look at my ticker, it will be 10 months next Tuesday. There are rare instances where the Lap Band doesn't work for someone but for the most part, just like anything else in life, with the Lap Band you only get out of it what you put into it. 5.) Only you know for sure whether you have weighed the good vs the bad and only you can determine if this is for you.

I am now a gambler. It is scary, because I never GAVE my money away and am very much a control person. Now, I find myself filling the time I used to devote to eating and the money I spent on food going to gambling. My husband has always enjoyed the horse races, but not me. But darn those slot machines have got me. This is the first weekend I haven't been to the gambling boat. I explained to my DH that being out of control with my money scares me. And, since my father was alcoholic, I have to be careful. You know, predisposed to addictions. I don't want to trade a food addiction for a gambling addiction or any other addiction. I just want to be a normal, healthy person. Is that too much to ask?

I'm going to have to disagree with this. You aren't more susceptible simply from having the family history. However, you are more likely to have the same genetic issues. OTOH, if you don't have them, then you don't have them and drinking socially is fine. I have a history of alcoholism in my family as well as a host of other addictions.... yet I can drink social a few times a year and be fine. I don't like alcohol that much so I rarely drink and I don't like the feeling of being drunk or high. I firmly believe that addiction has a large biological basis and that I was very lucky to be spared genetically. I just don't have an addictive personality and I'm not going to get one from having a Cosmo 5x a year.

So I FINALLY attended my 1st informational session. My foot is in the door. The way my surgeon's office works is that I have a list of things I must accomplish before I can even schedule a appointment with the surgeon. Once I have completed them all, then I will need to send in a completed packet to the office and wait for them to call me. The process seems kinda crazy, but the good thing is that I certainly can't rush into this without giving it plenty of thought. I honestly believe that this decision has got to be the hardest decision i have ever made. Getting married, buying a home, having a baby, even choosing to have my entire thyroid removed...they were major decisions but I think they were obvious. I just know that I need to lose this weight...and I need to do something now before it multiplies. I am just not comfortable in my own skin anymore. I hate how I can feel folds of fat touching other parts of skin...i hate the friction between my thighs and that they ruin every single pair of pants I own. I don't think I have co-morbities that coincide with my weight right now. But I know that if I keep going on as I am right now, I will get one. I have chosen right now to only tell my husband, my mom, and a friend that I want to get the LB. I really don't want anyone else to know. While I do sometimes talk openly about being a fat chick to people, my weight issue is very personal for me. I am sensitive about it. It really sucks to have my flaw be so exposed to everyone. I don't like that people immediately know that I am lazy, weak, and obviously have food/body issues by just seeing that I am fat. I just don't think that alcoholics have to deal with that type of criticism since they don't have to wear every drink they ever had. Well, anyways...I decided to tell my manager that I was exploring WLS. I only wanted to tell him because I knew that I would have to occasionally need to ask to leave work a little early for all of the doctor appointments and meetings I will need to attend. So I wanted him to know why. It was so incredibly hard for me to tell him...to the point where I had tears swell to my eyes. They weren't sad tears...I think it was my nerves. Well let me just say that I don't have a friendship relationship with my manager. He has no personality...i think he is part robot. So I told him that I wanted him to keep it confidential...even after I have it done. I was entirely embrassed after I spoke to him...I felt like a idiot. I just wish I hadn't cried. BUt I think that this is just such a personal thing to me...that I kinda got scared talking to someone outside of my circle about it. Makes it real. My husband says that is going to support my decesion but he isn't too thrilled with it. He tells me that he loves me as I am...but I think he is just comfortable with who I am. However, I am sure he would love a hotter version of myself. He has been feeling insecure about it and thinks I am going to change the person I am when I lose some weight. I have told him that I am not doing this to change my life into something completely different. I love my husband, my son, my home , my life....I just want to improve it.

So I FINALLY attended my 1st informational session. My foot is in the door. The way my surgeon's office works is that I have a list of things I must accomplish before I can even schedule a appointment with the surgeon. Once I have completed them all, then I will need to send in a completed packet to the office and wait for them to call me. The process seems kinda crazy, but the good thing is that I certainly can't rush into this without giving it plenty of thought. I honestly believe that this decision has got to be the hardest decision i have ever made. Getting married, buying a home, having a baby, even choosing to have my entire thyroid removed...they were major decisions but I think they were obvious. I just know that I need to lose this weight...and I need to do something now before it multiplies. I am just not comfortable in my own skin anymore. I hate how I can feel folds of fat touching other parts of skin...i hate the friction between my thighs and that they ruin every single pair of pants I own. I don't think I have co-morbities that coincide with my weight right now. But I know that if I keep going on as I am right now, I will get one. I have chosen right now to only tell my husband, my mom, and a friend that I want to get the LB. I really don't want anyone else to know. While I do sometimes talk openly about being a fat chick to people, my weight issue is very personal for me. I am sensitive about it. It really sucks to have my flaw be so exposed to everyone. I don't like that people immediately know that I am lazy, weak, and obviously have food/body issues by just seeing that I am fat. I just don't think that alcoholics have to deal with that type of criticism since they don't have to wear every drink they ever had. Well, anyways...I decided to tell my manager that I was exploring WLS. I only wanted to tell him because I knew that I would have to occasionally need to ask to leave work a little early for all of the doctor appointments and meetings I will need to attend. So I wanted him to know why. It was so incredibly hard for me to tell him...to the point where I had tears swell to my eyes. They weren't sad tears...I think it was my nerves. Well let me just say that I don't have a friendship relationship with my manager. He has no personality...i think he is part robot. So I told him that I wanted him to keep it confidential...even after I have it done. I was entirely embrassed after I spoke to him...I felt like a idiot. I just wish I hadn't cried. BUt I think that this is just such a personal thing to me...that I kinda got scared talking to someone outside of my circle about it. Makes it real. My husband says that is going to support my decesion but he isn't too thrilled with it. He tells me that he loves me as I am...but I think he is just comfortable with who I am. However, I am sure he would love a hotter version of myself. He has been feeling insecure about it and thinks I am going to change the person I am when I lose some weight. I have told him that I am not doing this to change my life into something completely different. I love my husband, my son, my home , my life....I just want to improve it.

I don't drink, but my husband's family all used to. His dad was a horrible alcoholic and drove drunk all the time. He's 74 now, but drank from age thirteen to 64. What a waste of a good life, cause he's the best man, now that he's sober. His 4 brothers drank often and some still do. My husband used to drink and he considered himself to be an alcoholic. Then when he became a born again christian, he stopped and never drank again. I have always believed that if alcoholism is in your family, than your more suceptible to becoming alcoholic if you start drinking socially. There must be a gene that allows alcohol to grab hold of you and be addictive, for some who don't have alcoholism in their family history drink alot and then can go for months without it no problem. I've used this scare tactic to keep my teens from touching the stuff, and it works. Yet, I don't believe it's untrue. Most people who are alcoholic have parents or grandparents who were. This is the case with my husbands family. What's your take on this? As far as driving goes, there is NO excuse to get behind a wheel drunk that is acceptable. None! (I'm just grateful that his dad never hurt anyone or himself while driving drunk.)

Hi Maclynn, Welcome to your new upcoming life! Help to relearn how to eat and healthy is an everyday learning experience. I, a former cheese head myself loved all the fatty foods from Milwaukee. That is probably where I learned all about Adkins and thinking it was okay to eat all that fat and not learning how to eat healthy carbs. When you are on the road or not you should know exactly what healthy foods are. If you are serious in losing weight and permanently not only you, but everyone should learn how to eat everything that they never ate before because I am sure that is what would help everyone to lose it and keep it off. Three years ago I began to eat healthy food and being serious about my health in which this helped me in losing over 100 lbs and have kept it off since July of 2006. You have to really want this to succeed and for the most part it won't be easy until you truly accept the change that you need to make in your life to become healthy. My down fall was fried foods like an addiction to alcohol I had to stay away from this food. Are you actually from Milwaukee or a suburb of Milwaukee? I used to live on N. Lake Drive near St. Mary's Hospital. I haven't been there since 1990 since I have been married. I now reside in Texas. I do wish you all the luck in the world on your new venture. I am here to help................. Josephine

I had another fill on Thursday and did liquids all day Thursday and most of Friday. Friday night I had a a half an avocado and broth based Soup with noodles (soft food) but I also had 2 glasses of wine (BAD I KNOW!!!) In the middle of sex I got super dizzy and had to stop. I couldn't really sit up properly or stand. My partner got me some Water, and then I had 2 crackers. I thought it was just the alcohol and lack of nutrients. I woke up this morning still dizzy, with a sort of vertigo. I had a Protein drink and a bowl of hearty soup for Breakfast and still feel off. I am okay sitting or standing still but when I move I just feel weird. Any ideas why? I have "eaten" now so it shouldn't be my blood sugar or anything... I had my BP checked on Thursday and it was fine. Please help!!

Now that is funny. I also think that it should be required to check the ID of everyone buying alcohol and those who have a DUI on their record should have a color coded license should be refused service.

:confused:Hi my name is Andrea, and I am new to this and just wanted to say I had my lap band surgery on 6/9/08 and had been doing really well. I went in for my 3rd fill on 1/10/09 and at that time I had lost 81lbs. But I noticed shortly after my last fill that I started having alot of acid reflux, somedays are worse than others, it's only kept me awake a couple of times, and pepcid otc worked for me. For the most part it happens generally throughout the day, I am going in for another fill on 3/30/09 and I know I have lost more, but I am afraid the dr. will take out fluid inplace of a fill. I do notice the acid reflux more with spicy foods or eating to much, and especially if I drink alcohol. I don't want it to get worse, has anyone experienced this problem with the band?. Any suggestions?

hmm not that I would know :thumbup: but I believe it can be a great alternative to alcohol. I definetly would drink more calories with alcohol than I could ever eat with munchies. I believe if you prepare yourself for munchies with a 100 calorie popcorn you would be set :tongue_smilie:

Ah garry dont mention bevvy to me my heads still bangin lol not at all well lol Yeah i know drink doesnt help but usually it doesnt bother me food wise id near lose weight after drinkin cos once im havin drink i cant stomach food lol maybe i should turn alcoholic il stop eating and shed the lbs lol

I wouldn't recommend it! Not because I'm "old", OR because I'm a mother, OR because you're underage...but because you will have a new lap-band that hasn't settled into place yet. You will still be healing, and most likely not be eating solid foods yet. When prom night rolls around, you will not have had much to eat for the past 6-8 weeks. You won't be eating much that day/night, then you'll add alcohol on top of that. It will take a lot less alcohol to do way more damage than ever before. If you drink to the point where you throw up, then you risk damaging your band and having major problems. You made the decision to have the surgery so that you can be healthy. Don't take a chance on losing all that for a night of drinking. It's just not worth it. And, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to drink later, when you are completely healed. Have a happy and safe prom night!

I am on day 1 of the pre-op - and I have told everyone at work I am doing a detox that my personal trainer has me on and that two weeks are crazy but its 6 weeks without alcohol and being very strict - which will help me out with any team lunches post-op. My Boss may have been a bit suss though as he was trying to give me fruit and telling me my "detox" was ridiculous and i will end up hypoglycemic and "what moron thought this up":eek: etc. hahha I was like "no, its fine!!":laugh:

I went to seminar today and got the what to do next packet. I have to take the computer test and schedule my psyhc eval. I have to make another appt. with my PMC to get some labs and a few letters stating I am drug and alcohol free and able to go through the surgery without complications.

Ebony Congrats on the new size!!! I am going to get my first fill in well over 2 years (June would be 3!!) next Monday. I am weaning off the steroids now, and hoping to remove the weight I have managed to regain. Totally sucks!!! But beats becoming an alcoholic which I considered as opposed to eating myself to comfort!!! With DD being so bad, I stayed days in the hospital and all, and omg the weight come back with a vengeance!!! You are working for it, and you are being rewarded, enjoy your new size and clothes!!!

It’s Sod’s Law that the one person that I expected to support me in this procedure has been the only one person that hasn’t. Damn that Sod and his bloody law making! Without wanting to sound like an angry young (ahem!) man and post my second negative post, I thought I would try and do it in a defensive way rather than go in with guns a-blazing. The gloves were originally taken off as I pressed the “new post” button - but they have duly been put back on. In fact, I have retired to the changing room, away from the ring to write a considered response with the help of a bit of Rufus Wainwright serenading me and a hot cup of jasmine tea. Actually, forget that - I am going to have to snipe a bit, so decaf coffee it is. Firstly, I won’t bother going through my reasons for undertaking this surgery. If you want those, you can easily read through the swathes of words I have on the subject. Secondly, I will start my defence a bit absurdly. I will start with a list of mistakes that I made leading up to the surgery and a few of my most outstanding weaknesses. This way, I can be judged in full for the actions I took. Thirdly, I intend to iterate why this blog was set up and why I continue to push people here instead of talking about it face to face. Fourthly, I will try and defend the accusations that have flown recently and put them in their place once and for all. I won’t be going over it again - so listen carefully! Lastly, I intend to lose some weight with dignity and pride and hopefully a bit of happiness - so if you don’t like it - back off and let me get on. Please. So, as detailed above, I launch my defence with point 1. Go read. The biggest mistake I made before undertaking this step was not to make the decision with my partner. Instead I chose to research and make the decision entirely alone. I chose to not discuss my fears with anyone and let the decision be made before I told a soul. When I did tell, it was already well decided in my mind that I would do it. In hindsight, I would probably have realised that this was to be a shared experience and needed buy-in and approval from everyone affected. I do admit that the way I did it was perhaps selfish. I won’t defend it, as I believe now it should have been done another way. My second mistake - but one that I am not so sure was entirely wrong, was not to inform my friends until it was all done. This was again because the procedure was so huge to me that I wanted to be in and out of it before anyone could grill me and make my life too stressful before I undertook the seemingly controversial operation. I think that they now feel slightly distant from me as I was unable to share this with them - which perhaps I should have done. My excuse for that is hopefully well understood and forgivable. My weaknesses can be pretty much listed out verbatim. I am well aware of them and pretty much everyone who knows me is also very well read on the subject. Again, I won’t excuse the failings - just lay them out on the table. I am absolutely CRAP with money. I don’t quite understand its value and I can’t hold onto it as long as I should. It has gotten me into some dire situations and I am aware that it has caused some distress to those around me. Never ever lend me money. Ever! I am a frightful coward. Everything that has any kind of danger attached fills me with dread. I hate roller coasters, flying and high speed. I cower at spiders and tremble at heights. If you are looking for courage in a burly man - look elsewhere. I am pretty stubborn. Once I have decided upon something - that will always be the right thing in my mind. It takes a lot of persuasion to talk me around to another point of view. Some people may well recognise this as arrogance! I was (no more) a big drinker. I binged and usually got very “bombastic” in the process. Imposing one’s personality on friends and stranger can be quite daunting for them. Using booze as a crutch to overcome my utter shyness and inability to have a conversation with people was probably not the best therapy. I have many other weaknesses, but are probably irrelevant for this post - so I will stop self-flagellating. [*]This blog was set up for two reasons. I needed an outlet where I could do a bit of cathartic self-therapy. Writing everything down in this way seems to be a brilliant tool for exploring one’s mind and really coming to terms with issues that bother you. I recommend it for anyone undertaking a journey like this that they have concerns about. Even if you don’t publish it - write it down. The honesty you can deliver to a uncaring, uninterested computer screen is immense. The second reason was to enable my friends to read my reasons behind my decsion and see more into the process. It gives them the full picture without taking up my entire life talking about it. If people want to know, they go to my blog. Also, I figured it would help people contemplating the operation in the future see the thought processes I went through stage by stage and help them to come to terms with the options available. I’m not entirely sure my readership is that enormous nor whether people actually take in what they read in between the rambling sentences. But, from the few comments I have received, it is ringing a similar chord with other people who have had the surgery. Time will tell if this helps anyone else. [*]Now, the accusations! This blog is simply self-indulgent crap. Well, it has been an important part in my decision and coming to terms with opting for the surgery. It has also helped others close to me to fully understand what I did. Whereas with talking and conversation - they would only have had the full story. I just wouldn’t have the time to quote the articles in teh blog to all my friends. I can’t really defend the “crap” bit. I didn’t cater for the feelings of my partner when I made the decision on my own Yes I did. I shouldn’t have made the decision on my own, but her feelings were very much considered and put into the equation. The trouble is - I didn’t accurately predict what her feelings would actually be. Hence the discussions should have been made. Half of a defence there. I wasted money on the operation when I could have invested in the family unit and dieted instead like most people. Sorry - but there is no basis to that one. Firstly - here is a fact. Of all diets - only 3-5% are successful in the long term (reference Dr Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D., A.R.N.P.). A whopping 95 to 97% of people who diet are wasting their time! I have tried dieting and my mental and physical make-up is such that I was one of the 95-97% of people who failed. I tried for 15 years. This was a last resort as you will probably know by now from my self-proclaimed cowardice. Secondly, me paying for a surgery to keep me alive for many more years than previously expected IS an investment into the family unit. Imagine my salary over, let’s say, 20 years. Lastly, the money spent on the operation is approximately how much I overspent on food and alcohol over two years. So, in conclusion - this has not only cost nothing - it has actually put money BACK IN to the family unit (remembering my fiscal weakness - you may wish to check these facts!). Along with that, it is giving me the opportunity to live a bit longer. So, there you have it. Now I intend to get on with my new life, in a slightly different way than I had originally planned - but get on with it I shall. Originally posted at: Lap Band Blog

It’s Sod’s Law that the one person that I expected to support me in this procedure has been the only one person that hasn’t. Damn that Sod and his bloody law making! Without wanting to sound like an angry young (ahem!) man and post my second negative post, I thought I would try and do it in a defensive way rather than go in with guns a-blazing. The gloves were originally taken off as I pressed the “new post” button - but they have duly been put back on. In fact, I have retired to the changing room, away from the ring to write a considered response with the help of a bit of Rufus Wainwright serenading me and a hot cup of jasmine tea. Actually, forget that - I am going to have to snipe a bit, so decaf coffee it is. Firstly, I won’t bother going through my reasons for undertaking this surgery. If you want those, you can easily read through the swathes of words I have on the subject. Secondly, I will start my defence a bit absurdly. I will start with a list of mistakes that I made leading up to the surgery and a few of my most outstanding weaknesses. This way, I can be judged in full for the actions I took. Thirdly, I intend to iterate why this blog was set up and why I continue to push people here instead of talking about it face to face. Fourthly, I will try and defend the accusations that have flown recently and put them in their place once and for all. I won’t be going over it again - so listen carefully! Lastly, I intend to lose some weight with dignity and pride and hopefully a bit of happiness - so if you don’t like it - back off and let me get on. Please. So, as detailed above, I launch my defence with point 1. Go read. The biggest mistake I made before undertaking this step was not to make the decision with my partner. Instead I chose to research and make the decision entirely alone. I chose to not discuss my fears with anyone and let the decision be made before I told a soul. When I did tell, it was already well decided in my mind that I would do it. In hindsight, I would probably have realised that this was to be a shared experience and needed buy-in and approval from everyone affected. I do admit that the way I did it was perhaps selfish. I won’t defend it, as I believe now it should have been done another way. My second mistake - but one that I am not so sure was entirely wrong, was not to inform my friends until it was all done. This was again because the procedure was so huge to me that I wanted to be in and out of it before anyone could grill me and make my life too stressful before I undertook the seemingly controversial operation. I think that they now feel slightly distant from me as I was unable to share this with them - which perhaps I should have done. My excuse for that is hopefully well understood and forgivable. My weaknesses can be pretty much listed out verbatim. I am well aware of them and pretty much everyone who knows me is also very well read on the subject. Again, I won’t excuse the failings - just lay them out on the table. I am absolutely CRAP with money. I don’t quite understand its value and I can’t hold onto it as long as I should. It has gotten me into some dire situations and I am aware that it has caused some distress to those around me. Never ever lend me money. Ever! I am a frightful coward. Everything that has any kind of danger attached fills me with dread. I hate roller coasters, flying and high speed. I cower at spiders and tremble at heights. If you are looking for courage in a burly man - look elsewhere. I am pretty stubborn. Once I have decided upon something - that will always be the right thing in my mind. It takes a lot of persuasion to talk me around to another point of view. Some people may well recognise this as arrogance! I was (no more) a big drinker. I binged and usually got very “bombastic” in the process. Imposing one’s personality on friends and stranger can be quite daunting for them. Using booze as a crutch to overcome my utter shyness and inability to have a conversation with people was probably not the best therapy. I have many other weaknesses, but are probably irrelevant for this post - so I will stop self-flagellating. [*]This blog was set up for two reasons. I needed an outlet where I could do a bit of cathartic self-therapy. Writing everything down in this way seems to be a brilliant tool for exploring one’s mind and really coming to terms with issues that bother you. I recommend it for anyone undertaking a journey like this that they have concerns about. Even if you don’t publish it - write it down. The honesty you can deliver to a uncaring, uninterested computer screen is immense. The second reason was to enable my friends to read my reasons behind my decsion and see more into the process. It gives them the full picture without taking up my entire life talking about it. If people want to know, they go to my blog. Also, I figured it would help people contemplating the operation in the future see the thought processes I went through stage by stage and help them to come to terms with the options available. I’m not entirely sure my readership is that enormous nor whether people actually take in what they read in between the rambling sentences. But, from the few comments I have received, it is ringing a similar chord with other people who have had the surgery. Time will tell if this helps anyone else. [*]Now, the accusations! This blog is simply self-indulgent crap. Well, it has been an important part in my decision and coming to terms with opting for the surgery. It has also helped others close to me to fully understand what I did. Whereas with talking and conversation - they would only have had the full story. I just wouldn’t have the time to quote the articles in teh blog to all my friends. I can’t really defend the “crap” bit. I didn’t cater for the feelings of my partner when I made the decision on my own Yes I did. I shouldn’t have made the decision on my own, but her feelings were very much considered and put into the equation. The trouble is - I didn’t accurately predict what her feelings would actually be. Hence the discussions should have been made. Half of a defence there. I wasted money on the operation when I could have invested in the family unit and dieted instead like most people. Sorry - but there is no basis to that one. Firstly - here is a fact. Of all diets - only 3-5% are successful in the long term (reference Dr Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D., A.R.N.P.). A whopping 95 to 97% of people who diet are wasting their time! I have tried dieting and my mental and physical make-up is such that I was one of the 95-97% of people who failed. I tried for 15 years. This was a last resort as you will probably know by now from my self-proclaimed cowardice. Secondly, me paying for a surgery to keep me alive for many more years than previously expected IS an investment into the family unit. Imagine my salary over, let’s say, 20 years. Lastly, the money spent on the operation is approximately how much I overspent on food and alcohol over two years. So, in conclusion - this has not only cost nothing - it has actually put money BACK IN to the family unit (remembering my fiscal weakness - you may wish to check these facts!). Along with that, it is giving me the opportunity to live a bit longer. So, there you have it. Now I intend to get on with my new life, in a slightly different way than I had originally planned - but get on with it I shall. Originally posted at: Lap Band Blog

Well I wanted to give a short account of my surgery so I can remember it later on... I checked in at 10:30 AM and the guy smelled of alcohol that was checking me in. I had to laugh... oh well. Went over and got into the pre op area. Made me take a pg test which of course is negative because effectively believe I am in menopause, am on day 40 something of my cycle, longest I have ever had but who knows if the stress of getting ready for this scared it away. They had to get a special IV nurse over because i have sort troublesome veins. Got that and then I got a shot of lovenox in the belly due to my father's history of blood clots I guess. (dunno) They started me on some kind of fluids in the IV. Pushed me over to the waiting area where the anthesigiologist spoke with me. Told him to be careful because I am a singer. (he didn't listen, I still have a little irritation LOL) Saw my doc and he asked me if I was ready and I said yup. Rolled me into the ER and I wiggled from gurney to operating table then they started strapping me down and put my arms out so I looked like a t. That's about all I remember. Woke up in post op and was pretty alert. They rolled some other chick in a few minutes later who was crying. I told the dude... get me out of here I don't want to listen to that. He made me breathe real deep to prove I could go out of there. Rolled me up to my room. Gave me more lovenox I think. Put something else in my IV. Put those inflating booties on my legs. Got a lovely room and bed. Overlooking the bay... large room looked like for VP, all mine. Husband came in. Got up and went for a walk rolling my IV with me. Night fell could see the sunset, pretty nice. Went back to room. Gave me some tray of some crap and told me to try to have it. I tried the lemonade and my throat was too iritated. Ate the ice chips. Decided to ask for osme malox and some pain killers. Got a bit loopy, was testing with friend, finally gave up and called her and then fell asleep. HUsband left to take care of our dog. Woke up by some respitory woman made me inhale into this thing. Said I was a champ. Went for another walk. Ate some more ice chips. Got them myself. Went back to bed but couldn't really sleep. Dozed on and off listening to my ipod. Nurse Came back and gave me some insulin because my blood sugar spiked a little due to the whatever's in the IV. Around 4 ish I asked from more pain killers more to go to sleep wasn't in much pain but the distention was driving me crazy. Got a little more insulin. Woke up around 6 or 7 and got up and took another walk and got some more ice chips. Tried to eat some Jello. Not too much fun. the tray it came on had a bug on it. Had to prove I could eat something so I ate some damn red popsicle. Someone came along and took out my IV. I went and got cleaned up and dressed so I could get out. Had a post op welcome to your new life class and went out on a wheelchair. Was feeling pretty crappy on the way home but stopped to get something at Walgreen's can't remember what it was... think it was maloxx or something. Damn curb nearly about killed me. Went home and got in my lazyboy sofa... and watched TV! Feeing like... damn get this thing out of me! Took a shower later on. Everytime I wake up, I feel a bit better. Today I don't feel like get this thing out of me... so... making progress.

The Irish say Everyone has a wee bit of Irish in them on St. Patrick’s Day. So being a wee bit Irish today I set off to find out about everything Irish. Even the Obama’s are Irish today. Michelle and her leprechauns dyed the White House fountains green today. Pittsburgh's own Dan Rooney (owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers) was named Ambassador to Ireland today. It’s all about this guy… If you don’t wear green you’ll get pinched by everyone but your boss (sexual harassment and all that). I sent both of my boys off to school without reminding them…no green….BWhaahaahaahaaha (evil laugh). Hey, teenage boys getting pinched by the girls…I think I did them a favor. If you tell people you're Irish they have to kiss you...keep breathmints on hand. Of course, they eat potatoes and corned beef, but they also eat some of this today…I don’t even want to know…haggis… They drink a LOT of this today. This pic is of Guiness beer, but it looks the same as Irish coffee with clotted cream on top…to the Irish, it really doesn’t matter as long as it has alcohol in it…and after awhile the pub bartenders can serve either and no one knows the difference…it’s all good… After a few drinks they run around looking for their Pot-O-Gold… …or if the line at the Port-O-Pot-O-Gold is too long they use this one… Then they dance the Irish jig…and apparently if done fast enough you'll eventually levitate through the air… Then they fall down into the grass and look for these… And if they're really lucky, they'll catch one of these guys...probably passed out right next to them... A toast to you on St. Patty's Day.... For each petal on the shamrock This brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness For each and every day. Slainté! (health)

The Irish say Everyone has a wee bit of Irish in them on St. Patrick’s Day. So being a wee bit Irish today I set off to find out about everything Irish. Even the Obama’s are Irish today. Michelle and her leprechauns dyed the White House fountains green today. Pittsburgh's own Dan Rooney (owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers) was named Ambassador to Ireland today. It’s all about this guy… If you don’t wear green you’ll get pinched by everyone but your boss (sexual harassment and all that). I sent both of my boys off to school without reminding them…no green….BWhaahaahaahaaha (evil laugh). Hey, teenage boys getting pinched by the girls…I think I did them a favor. If you tell people you're Irish they have to kiss you...keep breathmints on hand. Of course, they eat potatoes and corned beef, but they also eat some of this today…I don’t even want to know…haggis… They drink a LOT of this today. This pic is of Guiness beer, but it looks the same as Irish coffee with clotted cream on top…to the Irish, it really doesn’t matter as long as it has alcohol in it…and after awhile the pub bartenders can serve either and no one knows the difference…it’s all good… After a few drinks they run around looking for their Pot-O-Gold… …or if the line at the Port-O-Pot-O-Gold is too long they use this one… Then they dance the Irish jig…and apparently if done fast enough you'll eventually levitate through the air… Then they fall down into the grass and look for these… And if they're really lucky, they'll catch one of these guys...probably passed out right next to them... A toast to you on St. Patty's Day.... For each petal on the shamrock This brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness For each and every day. Slainté! (health)