Hello, Newbie Here...

[roloe639 1]

Hello All,

I'm new to the site and wanted to introduce myself. I'm Rolanda and I live in Arlington, TX. I'm a single mom working full-time. I became really interested in LapBand surgery this year when I failed at Weight Watchers again. I'm hoping that this surgery can give me a push in the right direction. I'm currently researching doctors and hope to decide on someone by the end of the month. I have a lot of questions and can't wait to get into some of the discussions so I can get a better understanding of what I'm getting into

I guess I should mention that I'm new to Texas and don't have many friends or family to support me on this. For those of you that have been banded, how important is a support system? Also, I would love to talk to other single moms that have gone through this and find out their experiences.

[Theboysmom 69]

Hello All,

I'm new to the site and wanted to introduce myself. I'm Rolanda and I live in Arlington, TX. I'm a single mom working full-time. I became really interested in LapBand surgery this year when I failed at Weight Watchers again. I'm hoping that this surgery can give me a push in the right direction. I'm currently researching doctors and hope to decide on someone by the end of the month. I have a lot of questions and can't wait to get into some of the discussions so I can get a better understanding of what I'm getting into

I guess I should mention that I'm new to Texas and don't have many friends or family to support me on this. For those of you that have been banded, how important is a support system? Also, I would love to talk to other single moms that have gone through this and find out their experiences.

Good Morning and Welcome to LBT and to Texas!

I live in Texas...Just a lil south of Housston in a town called Alvin.

I too am a single mom, I have 2 boys...10 and 5 yrs of age. THEY were my main reason for getting the band for I could be around for them!

I will tell you and I LOVE LOVE LOVE my band! Its hasnt always been easy but the good out weighs the bad by miles!!

Ask away and Ill b happy to give you any information/advice that I can!

As far as support....

I told my immediate family, my best friend and the love of my life only! That was my personal decision and still to this day I havent shared with my others. Not that I am ashamed of my band I just feel it was a personal decision and some things I just simply keep to myself. Its all up to you who you tell! I hate to here that you are in Texas alone however I am sure that your surgereons office will have a support group or do a search some local hospitals meet once a month!

Best of Luck!

[roloe639 1]

Hi Theboysmom,

Thanks for responding and sharing your experience! I'm so happy to hear that you love your band. My son is 10 and he's the reason I'm doing this too. He's so active now and I want to have just as much energy as he does so that we can do more things together.

My only concern with being a single mom is caring for my son after surgery. I'm wondering if I will need help around the house after surgery. I'm thinking about bringing my mom down for help, but I know she can't stay longer than a week. I just don't know what the recovery time is like or if it's going to be difficult.

Great idea about the support group! I'm going to definitely ask the surgeon about a support group. I've tole a few of my family members and friends, but they all live so far away. It would be great to have support I can see, lol.

[NurseLydsss 59]

Hello All,

I'm new to the site and wanted to introduce myself. I'm Rolanda and I live in Arlington, TX. I'm a single mom working full-time. I became really interested in LapBand surgery this year when I failed at Weight Watchers again. I'm hoping that this surgery can give me a push in the right direction. I'm currently researching doctors and hope to decide on someone by the end of the month. I have a lot of questions and can't wait to get into some of the discussions so I can get a better understanding of what I'm getting into

I guess I should mention that I'm new to Texas and don't have many friends or family to support me on this. For those of you that have been banded, how important is a support system? Also, I would love to talk to other single moms that have gone through this and find out their experiences.

Hello there,

I too am a single mom of an eight yrs old boy...and believe me when I say you will need some help after surgery. If your mom can stay 1 week that will be of great help.

I had my surgery on Friday... so i thought oh I can stay in over the weekend n will be able to resume reg. activities on Monday in terms of taking him to school, cook n so on...I woke up Monday n felt great n energized....so i made him Breakfast, packed his lunch n drove him to school.....after I got home, I did some light housekeeping n so on...shortly after I started experiencing SOB....long story short, went to emerge all was ok I just over did it. that was yesterday....so today, because my family does not live close by...I ended up not sending my son to school....n I have been telling him or over shadowing him, while he makes himself something to eat...and I had to have him do the laundry as well...I sat and basically directed him....and I must say, he did a great job for an 8yrs old...and he did not even complain....he have been very helpful n follows directions well.

We managed. but it would have been great if family was around...and as for tomorrow, I might have to cab him to school for the rest of the week....I hope I'll be ok by nxt Monday... thank God I took 2wks off from work....oh, I also had a hernia repair, so that might have made my situation worst.....

Good luck....but not easy being a single mom doing this without a support system....

[Theboysmom 69]

Hi Theboysmom,

Thanks for responding and sharing your experience! I'm so happy to hear that you love your band. My son is 10 and he's the reason I'm doing this too. He's so active now and I want to have just as much energy as he does so that we can do more things together.

My only concern with being a single mom is caring for my son after surgery. I'm wondering if I will need help around the house after surgery. I'm thinking about bringing my mom down for help, but I know she can't stay longer than a week. I just don't know what the recovery time is like or if it's going to be difficult.

Great idea about the support group! I'm going to definitely ask the surgeon about a support group. I've tole a few of my family members and friends, but they all live so far away. It would be great to have support I can see, lol.

I would suggest if your mom can come then YES! Have her come and stay the full week! Don’t try and do too much too soon!

They will tell you that you can have the surgery on a Friday and be back to work on Monday….In my experience not true!

My mom took me on a Monday and my plan was to stay Monday night and then return to my home on Tuesday (I had the surgery while my boys were with their dad on Thanksgiving break) I didn’t make it home on Tuesday or Wednesday…Not until Later Thursday night did I go back to my home. Now I have had 2 csections so I know pain…but the pain I had was different! Hard to explain. I did have a hernia repaired before the placement of my band and when the nurse called to check on me she said that what was feeling was the weak area that had been repaired. Ugh! It wasn’t fun! I picked up my boys on Sunday afternoon and other than having times when I was just exhausted things were fine after those first 4 days. I am not trying to scare you just to inform you that having someone is a YES YES YES!

Have a great afternoon!

[roloe639 1]

Thanks for the replies! NurseLydsss, congrats on your surgery. Sounds like it's been tough for the first few days, but it's totally going to be worth it. I can't wait!

Thank you both for the advice! I'm definitely having my mom stay with me during that first week. I'm going to tell her a.s.a.p. My son will be thrilled to have her around for a week. I might just try to talk her into 2 weeks, lol.