December Bandsters

[StephC 0]

Sweethot - I emailed you my food lists.

[sweethot143 2]

thanks steph

[RainInSpain 0]

Hi all, I was banded 12/23. Hope to be in bathing suit form by next summer!

Everything has gone smoothly so far - gas pain as expected (slowly decreasing), with minor port site pain for the first 2 days.

UNTIL this morning, that is!

I woke up this AM with excruciating pain at all of my wound sites, and in particular, the port site. On a pain scale of 1-10, this is at least a 7 or 8.

Standing upright is agony, and even when hunched over, I can barely walk. This does not feel right!

I worry that I have been too active the last few days, or that perhaps I twisted around in my sleep, pulling out the sutures. I don't see any fresh blood at the port site, but the whole area is very, very sore.

I am going to call my doc tomorrow. Dr. Marc Paya in Los Angeles.

[Kaydotrn 1]

Hi All,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

So many posts! Ionly have a few minutes so I cannot reply individually but just wanted to say a big "Love Ya" to my banded beauties. I also wanted to show you a family photo we took last night at my Mom's. It won't be staying online long though since it may mess with my whole anonymity thing. ***editedto remove photo.

My night last night was beautiful but I really missed eating. I was not physically hungry, but it was depressing not to have all the good food I saw. Even just one stuffed mushroom or piece of my sister's chicken satay with peanut sauce. Ho-hum. It was depressing. But I persevered and I feel so strong for that! I know I will be eating again soon (not soon enough as I do not go back to MD until the 11th and I cannot transition to mushies until then-ugh).

Off to the inlaws today who don't know about the surgery so I am working my "sore throat" excuse. Funfun. Have a great day all and I will be back later.

[rld513 0]

beversman,

Only 20 minutes??? Holy cow!!! That's awesome! Dr. C is great. When I went in for my nut class, I noticed he had taped up a post I'd made here about him and his staff. I'll go look for your scar pics. I've been to the grocery store and already have a few things in for puree stage. LOL Those Bob Evans mashed potatoes are gonna taste sooo good after eating the Medifast stuff for nearly two weeks. :girl_hug:

[Banannie 0]

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!!!!

RainInSpain - you describe exactly what I felt like on day 2 - it sucked, but I don't think it's abnormal - some of us just have more pain! Take the pain meds, rest, relax, get your fluids, and know that I'm here on day 10, and I am almost pain free! (ok, if I poke around trying to find my port it does hurt a tiny bit) :girl_hug:

Going now to Christmas Brunch at Mom's and watching my two nephews devour all the presents "Grandma" got them - luckily both my family gatherings today are with people who know I'm banded, so Mom got my favorite yogurt for this morning, and dinner at my Sister's is chicken Noodle Soup! I love my family!!!

Happy holidays to all!

[RainInSpain 0]

Thanks for the reassuring words! The pain is subsiding a little....guess I just panicked when I woke up this AM.

[sweethot143 2]

kay, your family is beautiful. whatchout next year! You're gonna be one hot mama!

[bkwalling 0]

well we woke up late this morning around 9 am

my kids had a ball it took us this long to get all the presents open they are having a blast

today I am trying mashed potatoes very creamy my family can cook so I am going to hate smelling all the food

my husband is a great cook and cooking our part of christmas dinner

sweethot- I know how u feel with the little ones they love christmas had did the eating scrambled eggs go

steph- u are doing well I too have chewed food and spit it out everyone in my family knows I am banded so they don't think I am crazy

[siyah 0]

Sweethot- My Doc said FOUR (ug!) weeks of the liquid/protein diet and then soft foods on week five. Soft- oatmeal, yogurt, thicker Soups, cottage cheese, ... I've got a guy who has a really good result rate on all levels so I am heeding his precautions. It's hard enough to go through this once, I can't imagine how aweful it would be to have to get it repeated or to have it removed after all this.

After two weeks of soft foods, I can move to more chewable options beginning with fish, then some white meats and red meats are dead last. In addition, he said no milk (has milk-sugar) or sugar- ever. And to stay away from "white" foods: popcorn, Pasta, potatoes,... as these are not going to help with wieght loss. Lastly, no carbonation, chewing gum because they expand the stomach and to watch foods like cream of wheat or rice that might not have absorbed all their liquids yet. They can expand the stomach, too.

That's about it for my food plan. It's a matter of timing, planning and careful thought. Today I made more Jello. (Yippee) I'll have the strongest nails on the block! I'll bring a red and green combo jello over for Christmas dinner so I can have dessert, too. I told my family I was off sugar, but not that I'm being banded in two days.

Merry Christmas!

[StephC 0]

Kay you have a beautiful family! Good luck today and Merry Christmas!

[mypov 0]

Merry Christmas bandsters! i hope you are all surviving this food-filled holiday :girl_hug:

The big family Breakfast this morning was horrible. I mean, it was sooooo good looking. I ended up taking some of the country gravy with sausage and pureeing it. Didn't work as well as I hoped and didn't look at all appetizing. I had a tablespoon or two and then I was done.

Last night with the Christmas party I over did it by eating 4-5 chex from the chex party mix, and half a homemade chocolate ball. I chewed really well and slow and all went down well. I felt a little guilty but then I compared it to previous food events- handfuls of Snacks and enough chocolate to embarrass me had I thought anyone knew how much I ate. So this is a huge improvement.

Anyway hope everyone is enjoying their time!

[bkwalling 0]

kay your family is so cute

very cute family

merry christmas off to the in laws

[ddee 0]

Kay, thanks for sharing the lovely photo. I just ate lunch and am ready for a dose of liquid Loritab. My port site and left side/back is achey. It's a dull ache. Maybe I need to eat less for a few meals; eating soft foods, which includes shrimp, turkey, and veg's., even with the slow chewing, might be a little much yet. Hope everyone is having a special Christmas Day. There's a drizzling rain here in MS. Nice weather for a long winter's nap.

[sweethot143 2]

scrambled eggs went great!