OMG I didn't die! Thank you Jesus!

[bandit 2]

Try to keep ur head up. Hopefully ull feel better 2marro after u get some Soup. Soup always makes me feel better. And I also have a two year old, so I totally understand. Hope u feel better soon! And keep us posted, ur doing a great job. Im glad ur posting and letting us know honestly how ur feeling.

[hopefull 0]

Hey Kathy....So glad to see you posting again. I thought of you everyday that you were gone hoping all went well. I finished my last presurgical class at U-Mass and my chart is on its way to the surgeon and my ins. co. I hope to have a date soon. Keep your chin up....The only thing we want is our weight to be down.

Robyn

[the best me 6]

Thanks everyone...Day 4 update...it's a little better. I was never alone with my son today unless he was sleeping...HA! Did the trick. Hubby took my daughter to school and came back home and stayed until my sister got here, fed "him" (the operative "him" my son) then went on to work. My Dear Sweet I-owe-her-more-than-I-can-afford Sister cleaned my house the way I would have, even better! She did laundry, swept and mopped, wiped down everything!!! and cleaned my toilet, I just don't know what else but it took stress from me to have those things done, I can't believe it. I took two naps today and was generally off the hook. AND I added Centrum liquid Vitamins and a scoop of Protein mix to my fruit juice. She's coming back tomorrow to take us (me and "him") to the grocery store to stock up and hubby is leaving work early. So I am hoping for another good day. I just needed help. I hate it but I did. It has made a huge difference.

OH! And my sister had a Magic Bullet in her pantry, just sitting there!!!! I almost bought one, so glad she had it and right on time. I'll be pureeing broth Soups tomorrow after going to the store. Plain old chicken broth really hits the spot but adding in some pureed veggies should help me feel better. I hope.

I even asked hubby tonight if he...ah, was, in the mood? NNOOOOO! He wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole! He's so funny. He just wants me well and healed.

Hopefull, it will happen soon, don't worry. Just make your back-up plan for extra help with the kiddies, housework, etc.

Thanks for the encouragement Bandit, it's all honest here, no sugar-coating. I know in hindsight it won't be near as dramatically difficult but right here in the middle of it, hmmm. It's Hard!

Hey Rebecca, does the binder not hurt? I just can't imagine soemthing tight over my belly, especailly my port area, but I did use the heating pad on it tonight and Ahhh, that was nice.

Nighty-Nite Ya'll! Thanks for checking in and (((((((hugs))))))) to my band buddies here on LBT!

[Rebecca 0]

Hi--No, the binder doesn't hurt. But I wouldn't have wanted it on there the first week. I was just resting a lot then. But once I was up and moving around, my insides would really hurt just from the moving around as I walked, and I needed something to immobilize that area! I was trying ace bandages at first, but glad I found the binder it works MUCH better. I'm back to work and my job is pretty physical--not sure what I would do without it. Just an idea in case anyone starts feeling like they need support. I had my gall bladder removed at the same time as the band being put on, so maybe that was part of my needing more support for the stomach muscles and very sore areas.

[BeachBabe(soon) 0]

Welcome back Kathy!!

Sounds like your doing great already. And every thing went well. Having your sis help you out is so great. Take good care of yourself, I don't want you getting any infections.....

[princess_n_thep 2]

Kathy, Glad to hear you are doing well!! How is the plant? Recovering as well I hope hee hee hee. Hey, now you have a "recovery pal"!!

I wish I could say the eating will get better but just bare down and prepare yourself for the next few weeks. Soooooooon, it will be over. It felt like FOREVER (during) the last few weeks and now it seems like nothing at all.

Just take it easy and pamper yourself!!!

Welcome to Band land!

[donali 57]

Congrats, Kathy!!

I wore a brace for the first couple of weeks to help hold up my stomach, and it made everything so much better. Apparently people don't think you look like you're doing well when you're walking around with one (or both!) hands holding up your stomach to ease the pain... lol

[the best me 6]

Yesterday was our 8 year wedding anniversary, and we both forgot! Good thing I'm not overly sentimental, of course, if I were, I wouldn't have forgotten! It was 11:45pm and we were falling to sleep and I remembered. So we kissed and said "I love you and I'm glad wer'e married" etc. and went to sleep. HA! I just think that's funny. Too much going on! At least this year I remembered before the day was out...we forgot our 6 year anniversery for WEEKS! before I thought of it. I had just had our son in Feb...too much going on!

Okay, I'm glad ya'll like the binder but I couldn't hear of it right now! Maybe next week, my port area is still really sore so I'm being extra careful.

Princess, that Jade plant is doing okay, it turned very chilly and rainy so I brought it in, and it never does well indoors so I'm a little worried. I took a pic of it replanted, did I post it? I'll check on the jade thread...so it doesn't look very plump and healthy and sturdy right now...hope it makes it!

Ya know, I'm not really hungry, and having my sister her is REALLY helping me conserve the calories for healing and I feel lot's less mushy minded, but still need naps. We went to the grocery store today (could NEVER have done that without her) and got groceries plus some prune juice (see "constipation revisited" thread) and she was trying to talk me into all this fancy flavorings and blening ideas...I just want broth, Jello, hot tea, a little coffee, and fruit juices with my Protein powder...that's it! Maybe my body is adjusting to fewer calories AND I have the help I need, thanks to her, but fancy food? Nah, don't miss it right now. I keep thinking about my insides healing and I'm not so hungry.

Whew, nap time.

[the best me 6]

So I go to nibble on some Jello before I rest and this happens, (I copied this from another thread I posted on...)

Okay, so I'm standing in the kitchen this afternoon with little man (age 2) and we are eating Jello out of the bowl, little spponfuls of it, taking turns, sweet! So I get a little bit of that really thick, at-the-edge-of-the-bowl jello that doesn't melt in your mouth, you know what I mean? So, not AT ALL thinking like a bandster, and ONLY thinking like a mom, I avoid giving little man the yucky thick stuff and do what? I eat it my self, so quickly I stuck that spoon in my mouth!!! Totally not thinking.

The next 2 minutes are all slow-motion. I'm standing at the sink, both hands on the counter, praying to God to take away the pain in my chest, saying to myself, "this is a PB, I can't PB, I'm only 5 days banded, do I drink some Water? no, yes? OMG please make the pain go away, please go down, please God!" and what surprised me the most were the short waves of nausea that overcame me. I knew I had to get the jello past the band, and maybe I could have gotten away with very warm Water to help melt it, but I sipped water, stood there, then PB'd so fast in the dang kitchen sink...the pain relief was instant, and I stood there, breathing saying to myself "this thing is gonna control my LIFE!!!! How can DeLarla not be changed after getting banded?!!!"

So, now Jenna, you wonder if this is a PB or a vomit, and it really was more of a vomit, just of the upper pouch contents, water and bits of jello. It happened so fast and smooth I wasn't worried but now it's 5+ hours later and I can barely drink small sips of hot tea and broth. This is making me worry. If I take a sip, even a small one, it hurts in my chest like heartburn for a minute and if I take a big sip, well, it REALLY hurts and I can't even type here, and I have to get up and walk around until it goes down. So I know I am swollen, and this is so different even from the day after banding, I have been able to easily drink my clear liquid diet, no problems. Help!! Should I call my local doc to be seen? What in the world could he do? Fish out nasty thcik jello from my band? It feels like it's still stuck there, but it's probably just swelling...VERY uncomfortable and starting to make me worry. Only warm liquids until this resolves.

[Penni60 45]

Kathy: I don't think you vomited. I think it was a really really bad PB. And everytime you PB you usually get the soreness and swelling with the irritation. Take it easy and don't rush things. The warm liquids will help and don't rush going back to solids. IF you are continuing to feel bad then do call your doctor just to check in.

It will get better with time.

[the best me 6]

Hey, Penni, thanks...no solids for me, I'm not even on them, just liquids, but the tea and broth hurt so much I'm afraid to do V-8 or my Centrum liquid vitamins, or God forbid, a cold fruit juice pureed with Protein Powder, which is all I have had since banding last Friday...I am frustrated and dissappointed that my recovery has been such a wash-out thus far. My 66 year old father is coming over to play interference with little man tomorrow while hubby works! And I need this type of help! If need be, we can drive to Winston-Salem tomorrow to see the local band Dr, but I'm not sure what he could do. Just have to wait it out. I PRAY it's at least a little better in the morning, or I'll dehydrate??? Okay, next is a warm shower, tend to the wounds, heating pad on belly and sleep (after checking in one last time here for any replies). I know this is "normal" but it sure doesn't feel like it...sigh.

[Penni60 45]

Kathy: BREATH!!! You will not dehydrate overnight. LOL!! I know how irritated your esophagus can get after a bad PB. But it will get better. I promise..

[DeLarla 22]

Kathy, sorry I took so long to catch up. As far as the Band not changing me, Oh, yes it has! It just hasn't changed the way I think. Yep, I PB from time to time and you gave a really good description of it. My worst one was about a week ago when I stupidly popped an entire cold pill. It was horrifying, and it happened in my local convenience store where the clerks know me, and I scared the hell out of them as I ran to the bathroom.

Sometimes there are things in my head that I want to say but I'm afraid to write them cause the words come out wrong, so I'm not saying this to be an ass, but I kinda feel better about my surgery after hearing your experience. You sound like you feel like crap the way I did. Some people are bouncing back to normal and making me feel like a big baby, but you are describing my healing and recovery process. I felt lousy, there's no way I could take care of a child or myself for that matter. I guess this means we are normal! YEAH!

I didn't have my first PB for months, so I would be just as worried as you (just cuz I'm a worry wart) but you probably don't have anything to worry about. There were a couple girls in recovery that kept vomitting right after surgery. I guess anesthesia makes some people really ill. Having one PB shouldn't hurt you, but like everyone else says, just take it really easy.

I swear, the stuff you wrote came right out of my head all the way to the Heavenly relief of tea and a heating pad! You should be feeling better soon. Hang in there girl.

[Mita 2]

How are you doing today Kathy???

[the best me 6]

Terrible, awful, miserable, tired, discouraged, and I hate this band that makes this heartburn so unbearable. I don't know what else to do but sleep to make it heal form my PB (on Jello for GOSH SAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I'm mad and frustrated and crying. I'm sorry. It hurts to drink Water, I came on today to visit that thread "it's been a week and I'm miserable" or whatever...going there now. thank you for asking, really, and sorry it's not all rosey.

I went there and it's mostly about mourning the loss of food and old ways of eating and that type of thing...some of it encouraging but not my issues. I am fine on liquids, I really don't care about eating, I just want to feel better and back to normal. Anyhow...