Jann

Although I don't know what chicken planks or hush pupplies are I can imagine. I would equate that to me with fish and chips. I'd have a double order of fish (deep fried and battered of course) add an additional piece of fish and double the fries. (Each piece of fish would be the size of my whole hand and about an inch thick) Come home and two hours later my face would be stuffed in the pantry. I have to say Mama, you look freaking amazing!!!! Congratulations on so much success. You've worked so hard!

I hear ya, PB'ing is a big scary thing in my mind and I don't want to hurt my band. I also read that although you can have solids after 21 days, in our case, you actually don't heal for 6-8 weeks. I'm very conscious of that! I'm so glad to hear your work buds are so supportive. It really helps!

I think I'm in the exact same headspace as you. Thanks so much!

OMG that is hysterical! I'm dying here. I think I blew a stitch! I wouldn't have thought of that. Day hubby picked me up from the airport he stopped at take out Chinese Food and ordered all my favs, few days later pizza and wings -- I made him eat upstairs. I thought it was insensitive too! I finally just decided if he wanted to kill himself with that food, 'Have at 'er'. Every time he complained about his knees or feet I just shot him a look and said, "You do it to yourself, stop whining". Insensitivity comes in many forms! <evil grin> Having said that, he's being awesome now and our take out bill is TINY compared to what it is. We're doing a lot more cooking in our house! He really is being 100% supportive now and I LOVE IT! You seriously crack me up!

I've learned to love protein shakes and since I have a fridge LOADED with them I'll still have them at least until they are gone. I don't appear to have any hunger at all 'til dinnertime for the most part so I drink them in the morning and at lunch. When the time comes that my pouch can accept full solids I'll just use them for filler if I need a snack.

God bless your family, Jim. Our hearts are with you at this most difficult of times.

Thanks Cathy, and right back at ya!

You just have to love this sated feeling, eh? And yup, the mashed potatoes were glorious! My body just feels SO MUCH BETTER since I was banded. I have my pictures from just before banding and I'll get hubby to take my 'I SURVIVED 21 DAYS ON LIQUID" pics and post them. We should get t-shirts made! LOL!

Yeah, it's weird because the past two days I thought I was starving! The day I'm allowed and nadda, no hunger the entire day. G'figger! What is it about eggs?!

I did do it, didn't I?! I made it the 21 days and I never cheated once! WOOT! In fact truth is today I didn't want to go to solids because I was afraid I'd devour the world like the old days. You know that whole 'it tastes good so eat it 'til it's totally gone and have seconds mentality'? But I really was impressed that I didn't have that thinking. In fact even the few bites I took felt like cheating. Funny how the mind works, eh? And I was concerned that my first meal was so public. What if I did something wrong and started PB'ing???? Sorry hun, soda water is carbonated and a big no, no. But I always order it with lime cordial when I go out to dinner. It's a deeply ingrained habit. Good thing hubby was there because for sure I would have started drinking it. I would have clued in pretty quick but I still would have had the big gulp before the brain kicked in!

Well, today was my first day of solids. I have to tell you that I got up this morning expecting to finally have that egg and I wasn't hungry. I thought, 'Fine, I'll have a scrambled egg for lunch', wasn't hungry. Hubby promised me a lobster dinner and I still wasn't hungry! I did go, had about less than a 1/4 of a lobster tail, (about 15 fork fulls by the time I cut it up in bitsy pieces -- two fork fulls for regular people) 3 forks of mash potato and one shrimp. It was glorious but it felt so foreign after 21 days of liquids! I ordered a soda water and lime (my usual) and hubby was quick to point out I couldn't have that. Thank goodness, don't know where my head was at. I ordered a water and didn't drink it. Out of habit I went to have a sip while I was eating and hubby again patiently reminded me that was AGAINST THE BANDSTER RULES! Aside from a pain in my shoulder which I'm sure is just muscle memory, I feel great! I explained PBing to Hubby so he wouldn't have a heart attack if it happened but it didn't. Thank goodness! All is right with the world tonight

Four days if you need to but preferably seven days? Or was I just too hard on myself?

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm SO glad to hear this for you!

Oooh, I've been to the Mayan Riveria many, many times and I love it there. Where'd you go?! Welcome back!

Sweetie, it's not time for the liquid yogurt. You have to do the first seven days of broths and clears. The yogurt will just add to your sense of bloatedness. I'm so glad it went well and happy you are back!

Oh, that entirely makes sense. I never thought to look at it that way. Thanks!

:lb13: :lb10:

Good luck and Godspeed. See, you on the other side!

YAY FOR YOU!!!! Nicely done, Julie!! :lb25: :lb21:

Well, I wouldn't go out partying at night but you are more than safe going out during the day.

I have the Magic Bullet as well and it's perfect!

Love, love, love those pics! You can feel the family support and TOTALLY loved you jumping for joy! =D> :lb24:

Love and happiness on your journey. You're in good hands!

I don't feel anything with the port itself. I've been able to sleep on my left side (normal sleeping side) from the first day. I can bend, stretch and move without a problem. However, the stitch site hurts like hell. I've been putting Polysporin Complete on it three times a day. I can see it's healing and it's just a matter of time but WOWSA! Ouch!