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lunalady

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  1. lunalady

    The "not me's"

    By lunalady,

    I apparently suffer from a serious case of the "not me's". You know how it goes...you'll read about some aspect of the band and you'll think to yourself, "Oh, I *know* better than that! That won't happen to me...not me!"
    First fill was great. 2 cc's of saline. My port is pretty deep and the Dr. recommends that every fill be done with flouro. Figures! Now every fill will be an additional $99, but I am trying to look at it from the standpoint that it's better to be safe than sorry.
    So...I didn't think I had much restriction, what with it being my first fill and all. So I ate some chicken for dinner last night. And I waited to eat until I was starving, which I *know* is a no-no! So, yeah, I was hungry as hell and I ate entirely too fast and I didn't chew my chicken well enough.
    My first visit with a PB was pretty exciting. NOT!! Apparently I totally thought that I would *never* forget the rules and I would *never* forget to chew well and I would *never* eat too fast and most especially, I would *never* have to suffer through a PB. Boy, was I wrong!
    I'm going to Wal-mart on my lunch hour to buy zip-lock bags to keep in my car. And some baby wipes. Too bad they don't sell brain cells!
  2. lunalady
    Reading the thread about obese children has really touched me.
    I have been fat my whole life. I weighed in at 196 during the initial Dr's appointment when I discovered I was pregnant with my son. He'll be 29 in a few weeks. So, yeah...30 years of being overweight.
    I have a niece who just got married the middle of April. My whole family was present for her wedding. My dad, my two sisters, my two daughters (two of my three children). My dad and my son have the same type of body. Stick-thin. No clue where *that* comes from, cuz the Christensen side of the family (my mom's side) all look like little round bubbles instead of people.
    So, anyway, at the wedding, I looked around and it was as if I was seeing myself and my family clearly for the first time in decades. We are all fat. Every one of us! Me. Both my sisters. My niece. One of my daughters (one is not).
    I want to leave, as a legacy to my children and grandchildren, the knowledge and certainty that one is *never* too old to transform oneself into a healthier version of 'what used to be'.
    I want my grandbabies to see pictures of me now, weighing in at close to 300 pounds, and say to me, "Grandma, I don't remember you ever being that fat!"
    *That* is the legacy I want my children and grandchildren to be part of.
  3. lunalady
    Had my surgery at 4:17 on Thursday, June 25. It's official...I'm now a bandster! *doing the happy dance*
    The Dr. discovered I had a hiatal hernia and some adhesions and that my stomach was actually in my chest cavity, instead of in my abdominal cavity where it belongs (I had no clue!). He got everything all straightened out and didn't charge me a penny extra! I do have my port in a 'not so normal' place compared to the rest of you, though...mine is right between my boobs. That incision might make wearing a bra a bit of a challenge for a bit, but I'll adapt. 'Adjust, adapt, and overcome' has become my new motto.
    Even rolling over in bed that first night took a herculean effort, but today I'm SO much better! The flights home yesterday were a tad uncomfortable. Thank the Goddess my companion had the intelligence to get me a wheelchair at the SLC airport! OMG! I would *still* be trying to get from our landing gate to the next take-off gate!
    That first little sip of chicken broth was absolutely to-die-for wonderful! I asked for it at every meal after that first taste! And I'm already jello'd out. I can't stand the stuff. Even tried the new flavors and it's still...well...jello! Never been a fan of it and I sure don't see it happening now!
    I'm not scheduled to go back to work until Tuesday, but I may go in tomorow. It depends a lot on how I feel. I will have a TON of stuff to do on Tuesday if I *do* wait. I'll see how I feel in the morning. My dogs are due home today...the house seemed so empty without them when I got home last night.
    I relaxed in my easy chair with a cup of chicken broth and a half a glass of apple juice at my side. Took me three hours to finish them. (now, honestly, whodathunkit?...before lapband, that would have been my 'warmup' foods for the main event and they'd have been gone in three minutes, not three hours!)
    I am so happy and excited about the changes taking place within me. Except for one thing...I got on the scale this morning and I weighed 279. Now, the morning I left for Mexico, I weighed 271.4. WTF? I *gained* having the surgery? I'm pretty sure it's all water weight cuz my fingers feel like fat little sausages. Which means it will come off quickly. Actually, water weight shouldn't come as a shock, considering all the fluids they were pumping through me in the hospital!
    Did learn a valuable lesson. There was another patient there, being re-banded. She'd been banded three years ago and tried to 'outsmart' her band. Was soon over-eating...extended her pouch and eventually there was a slippage. She has paid an extra $10K to get to where I am today....newly banded. $3500 to remove the slipped band...then had to wait six months and had the second band put in place for $6500. Yeah, I will *so* not be doing that!
    "Adjust, adapt, and overcome!"
  4. lunalady

    Slowly but surely!

    By lunalady,

    So, slowly but surely, the weight is coming off. I'm at about 40 pounds currently, with two fills. I've made an appointment for my third fill; it's scheduled for Thursday, April 8.
    I'll leave here at oh-dark-thirty that morning, go to SLC for the fill, then spend the night in SLC. Next morning I'll get up and head up to IF to spend the weekend with my son, my daughter-in-law and my not-yet-born (but will have been born by the time I get there) grandson. I am *so* excited to be going! My first grandson, to go with my two granddaughters! My granddaughers are from my middle child, my oldest daughter. This new baby will be the first for my son, who will be 30 in July. I'm having a tough time imagining him being a daddy!
    The Dr. told me that I probably wouldn't get good restriction until my third fill, which has so far proven true. I can eat bagels still. I'm hoping the third fill is the charm!
    I have three boxes of clothes to give to my sisters now. My one sister knows I had surgery, but the other one doesn't. I told the sister who doesn't know that I'd 'grown out of' my pants. Little does she know that I meant I've grown mentally and emotionally, not physically. She's gonna be shocked when she sees me.
    Laura went to Cuidad Juarez and had her surgery two weeks ago. The Dr. there filled up her band with 2 cc's of saline, so she already has really good restriction. I feel like I got cheated...I have had to pay over $700 more than she did for the same amount of restriction because I've had to pay for two fills and the flouro for them. I *know* I shouldn't feel like that, but I do, dangit!
  5. lunalady

    Excited!

    By lunalady,

    I'm starting to get very excited about my weight-loss journey. My first fill is tomorrow afternoon. I've lost close to 20 pounds since I started and I can tell the difference in how my clothes fit me. My one *problem child* incision is healing well, finally.
    I've been reading on the forums and in blogs about people getting nauseous because they were eating too much, too fast. When I first starting reading about it, I totally thought they were high! How in the *world* is that even possible?
    And then...this morning...I got a first-hand look at it. Yup, I got nauseous from eating too much, too fast. And not even a speck of saline in my band yet, no less! I had fixed myself a fresh fruit smoothie for breakfast (a banana, some cantaloupe, a few grapes, some vanilla protein powder and milk) and I apparently had too much of it, too fast.
    I was nauseous as hell...I'm *still* nauseous and this was two whole hours ago!
    So, I guess I am making some improvements, slowly and surely.
    I am starting to look at my food as fuel, not as a 'feel-good' present I give myself. Whoda thunk *that* would ever happen????!!!!
  6. lunalady

    People

    By lunalady,

    People are telling me that they can see a difference in me. Wow. And I haven't even had my first fill yet so I feel like I can eat just about anything. I'm making a conscious effort to watch my portion sizes, drink plenty of water, take super small bites and chew like a mad-woman, all in slow motion! The gals at the bead shop today told me that they can totally see a difference in my face, my tummy and my butt. Awesome!
    I just wish the scales would show me that! Honestly, I get on every Friday morning and I swear they haven't budged more than 2 or 3 ounces in two weeks now!
    Went out to dinner the other night with a co-worker. We each ordered the special that was a personal pizza and the salad bar. I could only eat half of my pizza and about half of my salad. And I didn't even fill my salad plate up like I normally would have done! I was pleasantly surprised, so I just took the balance of my meal home with me and had it the next night for dinner.
    My co-worker, on the other hand, ate three plates of salad. And she ate it so dang fast that she was slopping salad dressing all over herself. I was so put off by it all. All I could think of was that I used to look like that when I ate, too.
    Wow, I guess I am changing a little bit, aren't I?
    My incision has finally closed up and is scabbing over. I am so happy about that I can't stand it! Now that it's healed enough to scab, the healing process should progress quickly. It's a little disconcerting to me, though...apparently it happens often enough that they know exactly what to tell you to watch for and how to help it heal when you call in (panicked, I might add!) but not often enough that they feel the need to disclose it in the post-op instructions.
    I'm just so thankful that I didn't get an infection in it! I do honestly feel like I'm healing well, finally.
    My first fill (with flouro) is scheduled for next Wednesday at 2:30. I'll be staying in SLC until Saturday morning when I come home, so if I *do* need to go in for a minor unfill, I'll be able to do so.
    Yup, things are getting better for me. I may be meeting M's son tonight....he's due in from Wales this afternoon.
  7. lunalady
    I scheduled my first fill yesterday. It will be done by Fill Centers USA in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, August 12th at 2:30, using flouro. I live about six hours away, so I'll get up early, drive down there, get my fill, check in at my motel, and then go check in for the Scentsy convention.
    I know I'll be on liquids during convention, but that's okay. I'd rather get my fill on Wednesday and then have to be on liquids during convention (and know that I can go back to Fill Centers USA for an unfill if need be) than wait til convention is over with and I'm on my way out of town to get the fill. Fill Centers USA has a 72-hour unfill policy so I'd rather be safe than sorry.
    My wounds are healing, slowly. I'll be so stinkin' glad when I don't have to cover up the one with gauze, though! Going through a fortune in first aid supplies, but I'd rather do that than risk infection in the wound.
    Going over to my daughter's and son-in-law's tonight for dinner and to love on my two grand-babies. I'm taking Popeye's chicken for them and mashed potatoes/gravy and red beans & rice for me. I'm debating if I want to try to take a bite of chicken tonight. I haven't had any trouble with the diet restrictions, but today is day one of 'soft' for me. I think if I chew the chicken up really well, I'll be okay. I hope!
    My grand-babies have a new trampoline and they want Grandma to come over so they can show me their new 'tricks'. Have I mentioned how much I love and adore my grand-babies? They are the most beautiful, awesome little girls in the whole world. One will be four in October and the other one, her sister, will be three in January and I love them both to pieces!
    I may be introducing my English Gentleman to them tonight, as well. I'll see. Depends a lot on what happens during the day today and how much I get accomplished.
    Having a party tomorrow night at my house, so I have a ton of housework that needs to get done tomorrow before the party. I've already decided that if I *don't* get it all done, that's just too damn bad! If they want a perfect house to have a party in, they need to have the party somewhere else than mine! *I'm* the one who just had surgery, damnit!
  8. lunalady

    What a day!

    By lunalady,

    Wow! What a mile-stone type of day this is, so far. Michael's son is leaving to go to visit his Aunt in Wales for three weeks. Stephen is due home from Iraq this afternoon for two weeks. Michael H.'s bday is today. Austin's bday is today. Found out that Derek (ex-stepson) got married. Wow!!
    I'm getting anxious about eating soft foods. That happens on Friday. I'm ready.
    Went to a WLS support group last night at one of the local hospitals. There were LOTS of people there doing the 'waiting' game. There were a few success stories to be seen and shared. Seems like it's way easier for people to say their WLS didn't work for them than it is for them to use the WLS as the tool it was intended to be. Was I ever that focused on failure? God, I hope not!
    Why are some people focused on failure and then others are focused on success? They celebrate even the smallest of successes... I believe that if you can visualize it in your mind, you can create it in person. Apparently not everyone shares my train of thought, though. Or maybe they have spent so many years being focused on the negative that they've forgotten what it feels like to have hope and to be focused on the successes?
  9. lunalady
    Today is two weeks post-op. Well, I should say that this afternoon at 4:17 pm is two weeks post-op. I've had some problems with a couple of my incisions. One major problem (all the stitches came out of one incision) and one minor problem (one of the stitches came out of another incision).
    So I've been REALLY concentrating on wound care and cleaning of same during the last two weeks. 'What to eat' has come in second, every day. I'm more concerned about my wounds not getting infected (which would require a trip to my Dr. and the subsequent charges) than I am about my diet or even if/how much I'm losing.
    Today, for the first time, I feel hopeful. I feel like I *am* healing. My wound(s) are healing okay, especially the ones that didn't lose any stitches. My port incision is still a little bit sore, but that is to be expected. It, too, will heal. I'm taking anti-biotics. I'm making sure that I eat only what I'm supposed to.
    When I went to Mexico, there was another gal there having her *2nd* lap-band procedure done. She didn't pay attention to the post-op diet instructions the first time around and started eating way before she was supposed to. Which didn't allow her stomach to heal and the scar tissue to form at all. She over-ate *a time or two* (to quote her). Which means she over-ate a *ton* of times. Long story short, her band slipped and she had to pay for another trip to TJ for the band to be taken out, then she had to wait six months and come back for her 2nd banding. She spent over $10K *extra* because she couldn't pay attention to what the Dr. ordered. Idiot. Even now, she refuses to follow the Dr's instructions. Her exact words were 'I hate it when some skinny bitch tells me how to eat!' I was dumbfounded, to say the least. She even wanted to buy some of the churros that were being hawked down the line of cars at the border while we were waiting to get back into the States!
    So, yeah, I've been following the diet to the letter. Clear liquids, then full liquids. Tomorrow starts the 'thicker than going through a straw, but too thin to count as soft' stage. I'm going to Popeye's for lunch and getting some mashed potatoes with TWO gravies, I'm thinking!
    Today, I put on a pair of pants that I haven't worn since before my surgery. Now, you must realize that every pair of pants I own do the whole 'muffin-top' thing on me. Well, today...I put these pants on and I can see that the muffin-top is diminishing. It's still there, don't think it's not...but it *is* smaller than it was last time I put these pants on. So I guess that I am making some progress.
    I'll weigh myself in the morning. Friday will be my weigh-in day. Friday also starts the new week for the 'step-up' in the consistency of the food I can eat. So it's perfect, all the way around!
  10. lunalady
    My boxer was discovered missing from my yard yesterday morning. I have been frantic. I searched the Humane Society. I put out an ad on Craigslist and in my local paper. I searched my neighborhood and the local parks. I cried. And then I cried some more.
    I kept imagining him hungry and thirsty and going to the river to get a drink, missing his footing and falling in, to be swept along to who-knows-where.
    I had a friend come over on Friday to get some extra no-good-to-me-but-someone-else-might-like-it items out of my back yard. I have a fence that opens like a french door. Apparently the people (Bob had farmed the work out) who came over on Friday failed to latch the gate securely. And I failed to make sure that it was latched when I returned home.
    So, long story short, Simon went to bed with me at the normal time Sunday evening and when I got up at 6 on Monday morning, he had decided he needed to go for a little stroll. He was just neutered two and a half weeks ago, so the testosterone is not completely out of his system yet, so I think he prolly could smell a female in heat and went to investigate.
    Yeah, I have been frantic. My English Gentleman has bent over backward trying to help the situation. He even went to the Humane Society this morning and looked through the kennels for me. Bless his heart.
    Simon was found underneath a yard office this morning by the yard office's pup. The owners coaxed him out of hiding and after feeding him and giving him some cool water to drink, they read his tags and called me.
    The reunion was poignant. Simon is very well-behaved, but he is, after all, still sometimes a puppy. He's only 15 months old. I told him to sit, which he did...but then he was so very happy to see me that his whole body started shaking and he couldn't help but put out one little paw like, "Mom! I'm here! Can we go home now?"
    It was the sweetest thing I've seen for a *very* long time...I love my boxer...I'm pretty sure he's getting steak tonight for dinner!
  11. lunalady
    I woke up this morning feeling great, so I decided that I would go in and work for half a day or so. Anything I did today would make tomorrow (month-end) that much easier for me. So I took my shower, changed my dressings, got dressed and went to job #2 (I have three). They haven't heard from me since I left Thursday morning at job #2 and I knew they would be frantic. They were all excited to see me and told me I look great, yada, yada, yada. It was wonderful to feel so very loved. One of my co-workers has had gastric bypass so she is ultra-supportive.
    Went over to my friend Linda's to sit out on her patio and enjoy it with her (she had it re-tiled while we were in Mexico). It looks absolutely awesome! Her husband Stephen is totally going to love it when he gets here in a few weeks. She showed me some new pants she just bought for herself. Size 12. We're the same height and I honestly can't imagine wearing size 12's. The psych eval at the hospital told me I may even get into 10's. I think she was high.
    So I got to work and worked SOLID for three and a half hours. I have a desk job. I'm a bookkeeper. Nothing heavier to pick up than a pile of papers. And I was EXHAUSTED when I left at 5. EXHAUSTED!!! After only three and a half hours. Tomorrow may very well kill me...eight solid hours and it being month-end!!
    I'm going to go take a nap before I have some broth and juice for dinner...
  12. lunalady
    First of all...I am grossly overweight. I should weigh somewhere in the low 160's and I weigh in the high 270's. So you can see...*grossly* overweight.
    I have a *lot* of fat/weight to move whenever I sit up or bend over or even roll over in bed. Just doing those things post-op caused some of my stitches to pop. I think that's why the Dr. put my port where he did, was so that I could bend over and not open the port incision. In the meantime, I've lost at least three stitches, possibly four. One whole incision (the one that takes the most abuse when I sit up/bend over/roll over in bed) is gaping open, but I've put some more steri-strips on it and I'm cleaning it and changing the dressing on it three times a day. You can never by too careful with cleanliness, right? I check it constantly to make sure it doesn't get infected. One side of my other lower-body incision is open now, too.
    Part of it is my fault, I'm sure. I got home Saturday afternoon and felt well enough on Sunday to do a load of laundry and to go meet my English gentleman for coffee. Probably shouldn't have done that. Probably should have just kept my ass in bed like a good little girl. But I had *missed* him!
    So now...I get up and shower, clean/change my dressings and go to work. At lunch, I go home and clean/change my dressings and rest in my easy chair with my legs propped up. After work, I go home and rest until it's time for bed, when I *again* clean/change my dressings. I'm trying to stay prone as much as possible when I'm at home, to ease the healing of my incisions.
    Which means...no time yet to see my English Gentleman again until my incisions are better healed. We talk every day and he is very solicitous, which is extremely sweet. He offered to go shopping for me today. I quickly assured him that I had everything I need.
    My port incision is itching, which means that it's healing. I'll be glad when the holes in my body are filled in and I don't have to worry so much about keeping them clean, clean, clean.
    I start full liquids on Friday, which is a good thing. I'm about sick of clear liquids!
  13. lunalady

    Getting antsy!!

    By lunalady,

    Surgery's in a week and I'm starting to get antsy...not antsy as in nervous about the trip/surgery but antsy as in I want it all over and done with, so I can learn to eat healthy and begin the process of learning to live my life again.
    I've verified with both of my daughters the transportation to/from the airport plans (I'm cheap and don't want to leave my car there for two nights!). Also verified that my youngest daughter and her hubby will be taking my boxer, Simon, home with them after hubby drops Linda and I off at the airport.
    Sidenote: Simon is going to be getting neutered in the morning, but he has no clue. Teach him to pee on the carpet in front of me!
    So...travel arrangements are verified, dog care is verified, Verizon's charges and ability to call out from Tijuana is verified. Today is day #4 of the pre-op diet...
    Everything is starting to fall into place and come together nicely. My appointment with Susan has been changed to Sunday at 7 pm instead of tonight, which I'm secretly happy about. Thursday nights I'm *always* tired and I kinda enjoy dozin' off in my easy chair, listening to the TV in the background! It'll be nice to be able to do that tonight.
  14. lunalady
    I started my pre-op diet today so I can shrink my liver a little bit before I have my surgery. It's basically Atkins. High protein, low-carb. My surgery is next Thursday, which means I have ten days of doing it. Hell, I can do that standing on my head!
    I went over to Linda's yesterday and she took me to her studio and took about two dozen 'before' pictures of me (she's a professional photographer, so guess who's going to be doing my lingerie photos when I lose some of this weight??? lol). She took several shots with all my clothes on, from different angles and in different poses. Then she had me strip down to just my bra and panties and she took some pictures of me that way (good thing she's a good friend, or I'd have been entirely too self-conscious of how fat I am for THAT to have happened!)...same angles and same poses as the ones with clothes on. Then she took the card back to her house and she did a 'skye at 200' modification to one of the photos. It was awesome and she made it look so easy! She made my tummy smaller and my legs littler and she even took some of the flab off of my arms. She is so stinkin' good at what she does, I'm telling ya!
    About half an hour later she called to see if I was home...she brought over all the pictures she'd taken, made up as 4" x 6" color photos! I was totally just expecting her to send me the files as an attachment to an email, not print them out on photo paper for me! And she even brought over the 'skye at 200' picture so I have something to look at for inspiration. I immediately put them in my DietMinder food journal.
    Linda is so awesome...I am *so* thankful to have her as my friend...she is truly my inspiration. Her lap-band was done almost three years ago and she had only about half as much to lose as I do (she's diabetic, as well). She's within 15 pounds of her goal and she looks so dang good! I've seen the total transformation take place within her...not just in her body as it's shrunk and toned up, but also the transformation in her head. She now sees herself as thin and it's bled over into all facets of her life. I count myself lucky to have been invited to share her experience with her.
    And now it's MY turn for the transformation. The cool thing is that Linda's going to be there every step of the way. Yeah, she's definately awesome!
    I'm having a co-worker at one of my part-time jobs make us matching bracelets. I'm going to give it to her when we are on the plane, along with a card that tells her how much she means to me.
  15. lunalady
    Slowly, things are totally coming together. I've bought the Smart Stick hand blender and all the post-op food and powdered protein supplements that I'm going to need, with the exception of the fresh fruit I'll need for my fruit puree's. I'll get that the night before I leave.
    I've bought liquid vitamins and dissolvable Gas-X, as well as a fresh supply of band-aids and first-aid ointment, cuz who knows how long the other ointment has been in my medicine cabinet? Could have been there for decades; I never use it.
    I've bought a treadmill and have even been using it! (no falling over from shock in the audience, please!) I don't go very fast and I don't go very long, but I *am* using it. And I can tell it in my calves, which is good.
    My kitchen scale, so I can accurately measure what I'm eating, should arrive today in the mail.
    My DietMinder journal and the newest food listing book arrived last week. Yeah, I've covered them with scrapbook paper and dolled them up so they look better...a little bit more personalized...a little bit more like skye!
    I start my pre-op diet on Monday.
    I've been seeing Susan (my 'coach') for a month now and I talk to Linda (my 'mentor') *at least* once a day, sometimes three or four times a day!
    Everyone with whom I've shared my decision for weight loss surgery has been MORE than understanding. Some are asking very pointed questions and I have no doubt that as they see me lose, they will be considering the surgery themselves.
    Yup, things are coming together nicely.
  17. lunalady
    So...called Fill Centers USA yesterday to get an idea of prices and availability. 'Bout had a coronary!
    The initial visit is $350, which doesn't include flouro. Flouro is an additional $99. Subsequent visits are $165.
    So...my first visit is going to cost me almost $500. Wow! But, I know that I want flouro at my first fill, just to make sure that everything is okay.
    I hope I don't need a fill every single month!
    And, even if I went back to TJ for my first fill and they used flouro, I'd *still* have to pay Fill Centers USA the initial visit fee of $350 when I go see them for my second fill. Either way...it's going to be spendy. Good thing I have some cash saved for it!
  18. lunalady

    Got my treadmill!

    By lunalady,

    Got my treadmill this weekend...it's a Nordic Track C1900...Linda bought hers brand-new at Costco a couple of years ago for $699 and then she had to assemble it. I got mine delivered and ready-to-go for $350. I totally got a STEAL!
    I even got on yesterday and walked for a bit to test it out...I could only do six minutes before my back started hurting though. I know six minutes isn't a lot, but hey, it's a start, at least!
  19. lunalady
    Since I have begun this journey...from the VERY start...I've felt that there are forces at work around me...guiding me and pointing me in the direction I need to go.
    Example: the fill Dr. is right across the street from my work. I can sit at my desk and look across Overland and see his office. How the hell cool is that?
    Example: Susan and the whole 'life-mapping/hypnosis' thing. One more cog in the wheel of transformation.
    I just found out that one of the (flouro-using) Fill Centers USA's offices is in Salt Lake. I'm going to be in Salt Lake from August 12 through August 15 at a Scentsy convention. AND it just so happens that my six-week date will be the 6th of August. I'm going to call them and see if I can schedule my first fill (with flouro) either before I sign in for Convention or else as I'm leaving Convention.
    Wow! Forces at work, I'm tellin' ya!
  20. lunalady

    Treadmill

    By lunalady,

    Woo-hooo!!! I get my treadmill this weekend! Found it on Craigslist...Nordic Track...retails for over $1K and I'm getting it for $350! I can't wait! AND it's the same one that Linda has! How weird is THAT?
    Went to a different GNC on my lunch hour yesterday and bought some more protein supplements. I have about a four month supply now, so I'm pretty sure I'm set! lol
    Went to the store last night and bought about a dozen and a half different soups. I actually bought baby food, too, to supplement the protein in the soup. Figured I could just use my handy-dandy new little Smart Stick and puree the hell out of everything when it's time for me to have full liquids.
    Bought bandaids and first-aid cream and Tylenol and Gas-X. The Gas-X I bought is little strips that you put in your mouth and they dissolve. Genius!
    Bought juice, too, and lots of Crystal Light.
    I'm trying to think of the groceries I'm gonna need and get the ones that go in the pantry bought already. Figured the less I have to buy when I get home and don't feel like doing too much, the better it's gonna be!
  21. lunalady

    GNC last night

    By lunalady,

    I bee-bopped into GNC last night, just to look around, while I was waiting for my daughter to meet me. Never in my life have I even *set foot* in a nutrition store. I was pretty much convinced that lightning was gonna flash and the ground was gonna open up and swallow me as I walked through the front door. Surprise! Nothing unusual happened, but trust me, I was waiting for it to!
    The clerk was a complete snot to me. He took one look at me (and my size) and immediately (mentally) dismissed me. I've had it happen to me enough that I know how it works, trust me! He asked if he could help me (which he obviously thought he couldn't, this is a health food store, after all!); he was about 19, with pimples and everything. It was great. NOT!
    So anyway, he asked if he could help me and I told him that I was having lap band surgery and needed to get some protein supplements for my post-op dietary needs. He said, "Well, most people who have *those* surgeries use this." and took me over to the wall of supplements. I bought two small packages, one Banana Cream flavor and one Mixed Berry flavor (they were 'buy one, get one for half-price'). They each add 22 grams of protein to whatever you add it to. I'm going to add it to my fresh fruit smoothie breakfast every morning, and possibly to the one for dinner, depending on how much protein I've had during the day.
    I was looking at the Isopure Protein Water and it was almost $4 for 16 oz. Then I happened to notice a big jug of Zero Carb Isopure powder that you just add to your milk or water. It adds 25 grams of protein for each scoop of product. On sale for $42.99; 44 scoops. I bought that, too, in the Pineapple Orange Peach (was it peach? now I don't remember!).
    So, I'm pretty much set. I would like to get some of the Isopure powder in Vanilla Cream, though. Maybe I'll go visit another GNC store during lunch today. I'm not going back to the 'snotty kid with pimples store', that's for sure.
    I'll feel excited when I can walk into a store and NOT get the 'big person' treatment, ya know?
    *sigh*
  22. lunalady
    I have decided that I am *completely* in love with my new Smart Stick Hand Blender! It is the most awesome thing I've used in decades!
    Went over to Linda's this weekend and she fixed me a fruit drink with it...she said it was my first 'bandster' meal and this was to give me an idea of how to eat once the surgery and healing is all done. All she did was chop up some fresh fruit into small pieces (I chose cantaloupe, papaya, pear, watermelon, strawberry and half a banana) and then she poured some Tropical Punch flavor Fuze over it, to cover. Inserted the little stick and turned it on...omg! In just a few seconds I had the most wonderfully refreshing drink you could *ever* imagine! Fresh fruit, liquified!!! She says it takes her a couple of hours to finish hers...she has one every morning and every night. It was so dang yummy! And I was thinking, I could even add some vanilla flavored protein powder to make sure that I'm getting enough protein.
    Oh, yes, I will definately be using my new little friend a *ton* of times!! It will even whip cream!! Woo-hoooo!!!
    I have a feeling that this will become my new best friend, just like it did with Linda!
    I am *so* thankful I have her for my mentor...she's been there, done that and she is helping me *so* much. I need to send her an 'I'm so thankful you're in my life card'.
  23. lunalady
    The first check was waiting for me when I got home from work on Friday. So...I have made the surgery appointment (Thursday, June 25), paid the deposit and made our flight reservations.
    My younger daughter will take us to the airport and she and her husband will take care of Simon (my boxer) while I'm gone. My older daughter will pick us up when we get home.
    Just a couple more things to get done before I go: 1) Shop for liquids/protein shakes, etc. 2) Look on Craigslist for a good used treadmill.
    Oh! And pack!!
    I am *so* ready for this transformation to a more healthy me!
  24. lunalady
    First meeting went well...it helped that we had history with each other, I think. The initial 3-hour meeting was knocked down to a little less than 2 because of that history and the fact that I'm already comfortable with her.
    I am REALLY excited to see some of the changes that she's helping me map out. Already could tell a difference this morning...did my 'house laps' before I got on the computer to play WoW.
    Going to concentrate initially on the 'get moving' part of the transformation. After surgery we'll work on the 'healthy eating choices' part of it.
    Commitment to Excellence...that's my theme, I've decided...
  25. lunalady
    So...I am not telling *everyone* what I am doing. My boss and fellow employees at job #1 just know that I'm flying to San Diego with Linda. My kids and their husbands know and they are VERY excited for me. A few people at job #2 know (one there just had Gastric Bypass about six months ago, and she is TOTALLY jacked for me!). Linda knows (she's been banded since October of '06 and she's offered to go with me for the surgery).
    Today, I told Mandi. She doesn't want me to do it. Thinks it's too expensive and I should just diet more. How frustrating for me...she doesn't *get* that I've dieted my whole life away! It's not about dieting, although watching what I eat will consume a TON of time/energy for me, I'm sure.
    I'm concerned that she's going to be one of those friends who, once you've lost some weight and feel better about yourself, tries to sabotage your weight loss/healthy life efforts. I guess if she turns out to be one, then I'll just deal with it then.
    I'm going to go to lunch with Dee later this week or early next week, whenever I get the Scentsy in for her, and tell her. I know that she's been thinking about having it done, too, ever since Linda had hers done. I think she's waiting for the money from the sale of her grandparents land before she can do anything, though. It would be awesome if there were any way she could pull it off that she could go down with me the same time.
    Time will tell who my *real* friends are...
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