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!

Just want you to know that, in my opinion, your entry 'I'm ready' speaks volumes. You go, girl!!

I had the same problem. I think mine was caused by all the fruit juices I was drinking, coupled with the broth. Nothin' worse than sitting in your chair thinking you just need to pass a little bit of gas from the surgery and then you discover that it *wasn't* just gas, let me tell you! Thank God I live by myself, that's all I can say! My stools started to get more solid as soon as I was on full liquids and had a little bit more 'fullness' in my liquid diet. Hope that helps!

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!

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.

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!

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...

That's awesome, Kristi!! Congratulations!!!

Hi, Alia! Nope, didn't experience bad gas at all, but then I did make myself get up several times and walk the corridors of the hospital. And I have (of course) been passing the gas. I was actually pretty glad that the sound of the airplane was as loud as it was yesterday on the flight home (for obvious reasons)! My port is not located in the 'normal' place...mine is between my boobs. But so far, I haven't experienced any more pain at the port site than at any of the other sites. Thank you for asking...now I *finally* feel like I have something useful to contribute to the forum!! BIG thanks to everyone who has welcomed me to the 'other' side. I love the sense of comraderie that we share, even though we're not all banded by the same surgeon. You guys are awesome!

Good morning, everyone! It's official...I'm now a bandster! My surgery was performed at 4:17 pm on Thursday, June 25. I got home last night but I was pretty wiped out from flying and just didn't have the energy to get online last night. The Dr. found that I had a hiatal hernia and some adhesions and that my stomach was in my chest cavity instead of in my abdominal cavity where it belongs (I had no clue!). He fixed everything and didn't charge me a penny extra! How the hell cool is that!!!???? I'm glad to be home and sleeping in my own bed, that's for sure. My dogs are due home today. I had chicken broth and a half a glass of apple juice last night for dinner. Took me three hours to finish it...and honestly, pre-lapband, it would have been gone in three minutes! I got on the scales this morning and they say I weigh seven pounds more than I did the morning I left. Is that from water weight? I'm assuming it is because my little fingers look like sausages and I can't get any of my rings on yet. I have a new motto....'Adjust, Adapt, and Overcome!' I am *so* excited about the new me about to be made!!! Hugs to everyone!!

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!"

OMG, really? *Now* I'm stressing! My surgery is tomorrow...

I've read that it is a *must* to get in between 65-90 grams of protein every day, just so you don't lose your hair.

Hi, AngelaAnn!!I haven't tried it yet...my surgery isn't til next Thursday, so I should be able to let you know how yummy it is in about ten days or so! Hugs!

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.

I was just thinking the *exact* same thing, tootsie_lou!!

Brilliant saying!! Do you mind if I use it? I'm like you...I need to have it tatooed onto my forehead and maybe put up as a scrolling sign over my head, too! I'm excited for you and the progress you've made on your journey, girl! Way to go!!

The cost of flouro at Fill Centers USA is an additional $99.

Oh my gosh! Protein powder instead of creamers...what an *excellent* idea! I'd have NEVER thought of that, JazzyJude! Thank you, thank you, thank you!Yummmm...I just happen to have some Chocolate Caramel flavor protein powder, too!

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.

See? That's the *way* cool thing about this journal! It will work with ANY weight loss diet...has a place for you to track all your meals, plus snacks...has a place for you to track your vitamins/medications...has a place for you to track your liquids...it even has a place for you to track your exercise for the day! AND it has a little box for you to do math in (if you're counting calories, or carbs or proteins, etc) and at the bottom of every sheet is a place for you to write a little something about that day. In the front there are three 'before and after' sets of sheets...then there are the daily sheets (about six months worth)....then there are little graphs you can use (they're blank, so you use them for what *you* want them to be used for!)...then there are the 'food sheets', a listing of common foods and their calorie/carb/fat/etc counts. I think it's awesome! It's small enough to fit into my purse but big enough that I can actually write in it without needing a magnifying glass! I've seen them by the cash registers at my local GNC (for retail, $14.95) but I ordered mine off of Amazon.com for just over $10 each. Yup, it's gonna work great!

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.

Benedict...I can't help but notice how much *younger and sexier* you look now compared to before! Keep up the good work, young man! You are an inspiration...

Good morning, ladies (and gents)!! My surgery is two weeks from tomorrow. I am kinda concerned about making sure that I get all my protein in post-op, so I'm wondering if any of you who have already HAD the surgery use a Food Journal in order to make it easier for you to keep track of what you're eating? I have this little journal called a 'DietMinder' and I think it looks like it's really going to help me... Thoughts, anyone?