It's been a long time....

Hello All!!! Hope you haven't forgotten about me because I have not forgotten about all your support!!! Everything is great, just been busy, lazy, etc.... As of last week, I have lost 30.6lbs. It's been right at 3 months and a few days since I was banded. I have had 2 fills for a grand total of 2 ml. I have been sick maybe 3 times, all my own fault. I ate too quick and/or too much!! Other than that, it's been smooth sailing! I have no regrets at all, other than not doing it sooner. I go for another adjustment in 2 weeks, go back to the nutritionist in 3 months(saw her last week), and I'm not sure what else. I do still feel that same resistance to exercising like I've always had, and that bothers me because I thought for sure I would magically develop the "exercising gene" that skinny people have. But alas, I have not. But I have been making small changes and trying to be more active. Good luck to all you banders and soon to be banders!!!

My first pics!!

I have been wanting to post some before pics and since my friends keep telling me my face is smaller, I will post an after. The first is my family at Disney in February and the second is me at the hospital clowning around. I was waiting to see my nephew that was just born. It was 9 days after my surgery!! Still have my fat rolls but even as critical as I am, I can tell a difference. Enjoy!!

Feeling great!!!

Hey all!! Hope you all are doing great!!! I am!! Went to my follow-up appointments with my nutritionist and surgeon. Both were happy with my 17lb progress!! I am on a high protein(60-80gm a day)diet for mow. I will get my first fill around May 21st, they just have to figure out when they can squeeze me in the schedule since my surgeon will be doing it!! He likes for you to eat solids for a few weeks to make sure you can get them down. I can, which kind of scared me at first, but I am still not having any tummy growling at all or sliming episodes! BUT.... if I eat to fast or overeat I will get an awful pain in my side, around where my stomach lives and I am miserable for an hour or so!!! Gotta chew, chew, chew, and eat slowwwww!!! Yesterday I went back down to my extra-large scrubs at work!!! Happy me!!! Also, I put on a pair of old navy capris I had when I met my husband and weighed less, and they fit!!!! So, I officially have NO REGRETS ABOUT LAP BAND SURGERY!!!! If I can be of help to anyone, let me know!!! Have a great rest of the week!!!

I'm Back!!!

Hey Guys!I know its been 13 days or so since I last posted. For awhile I was feeling cruddy and I really wanted this blog to be positive, so I took a break to feel better and this week I went back to work. I feel really good. I did break out from the ster-strips on my incisions but I am getting over that slowly but surely. I went to my post-op nutrition class yesterday and I have lost 17lbs so far and I am able to eat soft meats, cheeses, beans, etc. Haven't had anymore episodes of sliming. Thoses only occured that first week and nothing even came up. I go to my follow-up surgeon's appointment on Thursday. I don't feel hungry but I feel like my blood sugar is dropping, so I eat. I would like to get close to 200lbs by the end of May because my best friend is coming home to visit and she hasn't seen me since December. Also, I do have some surgery pics if anyone is interested, I will post them. Let me know!!! Thanks for all your support!!! You are all special people!!!

Feeling better...

Hey ya'll! Update, I feel better. I took a few gas-x, drank some milk of magnesia, bounced on an exercise ball, walked, walked, walked, took my pain medicine, and I prayed. Had a little diarrhea- cha-cha-cha, went to sleep and woke up feeling sooo much better. Still have some chest pain, but not near as bad. I knew what was happening but that self doubt came roaring back into my head and I couldn't beat her yesterday!! She's a mean old bitch! Anyways, after much prayers to God, my family's help, and your encouragement I feel good!!! I am officially down 11 lbs since the start of my diet so I am happy. I will be off two more days and I will try to go back to work Wednesday!!! Hope you all have a good weekend!!!

Struggling!!!!

Hey all. I know what I am going through is normal but I feel like crap. I have so much gas in my shoulder and in my esophagus that its driving me crazy!! And of course the doubts are raining down!!! I need a pick me up!!! Please tell me this will get better and I didn't destroy my body!!

5K Heart and Stroke Walk

I wanted to let you guys know that I will be walking on May 19th with my fellow heart team members. Our name is "the beat goes on." Here is a link to my donation page in case you would like to donate!! Thanks in advance!!

Post op day 2

Hello!! I am up and moving. I have drank about 2-3oz of protein shake and sipped on water. Not to bad. I still have some gas and I must really be swollen because my weight is up 3 pounds. I need to jump in the shower but I have been putting off looking at the incisions! Imagine that, an OR nurse who can't look at her own incisions. I saw my CRNA yesterday before I left and asked if I did or said anything and she said I was a perfect patient. But... my husband said I talked and scratched in my sleep all last night. I think the liquid percocet is making me itch. Another note, I spoke with the bariatric liason that I used to work with in the OR and she said since the hospital is redoing the web page, she would love for me to start blogging on there.And she wants me to come to the support groups and talk about my experience. I think we just all have to keep supporting each other. If it weren't for the blogs, I would've been more anxious and not believed I could have done it!! Well, that's it for now. I will try to post some before pics this week, Thanks again for all your support!!!

Post-op day 1

Just had some morphine, fair warning! Its the first official day with my band. Waiting to see the doctor. Everything went well. I walked three times yesterday and once today. The nurses have been wonderful. The dr did fix my hiatal hernia as well so hopefully no more reflux. The worst pain is the gas in my left shoulder. So whenever it goes I should feel better. But all in all i am good. I have been sipping water and had two ounces of protein shake this am. Not bad at all. I was down another pound yesterday morning so i officially lost eight pounds preop! Not too shabby! Well, i promise to post more when i get home. Thanks again for all the support and well wishes. You guys are awesome!!!

Today is the day!!

Getting ready to leave my house for surgery. I am quietly excited!!! Thanks for all of your well wishes!!! OMG!!!!!!!

The operating room...

After reading Morgan's blog about being under the influence after surgery I have to tell you guys that I am an operating room nurse. More specifically I work on the open heart team. But, just having surgery knowledge is what scares me about surgery. Not so much dying but people seeing me naked and what they will say(cause we do talk...)and what I might say when I am under the influence. Good thing about my surgery is that I am having it at one of our hospitals in our health system. They don't do them in my OR. Whew.... But I will be fine and naked and talking dirty I'm sure!!!

Preop Day 8- Great Day!!!!

Why was this a great day?? Well, I weighed myself at work last week when I started the preop diet and I was 241.9 lbs. Today I weighed 235.5 lbs!!!! 6.4 lbs lost!!! I nearly fell off the scale. For all of you who have been encouraging me, thanks!!! You were right, I would get used to the diet and I am on cloud 9!!!!! I did pretty good while I was away this weekend and I know that helped!!! One more week and I will have my surgery!!! I am officially excited!!! Thanks again for all your advice and well wishes!!!

Preop diet day 3

So I am home with my son today and I am struggling. I feel like I have a bottomless pit. I have figured out part of my problem. I bought "energy" crystal light mixes and I think the caffeine is making me jittery and hungry. I will go to the Wallie World tonight and get regular mix so I won't feel this way. I go for my preop visit with my doctor and for labs next Thursday. Another question... Do you need someone to stay at hospital with you at night? My husband will be at home with my son and my mom has used all her sick time to be with my grandmother...so unless I let my M-I-Law stay or a friend, I will be alone. Did anyone feel like they needed anyone at night or were you sleepy and wanted to rest???

Preop Diet Day 2

Hello!!! It's my Friday!!!! I work 3 ten hour shifts, Mon, Tues, Wed, so today is the start of my weekend!!! The diet went a little better today. I took an extra protein shake with me and it held me over, plus I was busier today at work. I am going out of town Friday with my husband for a fishing tournament and I am a little worried about how I will do out on the boat. Cucumbers are an all you can eat, "free" item on my diet and between yesterday and today I've eaten 5, so I had to restock and buy more today!! I will try to take them on the boat with me. That, canned tuna, and protein shakes. Might have to take a nap to take my mind off things!!! Hope everyone is having a great week!!!

Pre-op diet- Day 1!!

First I have to say that this was the hardest, out-of-sorts day I have had. I didn't feel like I had enough energy to make it through the day, I was jittery, and I had an awful headache. While I know why I feel this way, I don't know how people are expected to work 10 hours and feel this way. And I'm not even on the all liquid diet. I would love some feedback from others about this and is this how you feel when you are first banded??? Does the hunger really go away at first when you get the band??? Just curious....

Addicted to food...

I finally went grocery shopping for my family today. We needed everything! I start my preop diet on Tuesday and I needed to get some food for that and make sure my husband and son had something to eat while I was dieting. I found myself thinking about all the food I could no longer eat starting Tuesday and almost wanting to buy everything I knew I would miss and eat it today and tomorrow. Then I thought, I must really be addicted to food for me to have anxiety over not eating certain things. I realize that food had too much emphasis on my life. So.... I didn't but anything extra like salt-n-vinegar chips or chocolate ice cream, but I thought about it a lot. I didn't get to go out with my friends Friday night because we had 2 emergencies at work and I went in to work. My husband took my son and I to P.F.Changs yesterday so I didn't miss out and I think the girls and I will go out after work tomorrow night for one last hurrah!!!! I would love to talk to some people who are starting their journeys or anyone who "has been there." Have a great week!!!

Nutrition Class

I went to my preop nutrition class yesterday. I really love the dietician. She has great energy and enthusiasm. A few people there were asking "doctor" questions which led me to believe they didn't understand the procedure they were having. Me on the other hand have read every piece of information I could get my hands on. I also met a girl who is having surgery the same day as me. They also weighed us and I was 240.9 lbs. Just what I thought. So i start my preop diet on Tuesday and my friends are taking me out for my "Last Supper" tonight at PF Changs! Yeah! That's it for now!!

First post!

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Melissa. I am 37 years old and I will be having lap band surgery on April 10, 2012. Less than a month away!! I have enjoyed reading many lap banders' blogs, especially seeing the progress that they have made and I thought it would be cool to do the same. I am interested in sharing experiences and meeting friends. I hope to be an inspiration to others in the future. I was looking for a picture of myself for the intro and I found this one I took with Jared(from Subway) when the hospital I work at opened a Subway. The irony cracked me up tonight. Good night all!