wannalise

I very vaguely remember the gauze and then I have this semi embarrasing memory and I really don't know who the recipient was, but as they were giving me my spinal block and I was leaning on someone, I think I gave them and uber bear hug! I hope I just am remembering it wrong????

I can't lie Wendy, I don't really remember anything after surgery day and had to go back and read my journal about right before it, and even most of the day after. Amnesia can be very nice.

Maybe its the pyro in me but I say BURN IT!!!!!!!!!!! Dance around its flames and celebrate its death!!!!

Wendy I didn't realize it was time yet!!!!! Yay! They will give you a sleeping pill tonight, take it. It really is worth getting some rest. You'll be in my thoughts tomorrow. Keep us posted when you're feeling up to it!

Hey deary! I was just gonna come on and post my whole on rant and I hope that I don't monopolize yours but that maybe we can make each other feel better. This will sound dumb to your preop and I hope I can even make sense. I have done really well post op having a plan, following through, staying within my goals. I have always used food the way others use drugs. I don't just like food I use it to numb discomfort, or to heighten good moods. Today I very impulsively stopped and bought a small fry and a small milkshake and then like a giant sneak sat in the back of a parking lot and ate 4 fries and four bites of that shake. Then I felt uber gross and the ice cream ended up coming back up. I felt awful, but it wasn't about what I ate specifically, I came home and entered those foods and I'm still within all my targets, it was that for a matter of a few minutes I let something outside myself have control of me. Your body woes, and your frustrations with smoking are not little. They are symptoms that you can look at and realize that there are things in your world that need to be different, and that you deserve for them to be different. Toxicity only breeds more toxicity. I once had it explained to me that you can't put an oily cloth and a white cloth in a bowl together and hope that the oily cloth will come out whiter, everything will be oily. This will be rough, I am probably going to struggle til the end of my days to use food as a thing that fuels me and that I enjoy, but not the thing that drives me. But I know that I have a team of supporters and I hope that you do to. I have no idea what pant size you are in, but I have 2 cute pairs of Old Navy 26's that are in my thrift store bag, but that I'd be happy to send to you if they'd help. Take care and let each day be a new start. I'm gonna have to keep telling myself that too.

Stacy, I still get the gurgles if I drink too quickly or if I haven't had my nexium. I don't know if you had a drainage site, but my drain incision was tender for a couple weeks, and I always made it worse because I kept falling asleep on that incision.

Where could I get my hands on it and does it come in different qualities (should I be looking for something special?) I googled it and there really are loads of recipes, I am still intimidated by tofu unless its prepped for me in a restraunt then I don't even notice it. Is it something that I could use as a filler, does it have its own flavor, or just pick up the flavor of the things you cook it in? Thanks for the tips Hathery! I really appreciate it!

Okay and one more thing.....I had my surgery done in MX and I read some people say that even after doing homework that is just something they couldn't do, that MX doesn't meet their standards, NEVER would I think that my opinion, even though I had a great experience such outweigh their opinion for their own body. I can only speak to what I know and what I experienced and I can respect someone else's desire to have the major surgical procedure done in a way that they are most comfortable with.

You just made me die! I am a scale whore of EPIC proportions. And now I have a name for my particular disorder!!!!

I think its sad that this has divided into teams and has grown ugly. I have found the support that I've received on these boards from people on both sides of this issue invaluable. And more importantly is there is someone in this specific forum who had a no fault leak, who is sad and scared and the best we can do is call people names for disagreeing with us, or saying that those who had the misfortune of complications a part of a special group. Please, can't we pull it together, say what we know about a specific situation without making it personal. If you got on here and told me that you tried my favorite protein and it made you very ill, my response wouldn't be to be angry with you. I would be grateful to have avoided the experience you did, then I would be vigilant to learn more about what could have caused your problem.

If you are exercising the same is true about shocking your system. If right now you walk 30 min a day on the treadmill, mix it up by walking 10 min running 2 walking 10 running 2. Or by using a whole new muscle group. Also, I have a horrible habit of leaving my scale in my kitchen, sometimes I will step on it 6 times a day and the variance througout a a single day is mind boggling. So hypocrite speaking here...have one day with a set time and a plan of whether or not you've eaten or drank first and then weigh!

I understand. One day fluids didn't feel comfortable when they went down and I was SURE that I had a leak. I had to get several reassurances on here and no ma'am I was okay and I'm sure you will be too!

I was really swollen for 3 weeks. And you will have that swelling inside for a long time too. Don't forget how traumatic this all was to your body and that your body will hang onto weight for a little while because it is ensuring that you are okay. Put the scale away lady! The swelling the weight all normal. Just try to relax.

It is a very good program. It is based on the same 12 steps that AA and other meetings are based upon. They don't charge a fee, but donations are recommended as they usually have to pay the location where they are and they give you literature. When I attended OA, it was with a group that was newly formed and there was no one there that would have been considered "in recovery" yet so it was like attending an alcoholics anonymous meeting where everyone is drunk. I would say go to a couple meetings and see if it is for you. You have to be humble about it and be willing to share who you are, etc. Whether it is OA or another support group, I think anything that helps you address the reasons WHY you developed such an unhealthy relationship with food rather than just the food and exercise bits, it can only bring you good things!

My favorite lately has been: 1/4 of a Mission carb balance tortillia 1/2 ounce sharp cheddar cheese 1 ounce extra lean ground turkey seasoned w/taco seasoning 1/8c. greek yogurt salsa It is really good! Honest to goodness. You can google several different wls bloggers out there who have been great about posting their favorite recipes and may give you some new ideas. My fave is theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com I am finding that many of my favorite foods can be modified to fit into my new lifestyle. Make a list of your favorite things and maybe we could problem solve ways to make them fit into your life? Good luck!!!!

I'm not Tiff, and don't have near the aresnal of info that she does, but I do have quite a bit of information about Dr. Aceves, and would be more than happy to talk with your family about my experiences there. My family and bf were so against it, but I trusted all the research I had done and went for it, well when I was there I had a difficult holding down fluids, something pretty simple really but they kept me an extra night and didn't charge me for it, and took EXCELLENT care of me. I'm a fan. Good luck with your decision.

I dunno if you are ladies that went through morning sickness or not, but at that point even when food is awful you power through because you want your bambino to be healthy, do your best to power through with this too. Give yourself a plan and times you'll eat and even if it isn't the bliss it once was fuel that body of yours up and keep getting healthy!

Just reiterating what Tiff said, the saline seems to stay in your body for a little while and then there is BAM a magic day, when I came home and was feeling uber sick my Mom was staying with me and could tell I was disappointed and after a few days got out my scale and it was a dramatic and sudden change. It really will happen.

I have a question for you then! I am finding that I don't want quite so much of my Protein sources to come from meat, I'd like some variety, and if there are protein sources out there that would also offer some Fiber I would feel really good about that. I have some concern about what a super high protein diet can do to your digestion and I don't wanna go through all this work and then have put myself at risk for colon cancer or some other horrible disease! Anywhoo. If you have any suggestions of high protein foods (I still watch my carbs VERY closely though) that aren't meat based would you let me know? Thanks!!!!

If you need a sweet fix that will slide down, I found that if I do 1/2 c of greek yogurt and blend it with the seadless spreadable fruit (its sugar free jelly) and it tastes super yummy and goes down well, and then you can hit your Protein needs more easily. The soft food stage was the hardest for me by far! Best of luck.

Okay I had commited to myself to put my weekly exercise plan out there so here is for the week of Apr 26th-May1st Monday-Swim for one hour/Take clients on rivertrail 20 min Tuesday-Clients on Rivertrail for 30 min Wednesday-Clients on RT for 30 min Thursday-Clients on RT for 30 min Friday-Clients on RT 30 min Saturday-Swim for one hour Okay here we go!!!!! Finally feeling energetic, now I've gotta kick my own butt and start moving!!!!

I started at a size 28 and am now in what is a size 20/22. Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Verify w/ Dr. A but I thought the time they said there on weight bearing exercises was six weeks.

Okay! I would feel good not wasting it. PM me your address. I'm glad if it works for you that is a quick way to get your protein needs!

You ROCK!!!!!!!!! Sixty lbs in three months? I can't even wrap my head around that. I am so impressed. It is great that you and your hubby have been able to exercise and have that bond post op, otherwise this can end up feeling like you are all on your own. The drinking thing has been my biggest frustration too! I wake up some days and would just kill to guzzle some cold Water. Lots and lots of it! Thanks for sharing about your journey and about all your victories, I looked at your pics too, and fat girl me looked right at your knees in your after pictures, and guess what YOU HAVE KNEES!!! And ankles. These are things I aspire to have! Great job in being so disciplined and getting this done.