ybnormal

oh i totally get it and if I have the money I may end up investing in some. Right now I probably won't have the money so I'll have to make my own and make due. Although I gotta say, my tummy is pretty much like a road map, so lotion isn't going to help, I may need spackle...

Actually, I haven't noticed it because I'm fairly new as well. I was totally lashed out at and deleted the post and then moved into my shell. It's taken a few days for me to lick my wounds a bit I guess but I'm guilty or being snarky about it. It totally hurt my feelings that I made a heartfelt post and I was bashed for it. It was also embarrassing so maybe that added to it. *shrugs* Renee`

You're also eating totally different foods now than you were before. More healthy fats and proteins and lots of water, which will flush out the system. It will even out but it will take a bit of time.

I used to make bath and body products, including body butter and no, I'm not telling you to make your own lotions and things, but I'll tell you what I tell my old customers...you can take a bottle of high quality body lotion (I recommend Lubriderm because that's what a dermatologist recommended to me once) and add Vitamin E oil, mango butter and shea butter. It's absolutely the most healing butter you'll ever put on your skin and it helps with scars as well. Renee`

Sarah are you going alone? I'm going to be there a day early so I'll be in town for your surgery actually. Do you want me to come with you and hold your hand? I'm more than willing to if you're going to be alone, I know I'd be scared as heck going in alone! Renee` xoxo

I'm sitting here thinking about you and wishing you the best! Have a speedy recovery and hurry back and tell us all the details. Ohmygosh, just a few short hours and some of those people are going to have to make room on the bench for you! Take a deep breath and relax, the hard part is almost over. Renee` xoxo

Nervous, scared, excited...yep, all the above. You're going to do AMAZING though because you're already trying to modify yourself a bit in preparation!

Ok guys, I couldn't figure out where to put this so I'll put it here. I totally went off on Laney tonight and I got off the computer and went to take a hot bath. While in there I thought and thought about my reply and my knee jerk reaction and being something that is totally out of character for me, a total bitch. Ok well I can be one, but it normally takes alot, normally I just get hurt feelings and walk away with no one the wiser. I was seriously angry and felt like I took it out on her. I checked my email and low and behold, an email from her. *groans* oh great, she's totally going to rip into me and I totally deserve it...no. Laney isn't like that apparently, my words hit home with her and she thanked me. HUH?! I felt horrible for lashing out at her and then even WORSE because she's so sweet! If anyone here reads my blog, I've lashed out a few times this past week and I believe it has to do with alot of different things. Number one being that I'm going into this surgery from a totally different perspective, it's not to be skinny, it's because I quite literally want my life back. I have been so sick for so long that any chance, no matter how remote it is, to have a shot at being normal again I will do it. I would walk through hot coals at this chance and it took so much for me to get here. Let me digress just a bit... Last week I was up at Asias' house with she and the kids (yes, some of you may have heard of her, in fact alot of you may have). She was looking into the land that I have to sell and found out it was worth virtually nothing. I was devastated and sobbing because that land represented to me my life back, it's the only thing I have with any value. In a weird way, it represented my life and when she told me the bad news I just sat outside and cried and cried. Her kids are so sweet and tried to cheer me up, little Devin "Nee`...don't cry! HUG!" and Catty so intelligent as she hugged me "I know you're sick Nee` but you'll get better!" I've blogged about all of this, so I'm sorry to repeat it here, but it gives a bit of background so you see where I'm coming from. When I went inside, Asia was busy at her computer and filling out this form thing, asking me all these questions and I wanted to smack her when I found out it was for GiveForward.com. Who cares if I'm fat, right? Well, alot more than I realized. Even though I didn't have internet for two years and was pretty much in my bed all the time, my old friends rallied around me either with virtual hugs or donations. Finally I had enough money to do it. In less than a week actually I had the money. So, my emotions have been from one extreme to the other all week long. I'm determined to get my life back and if not that, to be the best I possibly can. Yes, for me because I deserve it after all these years of being in so much pain damnit!, but also for my friends and family that thought I was worth it as well and that gave so generously to make sure I could have it done. See, I never much saw anything special about me, but they do. I've always just been a mom, raising my kids and doing animal rescue (mostly reptiles) and finally starting a business with my daughter. We had to stop the business because I got sick, but I'm determined to get it back. I want it ALL because I've seen how bleak life can be. I've been the one in bed while listening to my family laugh and play around together in another part of the house. I've been the one that crawls to the bathroom because the pain made it impossible to walk. On the other hand, I've been the wife and mom and friend that people turned to when everyone else had abandoned them because I never judged them. I made people laugh when they were crying, I held a hand or gave a shoulder to cry on. I'm not trying to tell you how wonderful I am (I think we can all see that j/k LOL!) I'm trying to tell you that even while in bed I could make a difference and I never knew it. It never dawned on me that I could be special to anyone or worth it to really try to live again. Now that I know what I want and I am so close I can hardly stand it I want it even more. I blogged recently about how it makes me so angry to see "STALL!" or "EXCESS SKIN!" and I get it, I know why and I still lashed out at a few of you and for that I'm sorry. Who knows, maybe I'll get to that point as well, I haven't walked in those shoes yet and I totally judged you and for that I apologize sincerely. Please now try mine on for size, I am fighting with everything I have in me to get what could possibly be only a very small percent of my life back and going into it with eyes wide open and knowing about the excess skin thing. I don't CARE about that right now. I care about the quality of my life. I care about being around to watch my kids marry and have kids of their own. I care about so many things that have nothing at all to do with excess skin or what the scale says. In fact, I threw mine away when I found out I would be having the surgery. Numbers don't mean shit to me, how I feel will be everything to me. I will update my weight whenever I go to the dr, which is twice a month to my Rheumatologist. Other than that, I could care less about what the scale says. I'm trying to understand that there are some people that want to be skinny because they never have been in their entire life, or how emotionally they don't feel as good as they could and they had the money or the insurance and said "why not?". I get it, I'm not judging anyone for that if that's the case but it took me a minute to put aside the anger and frustration and think about how it would feel to be someone else and walk in their shoes. To never have been thin and have the money to do it, I may just opt for a whole body make-over. I'm not at that point in my life, I'm past it. I've been married for over 20 years, I'm 41 years old and the youngest of my kids is 18, so while I haven't always been thin I was at an ok with myself 145 or so. Still chunky, but by no means obese like I am now. So I get it, I can see where some people are coming from and I'll try not to let "Evil Renee" out to play anymore. I'm truly sorry if I hurt anyones feelings or lashed out at you and left you totally befuddled. I'm coming from a different mindset and I'm trying to remember what it's like to *not* be me. Laney, I meant it, if you ever need me I'm here for you! Renee`

She's newly sleeved, hence the name. She is also giving her experience and good info, research and read read read. Ask for honesty even if it has to be in pm's. Renee`

See you there the next day! Renee`

WOW you look amazing! I really like the bike and the dog too, where did you find it? The bike, not the dog lol Renee`

Slacker SouthernSleever. Sheesh woman you need to start on those eggs woman! LOL I've heard that it takes time but that you will enjoy food even more than you did before because like SS said, it's good food now and you can't have very much so you tend to savor it. Renee`

awwww that's so sweet! I know when Asia put a handmade necklace around my neck and said "sisters" it almost made me cry it was so sweet. Friendships like that are the ones that you cherish for a lifetime Renee`

LOL! You're quite welcome! Renee`

These are the most important things you can give yourself after being sleeved. Protein will help you heal and ensure that you don't suffer muscle loss and as a bonus, it's critical for weight loss! The right amount of protein will also ensure that you don't suffer from malnutrition (hair loss, nail problems, muscle loss etc.) Water will keep you hydrated, your body NEEDS water as does your skin. It helps with skin elasticity and reduces the "saggies". It takes 2 YEARS after major weight loss for the skin to re-attach to the fascia, so don't rush to your plastic surgeon for a tummy tuck, wait and see what your body is going to do on it's own. Renee`

Dude you look AMAZING! You should be really proud of yourself, you really are rockin your sleeve! Renee`

I really wish my son could have the surgery with me, it would be a dream come true really! With that being said I'm SO glad you're both doing well!!! About the addiction to chocolate, keep in mind that many of our tastes change and you may not want it at all after the surgery. Many people find things that are really sweet almost offending to the taste buds and especially early out. There's also a theory that if you have cravings it's your body trying to tell you something, that you're lacking something. I would say Protein and a dose of healthy fat, in which case a spoonful of Peanut Butter eaten slowly might just curb that craving. hope this helps Renee`

I think of you quite a bit and keeping hoping you're feeling ok. We're all pulling for you Jen and hope you get really really good news! xoxo Renee`

Ok first let me say I'm sorry that you're having a hard time with this. Second, your post seriously made me angry. You had this surgery to lose weight, to be healthy, to make yourself well and free yourself from the addiction of food, correct? WHY would you ruin it?! ALOT of us here have scrimped, saved and begged for money to have this surgery and that includes me, and you throw it away or are willing to throw it away and do serious harm to yourself in the process?! It makes me angry that you just toss aside what I so desperately want, like it means nothing when in reality to most of us here, it means everything. You seriously should get into counseling but first I would suggest calling your surgeon and asking his thoughts. Ok yes I'm forcing myself to be mean to you and I'm sorry for that, but I want to just shake you and yell at you to wake up and DO THIS and to do it RIGHT because otherwise you're going to do some real damage to yourself physically and emotionally. Maybe you need a phone buddy or someone that can really be there, like alcoholics in AA have sponsors, would that help? I know many of us here would be willing to put in the time, but not if you don't put in the effort. Listen, the bottom line is that only YOU can do this. You chose to have the surgery to get better, please don't sabotage yourself now! The pain and expense of surgery aside, you are now in possession of the greatest tool anyone could give you for weightloss, your sleeve! What worries me is that yes, even if you haven't damaged yourself physically, you will probably still lose weight and therefore be in the mindset that *shrugs* "it's ok, I can cheat..look! I'm still loosing!" In reality it's anything but ok. Now then, I'm really sorry I lashed out at you but sometimes we all need that kick in the ass to get back on track and moving forward and I'm pretty sure when I need it everyone will jump on board for it lol Now then, tomorrow is another day right? Do the right things and make the right choices because this early out of surgery your life could depend on it. You're worth it! Do it right! Renee`

So far my dad has said the dumbest thing to me on my new journey, which isn't surprising really. "Renee, why don't you have surgery in America where they know how to operate!" yes dad, because obviously Americans are the only ones with surgeons and America is the only place to find them. Dumbass. Renee`

I took mine out when I got really sick and was having x rays done all the time. I got tired of the nurses coming in and asking me all sneaky-like "didn't those hurt when you had them done?!" and I could only imagine the snickering going on when they were all standing around as the xrays came back. :embaressed_smile:

I tried these when they first came out and had spillage and never quite got the hang of it, it just kinda icked me out. Since everyone here has had good luck with them, maybe I'll get some for my daughter. I don't need them anymore since my hysterectomy...SCORE! Renee`

This thread should come with a warning! I busted out giggling and doused my moniter in coffee. OMG I can't wait to have these problems! Rubbing on the good stuff, eh? NICE! LOL

This seriously interests me as I've been a DDD almost my entire adult life and would like them to shrink down a tad! If they deflate, I'll use them as knee warmers when sitting, bellybutton covers when standing, at least at home when not wearing a bra. Actually, not a big change for me! I'm about sick of them looking like two oranges in a pair of tube socks when I bend over though.

Do dry cleaners still do alterations, or am I showing my age? lol