Babysteppin

I know...they have so many! I got the 'Ninja Kitchen System Pulse' because it has a decent sized blender bowl, without being huge. But even more so, because I like that it comes with 3 16oz 'to-go' cups where you can just blend right in the cup. (This model was also the cheapest, so that goes a long way with me!) Here's a pic of the one I'm talking about:

http://www.target.com/p/ninja-personal-blender-white/-/A-13742353#prodSlot=medium_1_2&term=ninja

I just bought a Ninja blender with the to-go blender cups, and it's pretty kickarse! (This comes after burning out not one, but two crappy Magic Bullets.) I am now on a mission to smoothie-fy everything, and just tried an awesome combo:

Indian Mango Lassi with cardamom & fresh mint leaf.

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1 cup sliced mango (I used frozen)

1 tbs splenda brown sugar

1 tsp ground cardamom

3 fresh mint leaves

a bit of Water to get it blending

Yum!!

Thank you Stacie! And wow..small world, eh? hehe. It's fabulous to hear that you're having such great successes, at only 6 months out no less! Very inspiring to hear.

Just stumbled upon this thread, and I was so happy to find all of these wonderfully supportive Bostonians! So far I've been having a hard time finding us northeastern folk on VST

I live in Winchester and I'm pre-surgery with Dr. Julie Kim at Mt. Auburn. I can't tell you how RELIEVED I am to read all of your wonderful posts about her, and Mt. Auburn in general. But anywhoo...just wanted to say hi and hello to everyone, and thanks for sharing all the great information.

P.S. Best of luck George! You'll do great

I want to make sure that this is something God wants for my life, not just something that I am deciding because I want to.

This fits my situation to a T. I think one of my biggest faith challenges in this whole pre-surgery process is discerning between what is God's voice, and God's will for me.... vs. my own will and desires. He's certainly way smarter than me, so I'd rather cheat off of His paper, instead of struggling to scribble my own on the fly! lol

It's as if my body suddenly got wise to the fact that I'm having VSG surgery, and it's crying out for that glorious day!

Just since starting the long pre-surgery process, my knee suddenly has a mysterious "snap, crackle, pop!"....my left heel is totally rebelling...and my tailbone is starting to say enouuuughhh! LOL. Thankfully these things haven't been an issue until now because of my weight....but man, is the timing almost comical

Can't freakin' wait!! That is all.

Hi everyone. It's really just an arbitrary number I've picked....But are there people here that are say, 3+ years out from surgery that are willing to share a bit about their journeys? I think since the VSG procedure is still considered 'new', I haven't really been able to find or speak with many people that are that far out.

Not to single anyone out, or to exclude anyone either - I've just been curious lately about what the sleeved experience is like for folks that are years out from surgery. Successes? Slips? Woes? Joys? Biggest challenges? Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their ups and downs alike with this nosy Nelly.

Thanks so much for sharing your story. It has been helpful to many.

http://www.verticals...with-dr-aceves/

There. Is a link to another thread from aceves soon. not only was their sleeve dialated it wasn't done properly the first time.

The info on that thread was really helpful for me to read and become aware of. Thanks!

Getting your stomach ripped out won't kill you, it will make you a badass!

Now that's pretty badass. Love it...rock on.

At 4:45pm I called my doc's office back and admitted to them I am scared and my fear was the reason I canceled. IDK if this is a "sign" of any kind BUT the receptionist totally understood and said that my appointment time was still available if I wanted to re-book it.....so I did.

You go, girl! It sounds like it's at least worth going in and asking questions. Hey, the worst that could come of it is that you decide the surgery is not for you, and you don't go back. But yet even if it goes that way, it's still not really 'bad' because you'll have made a more informed decision. In any event, you'll be so much more aware of your options; be educated about the procedure, and have any doubts/concerns addressed by the doctor. Good luck, and go with your gut! No pun intended

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I think one of my priorities is to give my manager some type of notice (another person on my team just started a 4 month leave of absence, which kind of stinks). But I think you guys are right though, about maybe not saying anything until I get a little closer to getting approved/getting a date.

But it's definitely the: "why will you be out? are you ok?" part that has me shaking in my boots a little too. Thanks for helping me see that I don't have to feel obligated to share my 'entire story'. Luckily because I work in human resources, everyone is pretty "kumbayah-like" anyways. lol. But sometimes I just wanna say enough with all the touchy-feely stuff! I'm going on a 'vague' leave of absence! :ph34r:

So I'm struggling to decide at what point I should tell my boss about my plans to have VSG. I don't know whether to tell her right away, while I'm still in the middle of all the bah-jillion pre-op appointments, and dieting....Or whether I should wait until the process is nearly over. (I've been told the surgery prob won't happen until around January.)

I guess I've been holding my tongue because I'm so neurotic that I'll tell her, and then either A: the insurance doesn't work out...or B: I chicken out of surgery!! (It's a story of fear and pride combined, I guess.) Has anyone else obsessively agonized about this too?! How did you navigate through telling your employer? I just want to do the right thing for us both Thanks much.

I hear that Nicci. My first surgeon consult is this Friday, eeek! But we can do this. We can freakin' do this!!....Right? Best of luck.

That's awesome Mom2Five. I'm sure it wasn't easy bringing it up, but so happy to hear it went well, and that you can add your Dad to your growing list of supporters. So, um....would'ya mind telling my Dad for me next, since you seem to be pretty good at it? No pressure or anything...just sayin'. lol Seriously though, I admire you for your courage today!

I remember thinking that getting the sleeve was a pretty drastic thing to be doing to my body....But then I'll never forget what another VST member told me once - That continuing to stay at this weight is just as drastic of a thing to be doing to my body, if not more! That way of looking at it really helped my mind turn the corner. Good luck with whatever direction you choose, and know that God is with you either way, and through it all.

I cannot WAIT for my new sleeve to be "born". If it's a boy, it'll be Rodrigo. If it's a girl, Svetlana. LOL! This thread is fun

Welcome, John! I appreciated reading your blog so much. I can relate a lot with your latchkey kid stories...especially the: go to school, come home, flip on the tube, snack, commercial, more Snacks, and repeat...lol. I'm also in the pre-surgery stages, and also a BIG TIME researcher. Medical journals, online support groups, seminars, you name it! I wish you well in your, yes - "journey". I've been on the boards for about a month now, and it's been such a great resource for info and caring support...and even a laugh or two

Lentils are a big part of Indian dishes and curries. They are awesome that way, and have a ton of flavor! Google anything with the Indian word "Daal" in the recipe name.

I'm still pre-surgery, but I'm choosing VSG over the Gastric Bypass. GB concerns me because of the malabsorption of vitamins/nutrients. While there are definitely ways to manage it and be healthy, I'd still be afraid of becoming chronically deficient or anemic despite those efforts. Also, I learned that there is a lifetime possiblity of having obstructions or twisting of the small intestine because of the rerouting. (While it's not a super high probability, it's still there.) One more thing I didn't like was that if doctors ever need to do scans or ultrasounds, it is harder for them to actually 'see' what's going on in your GI tract because of the rerouting and the new criss-crossed shape of the intestines. As you can begin to tell - I'm a bit of a worrier! hehe. But to me, the sleeve is a happy medium between the Band & GB, so I'm going to go with it. Either way, you gotta figure that some surgery is better than no surgery, right? Good luck with whatever path you choose!

That's wonderful! I know...way-back-when, I remember getting rid of the clothes was like getting rid of 'more layers' of myself. Just the same as with the quick weight loss, it can be a little scary! But mostly happy, excited feelings for you I hope Congrats

1) Cross my legs before I die!

2) Go horseback riding and not feel like I'm committing animal abuse.

3) Travel often, and ride on a plane without giving the 'seatbelt issue' a

second thought.

4) Go jetskiing, waahoo!

5) Visit Central America and zipline with the monkeys.

Thank you for sharing, Makemyownluck. I'm also 32 years old, and I have to say that your story and motivations sound EXACTLY the same as mine. I'm also pre-surgery, and just went through an all-day info seminar at the hospital today. Yesterday I was still unsure whether to move ahead with surgery. A couple of years ago I managed to lose over 160lbs without WLS...so I've been totally playing mind games with myself for a year now, saying "Maybe I can do it again, and maybe I'll keep all of it off this time."...'maybe this'...and 'maybe that'....'but what if this, and that'. But between all the new things I learned about WLS today, and the biological drivers of obesity..., and all the great info and support from this forum - I know in my heart that it's the right choice for me. I don't want to live in a world of "maybe's" and "what if's" anymore...time for me to walk through the fear, and take action! Good luck in whatever path you choose Readyfourchg...and keep asking lots of questions like this one until you know what's right for you!!

Good luck tomorrow! But...with many prayers being sent your way, you won't NEED luck Consider your seat claimed!

Thank you SO much everyone. This has turned into such a wonderful thread. I am so grateful to everyone that's shared their experiences & advice, and those who may continue to share after this post. I cannot say what a huuuge help it's been, and continues to be! I'm finding that medical research is essential to making an informed decision...but learning about others' true life experiences (both the 'highs' and the 'lows') is absolutely vital!! I am like a sponge right now, soaking all of your wonderful posts in!! Thank you