live2canoe

This is cool - I'm glad there are so many of you interested. I started back exercising today. I'm going slow, taking it easy, 3.5 miles on the treadmill at an easy incline. I plan to go back to the gym again tomorrow. I like to watch all the different TV's while I'm sweating! I'll post and let everyone know if I really got out of bed or not. Thanks for joining me in this challenge.

I loved unjury Protein Powder Here's the web site www.unjury.com It tasted great and blended well. If I had it to do over again, I would only order the vanilla and chocolate varieties. They make a wicked protein smoothie (1 cup skim milk, 1 banana, 1 scoop Unjury, 1 TBL of Splenda and 1 tsp Vanilla extract 1/12 cups ice in a blender) I lived off of those for my 2 weeks of full-liquids. Oh - and the chocolate also tastes really good in sugar free, Fat Free Instant Chocolate Pudding!!! Good luck to you.

How long are you on Clear liquids? That's the worst part - full liquids get better, and mushies are almost heaven! I hope your clear liquid days are almost over. All the doctors seem to be a little different in thier post-op diet instructions. Good Luck to you.

OK Betty - you're off the hook for at least a month!! (Are you just too excited for your surgery???) Good Luck!

Now that all of you are back from the Vegas Bash, and the rest of us Pity Party goers are up off the couch - is anybody willing or interested in participating in an exercise challenge? I'm not thinking anything drastic - just more than what we're already doing. I think the goal should be for a 'heart healthy' 30 minutes of activity a day, at least 3 days a week. Anything more is a bonus and worth an extra woo-hoo from the group! Anything counts - weights (Darcy), walking, bike riding (Marie), playing tag with the kids (all the Moms out there), dancing your a** off (Leatha and Lisa). I know Penni wants to do a 5K here soon, and this would be a way we could all get going with our exercise. I would love to hear suggestions, comments, any type of feedback. Do I have any takers?

Tomorrow is your big day! I hope everything goes smoothly for you. We'll all be waiting for you here 'on the other side' Please let us know how you're doing.

Carol - You broke the 100 pound mark!!! Or were you trying to be 'quiet' about that?? Congratulations! That's amazing. :banana :banana :banana :banana

Yeah - what Betty said!! You all look wonderful - new avatars are in order!

Darcy - I am glad you are feelig so much better so quickly. I agree with you , I don't know how people living with chronic pain do it - I don't know if I could. I happy you didn't have to lose your band! Nice pics girl! You are making terriffic progress. I hope I can do as well.

Darcy how you feeling? I hope you're feeling at least a little bit better now. I hope the healing process is very quick and uneventful for you. I don't have any slutty mu-mu's - will old baggy gray sweats meet the dress requirements for the Pity Party? Gosh - I hope so - don't want to be under-dressed!

Lots of new bandsters coming up throught the ranks!! I'm so excited for all of us! I was banded 9/15. Still on the mushies phase. Not feeling any restriction yet. Gaining back the weight I lost on the liquid phase - not worrying about it after reading a gazillion posts from the wise and wonderful people here - that it's normal and not to worry until I get a fill! I'm looking forward to being us a bunch of losers!

I love love LOVE LOVE these pictures!! These are great!!! You have one terriffic camera - it makes everyone SO FRIGGIN BEAUTIFUL!!! I mean it. You guys ALL look wonderful. I want Lisa to come to my house and take pictures of me with her camera - - - - - Hey, Denver's nice! Maybe not as much fun as Vegas, but it's nice!! Thank you so mcuh for remembering us. Logging on to see the most recent pictures was the FIRST thing I did this morning! Hey - Lisa, you really are up early! Remember, party girl, pacing is the key! But then, who do I think I'm talking to.... after all, you share a body with DeLarla! Have fun (both of you!)

Checking in for the Not Going to Vegas Pity Party!!! I have my cheese to go along with my whine! (I'm on mushies now, so soft cheese if ok!! Darcy - I'm sorry it took sooooo long for the doctors to take your pain seriously. I'm happy they finally figured out what was going on. I hope the treatment is swift and decisive - no more mucking around with this thing! You have been through enough! Let the party begin!

Wow - what an ordeal you've been through. I admire your grit and determination and willingness to move on. With an attitiude like that, you are sure to succeed. Good Luck, Best Wishes, and know that you'll always be a Bandster at Heart!

Thanks for the update Lisa - Good thing there is no 'legal limit' as to how much booze one group of crazy women are allowed to buy! We're all looking forward to your next post. waiting.....waiting.......waiting....

A Great Big WooHoo!! WOoHoo! WooHoo! I knew it would work out I just knew it - or at least I was really really really hoping it would work out!! You're too nice a guy to suffer such a set-back. We'll be right here waiting for you on the 'other side'!!

There is a lot responsibilty to keep the rest of us shut-ins posted on all the goings on there at the fabulous Lisa (aka DeLarla) abode. Margaritas back-up on me these days, but I'll have a glass of wine or two in your honor. (Well I'll actually be working the Silent Auction at the High School, and they might frown on that - but I'll be thinking of you any way!)

Thank you for posting - As someone who is newly banded, it is always good to hear about people that are not 'perfect' with their band, but are still very successful. Those are the most inspiring stories to me.

HI Michelle - You should probably try post your thread on the "introductions' part of the message board. Lots of people will see it and respond to you. (maybe you're like me and just 'missed'!

Wow - you guys are certainly busy! I wish I had someone to walk with me when I came home. Pardon us if we're a little bit jealous of having your 'band buddy' live with you! Honestly- this is great. I'm happy for both of ou.

Katie - my doc allows tuna, well lubed with lo-fat or no-fat mayo, in the mushy phase. He also allowed cream Soups in the 'full liquid' stage. The rule of thumb he uses is - if you could eat it if you have no teeth, then it's a mushy! Crackers are allowed, too. Just not the hard to chew ones. I love scrambled eggs, too. Never thought I would ever look so forward to cottage cheese and apple sauce as I did when I was on the liquid stage! Shelly - I'm making my own chicken salad now with canned chicken, taragon and little tiny pieces of blue cheese and low- fat mayo. Really yummy. I could definitely eat it if I had no teeth! Lisa - don't know about the sardines ..... guess I'm lucky I never developed a taste for them! Not too fond of the instant mashed potatoes! I'm definitely a no-fat refried been girl - with low fat sour cream and mild salsa!

DeLarla - I feel your pain!! I just bought a brand spankin' new Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 Quad cab with all the bells and whistles, including running boards and a spray-in bed liner. Can I afford it - hell no. I'm single, so I have no one blame but myself. I'm self-employed and right now my business is in the shi**er, and there ain't no way I can justify the expense of a new truck - but alas - there it sits in all its glory in my driveway (won't fit in the garage). Maybe my son and I can move in with you and Chris in Vegas, and share expenses? Or how about this... We all split the cost of a shell for my truck and we live in the back of it???

This is a great thread To have my ski boots fit without cutting off my circulation and causing extreme pain. To not be the last one up the hill (or anywhere) when hiking with my family To be able to fit into women's regular sized wet suits when scuba diving To not be the heaviest person in the room at family functions To be one of the 'hot' moms on the sidelines at my son's football and baseball games - I'm tired of being the fat mom

I just had my surgery two weeks ago, so it's very fresh in my mind. I went to Mexico for my surgery, so it might be a bit different for you. I flew to San Diego and drove to Tijuana on the 14th. I was scheduled for some simple blood tests and other routine pre-op tests. That day was more boring that anything. I did take the advice of others I have heard and stuck to a liquid diet that day. The idea is that those who stick to a liquid diet have less gas pain post-op. The next day, I walked to the surgery clinic (it was a block from my hotel). The nurse greeted me and had me put on some compression stockings and gave me a pill to relax me - I was pretty relaxed anyway, but it is part of the anesthesia routine. She also started an IV. I hung around and waitied for the anesthesiologist. She came in and met me. She told me it is routine to put something in your IV to make certain you are not naseous when you wake up. They wheeled me into the OR, put something that stung into my IV (not that bad) and put a mask on my face - good night. I woke up and the worst part was that my mouth was soooo dry. Getting out of bed was tough, but doable. I was up and walking around that night. Didn't even need any pain meds in my IV. I was discharged the next day after doing a barium swallow. I traveled home by plane the next day. Because of a mix up in scheduling, I ended up waiting in the airport for 5 hours. That was a VERY long day. I shouldn't have been carrying a back pack with Water, novel, hand lotion, etc. It was too heavy. The worst part of my post-op experience was a coughing fit I had two days post op. It hurt so bad it made me cry. Any time I sneezed in the first week and a half also hurt like he**. The liquid diet wasn't too much fun, either - but it was certainly do-able. Like I said, I'm 2 weeks post-op now. Sneezing still hurts, but that's it. I just went to the gym today and rode the bicke for 45 minutes. I hope this helps give you an idea of what to expect. If you've had kids - this is waaaay easier!

OK - I survived! All I did was 45 minutes on the recumbent stationary bike and about 25 lunges. I thought that would be good for my first time back. I'll see how I feel and then do the same tomorrow!