Spatters3

I have been obese since I was 6 months old (my grandmother thought I was too tiny and decided to fatten me up) - the fat just never went away. Oh, I have lost thousands of pounds and they always came back plus more. I was always strong and active - not organized sports but loved hiking and biking and dancing (rock & roll !) - but always obese. Then I had children and got super morbidly obese and I couldn't lose weight anymore and my knees wore out and now I am a cyborg (titanium knees, plates & screws in my foot). Cool, but not really. So, how do I picture myself at 150 lbs (that is my pulled-out-of-thin-air goal) ? I just don't. I know I will look like an empty used brown paper bag (the joke is "you had better tie a string on her when the wind blows") but that's ok because I'm old and nobody who would care is ever going to see me naked I really don't know how I am going to be and I haven't had a lot of time to ponder it (got diagnosed with uterine cancer a few months ago and am busy with chemo & radiation right now) but I am pretty sure I will handle it just fine. Maybe I will go hiking and biking and dancing again !

um... no. Take her to a GI doctor or the ER at a different hospital as soon as you are able. Write down everything that has happened so far (copy and paste your own postings into a Word doc and print it out) and take it with you to show the doctor. This sounds like a medical emergency and not just her sleeve "acting up".

too cool :-)

yep, I get the runny nose. It really is odd because I never had that happen before getting the VSG and I know for sure that I have filled up my pre-VSG stomach. It really is a blessing because eating too much or too fast makes me feel miserable (although, thank God, I have not thrown up since the 3rd day after surgery!).

well... the nice thing about the sleeve is that actually we can't give up. If you don't have a nutritionist you can ask questions of just search on this forum for what other people are eating. And then do it :-)

I knew I was going out to eat lunch with my DIL but I didn't think it out - she wanted to check out the new Zaxby's chicken place in town and so sure, I figured I could order a grilled chicken salad. Well... the serving size was HUGE ! An entire family size salad bowl full of goodness and I could only eat a tiny bit of it. I was really conflicted because I couldn't take it with me - we were going clothes shopping and the food would have been dangerous let alone ruined after sitting in a hot car for hours. It almost hurt physically to throw all that food out. So, it was a good lesson: yes, I still have food issues; don't EVER feel bad about not ordering something and just snacking off your dinner partner's plate (with their permission, of course); bring a cooler if you think you may have leftovers !

I'm looking forward to being able to take my grandchildren to zoos and amusment parks and hikes and festivals and all sorts of wonderful experiences. It's just not as much fun when MaMaw is sitting on a scooter

I pushed up my move to mushy foods by a week or so because I just could not stand the protein drinks any more. Be very careful and remember that your stomach is still healing and you REALLY don't want to put any strain on the seam - a leak could kill you.

Don't sit at home feeling lonely. Hey, if nothing else, you have a computer and internet access. And how is the weather where you are? Here in KY the summer heat is over and it would be a wonderful time to take the children out to play or for a walk. If you live in a town or a city, I'm sure there is a playground you could visit too (and also meet other parent's of young children). I know it's hard to reach out for friendship but the best way to meet friends is to be friendly. Makes sense, eh ? :-)

approach your protein supplement like it is medicine. You MUST take your medicine or you will get sick. (this worked for me for a few days atleast... until I got to the mushy stage and then I never drank another one!)

poor thing :-( Please make sure you are getting fluids in because being dehydrated will make you nauseous.

Dana, I didn't actually think the VSG would work for me either. Atkins had stopped working after 30 lbs. I really couldn't lose weight at all. But by golly, it IS working. My weight loss has really been put on the back burner since I'm undergoing treatment for uterine cancer, but it IS still working :-)

I resisted WLS for many years. I felt it just wasn't healthy ! Silly human that I am. Instead I kept dieting myself into a corner. Ended up needing 3 total knee replacements, a foot rebuild, high blood pressure, and in pain all the time. Every doctor I went to suggested WLS. "No no.. it's not healthy. I'll do it on my own." But I couldn't. No diet worked anymore and the little bit of exercise I could manage just wasn't enough. Thank God I found out about the sleeve ! I still think bypass and the band are unhealthy but the sleeve is doing exactly what I needed it to do: I can eat anything, just not enough for 5 people ! Even though I tracked my food religiously for years I must have been lying to myself because since getting the VSG I have lost weight and it's just because I can't eat too much. So yes, I would do it again. I didn't have any of the really horrible complications and yes, this is major surgery and a major life change. I wish it had been available 20 yrs ago.

You have to get distracted by something more important than your weightloss. Right now I am in the midst of battling uterine cancer (surgery, chemo, radiation, etc.) and my weightloss is really REALLY secondary :-) So... I pray that you don't succumb to any illness but read what you wrote yourself - when you were on vacation weightloss was pretty far from a concern and by golly, you lost weight ! Live your life, enjoy your new lighter self, and be totally confident that you WILL lose weight because you WILL !

I was at work, just like today. It was a Tuesday too. When the 1st plane hit, we thought it was a terrible accident. When the 2nd plane hit we thought it was an act of war. When the 3rd plane hit the pentagon we were crying. When the 4th plane hit the ground in PA we immediately understood that someone had intervened. And then the towers came down. We all got very quiet, called our loved ones, prayed, cried... It is still such a horrific thing to have seen, I'm crying now. We're still all collectively suffering - our loved ones are overseas fighting terrorists every single day. God bless America indeed. Keep our children safe and close to home. My son is in the KY National Guard and he's heading to the battlefield soon. No mother could be prouder but my heart wants him to stay here. So yes, God please bless America ! Help us be the light on the hill to all the nations of the world ! Let us live up to our forefather's aspirations of being a good and kind and righteous people.

Iggychic: *big and gentle hug* did you get that full time nurse yet ? Sleevedreamz: I told the doctor & nurses that I don't do well with morphine but they gave it to me anyhow - resulted in 2 days of hellish pain, fear & nausea. Stupid people. I guess I'll never be a heroin addict. Cool.

cherrybomb: that really does suck. Cookbooks, that I can understand as a gift (although it's rather a backhanded slap), but not an actual diet how-to book. That is downright mean. *hug* Perhaps you can find a "how-to survive plastic surgery" or "how-to win friends and keep from being a loser" book for the giver for this Christmas ?

here here ! Yes, we are the lucky ones but statistically we ARE the majority ! The VSG is doing exactly what I hoped it would do - limit how much food I can eat. Like most of us, I am an expert dieter and know exactly what a good and balanced diet is and with the sleeve I can eat this balanced diet, just not enough for five people !!!

1. being in pain 2. not knowing if a chair will support me or if I'll be able to haul myself back out of it 3. not being able to chase after and catch my grandson (he's autistic and bolts) 4. med techs not being able to get to a "good" vein 5. not being able to sing on the praise team at church because I can't stand up for a half hour or get down off the stage safely (since I have already lost so much weight some of my previous "things I won't miss" no longer apply like, being able to wipe my butt or buy clothes off the rack)

On a completely non-philosophical note, when I got the chance to go to college I was terrified of math. I had avoided it in highschool (took "Business Math"). I found an old book titled "Math Without Fear" and it walked me step by excruciating step through very simple math concepts and it even helped me really understand what algebra was all about. It gave me enough confidence in my abilities to tackle college level algebra, statistics, technical math, and even accounting (what a horrible 2 semesters THAT was !). I don't know if it's still in print but it is a great investment if you can find it. Good luck !

It's also ok to reassess the situation at a later date (i.e. change your mind) . I pray you heal quickly and completely !

You have already done exactly what you needed to do: talked to your doctor. Try not to worry, be kind to your sleeve and only take in liquids, oh, and try not to worry :-(

Sending you home with no pain meds or instructions is just wrong. It doesn't sound like this outfit is a Bariatric Center of Excellance. Please call them and request that they call in a prescription and give you some instructions ! Also, I don't know how you feel about this but I personally would NOT let this surgeon touch me again.

but PLEASE stop smoking I too have been tempted after quitting 7 yrs ago ... any weightloss is NOT worth it.

um... something is missing in your story. Is your wife blind ? Or is she equally "hideous" ? I think not. tsk.