Spatters3

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.

*hug* it will be ok. You won't die and you will lose weight after getting the VSG. This is the best decision you've probably made in a long time for yourself and your child. Chin up !

prettyNYCnurse: congratulations and welcome to the Loser's Bench :-) Hope you heal quickly and get past the liquid & soft foods stages without too much trouble so that you too can enjoy your new Sleeve-O-Rama ! Things I didn't expect: 2 days of not being able to keep anything down (ice chips gave me spasms) but as soon as I was able to see for myself on an x-ray that there were no strictures and no leaks, I haven't thrown up since. The mind is a powerful thing. As for memory issues, I have been on Atkins or other low-carb diets in the past and know that they make me "stupid" for awhile. This too shall pass. I am still surprised that I am losing weight :-)

1. I don't enjoy cooking for my family anymore, which makes me think that I must be more of a selfish person than I thought I was. Oh, I still do it, and they all enjoy it, but it kind of ticks me off when I can only eat a smidgen of the meal myself. I really am basically bad :-( 2. I am becoming more intolerant of my husband's refusal to even try to lose weight. His response to my gentle goads is "well sure, YOU're losing weight because you had surgery" (he pursued WLS as far as the psych eval, which he failed because the psychologist thought he would not comply with the rules). He will be 70 this November, is 5'10" and 350 lbs, and is in constant pain due to bad knees. 3. I shake my fist at God atleast once a week because this was my year to do something for ME and I got struck down with uterine cancer (note: chemo sucks). I know, I know.... but He understands, listens, and still loves me. 4. I don't exercise at all and I really really really have to start doing something. 5. the sleeve is the smartest thing I have done in a long time :-)

Yes'm. My doctor's team was VERY adamant about this. I am surprised that no one told you this requirement.

Cookeeez: absolutely correct ! Nena: you aren't eating enough calories period. For my body I found that if I eat less than 1000 calories a day, I don't lose weight. I try to keep it under 1200 and definitely get atleast 70g of Protein. This isn't a "die" it, it is a "live" it . Feed your body good things and the sleeve will keep the amounts under control. Let's see... yesterday I had B: 8 oz coffee+creamer; 6 oz carbmaster blackberry yogurt; 6 triscuit L: 3 oz pork chop; 1 oz cheddar; 1 med. apple D: 3 oz steak; 1/4 cup baked beans; 1 small potato; 1 pat butter Snack: 1 cup fresh fruit salad; 10 slices pepperoni Total: 1257 calories, 120g carbs, 53g fat, 79g protein Kind of a high calorie day, too many carbs & fat, but great protein :-)

gummi vitamins. Even those can get you nauseous, but less likely.

You, my dear, are a very brave person! But yeah, take the double raft next time I have never been on a water park slide and I am really looking forward to doing it someday. I think the most initmidating part are the hundreds of steps you typically have to climb to get to the top !