Angelmom

I used to have fat overlap on my mid-back creating little wings. Well, I was talking on the phone outside and I put my hand on my back and realized that I couldn't feel the wings anymore! They're gone! Yay!
So excited about this.

Also, capillary/venous bleeding will be dark, while arterial bleeding will be bright....bright blood indicates arterial bleeding and can be far more serious.

Dark blood means older blood and drainage. Light or bright colored blood means new bleeding. As long as you are not ill or having pus or new blood drainage, you are just getting rid of some of your original drainage. In general that's what I would expect to be happening.
I had six slices....all were glued shut, except for the drain hole one--which had a slight T shape. Even the ones that were glued had some blood come out for a few days. Seems like some of that is normal...has to go somewhere.
I wouldn't worry too much...just keep the wound clean and free from rubbing on things like cotton shirts--which seem to irritate my incisions still. You can use gauze and some tape, or a large bandaid to cover it up while it's still leaking. That helps me even now.

I was just going to post this. This goes for any packaged, processed food with an ingredient label with a list of 50 things you can barely pronounce. You may think microwave popcorn is quick, but I can pop corn just as fast and it tastes dreamy. I can control the salt too.
Making your own nut butters are slightly more time consuming, but still easy. The more we stay away from packaged food and fast food (no matter how "healthy" it's supposed to be) the better off we will be.
she says as she drinks a diet soda. I'm going to go back to my own fresh squeezed fruit juice and club soda.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/popcorn-lung-lawsuit-nets-7-2m-award-125914508--abc-news-topstories.html

Dark blood means older blood and drainage. Light or bright colored blood means new bleeding. As long as you are not ill or having pus or new blood drainage, you are just getting rid of some of your original drainage. In general that's what I would expect to be happening.
I had six slices....all were glued shut, except for the drain hole one--which had a slight T shape. Even the ones that were glued had some blood come out for a few days. Seems like some of that is normal...has to go somewhere.
I wouldn't worry too much...just keep the wound clean and free from rubbing on things like cotton shirts--which seem to irritate my incisions still. You can use gauze and some tape, or a large bandaid to cover it up while it's still leaking. That helps me even now.

Just sat through a movie yesterday while my husband had buttered popcorn. It almost killed me but not one kernel touched these lips. Maybe when I hit goal.....

Have you tried taking smaller sips of Protein Shake?...or watering it down a little? Make yourself get that intake...work on it all day long...because you know it's good for you.
Have you been back to the doctor or called them about the problem, yet?

Don't go to the gym. Walk around your house, and rest when you aren't doing that. Have you tried to have a sip of crystal lite or Water before eating, to wet the esophagus....I have to do that sometimes...even without a sleeve.

You will do great! Everyone's pain is different. I had no pain or nausea. I was blessed :0 I wish you the same. Where you are right now is the tough spot. Waiting. Soon they will put you under and you will wake up on the losers bench. It is good. May God be with you and your surgeon today!

Your sense of humor is priceless, though.
Have you tried using a long sleeved leotard? Maybe that will hold the skin tighter and help it to shrink a little better...by not allowing it to dangle freely in the first place.
I plan to use this belly binder during my walks--when i get back to that, and over the top of my clothing when at home, to try and assist with shrinkage.
Use lotions all the time, too....Sally Beauty has a good one with Mango and Aloe Vera.... the ingredients say cocoa butter, too, I think. Try that, and Vaseline, and Johnson's baby cocoa butter. All of them are soothing and replenishing. I use them on my whole body and hands/arms/elbows especially because I have very dry skin.

Thanks! I entered the hospital at 297 left at 310 and now I'm down to 228!

So I am a little over 3 months out was sleeved June 4th and I am down 82 lbs can't believe how far I've come in such a short time! When I was pre op and newly post I scoured the forum for pics so I thought I'd share!
About a month before surgery.

The day after my surgery.

Taken today 82 pounds down and about 80 more to go!

I don't know the answer to any of your questions but would like to give you a hug and wish you luck.

I am revising to a sleeve. Since I could not afford self pay and cant get insurance I managed to scrape up enough money to get the PCIP insurance ... They will cover revisions..
They did an upper gi and the lady asked me how in the world I was eating ? I told her not very well .My band has so much damage, scar tissue that liquids barely go through my band .. Doc told me there are ppl with band issues and then there is me ! Mine are bad basically . He told me to come back next week for and egd, they stick a tube down my throat to see if my ban
d has erroded through my stomach , he suspected it has . Sounds all bad huh ? It is problem no one is in a hurry to get it fixed ! The insurance corrdinator is an idiot ! She was basically telling me my insurance most likely won't pay for anything when I know they very well will .. she really made me mad . She had never dealt with my insurance yet was telling me she didnt even know that PCIP was not through an employer I guess cause its not what I wanted to hear .. anyway I had a sleep study done to see if I have sleep apnea . So hopefully will know more in the next dayor so ?? he also told me if i dont revise to a sleeve because of my PCOS that with in 2 months of band removal i will gain back the rest of my weight and will contiune to regain about 30% more weight . HE also said due to the PCOS with out a sleeve i will get diebetes with in 5 yrs ! LOVELY ! All in all i was discouraged, Mainly because the insurance lady didntknow what she was talking about and it pissed me off.
Im just not sure if this is par for the course or not ? Im not sure why i feel the way i do ?

We will pray for you. I have asked for prayers, too, because I thought I was going to die from the pain and the lungs that remained partially collapsed. I think it's great to reach out!
I, too, have special needs children, and really no family, and one or two friends. That's it. Thank goodness you have each other, even in tough times...you still have a great treasure in each other. It takes a team to get a person through to healing from the surgery.
Have you considered getting a credit card, even with say, $500 on it? You could then go to GNC and get the gold card and use that for discounts during the first 7 days of the month--stupid but still good. If you buy the Total Lean premade strawberry and vanilla shakes...they are buy one get one free, and there was another coupon too...I bought four cases this month.
If you are able to get food stamps, you can buy the Carnation s-f instant breakfasts. Weis carries the variety pack. Add a pkt to a cup of organic skim milk...or two pkts for more Protein. and buy the stuff off the stage 2 diet...and you'll be prepared. You don't have to have all that fancy and even more expensive stuff from bariatric sites. GNC will take anything back that you don't like...but they don't have much in the way of samples.< /p>
I have no job either, and have two special needs children at home...no family, etc...like I was saying, and this is how I manage to get by If there is anything free out there, take it. Sign up for food banks. There is no shame in it.
Rite aid has the special k and designer whey Protein powders that go into Water...so you can buy those there and not have to pay shipping. They're helpful to have.
Hope that helps.
cindi

...until you're ready for your 16's! haha! woohoo!

Ive been doing makeover on my home! I built a 12 ft. Dining table, painted a picture for my guest room, refinished a chest of drawers and repainted my guest room. Made two topiaries, and two sunburst mirrors.
Next up: painting my kitchen, living and diningroom,make two bookcases for my livingroom wall,and making two chandeliers to go over my new table. Repainting a coffee table to go with my new paint, and making slip covers for my livingroom chairs. Then, painting a 6' round tabletop into a clock to pit on the wall behind my couch. Whew!
I really only think about my surgery at night, mainly. When Im doing projects, I'm in the zone' and get excited about my project. its good exercise too. 6 months is a loooong time to wait, so I got busy to pass the time.
I attached a pic of my new table- its a metal top- distressed. I love it!!

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I am now only on full liquids, but just preparing for when I am on soft foods. Since I don't eat ANY seafood, what is the suggestion? I am just thinking wayyyyy ahead, lol. Maybe my tastebuds will change & I will like it. Lol. Thanks y'all! Love this site & the great people I've met on here. Such great suggestions, help, and encouragement.
Robyn

You have no food limits with a sleeve after you've advanced to the proper post stage diet. Have some popcorn! just don't load it down with as much butter and salt. Its now a life of controlled moderation...not forced misery. Remember that

I have popcorn at the movies ...
Just not as much and only after being at goal.
This is not the end of our lives ... it is the new beginning.

I do believe I shall hate going to the show after my sleeve! popcorn is my favorite thing ever!

i was a wreck all the way till they willed me in. i had to wait over an hour before they willed me in. had me get on the table strecth out my arms put this mask on me and that was it i woke up 2 hrs later feeling like crap. the nausea was horrible for me i couldnt talk or nothing. my friend was there when i came out and she said i was flat lining in recovery. i kept hearing her say breath judy, but i was breathng so i thought. (PLEASE DONT GO ALONE HAVE SOMEONE THERE WITH YOU). im glad she was there.
i sat in that bed from 4pm till 10pm before i got my room the hospital was so busy. once in my room i felt all alone my friend had left the nurse came in did what she needed to do and left me in that big room. i couldnt sleep at all and when i finally fell asleep they came and got me at 2 am to walk i was like are you kidding me. so i did and i had so much energy inspite of nausea i felt pretty good had no pain at all. sooooooooooooo the next day i started feeling the pain of my insisions ouch. could walk marathons anymore lol. i was went home by 2 pm my surgeon said i did well and he was proud of me. and myliver looked ok the diet helped.
soooooooooo at home in pain uncomfortable still naseauated. regreting having it done i cant even get a drop of Water in without the tightness. but ive been promised it gets better. well as the day goes on i am feeling better. and i actually slept on my side last night thats a plus. i got in about 6 ozof Water and less than half of Isopure. cant wait to see waht tomorrow brings.

Ny back is killing me from sleeping on it. How long did it take for u to be able to sleep normal?

I took three sets of clothing, five undies and socks. I needed only the clothese on my back from presurgery, and a pair of sneakers that I loosened the ties on so that i could slip them on and off and walk. Chapstick is good to bring, and that's about it. Lighten your load. You won't be wearing clothing in there, just a gown, and you won't want anything else either...just rest...which you won't get much of because you'll be getting pain meds, i.v's and walking, trying to bear the pain and go to the bathroom. The clothes you wear in pre-surgery go right into a bag and stay there until you leave, and you can put them right back on. I would suggest shower shoes so that if you felt up to it, you could keep your feet clean from the floor...but I was unable to shower, and could barely wash my face.

What I did with my twins was made a bunch of meals that were frozen, and they can pick stuff out to eat that is easy to prepare...such as a gallon size bag of meatballs that they can take half out and ut in the crock pot with sauce and let stew. I even boiled them spaghetti and froze it...so they can use that or make a new pot of noodles. Then I don't have to be involved. They also have to do the clean up...I can't bend anyway to be doing dishes. I did what I could to simplify MY life...and theirs...but really mine.
Maybe you could have a little glass of Protein shake nearby when you are cooking for them, and sip on that...use it as a reminder of what you are doing for YOU.