Leslie Hudson-Couch

OMG!! I have also had the cold from hell for the last ten days! I actually think its a combo of cold and allergies. I'm now, thankfully, on the mend but summer colds are horrible! I have been taking reg cold meds and allergy meds with no problems. But also alot of Vit C and echinacia (sp?). I hope you are doing better now. I am 6 weeks post-op as of today and have now lost 45 lbs. This puts me under 300 for the first time in almost 2 years so I'm having a good week plus I'm not sneezing my head off! lol Yeppers life is good!! Hope everyone is having a great week!! Hugs!

I so related to this!! I'm a month out and would really like a lunarita!! lol My husband is taskmaster deluxe though so he's keeping me in line! lol I am hoping for a glass of wine next week to celebrate my one month post-op anniversary!! I've been eating food for about a week now and enjoying every couple of bites!! lol My really favorite thing has been cottage cheese! Go figure... I love the "cleaning out the closet" analogy. It is definitely a change in how you see and think about food. Good luck to you!!!

Your brother is very blessed to have you there for him and congrats to him on his weight loss. I know you will get past your stall and how great you are getting the "eye" of a good kind!! Good luck

Very happy for you and a positive attitude is a must. This will be one of the most challenging experiences in your life but so very worth it. I'm in week 4 and am feeling fantastic!! I'm blessed that I've had very little issues at all since my surgery. You will do great!! Congrats!!

Thats what I want to do is the Zumba!! It looks like so much fun and many moon ago I was a dancing fool!! lol I think its the best excersize ever!! Good luck to you!!

lol just looked at your profile also and.... my bday 10/14!!

Hi I am in Amarillo.... where are you? Not far I'm sure lol. I had my surgery 7/17 at BSA with Dr Bell.

I literally can feel your pain.... I'm reading this while I have a heating pad on my back! lol I just told my husband earlier today that if my back would quit hurting I'd feel fantastic!! I feel great but back not so much. I am hoping with more weight off that it will get better or at least tolerable. Hang in there!!

I think maybe a helmet too?? Jest sayin' lol

Okay so you have to be my younger sista' from another mother!!! lol I am loving your blog and being that I am a major klutz can appreciate how inanimate objects repeatedly do the most obnoxious things and injure me on a repeated bases. I cant tell you how many times my husband has gasped over huge bruises that I had no idea where they came from. I also get the drinking thing.... I personally am an honorary Mexican and tequila is my game!! lol Being that I'm only 3 weeks out I have not partaken as of yet. Believe me a glass of wine sounds really good about now!! But I'm behaving and just found that Crystal Lite make Mojito, Appletini, & Margarita flavored drinks!! May be virgins but at least they will taste good! Hope you stop by my blog some time... I also have one on WordPress with other things under swtcaks99. Hugs!!!

I've had infections from a previous stomach surgery (not my sleeve) so I do understand how scared you are but I strongly suggest you find a primary physician and a gastric dr if one is available. You want to make sure you stay on top of this because it can spread quickly. I promise I am not trying to scare you its just I know because I have been on the very worst end of a post surgical infection. My dr even made sure I had no signs of infection prior to my sleeve due to my history. Please find someone there on Monday morning and do not hesitate to go to the ER if it looks any worse today or tomorrow hon. I will be praying for you and keeping you in my thoughts.

:wub: I hear you my fellow Texans.....born & raised in Dallas, lived in RGV for 20 yrs, and now in Amarillo...... No matter where you go its hot! lol But at least up here I have winter to look forward to!! I have major breathing issues so heat and I dont get along too well. I am doing better but still not great. In another month I want to start Zumba cuz I am a salsa loving fool and I want to start going to water aroebics with some friends of mine. Doc doesnt want me straining my knees too much til I'm thinner. I totally agree!!!! Also I'm always freakin' thirsty and I'm afraid I'd get too dehydrated. Being 51, I'm trying to be careful. Love the idea of the walking at home tapes. Thank you. Hugs!!

It did. That is an older blog. My newer ones are here also. Thank you though for the suggestions.He was not the problem actually, it was the hospital and they would not offer anything because (lol) it is considered an "elective" surgery. Forget it has already saved my life but who am I to argue with the system right? Should be considered a life saving surgery since it has to be backed up with medical proof of necessity... Okay jumping off my soapbox!! lol

This is from a blog I have on WordPress. I started this on July 16, 2012. I'm just trying to bring you up to speed with my journey..... 07/16/2012 So I did not think I would be writing anything this soon... I figured tomorrow evening at the earliest but probably not until Wed or Thurs. However, the surgery devils had other plans! First you need to know that, while I am a very easy going, even tempered kinda lady, I am also very anal and like to know which row my ducks are in!! Having said that, I went last week to make sure all my ducks were quacking in harmony. Talked to everyone you are supposed to talk with and had all my testing done. So, knowing I have really good insurance and that I asked all the right questions, I thought nothing more about that part of it....until today. I get a call from a very pleasant woman about 1:30/2:00 telling me I have to pay a hellatious amount of money BEFORE I can have my surgery in the morning. I now know what it feels like to be hit with a ton of bricks. She also, very graciously, asks me if my finances were okay. I decided (somewhere in the fog) that it would be prudent of me to call her back, especially since I could no longer breath. Now I know that there are a select few people who may have an extra bundle laying around but that is not my case. While my husband and I are not in the poor house, we can see it down the road so, no, my finances are not okay for this kind of unexpected onslaught. So as I sit there, in shock, crying and hyperventilating (okay so maybe I'm stretching it just a bit for dramatic value), I am texting and calling anyone I can think of, as is my dear husband. My sister-in-law, very sanely, tells me to call them back and set up a payment plan.... duhhhh....oh wait, they won't because, although its going to save my life, it is considered an elective surgery. I had to chuckle at that one. Obviously, whoever makes these rules has never been in my situation but I digress. After a couple of back and forth conversations, my wonderful, could not ask for better, in-laws said that they would pay for me. Of course, I am paying them back but I can NEVER express to them how eternally grateful I am to them and to my wonderful husband who got that ball rolling. I love them all so much that words just really do not do it justice. I have been so blessed by this family that I thank God every day for them. So I can, once again, breath (well as good as I ever do) and can enjoy my evening with my husband and sister-in-law. Thank you to all who have expressed their well wishes and sent prayers.... love and hugs to you all!!!

My husband is going to be soooooo excited that I came to this forum!! lol I have had multiple surgeries in the past and we have always had to wait about 6 weeks (all of them I was butterflied!! lol).This is my first labroscopic surgery so we weren't sure. Thanks everyone for all the info!! Rock on!! lol

Howdy all!! Well the end of my first week back to work and 3rd week post-op and while I feel pretty darn good, I am pooped! lol I think I've expended alot of energy during the week. My stomach is doing good, no nausea, etc. I had a SlimFast today and it was great! And it has 20g of protein..... hmmmm chocolate AND protein.... yeah works for me!! lol I plan on sitting by the pool and getting some sun time in! Hope everyone has a great weekend!! Hugs!

Thank you so much! I think we all inspire each other! Hugs!

It has now, officially, been one week since my surgery and, BOY!, what a difference a week makes! While I am still not 100% yet, I am feeling fantastic!! Yesterday, I actually felt human again and even shaved my legs!! Okay, now that may not sound like such a big deal to most but for me it was huge! I may be a big girl but there are some things that I, admittedly, am very vain about. I like to look good and have my mani/pedi's etc so, yeah, huge!! I also fixed my hair, plucked my eyebrows (vanity!) and put me on some face paint! I even had my dear hubby take me out for a drive and we ventured into Wal-Mart! By the time we got home, I was pooped but in a good way. I have had this huge amount of fluid just languishing in my body for almost two years now. This has caused great swelling in my hands and face and my left leg which has caused the dreaded cellulitis. It has also been like a ton of bricks on my chest which in turn has affected my breathing considerably. I am very happy to report that I can now see my left ankle, my cellulitis has cleared up and I am breathing much, much easier. I am still and always will be asthmatic but not having to gasp for every breath with every move I make is amazing! I almost forgot what it felt like. It's amazing to me that these changes have happened in only one week. I still have a long way to go but after not feeling so good last week, this is a welcome change in mind and body. I am really looking forward to going back to work on Monday and seeing all my friends there who have been so supportive. Just to get back to my life in general will be wonderful. I don't want to neglect my wonderful, supportive, loving and all around good guy, my husband, Mike. He and his family have all been so good to me ever since we got together almost four years ago. I could not ask for a better family to be apart of. Guess that's it for today folks! Hope you all have a wonderful day and Hugs!!

Hello all of my fellow sleevers!! Hope this post is finding you all feeling fantastic or at least better. I have had an amazing week personally although I have to say I'm feeling punky today. I started back to work on Monday and everyone at work was so happy to see me back and feeling so good. I'm very blessed to have a lot of supportive people in my life. Several people in my office have had some type of bypass or sleeve done and most of them were shocked I was back so soon and that I felt so good. I just tell them I have Frequent Surgery Miles and am tougher than a $2.00 steak!! lol I think I am just one of those lucky few who heal fairly easily and can handle the stress on my body. So anyway, Tuesday was officially my two week mark and Wednesday my first check up. I was shocked, amazed, and ecstatic that not only was I feeling super great but I lost a whopping 32 lbs!!!! Oh yeah baby!!! I knew this was going to work but I guess I just really didnt expect such great results right away. Needless to say, I'm one happy camper!! The eating thing has been hard because until yesterday, I didn't experience any hunger pains. I have been making myself "eat" drink and be merry! lol I am up to soft baby food consistency things (even baby food). Add a little seasoning and they aren't half bad. We did buy one of those individual cup mixer machines (dont know if brand names are allowed) so I'm going to try pureeing my own stuff probably next week. I'm looking forward to watching my progress along with people on here. You all are amazing and courageous!! Its not for the weak of mind thats for sure!! Carry on with your journey and hold a song in your heart. The journey is only as worthwhile as you make it!! Hugs!!