amw157

I'm confused. The real Pink Floyd? David Gilmour? Or a cover band? I didn't think Floyd was touring. Hope I'm wrong.

Moderator, can we close this thread? LadiWobs hasn't posted for a few pages now, and it's devolving into a total train wreck. LadiWobs, I hope you find the answers you need, and share them with us in a new thread when you're ready to do so. And ONLY when you're ready to do so.

nikiw714, our troop also will send boxes of cookies to the troops in Iraq or Afghanistan if you tell them to. Just buy a box and say "give it to the troops". We ship a whole pallet over there each year.

I used to reason with myself.... "Half the box of Samoas is air anyway, they don't pack 'em in like they do with Thin Mints, so it's OK eating a whole box of Samoas at one sitting".

I knew this day was coming. My daughter sells the Cookies. She's been a scout for 10 years now. I've always taken them to work, to sell to coworkers. In prior years, I could easily put away a whole box of cookies in one sitting. Now that I'm sleeved, I think I'll be able to refrain ... but it's going to be hard. Especially when I see my coworkers chomping down on THIN MINTS.... Lord give me strength!

I also wanted to point out that going to an AA meeting is NOT A FORM OF WEAKNESS. You will not be seen as weak for asking for help. In fact, it takes an act of COURAGE to do this. A wise scholar once said, "If I am not for myself, who will be?"

I tried starting this post fifteen different ways. None of them was perfect. Just get to a meeting. Just one. You don't have to introduce yourself. You can stay silent the entire time. Just go, listen, absorb, watch. Just one meeting. That's all I'm asking. ONE. Please. There are tens of millions of people who have been helped by AA. Tell me where you live and I will try to find a chapter near you. I'll send you the meeting schedule. That will be one less obstacle to overcome. I can't stress this enough. If you want to do something about your drinking, AA is the place to start. I guarantee it. Contact me with a private message and I will be happy to share my personal struggle, and success, with you.

Can you elaborate? Even the shots that are based on whey?

Can you tell us why it was recommended you not use your CPAP? I'm racking my brain trying to think of a reason. I'm no doctor, just curious.

There are many people involved in this surgery. There's the physician's own nurses, the nurses in the OR, the anesthesiologist, the doctors and nurses in recovery, the nurses and residents on the hospital floors, and even the people who do scheduling. I've found that more than once, their instructions don't always agree. It's understandable, it's a large set of people involved. It happens. It's just strange to hear someone told NOT to bring their machine. CPAP is very important, especially if your pressure is high. I think you should call your surgeon, and if you can't get a hold of him, call your primary (or whoever prescribed the CPAP), or call the anesthesiologist. Ask to speak to the doctor, not to another member of the staff. Get it from the horse's mouth. And even if they all say no? I'd still bring it to the hospital.

Oh, I was there. I was where you are. I was MAYOR of that place. For many weeks, there was zero desire to eat. From sun-up until about 4pm, I didn't want to eat a thing. This went on for a long time. Around 4pm the hunger would peek its head, but it wasn't a monster hunger. I asked myself (and the message board, and the doctors), "HOW can I get these Protein goals if I just don't feel like eating?" The answer: patience. It will change. I sympathize, and it will get better.

You illustrate a great point that I have tried to underscore on these message boards. Too often I hear people use the actual number on the scale as the goal. They get stressed when they lose 4 pounds less than they expected. The number on the scale is TRIVIAL. You just hit a massive goal, the elimination of the need for diabetic medications. That's a bigger goal than any number on the scale, to me. My goal is HEALTHY, not a specific weight. Kick the diabetes, kick the high blood pressure, kick the sleep apnea, kick the sore knees ... those are my goals. Not the number on the scale. Oh, and WAY TO GO!

This is one of my major complaints with the weight loss surgery departments. They make you get so many (necesssary!) tests before surgery (cardio, pulmonary, etc). They really do their best to make sure they leave no stone unturned, they really do a thorough job. And while many (most?) surgeons also require a psych eval BEFORE surgery ... I've found the psych support AFTER surgery to be nonexistent. Any change as large as weight-loss surgery is bound to come with self-image changes, maybe self-respect changes, and a whole lot of other emotional changes. Why they don't prepare you for this, and encourage therapist visits post-surgery, is beyond me. But I'm a strong proponent of therapy. Been going for years. My weekly head-shrink has gotten me through many tough times. These self-image issues you talk about, I had them too, and I had a trusted therapist to talk them out with. It made a world of difference. If you struggle with these issues, or even if you're somewhat curious how your mind works, I recommend you visit a therapist, even just on a whim. We make regular wellness visits with our doctors, dentists, eye doctors .... why not also check into the wellness of our MINDS? The only stigma is the one you hold.

I can't imagine the courage it took to have the surgery done, and not have health insurance for follow-ups, complications, or concerns. If you made it this far, that courage can surely get you through this too. It does get better. Everyone's pulling for you.

Sannah I spent about three solid weeks in the same hospital room back in 2006. I fully understand how it can be, looking at the same four walls, letting emotions and thoughts take hold, feeling lost or depressed. Please don't hesitate to ask for a visit from a counselor, therapist, or minister. They have them on staff in hospitals, and it can really make a big difference in your mental well being. You're getting your body taken care of, don't neglect your mind and spirit. Trust me. Reach out and ask.

I had two drains for almost ten solid weeks (yes ten!). It was a nuisance but not really a big deal. You have to be careful you don't yank on it while you're showering, sleeping, or getting dressed. But you become used to it. It doesn't FEEL like anything, maybe just a pinch or an itch at the site where the drain exits your body.

I have to agree with what everyone else said, Sannah. Your posts are always delightful and your picture is very sweet. I do wish you the best, and I believe you'll serve as inspiration for others going through tough times. We should all have the same good attitude. Feel better soon.

I still want to know what kind of work you do, and whether I can find out more. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would spend a few evening hours tapping away at the keyboard for a few extra bucks.

Same here. Got dehydrated, and fainted. I ended up in the ER with a nasty gash on the back of my head. Get those liquids in!

Can you teach that to my wife? (LOL)

I know EXACTLY what you mean, Teddy Bear. I went to work with my old saggy clothes for weeks before my coworkers finally convinced me to buy new clothes. What I hadn't told them was that I DID buy new clothes, but I couldn't bring myself to use them. I had a real psychological hurdle to overcome. The weight loss draws attention to me (positive attention), but I still don't like the attention. It's weird getting all that positive attention. I'm not used to it. It took a long time to become comfortable with it. I didn't know how to respond to positive attention. EVERY time I would reach for my new clothes, I would be convinced they'd be too small. Even after putting them on, I still fidget and readjust nonstop, thinking that I have to move the fabric around to hide my fat rolls. The truth is that it's not necessary, but I still habitually do it. The old clothes give me a place to "hide". Big clothes can hide the fact that I've lost so much weight, and that takes the attention off me. The new clothes fit just fine, but there's some psychological block that prevents me from feeling comfortable in them. I ask my girlfriend all the time, "Does this look too small on me?" and she's so sick of it that she just replies to me with "Stoppit!" I still can't get rid of my baggy clothes. And just like you, I still feel more comfortable in them, even though I LOOK better in the smaller code. You said "I felt ugly for the longest time that it's too weird right now to feel & look good". I hear you loud and clear. I was always the heaviest guy in the room. Always. Now I'm not, and even though that's a GOOD thing, it's very hard to get used to. CHANGE is hard for me. Seems that it's hard for you too.

And what about hard wooden chairs? Oh lord ... my butt lost a lot of padding too!

Magical creme or lotion? I know I'm getting in trouble for this ... but I can't help but chuckle because of the OTHER thread you started today. You know the one.

Be lucky you still have one! My surgery was open, not lap, and they had to remove the piece of skin where my belly button was. It looks sooo weird, but I show it off just for the effect.

What always grabs me about these before & after photos is the genuine SMILE in the after photo. There's no faking the happiness that's evident in your smile.