Canary Diamond

I love that this question gets asked so frequently! We're all in the mood for love... Here is a link to a Previous Post that may be helpful to you.

Happy Summer Lovin' :wub:

I watched actual surgeries, along with the video blog by Kellawanda, which I found to be refreshingly concise and non-moany.

I also have a YouTube blog, though I'm only 4 weeks post-op. But mine has songs.

Yes, I got relief in the hamstrings from just laying on my back on the mat. The reason is that tight muscles in the lower back also means tight hamstrings to an effect. Now I still have tight hamstrings to this day so getting hamstring relief is a work in progress. Continuing to do rolling on the IT connector and glut regions really does help in combination with use of the mat. I do not have an expert opinion on this topic; just trying to find techniques that help using the tools and knowledge at my disposal.

Check out how the muscles and ligaments are connected in the following graphic:

http://www.google.co...R9zJ259dJNk0gM:

Try and target the massage of those muscles connected to the hamstrings. I am also probably genetically born with short tight hamstrings so I need to work harder and smarter to get the desired flexibility and mobility that others get "for free". Life is not fair sometimes, but we learn to compensate in different ways to make up for genetic inequalities.

I should probably make myself familiar with the chart anyway, since I start taking A&P in the fall! I, too, have and have always had short hamstrings. Even when I was at my most fit and flexible, I've had to give them careful attention. A few years ago I tore my left lower hamstring (after neglecting to stretch properly before a bout of dodgeball with 4th graders), so now it's even shorter! I am definitely going to get myself one of these mats and appreciate your recommendation.

I guess what I was wondering was whether you find it benefits body parts other than the back when you are using it only on your back (as it was designed). Do you feel the release anywhere else? You mentioned you felt looser in the hamstrings, but from my understanding you only used in on your back. I know the muscles along the spine can correspond to other areas of the body when it comes to pain, so I'm curious as to whether this applies to muscle relaxation as well.

I have a question, Fiddly Diddly. While looking at mats on Amazon I noticed that they are around 30" in length. Do you find it helps release tension in areas other than the back, even though only your back is touching it while your lying on it?

All I can say is : Its just not fair. We were banded the same week and Im still on full liquids.

Happy birthday to my fellow Oregonian!

Don't be upset,marfy farfy. I stick mostly to full liquids, but around once a day will have something a little denser. Today, for example, I had egg salad. As I mentioned earlier, my stomach is clearly not ready for some things even though I'm "allowed" to eat them. For the most part, I'm going much slower than my post-op menu plan.

And about the 30 lbs - that includes pre-op weight loss. I've lost 16 since surgery, just like you. See? It's ok. It's going to be ooooookaaaaayyyy. Pet the kitty, pet the kitty...

Lobster or prawns or crab. Yum! I vote for lobster. For dessert, later, ice cream if you are not lactose intolerant. Or if you want to stick to program, one of my faves: Greek yogurt with Splenda, topped with spenda sweetened blueberries. I heat the blueberries in the microwave till the juice runs out. OMG!

Lynda

Not sure I'm up for lobster yet, although I love the suggestion. Last night I had some prawns and my tum-tum said, "oh no you di-int!"

Thank you, Grammy! Sorry about your crapcake birthdays. I'm not finding Healthy Choice Mushroom Soup. Is it cream of mushroom?

Awwww, that's so romantic. And he was willing to leave Oregon and move to Texas? You must be some kind of amazing.

I'm somewhat cheffy. I'd rather buy the frozen paneer and marry into cheffy, like you.

I buy it pre-fried at an Indian grocery store in the frozen section. I"ll post it tomorrow for sure.

There's an Indian grocery in Small Town, Texas? Sure as hell isn't one in BFE, Oregon.

I have something better than a trader Joes. I have a crockpot/pressure cooker combo and a kick a$s recipe that takes less than 15 minutes lemme know if you want for later. You still have to buy the paneer, which I buy in bulk and freeze.

gamergirl, you wretched tease, hand over that recipe! Where do you buy paneer?

PALAK PANEER IS MY VERY FAVORITE food IN THE UNIVERSE!!! I don't know if you have Trader Joe's where you live, but they have a boxed palak paneer that I literally buy them out of every time. It's one of the few "normal people" foods I've been able to eat in the last couple weeks. If I'm not able to do this for my dinner tomorrow, I will definitely be keeping your suggestions for future meal ideas!

Hello, super sleevers. As of today I am four weeks post-op and tomorrow is my birthday (PM me for address to send your flowers/presents/cash). I have no idea what to do for a special dinner or dessert with my family. We did Thai food for my mom's birthday last week and I was able to have tom yum and tom kha Soup, but now that I've been reheating them for a week, kinda want something different. Obviously, cake is out.

Some of my favorite foods in my pre-op life were pot roast, stuffing, eggplant parmigiana, any and all seafood (except sea urchin. I mean who the hell decided that was edible?), including sushi, Mexican and Indian food. My post-op plan allows ground lean ham, chicken, veal, beef, or fish, soft cooked veggies, mashed potatoes, and Pasta at this stage. I just need some help getting creative.

Thanks in advance!

Here's another site I have used a lot to stare at:

http://www.cockeyed....ghtweight.html

Thank you for the link, gamergirl! Very cool site.

Keep in mind if you have been really heavy that your bones and internal stuff weigh a little more. So, your goal weight might need to be a couple of pounds higher to account for that - don't drive yourself crazy with somebody else's numbers.

It has taken me awhile to make peace with weighing in the "150s" but everyone around me tells me I am just right even though I am only 5'5".

Please say more about this, CJ. Why would bones weigh more? Does the marrow gain density or something? I find this fascinating!

I agree. This is so perpetuated by television too. For example, I LOVE SVU, but it always bothers me on crime shows when they're listing a female victim's stats and they say something like, "mid-twenties, 5'5", 115 pounds..." and the woman is of an average build. That would make her around 140, people.

I found the coolest site, ladies! You enter a height and weight and are shown a gallery of photos of real women with these stats. This may be a useful tool in helping determine your desired goal weight.

http://www.mybodygal...com/search.html

I knew another nurse who said it all the time to patients...

If a medical professional ever freely admitted to having more faith in a higher power than his/her own science-based medical training, I would rip out my own IV and RUN out of the hospital. Then I'd sue for malpractice.

I don't understand these attempts (by women) to shame women out of talking about sex, as if it's not a vital part of any relationship. Discussing this does not make one a "horndog," merely a human. I'd like to thank those women who spoke frankly about why they might have been attracted to a particular body type in a man; for being proud of their sexuality. I believe the points they brought up were perfectly relevant to the OP's query.

I read recently that releasing tension in the glutes and uppermost parts of the hamstrings also strengthens the pelvic floor......ladies.....and does so much more effectively that Kegels, which can actually weaken the pelvic floor.

While I have found the people on this forum offer excellent advice, the person to whom you should be addressing these questions is your doctor. If the surgeon is unavailable, speak with your PCP or perhaps a bariatric nurse. Asking about others' experiences is very different than asking for medical advice.

You are such a beautiful, tiny thing - I shall christen you Thumbelina. Or rather, I would if you weren't so freakin' tall. Fantastic job, Jess!

I suggest this topic be move to the "Religious Sleevers" group. It's clearly more about faith than surgery, since you're attributing your weight loss to a higher power rather than yourself or the SURGEON WHO PERFORMED THE WEIGHT LOSS PROCEDURE.

This is a great suggestion! We're definitely going to implement it once we launch the new community.

Thank you, Alex! All other great suggestions are going to cost you.

I didn't realize god had that much free time on his hands. I went with Dr. Illan.