DivaStyleCoach

Hey Band Family, Ceradad, Luluc - thanks so much for the encouragement - you two are my idols on this thread, because you are so consistent with your exercise. You definately challenge and inspire me! Saw the doc for my post-op yesterday and got clearance to go back to the weights....YAAAAY! He's frustrated because the nurses tell his patients different things than HE says. He just said to watch the 400 lb squats - luckily, I'm not quite lifting that much yet (note the sarcasm) so no worries there. I'll take it easy on ab work for the first couple of weeks and not try to match my pre-surgery poundages right away, but I'm so happy I can go back to the elliptical trainer and lifting!:smile2: Walked yesterday with DH, DD and DDog, no walk in the afternoon because of post-op appointments and Senior pics with DD. Back on the stick this morning - walked with family this morning, will walk at lunchtime and then I have the band support group tonight. Will keep checking in - y'all keep me motivated and I HATE posting that I didn't do ANYTHING, so I will definately keep moving. Welcome to all the new posters - you are definately in the right place for positive reinforcement and accountability. New goal - 230 by January 1st! :wink2:

'Morning Fellow Bandsters! Heather - You are in my prayers - I hope you are feeling better and back to 100% soon. I'm sorry you've had such a tough time lately, but I know you'll be fine!:cool2: My first post-op appointment was yesterday. Saw the same intern / med student that was there for my surgery, plus a resident, plus my surgeon, Dr. Duffy. Nice to see familiar faces...I'm doing well - the scars are healing nicely without any trace of puffiness so far (I keloid). I'm happy about that. :tt2: Other than a little residual soreness where my bra hits the incision points, I'm pain-free. I'm cleared to do any exercise I want - just no 400 lb squats :wink2: which I wasn't doing anyway (yet)- and I'm thrilled with that. Dr. Duffy is frustrated that the nursing staff at the hospital gives out different post-op instructions than HE does - they have told people not to lift anything over 10 lbs...Dr. Duffy says that means you can't lift your arm...HA! He's not happy about the mixed messages and instructs all his patients to listen to HIM only...sure makes it simpler! Recieved instructions on easing into more solids - a 4-week timetable for what foods to add at what time. They prefer that I get most of my protein from 'real' food versus shakes or drinks, so I'm going to follow instructions and see what happens. I'm happy to be cleared to get back into the gym, and hopefully eating 'real' food will help me keep my energy high and keep me building muscle while helping me to feel satisfied because food is bulkier than a liquid protein drink. I'm due to go back in roughly 4 weeks, at which time Dr. Duffy says he'll do my first fill. I'm hoping to continue my weight loss until then - I'm feeling less restriction every day, and that kinda scares me. I have a goal to make 230 by January, and I'm not going to let my 'fat mind' get in the way!!! Nice to see my fellow Notorious Novembers checking in and doing well...let's keep up the success!:smile2:

'Morning Friends... Can I just say that Vicki (the beyotch) brings out the very WORST in my personality? I would definately be kicked off the show for threatening and then kicking the sh*t out of her...that whole stunt about her being afraid to drop into the water was such BS! One more time she has to be the focus of all the attention - and why did ED have to be the one to jump in and save her sorry butt? If I were Heba, I'd watch my back AND my man...I wouldn't put it past the beyotch to try and make trouble in their marriage. Good thing there's only a couple of weeks left... Renee and Michelle were absolutely hands down my favorites this season - along with Colleen. No one else really captured my imagination or my heart like those ladies. Renee looked totally AWESOME in her 'after the show' moment, and I hope she wins the 100K prize. Now Michelle's got Jillian all to herself (Saints preserve her) and will have very few distractions to keep her from pulling an Ali and winning it all. I just don't see Heba or Ed doing it, and I pray that the twerp doesn't do it either. If I have to see her cankles one more time, I think I'll throw up. Can't wait for next week and then the big finale...I really was disappointed in this season overall - too much game play, not enough good hard work. I don't want to be like most of the people on the show - with the exceptions I've mentioned above.

PJTP...2 weeks banded and loving it! Head hunger sucks, but I'm working my way through it. Nice to "see" everyone again - I missed y'all! Had a LOT of reading to do to catch up...healing nicely, though sneezing still hurts like a b*tch! Going for my first post-op appointment in a few minutes...will post soon with results. Happy to be down a total of 24 lbs since I started the journey (self-imposed pre-op diet). Looking forward to a MUCH healthier 2009...:biggrin:

Monday was my two-week anniversary of being banded...I go for my first post-op appointment today. :glare: The banding experience was a good one - I arrived at the hospital a little early to ensure I wouldn't mess up the schedule. My check-in time was 9 am. I checked in and was sent up to the post-surgery floor shortly thereafter. I changed clothes and talked with the hospital staff. The nurse who took my info was the same one I saw when I had my pre-surgery blood work done - nice to see a friendly face. :car: I watched TV for a short while and reflected on that day being my last one as an 'obese' woman...though I know the weight will not magically disappear, I know that after surgery I will be on the road to a healthier me. I was (surprisingly) a little teary - I didn't expect that at all! My hubby was on the midnight shift and we live an hour away from the hospital, so I drove myself there and parking in valet parking. Hubby planned to take the train into New Haven the next morning to get me, and then a taxi or shuttle to the hospital. Once my transport arrived, things went fast. The orderly (cutie pie with shoulder length dreadlocks) :wub: and I joked about trying to get tickets to the Obama inauguration and our lack of dollars to do so. I arrived at the surgery floor and met the OR nurses and the anesthesiologist who would be with me during the operation. My surgeon also checked in with me and everyone was all smiles and confident - they really eased any leftover nervousness I had. Surgery was at 10 am and when I woke up I was in recovery. That was around 12 noon. I had a coughing fit shortly thereafter :eek: - felt like I was coughing for 5 minutes, though I'm sure it wasn't that long. I am glad the anesthesia hadn't worn off yet! :eek: It took a few hours to find me a bed - I guess they were quite busy that week, and I slept off and on while waiting. They found me a bed and moved me there. I was able to move myself from the gurney to my hospital bed and proceeded to sleep the rest of the day away. Apart from the occasional visit to draw blood or check on me, the staff left me in peace. I got up at 4 am to walk - I had slept so much that I couldn't sleep for a few minutes, but by the time I did two laps around the floor, I was ready to go back to bed. I think I used the morphine pump a few times, but not often - it made me really sleepy. The next morning, I felt pretty good. I hadn't urinated yet, so they were a bit concerned, but after they gave me some water, things started moving again. I guess I was a bit dehydrated - though with the IV, I'm not sure how THAT could have been true! I was scheduled for the 'swallow test' that morning, so I couldn't have anything to eat until after that. I was ready when they came to get me - got up out of bed with no trouble and walked to the gurney. Down to the radiology suite I went, and the XRay tech was terrific. The stuff they gave me to swallow was pretty bad-tasting (the brown stuff) but that was followed by white liquid that tasted like a vanilla milkshake - not bad at all. All was well with the band, and I was returned to my room. I got to "order" breakfast, and settled on broth, tea and jello. They weren't sure about the jello, but it went down very easy. The broth tasted very good as well. :huh2: Shortly thereafter, my hubby arrived, I checked out and went home. I slept most of the drive, and had already filled my post-op pain medicine prescription, so I was ready. Felt a bit weak (no food, I think) and slept a lot the first couple of days. I did get up and walk each day (slowly at first) and by day 4 was back out walking the dog with my family, though someone else had to hold his leash (he pulls a bit). My incisions are healing well, and I have very little discomfort. :thumbup: It's a bit odd to feel the port, but not painful. The first couple of days at home I noticed the 'head hunger' and wanted to eat EVERYTHING! :confused: The stories about restriction and pb'ing (Projectile Burping) on the site helped keep me honest. I followed the 'don't lift anything over 10 pounds' rule and was glad I did! Picking up anything even remotely heavy was uncomfortable. :eek: I continue to walk every morning - at least a mile with my family as we walk the dog. I also walk during my lunchtime at work and went back to the gym last night for the first time. I did 35 minutes on the treadmill, but won't do any weights until I'm cleared by my surgeon. I've got my first post-op check-in with the doctor's today, so I'll post again afterwards. I've been eating well - strictly liquids the first week, a bit of thin cereal the second week, and lots of sf Jello, popsicles (for when I want to chew something) and pudding (thin). Broth and clear soup are good too. Hope all those who are recently banded or scheduled have an easy recovery like I did - no gas pains in my shoulders, no difficulty with anything, really. :party: I'm down 14 pounds since surgery, a total of 24 since starting the pre-op diet, and really enjoying being banded.:wub:

Monday was my two-week anniversary of being banded...I go for my first post-op appointment today. :biggrin: The banding experience was a good one - I arrived at the hospital a little early to ensure I wouldn't mess up the schedule. My check-in time was 9 am. I checked in and was sent up to the post-surgery floor shortly thereafter. I changed clothes and talked with the hospital staff. The nurse who took my info was the same one I saw when I had my pre-surgery blood work done - nice to see a friendly face. :car: I watched TV for a short while and reflected on that day being my last one as an 'obese' woman...though I know the weight will not magically disappear, I know that after surgery I will be on the road to a healthier me. I was (surprisingly) a little teary - I didn't expect that at all! My hubby was on the midnight shift and we live an hour away from the hospital, so I drove myself there and parking in valet parking. Hubby planned to take the train into New Haven the next morning to get me, and then a taxi or shuttle to the hospital. Once my transport arrived, things went fast. The orderly (cutie pie with shoulder length dreadlocks) :wub: and I joked about trying to get tickets to the Obama inauguration and our lack of dollars to do so. I arrived at the surgery floor and met the OR nurses and the anesthesiologist who would be with me during the operation. My surgeon also checked in with me and everyone was all smiles and confident - they really eased any leftover nervousness I had. Surgery was at 10 am and when I woke up I was in recovery. That was around 12 noon. I had a coughing fit shortly thereafter :eek: - felt like I was coughing for 5 minutes, though I'm sure it wasn't that long. I am glad the anesthesia hadn't worn off yet! :eek: It took a few hours to find me a bed - I guess they were quite busy that week, and I slept off and on while waiting. They found me a bed and moved me there. I was able to move myself from the gurney to my hospital bed and proceeded to sleep the rest of the day away. Apart from the occasional visit to draw blood or check on me, the staff left me in peace. I got up at 4 am to walk - I had slept so much that I couldn't sleep for a few minutes, but by the time I did two laps around the floor, I was ready to go back to bed. I think I used the morphine pump a few times, but not often - it made me really sleepy. The next morning, I felt pretty good. I hadn't urinated yet, so they were a bit concerned, but after they gave me some water, things started moving again. I guess I was a bit dehydrated - though with the IV, I'm not sure how THAT could have been true! I was scheduled for the 'swallow test' that morning, so I couldn't have anything to eat until after that. I was ready when they came to get me - got up out of bed with no trouble and walked to the gurney. Down to the radiology suite I went, and the XRay tech was terrific. The stuff they gave me to swallow was pretty bad-tasting (the brown stuff) but that was followed by white liquid that tasted like a vanilla milkshake - not bad at all. All was well with the band, and I was returned to my room. I got to "order" breakfast, and settled on broth, tea and jello. They weren't sure about the jello, but it went down very easy. The broth tasted very good as well. :scared2: Shortly thereafter, my hubby arrived, I checked out and went home. I slept most of the drive, and had already filled my post-op pain medicine prescription, so I was ready. Felt a bit weak (no food, I think) and slept a lot the first couple of days. I did get up and walk each day (slowly at first) and by day 4 was back out walking the dog with my family, though someone else had to hold his leash (he pulls a bit). My incisions are healing well, and I have very little discomfort. :thumbup: It's a bit odd to feel the port, but not painful. The first couple of days at home I noticed the 'head hunger' and wanted to eat EVERYTHING! :biggrin3: The stories about restriction and pb'ing (Projectile Burping) on the site helped keep me honest. I followed the 'don't lift anything over 10 pounds' rule and was glad I did! Picking up anything even remotely heavy was uncomfortable. :eek: I continue to walk every morning - at least a mile with my family as we walk the dog. I also walk during my lunchtime at work and went back to the gym last night for the first time. I did 35 minutes on the treadmill, but won't do any weights until I'm cleared by my surgeon. I've got my first post-op check-in with the doctor's today, so I'll post again afterwards. I've been eating well - strictly liquids the first week, a bit of thin cereal the second week, and lots of sf Jello, popsicles (for when I want to chew something) and pudding (thin). Broth and clear soup are good too. Hope all those who are recently banded or scheduled have an easy recovery like I did - no gas pains in my shoulders, no difficulty with anything, really. :party: I'm down 14 pounds since surgery, a total of 24 since starting the pre-op diet, and really enjoying being banded.:wub:

Hi all, Froggi - hope you had a very easy surgery and are recovering perfectly!:tt1: Please update my current weight when you get a chance to 241 - I'm now down a total of 24 pounds, 14 since surgery! :):biggrin:

Hey CT Banders! Sil - congrats on your date - you're going to do SO well! Heather - I'm just getting to mushies...doing well so far, but it's only been two days :biggrin: I'm finding that 'more liquid' is better than 'more solid' so far. Had chicken risotto Soup yesterday and with the mushy veggies and soft Pasta, had no trouble whatsoever. Allie and Sharona - I hope to duplicate your results! I'd love to be down 45 lbs by my birthday in February, though I'm not going to destroy myself by pushing it too hard. My current goal is to make 230 by Jan 1st. First post-op appointment this morning, band support group tomorrow night. I'm loving my new banded life so far...making better choices with food, fighting the head hunger a bit (that's the hardest part) and people have already started to notice the weight loss! Had a NSV (non-scale victory) over the weekend - bent down to tie my gymshoes before walking the DDog, and realized my tummy wasn't in the way any more! It's definately not FLAT yet, but it's going down, and I'm so excited!

Hey Ladies, Can't remember if I posted this already (pre-menopausal brain fart) so here goes (again)... Surgery was Nov 17th - great experience! Was the 2nd surgery of the day - went into the OR at 10 am, woke up at 12 noon after surgery and was feeling pretty good. Had a coughing fit shortly thereafter, and I was glad that the anesthesia hadn't worn off yet! Didn't feel a lot after that - slept a lot in recovery, and it took them some time to find me a bed. Once in my room, I slept off and on (lots of tests, blood draws, etc) and got up at 4 am to walk. The next morning, was subjected to the "parade of professionals" :tt1:...all my doctors came to check on me, plus a few residents and some med students. I don't mind too much...they've gotta learn somehow! Out of the hospital by 1 pm that next day - the "swallow test" that morning was totally gross,:biggrin: but it showed that my band was placed correctly and all was well. Minimal pain in my incisions, mostly the port site. I took the liquid painkiller a few nights to help me sleep (I tend to sleep on my side, which was a little uncomfortable) and was following the 'eating rules' regarding liquids. The first week was a lot of sleeping and relaxing. I noticed the 'head hunger' almost immediately - I wanted to eat EVERYTHING!:eek: I think it was a sense of 'loss', knowing that I wouldn't be able to eat like I used to. That love affair with food is a dangerous and persistent thing! Now I'm two weeks out, and feeling fine. Back to work and was very tired at the end of the day yesterday, but still good. For those full-busted among us, my surgeon placed my scars in such a way that the first couple of days they were a bit sore, but I'm back in my regular bras now (even underwires) and not feeling too uncomfortable. A little sensitivity, but that's all. The port feels a bit weird - not used to having something there - but not painful. I'm now down approximately 14 pounds since surgery, 24 total. My clothes are fitting looser already, and I've 'donated' all my "fat" clothes to the local Goodwill. I'm thrilled to be on this journey - still working through the 'head hunger' but the restriction helps keep me focused. I can't eat nearly what I could before surgery (and that's a very good thing) and I'm satisfied with different things now. I am making good, healthy choices with my food (except for certain 'trigger' foods like Goldfish crackers) and haven't pb'ed or anything. PB - Projectile Burp - a bad side effect of eating the wrong foods :eek: Have my first post-op appointment today - glad to be eating mushies. Cream of Wheat cereal (lovely in the morning), yogurt, and lots of soup. I love soup, so that's not a hardship... Will keep checking in - congrats to all the Notorious Novembers and those waiting to be banded and become Darling Decembers!:tt1:

Hey Warriors, I'm back in! I'm back at work after 2 weeks recovering from band surgery, and I'm down 24 lbs (14 post-band as of this morning). I've got a goal - I want to hit 230 lbs by January 1st. That's 11 from where I am right now, and since I'll be on mushies for 2 weeks, I think I can make it. Walked with DH and DDog this morning (usual 1 mile), plus walked at work. Going to the gym tonight and will walk on the treadmill. First post-op appointment tomorrow morning with surgeon, so I'll know what I can do from that point. I know walking is good for me, but I REALLY miss the Iron... :thumbup: Hoping to get the clearance to get back to lifting...designing a new free weight routine to hit my trouble spots and help me build muscle while I'm losing fat. My ultimate goal is not only to hit my goal weight, but NOT to need plastic surgery. Maybe that's a little ambitious, since I'm looking to lose more than 100 pounds, but I'm gonna have a great time trying! Nice to be back in an Exercise Challenge thread!

Princess - my doctor didn't mention me holding off, so as soon as I felt good enough, I invited DH back into my embrace, so to speak. We did modify our position and took it easy because I wasn't sure how I would respond. So far, side-by-side is working well. I'm afraid to try man-on-top because he's a big guy, and woman-on-top could be sensitive because he likes to grab my torso - if he hits the wrong spot, I might go through the roof,:cool2: so for now, it's strictly side-by-side... Just be careful, girlfriend - you don't want to have the port flip or you end up needing a second surgery to put it back in place!:thumbup:

I know I'm late, but... I use both - HAVE TO!:cool2: When I first started, I could use either - I was a "regular" girl, 7 day cycle, no really heavy days. After my first child, I went to having 2 - 3 heavy days at the beginning, then tapering off. I used both on heavy days, light pads on the rest of the days. Since I turned 40, fibroid tumors have made multiple pads a necessity - my mom and my sister had them, so I kinda knew I was going the same route. First couple of days, I have to wear double pads and a tampon - and even then I have to be careful!:smile2: After the first 3 days, I can back off the second pad, and a couple days after that, I can back off the tampon and go with just a pad. I'm actually looking FORWARD to menopause because then it will finally be OVER!:cool2:

Hi all you Dedicated Exercising Warriors, I missed y'all so I had to come in and post...:cool2: It's been a while since I posted - things got crazy at work and I couldn't make it to the gym for a while, but continued my daily walks. DDog doesn't care WHAT my schedule is, and that's a good thing... Actually didn't walk on surgery day, but did get up at 4 am after and walk around the floor at the hospital - couple more banded insomniacs up to walk with - was kinda nice. Been home almost a week - walked every morning, though DD handles the dog - he pulls on the leash a bit, and that was just too uncomfortable on my incisions. Missed y'all - gonna continue to walk and wait for the okay to get back into the gym. Post-op appt with doctor on Dec 2nd, but back to work on Dec 1st. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!:smile2:

I wanna jump in too!:smile2: My Stats: Surgery date 11/17/08 Highest Weight 265 Preop diet starting weight 260 Surgery weight (Your weight the day of surgery) 255 Current weight 246 Goal weight 155 Thanks, Froggi for doing all of this!:cool2:

Hey Everyone!:smile2: I'm doing very well - 5 days out and feelin' fine! Very little pain during the day, still taking a little pain med at night to help me sleep (I tend to toss and turn a bit). Eating liquids and doing well on those - LOVE SF popsicles! My DD has become a Jello Mistress - she makes it for me nearly every day (the whole family loves it) and is a big help. My DH is wonderful as well - I could be on total bed rest if I chose to, but he's encouraging me to get up and get around when I feel like it. Still a little sore around the incisions, a little around the port, but no big deal. I'm losing already - I didn't really expect to, but I'm down a few since being banded. I'm trying not to obsess about the scale...:cool2: Glad I took 2 weeks off from work - sitting upright is putting a little more stress on the incisions than I thought it would, though if I had to go back on Monday (1 week) I could. Loving the banded life - the head hunger is the worst part...I am satisfied with SO MUCH LESS food right now than ever before in my adult life. Surgery was a breeze - had a coughing fit right after in recovery, but no biggie. I got up and walked the first night, dozed off and on most of the day, went home the afternoon after surgery. Feeling strong and good. Doctors eliminated two of my diabetes meds, took me down to 1 for diabetes and 1 for my blood pressure. I'm psyched about that! Loving the banded life!:cool2:

Hey all, I am on liquids for two weeks (banded Nov 17th) then mushies for two weeks, then slow transition to solid food. I'm just at the end of my first week of liquids and doing okay. The head hunger is what I'm fighting...I want a cheeseburger so bad I can practically taste it, but the stories I've read about pb'ing have kept me sane. Found out I really LIKE chicken broth - it's wonderful on a cold afternoon:wub: Hang in there!:smile2:

Hey Sistas, Had to check in and thank you all for your good wishes and prayers...they work! I am 5 days out from surgery and doing very well. I'm drinking my liquids / Protein and feeling good. I've taken at least a 1 mile walk each day, and feeling stronger each day. I'm no longer taking any Tylenol or aspirin during the day, but I do still use a painkiller at night - I tend to sleep on my side, and that's still a little uncomfortable. I've lost about 10 lbs so far since the surgery, and not feeling 'true' hunger at all. The head hunger is a totally different story...I think it's because I would normally be eating SO MUCH that my head thinks I'm starving. I LOVE the Isopure protein - it's a clear liquid, and has 40+ gms of protein per bottle. Of course, it took me 3 days to go through a bottle (following doc's orders not to eat too much) but since it's a little on the pricey side, I don't mind too much. I'm having NO trouble with my incisions - one of the smaller ones seems to have "opened", but it looks like a paper cut, so I'm not too worried. The one covering my port was hard to find at first - they are not puffy or anything, but a gentle touch around it let me know where the port was. My DH says I'm a little bruised around that area, so that confirmed it. I'm doing great and wouldn't go back for anything in the world. Gotta update my ticker - wishing you all the absolute best!!:smile2:

Good morning Notorious Novembers! First time I've been able to check in since surgery...I was banded on Monday, Nov 17th. Had a good experience - I'll post more details shortly. Surgery went fine - I think my pre-op diet really helped. I was in and out in less than 2 hours. Very small incisions, very little discomfort after the surgery. I was on a morphine drip, and after about 6 hours, I didn't need it any more. I used it the first night, but not much at all after that. I came home on Tuesday afternoon, and other than a little pain, I'm doing fine. Got up with DD and walked DDog the past three mornings (hubby working midnights) for about a mile each time. Feeling good, and glad to be officially in bandland!

Donna - you're right, it is a LOT to ask (or suggest) someone do...I think Diva's up to it though, based on her posts I've seen here... I know the pain of being talked about behind my back... it's not something I'd wish on my worst enemy, and something I hope to avoid when I can. If I can encourage even one someone to SAY SOMETHING to the person being dissed, and they can make a change that helps their health or their self-esteem, then I guess it's okay. :tongue2: That said, if Diva doesn't feel comfortable doing this, no pressure here...I completely understand!:tt2:

Sandy - that's awesome! 46 lbs already...you are doing so well! How much of that was pre-op? I'd love to match your numbers in MY first month...I've lost a few before surgery, but am looking forward to big losses after. I'll remember the Gas-x strips - thanks for the tip! I love to walk, so it's going to be fun getting around the Nurses' station...:tongue2:

LilMissDiva - that is a hard situation...several years ago, I had the same problem. Well, actually more than 10 years ago. My breath was awful...and I couldn't smell it! It took a really good work acquaintance to tell me about it, and yes, my feelings were hurt, but I'm really glad she told me rather than just talk about me behind my back. It ended up with me going to the dentist and finding out I had some really troubled teeth. That eventually led to me finding out I was a type II diabetic. My dentist said "Your teeth wouldn't be that bad if you never brushed them for 5 years - there is something systemic going on"...I thank GOD someone said something, because if I had gone undiagnosed, there were all sorts of bad things that could have happened. As long as it's done with a reasonable amount of sensitivity - if you know this person fairly well, you could ask them if their health is okay...that might get them talking, and if they ask you why, say that it's been talked about in the office (because I'm sure it has) and you're concerned for them (which is the truth). Rehearse the conversation in your head and if it sounds "soft" enough, you might want to soften it a bit further to be sure. It won't be an easy conversation, but it must be had. There may be something serious health-wise going on, and knowing that other people have noticed might be the push your co-worker needs to DO something about it. Good luck!:tongue2:

AthinnerDenise - that's my fear with getting involved with a threesome. My DH has said he'd like to see me with a bi / lesbian female, but if she's also into guys, I think I'd be horribly jealous and wouldn't enjoy myself. With another guy involved, I'd be worried about DH seeing me enjoying myself with another guy, and would he get jealous? He's not suggested THAT, by the way...:tongue2: I know a lot of the way I'm feeling has to do with my own self-esteem and more than a little insecurity. Some days are better than others...I'm hoping some of this will be resolved once I'm banded and get smaller. A lot of it is tied up in my visual and my health...

Congrats, Ronda - let us know how you're doing when you're able... Countdown to banding - now just 2 days! (I don't count today) I'm really excited and going to do my final shopping this weekend so I'll have everything I need...:tongue2: To everyone on a pre-op diet - hang in there! To all who sent me good wishes and prayers, thank you! I don't usually check in on the weekends, so the next time you hear from me, I'll be banded!:tt2::w00t::w00t:

PJTP...I'm only TWO days away from being banded! :w00t::tongue2::tt2::w00t: I'm going to do the last of my pre-op shopping today and tomorrow (if I can't find some things). I'm all cleaned up at work, have told everyone I'll be out for a week due to abdominal surgery (I had already arranged to take vacation on Thanksgiving week) and I can't wait! Had my Protein shake this morning (chocolate with Peanut Butter - YUM!) and will have a whole food lunch, then a shake for dinner...don't want to gain any weight pre-surgery. Thanks to everyone here for making me laugh, for helping me keep my head on straight, and for the occasional WTF? moment Will try to check in on the weekend - though I usually don't because they are so busy - but will definately check in when I get home on Tuesday afternoon. DH is working midnights, so he'll come and get me on Tuesday after he gets off work (and after he's had a nap...he's a real crank when he's sleepy, and it's a 1 hour drive to New Haven from my home). I'm going to drive to New Haven and leave my car in secured parking, then he will take the train and pick the car up, then pick me up. I'm soon to be banded!!!!

Hello Evahbody!:thumbdown: I'm in such a good mood...not even a minor mess-up with my insurance is gonna get me down! My employer (Yale U) covers the lap band surgery 100%, but I also have secondary coverage through BC/BS with my hubby for local stuff like prescriptions. Today, the surgeon's office called to say that BC/BS was listed as the primary, and the dumb folk at the hospital called them to get an authorization for the surgery! Of course BC/BS said "what the heck?" and then they were all a-tizzy. The surgeon's office is great - they just called me and told me to tell BC/BS that Yale is my primary, and away we go...simple process! A 5 minute phone call, and I'm all set...I know this is just pre-op nonsense, and I'm not letting it get me down. I'm flying so high right now - I've only got three more days to wait and I'll be banded!:w00t: Congrats to all the new forum visitors / members / posters...hang in there with the pre-op diet - it's definately worth it to make things easier for your surgeon!:w00t: I'll keep checking in, and you'll definately hear from me when I get home on Tuesday afternoon...as a banded woman!