Shell88

I'm hoping I get some sort of desire for sex back.... 3 weeks until surgery and I've had sex maybe twice in the past 3 weeks.....

I know for myself, surgery will::: 1. Create less back pain and make it easier to bend and lift my daughter. 2. Take so much pressure off of my knees and help me prevent any further dislocations 3. Allow me to stand at work for the 8hrs a day without my feet hurting so much under the heaviness. 4. Let me walk up a flight or 2 of stairs and not be out of breath at the end. 5. Take away my issues breathing and sleep apnea. 6. Make it easier to run after an almost 2 year old 7. Cause less problems trying to give my daughter a bath and getting myself up and down from kneeling next to the bath tub 8. Give me the chance to go on theme park rides with my baby and not worry about not fitting on the ride and being asked to get off. 9. Bring back my confidence in wearing a bathing suit when my daughter wants to go in the sprinklers or pool and not make me feel super self conscience. 10. Force me to NOT identify with my weight. I will not always be heavy, big, fat..... I am me, and the weight doesn't own me. I am not my weight and the weight will go away!

So here I am, laid up until surgery due to complications my weight has caused on my body.... and all I can think about is what will come easier post-surgery? How much will this surgery REALLY help me? I can't wait for the extra pounds to be less taxing on my health and my body and infringing on my life. So I ask you fellow WLS friends - what are you looking forward to most? What is your surgery going to do for you?

@@☠carolinagirl☠ I LOVE my blender bottles!! Thanks for the add-ons!

@@Leepers I might just do my pre-op preparations and a few days post-op.... I figure my tastes will change by then, not to mention I should be more mobile by then too

Thanks @@SuzeMuze and @@Elode !!! So helpful :-)

@@bobbyswife great minds think alike lol.... I'm in full gear right now.... 3 weeks and counting!!!!!!!

Hi everyone!!! So while I'm out of work until Dec 11th surgery, I have a lot of time to plan and get myself and hubby prepared for post surgery. One thing I'm getting ready for next week (Friday I start pre-op diet) is the shopping list! I'm trying to make sure I do not forget a single thing - so I need your help. What did you make sure you had for pre-op/post-op diets? What did you need definitely in the hospital that you couldn't do without for the 2 days?

I asked the nutritionist yesterday if she knew my dr's position on the drain, and she looked shocked. Told me there should be no drain and to just listen to the nurses and move asap so they don't have to use cuffs or stockings

I'm at 27 days and counting @@sportygurl107 lol

@@sportygurl107 I'm actually going to st barnabas for mine on Dec 11th... insurance didn't cover any of the ones by us :-

@@DoggieMama - things doctors don't tell you from day 1 lol

@@tfarr This whole journey I've thought about how this will benefit my daughter and how I'm doing this for her. Never once did I think about being mortal. It's tough when the thought gets brought up and you realize that you feel conflicted - you are doing it to be with them longer, but what happens if it does the complete opposite? After reading your post, I definitely will be sitting down the day before surgery, and write my little girl a letter. I need her to know what I am doing for her and know that in no way was it out of vanity, but love. God forbid it backfires, she has this. If it doesn't? The she will know the hardwork her mommy put in for her. Your story reminded me of a conversation I had with my coworker a few weeks ago. My daughter lives with my parents currently and I am in the process of moving to a new place for enough room when she comes back to live with me. My coworker asked me if I really wanted a two bedroom apartment even though my daughter wouldn't be there with me for an indefinite amount of time. She told me how devastating that will be. It wasn't something I ever thought of because I was more excited with prettying up her room and having somewhere for her to go when she visits. In the same way, my friend wasn't trying to make me think of the worst, but look out for my emotions because it's how SHE would feel. In that way, your friend wanted you to think of the risks because that's what she would do....

@@sportygurl107 hi!! you're over in my neck of the woods!!

@@Elode I'm sorry, I just got coffee all over my work computer screen from that first line! LOL @@Mel13 - I could not get you more right now...... I currently live with 3 people that only eat once a day and it's normally chips, yogurt raisins, or fried chicken. One of them is my fiance and I will be moving with him in a few days to our own place - only for him to complain that he wants bread with his eggs and why can't he just have his bag of chips. I go to my parents' house 5x a week for my daughter to eat spaghetti with ALOT of grated cheese, and my dad to order pizza when he doesn't want to cook, and my mom offer me chicken nuggets instead cause she "knows I'm off bread". I could not understand the difficulty any more at this point lol. But as I keep getting told by every one of them - they want to support me...... but they already put their foot down with changing everything for me. Which is fine - it's more self control needed on my part. You've got this! Just ignore them lol

Hey @@Courtneyxo17 ... my biggest piece of advice to you is research, research, research. I went into the info session thinking I wanted the lap band and came out completely discouraged from it and deciding to do the sleeve. My surgery is Dec 11th and I'm super excited! Review this site as much as you possibly can. I spend boring nights and mornings at work surfing the pages, especially the recipes I have received more information from this site and the awesome people on here than from any of the medical sites or even my doctor. It is beyond helpful and everyone here is like a huge family - extremely supportive, loving and encouraging.... but along with that comes the brutal honesty. At first I was upset with how blunt some people got, but then I realized - they are only looking out for you. They don't want you to not have the same information they have or make the same mistakes they did. If you have ANY questions, post them! Start a new thread or put up a status.... it's how I've gotten through some rough Patches this journey, and how I have connected with some great people on here. It's such an exciting journey - I wish you all the best and hope you get the surgery you are hoping for <3

@@Dianne A keep me updated.... good luck tomorrow!

Hey 26 year old with a beautiful 1 1/2 yr old in North NJ here. Getting my surgery Dec 11th.

Well... these are now questions for my final meet with him before the surgery..... I don't do the whole panty hose thing outside of surgery, let alone wanting to wear them right after lol @@pinkbunies

@@DoggieMama I'm at work, and I literally laughed out loud when I read not to punch the nurse in the throat...

OK.... lets compare this to child birth and pulling out the placenta.... anything similar? lol

Thanks ladies... jsut one of those too much stress days, if ya know what I mean hahaha

OH......my...... goodness.....

Oh yay! Can't wait for this one.... lol

I am exactly one month to the day away from my Gastric sleeve surgery. This Thursday I finish my pre-surgery testing including the full bloodwork, venous doppler scan, and my last appt with my nutritionist. Friday is my clearance appt with my general Dr. But now that I'm nearing the end of this initial journey toward surgery - when does the stress become too much to handle? Friday, Saturday and Sunday (following my clearance), I will be moving into my new apartment. That, on top of this crazy/stupid full time job I have (crazy doesn't even begin to describe it.... a hotel with hookers, drunken idiots for 4 days, and a schizo welfare woman who thinks every black male who works in the hotel is out to get her, is just the icing on the cake), my daughter in foster care with my parents (so my direct support and encouragement is a step back because of the situation), constant drs and court dates and visitation days, and whatever else has to be done in preparation for my surgery and time out of work..... I'm just feeling massive amounts of stress. At a few points during the journey, I questioned if it was all worth it. Is it worth the time and effort? Will it be worth feeling crummy for a few weeks? Will it be worth not being able to hold and carry and change my daughter for a few weeks? Will it be worth the time from work? Is there not ENOUGH going on that I needed yet another major event in my life right now? Then I remember the pain in my feet from working at a hotel for 4 days straight. And then the throbbing in my back from holding my 27 lb beauty. And then the rough sleep from not being able to breathe at night, or the difficulty of carrying a box up 2 flights of stairs and feeling light headed when I get there. The memory of Dorney Park with my daughter over the summer still burns - being told my the ride attendant that I can't stay on the teacups with my 1 1/2 year old if I can't get the stupid seat belt on. And then I kneel down at night to give her a bath, and I get shooting pain in both of my knees from all of the weight..... So is it worth it? I think so. I think if I was able to maneuver the other things in life a little better, I wouldn't find this time to be so rough. I think if I could figure out how to even out all the other random difficult things, this event and journey wouldn't be as difficult. It actually is the only thing that is a piece of cake (absolutely no puns intended on that one) out of all the insanity that rules my life. And it's for her. And it's for me. When will doing something for me and something that will make me happy in the long run be my main goal? This is my time. This is my time to shine and make things a little easier. Just need to get past all the fluff.