blondiebabs

Since I'm just starting, your story is definately encouraging! Thanks for sharing. =D

Awesome! I love all the updates and I'm so glad you are doing so well!

@@Mayshula Thanks a bunch!! =D

@@Crosby yay for noobs! =D I have Aetna as well, I have the State of Florida employees version, two of my coworkers are going through this as well, one of them is getting her surgery in 2 weeks and she had to have a 6 month diet, and my other coworker is about 3 weeks ahead of me in the process and already has had her seminar and she only got a 3 month diet and it was because she had more medical necessity. Here's to hoping for the 3 month diet. haha =)

@@JeanZ_RN that is a good idea about the caregivers. I may look into that at least for a ride home if I'm unable to nail down a friend or something. I'm one of those people that hates to be a burdon to others, so that is more up my alley. haha =) @@Bufflehead that is great that you were able to recover alone so smoothly. I feel so much better after hearing everyone elses stories. I've had 2 heart surgeries and after those I needed a bit of help, so I think that is where my anxieties were stemming from. I wish I could let my dog walk off leash, my apartment complex has a strict leash rule. It is great yours can feel like a "normal" dog, as my coworker says when she walks her dog off leash. haha

I do not know the answers to your questions, however congrats on quitting smoking! I know from experience it is an intense battle. Kudos!

Yum! I love green smoothies, I like to take a handful of spinach, a date or two, various fruit and chia and throw them in the vitamix.

Just getting started, I go for a seminar next Friday 6/13 and will find out if I have a 3 or 6 month diet, and set my first surgeon visit then as well. =D

If you like tangy, you can make vinegar dipping sauces by experimenting with different herbs and spices, let the vinegar/herbs/spices sit in a covered bowl at least overnight and it's actually good, I do this for salads. Same thing with plain greek yogurt.

This thread cracked me up so much I had to show it to my coworker who is also on the same journey (sleeve journey, not swallow journey) =)

Amazing! Way to go! =D

I could fill a silo with all the straws: *Constant back pain from scoliosis *Constant unsolicited weight loss advice from strangers *Knees and ankles twisting and spraining easily *Living in a major university town with lots of young fit people making rude remarks about my weight like I do not have feelings *Too many prescriptions *Feeling like the bones in my feet are going to break when I first step on them in the morning *My car door squeezing me in my seat snuggly when I close it *Heart issues *Asthma meds having to be increased *People staring at me when I try to squeeze around something *Trying to squeeze past people and either my belly or butt invading their space *Getting paint all over my toes when I try to just pain the nails *Having to push the table towards my friends when they insist upon sitting in a booth *My x's daughter seeing my hips/butt hanging over the edges of a chair and saying "daaang I thought these chairs were big enough to fit everybody" *Work ordering me a special chair for plus sized people because it was "more durable", I did not break the first one, I asked for a chair with better back support and they ordered me a chair with a seat twice as wide as the normal chairs instead. Granted it is more comfortable, but it was a bit humiliating when one of my coworkers saw it and said "whoa wide load!" *Coworker asking me if I was dating anyone and I said no and she responded "you will find a man when you get healthy" I could write a list forever, but it comes down to my health, I am worried about my future health if I do not get help. Obesity runs in my family, they all fight it, I have fought it for years and as hard as I fight it it seems to fight back 10x harder. Looking forward to a happier and healthier life!

Thanks @@ges12877! =) I will definately be looking for a ride to the hospital and home. Hopefully by the time it actually happens I'll have met some more people in my local area who are going through it, that's great you found someone so close. Two of my coworkers are actually going through this as well as well so I do have a bit of a support system between the 3 of us. =)

Hello!! I am going to North Florida Regional Medical Center for my seminar next Friday 3/16, and that is when they are going to ask me to chose my surgeon. A lot of people seem to recommend Dr. Timothy Hipp and he has been my first choice. However, I see they have a new surgeon as well, Dr. Geoffrey Roelant from Ohio State University Medical Center. Does anyone here have any experience with Dr. Roelant?

Awesome =D

Best wishes!! I'll be sending you thoughts of a speedy and awesome recovery.

@@Kindle sounds like you had a full plate!! Thanks for the encouragement. =)

@@Forsythia thanks, I will have to look into that, I used to live in Sacramento, CA and you could have a lot delivered there too, but here you don't have quite as many luxuries. hehe I do have Amazon Prime though, so if all else fails I can have non fresh items pretty quick. =D

@@marfar7 you are hilarious! I guess I better invest into one of those lobster claw grabber things, I can't be having a panty crisis!

Amazing, congrats!

LOL @@Roo101769 TGIF for sure! I'm determined to do what it takes, and everyone's comments have definately helped my anxiety about it. I kept thinking I know other people have done this alone, I'm not reinventing the wheel here.

@@BeagleLover unfortunately I do not have a yard, I live in an apartment, but luckily I do have a patio and can just hook him to a lead right next to the door so he can go potty if all else fails. I will definately be looking into some local walkers. Good idea about the faucet. Thanks for all the tips and advice! @@Ginger Snaps lol @ the son comment! =) Luckily my dog isn't a jumper, however I won't ever know when he will see a varmit or one of his girlfriends, those are the only times he gets super excited, he doesn't pull super hard when he does pull but I'm thinking more and more a dog walker for a few days would be a good idea. =)

Oh my gosh @@dariablah, that is rough. I'm sorry that happened, but I'm glad the physical part wasn't too bad. I hope you are doing better emotionally now. I know those things can take the longest to heal from.

Thank you ladies! That is very helpful. That is the main thing I've kind of had some anxiety about, not knowing how hard it is to get around and do stuff. =) Lucky I live in a 1 story building, have a dog park about 30 ft or so away from me, and my dog is old and slow enough that he doesn't typically pull. I really appreciate the great tips too =D

Hello! I tried to search and find if this subject had been addressed in the past and was unable to find anything. I'm in the beginning stages of this process, I go next Friday 6/13 for my initial seminar and will set the first appointment with the surgeon then. I do not have any family in the state where I live, and I don't have a whole lot of local friends that do not have their own family obligations. I'm curious how difficult others found it coming home from the hospital after their surgery and not having any help around the house?? I have seen lots of youtube videos where people talk about having their families help them, but no one really talks about dealing with it on their own. I have a large dog (gentle giant) that I will have to take out about 3 times a day, but besides that I wouldn't have any other things that I forsee going on. Thanks in advance for any feedback/advice.