bandpal

A Cast of Thousands Last night DW went to her EMT/ambulance driver course from 4:00 - 9:00pm. With my staples in and feeling lightheaded for most of the day, I wasn't up to riding herd on our two boys, "3-2B" and "lucky number seven", and our girl, "the feisty fiver". No worries - we farmed out "Lucky" and "Feisty" to friends from 16:00 to 18:00, and one of "3"'s day care aides volunteered to come over the house and keep him entertained. At 18:00 all boats came home to port, and then a friend came over and helped me through dinner, baths, pajamas, books and bed. Not half as bad as I had feared; I apologized to DW for kind of hinting to her that she should stay home, what with "me being only four days from an operation". Wanting to be treated special is definitely another binge trigger for me - something to be aware of and to work on. 35 Pinches Staples came out at the clinic: 35 little pinches, in and out of there in fifteen minutes. I kept the staples and the disposable scissors to show the kids, who were duly impressed. On the way out of the clinic, the head nurse, who has weight issues of her own, threw me a wink and said, sotto voce, "just remember, honey, they operated on your stomach, not your head". What great advice, exactly along my lines of thinking. There are lots of tough decisions to make in the future, new ways of thinking and acting to be developed. I'm just counting on the lap-band to level the playing field, and make it easier for me to make the right moves. Planning on Puree From tomorrow on, I'm on mushies: mostly dairy products, cooked vegetables and purees for a week. I lost 16 pounds on the liquid diet. Are the rest of you also moving on from liquids? What are you all eating out there? Rededicating the Temple In a few weeks, Jews will celebrate the holiday of Chanuka, in which the desecrated Temple in Jerusalem was cleansed and rededicated. Before I put that first forkful of pureed carrots in my mouth tomorrow morning, I want to rededicate my own temple, which has been renewed, and cleansed for a week now, after years and years of abuse. May I use it as it was intended: to provide me with strength, nourishment, health and pleasure; not as a black hole for fear, insecurity, anger and depression.

Lukin, I was just glad that the moment had finally come, and that finally I was going to do something new about this problem that I have wrestled with for nearly my entire life. It had been so long since I had such a feeling of hope... good luck with your surgery tomorrow.

Tlwempen, What's this about how "all the walking i been doing is in the house where it is warm!"?! Who took the kids to a parade right after surgery, huh? And who sat there watching everyone chow down on Taco Jons (what is a Taco Jon - no wait, I probably don't want to know that) and held strong? You sound like the meanest bandster from Manderson, WY! Hope the migraines and non hiccups are passing you by. I've felt light-headed too, I kinda put it down to not eating. All the best,

Ovahkummer, When you're ready, run for the train and we'll be there standing outside the caboose with our arms outstretched to pull you aboard. We shall indeed overcome!

That's my hope for us all!

Good Morning, Firebolt, good to hear from you, too! I hear you on the pang... this is going to be slow going, and not always easy. Good for DH for keeping you on the straight and narrow. Us DH's are pretty good guys, you know? That's great you are keeping up on the walking - a half an hour out under the sun today was quite enough for me, thank you. I've seen people where I live come back from hiatal hernia surgery, sounds like you are doing great. Have a great day,

Thanks, 4jin - I think control is never something I'm going to be able to count on, always something I'm going to have to assert. I'm hoping the band will reinforce that control, give me another reason to think twice and make better choices than I have in the past. Good luck with your upcoming appointments and meetings - keep us in the loop!

Thanks, Towens - I enjoy writing, but I'm not a writer. I'm a former teacher working in informal education, designing and implementing programs for an educational tourism seminar center. I think it's important to share about feelings - acting on them got us to where we are today. I hope the band just makes it hard for me to carry through on harmful thoughts and urges, gives me a little more time to make better decisions. Hope your comfort level is rising and the headaches are fading.

Cast Away at the Clinic Today I hit the streets for the first times since becoming a lapbander, traveling by bus to my local clinic for a post op appointment with my GP. Winters are mild by us (it was 68 and sunny this morning when I left the house) , but the wind comming up the valley can pack a punch. Nevertheless, I wore shorts and a thin sport shirt because this was my first chance to weigh in since the operation. Nice reception at the clinic both from the nurses and the scale: down to 124 Kilo from 130 pre-op. My appointment was delayed by a steady succession of snively young children in and out of the doctor's office; but when he saw me half an hour later, he was pleased, and set me an appointment to have my staples pulled on Tuesday. Back at the medical secretary's desk, I got the latest installment of one of the more amusing side-stories of my lapbanding. My insurance carrier was supposed to, upon approving the procedure, order and procure the lapband and ship it to my clinic, where I was supposed to sign for it and hand deliver it to the hospital. I had to sign a promissory note swearing to have the operation within a year and to pay for then lapband if it wasn't used for it's attended purpose (which begs the question: exactly what else can you use a lap-band for?). Since they only approved the surgery two days before the operation, the band did not arrive in time. "No biggie", said the good folk at my friendly little climic, "just go, ask to use one of theirs and tell them you'll give them yours". "Indeed a biggie", said the hospital people when I showed up bandless. In the end: another promissory note and some dramatics on my part solved everything. Now the band is on its way to my clinic; when it gets here I'll have it messengered up to the hospital. I bet I'm the only person whose ever been banded while their band is still in the mail! Anyway, because of the delay in my appointment, I missed the bus back and was stranded on the highway, shivering in the wind for 40 minutes until DW pulled up to rescue me. I must've looked pretty miserable, because when I woke up from my nap, there was a full pot of her homeade chicken Soup on the stove, and let me tell you, folks - they don't call it Jewish penicillin for nothin'! Sick with Worry? My three and seven year old boys are obviously so happy to have me at home that they have vowed not to let me out of their sights. My little guy came down with strep throat the night I came back from the hospital, and today "lucky number seven" tossed his Cookies at school and had to be airlifted home. sleep is somewhat irregular and I've had a headache or two, but besides that, we're good here - manageable pain, liquids going down OK (broth, oj, clear chicken soup, herbal tea, decaf coffee and H20). "Feelings, nothing more than feelings..." Today was the first day since the operation in which I experienced feelings which would've driven me to binge. Getting stuck out on the road and having two kids at home when I wanted to be relaxing at home by myself - that would 've caused me to beat a quick path to the refrigerator, for sure. I know that the lapband is not a magic pill and that I have to let it help me by not abusing food, which got me to where I was. I was struck by a quote I read here a few days ago: "I believe there are some people who are always destined to become obese, due to their personalities... you can see that people have allowed their obesity to occur because of the way they view things, life and their own behaviour." I believe this, and I know I have to be aware of my character flaws and act differently if I don't want to keep on doing the same things I've always done. What stands out today? Self pity. Sh-t happens, kids get sick, I signed on for all of this and more when I joyfully chose to become a parent, and , as DW said today, "we all share our lives with other people - what are you going to do?". That's all for now - good luck, everybody! __________________ - Bandpal 130/124/68

Cast Away at the Clinic Today I hit the streets for the first times since becoming a lapbander, traveling by bus to my local clinic for a post op appointment with my GP. Winters are mild by us (it was 68 and sunny this morning when I left the house) , but the wind comming up the valley can pack a punch. Nevertheless, I wore shorts and a thin sport shirt because this was my first chance to weigh in since the operation. Nice reception at the clinic both from the nurses and the scale: down to 124 Kilo from 130 pre-op. My appointment was delayed by a steady succession of snively young children in and out of the doctor's office; but when he saw me half an hour later, he was pleased, and set me an appointment to have my staples pulled on Tuesday. Back at the medical secretary's desk, I got the latest installment of one of the more amusing side-stories of my lapbanding. My insurance carrier was supposed to, upon approving the procedure, order and procure the lapband and ship it to my clinic, where I was supposed to sign for it and hand deliver it to the hospital. I had to sign a promissory note swearing to have the operation within a year and to pay for then lapband if it wasn't used for it's intended purpose (which begs the question: exactly what else can you use a lap-band for?). Since they only approved the surgery two days before the operation, the band did not arrive in time. "No biggie" , said the good folk at my friendly little climic, "just go, ask to use one of theirs and tell them you'll give them yours". "Indeed a biggie". said the hospital people when I showed up bandless. In the end: another promissory note and some dramatics on my part solved everything. Now the band is on its way to my clinic; when it gets here I'll have it messengered up to the hospital. I bet I'm the only person whose ever been banded while their band is still in the mail! Anyway, because of the delay in my appointment, I missed the bus back and was stranded on the highway, shivering in the wind for 40 minutes until DW pulled up to rescue me. I must've looked pretty miserable, because when I woke up from my nap, there was a full pot of her homeade chicken soup on the stove, and let me tell you, folks - they don't call it Jewish penicillin for nothin! Sick with Worry? My three and seven year old boys are obviously so happy to have me at home that they have vowed not to let me out of their sights. My little guy came down with strep throat the night I came back from the hospital, and today "lucky number seven" tossed his Cookies at school and had to be airlifted home. sleep is somewhat irregular and I've had a headache or two, but besides that, we're good here - manageable pain, liquids going down OK (broth, oj, clear chicken soup, herbal tea, decaf coffee and H20). Feelings, nothing more than feelings Today was the first day since the operation in which I experienced feelings which would've driven me to binge. Getting stuck out on the road and having two kids at home when I wanted to be relaxing at home by myself - that would 've caused me to beat a quick path to the refrigerator, for sure. I know that the lapband is not a magic pill and that I have to let it help me by not abusing food, which got me to where I was. I was struck by a quote I read here a few days ago: "I believe there are some people who are always destined to become obese, due to their personalities... you can see that people have allowed their obesity to occur because of the way they view things, life and their own behaviour". I believe this, and I know I have to be aware of my character flaws and act differently if I don't want to keep on doing the same things I've always done. What stands out today? Self pity. Sh-t happens: busses are missed. kids get sick, I signed on for all of this and more when I joyfully chose to become a parent, and , as DW said today, "we all share our lives with other people - what are you going to do?" That's all for now - good luck, everybody!

Good to hear from you, CanadianComfort, and welcome to MarilynC! For me, day III post-op nears an end: decaf coffee, hot and cold Water, chicken broth and fastidiously strained fresh squeezed OJ - that was a nice treat, and all per doctor's instructions. Took two short, sundrenched walks with the dog (it was a beautiful day here), a few friends dropped in to see how I was doing, and fun time spent with the family. No complaints here. Post-op pain is manageable, but I got a good tip today: take some pain medication an hour before getting my staples pulled, which I'm set to get done on Monday a.m. I am enjoying this site very much - lots of compassion and wisdom here. I especially appreciated this thread. I think the advice to be conservative after surgery is well heeded: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f109/changing-beliefs-fit-behaviors-45723-new/ Wow, MarilynC, I hope you loved ones appreciate their Christmas gifts this year, and congratulations on your 5 year old's birthday; I got me one of those too... CanadianComfort, I hope the liquids are going down easier. All the best,

BANDPAL - BANDED ON 21.11.07

I am newly banded and want to thank you all for contributing to this thread - it's exactly what I need to hear, and what you're putting out here is exactly what I plan to do - follow my doctor's instructions without deviation, and learn to respect and love the body that I have neglected and persecuted for so long. And step one is letting it heal.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE... HOOOOAH!

KEEP US POSTED, TISH - WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU!

CONGRATULATIONS, PATRICIA, AND THANKS - THAT'S SOMETHING TO AIM FOR! AS WE SAY IN HEBREW, " HALLEVAI ALLAI!" OR, "IT SHOULD ONLY HAPPEN TO ME"!!! WHAT WERE THE MILEPOSTS ALONG THE WAY? WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR? TELL US MORE!

Thank you Mbanja - thoughtful, solid advice. It'll come to the wedding with me.

Hey towens, good to hear from you and glad to hear you are hanging in there. I'm on clear liquids for a week, so mashed potatos and tomato soup are not on my mental horizon yet. I'm glad I don't have to deal w/ Thanksgiving where I live! I just have to stick to my Docs plan - have this big family wedding comming up in a week and a half and I am going to commit not to eat anything i'm not supposed to have. One look at my incisions should remind me that I've come to far to mess this thing up. Hope your headache goes away

"Just curious, has anyone else been told that they had a fatty liver, but their surgeon went ahead with the surgery anyway?" Yes, that's me, Tishbite - banded on 20.11 in Israel despite elevated liver enzymes. My GP was all ready to pull the plug, but that night, my surgeon called and said " so you have a fatty liver - what do you expect at your weight - that's just another reason to have the surgery!". I was scheduled to have a pre-op ultrasound of my stomach the next day, so my GP phoned the technician and asked him to make a pass over my liver, too. When the results came back with no abnormalities except for the aforementioned fatty liver, my GP gave me the green light. I hope everything gets straightened out for you over there - good luck!

Hi SkinnyJill amd Firebolt, Nice to hear things are going well for you both as Day II draws to a close here. I have a bit of itching going on too, but like SkinnyJill said, that's all for the best. I still have a "stitch" in my side but it's definitely less intense than it was yesterday - in fact, I didn't take any pain medication today. Made it throught the day on water, herbal tea, chicken broth and decaf coffee (yes, Firebolt, that was a pleasure, thanks!). I also napped, which felt real good, and took short morning, afternoon and evening walks around my neighborhood. I'd say the highlight of the day was sitting around the table at dinner enjoying my family sitting there eating a good Friday night meal while I sat there sipping at my cup of broth, not feeling the slightest bit tempted and jealous. So good to get my head out of the food. Have a great restful, recuperative weekend, everyone - and let's hear from TLWEMPEN, CANADIAN COMFORT, NEWLIFE35 & TOWENS - how are you all doing?

... in the end we act on the interpretations we choose to give to our perceptions - a feeling of tightness in my stomach doesn't mean I have to eat the fridge. Thanks!

I really feel for you, Ovahkummer... hope it goes well the next time. I came close to not having the operation because my clinic didn't send all my blood work with me up to the hospital - they had to fax it straight to the anesthesiologist. I say you're still a member of the club in our hearts - once you get the incision, there is no revision! Please keep us posted!

47.6 here, banded two days ago, sipping shotglasses of decaf coffee, water, herbal tea and clear broth and loving it. Food, the demanding lover, the dreaded tyrant, the overwhelming comforter, receeds into the background, ignored, irrelevant, relegated to being just part of the view. Good luck to all!

Mbanja and Stacy73, congrats to you both. No Thanksgiving here in Israel, and I'm glad I didn't have to deal with it. I have a big family wedding up in Tel Aviv on 3.12 and I swear I am staying on my Doctor's instructions. I didn't go through all this to mess it up.

Good Morning Firebolt! Congratulations on the 2 for one surgery , got my fingers crossed for you on the liver biopsy. My pre-op blood work showed abnormally high liver enzyme activity and my wonderfully cautious GP, who had originally recommended the lapband pocedure, was all ready to call everything off and set me up for another round of tests. Fortunately my surgeon called to check in on me that night and explained that the results were almost surely due to a fatty liver - just another reason to have the procedure in the first place. An ultrasound the next morning confirmed this diagnosis and we were back to all systems go for surgery. I like you description of the post-op pain; managable is exactly what it is. No nausea, and no painful gas (I'm not talking about anyone around me, it might indeed be painful for the wife and kids...). Life is different, that's for sure! Here I am sitting in front of the computer sipping decaf coffee from a shot glass -and filling up from it! Have a great day three, Firebolt -thanks for saying hi!