Aquameliza

Well, my nutritionist wants me on liquids and one small meal of protien and veggies a day for 3 weeks! I am starting in 5 days and I keep telling myself to slow down or that first day will be worse that anything, but, all I do it eat like they will stop making food that I love tomorrow. This week is restuarant week in my town and it is killing me!! Good luck to us all.

I suppose that is the real answer - it is not about quantity but about quality. I think that can pull me through once the liquid parts are over. As long as I can still have tiny amounts of some new foods once in awhile, I should be ok, but the thought of never eating ethnic foods or new dishes would kill me - it is a big part of our (dh and I) life. No more Country Buffet for me (or China Buffet) again- only foods are worth the space in what will be my tiny tummy!

Sorry to hear about the cold...I was hoping you might share your experiences with Dr T? I am being banded at the Faulkner on May 13th and would really love to hear first hand about the hospital and/or doctor. Thanks!! Melissa aka Aquameliza

Hey Sandy- I am being banded at the Faulkner by Dr T on May 13th. How was your experience with the hospital and Dr T?

Hello All- My name is Melissa and I live in Salem, MA. My surgery date is May 13th and I start my liquid diet next week (eeek). I was a fat kid and got disgusted by myself my senior year of high school and lost about 50 pounds. I maintained a relatively healthy weight for about ten years. After getting married in 1997, my DH and I ate and ate and ate our way to morbid obesity. I am very excited about the surgery and the whole process.

Hello All- I am scheduled for May 13th - anyone else in the Boston area?

Hello- The initial reason I wanted to go to a therapist was to discuss my out of control weight and what it was I was seeking solace in via food. I do hope to eventually get off of the Paxil I presently take, but if not, then I will continue.

This is a great thread. One of my girlfriends told me that she was worried about me getting this surgery becuase going out to different restuarants and trying new things is my very favorite thing to do. I adore ethnic foods - eating out and learning how to cook them. Some people have a spice rack - we have spice closet. I have at least 8 kinds of oils and 10 kinds of vinegar in the cabinet next to the stove. On top of that I am an oenophile! But, I keep thinking that I have to change my frame of mind and remember how blessed I am that abundance is my problem and that this surgery will give me the tool that I need to do what I know is right - sample the foods, enjoy the small bit that I can have and truly appreciate it. I am getting my brain around looking forward to it. Right now, my problem is that the monster is out of the box and I have my next 2 weeks of meals planned out to ensure that I can get in a FEAST of my favorites before I go on a 3 week liquid diet and then into surgery. :purplebananna:

Hello - I completely understand. Seriously, I didn't think anyone else understood. It's like the monster was llet out of the box!! My "D-Day" is 4/20 as I have to do a 3 week liquid diet before my surgery on 5/13 and I have been eating like food is going to stop being made. I am afraid that I will not be able to stop. Eating out, making my favorite foods. I have to slow down... :tt1:

I hear you ladies - I am totally obsessed with this site. I am on this board at least twice a day- usually more. This really keeps me on track. Now, I have to get ready to switch my mind set. I have been in "last supper" mode for so long...Actually, I was on what I call the double fudge diet for a few weeks to ensure that I would qualify when I walked in for the first weigh in - well, that was not a problem! Now, I really have to get my brain around this and start down the right road...I am ready and I can do it...I just need to do it - I know this is different than any of those other times that I started a diet- but I have the same feeling in my head and I am fighting myself. Anyone understand this? I have to do a 3 week liquid diet before surgery, so I need to prepare for that. Hoping all this rain will really bring some May Flowers!!

Hello all- How do we personalize the May FLowers logo- where did you make that?

Hello- I am being banded on May 13th and will have a small hernia repaired at the same time. I understand it is not a big deal, but I am also a little more concerned. However, I am really looking forward to not having reflux. I had it so bad a few years ago that the acid had caused one of my tonsils to swell to very visible size - they thought I had cancer at first!! I take pills everyday and would love to not have to. :wink_smile:

:rolleyes2:Perfect! I really am a May flower as my birthday is in May as well- Cinco de Mayo in fact - I have always wanted to go to Mexico for my birthday and pretend all the party was for me!! How many of us are there? Looks like Catterpillarfly is our capable leader? At least, I nominate her! Has everyone taken their BEFORE photo? Mine was frightening to look at, but it really made me determined to do this and see it through!:thumbup:

So far, it looks like May Flowers! What is everyone's surgery date- I am May 13th. My mother was horrified that the date is the 13th! Its not like its Friday the 13th! Anyone else think that the 13th is a bad date??? May Flower Bulb Aquameliza:rolleyes2:

Oh, I am sooo excited to be part of a group! My date is May 13- I like PlayMAYtes (but that might not be fair to males!) but whatever name we pick- I am just so excited to be a part of it. Anyone being banded in May in Boston? It would be great to find a buddy. :scared2:

Hello All- Well, I am on my way to becoming a real bandster too - I got my insurance approval (see previous post- Harvard Pilgrim ROCKS!) and now my surgery date- May 13th, 2008! :thumbup: My surgery nurse (who is soooo nice) said that I was approved for a 3 day hospital stay. I understood that lap band surgery only required an overnight stay, but she said that she puts in for as many days stay as possible (3 for lap and 4 for bypass) and if the insurance approves it, then you can use it. I must admit that an extra day in the hospital sounds great- but 3 days sounds excessive. So, the question for all is - How many days (nights) did you stay in the hospital? How many days do you think you SHOULD have stayed in the hospital? How many days would you have LIKED to have stayed in the hospital?

Hello- Yes, tomorrow, but I am going to Faulkner Hospital. I hope to schedule the surgery for the second week of May- what date are you thinking of?

Harvard Pilgrim insurance is amazing!! I recieved approval within 24 hours. I have been so very concerned about this that I had not really thought about this as something that would really happen to me so soon. I am going tomorrow to meet with the surgeon and set my surgery date!!! Wow - although I started this process initially in early January - this went by so fast! If you have an option - chose Harvard Pilgrim!! :eek::thumbup:

Bea- What's a D.O?

Oh yes, I completely understand - and its not really fair, is it? I mean, it would be one thing if we could remember being 16 and having gorgeous skin and scarless bodies...but that is not the case for me either. I have never been happy with my body and get so angry at myself and my parents sometimes - why didn't I learn my lessons? Why didn't my parents teach me better? Why wasn't I ever a nubile young thing with unstretched skin and perfect teeth... But, then I think about the life that I have lived so far and (with luck) will continue to live and I remember how lucky we are to live a life that is not about scrounging for food and having our children die of Water borne diseases- but that we are "lucky" enough to be blessed with abundance and that if stretch marks are my biggest problem - BRING 'EM ON! I hope that makes sense, I completely understand but refuse to spend any more of my precious life feeling sorry for myself. Try this quote: "There is something beautiful about all scars of whatever nature. A scar means the hurt is over, the wound is closed and healed, done with. "

What a great thread... - not dreading summer and the little, young things in their shorts and tank tops - going swimming without a tshirt - not being afraid of fire when I wear corderoy pants! (someone else must get that one!) -having a man look at me in THAT way- just a stranger just for a second - it has been soooo long - I would never act on it, but oh, it would be nice to feel desirable - having less pain! :rolleyes2:

Thank you for the support - I plan on following every rule to the letter (as much as my feeble will power can manage) - I want this soooo badly! Anyone else shocked by the apparent simplicity of the process? I feel terrible for those who went through (and are going through) so much to get this. Maybe I am fooling myself!:blushing:

Hello All- After obsessing for weeks about my appointments that I had today (nutritionist and my surgeon) - it was wonderful. I expected to be judged and told that I was a lazy slob, but everyone was so very nice and non-judgemental- it was great. The nutritionist wasn't a 90 pound 25 year old (couldn't face another one of those!), the PA was very personable and listened to my history with understanding and the surgeon was amazing- very straight forward and accepting. I have Harvard Pilgrim Insurance and was seen today at the Faulkner Hospital in Boston (may have surgery at Brigham and Women's) and it was just assumed that all would go well. After reading so many horror stories about insurance and jumping through hoops to get approved- everyone was saying that this WILL happen - they even starting discussing dates! I still have to complete the psych evaluation, an upper GI test and some bloodwork, but nothing of great concern. I had to pay $500 for the program that I was not entirely prepared for, but, if I can get this through insurance - it is well worth it! Did anyone else have an easy first experience like this and feel like they were in another world? I have been very nervous and excited for weeks, not really able to think about anything else. The timing is great- about 6 weeks to lose a pound a week (or so- not great demands- just don't gain any weight) - which I think will give me the time to start the good habits that I will need - eating slowly, chewing completely, no drinks with meals, etc. I cannot believe it can be this easy - I am afraid to be happy or excited for fear that a show will drop!! I may get a surgery date for the end of April - or even early May- near my 39th birthday would be perfect!!! Anyone else have this experience? If this goes as they tell me it will - Harvard Pilgrim and Dr T rock!! Wishing myself and everyone an easy time with the journey!! :smile2::blushing::ohmy::wub::huh2:

Hello- I am very anxious to join as a hopefully soon to be MA bandster - I have my surgeon and nutritionist appointment in one week!! Anyone use Harvard Pilgrim HMO? I am seeing Dr T at Brigham and Womens - they have been tremendous so far!

What insurance do you have pearlygirl? Aquameliza