blizair09

I am taking off for 6 weeks after the surgery. I want to devote my full attention to recovery and getting started on the second half of my weight loss journey. My surgery is September 28, and I plan to go back to work on November 14.

Good for you for taking the time! This is exactly why I am taking six weeks. Based on the information they gave me, I "should" be able to eat some meat (ground beef, turkey, chicken) at the beginning of week 7, and there was no way I was going to try to go back to work and be productive when I was on liquids or pureed things. And when I go back, I'll work 1 week and then be off a week for Thanksgiving. I figure the 1 week back will be a good gauge of how I am going to be feeling going forward...

I was in grad school. I was a student in a class at 8:00am and I taught a class of freshman calculus at 9:30am. My 8:00 class always got out early, so I had time to grab some Breakfast before the 9:30 class I taught. I saw what happened in the student center lounge on campus. Classes were canceled for the rest of the day shortly after the 9:30 class started. There were a ton of students from NYC in my class, and they were 1300 miles away from home and very scared. At 25, I wasn't much older than they were, and I didn't know how to comfort them very well. I will never, ever forget that day.

Good luck! I am coming along 15 days behind you. You'll do great!

You go, girl! My partner and I live in NOLA and go over to Biloxi all the time. It's a lot of fun! Enjoy yourself!!

I feel you. My date is two weeks from Wednesday, and it is super, super real now. Hang tough. All the best to you.

I am taking 6 weeks off from work after my upcoming surgery for exactly that reason. While I might be able to go back after 3-4 weeks, I know that this is going to be so physically taxing and that my energy (and thus most likely my creativity) will be compromised.

You and I are almost identical -- same age, similar height and starting weight, so I completely understand your journey and how you are feeling about it. It sounds like you are off to a great start, and I look forward to hearing more about your progress. My surgery is September 28 -- two weeks from Wednesday. Sometimes, I'm scared to death; other times, I wish it was tomorrow to get this part of the show on the road. Best wishes to you!

For me, carbs are an addiction. I know that I can't completely cut them out, but I have reduced them to 12-20 (12-15 most days) for the entirety of my six-month pre-op diet program. (My surgery is September 28.) I have an appointment with my nutritionist for an extra session on Tuesday to discuss the role of carbs as I transition to a new diet post-op. I have just had to accept that carbs are to me like alcohol is to an alcoholic. Unlike with an alcohol addiction, however, I can't remove carbs from my life completely, but I have to keep them as low as realistically possible if I am going to continue to take off all of my extra weight and keep it off long-term.

Congratulations!

Because of my pre-op weight loss, my surgeon said I didn't have to do a liquid diet at all. (I just have to do Clear Liquids the day before the surgery.) However, I have decided to do the liquid diet anyway (six days of liquid diet and one day of clear liquids). I think it will be easier to go ahead and get used to that before the surgery rather than after the surgery.

I am exactly the same! I have told everyone in my life (work, personal, and otherwise) and even others as it has come up in random ways since I began my journey almost six months ago. I'm expecting flowers in the hospital when I have my surgery on September 28! :-)

My physical with my PCP (resulting in a referral to the bariatric surgeon from her) was on February 3. My first appointment with the surgeon was March 3. My sixth (and final) diet appointment was August 10, and my surgery is scheduled for September 28.

You go, girl! :-) Keep up your hard work. It is paying you dividends every day!

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate everyone's sweet comments. I am certainly proud of where I am -- and excited about what's to come! Best to all! Blair

One of my colleagues sent me a picture that was taken the day before I began my six-month nutrition program required by insurance company. That was March 21. The other picture was taken yesterday -- 22 days from my surgery date on September 28. I cried. I wasn't ready to see that. I think the surgery is going to be so much easier because of doing all of this work on the front end. Needless to say, I am excited about the second half of this journey, and I wanted to share the pictures because I am really proud of the efforts of the last half-a-year. Best to all! Blair

My surgeon told me the exact same thing. Clear liquids the day before and nothing at all after midnight. I'm going to do all liquids for one week, though. I'd rather get used to it before all of the trauma on my body happens. Yay for you, though. That is definitely a huge plus!

Wow! You look awesome. Keep up the wonderful work!!

Yay! Mine hugged me at my medical clearance appointment week before last. (And she isn't a hugger.) Congratulations!!

I haven't been to a support group since I started this process. It just doesn't seem like something that would work for me. But my parents and my brother have all had one procedure or another over the past several years (Dad had bypass; Mom had sleeve; Brother had Lap Band). They live 8 hours from us, but I talk to them about it at least once every week. So, they are my support group. And it doesn't hurt that my partner is awesome and supportive, too!

I know EXACTLY how you feel, and I have pondered the very same thought over and over again during the past six months. As much as I would love to save my stomach and keep it intact, I know that I have to have this surgery. By the time of my surgery in 3 weeks, I will have lost 100 pounds, but the truth is that I need to lose at least 100 more pounds and really like 120 more pounds if I want to beat this weight problem once and for all. The surgery will anchor the second half of the weight transformation, and most importantly, help position me for lifetime maintenance. I'm as scared as f**k, but it is time to man up and do this. But again, I understand how you feel. Only you can make the decision that is right for you. All my best wishes!

My surgeon's office called me the day I was approved for surgery (a week ago yesterday). The "official" letter from the insurance company showed up four days later (last Friday).

We have short-term disability as part of our work benefits, so I am using that. (Before it kicks in, though, you have to use 5 leave days. I'm using sick days for those 5 days...)