Morsaille

My doc said no soaking for 6 weeks or until the scabs fall off. I didn't listen all too well and it opened one of my smaller incisions, slowing the overall healing time and widening my scar. Others have gone swimming or soaked and had no troubles. I think if you decide to 'skip ahead' you should find a good waterproof bandage to keep the scabs as dry as possible.

Thanks ladies. What I am talking about is on the left, just under my ribs. A semi-solid mound, tender to press, just over my stomach, but slightly lower than where I believe the band is placed. My actual port is just below my actual waistline. Maybe it is scar tissue, maybe it is my tubing? Just weird. Oh well. I don't think I am dying any faster than anyone else so I'll let it go. Unless it gets bigger... then I am freaking out, K?

Forget about it, I mis-read all the time. You are one of my local gals right? Check in on the NW WA page, K? Love your avatar. and back to mushies.. I loved hummous and baba ganoush (sp?) too. I almost forgot about them. The flavor just says 'real food'.

BigPaul always makes me feel really good about myself. He's funny and silly but really smart right when you need him to be. DeLarla TellyMelly keeps me motivated on days I think I want to slack and theres always a smile on my face when I'm talking to her, she just keeps me laughing. She brightens my day! Cutiern reminds me of my daughter. I love how she is young, independent, and willing to make financial sacrifices to change her life. Dawg is a great husband. Selfless and supportive. He lives a banded lifestyle, without the band, so that he may succeed along side his wife. Pennie always seems so level-headed and diplomatic. I really admire that. Jack cracks me up with the use of his warped sense of humour in the manner in which he offers practical advice. Humour and practicalilty...great match and I always appreciate his input. (I also like his avatar!!) The best me (Kathy) has one of the most loving and tender hearts I've ever seen. She is always caring and giving to others even when she's needing support for herself. Her love of God and her desire to be a better servant shows in every post. Paula is my sweet Band-daughter and I'm so proud of how genuinely sweet she is and how her caring heart and love of God shows by her actions towards all others Iluvharleys has a good heart and is always so thoughtful, kind and caring always thinking of others in their time of need. NJChick (Eileen) Cracks me up!!!! She brings a smile to my face no matter what the topic. Bandland would be a boring place without her : - ) VinesQueen reminds me never to give up no matter how bad things seem at the time and encourages me that I should dance my heart out no matter whos watching~and I wish she would hurry up and get back on LBT!!! Michelle, without a doubt the most inspirational person to me. Even while having her own family problems, she finds time to come here and offer her help. She's a great person! Susan (PhotoNut) is one of the most supportive and knowledgeable people I've ever known. EmileeKaye is the sweetest, most genuinely nice and wholehearted bandster and online personality I have ever met.. and I have met quite a few. The sun shines on her goodness and it feels really nice to surround myself with people like this. K@t has been my friend and support since the moment I joined this group. She listens and gives without asking in return and makes me feel anything is possible. DeLarla is my vision of independence, strength, wisdom and trust and has always been a person that speaks her mind and has gained a tremendous amount of respect from me as an intelligent and witty person. StrawartS is smart and funny, and she has the strong personality I admire, yet she's kind. Plus, her screen name is a Palindrome. It's spelled the same backward and forward. Very Cool. Kathy (best me) Jenna (princess n thep) is always honest and straight foward. And she is a great booty dancer. Kathy was kind and gentle with me when I was cursing over my first PB. I was shocked by her generous spirit at first, but now I see that that's how she treats everyone. And her baby is pretty cute. And I don't even like babies. The NJ Board: I can't chose just one person because so many have come to my rescue. They give their heart and soul and they do it with compasion and love. *Cheers NJ Board, I Love You ALL* Since I have known Mychevygirl (DeAnn), she has shown incredible inner strength, focus and determination in the midst of extremely trying times. She has kept a positive, happy attitude in spite of the stresses she has endured, and she has a smile that shines through her words because it comes from her heart. FunnyDuddies is a beautiful, intelligent, loving woman who's quit witt and sense of humor is a blessing to those around her. She makes me smile, and I feel so bless to call her my sis. She has also earned my respect and admiration for showing a deep inner strength during times of adversity. MoOrless is another one of my personal inspirers. She has lost weight all on her own. Reading her posts have been a great eye opener, showing me that weight loss is nothing more than willpower and self-control, which she displays very well. She cheers me on as I do my wild goose chases with myself and she keeps me motivated, letting me know daily that every goal I set for myself, no matter how outlandish it may seem, is very possible and attainable. I thank her for believing in me, (a complete stranger). Alex is the best thing ever...he has given us this board as a place to learn, laugh, commiserate, cry,...pretty much whatever we are in need of!! And...he just keeps making it better!!! Thanks, Alex!!!!!!! I have to have a second go at this! MoOrless keeps me going in ways I never thought I'd need. She is working and trying so hard to lose the weight on her own as well as coping with health problems. She finds positive ways around her setbacks that put me to shame and motivate me all at the same time. Kind words and thoughts for others come easily to her and she makes me smile. Alexandra seems to always be there when a thread gets hairy. She has the ability to listen with an open mind and heart, to sympathize and give a reality check in just a few short lines. I have noticed that she remains detached, but flexible.

My doc said that fluoro is pretty important for a first fill although my friend banded 3 years ago has had all her fills done blind. I took down that information because it is the first time I have seen a fill offered here for under $250. I was going to call the Drs. Fox in Tacoma. I am currently shopping around. I have seen Dr. Neal who has fluoroscopy but charges $350 (maybe $375, I forgot) for a first fill. NWWLS won't see foreign bandsters. Dr. Chebli is really nice and just moved to a new office, check Obesity Help for his new contact info. Lets see, I think there is another one... Nevermind, drawing a blank here at almost 1:30 am. Luck finding a good one

You are going to have to have thinned mushies? Ick. My doc would call the items you listed as full liquids. Mushies are foods that you would not need teeth to eat. drumroll...The first of the chewing phases, stow the blender, throw the straw in the garbage, ladies... I progressed from clear liquids, to full liquids, to mushies, to solids/normal foods. I was going to PM because I hate posting anything that looks like conflict, but this can be an important tidbit for members and lurkers alike. Sorry to contradict you Stitchy, but this will be good news for your post-op recovery. Congrats on the date.

I think the Niambi chant was a modified version of God's quote during the baptism of Jesus. "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased." "I am the daughter (one, or child) in whom God is well-pleased" I've been wrong before, but this is how I remembered it. I love the show and have been watching since season one. If they had brought back Deborah I was planning to stop watching, the woman was mentally ill. At least as far as Borderline Personality Disorder is mental illness. Tess was just too far removed from the process and stuck in the pit of Ego. Arghh, annoying... Sorry, stepping off my soapbox now. Glad to see I am not the only one watching. I got my mother addicted to the "girly-show", now we know not to call one another until after 1pm. Congrats on the Masters BTW!

Mushies is a fun phase because you can skip on the straw. The above is a great list. I enjoyed cottage cheese, yogurt, soft whole wheat pasta with most anything on it, and pretty much anything in a can. I also ate cooked veggies and a rainbow of homemade soups. Split pea, yum! I think I may just make a batch tonight, thanks for posting the question K@t. I also would snack on a teaspoon of peanut butter while reading or watching a movie. When my teeth got the urge to crunch, I would chew ice. Hope this helps, Brenda

I finally typed up the recipe for my homemade product, if you want it emailed just let me know. If anyone needs help finding an ingredient or with plant ID I'd be happy to help.

I know I need a fill because it is much harder to make the smart choices that I was able to make just last month. I am hungry much of the time and my impulse eating is beginning to return. Yesterday I went on a bandster binge that didn't end until I had inhales 3 mini-donuts and one of those waxy honeybuns. Baah! If I wasn't too big to beat my own butt, I'd do it! I know that I am procrastinating in not calling the fill doc, guess I saved up my 'last meal' and 'binge mourning' until now. I will try and yank my head from my posterior this week. K@t, it will get easier. Mushies are hard to do right and many carb dense foods are on the OK list right now. For me, carbs just bait the hunger. Watch the texture and wait for restriction. If mashed spuds are OK... MDL, I think we have much in common. I have faith that it will get easier.

I used Aveeno for awhile, it has oat flour in it and a pretty mild cleansing agent. I cheated and poured boiling water over regular old oatmeal and Rooibos loose tea (with a little honey in it if I am especially inflamed). When it cools down some, I pour it through a mesh strainer and stir in some aloe gel. This is what I use to clean my face since I went soapless. I make enough for three or four days at a time and keep it in the fridge. I will warm it before using. If cleavers are in season, like right now, I use 'cleaver tea' instead of the boiling water. Cleavers are those sticky weeds that make burs. You can eat them, but the infusion is great for weeping areas like with eczema. Just saw your request today Paula, working on a useable recipe since I measure with intuition. Do you have chickweed around? I think most everyone does.

Sounds kind of freaky and would probably scare the snot out of me if I started leaking lymph from my fingers. I am a MAJOR 'me-too-er' from way back and have never heard anything like this. Dietary? Hormonal? I think heavy metals affect your nails, did you have rapid weight loss on Adkins? You are city right? Interesting, very interesting. Take care and keep us posted.

Ouch......

I refuse to pay for cable since I believe that static will encourage me to go outside (discipline through torture), it hasn't worked yet. I couldn't care less about TV Thursday through Sunday with the exception of MadTV Sat night. They are doing Stuart re-runs which I adore... Aside from my family's favorite - American Idol, mine is Prison Break on Monday night. Where has Wentworth Miller been... gawd. I know I am too old for crushes but... big sigh :drama: Time to rent Dinotopia and the Human Stain. Thank you IMDB :grouphug: House can be pretty good, but the reason I love it is the banter between Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard. <- before I looked it up I was going to call him the Oncologist from Dead Poets Society, hee hee.

If I remember correctly there was a half-roll and a lot of arm work involved as I struggled to use every muscle but the ones they sewed my port into. I sat on the couch with my legs curled up under me so that standing was easier. I did have a dutiful spouse hanging around to do all my bending and to lift my sorry butt up. Mostly I tried to avoid sitting or lying down. Once I assumed a position, it is where I stayed for a good hour or more. Welcome to the Bandsterhood, SleepyJean! It will get easier. Does it feel like you got tricked yet? I like your ticker, did you make it yourself? Very nice.

Do you feel ill otherwise? Bandsters get the flu just as easy as everyone else. Could you be dehydrated? If you feel weak and flustered and haven't been eating much of anything it is a possibility, but then again, I feel weak and nasty if I haven't eaten. Take your temp., then call your doc. Take care of yourself

I had my hand over my port within the first three weeks. <- does this make sense :grouphug: ? Sometimes I can feel my port when I lean over the edge of the counter, but it doesn't hurt. That is the ONLY position I have ever been in and felt banded. Nah, the band is safe. It could hardly be nicknamed the 'fertility band' if sex was suddenly off-limits, right?

Welcome Fran! Here's to Summertime 2026... Jack will be at goal, I will be pretty darn comfortable with my plateau by then, and YOU will have been voted 'hottest beach babe' 19 years running.

Personally, I would switch docs. It may look suspicious getting a recommendation from a brand spanking new doc, but are you really going to feel comfortable seeing your current doc when you start having questions about hair loss, nutrition, hormone, or even med changes due to your weight loss? If he/she condemns WLS, will he/she even have answers to your questions. If banding is the way you want to go, you need to build yourself a winning team who will support you when the going gets tough. Your doc has already 'essentially' turned his/her back on the path you intend to take. Just my opinion, take care RLittman.

I use them to count to twenty. :grouphug: Are you an Adam and Eve-r, or do you believe that feet used to be more functional like the other primates. If you have a soft spot for Evolution (or even intelligent design) take him to the zoo to see how our closest relatives use their toes. Even if we were never tree-dwellers, toes could just be one of those fun things we have in common. Mammals are pretty darn cool. Whales have "finger bones". Wait until he asks why men have nipples. They are on the X chromosome BTW. We have a lot of things we really don't NEED. Tonsils, the appendix, and earlobes come to mind. Eyebrows are only window dressing even if they are great for diverting water in the shower.. Have a fun one, Brenda

We used to put cloths soaked in aloe juice on our burns. It felt good and bad at the same time since it 'matured' the burn. On the bright side, the healing would happen much sooner. I keep aloe gel in the fridge all the time for various reasons.

I was diagnosed with rosacea a couple years ago, but had been using hydrocortisone ointment (creams are a big no-no for me) for years before that because I was 'too young' to have rosacea. I was perma-blotchy and was always blushing to the point of purple. I have seborrheic dermatitis as well. I scheduled my visits with the allergist and the dermatologist when my rosacea started 'spreading'. The dermatitis is heated, red, scaling, itchy patches with tiny blisters on my ears, eyebrows, and nose, not to mention my scalp. Ick, right? I used to joke about being a leper when I would go through a 'moulting'. I gave up soap, use scalpicin (3% salicylic acid) to control the itching, and have started making my own moisturizers. My skin is much better than this time last year. I love chickweed and cleavers now! If you want to know how you can email or PM. I just use all the good stuff and leave out all the shmoo that they sell. Metrogel just makes my skin mad. Although it does a great job if I only use it overnight and only on occasion. I still keep hydrocortisone on hand but rarely need it.

Big centrum every day... Taking a vitamin really helps the snack cravings. I'll just wait out the hair thing, but poor JJB! Not sure if I want my hair to grow back all at the same time. Imagine what a years growth will look like on a windy day... I am thinking scary, like a tweaked out mullet.

JJB- I was a hair loser too. It is finally starting to slow down. At its worst I was losing a solid ball the size of my 2 year olds fist every day. Now, I am losing less, but still more than normal. It was almost a good thing for me since my hair has been obscenely thick since I was young. I am sorry you have lost so much. I thought it was the GB people too and not us, now we know better. Kim- don't mention it, thanks for joining up. It wouldn't feel right without ya. The fill I waited forever for, the one you helped me to decide on, didn't really 'take'. Oh well, next time. Maybe I will be able to bubble soon. Did you end up getting an unfill, or did you just adjust? I had foam throat and they reduced my fill in office. Shucks.

There is a lot of "stuff" out there, huh? The only thing I think you should skip on for sure is any bandage that keeps your incisions moist. These are the waterproof ones (but they are great for showers if you want to do wound care seperately), and "blister" style bandaids that seal around the pad. You want them to be loose-ish so the scabs don't snag or rub on stuff, but aren't kept from the air. If you aren't glued like I wasn't glued, forming healthy scabs is important. Moistness breeds germs and dissolves scabs. My port incision drained some, so I had some gauze and tape on hand for nighttime especially. Lots of luck,