Hulk

Sounds good!

I was banded on 8/24 and I'm rolling right along. I'm doing egg substitute and applesauce for Breakfast, yogurt for lunch, Protein Bar for snack and tuna salas for dinner. Of course, it's about 2-3oz each meal, but still. Eating very slowly and chewing everything until it liquifies in my mouth helps, and makes it more enjoyable.

I've had some discomfort with the gas pain in my shoulders, and i kind of fell like I have a constant cramp-type pain where my port is, but the pain is fading away more and more each day.

I've been walking quite a bit, and I tried working out a couple days ago - big mistake! Everything is connected to the abdomen, and after less than a set of bench presses I was cooked. I think I'll just wait until I'm all healed up... :-)

Good luck!!

My surgery is tomorrow (Monday, August 24th) at 11:30am. I'm dropping my daughter off for the first day of school and rolling to the hospital with my wife.

I'm not nervous about the procedure; my surgeon is the best, most experienced in the state. As with all surgeries (and air travel), my issue is control. I'm unaccustomed to not being behind the wheel in everything I do, so the notion of putting my life in the hands of an anesthesiologist is cause for some consternation. Once I wake up, I'll be fine.

See you on the other side!!

I had my pre-op hospital orientation today. All systems are go and we're clear for launch on Monday.

My surgery is a week from today, Monday, August 24th.

I've been on the Optifast diet since July 31st, and it's going fine. I've stayed on it about 95%, a bite of banana or pickle here or there, but nothing more than that, and nothing since last week.

A couple times I've taken bites of something, but chewed it up and spit it out without swallowing. I've been working on smaller bites and longer chewing with the Optifast bars, but it helps to do it with other food. (Has anyone else done this?) Anyway, it's been 3 or 4 days since I've done that, and the weight is still coming off consistently.

The toughest thing is getting over taking bites while I'm fixing meals for my kids. I'm so used to popping in a bite of whatever they're having that I have to remind myself not to!

How much pain did you experience? I've had knee, back and hernia surgeries, and tried my best to not take any pain meds (the first day after surgery was about as long as I took the meds). I'm having Lap Band; what should I expect?

...I have my orientation and begin my Optifast diet this Tuesday. I went throught the "Approval Olympics" to get to this point, and am ready to light this candle.