Ok fella's,

I'm about 2 weeks out from sugery... getting banded on 11/1. The nutritionist said after sugery... no cabonated beverages because it can stretch the pouch. Do any of y'all have the occasional beer or cocktail?

When I became diabetic I was given the choice of continuing my slow dance with alcohol or keeping my kidneys and eyeballs.

It was pretty close there for a while, as I was literally going blind due to diabetic retinopathy as a comorbidity of morbid obesity complicated by other mostly self inflicted over consumption errors.

I quit all alcohol cold turkey 22 years ago. I am not a tee-totaller.

Due to the Band, my thoughts on food & drink have been revised.

Looking back, while I spent nearly 40 years in various enjoyments with beer, wine & spirits, I can't look back and actually identify where any of it did me any real benefit.

In one course in nutrition, we were to recreate as closely as possible what our yearly intake of calories might have been. After considerable effort and following a model to make the process seem somewhat of a reliable indicator, we then extrapolated into a "10 year" intake frame.

I was astounded to find that my beer/alcohol calories was virtually equal to my food calories for that period. I was also faced with the fact the exact amount I was overweight, equaled in calories that amount....I could have given up either the food or the alcohol portion of my intake, and NOT been carrying that extra fat around. Up til then I had attributed it to the pizza and burgers, etc.

So, for me, I haven't had a drop of beer since 1989. Don't miss it. Now. That part took a few years. I do enjoy sparkling mineral water now, but couldn't tolerate the fizz for a couple years postOp.

Speaking of which, TOMORROW 12/24 marks the beginning of my SEVEN years POSTOP!!

Hooray the Band!!!