Hi All,

My surgery date it August 13th, I start my pre-surg diet tomorrow. And I have had one miserable week. I just found out that I am being moved from the high school, where I've worked for 10 years, to the middle school. That means that two weeks after surgery instead of returning to friends and support I'm going to basically strangers, a new building, and a new schedule. I wouldn't want to go under any condition but now it just seems like torture.

To add to that, pay role made a mistake and shorted all summer employees a weeks pay! They don't think it is any big deal! This has occupied me so much that while I got all the big stuff done for my diet (protein shakes!) I don't have the small stuff like skim milk (I have 1%). I am telling myself it is okay to use that in my tea tomorrow, that I can get the rest after work tomorrow.

We also leave on vacation tomorrow after work- I am looking forward to being in a different environment for this but my husband still doesn't get why I won't go to a dinner party with him Saturday, then out to an all you can eat gourmet seafood dinner Sunday.

I am feeling it from all sides! Anesthesia is sounding wonderful right about now!

I’m not looking for any solutions- it just is what it is and I have to deal with it, I just needed to gripe!

(Plus, I hate the middle school!)~ this is me stamping my foot in a mini temper tantrum.

Stamp away but I was going to say how cool that you literally get a new start - hard, yes, but so will be being banded. Imagine the temptation that could come from your old life and now you get to start your new one any way you want. I hope it goes really well for you!!

my 2 weeks was during familyreuinion time i went iate what was on the list i took my tea no sugar and water it canbedone then after surgery 2 weekis my son got married ya lots food there to i wasbrave i ate only yogurt itsucked i made it monday i can eat normal u can do it

Oh my dear! My heart goes out to you.

First, Take a deep breath, and say "IT WILL ALL BE OKAY".

1% milk vs. skim: you'll be fine. It's just a little less watery looking than skim. It will do what you need it to do.

Work: You don't have to tell a soul what you are doing at the new place. Once you find some friends, then you can reveal to them at a time of your own choosing. Try to stay in touch with your friends from the high school since they will be supportive of you. If that doesn't work, you always have us here on the site.

Husband: They don't exactly understand that what you are doing is going to take incredible willpower. To sit at a table, with people that are eating foods you want to be eating and are not allowed to partake from that's torture. That's like putting a steak infront of a hungry dog and telling it that it's not allowed to eat the steak, just look at it. It's easier to not feel deprived when you aren't around temptations. (I had to remove myself from some birthday cake at a party a couple weeks before my surgery. I was going to cave in and have a slice if I didn't get out of there).

Remember, you CAN do this. We are here for you. Don't give up and try not to stress too much about this. Easier said than done.

Dear Gripe --

Yes. This sounds totally lousy. I remember I once felt totally stuck too. Everywhere I looked on all sides -- it was all going wrong. I felt like if I couldn't make something happen soon -- I'd go crazy. Then I thought ----- well----since I don't seem to have any control over anything else --- I may as well try to focus on something I DO have some control over. I decided to do something about my fat. I got the lapband and lost 82 lbs. It took me a while longer to get through the other stuff but eventually those other problems cleared up. And at least -- It was a LOT easier to bear because I felt a whole lot better (physically and emotionally) about me. People were so surprized with me and I was so pleased and surprized by me too. What a great feeling! Then I began to get the idea that if I could change that -- maybe I could actually change other things too. I DID!! So get your band done and at least enjoy your self-empowerment and the "new you" until you can also get to a better place in the enviornment too.