Hello all,

How many people are getting banded in May 2006? I plan to be banded in Boston.

3Loves - Sorry, I I forgot to post the pumpkin Soup recipe. I have been to busy enjoying it! Anyway, here it is.

Thank you so much!! I will be making some this weekend.

I had to tell everyone...It's just who I am. It seems I don't do much 'secretly'...I do, but I don't even admit it to myself.

Since Mom died, I had to tell my Aunts, because they took care of my Trinity while I was in the hospital. Well, news with them spreads quicker than butter on a hot griddle, so there was no hope of keeping a secret there.

I work at a school and had to take a couple days off, and of course my weight is no secret...so my weight-loss won't be either. They have been super huge excited for me and have been so encouraging.

Ultimately, I am blessed to be surrounded by a ton of people who just want the best for me. For those of you who don't have that kind of support, I used to live in that world. Know that there are those of us in cyberworld thinking of you, and rooting you on!

Three cheers for you, the decision you've made, and your strength to carry it through! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip hip Hooray!

I am leaving in a few hours to prepare for my surgery tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who has offered support and given testimonies to their journey and beyond. You all need to be commended for making this decision and setting your mind to doing that which will make you healthier. So here's to wearing smaller sizes, exercising more, accepting compliments graciously, and thanking God we might all live a bit longer and be able to enjoy life to it's fullest capacity! See you on the other side!!!

ps Thanks for the pumpkin soup! Now if you'd only ladle it into my 1/2 cup! Ha Ha

Outdoor Girl,

My mom and sister weren't too supportive either. My mom just thinks I've never *tried* and my sister just doesn't agree with the surgical method. I talked with both of them. I thought that, 1) it was going to be hard to hide it from them (my sister lives with me) and 2) I am a grown woman making a decision to save my life. I sat down with my mom and told her what I was going to do. She listened, asked questions, listened and asked more questions. While she doesn't agree with my decision, she supports me and checks on me. She understands that the weight loss will be tons of work and very slow but this time I have help. She also understands that I'm not doing this to be "sexy" or I think that this is the "easy way out", she understands that I had high blood pressure and out of control diabetes and I'm only 36 years old. I didn't want to die of a heart attack at 40. I made the very informed decision to take my life back.

And I'm happy every day that I did My mom has come around so much in fact that she's coming to my first fill with my Dr. Much better than where we were six months ago when I broke it to her that I was starting the approval process.

Bottom line, you just have to do what you have to do. Tell her or don't tell her. You know her better than the rest of us, approach her in a manner that gets her on board rather than making her feel left out. That's what I did.

My sister still thinks it's a bad idea. One week out and feeling better than I've felt in a long time. HA!

Sorry for the novel....

outdoorgirl - I only told about 4 people. The ones I thought should know and wouldnt say anything bad to me or anyone else. As for all the other people I know, I figure I'll tell them after. People say things they shouldnt, In the name of "just trying to help". They can talk all they want, but after I'm banded. I need all the positive I can get!! NO NEGATIVE!!!!

BEST WISHES TO MARZ88,JBUY AND MEDUSSA ALL GETTING YOUR BANDS TOMMORROW!!!!!!

I have a computer question for someone. In the past week, all of a sudden I cannot bring up my smiley page. My computer is telling me it is blocking a pop-up. Can someone tell me how to tell it it is not a pop-up?

Good Luck MissNiki!!!

Today is your new birthday! Hope that all goes well with you. I know you will do just fine.

Robin

Desert Diva

Thank you all for your supportive messages! I think I am going to tell my parents before surgery. My sister is being very supportive in weather I tell them or not. I am going to take the easier road when telling them, and tell them thru an email so I can clearly explain without being interrupted. Who knows, maybe she will surprise me. If she provides me the responce I expect, I am still following thru with my decision, as someone said I am a grown woman and its my decision no theirs. Suppoirt me or not, it is going to be their loss.

Thanks again for all your insight!! You have been more support than I ever would have thought.

Outdoorgrl...good attitude, just do it!!

:second:

Good Luck outdoogrl! I hope she responds in a positive, supportive manner! If she doesn't, you sound more than prepared to handle it! Again, good luck! In the end it will be YOUR LOSS! (WEIGHT LOSS that is!)Congrats on your decision!

:clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

I was banded on Monday, the 15th. The doctor had to remove a lot of fat from around my stomach and said the band was really tight, so they kept me overnight for observation. I am doing well, though and haven't needed any percocet since 5 am. Doc says I will probably have a lot of restriction just from the tight band and won't need a fill for a long time. Sounds good to me!

I am on a pureed foods diet. If it can go through a blender, I can eat it. So far so good!

I love all the support on this board and am happy to be part of the May Band Crew!

:biggrin1:

posted before complete...sorry

The only people who knew I was having the band was my husband and daughter. I didn't tell my mum as she can not keep anything to her self. When I got back I told her and she said she knew don't know how.

If you are having difficulty talking to friends and family......

I was TERRIFIED of telling anyone. I did not want the negative comments or the "you can lose weight if you really tried" comments. I put it off for months. When my sister in law's mother had GB, I came out of the closet with my sister in law. She was so supportive it shocked me. She has dealt with her mother being obese and has insight to what it means. She actually encouraged me to tell my parents. After weeks of agonizing, I called my mother and started at the begining.....my weight gain. I went on to tell her about the various health issues that have cropped up with my blood pressure, my sleep apnea, etc. I gave DETAILS. I tried to be shocking.... saying things like "I am 35 years old and I cannot walk up stairs without being winded, I cannot wash my own hair without my hands going numb..." I wanted her to know that I have been to doctor after doctor and specialist after specialist. I told her what they told me. Lose weight or die. I told her about all the weight programs I tried and how they failed. I told her that this proceedure was MEDICALLY NECESSARY if I wanted to live a normal healthy life. Then I told her that I was too young to have to take 3 blood pressure meds and sleep with a machine helping me breathe. I ended by telling her that this has been a long hard road and I am tired of failing miserabley. I asked for her support and to my ASTONISHMENT there was no hesitation from her. She supported me 100%. The entire conversation was repeated for my father and his response was "you have to do what you have to do-and you have to do this". I really cant believe that they are being so supportive. My parents are typically the devil's advocates.

My point is, if you explain the REAL reason why it is so important to get the weight off, the surgery makes sense. We don't want to die young, we dont want to live life on the sidelines. I dont want to live with the MENTAL TORTURE that comes with gaining weight. I dont want to be in the ER with malignant hypertension 3-4 times a month. This is not about fitting into a size 6 or looking good. It is about feeling good...because we are healthy. The looking good and fitting into smaller sizes is an awesome bonus. The benefits of this surgery should be looked at as HEALTH benefits, not vanity benefits.

I learned that my parents truely care about me and my health....not how I look. They jumped on the bandwagon because this is about my health not about my appearance. I am soooooooooo glad that I told them because I have my share of support, plus the weight from my shoulders is gone (figuratively speaking). Tell whoever it is you need to tell. You will feel so much better!

On the otherhand, I did not tell my work as I did not want to divulge all my health issues. I have my close friends and family to support me, and that is plenty for me.

Ok, I'm a week post-op and I have CRAZY energy. I'm going, doing, moving, cleaning, talking, and going some more. Is anyone else hit this like SUPER charged zone? I feel like the world can't stop me!

I'm SMOKIN'!!

:second:

Marianne

God I am jealous....I just got finished saying how I cant walk up stairs without becoming winded....Rock on! Glad to hear that you are feeling so fantastic!!!! I am going to be banded tomorrow and I am starting to get anxious. Reading that makes me feel good! You know what they say...smoke em if you got em.