Anyway - good idea Robin, we can set up our own thread and quit monopolizing my super size thread. But I can't post in here anymore 'cause I'm in MO.

Scheduled for another fill next Friday! I'm at 2 in a 4, so I'm going to see about 1/4 cc or so. I have restriction, just not enough... but don't want an overfill either.

Holli - here's one of my favorite ways to do grilled shrimp. Mix some xtra virgin olive oil, some garlic, some of your favorite seasonings (I like "Cavender's" Greek seasoning, seasoned salt, etc. together into a ziploc, and soak the shrimp in it for about an hour - it will help the shrimp stay more moist, and give a great flavor. Then wrap a half a piece of bacon around each shrimp and skewer it so that the bacon is held on.

To eat with it, get a bundle of asparagus (can you eat that?) and pour about 1-2tbs of olive oil on the cutting board, then roll the asparagus back and forth in it until lightly coated. Dust with garlic salt. Then either grill as is, or wrap in small bundles with proscuitto or leftover bacon.

Grill both until done.

Bacon and shrimp may sound weird together, but I promise it's awesome! And you can let DH eat the bacon, while you eat the tasty shrimp. :confused:

I also make a cauliflower casserole sometimes with shrimp. Boil cauliflower until it's fork tender, remove most of the stalk, and cut what's left into small pieces. Mix with a little cream of potato, garlic, sour cream, grated parmesan cheese. Top with some cheddar and bake until the cheddar is brown and bubbly. Tastes - uh - not quite like potatoes, but it was a low carb Atkins substitute.

First PB today! Ate some edamame too fast... not that much, but way too fast. Got the golfball, put away edamame, went to bathroom, and YAK! it was over pretty quickly though.

So that band is in there, doin its job. And now I'm not horribly afraid of the PB.

What should I do food-wise? Can I eat later? Refried Beans?

YAY! You have restriction :eek: They say take it easy after a PB with clears/liquids. However, the drs office never gave me that advice...only from what I have heard other drs offices tell there patients through posts here at LBT. I have personally never gone back to clears afterwards and haven't had too many problems. I think it depends on how violent the PB was and if it was over quickly or if there was a lot of deep/abdominal wretching. Most of mine are NOT that way....the PB comes from the food being stuck up high...very little effort and it comes right back up.

Yeah it was over in like 5 minutes. I mean, it wasnt comfortable, but from "Yikes!" to "Ahhh" was about 5 minutes. I waited about an hour, then had some refried Beans, which went fine. I think on a scale of 1 to 10, my PB was like a 2 or 3. Very easy.

Woohoo I have a band! I can't eat a horse! :eek:

Wait so what is up with surgery this Friday? Are you on a preop diet before, where is the surgery? Is it outpatient, will you be home same-day or next day? Do you have to pay? Do they totally unfill you?

That's no fair. My first PB was a PB from hell - my worst to date, easy. An hour plus of pure agony, literally having to fight to get breath, and multiple yaks before it comes up. :eek: My almost PB yesterday was like that. It started hurting around 10, and I felt normal some time after 1. Slimes and all, I was literally just pacing waiting for it to come up, then *hiccup hiccup* and some gurgle... it must have gotten through in the nick of time. I would kill for a 5 minute PB.

Only after the first PB did I do special eating, 'cause I was just 3 days post op and the PB really took a lot out of me. I was physically exhausted after it. The others it's like nothing happened, but that one drained me, so I gave up even the cream of soups and just went back to water/protein drink for a day or two. With my other PBs (only had 2 others) it's whatever is on the menu. The only thing is - I really don't get hungry after a true PB, not for 8 - 10 hours anyway.

Robyn, should we come wait so we can hold up signs with your name on them when you're wheeled into recovery?

Wait so what is up with surgery this Friday? Are you on a preop diet before, where is the surgery? Is it outpatient, will you be home same-day or next day? Do you have to pay? Do they totally unfill you?

I think he is working me in on his lunch break at 1200 on Friday. It will be at Heartland Spine and Specialty (which I loved having my original banding there). From what I'm guessing it is outpatient like all the others and I'll come home that day. Insurance should cover it since it is "gallbladder" surgery;) . The sucker is starting to flare up though....I'm just thanking God that he is taking it out now instead of a month or two from now:sick .

Okay...so I have opened my cabinets and refridgerator about 12 times in the past 12 hours....you know where you just open it up and stare mindlessly. Luckily I have closed the doors each time and not grabbed something mindless to eat...but I want to SOOOO bad.

I'm going to Jazzercise at 5:30...I just took a Vicodin so it will hopefully kick in before the class starts.

Today all I have had is:

4 oz piece of salmon = 14 g protein

Atkins low carb shake = 18 g protein

So far so good.........:clap2: What have you guys eaten today? I need more ideas. Tired of the same ole boring stuff. Angela...you sound like you have some great recipes.....We should trade off having each other over for dinner sometime. Cate, I saw you put down one day you had Lox....where do you buy the stuff and how do you serve it?

Speaking of dinners....Have you guys ever heard of those "Social Suppers" places? I'm thinking of going there with my hubby on Thursday to get my mind off of things before the surgery. Would you guys ever be interested in making a night of it and going there with me? Check out there website at socialsuppers.com It's like a big kitchen where you go and have fun preparing several weeks worth of meals for your family to stick in the freezer.

The way it works is you sign up and pay on line. For 8 nice meals (which you pick which ones you want on the web site) they pre-dice/cut all the ingredients...have stations where you follow their directions in adding ingredients/spices to prepare that meal...then you put what you have prepared in the containers they provide...slap a sticker with heating directions on the package as to how to cook it later...then you stick it in a cooler and move on to the next station to make another meal. They supposedly give you a menu planner to put on the outside of your fridge and you mark off what is left in your fridge for meals...and on their website, if you click on the dinner you want, it gives you nutritional information (most all of it is low carb and pretty healthy). Also, while you are preparing your meals, they serve you appetizers and wine:guess . Sounds like a fun girls night out to me:rolleyes: Pretty affordable too. We spend about $150-200/week on groceries for the family. You get 8 nice meals (with 6 servings per meal) for $140, or you can split it with a friend and get 8 nice meals (which would serve 3 per meal since you are splitting the portions) for $75ish. Whatcha think? We could do it in between now and next support group:confused: ?????

Oh.....and HE BETTER NNOOOOTTTTT UNFILL ME!!!:angry

Robyn, should we come wait so we can hold up signs with your name on them when you're wheeled into recovery?

Do whatever your heart is calling you to do Angela:rolleyes: LOL!!! I'm always too drugged up after my recoveries to even remember putting my clothes on! I am so drugged up usually because I wake up from anesthesia moaning/screaming in pain and they have to load me up to shut me up:cool: !!!

Dinner tonight was quick & easy - half a Chipotle chicken bol w/ black beans, a dab of sour cream, and a sprinkle of cheese. 4 chips, and about a half a spoon if guacamole. I'm REALLY noticing my fill when it's mealtime. I'd gotten back up to being able to eat about 3/4 of a bol, and a handful of chips. Uh-uh, no way! I LOVE MY BAND! I'm actually only eating when I'm hungry!

Last night was crustless pizza. Tomorrow will be crab & lobster stuffed orange roughy fillets with grilled spinach & artichoke mushrooms (mmm!)

I've seen the social suppers around, but had no idea that's what it was. Sounds good to me - I'd be up for anything that takes the mess out of my kitchen!

Angela, I sooooo want to eat at your house. :hungry:

I can't do asparagus. I tried it once and it was painful. Just like my dinner tonight. The shrimp did not go down easily. It hurt like HELL for over 20 min! Stopped me quick! I thought it was going to come back up, but just when I couldn't take it anymore...it went through to my stomach but not without a very sharp pain! I am not sure what that was about. :think

Robyn, the social suppers thing sounds fun. Did you have a date in mind? Do you want to set up a chat to work out the details?

First PB today! Ate some edamame too fast... not that much, but way too fast. Got the golfball, put away edamame, went to bathroom, and YAK! it was over pretty quickly though.

So that band is in there, doin its job. And now I'm not horribly afraid of the PB.

What should I do food-wise? Can I eat later? Refried beans?

Cate,

Well, congrats on joining the club. I have to say that I am a little peeved that some of you have it so easy. It is interesting to see how PB's and "getting stuck" differs for people. For me, it is just pure pain and the food almost never comes back up. My body seems to naturally opposed to throwing up.

Either way, it is good that you have restriction and know your band is working. :clap2:

Btw, what is edamame?

Edamame is green soybeans. They are a good veggie/protein source. I eat them as a veggie usually (not anymore!)

I'm glad too, it will make me chew and eat slowly again. Good habits are so easy to fall out of!!

I'll have you guys over for a band friendly dinner some time!

Speaking of having people over - ok not really... just venting... but we found a painting company to repaint our great room, kitchen, hallway, family room, and two stairways and ceilings. It's the same guy that did our exterior last year, so we know he kicks butt on quality, detail, etc. And charges a really fair price, to boot. All I had to was finalize my color choices, so I put 3x3 test splotches all over the walls - made up my mind, called him -- and the number had been disconnected! So I've been staring at 3x3 squares forever! I know what store he buys his paint at so tomorrow I'm heading over to see if they have his new number. I'm so over looking at these flipping color test squares all day. :eek:

If we are going to talk about getting things done at home. A friend of mine at has a Dad that does all kinds of repairs and after waiting for about 2 months he finally made it over to my house tonight and I think finally I might be getting my kitchen floor fixed and some electrical outlets and wiring done. I am so excited. I feel like I'm getting really old that the new washer and dryer I got last week and home repairs are the things I get excited about anymore. At least it gives me something besides my band or lack there of to think about.