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Family thinks my surgery will "ruin" Christmas



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Hi!

By day 3 I could sleep horizontal in my bed. By Day four, I could have gone back to work.

After a week, I did go back to my desk job.

Unless you heal REALLY, REALLY slow, you should be just Hunky Dorry by Christmas.

Feliz Navidad!

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Everyone heals at a different rate. You may not bounce back as quickly as some of the others posting on this thread. I had a lot of pain in the area where the port was sewn to the muscle - that was the most difficult thing for me in terms of recovery. I could not sit up straight for very long because of that pain. I remember that the pain was bad enough that I called my surgeon at 10pm on day 4 post-op to ask if it was normal. He said it was normal (as long as I didn't have a fever), and after that it started getting better day by day.

-Yvonne

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LOL, I agree with the others and although everyone heals at a different rate... the very worst you may be a lil' sore by the time Christmas arives. My only suggestion is to stop the pain meds after day one. Mine knocked me out for 3 days and if my daughter hadn't been there I would have missed my flight home and slept another 3 days. LOL

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Tell your family....there will be alot of ruined Christmas' if you die from obesity and they think it's because they said you'd ruin Christmas by getting a surgery that may save your life!!

Seriously though I agree 100% of what has been said already...I was up and around the next day and felt totally fine a week later!

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My extended family (parents, siblings etc) are all getting together this Christmas and they worry that my having surgery on Dec 18 will mean Christmas will be difficult for everyone. They are getting this idea because my Dad had major back surgery in September and was pretty much recliner chair-ridden for a month. he needed help with EVERYthing and the pain meds pretty much knocked him out most of the time. I'm trying to assure everybody that though slightly less mobile (I am less mobile anyway because of my excess weight) that I will be in good spirits and getting around. I will, right? I mean, I don't want to lie to them but maybe it will take me awhile to recover. Still I my husband will be around that week to help me out- but I don't wnat to ruin anyone's holiday.

I just had mine on Nov 30th in Dallas and back to work today Dec 5th. Except for a little pain I am feeling and getting around fine. I did the pain meds around the clock for the first 3 days then just at night now. Everyone is different but I have talked to alot of people and they have had simular experience. My Doc wanted me up and walking for 5 mins every hour after surgery and extending that time as you can.

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The only thing it will probably ruin is your enjoyment of eating LOTS of that yummy food but you find ways around it... instead of having heaps in the one session when everyone was around I stored food for myself later and I would visit the fridge once every hour and have another couple of bites of something special...small portions but lots of them...it was a fun xmas but I have to confess I think I ate too much...I had this rotten pain in my left shoulder for a couple of days afterward...Best Wishes & Merry Christmas

:o

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Wow. There concern is overwhelming.

You'll probably feel fine by a week after surgery. You won't need help with everything.

However, my first thought was "screw 'em!"

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You're going to do very well! I had a hernia repair with my surgery and went shopping the day after and flew home from Mexico 2 days after. No problems! Have a Fabulous Christmas!!!

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I am getting banded onthe 20th and my husbands family has said the same thing. I told them get over it! I am doing this for ME! We will be just fine!!!!!!!

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Brava, BexleyGal!

I just got my first fill Monday. It's not much of a fill, but it works if I work it. and it's just enough that I CAN work it...something I couldn't do before the band. Funny how all those things you are taught about eating slowly, chewing alot, portion control...They're all possible now with a little mindfulness. It's a little whispering angel in there! What could be better chr Christmas!

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I would rather someone I love have lap band surgery than a heart attack. And frankly, that is where we were all headed. Not to mention diabetes, high blood pressure,cholesteral issues, depression, lack of energy etc...

We are doing the right thing. I haven't told my family yet, and yesterday my sister said to me 'you better not be on a diet at christmas'. Hehehe, if only she knew!!

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Mypov....this is ridiculous.....sounds likes they put more value on having a fun Christmas than they do on you.

(I'm sure it won't be the last one for many of them)

Carol

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So what if Christmas is ruined. There will always be more. That's the reason I did not tell anyone I was having this surgery. Just went got it done and returned to my life, with everyone none the wiser. I'm usually a loner and don't need the hand holding thing. We are all rooting for you.

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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