Here we go my "steadies." Post away.

(((((b-man)))) - enough said

We went to the movie - he didn't like it much - he didn't like Happy Feet much either - LOL - but he did like Charlottes Web, Kay you and the kids will like it. He loved Over the Hedge so I guess its all in the kid.

I took him to BK for lunch - I got a spicy chicken sandwich, took the bun off and ate about 2/3 of it. It was good but I stopped when I was full. I was proud of myself. BUT - always that darn but - I ate popcorn at the movie. Not a bucket like I would have done before but enough to make me wish I hadn't. No I didn't get sick, darn it I never get sick! Just disgusted with myself.

I'll talk with ya all later.

SWEETHOT, I'll PM you w/the link for the yahoo group in just a few.....

STEPH....Congrats on not pigging out at BK! Isn't it nice to know we can still go to the FF Places but not eat like a pig?? And don't worry about the popcorn...it's still a hell of a lot less calories than a candy bar!!

I'm in CO about to go get my first Fill! :clap2: I'll be back later w/a report!

Kirsten - I'm anxious to hear from you about your fill! I was just reading on the fill thread about people who dont feel restriction with the first fill. Yuko

I'm actually working today - can you believe there are people out there who actually want their w-2's - (me included!) Besides my treasurer is always wanting reports and stuff - geesh don't they know I'm a bandster?

So while the W-2's are printing I figured I'd see whats up today. And it doesn't look like much! Where is everyone?

B-man - Sorry that you have had such a crappy time with this, Happy belated bday.

Kristen - Can you send me the link for the Yahoo group also, thanks!

Thinide...yep, I'll send it to you too, if you look back a few pages, I think I did post the link as well.

So, just got back from my first fill! It was a weird experience!!

I went in and the Dr. did a sonogram to make sure the port was where he thought it was. He took the needle (a looong thing, but I really tried not to look), and stuck it in. He didn't get it right the first time so he took it out and stuck it in again, a bit deeper this time he said. He hit the port...I could feel the pressure on the port in my stomach and it just felt weird. Didn't hurt, just felt funny. So I've got this long needle sticking out of my belly and he tells me to "sit up"....I'm like Huh?? :huggie: He says "sit up and I'm going to have you drink water so we can figure out what the right amount of saline is for you". So his cute assistant helps me up, and I'm sitting up w/this big needle sticking out of my belly! So he puts in 1 CC (I have the VG band, holds 10ccs)....and gives me a little cup of water and tells me to drink. I drink and don't feel anything. He give me 2 ccs....I drink again, and this time I can feel the water just sitting there in the pouch, right in the middle of my chest. So he takes a little bit out....we're at 1.65 CCs apparently....I drink again and I can feel it sit, but then go down.....he says that's the right amount! So he makes a note in the file, reminds me to eat slowly and carefully and make sure I don't get too full! He said to come back in a month or sooner if I need to and voila! I'm done! :lost1.5lbs:

So there you have it...I have this big band in my body, yet I only needed 1.65 to feel restriction!?? I just hope it lasts!!! :rofl:

So if you have any questions....ask away! But right now I'm feeling good, port doesn't hurt and I'm hoping that I got restriction on the first try!!

Kirsten - THANKS for the update! I'm totally and completely terrified of needles so all the "oh it was easy" stories I can hear, the better!

Do you have to go on liquids or mushies for a few days? Seems like some docs say yes, some no...

Kirsten-Thanks for sharing your fill story. I find it helpful though I am still not looking forard to getting one for myself. When I was at my MD's office yesterday for my post op visit, I was transitioned onto mushies and told to stay on mushies for 4 weeks. I then go back to transition to solid foods and if I am not losing weight still and starving, then they will give me a fill. If I am not starving and still losing weight, they will hold off on the fill. 4 weeks from now I will be almost 2 months post op, no fill. Interesting. To be honest, I am not starving. I never feel "full" but I eat my portion and then carry on. It is a weird feeling because I do feel like I am just dieting and using my willpower more than the band. Hmm. We'll see how long it lasts.

I am a little terrified of the visual of you sitting up with that needle in your belly. Is that how everyone's is done? Were you put on liquids for a few days? I know my MD makes you do liquids for 24hrs then mushies for the next 5 or so days. I don't know what is right or wrong, just that everyone's experience is so different.

My port site has been really sore the past 2 days. I don't know if I am doing too much, but I am uncomfortable. I took some Tylenol last night and felt better but I find it weird that these feelings come and go. I think I am healed and then it starts to be sore again. ugh.

I was out with a friend today and she was talking about her friend having been banded. She has no idea that I am. She was very disturbed by the whole thing and not understanding why her friend just didn't try harder to do it on her own. It was tough for me to not blurt it all out, but I tried to educate her on what "little" I knew and to be more open minded. Man that was a tough one, but in some ways it reaffirms why I am keeping this to myself.

Happy weekend everyone.

Wow, Brandi thanks for sharing! I can't even begin to imagine how you feel. You had no closure, that alone is so hurtful. I wish he would just talk to you and give you that. maybe if you had closure you could move on a little bit faster?

I too had a boyfriend where i had no closure, just stopped calling and to this day, even after being happily married for 6 years. I dream about what I would say to him if i ever saw him again and what his reasons were. so weird because i don't ever htink of him or even care anymore. But maybe if i just knew what happened, then it would be out of my mind forever.

I really admire your strenght and your willingness to do something for you.

You are so smart at such a young age to recognize that you need to focus on changing yourself for the better. I'm sorry that he couldn't be a man and do what he had to do with some integrity and honor.

what a coward. right?

In the future you'll find the right one for you, it's weird how it works out, but maybe you had something to learn from that terrible experience that you will take with you in your next relationship. I heard this quote recently. "marriage isn't about finding the "right" person, it's about being the right person" It is so true. You doing exactly the right things by focusing on yourself for once. the best gift that you can give to a future mate is "your best self".

I'm so proud of you and thank you for sharing your story with all of us. what courage you must have, and also it's nice to know that you trust your very new friends. YOur bandster Sisters.

Danielle

B- man - you are better off without him if that is the type of guy he was going to be anyways

I hope you can find the strength to move on and one day find the man of your dreams

steph _ I too am thinking of going to the movies not so sure yet

I am a popcorn fan and not sure I could do without it

update on my dad

well I wish I could say why I have been absent all is well not quiet now he has been told he has phneumonia now on top of everything else and they are also going to have to place a feeding tube in him permantly because his parkinsions is so far advance and he can not swallow

I will check in later

Bk - sorry to hear your dad isn't better - we'll keep him in our prayers.

Va - dang girl! That needle sticking out kinda got me! My doc does it under fluro so I expect him to hit the port the first time! He said he fills the band until no liquid goes down and then take some out. Then he times it to see how fast it goes through and thats how he knows its the right amount. He said you'll hear us counting, one onethousand, two onethousand. LOL

Kay - what a conversation that must have been. She probably thinks you have lost all this weight on sheer will power and that if you can do it why can't the other friend do it too.

My pastor said his sister was getting banded - soon I think. I could tell he'd really like to do it too.

Hubby gets lonesome watching cops with out me sitting in there with him. LOL Guess I'll go read for a while.

bk I will be praying for your dad.

bman I'm sorry for your experience and your pain. It took so much strength to focus on getting yourself to a place that you want to be for yourself.

I was proud of myself for walking by a table full of cookies at work all day today. Baby steps.

Chubby, My Dr. did not Require that I go on liquids for 24 hrs, but said it wouldn't be a bad thing if I did, but it was up to me. I did soup for lunch yesterday and did actually have 1/4 cup of salmon last night at Macaroni Grill b/c I figured that was soft enough to eat and chew and make almost a liquid before swallowing, and omg...it was sooo good! And...I felt full afterwards, so that was nice!! This AM so far I've just had liquids, so I figure I'm doing ok

Kaydot...sounds like your Dr. is VERY conservative, and that sucks for you b/c you feel like you're whiteknuckling it. But hang in there it will get better. My Dr. is pretty liberal I think and NO...I know not everyones fill experience is going to be like mine. A friend of mine went in and the Dr. just put in 5ccs.....so I don't think he had to sit up and drink water at all. Everyone is different, like you said.

Are you sleeping on your belly?? If so, that could be why you have port pain? Just a thought.

And as for your friend and her "comments"....just be glad you didn't tell her about your surgery!! Once she sees you being so successful and she asks how you are doing it, THEN Tell her and rub it in her face!

Steph...Yeah, it was weird, but I guess what he did is basically the same thing your Dr. will do, just w/out the Fluro. Hopefully you'll be able to get yours done lying down! :eek:

BK....I'm so sorry to hear you're dad still isn't doing well. But hang in there and know that we're all praying for and rooting for him!!

Ok, I'm off for the day...hope you all have a good one !!

It's quiet here girls!

BK-I am so sorry about Dad. I hope he is as comfortable as possible and on the road to recovery. I am also sorry about the feeding tube. Do you have help or are you his primary caregiver. It is so hard to imagine how you must feel. I would be very overwhelmed. Just please know I am thinking of you.

Steph and Kirsten-You know, I do think I am doing a bit of a disservice to the band by not being honest about what I have done and by letting people believe I am using sheer willpower. I hope someday I have the strength to be honest about what I did. I am just not there now. I did tell my friend that she needs to understand that for some of us, the losing weight part is not the hard part, it is the keeping the weight off. That our body just fights us to gain it back. She doesn't get it. Maybe someday she will.

I made a version of Nat's Buffalo Chicken whip and it was sooo delicious!I added some banana peppers which I love and really enjoyed my 1/2-3/4 cup of food last night! This morning I had a poached egg (to die for) and a low fat turkey sausage that was soo yummy and I was so satisfied. I definitely would have had 2 eggs and 2 sausages before and still craving some toast to go with it if I were doing this without the band. So even unfilled, I am getting some help.

My scale read 234 this morning but I don't count it until I weigh in on Tuesday. At any rate I was afraid I would automatically see a gain because I am eating more so I am relieved to see at this point I may still be losing....

Have a great day everyone. I am going out for a walk and then meeting some fellow banded people from this area. I am anxious but it should be fun. Tomorrow I think I'll take the kids to the movies and then it is FOOTBALL time. woohoo.

C'ya later.

Hi All -

I'm back. GLAD to be home.

Brandi - I wish I was there to give you a huge hug and chat away the night. I don't have anything to tell you that others haven't. In time you'll feel better inside, though you may never understand the WHY of the whole thing. Forgive him and heal yourself, or you'll never trust another man again. And that would be such a disservice to yourself. You're such a wonderful girl, you deserve a great guy.

Kirsten - Did. It. Hurt? hahah I can deal with everything else, but the pain, oh the pain of the prick (of the needle). I am so skeevish. My fill is 1/25. I'm jazzed because I am eating like a professional wrestler lately.

bkwallint - I will keep your daddy in my prayers. Bless his heart. I hoped he would have improved by today. Love him up while he's down and out. he'll appreciate it.

Kaydoll - your loss is spectacular! You're not doing anyone a disservice by not spilling your guts. You are protecting your self-interest, and there is nothing wrong with that. Since when are you obligated to tell everyone all of your business? Yeah, you're not. I think I owe you an email or two...

sweethot - congrats on pushing for your fill! You need to do what you need to do for you. forget your big scary doctor and his cruddy attitude!

StephC & dawnae - HI gals! :girl_hug: I owe you both an email, too!

I had drama with my sister. She is such an idiot. I'm glad I didn't tell her I'd had the band, but she did notice I had lost weight. I wanted to stand there a hula. hahaha She's not threatened yet, since I watched her eat biscuits, hotdogs, etc. She also pissed me off and I won't see her for another 2.5 - 3 months because of it. (selfish little whore) When she does see me, she is going to really be jealous and then try and lose a bunch of weight to keep up with me. HAHAH Little does she know, i have a secret weapon!

Confession - I ate a McFish tonight. The whole thing. And 3/4 of a PowerAde drink with it. I was stressed, pissed and starving. Tried to wait til I got home, but my little one was hungry, so I got him nuggets and apples... I'm about to hop my butt up on this elliptical for a while. And hopefully tomorrow I'll be back down to my "normal" weight. I weighed tonight and am up to 270.5. ACK! I haven't pooped since Thursday...

I just have to tighten back up and do right. I need a fill, but I need to put myself back in check.

Love you guys and I'm glad to be back! i am going to have that glass of wine right now. I don't know why I think I deserve it, but I'm doing it anyhow. I have a sick kid on my hands and I am just whupped.

Nat

everyone thanks for thinking of my dad I will give yall a update as soon as I know more

kay- no thank goodness I am not his only caregiver my sis and brother and mom help but still overwhelming

nat sounds like your sis and mine have a lot in commen because she has already acted mad at my weight loss

she says things like I hope that band works for you since you had surgery for it

she is a skinny lady already but had always stayed skinny by taking diet pills I know she is scared I will get smaller than her

why can't they be happy when we lose weight