SHRINK'N VIOLETS

Hello all... I'm Tracy and I'm starting this thread because I just found out that I'm scheduled for Surgery on April 26, 2007.

fffffffffffffffffffast forward to April 30, 2007

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

We made it to the other side of bandland and now we are set to support one another while we shrink our booties and grow into our new smaller skins.

All are welcome to join in and post, but we are not a group that bickers..... please be supportive as we all have different paths to follow... but the journies to the more healthy self beckons....

Let the losing begin!!!!!!!!!!!

:help:Hello to all my last band friends. Can anyone please tell me if they have ever heard of chewable protein? And if so do you like it and does it work? I have found them online if you do a google search and put in chewable protein you will find it. Can someone please give me your advice. Thank you and have a wounderful day. Stacey

Hello there everyone. I am horrible with typing. I meant to put on my last post hello there all my lapband friends. Not last band friends. Thank you for understanding. Stacey

For anyone with and without gas pains after surgery?

Did you walk a lot and keep it up or do you think you could have done more? Would more walking help?

Walking was basically the only thing that helped. I was banded two Fridays ago. As soon as I was allowed to get up I started walking. Walking up and down the halls in the hospital. I felt relief. I could lay back down and relax for about 1/2 hour. Then the pains would start again. The heating pad helped too. But mostly it was the walking.

LUNASA - thank you so much for that wonderful post. For many years I blamed others for my being so heavy. My parents for never saying no, my boyfriend for never denying me any craving. But I finally came to the hard realization that the reason I was fat was because of me! It was all my fault! I wanted to eat like my thin friends and not put in any work at the gym like they had to. I didn't want to count calories, keep up with anything. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted to. Now with the band I can't do that! That does not mean I don't struggle. I have massive head hunger still. I have to keep working on that. But with the help of my band, and the words of advice and encouragement that I read here on this forum, I know that I will succeed.

Good luck to all the people being banded today!

(here is my pic so ya'll know who ya'll are talking to...)

me.bmp

:clap2: Well, it's been a week. Yes, I have little twinges. The

Tylenol seems to help, walking seems to help, little sips of water seems to help. I really don't know how I'm supposed to feel so I think things are ok.

I am able to drink coffee again, so I am happy. I seem to burp more than I used to, Oh well.

Lunasa - I loved your post, however, don't be so hard on yourself. It is empowering to realize we can do something about our weight, but usually there are mitigating experiences that have made it feel more painful to control our weight than eat for comfort. That is our headwork. Accepting who I am and moving on from here is the big change for me. Finally seeing myself in the mirror, as I really appear, not some fantasy of me, I am so grateful for the vision. Coming from a place of love instead of hate, has been tremendous growth for me.

I continually have to exorcise thought patterns of old me, "why am I not losing faster?" "one more bite won't hurt."... lots of patterns to break up, digest, and change.

I love you all and hope this thread will go for at least a year. I'll get brave and post a picture soon.

Hugs to you April Bloomers -

Michelle

I have been burbing alot too!

Lunasa- Loved your post! What raw honesty. Thanks for sharing.

Chula Chica- your beautiful now...what a smile! It is nice to see;) you!

Tracy- Did I miss something...are you going back to work after 4 days????? WOW, that is ambitious. Just in case, you may want to have a plan B, I didn't get my shoulder pain until the 4th day. I know lots of people go back right away...you may be able to. It also depends on the type of work you do. Did I read a while back that you work in a convent? LOL, brings back memories...went to Catholic school for 8 years (maybe that wasn't you)!

Terri- Thanks for the book rec. I have so many I want to read, just don't have the time, but that sounds like something worth making time for.

PS- Did 30 min on the bike today, up to 5.5 miles!!! I had to get up at 4:45, but am glad I did!

Haydee: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!! LOVE those curls!

Pamela: YEP... I work in a convent. (HR/Payroll) and YEP.. I'm going back to work in 4 days. (I have too.. I didn't tell my boss I was having surgery, and NEXT week is a payroll week) PLan b- is massive amounts of walking and tylenol.... (I've been told I have a high threshold for pain, after my c-section.. all the nurses were freaking out that I was up, around and walking the next day.. so I'm not that worried) I will bring my heating pad to work with me if necessary, and if all else fails I will tell my boss that I had minor surgery and take a half day off......

We are also going to Branson for an ADULT weekend with dbf's sis and bil May 10th....... so I will have to be healed by then..... that MAY be a bit ambitious.. as we are planning to go to Silver Dollar City,,, I am hoping to atleast be on mushies by then so I can eat real food....

Hey all so much has happened since I left

so ... Job thing sucked! I don't know what I'm thinking but i'm never going to get a job. It is depressing.

dbf blew me off today, very depressed

no food and i'm starting to get hungry.... I just want to cry.

As for the gas. I had lots, walking and gas x ... lots of it.

Tracy

I wanted to go to school on Wed (day 3) and didn't really work out that way and thrusday I was just so tired I couldn't think, but Friday I was better - Saturday I paid for it and Sunday I was raking the yard. I will pray for you.

Anyway - I'm going to continue my pitty party for myself and go pick up my son

Tracy- I think 4 days is a bit ambitious. I planned to go back exactly one week later (today), but my horrible pain in my side started Friday night.. and I'm still trying to work on it. It makes sitting up quite painful. In case you're not ready by 4 days, will work allow you to take off more time?

Tracy - you should just be fine. I was banded a little more than 2 weeks ago and I didn't have any gas pains at all. My surgery was Thursday, I had the long easter weekend to recuperate, and back at work the following Tuesday. I know I was lucky, and it can be quite different for others, but hopefully you'll be lucky like me.

When I told the post-op nurse how I was doing, she said - the women who tell me that they are feeling great, usually have had children (especially if by C-section).

Jennifer-

You've been through a lot. You should go into your room, and have a good cry for about 15 min. This is very emotional. I cried on and off all day on Easter, until I went and exercised. Go through some magazines or catalogs and think about how wonderful you will feel next year this time. I know the depression hurts, and we can not eat for comfort. This too shall pass. The job thing will happen, when it is your turn. I am a firm believer in "if it is meant to be...". If nothing panned out today, then those weren't the jobs for you anyway. What do you do? What are you looking for?

Keep your chin up. Go to the Before and After pix page (I LOVE THAT THREAD, HAVE LOOKED AT IT MANY TIMES, IT REALLY LIFTS MY SPIRITS). Treat yourself to a SF pop, or a cup of tea. We are here for you!

Speaking on behalf of your LBT friends~ :)

Well the problem is, that I'm the only one who knows how to do the payroll, with a computer ... the ONE time in 5 years that I missed a payroll week... I had to walk my boss through it over the phone while I was on vacation, and this was with me getting as much prep done as possible before I left...... I could do it from home if I had to.. but they don't "understand" that I have the technology to do so..... (before me.... there wasn't a computer in this office) Carbon paper and adding machines........... Remember I work for NUNS.... and the average age here is 70 years old. The reason why they hired people like me is because technology has passed them by... (My boss is better since he's been in the real world but he is also right at retirement age and he gets by.)

Thanks Alex!

Jennifur: I don't know what field your in, but if I had to do something it would be to go into the nursing field...... here we have CNA's, LPN's and a few RN's....... they work 3 12 hour shifs a week, and also get 8 hour of incentive pay if they work all of them......plus our entire benefit package. You would be suprised at how many call ins we still get....... I'm like ARE YOU NUTS??????? all you have to do is drag your ass to work 3 days a week and you get 8 hours extra to do it! (the downside is working every 4th weekend, but my goodness........ sometimes they have 10 days off in the middle.

Tracey...do you mind if I ask where you work? I'm an unemployeed LPN and after my surgery, I want to go back to work, so I can afford all those new clothes I'll need, and the charm bracelet I want...LOL If you dont want to say on here, you can always PM me!

Just PM'd you......