Happy Bandiversary, April 2006 Bandits!!!

also...Welcome to our '07 Newbies!

Can you believe it has been a year already? (How things have changed!) Usually, Julie starts this thread, but she is recovering from her TT and so I will substitute for her this month. We are adding a few new elements to our challenge so that it can accommodate everyone (go Newbies!)

CHALLENGE:

Bronze Medalists: 14 Exercise Sessions for 35-40 minutes

Silver Medalists: 17 Exercise Sessions for 40+ minutes

Gold Medalists: 20 Exercise Sessions for 45 minutes

RULES:

1. Count only one session per day.

2. Exercise the specified number of minutes.

You are allowed to split your time, if needed.

20 morning minutes + 20 evening minutes = 1 session

SO HERE WE GO!!!

Any questions?

Well this morning was fruit and yogurt for 160cal. Skipping lunch as I am not hungry and we are having a big bbq later this afternoon, company hits at 4. I wanted to save my calories for a nice little piece of a fruit tart that I bought for desert tonight.

Ok, somebody needs to pat me on the back! Since joining the gym a couple of weeks ago, I have not missed one single scheduled workout...not even today when I was hungover from wine last night!! AND...I've met my goal for April. :humble:

Hi all-

Just home for a shower and clean clothes, going to try to catch a few hours sleep. Rick is still having problems, we are walking a tightrope, between treating the heart, and monitoring his bleeding issues. He is still in A fib/A flutter rhythm. The meds will bring it down, but it isn't staying down. I HATE INSURANCE!!!!! Since the meds are controlling it, they say he is non-emergent, so declined the weekend transport to the bigger hospital, so he is in ours, with no cardiologist with privileges. Monday he will be flown out I am told. Right now the only reason I am not throwing a fit every way but Sunday is that the Dr. who saved him with the bleed is here, and doing the anticoagulation, hoping when we get him to ABQ they can perform an ablution (SP?) on it. So on one hand the specialist with the blood is here, and on the other the specialist with the heart is there-----there is 290 miles between the 2. The Gastro here says there will be good gastros there----so looks like Monday we go. Will let you know as I can, of course I am not picking up a signal at the hospital!

Thank you from the tip of my head to the soles of my feet for all the prayers---you are special to me!

Kat

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Ok, somebody needs to pat me on the back! Since joining the gym a couple of weeks ago, I have not missed one single scheduled workout...not even today when I was hungover from wine last night!! AND...I've met my goal for April.

WOOHOO Terri!! That's fabulous! Dancing bananas-with-Elvis-hair for you for completing the April challenge! Rock on!

:Banane52:

Kat - I just got on after a couple of day off - Alan and my prayers for Rick - please give him hugs from his surgery bud twin! Keep in touch, we are so worried.

Julie and Dawn - the both of you keep going (down, down, down)..........you are truely amazing - there are no words to describe you both! I'm going to work extra hard this morning in NIA - the two of you are so close to my tail............I'm such a competitive grammy - I want to reach "my goal" before you both do..............ah, well, face it Betty - those 2 wonderwomen are going to "beat your a..". Go all us bandits!

Terri - see you great it feels to be healthy! Molly, my NW bud, keep up the great work!

With that said, I went over my 1000 calories the past couple of days - not by much (just a little of 1000).............but my promise of less went by the wayside! I would have chucked it all another time (like consumed thousands) since I blew it, but "I've come a long way, baby". So proud of all of us. I guess I need to mention that my band sure helps a lot (??????)........such a good reminder!

Juile and Dawn need to contact Inamed. I bet they could make a small fortune being theit poster girls! Good job ladies.

Kat I am still praying, I hope they move Rick to the better hospital first thing tomorrow and get him all better quick!

Betty, good for you not giving up when you went a little over. I wish I could say the same, but yesterday was like a floodgate opened after the bbq. Today the tide is slowed and I WILL be on track. It is way too late to make my April challenge but Monday I will be going to the gym anyway. This is the most I have excersized in years so I did good, I may not have met my goal but I made great improvement!

Hi everyone-

Another day spent sitting, and walking the loop at the hospital! Rick is the same. Spends most of his time in A-fib....occasionally going into a normal rhythm. We did get a possible scenario today. When they cut down the size of his heart back in August at the original heart surgery, they did what is called a Maze procedure, it is like electro-cautery, they use to teach the blood pumping through the heart the new pathways. Often times patients are in A-fib for up to 6 months following the procedure, so they are kept on blood thinners, usually coumadin, during the 6 months. The second issue requiring the 6 months of Coumadin, was the valve surgery itself. Anytime a foreign body is introduced, madeof plastic, it needs an average of 6 months to cover with tissue. Covering in tissue is necessary to prevent blood clots---blood tends to clot, on the foreign body. Well 2 months out from his heart surgery, he had the Massive GI bleed, that come so close to killing him. In order to save him, they not only removed him from the Coumadin, they pumped him full of vitamin K (for clotting) and platelets for clotting. While it worked to save him at the time, it is now causing serious problems. His CAT scan, shows he has had minimally 2 strokes. So for right now...the plan is to continue to anticoagulate his blood, walking a fine line with the bleeding issue. He is also getting arythmia drugs, to try to slow and regulate the heart, they cannot get his heart rate to go below 121, and stay without super strong IV drugs, the oral meds, do nothing. He is also getting nitro through a patch type thing on his skin. They upped his Coumadin to 10 mg. tonight, as his PT/INR has not changed either---3 days and no changes to date. He received a Lovenox shot tonight as well. Hoping to see changes with the blood thinnning. Tomorrow we have our local Dr. who is the blood Dr. conferencing on a call with the local cardiologist (who has recinded his hospital privileges in a contract battle), and our cardiac surgeon in Albuquerque. They will be deciding whether he is a candidate for ablation ( further electro cautery surgery---either open heart, or through a catheter similar to angioplasty). Lots of big words---and unknowns still.

The inlaws are barely speaking to me---tough sh#*!!! His sister trying to order me around about transfering him was more than I could take so I hung up on her!!! I do not call every hour on the hour---I call his Mom, 5-6 times a day---and it isn't satisfying her. I figure the phone lines go both ways, and she is 10 miles away. She doesn't like it, there is plenty she can do about it!

I love his family, I just am not handling this the way they want. Rick is awake, aware, and able to make his own decisions on this, I will not use emotion to try to sway him, and that is what his Mom wants.

Anyway------ain't family GRAND?!!

Thanks so much-----your prayers and thoughts mean the world to me!!!

(((((HUGS to ALL of you!!!)))))

Kat

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Wow!

I have been out of town and am SO sorry to read about Rick's trouble. Kat, I'm sending you hugs, prayers and concern. It is extra difficult to manage the extended family's fears. You have my support!

Congrats to everyone for an awesome job this month!

I had a beautiful run yesterday on the beach. One more workout tomorrow and I'll have reached the gold (on the LAST day!)

"Better late than never.":rolleyes:

Hello all....... I'm banded at back at work today. So far, ok... I think I need a pillow for my tummy. I feel pretty good. I did overdo it yesterday mopping my hardwood floors but I paid for it and learned a lesson in taking it easy. TERRI YOU ROCKED THE CHALLENGE!

Kat: Many continued prayers.

Everyone else: have a great day....... Julie and Betty, should I be trying to get 500 calories or more a day??? I'm not hungry right now (post op swelling) I've been doing good to get 300...... I think I maxed at 500 yesterday because I fixed a "mock danish" with cream cheese, egg, and sf syrup.

Tracy, take care of yourself -- you can be babied for a few more days and not clean the floors again, ok? You're doing great though -- WOOHOO!

My advice is to not worry about the calories at this stage, whether low or high. I don't even think you need 500 if you don't feel like eating them. Try to get SOME protein, but don't force anything you don't feel like. A few short days of low cal and low protein isn't going to jeopardize your muscle tone and you (like all of us!) have plenty of energy in storage. If you feel bad though, certainly drink some calories -- like juice or liquid protein. It's not worth feeling bad to save calories at this stage. I'm just saying don't force calories simply because they're low for a few days while healing....

Tracy - happy to hear you're a "member of the tribe"............and back at work already! Sounds like you are doing mushies already? My doc had me doing full liquids for a couple of weeks, then on to mushies............I'd say don't worry about calories (I believe we have plenty of "reserves" on store in our bodies when we are first banded!).................however we do need to stay hydrated............and we do need proteen in our bodies to function (without enough I felt tired, headachie, sluggish)..............so do not try to jumpstart your "diet" - it will come! I did not "waste" my liquids, mushies stage before my first fill (I drank, ate the same kinds of foods that were suggested for a bandster - proteen, veggies, fruit, non-fat dairy, whole wheat grains)..............just slowly add things to your new healthy lifestyle.............just remember - you may have to "act as if" you are at your "perfect fill level"...............until it actually happens..........don't beat yourself up if you "slip", your band and the rest of us will get you back on track..............and MOVE THAT BODY - you are now a member of the Bandits Exercise Challenge - right?

Jenny - how was your week?

Kat - you and Rick are in Alan and my thoughts and prayers. Let us know what is happening.

Off to my Marathon Monday at the gym..........NIA, Core, Strength and Conditioning - go buff grammy B.

Julie - you answered Tracy while I was doing the same.............do we sound like we're related or what? Only you can spell and I can't!

Today will be my 25th day of exercise for this month - am I a fit, buff, grammy or what? Happy anniversary month to us all and onward to a healthy, happy May!

I have signal here today---yea!!! We are sitting and waiting for the Dr. The nurse said it could be a long wait....lovely. Anyway, no change. Going to read up on everyone, hope you are all ok.

I am not getting in enough exercise time wise, but I do leave the room every hour or so and go up and down the stairs---my thighs know it too!!! I figure, anything is better than nothing. They do have a good salad bar in the cafeteria, so I am living on salad. But I like that, so it isn't a hardship!!! There is a rehab room down the hall---I keep thinking I'll sneak in there and hit the bike, and the stair climber, and get my time in. But Rick is having exercise withdrawals too---he had been working really hard to get back in shape...we are just lucky he didn't stroke out on us!

I will update my signature to show my last day if exercise....and I was doing so well.....maybe next month!

I am off to read up.....will check in later.

(((hugs)))

Kat

OK, here's my big news. I signed up for a HALF-MARATHON on September 9th (Chicago)! Dad says I can start walking again on the treadmill on Thursday and can start running in a couple of weeks if the walking goes smoothly. So May is my month to get back up to running 5 miles comfortably, then June-August I'm going to train! Nothing like running to knock these last 30-40 lbs off me!

WOOHOO! I'm so pumped. Can't wait to be able to get back on the exercise bandwagon.

Anyone want to join me in September? Boo? Dawn?

Julie: Woooooooohooooooo! a half marathon! YOU GO GIRL!

Julie and Betty: Thanks you two for answering me so quickly! I had a bout of gas pain before lunch and managed to walk it off with gasX strips. I went home at lunch and relaxed in the recliner.

My doc only had me on clear liquids for 24 hours... then he said I could have soup thinned with milk, so I've been living on Reduced sodium tomatoe soup thinned with Hood Calorie Countdown Milk.. add in some pizza seasonings and I'm good to go.... today is the day I am allowed to progress to thicker liquids.. like pudding and yogurt... Nothing to chew until he ok's it. (first pre-op is this Friday)

Also to get protein I've been having ONE bottle of IsoPure per day (40 grams of protein) I'm kind of scared to progress to full fledge mushies so soon... I want that band CEMENTED in place! LOL

I know its been said over and over........ but I can not get over the lack of food that actually satisfies me........ ME.. the girl that could eat an entire PIZZA! full after a half cup of soup!!!!!!!! (I know it will get harder when the swelling goes down, but DAaaaaang it sure is nice right now!

I'm going to walk the block 1 time tonight and see how I feel.