New to fifties group

[The Candidate 3,215]

@@Kathy812 how is your recovery coming along?

[Kathy812 794]

@@The Candidate thanks for asking. I'm doing pretty good. I am overwhelmed w/making sure I do everything as instructed by my doctor.

I have to drink fluids, Protein, walk,use my spirometer often. Just a lot to keep organized. Thankfully,they gave me a chart to help keep it on track. So far so good.

I have to take two naps a day, I tire easily, which is expected. But overall I am tolerating my fluids well. I have had to take the pain meds. Once yesterday. I'm hoping I don't need any today but I've accepted the fact that if I do, it's ok. I was prescribed hydocodone, which is strong & I believe addictive. So I'm very concerned about staying on it for too long. May switch to Tyenol.

[The Candidate 3,215]

Maybe that's all part of the magic designed to finally get us healthy again. You have so much to think about, so much you have to remember and do; there no room for anything else. And all the while you're going about your day in this strange brand new body. You've read all the instructions and yet it's still like unraveling a complex mystery. It must be in equal terms exciting and scary.

But before you know it you'll be there. In that place you've been hoping and dreaming about since the very moment you made the decision to have the surgery. I can only imagine how tough it must be for you, but you sound like you are doing so well, and I'm so very happy for you!

Remember to take a moment everyday and cherish how hard you've worked to get where you are now. How much progress you've made and how many more successes you have coming your way. Some so special you can't even dream of them yet! You deserve it!

[Vsglady 142]

Hey fellow 50's...just got my surgery time for tomorrow. I need to be there at 7:30 for surgery between 9:30 and 10. Extremely nervous. Can't seem to calm myself. Very focused on complications during and after. Although I've had several "big surgeries" I don't know why this one seems to unsettle me the most. Maybe older and wiser or maybe too much internet...didn't have internet so easily during previous surgeries. So maybe that's it...dinosaur syndrome or rather ignorance was bliss. Anyway, I know realistically that not doing this is just as risky if not more so. So I will go with my right foot forward and leap into this new frontier of sleevedom.

[NavyMom2006 119]

@@Vsglady - Good Luck tomorrow with your surgery! You won't be sorry....after the first few days anyway! Just take big, deep breaths and think about how nice you're going to look a year or two from now!

And stop looking on the internet!!!! LoL!!

[The Candidate 3,215]

We'll be thinking of you @Vsglady. All the best to you! Let us know how it goes.

[Kathy812 794]

@@The Candidate beautifully said and so poignant.

I will definitely take time to reflect, my husband has been trying to stress the importance of meditating to help calm my mind. I've done it a few times but I think I am going to get more serious about it. Thanks again for those beautiful words of encouragement.

[Kathy812 794]

@@Vsglady only positive thoughts. No room for negativity. Helps with the healing, trust me... I know.

You are on point when you mentioned the alternatives to NOT having the surgery. It will Definitely be the best decision you've made for your future. Just remember, initially you may not think that. But as the months progress, you'll know it & feel it.

best wishes my friend!

[traveler60 42]

Good luck VSGLady! Lots of good energy coming your way. I'm 8 days behind you.

[LainieG 132]

Kathy, good to hear that you are doing well, I know the pain will get better with time, I am glad that you said you never wondered why you did this. We know what will be on the other side for us and none of us should question our motive.

Lady, good luck tomorrow and keep us posted. So excited for both you and Kathy.

Had my cardiac cath today and came away with a healthy heart - no blockages and good heart muscle. It was a long day most of it laying on my back,, Really was ready to ask for a gun. The procedure was a cinch it is all the laying flat that you have to do. But very happy with theoutcome.

Prayers for my cousin Susan, while I was getting good news she was at another local hospital having 4 bypasses done. Feel so bad for her but I know this will make her feel better.

Night, see all tomorrow

[beachgal2935 596]

I just love reading all of this good news. Been praying for VSGlady and happy for the progress Kathy812 is making. I went yesterday for my Bariatrician visit and 2nd official weigh in yesterday. I was so happy to hear "Wow, you've lost 6 lbs. since your visit last week". Yay - my diet I started last Wednesday is working! This doctor was just full of info. He explained to me, like the Psychologist had last week, how years of dieting resets your body's weight set point and no matter how much weight you lose on your own, your body will fight you to regain it back to where you started. This is why WLS is such a viable answer. He also asked me if I had any friends who could eat pretty much anything and not gain weight. When I said yes, he explained why. The duodenum, first part of the small intestine, which receives partially digested food from the stomach and begins the absorption of nutrients, i.e. calories play a major role in who gains weight and who doesn't. In naturally thin people the absorption rate is around 60% whereas us lucky people it's 90%. Now listen, I'm not saying that we haven't had our share of donuts, cakes, chips and ribs, but if any of you are like me, this makes so much sense. I have dieted aka starved and exercised to lose weight and when the results slowed or stopped, I'd throw in the towel and it would slowly creep back up on me. I truly believe THIS TIME I can lose it and FINALLY keep it OFF!!! Sorry to ramble. For my birthday last Friday I got a Jawbone UP24. Does anyone else have one? It is AWESOME!!! It's a fitness wristband that tracks your steps, meals and sleep with an app on your phone. I love it! Check it out ...

You, in the moment

UP24 is always connected, providing real-time feedback so that you can stay motivated and live better. Notifications and nudges help you understand your progress throughout the day, while the home screen serves as your daily dashboard to check overall progress and see what your friends are up to.

Designed For Everyday Life

UP24 was designed to fit seamlessly in people's lives. Real life. It's a thoughtful combination of engineering and design, custom-made for how we live—an intelligent computer wrapped around your wrist.

Connect With Apps You Love

Complement your UP experience and connect to your favorite apps — or discover new ones — within UP.

Track your weight, map your bike rides, access extensive food libraries and more, and that data will be seamlessly integrated into your UP feed, lifeline and trends.

Edited October 23, 2014 by beachgal2935

[Kathy812 794]

@@LainieG so sorry to hear about your cousin, wishing her full recovery.

I am super happy about your news! So what's next for you?

@@beachgal2935 great job on your weight loss! Keep up the good work. I have not heard of the wristband you mentioned but seriously thinking of purchasing some type of fitband ,I -will gave to do my homework on that.

[Queen of Crop 1,103]

So many exciting new journeys on here! Congrats to those who are 'on the other side' Wow. I can feel the excitement jumping off the pages here.....@Kathy812.....I also had to take naps every day...usually after I ate about 3 teeny bites, I would look at my husband with these exhausted eyes and he would say "nap time?" And I barely had the energy to get up from the table to the bed! Those days are long gone now and they will be for you too....

VSGlady....your day is here!!!!

Happy for all of us!

[Queen of Crop 1,103]

BTW, the Jawbone looks awesome....I have had a Fitbit for about a year now and I love it. It clips on and like most of these things these days it has a social connection so you can see how you are doing compared to other friends. I am very faithful and wear it every day. I used to get 10,000+ steps in every day (I live in Amsterdam so I walk everywhere). But I have now joined a gym and I am concentrating on strength training because I'm so weak and not very flexible so I'm getting in less steps now. But I think whatever works and can motivate you and is easy is what you should get! But if any of you do get a FitBit, let me know so we can be FitBit friends.

BTW, someone just told me I had not put on the link to sign up for my blog....so it is back up there on the right hand side if you don't want to miss any updates. Sorry about that! Just go to www.queenofcrop.com

Have a great day everyone!

[finediva 979]

@@Queen of Crop. I would love to have 22 year old boobss and ARMS!!! I may di the boobs, as in a lift, if I qualify for that, but I don't see me doing the arms.