Good mornin' Everybody!

I hope ya'll don't mind me starting a NJ November thread. I didn't know if there was a protocol in place since you guys have been together for so long! LOL!

Yesterday (1st day banded) really wasn't too bad at all. No sore throat or chapped lips from the breathing tube, that was great. More discomfort than pain, except when I tried to get in or out of bed. Our bed is one of those temperPedic mattresses, which basically means your hand sinks into the bed whenever you try to use it to push-off (making it tough). Think I'll stick to chairs today

Jessica, everybody is of course, different....but for me it really has not been bad (knocking on wooden head). Unless it's gonnna sneak up on me I havn't had any of those shoulder gas pains I've read about. But there sure is a lot of rumbling in the tummy......it's probably still trying to recover from all the smell in the October thread: red candy apples, caramel apples, Cookies galore, stuffed jalapenos!

Chrissie how was the date? Great I hope. Sounded like a nice comfortable way to spend it.

Pat thanks so much for letting folks know how things went for me. At the time I was just feeling a little too nauseous to post. They gave me some Dilaudid (sounds like delotta) and I think thats what made me queasy.

Cindy & Mandy you guys deserve a big hand for all that you did to make a happy time for all the children. Today you breathe a little, I hope! Mandy, Awesome Jack-O-Lanterns!!!!

Hey Betty, Can you believe somebody's actually UP at this hour?!!!! LOL! Been laying around since the surgery yesterday morn. now I can't sleep! I notice where you were the first one up in the October thread

Kat, hope your house is still in one piece, after grandson's visit!

Sherry, you're right about the protien shakes. I knew they were'nt gonna be great, so my first day banded was my first taste, ugh....I sprinkled a little cinnamon on top so I could smell & taste that a little. It sorta helped.

Hey Jess, see you in bandland on Tuesday

I can't believe I'm actually thinking of doing some Christmas shopping saturday. It's been a thing with me to take off on my birthday to do that. I thought I'd be out of commission, but I don't feel too bad :clap2:

Have a great day everybody!!!!

Sherry, you know we love your posts, long or short

Gina, I remember Kat was supposed to go to pick or rake or what ever they do to harvest pecans, but what I didn't and don't remember is when she was getting her thryroid lumps checked or removed, but ty for helping me out.

Girls, Gina is from Virginia and the same doctor did her surgery that did mine and she's lost a lot of weight in a short period of time....WTG Gina!

Betty, pm me your home address again, I have some Harley stuff to send you, I know it's written down somewhere, hmmm just where.

Mandy, do you still have the list from last year where we got addresses from the NJ girls so we could do Christmas cards for those interested. I had it, but got a new computer and gone in a flash, LOL. Wait, it might be on my office computer, I moved my home computer there, I'll check and see. Any how, if you're interested, just pm me with your address.

Where's Cindy? She's one busy lady since she "retired".

Anne, get back in here.

Chrispy, well, we know where you are, heehee.

Anyone hear from Diane, signgirl lately, woohoo Diane come play with us.:bounce:

Later girlies.

Hello All,

:rain:It's a rainy November day here in Michigan - blech.

I just spent the weekend in Grand Rapids with Mom and my sisters. We spent too much, ate too much, and drank WAY too much wine, but it was a ton of fun and the Christmas shopping is almost done! Today was back to the real world, so now I'm back to work and trying to figure out how to play catch up with all the junk that didn't get done this past weekend. It was worth it though!

Bear with me while I catch up on everyone's new jobs, challenges, lovelifes, etc. So much has changed! It looks like Eileen, Mandy, and Betty all have new jobs that they love (or at least like). That's great news - congrats everyone!

I'm working 35 hours a week for the hospital, and I love it here. Great boss, fun coworkers. The toughest part has been not having enough time with the kids, but they've adjusted really well. DD and DS both began karate a few months ago and they love it.

Band life is going okay (she says cautiously). I've had a few fills and the weight is creeping off slooooowly. I'm on liquids today because my tummy feels weird and I was burping all last night. I'm sure it'll be fine if I take it easy for a few days.

Okay, time to stop slacking and get back to work! I have to clean up the drool on my keyboard from reading about the krispy creme cake. Mmmmmm...

It feels great to be back on here - I missed you guys!!

Does anyone know if the constant feeling like you have to burp means you're too tight? Cause I get that alot...it drives me insane. I do have an appointment Wed for a slight unfill but, naturally the reflux didn't happen last night. grrrrrr. I tried not eating past 6pm and that seemed to work for last night. i'll try again tonight and see...then might cancel my appointment. I just know he'll take more out than I want him to if I go. But...I do have that burping and hiccups quite a bit now so hmmmmm still undecided what to do

Sherry and Anne, try chewable gas-x. The band traps gas in the lower stomach and it can be really uncomfortable. Also because the pouch is so small if a tiny amount of gas gets in there, it hurts bad. I had the same problem and now a gas-x and I'm back to 100%. I need a fill but I'm affraid to be too tight. UGH! If he would do a tiny fill I would be great but he gets a bit agressive and then I'm barfing my own spit.... I need to work harder too, but that's a whole 'nother post. I have to shower and get ready for work, tonight I'm painting a bathroom so it can get put back together. But I'll check in when I'm done. ~Mandy

Hey Gals! Been so busy latley!! Nothing in particular, you know, just getting Busy with life! Had my Post-Op appt. today and, Yippie! get to have something other than liquids! Yea Mushies!!! ....My first food processed delight: NC BBQ !!!!! Sooooooo good! DH made it and I used appropriate restraint in qty.

Has anyone heard from Jetti ?(Jessica) Hope she's doing ok.

Well, gotta go for now....take it easy ladies!

And Pat....Oops! I probably shouldn't have used your name in the same sentence with Awful Arthurs, when I told Dani you said Hi, at the dr. office.:bounce:

Hey Girls---I'm baaack!

Wow Gina, good to see you over here!!

We got toooons of pecans...ok not tons, just hundreds of pounds! My MIL has made plans for most of them, but I'm fine with parting with mine! The thought of shelling them all is daunting!

We go to Texas (a little town called Comanche--SE of Abilene), just as Rick's cousin he was raised with headed in to surgery. She has (had) type 1 diabetes, and had been on dialysis, with kidney failure. She recieved a pancreas and kidney transplant a week ago Monday. She is out of the hospital, and in a hospital sponsored apartment now. Within hours of the pancreas transplant her blood sugar had dropped over 200 points! And before the surgery was complete the kidney was making urine! She has been a week without insulin for the first time since she was a kid! He kidneys had failed even with the treatment, to where she produced maybe a cup of urine a day, and her body was suffering from uremic poisoning, the first day after surgery she produced over 3 liters!

She feels great she said! She and her husband run a foster home, she has anywhere from 3 to 12 boys at a time. She has an 8 year old of her own, and a son with brain damage from encephalitic West Nile Virus who is still at home---so she has a busy life, and is very anxious to get back to it!

We got cows sold, others moved around, fields shredded---lots of things done, and left a lot needing done!

I have my pre op appointment tomorrow at 3, and then I have to call after 2 on Thursday to see what time my surgery is scheduled for on Friday. I am ready, it is growing fast, it is alarming me.

Anne- sooooo good to see you again!

Pat---I think I might have the list from last years Christmas exchange of addresses etc---if I find it, I will send it to you.

I think it was you mentioning a contact list---maybe not!

Let me see if I can find it, and then whoever mentioned it, can have it! Otherwise we can definitely compile a new one, we have new ones to add anyway!

I missed you all! Everyone sounds challenged by new jobs...Chris has a new packaged, nice sounding bf, hope Abi is better soon! Will check back in a while going to read up!!!

Hugs!

Kat

Yep, just looked, and I do have our Card exchange addresses from last year, if you want me to send it!

Kat

Send it on sweet lady

will chat later, on a *&*)(* laptop, hate these keyboards

oh, Kat, I need a copy. I want to send out cards. So if you send me the list, and everyone else sends me addresses I will update it and pass it around. ~Mandy

hey everyone

sorry i was MIA for awhile...just felt a little blah and typing was not high on my list of things i wanted to do

recovery is going good. I feel myself getting better everyday which is GREAT. the nauseous feeling went a way after a day or 2 i think it may have been the pain meds and the not eating that was throwing me off.

im getting my liquids in but i am worried that i am not getting enough "food" im on the full liquid stage and I try to get in some everyday but just the thought of food makes me sick to my stomach - why couldnt that happen BEFORE surgery????

I weighed myself last night and I swear the scale lies - my neighbor who owns the scales says that it is dead on - it said i weigh 257.5. now that would be 20 pounds!!! ok now you see why i swear it lies. i think that 20 is not possible maybe 8 or so. well i will find out next week when i go to the doctor until then i will continue to push to get all my nourishment in and hope i am doing things right.

i hope everyone is doing great with all the new jobs, men and other goodies!!!

Jetti, 20 pounds can happen and often does. It is some water weight and some from the lack of food. Please don't panic if you re-gain some of that weight before the first fill. As you add solids some of the weight can return. When I was allowed allowed pureed foods I had wendy's chili in the blender. Not so pretty but it dose taste really good. For full liquids try jello, yogurt smoothies, and cream soups diluted really well with fat free milk. There is an entire food forum on here, and some great ideas for all stages of post-op eats. I'm sorry you are still feeling blah, but it does get better. (((hugs))) ~Mandy

Good evening to all!

I swear, I don't know how days go by and I don't come check in! It seems like I miss a day, maybe two...but it turns out it's more...sorry, girls! Yes, it's a busy mommy life out here in the podunks!

I get to do something interesting tomorrow...it's deposition day! I get to sit through two other people's first, then give mine...all about the car accident from 2 1/2 years ago, where I was rear-ended and shoved into the car in front of me. That woman is suing me and the guy who actually caused the whole mess. My insurance company is footing the bill for my attorney, and it's not costing me anything...except TIME and AGGRAVATION!!!! Sheesh. Anyway, I've never given a deposition, so it'll be a new experience. The best part about it will be that after tomorrow, it'll be over for a while...unless there is a trial.

Kat, good luck with your pre-op and staying busy until Friday. I know that will be a big worry off your mind when it is over. Please know that you are in my prayers.

You two girls who are newbies...both of you just sound like you are doing so well! It gets better all the time!

For whoever is getting the Christmas card address list together, my address is exactly the same, so go for it! I want a copy of the addresses again, so I can send cards! It was so fun last year!

Hugs to all,

Cindy

Good Morning Y'all!

I need a new list too, my address is the same. I guess I need to break down and buy some stamps for Christmas. I was paying everything on line, I got mad when they raised the stamps again.

Kat - I guess I must have missed it that you were coming to Texas. I was so wrapped up in this training that I didn't pay much attention to anything else. Glad you got most of it done. Wow, that is a lot of pecans!

Pat - I hope you get your computer fixed soon. Nothing worse than not being able to use the computer, unless it's the toilet!

Cindy - Just make sure to read it all after you make it so you can correct anything wrong. Once they typed a small sentence for me that they tried to trick me on, but I saw it before hand and made them correct it. When they brought it up in court, and tried to get me to accept it, I told them twice they better go back and look at the corrected copy. They did and dropped the questioning right away. So, read it well!

Mandy - How is the new job going? Is Abi feeling better now?

Everyone is sneezing at work, I hope we all don't come down sick. They gave us all free flu shots last week.

Darcy - Hey girl, time for you to check in! Enough moving, going to court, worrying, just come out today and play!

Jessica - If you are on full liquids, make sure to get a protein drink in. You will feel much better with one of those in you. Heck, you can blend anything in a blender and make it liquid.

Diane - Don't you just love it that you can eat mushie? It's like a Christmas present! lol

Sherry - I know a lot of bandsters can't burp and they get that feeling. I don't know if it is because they are too tight or what. I burp a lot, so I don't have that problems. I just have to be careful it doen't come out of places at times I don't want it to!

Well, I know I missed some again, but my clock tells me if I don't get dressed I'll be late and I don't want that!

Take care and have a great day!

My address is the same too for the card list...please send me an update with everyone elses

Can't stay cause I'm at work but, headed out at noon time to go get a slight unfill. My doc is like Mandy's aggressive with the fill but, man I can't get him to backoff on the unfill too. So I'm going to plead a case for him to only take out .25cc because my deductible is paid off and if I have to come back for another unfill I will but, don't take .50cc...rather not keep playing with this but, back it off a little at a time. Right now the restriction is great all day but the minute I lay down....it all bubbles up grrrrr. Have the thought of getting poked again even though I know it doesn't hurt. Probably more nervous that hes going to freaking totally unfill my band again. I really REALLY don't want that.

hey mandy thanks for the encouragement

I already have it in my mind that I will gain some weight back when I start eating things that I can actually chew. I dont want to be blind and then freak out when it happens. My meals basically consist of yougurt, jello and broth. I am trying to get at least 1 protein shake in a day and then work my way up.

does anyone think drinking a slimfast low carb shake would be an ok protein shake to drink? I was drinking them before I got banded and I know what they taste like so I would stick with that if I can.