Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

Amanda....I'm so sorry....it's the hardest thing.

You're in my thoughts....

Oh my God My Mom Died!!!

what more can I say, but I am so sorry.. I will keep you and your family in my prayers

Amanda, You and your family will be included in my prayers. I am sorry for your loss. Hang in there and know that we are all here to support you.

Katie K.

It was not a total surprise but a shock. I just wasn't ready. When is one ever ready to loose a parent?

I am headed to Alaska tomorrow for a long awaited, and over a year in the planning, 60th birthday present(cruise & tour) for my husband. I talked with my family and they all agreed to wait on the memorial service. So I will be flying from Alaska to California on June 19 for a few days with family. Unexpected benefit is I will be spending Father's Day with my Dad.

Again thanks for being here and so supportive.

Amanda sorry to hear about your mom I know how hard that is. So good of your family to hold the memorial service for you. I bet your dad will really need you for fathers day so sounds like thats the way it should be. Hope you can enjoy the cruise.

I am so sorry to hear of your loss Amanda. You and your family are in my prayers. Enjoy your trip with your hubby and know your Mom would want you to enjoy yourselves in spite of what has happened. I am glad your family is holding the memorial service for you. Try to let go and enjoy.

Im headed to the airport in a little while. Im very excited but it's bittersweet. My mom always talked about traveling but sadly did not do much of it. She did however go to Alaska after she graduated from nursing school (20ish) and always talked of going back. She was so very excited about this trip and looking forward to the pictures and stories. Our last phone conversation on Tuesday, about 40 sec in legnth, she said "have fun on the trip, hug Ken and I love you. Im going to sleep now."

I know in my heart that she will be on my shoulder as Im looking at glaciers and whales.

My mom was remarkable. She was a nurse practioner for 25 years then when to law school at 60yrs old. She was a tireless defender of "the little guy". She homeschooled all us kids (3). Working the night shift most of my life. We bumped heads but she always respected my point of view. I will miss talking with her to clear my head.

Thanks for listening.

Hugs, A

visited a plastic surgeon yesterday! He was very thorough in his explanation of the procedure and recovery and what to expect with the results. He was much more informative than the DR I had a consult with before. Now just a few letters about my sagging skin from my lapband surgeon and my PCP. then wait for decision of insurance company, since they do pay for the lower section, but I have 2 sags. my upper and lower stomach as I call them!!!

Lynn I'm getting both of my sags fixed too. Insurance is covering the lower one and a hernia repair. I am self pay for the upper sag. That part is costing me almost $4000. I never expected it to cost that much extra, but no way do I want to go through this again so I'm paying it now because I know I won't be satified to have a extra roll on top.

I have 6 days left and I am so scared. I had my physical and blood work done already so just counting the days now>

Lynn I'm getting both of my sags fixed too. Insurance is covering the lower one and a hernia repair. I am self pay for the upper sag. That part is costing me almost $4000. I never expected it to cost that much extra, but no way do I want to go through this again so I'm paying it now because I know I won't be satified to have a extra roll on top.

I have 6 days left and I am so scared. I had my physical and blood work done already so just counting the days now>

My surgeon said it usually takes a few tried to get it approved by isurance, but my lower sag is also covered. He said he would not charge more than what my insurance would pay. Said I worked hard enough to lose the weight he does it all for the insurance payment....hope he is right, would be a nice thing not to have to self pay for part, but I am willing to do that...

Now I am getting in contact with PCP and lap band surgeon for thier letters for insurance..same hoops to go through as with lap band surgery, but hopefully the wait is not as long.

Can't wait to hear how your surgery goes.

Scrappy - so excited for you and Lynn -- you too! I'm probably at least a year away from being able to consider plastic surgery on my tummy but definitely already wishing for it.

Actually I've been stuck bopping up and down on the same 2-3 lbs for about 3 weeks now and it is a combination of stress eating, not getting exercise in because of working overtime, and just general being tired.

Anybody else now look at eating as Hard Work? I went through our cafeteria yesterday and they have a board where they post the nutritional info and most days I get a cup of Soup (probably closer to 12 oz in the container) and say good enough. Other days, like yesterday they had a chicken breast with balsalmic sauce, polenta, and green Beans which I thought seemed pretty healthy for the calorie count and the Protein. It took an hour of hard work (tiny bite by tiny bite) to eat the chicken and polenta and I never made it through the green beans. I know I should have eaten the green beans instead of the polenta but it was "easier" to eat and the green beans didn't do anything for me once they got cold. ugh. I need to keep consciously making a choice to eat the healthy things even if its harder than soup or something mushie or softer.

I recognize now that I used to "scarf down", eat incredibly fast, especially lunch at work when I had to work through lunch or eat on the run while driving somewhere, and I just can't do that now.

Edited June 13, 200917 yr by SpecialK

Scrappy and Lynn how exciting for you both. I am still a ways from considering plastic surgery but I have thought about it. Unfortunately, I need more than my tummy. My arms are sagging quite a bit as are my thighs. I would venture to say it is quite expensive to do all off the above and even my neck is a bit saggy. So then I think hmmm maybe a little lift here and a little tuck there. I could end up with quite a bill on my hands. So I will just wait and see what I need in another 25 or 30 pounds. By the way, I made it into Onederland this week. It's been 15 years since I have been out of the 200s.

Kathy,

Congrats on entering ONEderland. WTG

Amanda,

So sorry to hear about your Mom.

Wishin4

I'm exactly in the same boat as you (sagging all over). I'm not too comfortable with wearing tank tops this summer, but some days it's just too hot and I do it.

Special K

I know all about eating the mushies because it's easier. But I'm so stuck on ice cream and Cookies right now that I've gaine 5lbs back. Hope we can both get back on track.

Hey all.

The prodigal blah blah blah!

I'm back. I think. I've had a crazy last few months, hyper-stressful, constant deadlines, the reverberations of my excellent but disastrous winter relationship, travel etc. I've been eating very badly, not just overeating but bingey, as if making up for all the "privation" I'd endured over the last year.

It's pretty absurd, really. I'm embarassed, but, hey, I still have the band.

I don't have much restriction - if any, really - I can eat whatever I want. But the biggest problem hasn't been the nature of the food - the things I've been going nuts on have been all the high carb foods that slip effortlessly past a band. I've just kicked my chocolate malt addiction.

This has been a lazy, emotionally-driven fall. I don't know how much I've put on, but it's certainly a good bit, judging from the belt notch index.

So I'm here. I'll try to check in regularly; if I fall silent, feel free to nudge me, those of you who are my Facefriends! For there is no escaping the reach of Facebook...

I hope you're all well, and powering forward with the weight loss. Scrappy, as always, you continue to amaze and inspire. Christine: you must have been very naughty indeed in a past life to have incurred such endless complication. I hope you can figure out a regimen that works well for you.

I've only skimmed the posts from my Dark Interval, but I look forward to catching up with everyone, and hearing how thigns are going...

Later this week - after the Water weight goes! - I'll face the grim task of updating my sig file.