What all are you all doing to get ready for the surgery? The lifestyle change? Have a shopping list for preop shopping? Already joined gym? Figured out your favorite protein shake? Any tips you've learned??

Hi, I am getting banded on 5/27/08

what I have started already is....

1) drinking 80-100 oz.of Water per day

2) taking tiny bites and chew chew chewing

3) trying to cut my portions down

4) taking 20 minutes to eat, not more not less

5) walking

6) being AWARE when I am eating

7) finding band friendly recipes

8) found the best Protein shakes... the SAFEWAY brand (if you have Safeway grocery stores in your area), they are creamy and way better than Atkins or the others and only 2 net carbs

9) found 3-4 Protein Bars that were to my liking

10) Read the book the Secret and The New Earth , working on self-improvement and learning the power that I do have in life

11) prepare my 5 year old about some house rules on foods (although we have never had sugary things and chips in our house)

12) practice visualization techniques, especially things like what I will look like 20 pounds lighter, then 50, then 75, then 100, then at goal...

13) Find out everything I can about Lap Band surgery and life

14) Started a local support group with people that are banded or are thinking about it, already had one meeting

15) Probably doing more, but can't think right now

Kammi in Everett, WA

What type facility is your support group in? We need to get one started here but have no idea where to hold it. My church is about 15 miles from the main town - making it about 30-40 from some of the people who would come. Any suggestions?

Since my parents are being banded at the same time as well as my husband, we are holding it at my parent's home.... it's close to people in our area and it's pretty large, large enough for lots of people, but my patient facilitator luckily lives near by and she said that as soon as a lot of people start coming more regularly, the surgeon's office will most likely pay for a rental of a place that will be better suited to our group's needs... so someone home, a cabana building at someone's apartment complex, someone's office conference room after hours... just think in those directions.... I do send luck and hope you find something that works for you and your group, they are helpful for some!

Kammi in Everett, WA

soon to be banded 5/27/08

Kammi-

What are you telling your 5yo about your surgery? I've not yet figured out what to tell my kiddos. Part of me wants to tell them nothing, and another part of me wants to try and explain the whole thing in a way that's easy enough for them to understand. But then, I'm afraid that will totally freak them out about food in general, kwim?

-m

My 5 year old is very perceptive and very in tune with how the world works... she knows about very deep topics like death and such.... she is a pretty sophisticated child... we have always talked "real" to her, without gorry details of course and she just seems to get it. As far as the surgery, she knows what it is for, she watched the video our doctor sent us about it, we told her about the little cuts we will have and how we will have to eat for the rest of our live's... she is very into health and seems to get it.... she reads labels at this point too.... so as far as telling your children... I don't know the relationship or how you communicate to them, but I always believe in informing at the level your child is capable of handling... My daughter just does better with things when she has the facts. I don't know if that helps or not, but that is what our situation is... she is going with us as well to Mexico... my parents and my husband are also being banded, she will be with my parents at the hotel while my husband and I are being banded and then when we go to the hotel for recovery, we will care for her while my parents are having surgery.... she is very independent, but not the wander off type... we will spend most of our time by the pool as she is an avid swimmer and will be swimming for days!

Kammi in Everett, WA

soon to be banded 5/27/08

K-

She sounds like she's closer to 6 than 5?

-m

She turned 5 in November... but we have been discussing this for about 3 months with her since we made our decision.... we have talked to her about deep issues since she was born..... literally, she has a spirit that requires us to do that with her.

Hard to explain...

Kammi