July Butterflies Master Thread

[orea15 0]

Congratulations on your surgery and the weight loss! We need to do whatever it takes to get those pounds off, and how we do it is nobody's business but ours.

Good luck and keep in touch. :-)

Orea

[swcfolksinger 0]

I'm Jen. I have a surgery date of 7/29... and terrified would be an understatement. I'm self paying. I have insurance but we have a specific rider at my company... no coverage for weight issues... not even a dietician. I've started my pre-op liquids today, and luckily, I've tried out and found a Protein Drink I like (Thank Goodness!!) The one I had this morning tated like my morning cup of coffee... I just wish i could of sweetened it.

More on me...

I've always been overweight. I don't remember a time when it was not an issue. I was about 165 - 180 in high school at 5'1" tall... and it was fairly miserable. I'm now in my 30s (turned 33 on 7/18) and need to do something about this. I've researched this for about 2 yrs now and am ready. I've tried every diet out there, and adding that to being diagnosed with PCOS with no chance of having kids safely right now... I need this. I'm at 300+ lbs right now. I was steady at about 230 until my mother moved in with my Hubby and I 5 yrs ago... can you say stress?? :w00t:

We are not telling any one about my surgery.... not even my mom. If she says anything it will be that my gall bladder is acting up. :eek: I know it isn't the truth.. but well... you'd have to know my mom. She is in her late 70's had me late, is japanese (went through WWII in Hiroshima) and the most negative individual on earth... but only to me.

She spent a lot of time sitting on the couch and laughing when I was trying to exercise... To every one else - She is a darling sweet old lady... I invite ANYONE to live with her... anyone want a new japanese grandma??

(kidding...kinda)

But she is family... and I love her. My hubby wouldn't know fat if it bit him, so its hard to explain what I'm going through. he is just now - at 40 - putting on a tiny little pooch of a tummy... and it actually looks good on him. He is trying to be supportive... but doesn't really know how.

The other member of our family (other than the 2 sweet dogs I love) is my precious step daughter. She is the light of my life, and I wan to be certain that I have a chance to continue sharing it with her... and hopefully give her a couple of siblings... that she keeps asking for:sneaky: She's 10, and doesn't know about the surgery. She'll be with her mom for their 2 week vacation starting friday, so hopefully we can leave her out of it. She worries a LOT for a 10 yr old... we have a bout 50/50 custody, so she is of the upmost importance to us, and I want her focused on fun - not worrying about me!

I think that is it! I really love hearing everyone elses stories. It is really helping a lot. :biggrin2:

[orea15 0]

Welcome! You have made a wise and life-affirming choice. Congratulations!

Sorry your mom is so hard to live with. I have a couple of thoughts - neither of which is original with me! - to share with you.

• For problem family members or boyfriends: I could eat the whole thing and he/she will still be a <fill in the word of your choice>!
  
• A motto I have taken to heart: If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the answer.
  

If you need support, you'll find it here. :-) Come and vent if and when you need to.

Good Luck!

Orea

[crzytchr 3]

Good luck! I was banded 7/14. I don't mind telling anyone about my decision to have surgery, but the people around me are all supportive. I am sorry your mom is a cause of stress for you. Find people who uplift and support you....maybe HERE! This seems to be a wonderful caring community.

[swcfolksinger 0]

:biggrin2:Thanks guys!!

You have no idea how much that means to me! I'll keep everyone updated...so far - so good.

~Jen

[ShondaN 0]

It looks like I will be a July Butterfly. I will be banded July 30th and I am so excited.

[orea15 0]

Hi Shonda, we'll be band sisters, as that is my date, too. :-)

Are you on a preop diet or anything?

Orea

[PDXBandster 0]

Hi everyone! 4 days post op and doing MUCH better. I got pretty sick yesterday but it turns out it was from my pain meds. They were too much on my stomach and making me throw up a lot.

But now I am on liquid tylenol and feeling so much better! Anyway- looking forward to full recovery and getting back to work! (crazy I know...lol)

[orea15 0]

Glad to hear you are doing well. :-)

Orea

[Mrs J.J 2]

Orea, only 8 days to go till you get banded, how are you feeling? You have been such a great support here to everyone. So glad we have you in the July Butterflies.

[Mommy.ArmyWife 6]

Tomorrow is my 2 week post-op appt, and I'm SO ready to ask my doctor if I can start having musie foods! I'm so sick of the Soup and pudding! If I never see a can of soup again, it will be too soon!!! When did you all start mushies??

[BeverlyDiane 0]

Ashley, I know how you feel. I am just on the pre-op and all the full liquids make me want to gag just by the smell. It reminds me back when I had major surgery in '99 and was on liquids. We will make it though...failure is not an option.

[Booklady 0]

Tomorrow is my 2 week post-op appt, and I'm SO ready to ask my doctor if I can start having musie foods! I'm so sick of the Soup and pudding! If I never see a can of soup again, it will be too soon!!! When did you all start mushies??

Today is my two weeks - July 8th - also! Instructions were to go on to mushies. I had some thinned down refried Beans with a dab of sour cream and sprinkle of cheese. WOW! Soooo good! Even tho we have no big restriction right now I didn't know what to expect. But all went down fine. I guess I ate about 1/4 cup - that was enough!

[orea15 0]

Orea, only 8 days to go till you get banded, how are you feeling? You have been such a great support here to everyone. So glad we have you in the July Butterflies.

I'm looking forward to it! The Optifast has gotten easier, but those first four or five days were simply miserable. I have discovered to my dismay that I really hate SF Jello and SF popsicles --I tried two brands of them! SF Koolaid for some reason works for me. Go figure. I still don't have much energy, and I'm not dropping the weight very fast, so I'm taking it easy and hanging out here a lot. :-)

I trust my surgeon and this hospital completely and I am so ready to stop jumping through hoops! I want my life back, and this will be the next step.

I only wish I could stay awake and watch! LOL

Orea

[melmel 0]

My story is very similar to yours in many ways!! I was banded on July 10th and also decided not to tell anyone except for my best friend who also had w.l.s. and of course my boyfriend would know, we live together. lol :biggrin2:

Of all people I would never tell my mom about the surgery because she's always made me feel like crap about myself for being heavy. When I was a little girl (under 10), I was very thin....I ate nothing....I just didn't like food. My mother would force feed me and make me feel like the outcast of my whole family becuase I didn't even sit at the holiday table with everyone else. When I started going through puberty and trying different foods....I gained weight. Once again, now she made fun of me all the time cause I was fat. She was always more worried what everyone else thought than my own feelings. Shes one of those people who worrys about looks more than whats on the inside. Anyway, what I'm trying to get at, it does hurt when more than anything we want to share our happy news with our loved ones, but sometimes we can't because of the person they are, not because of the person we are. My mom is not a bad person, but after all these years have gone by (36) I finally told my mom that I didn't like how she treated me for being heavy when I was younger, I let her know the emotinal/mental damage she did to me and she is now sorry for it. It felt good to finally let her know, I held that in for years! She thought by constantly making me miserable about being fat was gonna change the fact. I was already miserable, I sure didn't need her help....lol! :seeya: This choice that we have made is ours....and no one elses, we own the right to tell who we want. I only told two people, because I knew I could only trust those two to fully support me....and they have 100%. I also find these forums to be very helpful. I don't always post, but I read others everyday because thats what helps me.

I'm also not able to get pregnant, can't figure out what's exactly wrong but I'm staying positive....I have a few years left on my clock...lol:smile: Hopefully its just a weight issue...no one really knows. Anywho, I really enjoyed reading your story as well as all the others, they keep me going...so I thank you all. Keep positive and we always have our band sisters to chat with!:thumbup:God Bless You All