I'm BACK and banded!!!!

[Bright 9]

Hi folks!

thanks for all your messages which Sarah printed out and brought into the hospital for me - they really cheered me up as sometimes it felt quite lonely in there!

Well - I'm done and (apologies to newbies) certainly wasn't the "walk in the park" I was expecting.... I reacted to the anaesthetic and felt really crap for about 24 hours - dizzy, nauseated and vomited a lot - i was really worried about the vomiting but they told me it was ok - once my head "cleared" I felt much better. I have 5 incisions, which are stapled (!) and amazingly DO not feel hungry at all - I am sitting here typing, trying to remember to sip Water every few minutes, enjoying the show hearing the water gurgle into my "bottom" stomach! Weird!!!

My husband was brilliant - brought me in little parisian gifts every day - non edible for a change! They went to disney the day I had my endoscopy & tests, and he really kept the kids happy!

Sarah was amazing too - visited me every day and translated all the "hard" french I couldn't cope with, like checking me in and out, dealing with admin etc - I wouldn't have managed without her, and don't think i would recommend anyone doing it the way I did without so much support!

Anyway - I'm still sore, and have the added stress of having to inject myself (aarrrgghhh) with anticoagulant every night! I did use ALL three pairs of flip flops so stand by that decision

Love to everyone who was thinking of me esp. Donali, Alexandra and Babs - all your wise words stayed with me and I wasn't upset in the recovery room when I couldn't breath for those few moments! Funnily enough, in the recovery room, I felt pain in my shoulder and insisted to the doctors that "I must walk this gas away" - they were heartily laughing at me - 10 mins out of surgery!

oh well - at least my head was working

more later!!!

[Bright 9]

must change the pre-band thing at the bottom of my sig!!!!

[Graceful One 4]

Oh Bright I'm so happy to hear everything went well! You'll be feeling up to par in no time! So glad to hear about the flip-flops...your too cute!

[bbrecruiter2000 1]

Yeah!!! Woo hoo!!!! Bright, I am so happy for you. I kept checking here to see when you would be able to post. Its funny how the brain works. I think back to my time in the hospital and I only vaguely remember the pain. Much like having babies and C-sections. You think you won't survive it when its happening, but months later you look back and think it wasn't as bad as you thought it would be!!!

Are they disolvable stitches or does someone in Ireland need to take them out?

I have no doubt that you will do great with your band. You husband sounds like a delightful guy who will be a constant figure of support for you. Make sure you get the photos of yourself and measurements through your journey. IT is something I haven't done and probably should do. ONe of these days, I will post a photo.!

Babs in TX

334/272/180

-62 and counting

6/23/03

[donali 57]

WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK WELCOME BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D

Okay, I'm not excited for you, or anything... lol

Sorry you were not one of those who did all the town walking tours the day after surgery, but at least I know I'm not the only one who didn't. Thanks.

I felt pretty much like crap for two weeks, but I blame the second week on my going to choir and trying to sing just a week after my surgery. Notice my name is NOT "Bright"... lol

Anyway, welcome to the "other side," and I know we all look forward to sharing in your journey!

Lotsa Love!

[Alexandra 55]

Hey Bright!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! I can't believe you used all three pairs of flip-flops. Were you doing a fashion show in the hospital hallway or something?!?

Oh, how well I remember that crappy anesthesia feeling. All I can say is I'm sure glad I didn't have to fly afterwards. I would have been a basket case!! The good thing about feeling so lousy, though, is how GREAT you feel once you feel better. And you will feel better, soon, I promise!

Enjoy the not-hungry feeling, because it will go away. Drink, rest, read, and relax!

WELCOME TO BANDLANDIA!!!

[Sarah 0]

Well done Bright!

Glad to read your post-band post at last! I just wanted to add my 2 pence about the banding experience.

I had completely forgotten about when you come through from the anaesthetic, it WAS hard to breathe at first! Thank goodness it wasn't just me being daft.

Also, re the staples. They are real, metal, like in the office type staples and need to be taken out about 10 days post op. This, however, is totally painless!

I wholeheartedly concur with the 'ouch' of the anti-coagulant injections - they hurt much more than insulin jabs! (I had gestational diabetes with my second son - hence my drive to lose weight with the band). Keep going, though, and thank your lucky stars you didn't have to wear support hose pre/post op - they'd have certainly clashed with your flipflops!

Anyway, good luck and keep in touch...........

Sarah

[jadrad7 0]

congratulations and wlcome to the other side! I really gotta know what you did with all those flip flops!

[shellyj 5]

congrats! hope you have a speedy recovery! hope your stocked up on soup!

[Bright 9]

HAVE to mention that I'm kind of a freak about things matching! I brought four pairs of pyjamas - and just couldn't wear pink flip-flops with red pj's - just one of the sad little things that keep me going!

Sarah was laughing at me every day!!!! I had two huge bags plus a hand bag (which I kept losing.....) I just knew I'd feel miserable if I looked crap - I normally have really pale skin so I had a fake tan done before the trip, and then suffered the indignity of lots of funny white squares on my hand/arms as sticky band aids were removed after blood tests, or drips or canula's (sp?) Every time the nurses whipped off the bandaids, yet another part of my "tan" went with them!

Basically France (and now the USA!) thinks I'm mad!!!

Also - another hugely undignified thing happened to me which i haven't read anywhere else - THEY SHAVED ME!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, THERE! The embarrasement! It's not like I am mad hairy or anything or like the surgeon was going anywhere near there! I was saying "non, non, pas possible!!" but they were going "oui, Oui" So hence, me lying horrified as TWO nurses shaved away with crappy bic razors without foam or anything!!!!!

Anyway still not very hungry, but with it being Halloween i found it hard to cope tonight with all the candy and chocolate being around - hope you guys did ok xx

talk soon xx

[donali 57]

Oh, Bright.... ROTFLMAO!!

I cannot imagine why they felt the need to SHAVE you! And dry, too... OUCH! lol Don't worry, honey, it will grow back...:chinese

You know, the funniest part of that is that when I was in high school and did a tour of Europe with a symphonic band, the fact that the French women did not shave their legs or arm pits was a big point of interest to us young American girls...

Maybe that's the only place they DO keep shaved... ow, ow, oh, it hurts to laugh this hard!

Please, I do not mean any offense to any French members we may have. :nervous

[Alexandra 55]

Oh, Bright, what a horror that must have been! But thanks for the great big laugh--I can just imagine the nurses' glee as little bits and pieces of your "tan" came off with the bandaids. OH MY GOD!! :D

You are the personification of the words "good sport." This was hilarious!

[IAMOMX6 0]

Congrats on your banding Bright!

How exciting for you.

Sorry about the shave, I've never heard of that before.

Good luck!

Christina

[Guest pammypooh1967]

Hello newie here. Sure hope your recovery is going better for you then your hospital stay! How is your stomach feeling? Does it feel tight or swollen? Can you keep your Water done o.k.? I'm just wondering. I'm having surgery tomorrow. I'll be a mess in the morning when it get time to go. But I how its not going to be a walk in the park, neither. It's surgery. But one that will help save my life.... So best of look in your recovery. Keep me posted on your weight loss.. Bye Pammy...

[Bright 9]

good to hear from you and welcome to lapband talk!

Tomorrow will be exactly two weeks since the surgery and I have to say I am feeling great! Apart from the 24 hours in the hospital after the anaesthetic, when I felt horrible, things could not have been easier! My staples have been removed, and I don't even need dressings on the wounds anymore. While I was in the hospital (had surgery at 2 in the afternoon on a tuesday, left for the airport on thursday), from wednesday morning I wasn't on any pain relief! I remember asking the nurse what drugs were in my drips - she said one is for rehydration and the other is an antibiotic! I couldn't believe it! I filled my hospital prescription which was two types of pain relief drugs, one basically paracetamol and the other for severe pain - I used just half of the paracetamol and never even used the other one. I never had a swollen stomach and just mild gas pain in my shoulder. I went shopping on friday (well they said walk, so I may as well walk around my favourite mall!), and since that, am pretty much back to normal - I've done all my christmas shopping already, and can do housework no problem (I CAN - I'm just not doing it!!!)

I don't feel tight at all really - but do get full quite quickly - today I had a Protein smoothie which I made at home (fruit, probiotic yogurt, Protein Powder, mango juice!) and had some mashed potato with tuna/sweetcorn/mayo salad for lunch and oh-mi-god, I'm stuffed! I am trying to drink 2 litres of Water a day, and wait for it - have lost 21lbs in total so far! In only 2 weeks! Well, 7lbs of that was from the pre-surgery diet, so really 14lbs in two weeks which I'm really happy with!

I wish you lots and lots of luck with your surgery - you really will be fine and be so happy with your band!

I'll be thinking of you

love