Jane L.

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Yesterday I threw up 5 times. Three times on half a hot dog, no bun. I just ate too fast and didn't chew well enough. Then I had two saltine crackers, which I ate slowly and chewed really well. I threw those up too. Several hours later I had a piece of chocolate (I know, what was I thinking??) and I threw that up too. Well, after that I went straight to clear liquids for a while. Not sure if I am going to eat this am or stick to liquids. I have a killer headache. I think I'm dehydrated. Ugh. I guess I am a work in progress. Weight today: 238, but I am certain it's b/c I'm dehydrated, so I'm not changing my ticker.

Guess I'm officially no longer a 'newbie'. Had my first PB today. First I slimed, then up it came. Fortunately I had gone to the sink to slime. It was a very unviolent PB, I guess because it didn't have far to come. I felt SO much better when it was over! yay me - no longer a newbie!!

First things first:  weight:  249.  Same as it was on this scale two weeks ago but I go by the dieticians scale, which read 246 :).  

I had my first fill, and found out some facts on the band:  I have a 9.7 cc band, which is the smallest band available right now.  My surgeon (bless him) said he's agressive with his fills.  He tried to empty me today, just to ensure I was empty, and I was.  Then he put 1.7 cc's in my band.  It did not hurt in the least.  He gave me a local, and then I felt nothing.  


Anyway, he said 1.7 cc's is a lot and I will feel a difference.  He said that any adjustments I need in the next 30 days are free, just because they don't think insurance covers fills and I had to pay $250 out of pocket today.

Progress to date:  26 lbs.   I'm happy with that!

Today marks the two weeks since my surgery. Total weight lost: 21 lbs!! Yee haw! Started mushies today: Bkfst: Jamba Juice protein smoothie lunch: 2 sm scallops, 2 sm pieces of eggplant dinner: 1 scrambled egg, little tiny bit of cheese. snack: 1 bag dehydrated apples (approx 1.5 apples) 39 calories

Today I feel GREAT.  What a difference a day or two makes.  I'm no longer weak, dizzy or have blurry vision.  I didn't even take a nap yesterday! 

Week one complete.  Glad it's over...never have to do that again!!

Today I am wearing my wedding ring for the first time in over 6 months and that makes me (and hubby) happy.

Today is the first day that I'm happy I did this!  Yippee!  The journey has just begun and I am READY to do this!

Well, I made it! The surgery itself went fine. The hardest thing was that I couldn't have anything to drink for almost 24 hours after my surgery, until my swallow test. My throat hurt from having the tube in it during surgery and I just could not drink anything. That was miserable. I was up walking about 4 hours after surgery and felt okay, just a little lightheaded. The first night I slimed twice, without even having anything to drink. After the swallow test, I started sipping water and clear protein (Isopure). I slimed 4 times yesterday and threw up lastnight. Today is day three and I am sipping Cream of Wheat. I feel better than yesterday. At least today I'm not wondering what I was thinking! I am weak but moving around the house and sleeping a lot. Sipping almost constantly to stay hydrated. It's hot here. I am so glad to be home. Looking sooooo forward to feeling better. My boys are taking good care of me (hubby and sons) and I am grateful for them.

Yesterday the surgeon and I went over EVERYTHING...things that will happen, things that might happen. He is very thorough and I like him a lot. Very personable. His coordinator is very organized and nice.

Pictures. Pictures are the answer. LOTS of pictures! Most people who are morbidly obese do not like having their picture taken. They avoid the camera because the photographs don't lie. That fact can be put to good use before and during your weight loss. Simply put, the best way to document weight loss is not a scale graph of pounds lost, or a size chart of inches lost. The best way to document weight loss is to take photographs before and during the process. I advise people setting out on this journey to take three initial pictures. The recommendations that I give are these: 1. Take three views, front, side and back (That means you need a automatic timer camera or a friend to help you) 2. Take the pictures in the same place every time. A doorway is a great choice, because it helps put a known quantity into the picture. Other good places are in front of a fireplace or another known point of reference. 3. Take the pictures while wearing form-fitting clothes. A swimsuit is IDEAL. 4. Take the pictures with the same camera, and make sure you are standing the same distance from the camera every time. That's why a doorway helps. You can line yourself up in the doorway and use a measuring tape to find the distance to the camera. 5. Take that same set of pictures every month. Front, back and side views. Wear the same clothes and make sure the distance to the camera is the same. 6. Have the "Before" pictures printed out, and tape them to your refrigerator. 7. Have the latest set of pictures printed out, and tape those next to the "Before" pictures. In doing this, you mind has irrefutable PROOF that what you are doing IS WORKING. People frequently do NOT "See" their weight loss, and they become frustrated, perhaps by a scale weight that is not moving, even though their body size is reducing at an amazing rate. This is a great way to "See" your weight loss. The best way to document weight loss is to take photographs before and during the process.

Most doctors prescribe a post-op diet of weeks of clear fluids, followed by weeks of full fluids followed by weeks of mushy food. My doctor said 2 weeks clear fluid, 2 weeks full fluids and 2 weeks of mushy food. The time following the operation is for your stomach to heal. The Lap-Band needs to form a groove on your stomach. That groove makes the Lap-Band resistent to slipping. Eating food during the post-op period before you are supposed to be eating food could cause the Lap-Band to slip, or increase the risk of a future slippage. Food causes the stomach muscle to "Work" to digest the food. The "Work" could cause the band to not seat properly on the stomach. Weight loss is NOT to be expected during the recovery time after the operation. If you lose weight, wonderful, but don't expect it. The time between the operation and getting an EFFECTIVE fill that causes restriction is called "Bandster Hell" for a good reason. Without an EFFECTIVE fill, our hunger is just as strong, but the band does not work to help us. Getting an EFFECTIVE fill sometimes takes multiple fills, it is not unusual for it to take 3-5 or even MORE fills to obtain restriction. Because the band has to seat into the groove to hold it's position, and every time the band is filled the fill adds extra pressure on the band, most doctors choose to let time pass between fills. Most doctors will not fill a band before 4 weeks after the operation, 6 weeks is common and 8-12 weeks of healing time is not unheard of.

Okay, my goal for so many months has been to have the surgery.  The program coordinator called yesterday to say that I have a pre-op with the doc on Friday the 13th (oh no! ) and then I pre-register at the hospital on July 17 and meet with her right afterwards.  Then, the big day, July 18.  Wow, this is really happening.  I have butterflies thinking about it.  I am chanting the rules in my head repeatedly...chew, chew, chew, sip water, water, water, move your butt, butt, butt, protein first, first, first, take your vitamins, vitamins, vitamins, you can do it, do it, do it.




Note to self:  after reading about the hot dog getting stuck, DO NOT EAT HOT DOGS!  Lordy....