VSG Maintenance Group
Recent Posts
Good afternoon from Rockport, Ma!
Interesting thoughts about our sleeves. I know for Peps, the sleeve restricted how much he could eat, but did nothing for the food noise issues. Luckily, trizepatide does! For me, the first few years after surgery made eating such a pleasure. I could eat small amounts of very nice food and be satisfied. But the best feeling was enjoying food without guilt. As the years rolled on, cravings came back, but never to my pre surgery level. Regain yes, but I have kept 100+ pounds off for over 13 years. I am not skinny, but I am also no where near my highest weight. A success in my mind.
Peps, your discussions about your father are filled with respect and kindness. His life is limited by his dementia, but you have given him the most expansive life he can have within his needs. I wish all elderly people could have this.
Liz I thought a lot about your saying you don't want to travel anymore where you pack up every day or two to move to a new location. It's hard! It was worth it to me on this trip to see everything we wanted to see, but I am happy to be staying in Rockport for 5 nights before we head to the Finger Lakes.
Paula I am following your recovery story. I still think about getting a panniculectomy if my insurance will cover it, but I'm afraid of complications. I don't see a large window for recovery if I would need it between travel plans. But then I see posts from you and Liz about traveling in 3 1/2 weeks so maybe I could ...
Diane, I agree that those taquitos were false advertising! Enjoy your late summer blooming flowers. Mine will be done pretty much by the end of September, regardless of temp because of the light leaving us each day. Do you have anything that keeps blooming through the mild winters?
How are you doing CC?
Scotland was so beautiful, but the best thing about Scotland is the Scottish people. We had so many wonderful warm, friendly, amusing encounters with the Scots. And traveling by train was so civilized. All of the public transportation we used worked so nicely.
We had some delays with flights, but we made it home without drama. DH was waiting for us, and we brought DD to her apartment, and then headed out for the hour drive to Rockport. Our efficiency AirBnB is so charming. Very tiny, but well equipped for what we need and with a water view from the bed.
Glorious sunny day here. We got up late, and walked to have coffee this morning, and then picked up a few groceries. Diet Coke of course! We will go to my favorite seafood shack (in the rough I believe it's called) for lobster rolls this evening. I wouldn't trade any of the schedule we had in Scotland, but it is kind of like activities become your job. Lots of timetables to meet. and in the case of getting to and from Iona, if you mess up one step, like not getting on the right ferry to coordinate with the next leg, you could have quite the situation. So I am welcoming these lazy unscheduled days in Rockport where we will walk on the beach, poke around in some stores and decide where to have dinner. Once we get to the Finger Lakes, we meet up with friends, and have a big schedule to follow, going hiking and to wineries. :) Our friend provided us with a color coded itinerary including maps and graphics. Absolutely fine with us, she made great choices.
Glad DH had a nice birthday and you had a good dinner!
123.7, after breakfast but without all the compression garb.
Peps, you asked about incisions. They are extensive! My tummy tuck incisions run from just past each hip bone all across the bikini line. I did not have a 360. The thigh lift incisions are even more extensive. I have a vertical incision on each inner thigh that starts just below the knee and runs up to the groin. That incision then branches off into a V with one running up the side of the groin in the crease and the other running up the lower buttock crease. They call it a T incision but to me it seems more like a Y. So far healing is going well and I don't see signs of infection or incisions opening up, though I think the risk of incisions opening up might be a bit later on. Hopefully not, that is my biggest fear!
Need to make a bank run today to cash out a CD for part of our down payment on a new house should we find one. Otherwise, more resting and recouping!
A year or two ago, I got my pops a RAZ Mobility phone. It is designed for people with memory issues. I have a lot of control of his phone. It has only 4 phone numbers programmed on it: The front desk, my brother, me, and his old girlfriend. I make it inoperable during sleep hours 10 pm - 8 am. IF there is an emergency during those hours the care givers will call!
Yesterday he was talking about buying a car so he could visit people. He kept telling my brother he was missing everyone. We're not sure who "everyone" is, but that's okay. He was unsure of exactly who my brother was, or he couldn't find the words to express it. I'd like to think it was him having trouble finding words. That happens a lot now.
No weight while we are in Maine, but eating yesterday was in a good range. The beef tartare at the restaurant was the best I have ever had (pictures later on TT).
The funeral yesterday was tough - the husband spoke about his wife at the Mass and had a really difficult time. I realized that the last 2 times I was at a Mass were for my BIL's and deceased DH's funerals (I am not Catholic but they were). The husband and a few other friends might come stay with my DH this weekend after I leave for Florida. A male bonding/support gathering.
We stopped in Portsmouth NH on the way to Portland ME yesterday afternoon since DH had never been there. We had a drink at a place on the river and poked around a few shops. Nice way to feel more birthday-like. Dinner out was really nice so I think DH ended up having a good day. We took an Uber back and forth from dinner (which was near the waterfront in Portland). Only $12 each way and saves from having to find parking. Good deal! DS says he often takes the $2 bus to the waterfront early in the evening, then an Uber home (the buses stop in early evening).
We will leave here just after 10:30 to stop for lobster rolls at a place called Reds Eats on the way to Bar Harbor. We are going to drive on the scenic route along the coast.
One last piece of exciting news is that my 2 new couches are going to be delivered next week! The old one will be picked up by Habitat on Tuesday and the new ones come Wednesday. Perfect timing!
Have a wondrous Wednesday!
Liz 5'3" HW: 219 SW: 185 GW: 125 LW: 113 Desired maintenance range: 120-125 CW: 119ish
That is annoying about the glass people who complained so loudly and haven't even used it yet.
I will try to remember to put pictures of our meal on TT. DS has some but he isn't up yet.
I think that mirror would definitely be a boon to many!
VSG was so worth it for all of us I think. The regain that happens is so much less than it would have been! When I see pictures pre-VSG, I almost can't recognize myself.
Liz 5'3" HW: 219 SW: 185 GW: 125 LW: 113 Desired maintenance range: 120-125 CW: 119ish
I guess the no name thing is privacy since these discussions can be viewed by anyone. I think we all got more sensitive when Ocean Diane was worried.
Tell your silly mind to shut up. You are NOT fat.
And be careful with Dad having a phone. My DH would hit whatever number he could get to in his last days. Luckily it was usually a friend of ours whose name started with A (the first in his list), so she was used to getting his weird calls. Eventually he lost track of the phone and I just had the number shut down at that point.
Liz 5'3" HW: 219 SW: 185 GW: 125 LW: 113 Desired maintenance range: 120-125 CW: 119ish
It sounds like you are exactly where you should be post-surgery. Bathing and getting around will be easier every day. You had a lot of skin removed! Mine was only about 2 pounds when I had a tummy tuck (I didn't have my thighs done though).
Liz 5'3" HW: 219 SW: 185 GW: 125 LW: 113 Desired maintenance range: 120-125 CW: 119ish
Greetings all
WTF it is raining here! And pretty seriously. I went to the studio and got soaked getting from the car to the building. All is well there and the glass studio is ready and is palatial but not yet used which makes me annoyed with these entitled people.
Happy Birthday to Mike! Enjoy the day Liz and DH. Tell all about the fancy restaurant.
Good job on healing Paula. Keep it up. We are all eagerly awaiting your complete recovery and your views on how well it turned out.
Peps many years ago my house had this mirror in one bedroom that came with the house. It was a cheap mirror and sort of distorted the reflection but it made me appear slimmer. I always felt better about myself when I used it. Anyway I kind of think it was a good thing to look at myself and feel pleased even though I knew it was just a crappy mirror. Someone should market such a product. Anyway I can attest you look great so there. Hope your dad can use the phone. Do you worry about scam stuff coming through?
We still have not run the ninja creami. Had birthday cake the last couple of days and thanks to sleeve can't just stuff extra food in. At 17 years out from VSG I still have no regrets (other than some regain). A good thing for me, DH and my late older brother.
Diane S
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Happy Birthday to Liz's DH! (Is there a reason we don't use names??? Is it a privacy thing?)
Paula, glad you got out of the house. Glad to hear that the healing is progressing. Did you have a circumferential lift, or just the front? Is the thigh lift front and back, or inside and outside? I guess I've never thought about where incisions would be for a thigh lift. Hmmmm.....
202.8 today. Odd since I didn't eat much yesterday. But oh well...
I took a "gummy" before bed last night. OMG! Best sleep I've had in ages! However, I did feel a bit groggy this morning. Not sure if it was the gummy or just from a long 4 day show weekend.
I have been feeling "fat" for a few days. I have reminded myself that my clothes fit well, are not snug, and the scale shows that I have not gained weight. But still, the feeling remains. I am annoyed by this. I wore an outfit to the dog show and saw a few photos or video and my reaction was really not healthy! I thought, OMG you're STILL FAT! The mind is a real trip.
Trying to get a few odds and ends done today. Got Grizz to the vet for a final booster. Groomed brother's dog. Got some club business done and a little cleaning for brother's visit.
My dad wants to use his phone, but he lost the charger, so I ordered a new charger for him. I don't think he can use his phone any more. It's too much for him to manage, but if he has the desire, I won't talk him out of it! He has moments of absolute lucidity, which is when the phone comment was made. "You know a phone would allow me to have access to the outside world. The world in here is quite small." He made no mention of wanting to physically leave his "world", but did want to be able to access people outside of the memory care unit.
Welcome back to the USA DD! Hope your flight was uneventful. When will DH meet you in the Boston area?
I'm alive! 123.something on the scale this morning, back to my pre surgery weight. I still have swelling and know I will for a bit.
Showering and changing bandages just wipes me out! I'm not sure why that surprises me after working with surgical heart patients all those years, but I thought I would have a little more stamina. Did make it outside for a very short walk today. It was good to get out of the house.
I have my follow-up with a PA on Wednesday. Wonder if stitches and staples will get pulled. All groin creases and even some buttock creases are filled with incisions. It will be an up close and personal visit. I was joking about that today with DH and he reminded me that it was up close and personal during the surgery too and I said I know but I wasn't awake for that! I'm hoping the abdominal binder can be stopped after my appointment on Wednesday.
