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For the month of January I had to learn what I can eat. I took it week by week and added new food per doctor orders. I am now eating chicken, lunch meat, salami, cheese, greek yogurt and much more. When I was home from work it took me about an hour in the mornings before I wanted to have my protein shake. I never felt hungry in the morning, but I knew I needed protein. Now that I am back to work and on a very structured time schedule this has been the hardest adjustment. This was a hard week I was sick to my stomach until Thursday. I felt better on Friday. I just had to adjust to getting up early and eating.

It's now Jan 5 and I look back on my hard journey. 2 surgeries, vomiting, dehydrated, 13 days in the hospital and 12 days on the feeding tube. How did I make it? It was the power of prayer and great family & Friend's. Would I do it again...I can not give you an answer. I am eating and drinking and I feel confident that everyday I am improving. I slowly started the gym on the recumbent bike.

I still have pain in 2 areas. Left shoulder scapula and under left breast ribs baby shooting pains. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray. When I am active the pain starts it must be a muscle spasm and Chiropractor only gave relief for one day.

Since I started this adventure I finally reached 100lbs gone and still losing.
PINCH me I can't believe it!

I am happy to report the tube is gone. The doctor removed my tube on Tuesday 12/27. I feel so much better. I am pleased to announced it worked. Today 12/28  I took my pills, 6oz protein shake, 1 single serving applesauce, Gatorade all day, 1/3 cup Orange smoothie from Jamba Juice with whey protein, 1/3 cup mush chicken noodle soup, sipping on my Jamba Juice drink. All of the food has stay down. The burping has minimized. I did have a single episode of diarrhea, but I expected it. My body is going through a lot of change.

My anxiety is almost gone and I will not sit in my new recliner. I am back on my chaise couch. I love my cough. Good bye recliner bad memories.

Something no one had no idea would happen was the Band narrowed around my stomach. I had an extensive surgery to remove scar tissue, adhesion's, and they found an old suture. If your doctor wants to remove to Lap-Band and wants to wait 4 weeks to proceed with another procedure just agree. I didn't get this option and I am wondering if it would have made a difference with my recovery. I was in the hospital for 8 days and when I woke up from surgery I had a feeding tube down my nose. This was to perform for two purpose's. One to keep the narrowing of my stomach open as I healed and second to give me nutrition as I heal. I can still have clear liquids. I went home with the tube and home health care has provided the feeding products. It takes12 hours to feed in a day. It's very slow going into your stomach. I left the hospital at 60ml. I reached goal of 90ml. I get cabin fever and I feel like crawling out of my skin. I just need to relax, but I am laying around all day. I do have medication to calm me down. I never thought I would feel this way. Tomorrow is my doctor appointment and I feel confident he will remove the tube. I am healing with desire to eat. My stomach growls. This has been a very long healing process with complications. I would not do it again!

The band caused me to have narrowing so no food was getting through my stomach.I went back into surgery Friday night to remove scar tissue and adhesion's. It was very bad. My stomach is beat up. They put a slit on the narrowing to give it some elasticity. I have a feeding tube down my nose and the hose is to keep everything straight and in place.We do not want anything to twist. I will be in the hospital for a week. I need to be able to eat on my own without vomiting. 8 days in the hospital and discharged 12/21.

I am currently in the hospital. For 2 weeks I have only been able to drink 20oz of fluid and when I eat mush 1/3 cup I was vomiting (I blogged my food journal). I was admitted for dehydration and vomiting everyday was not normal. The Upper GI showed a blockage where the Lap Band was located on the top portion of the stomach. The 3 sips of contrast was not moving. Then I had a EGD with dilation thinking they could dilate the area. The GI doctor said I had a kink and no dilation was done. I have scar tissue around the stomach where the band was located and the scaring is playing a tug of war. I will be having surgery tomorrow 12/16 to have all the scar tissue removal and they believe my kink with smooth out.

Wow, what a journey I have been on. I had no idea this was going to happen. I believe my abdominal pain of the left side and my attacks were caused from the scar tissue. It's the only thing that's makes any since.

12/1 Went for my 1 week post op. Lost 17lbs. I was given the ok to start soup, applesauce, cream of wheat etc.. very soft and bland. I was excited to be able to try something other than clears. 1/3 cup soup....no....dumped it.

12/2 1 cup broth, drinking gatorade, 1 small container applesauce...no...dumped it, 1 cup broth

12/3 1 cup tea, 2 tablespoons of jello, 1/3 cup liquid smoothie shake. I was able to keep the smoothie down.:) drinking  gatorade

12/4 1 cup broth, 1/3 cup cream of wheat...no...dumped it. Drinking gatorade, 1/4 cup smoothie, 1 cup tea, V8 juice...no....dumped it. 1 cup tea, 1/3 cup smoothie.

12/5 1 cup broth, 1/3 cup smoothie, 3:39 vomited...I had a gas bubble and ...vomited... 1 cup tea, 3oz protein shake with water, little gatorade  (not a good night)

12/6 1 cup broth, 3oz protein shake with water, drinking gatorade, sipped a little decaffeinated coffee (it was too strong), I mushed up chicken noodle soup drained the broth to drink later. I used my small food processor. It came out good. I measured 1/3 cup and eating very slow (all good :).   ***I got another air/gas bubble I vomited my gatorade*** Fruit punch flavor

12/7 1 cup broth, 6oz protein shake 26g, 10oz crystal light, 2 large tbs jello, 1/3 cup mush chicken noodle, 1 cup tea    ***good day***

12/8 1 cup broth, 1/3 cup applesauce...no...dumped it..., 6oz crystal light,  1/3 cup smoothie, 6oz protein shake

12/9 1 cup broth, 6oz protein shake, 6oz crystal light, 3 sips of smoothie, 6 to 8 sips split pea soup...no... dumped it. 1/3 cup mushed chicken noodle soup.

12/10 1 cup broth, 6oz protein shake, 6oz crystal light, 1/3 cup muched chicken noodle soup,
 I vomited crystal light in the evening.

12/1 1  1 cup broth, 6oz protein shake, bowel of jello, 6oz crystal light

I am a band revision to the sleeve on Nov. 23. I was in the hospital for 5 days. I vomited for 4 days straight in the hospital. On the 4th day I was able to sip broth but still vomiting up clear foam and fluid. The 5th day I was discharge and spiting up foam. The foam spiting was there until day 8. I had my first post op visit and I lost 17lbs trust me right now I do not care about the weight, but how awful I feel. I am so emotional and this recovery has been extremely hard on me. When I had the lap band done it was a breeze. The doctor told me this is all to be expected. I was told I could try soup, applesauce, liquid yogurt, cream of wheat. I was looking forward to something more than clear liquids, but to be so disappointed. Thursday night I slowly had 1/3 cup soup...dumped it. Friday I had 1/3 cup applesauce everything was going fine it took me 3 hours to get it down, I took a small walk and dumped it. My esophagus is sore and burning. I am burping consistently which is good to relieve the pressure. My throat feels so tight.

I have been having left port side pain on a continuous basis since about 6 months. I have to drink hot water with every meal. I'm not sure if this is normal, but it seems normal for me. My husband point out my complains and the pain that I have been have this year. I received my re-check paperwork from my doctor, perfect timing. I have an appointment Aug. 25. I am thinking about removing the Lap Band and have the Sleeve procedure. I havn't lost weight and I'm just tuck in a rut.