Marylynn B.

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September 10, 2007.....Well, finally after nearly a year and a half of being banded I decided it was time for an update! ha..Alot has changed in my life since then! I'm a senior at Auburn University Montgomery majoring in psychology, and without the band I probably wouldn't have had the energy to get to this point! I also just bought a new house! Woooo! I love that I have enough energy now to decorate (painting is a workout!). I've lost 95lbs and counting!!  I've had about 4 fills, very small increments. My band is now half full. It's a new experience with food every time I have a fill. I have to figure out what foods I need to stay away from. So far bread, lettuce, raw veggies, and white meat has been completely scratched off the list. They just don't go down so well. Other than that I have found that a child size portion cut up in child size bites is good for me. Being in college with the band has been a slight challenge, because eating on the go is not an option for me! I have found very few fast food items I can eat (not being able to eat bread and lettuce eliminates everything!) But I do love my Band though....

March 14, 2006.... Exactly one week before my surgery. I'm very excited, not really nervous, just anxious. I have enjoyed all of my fav foods over the past week or so, now its time to start a pre-op diet!



March 21, 2006..... THE BIG DAY!! Well, I had to be at the hospital this morning at 5:00. Luckily, we stayed at the hotels guesthouse so we were already here! By 5:30 I had already been weighed (330lbs!!!) and taken to the surgery prep area. My nurse Joann put my I.V. in my arm with no pain and she put some wraps around my legs to keep the blood circulating. Nice Massage! One by one I met all the crew that was going to be workin on me. I was wheeled into the OR at 7:16 and after a few doses of happy juice into my I.V. and an oxygen mask...I WAS OUT! I woke up a few hours later very uncomfortable to say the least. My mouth was very dry and my throat scratchy from the breathing tube...all i wanted was something to drink!! I knew I couldn't have anything for 24hrs....but at this point i just didn't care. My mom, aunt, and some nurses were talking to me by my bed, but I don't remember much of this at all. I don't even remember the ride up to my room. I was on morphine and nauseau medicine the rest of the day and all I did was sleep. They did bring me some ice chips to crunch on and about 10:00 p.m the nurse got me up and we walked the halls a little.

March 22, 2006....Today I was woke up at 6:30 and wheeled down to x-ray. I still haven't had anything to drink and was forced to drink the nastiest liquid I have ever tasted while they were taking the x-rays. Once the doctor looked at them he saw that everything was fine and I was finally given water!!! I normally hate water, but I was just happy to have something to drink. I was released from the hospital around noon and after taking my pain medicine, slept the rest of the afternoon.

March 28, 2006... I have been banded for 1 week. I weighed in today at 317 (-13lbs)! For the first 4 days after surgery I wasn't hungry at all. I might have had a bite or two of jello and maybe a popsicle but thats it. I didn't have any kind of appetite until Sunday. I've been drinking Soup at Hand, fudgesicles, jello, Juicy Juice, decaf tea, and alot of water. Today I tried baby food. It was okay with enough salt and pepper. Its nice to have something with a little more texture. I swallowed a piece of gum Sunday night- it hurt like hell. I called the doc and he said warm liquid would make it go down, so after a cup of soup I was okay. I also got chunky potato soup and blended it up so that it was creamy-very yummy! Sugar free cool whip is good added to sf jello or pudding. I'm learning to get creative with this sugar free thing, its not all that bad.



April 9, 2006....I've been banded 2 weeks!! I went to my 1st doctor appt. on Friday....It only took like 30 mins. All he did was look at my incisions, felt for my port, and told me I was doing great... He said I lost 13lbs...but by my scales its about 16lbs....so I dunno I just hope it keeps coming off! I'm glad I got to start mushies this week!! I am sick of soup. The menu has been pudding, mashed potatoes, grits, oatmeal, and anything I can blend up! I've been walking with a friend 4 miles a day! I can't believe that myself!