Cathy P.

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Can anyone tell me how to post pictures within the body of my blog?

I've created a photobucket account and my pictures are there.  But when I try to insert the link using the button next to the smiley face above, to PhotoBucket, I don't get any thing.  I've tried using the URL Link, HTML Link, and the IMG Code options for inserting the link, but no luck.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

During my last follow-up with the surgeon, I had all my questions / concerns answered about not losing weight and feel so much better about my progress.  

My surgeon explained the first six weeks after surgery is not really for weight loss but for the healing process.  If you lose weight, of course, that is a bonus. 

I've lost 5 pounds since surgery, for a total weight loss of 11 pounds.  I've eaten out in restaurants twice and I need to get better at asking for a box when my food is delivered.  Otherwise, I continue to pick and this pushes me past the 'feeling comfortable' stage.  I also need to get better at going back for seconds at home.  Although my first serving is small, I should stop then.  Practice, practice, practice.

My first fill is not until July 16th and I have a vacation scheduled before then.  Wish me luck!!

Friday, I will be 3-weeks post-op.  I should be on mushies this week but I have found that I can eat absolute anything and everything w/o any trouble.  I'm chewing my food to pulp before I swallow and maybe that has something to do with it.  Has anyone else experienced this and if so, what did your surgeon say about it.

My concern is the 7-lbs I lost the first week after surgery due to being only on liquids has all come back.  I've lost NO weight other than the 6-lbs I lost pre-op.

I have no restriction whatsoever.  I understand I won't have restriction until after I get my first fill but should I really be able to eat anything?  And should I really be gaining weight?  It's kind of dishearting to see the scale going in the wrong direction.

At my follow-up this week, I'm going to ask the surgeon to test me to ensure my band is in place, working properly and that nothing happened post-op.  I did have vomiting the first 2-days post-op and the surgeon is aware of this.  He has already reassured me I did no damage to the band during my vomiting phase.  

Is it just me or has anyone else deviated from the 1-month post-op diet and has anyone else gained weight prior to their first fill and then began losing weight?

Tell me I'm not alone in this weight gain!!

So many "Lessons Learned" with this surgery.  

1.  If the 23-hr hospital observation is offered to you, take it!  My orginial thinking was I would get more rest at home, there would be less interruptions, blah, blah, blah.

My surgery began at 8:00 am and was over by 9:10 am.  Into and out of recovery by 1:00 pm. Home by 1:30 pm.

I did not need the assistance of the nursing staff, I could move on my own, pee on my own and swallow very well.  What I didn't realize was that I needed the very good drugs intraveniously for pain and nausea (primarily nausea).

When I got home and begun taking the drugs orally, that's when my problems began.   Because I had been on only liquids for 7 days, my stomach was very empty and taking drugs orally made me very, very sick.  I couldn't keep the meds down . . .not even water.

Of course I called the surgeon that evening to tell him I was vomiting (because we all know that's a hugh NO-NO). After I hung up with him, I couldn't repeat what he told me b/c I couldn't remember!!  I still had some of the anthesia in me and 'good pain meds', and I wasn't thinking clearly yet.

Long story short. . .had I stayed in the hospital for the 23-hrs, I could have totally avoided a miserable 23 hrs at home due to vomiting, dry heaves, etc.

2.  I was given a binder by my surgeon with explicit instructions to follow pre and post op.  I read and read and read the binder.  I had it memorized.  What I didn't do was sit w/ my primary caretaker (my wonderful husband), and read TOGETHER what to do/not do after returning home from surgery.  Had I done this, maybe when I asked him to make me 3 tabls of tomato soup so I could coat my stomach in hopes of keeping my meds down, he would have realized that tomato soup was a bad choice b/c of its acidic base.  Again, had I stayed in the hospital those few, short 23-hrs, all of this could have been avoided.

So, I'm 4 days post op, not taking meds for pain but am still taking meds for nausea.  I'm drinking about 40-oz a water/day and about 1 protein shake.  And of course, some soup.  I haven't cheated once and tried to put anything in my mouth except liquid.  

At my follow-up app't Thursday, I'm going to ask if I can possibly have something mushy like mashed potatoes.  I really feel I need some with more substance than soup.

I'm in the pre-operative liquid diet phase now with 3-days to go until lap band surgery.  

As the nurse and surgeon said, the first 2 days of liquids would be the hardest and they have been right.  I have, however, cheated a couple of times and eaten real food.  I needed to make sure my teeth still worked!  :)

I currently wear a size 18 jean so today I went to Wal-Mart and bought a size 14 jean.  They look so tiny to me and yet a size 14 will still not have me at  my goal weight.  

Fushia is a great color on me and I love it but don't have much in my closet b/c we all know they just don't make bright colored clothes in Women's sizes. 

So, while I was a Wal-Mart, I bought an XL fushia spandex top with a black/fushia spandax skort.  Look out world!!  I think spandex will be my first goal!!  Stay tuned for that exciting news.