Father's Day 2010

My Dad is the greatest...

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And to my brother, Brandon, & my brother-in-law, Drew...


Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!!!

My First Fill

I'm sitting in my surgeon's office awaiting my very first fill! Boy, do I need it too. I pretty much can eat anything I want right now, & it's not lending itself to good discipline, if you know what I mean!

I'm SO looking forward to feeling some restriction again... I need a boost to get back on my band lifestyle.

I hope you are all doing well. I'm still incredibly behind on everybody's blogs, but I think of you guys often & check in from my iPhone at times, but can't comment from my reader. But I love you all!!!

I'll check in soon!

Blessings...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm Feelin' It...

... that thing you girls call "Bandster Hell!"

I'm nearly a month out from my surgery & wanna eat everything in sight!  LOL
Okay, well not really, but I'm really only feeling any restriction at all when I eat bread.  Yes, that's right, bread.  I'm able to eat pretty much anything if chewed well enough.  I'm definitely not overeating, but I'm hungrier than I'd prefer after going through all this.  And while I realize this is temporary, I feel like I've stalled out after doing so well previously (with the weight loss).

My first fill is June 10th.  I have the 14 cc "large" band, by the way.  This was decided due to my hiatal hernia... just something my doctor standardly does.  At any rate, I'm feeling awesome, since the gas pains left.  They lasted a full 2 weeks.  But all is great, truly.  Just looking forward to some restriction, & SOON!

My absence is something else I must explain.  I've been a horrible blogger, but even worse, a horrible blog-friend!  I apologize to those of you who feel like I dropped off the face of the earth.  I did not mean to abandon you all in our mutual journey.  With my parents here, & having extended their visit to help support me through my surgical recovery, we made good use of the time.  We accomplished much & spent some quality time together.  They've headed back up to Canada now, but in doing so, have left me with great memories & my favourite new place to hang out in (well, outside) of my home:

THIS is my new(er) & improved patio!  (Click on collage to enlarge.)  Isn't it delightful?  SOOO relaxing.  I spend every (cooler) waking moment out here, reading & sipping homemade iced tea.  It's my happy place!

I need to thank you all for your support through this time, & especially Tanya & Camille who have been among the most generous & precious friends I could ever ask for!  You are all a blessing!!!

I plan on catching up with all of you in the next few days.  In the meantime, I head back to another sort of hell tomorrow... WORK!  It's been so nice being away.  I can't wait until my next vacation time:  CHICAGO!  See you ladies there... xo

I Did a Bad, Bad Thing...

I don't exactly know what it was, but it was one of three things.

Let me, first, say that things have been going relatively well since my surgery... The gas pain has been the worst of it. I'm getting hunger pangs that clears are just not satisfying me beyond a couple hours, & I'm beyond bored with my choices.

So, yesterday, I went grocery shopping with my Mom, & was excited by a few things I found.
Splenda puddings (I don't do aspartame... dubbed "as-par-ta-mé" by me), & those Yeah wafer bars Camille mentioned. Not for right now, of course. But along with all that, I'd decided today was the day I advance to full liquids. So, here are my 3 bad bad things:

1. I had caffeinated coffee with 2 half-&-halfs at church. (First time having caffeine or milk in a while.)

2. I took a Gas-X strip because I was feeling a lot of shoulder pain (ie: gas pressure on my diaphragm represented as phrenic nerve pain). While these strips seemed to work for Camille, I think they stop me from being able to (I'm sorry) pass gas... not good!

3. I got ahead of myself when I returned from grocery shopping, & in my excitement, I ate (chewing heartily the whole way through) one of my new found tapioca pudding cups! So NOT a full liquid...

So, I was, in essence asking for it! And, boy did I get it!!!

I felt sorta stuck, but not stuck. Just couldn't expell any of the pressure in my body. I was in AGONY!!! I walked. I rocked. I got nauseated to beat the band! Thank GOD for transdermal Phenergan, specially written by my surgeon, & compounded by my local pharmacist!!! Worked like a charm... But the misery continued well into the night!

Finally, I awoke this morning... lo & behold, my ability to "relieve pressure" had returned, & I was a new woman. So, I've been out all day running errands. Came home exhausted & ate something mushy.

Will I ever learn???


-- Post From My iPhone

BandLand or LalaLand...

It's done. I'm banded. All I want to do is sleep. I had my hiatal hernia repaired at the same time. Waited 6 hours for a room... In Recovery (PACU) the whole time. Finally home now. Exhausted.
I'll write more next time... with pictures!

Blessings,


-- Post From My iPhone

Name that band!!!

Well, I'm off to see the Wizard... the Wonderful Wizard of Band (aka Dr. Griffin)!

Have a lovely day, girls!!!  I'll be in touch (via iPhone... sigh... I need a MacBook/iPad) when it's all said & done.  It sure would be nice to see some suggestions regarding my band-name & NSV goals when I wake up!!!  (grin)

Please pray for a safe procedure for me...  xo

Pre-Op, SV & NSV!

Scales are FICKLE!  I weighed myself at home Sunday & it showed 253 lbs.  Monday morning it was 254 lbs. at the doctor's office.  But my pre-op is DONE.  I pre-registered for surgery this morning & it looks like he might keep me overnight, depending on the size of my hiatal hernia (which is categorized as "small, sliding").  He also said because of the hernia & today's litigious society, he may put the larger band in.  Dunno exactly what that has to do with anything, but okay.  He will use his professional judgment once he gets in there.  I'm just so ready for this to be over!!!  Since I've weighed in & I'm good to go, I'm so over all the jumping through hoops.  My give-a-shit factor is low today, since I've also been dealing with the local governmental hoops as I sell my old, used car.  It was a good car... but this title transfer business is giving me brain damage!  LOL

Oh, & I forgot to share an NSV!  I go to a pretty huge church:  Bay Area Fellowship.  I love this place, but not so much its seats.  They're not bad as far as stadium seats go, but still...  The ones are the end are more generous, but church was full yesterday (praise God!) & I was forced to sit in the middle of the row.  Usually I fit, but it's a squeeze & I'm thoroughly uncomfortable... especially if there's someone I don't know right beside me.

 Well yesterday, when I went to sit in this seat, fully expecting the usual feeling of scraping of the seat arms alongside my giant hips, a miracle happened!!!  I sat & I FIT!  I sat sandwiched between my parents & some man I don't know, & I wasn't uncomfortable.  I didn't spill over my own seat.  I could sit with my elbows in my own section & still reach for my coffee cup in the drink holder without elbowing anyone in the face!  And it only gets better from here...  WOOHOO!

Also, my countdown clock is silly.  I punched in my surgery date:  April 28th (Wednesday) & it's short!  I think it's counting the second the clock strikes midnight on the 28th... So, it's NOT 4 hours left... but it IS tomorrow morning.  I'll leave for the hospital at 6:30 am.  Surgery is for 8:30 am barring any delays.  Keep your fingers crossed & please pray for a safe procedure for me!!!  I love you, girls!!!

Finally, I'm still taking suggestions on my BAND NAME!  Camille said "Coco," as in Chanel.  I kinda like it, but wanna know YOUR thoughts!  And I want some input from you girls as I set up an NSV goal checklist.  A few of you have them on your blogs, but someone had a GREAT one & I can't find it now!!!  C'mon band-mates... I need your brains.  Mine's SHOT!  xo