CASUAL CONVERSATION

First I need to apologize to all my blogger buddies - don't feel neglected if I haven't made a comment recently - I am reading you - all of you - you are all a great motivation in my battle and to meet so many strong people is amazing. I, however, am just having a hard time keeping up with blogs at the moment because as well has having a full time job, I am on the board of directors for the Park Foundation in my Hicktown and this is the time of year for our fundraiser.

I am busier than a blow up doll at a Frat party. We have a huge BBQ Cook-off yearly and I'm trying to pull together enough judges to pull this thing off.

Lola said 198.4 yesterday - Yay me! I am down 15 pounds since surgery and 25 pound since Jan. And I have entered the all fabulous onederland. I know this is a monumental moment for many of you to reach. For me not so much - this is where the longest part of my journey begins. I have at least 70 pounds to go from here to reach a healthy weight.

I still haven't dragged my happy ass back to the gym yet. I need someone to make me. I really am having guilt over not being able to motivate myself to get up and go to the gym. Maybe after this whole BBQ thing is over I can get back into a routine.

Thank You followers - I'm up to 35 - Wow! I never thought I'd be there. Feel free to send me tips on a more interesting blog if you like. I certainly don't want to be boring you guys.

So, I'm busy, I'm losing and besides the guilt of not working out I feel very positive right now and am not regretting my decision to be banded. I know I am just riding the wave of a huge initial weight loss and that this will slow and even stall at times. But I think I am over the fear of being a failure at this because so many of you have been a brilliant success - I know it will work.

FILL 'ER UP

First post op visit today and I'm doing good. Incisions look great . currently I am 10 pounds down since surgery and 22 pounds down since starting this journey. And a whopping 25.1 inches lost. I am beside myself with joy. I got a 3 cc fill in my 10 cc band today All the fills at my Dr's office are done under fluoroscopy; so I got to see my port and my band. I will get my next fill in 4 weeks right before I start soft foods. Today I got the okay to eat anything that can fit through a straw. So I celebrated with a campfire blast from Sonic - I got about 4 ozs down before I was full, full full.

Basically I was told today that I would be getting fills every 4 weeks and it would take about 8 months to get it just perfect. I'm okay with that. The PA does all the fills and she told me she would like to see a solid 5 pound loss a month from me so I can't go too wild on the Sonic stuff.

ICE QUEEN

For the past 4 nights around 8:00 pm - I start to get cold - really cold - last night I slept in a thermal shirt, flannel pajamas and wool socks - What is wrong with the picture? I live in south Texas where it is currently hotter than a four-balled tom cat at midnight and I'm bundled up like It's January in Alaska.

I would like to blame this glitch in thermoregulation on my clear liquid diet and the lack of calories associated with it. Of course right now I'd like to blame everything from global warming to the war in Afghanistan on the clear liquid diet. But if there are any other suppositions out there as to why my internal thermometer is off please feel free to advise me.

Speaking of that damn diet again - I'm currently not doing well on that - because real hunger has finally set in - I mean real gut gnawing hunger. Yesterday I had a full protein drink and an entire can of cream of chicken soup - which I'm not supposed to get until next week. I'm trying to be good and stay on the clear liquids today but as I type this my stomach is beginning it's distress cry and I'm afraid I won't make it until dinner.

I haven't needed any pain meds for the past 2 days and am feeling much better on that front - I am very happy about this because I think those narcotics were making me very depressed. I definitely feel more myself now. and I actually had a real poop. So I am on the road to normalcy.

Yesterday I enjoyed a great day with my family - We went to see Eclipse and did some small shopping. And this morning I hauled my daughter an hour away to spend the weekend with a friend she made at camp this year. They have been E-mailing and phoning each other every day since they got back from camp - This morning when I dropped her off they were like 2 long lost sisters - hugging and screaming. Crazy girls. So I'll have to make that drive again tomorrow to pick her up.

Post op visit in 4 days. Yay!

LOLA SAYS

It is my one week Bandversary - and my very friendly scale Lola says ---- 204. Down 8 pounds from my surgery day. I have decided to make Thursday my official weigh in day since that was my surgery day.

I want to thank all of you for your very supportive comments. Thanks for keeping me going. I love you all.

Wouldn't you really just like to lick that cake right now - I know - me too.

PAIN, POOP, AND A GREAT BIG PITY PARTY

Last night I cried myself to sleep. I was in pain when I went to bed last night. Pain like immediately after surgery pain. This was very upsetting to me. I had a BTL laproscopically and was back at work as a floor nurse in 3 days - running up and down the halls, getting patients out of bed, etc. So why am I still having pain 6 days out. I want to be out running around doing fun stuff with me kids right now.

To add to my fun and excitement guess what else I've learned. When you only have liquids to eat guess what you poop - that's right. So now If I even feel like I might - dare I say it- FART! I have to run to the bathroom just in case it's something more

Which takes me to clear liquids - I don't think I can drink one more. I know I need to stay hydrated but the mere thought of one more glass of - crystal light, tea, broth or even jello is enough to make me want to vomit - literally.

I did have a minor NSV yesterday when I slipped on a pair of shorts that were a size smaller until I turned around and saw my badonkadonk in the mirror which was still a whopping 5 and 1/2 feet wide and that took all the joy I had away.

So now that you know why I cried myself to sleep last night - this is where I am today. I realized that tomorrow is my one week Bandiversary. And I chose to do this to myself. I made a conscious decision to want to improve my self and my health and I need to realize that all of this crap that has me down is part of the process and will not last forever.

As far as the pain - I didn't have a BTL this time I had a lap band - it's different Karen so of course you're going to heal different. Listen to your body, use common sense and get on with it.

The clear liquids still the bane of my existence. Hard, yes - Tiresome - Yes, but Also necessary. This is the course my surgeon believes causes the least amount of band slippage. This is what she feels I need to do for my abdomen to heal properly. I have spent a lot of time, money and effort to have the lap band done - so shouldn't I see this thing through properly.

I mean really I have learned and am still learning apparently just how strong an individual I am. I mean I quit smoking to have this surgery. A habit that I had (and may I add thoroughly enjoyed) for 30 years. It was hard. I didn't think I would make it through and I absolutely intended to start up as soon as my surgery was over. I was counting the days until I could enjoy a cigarette again. But guess what. I'm still a nonsmoker. I made it through and I don't miss it so much anymore. So sweet Mother of Gandolf - I can sure as sh*t get through one more week of &#$^ing liquids.

I was even kind of down on myself about this whole blogging thing and the minimal amount of followers that I have and what a boring blogger I am - But this blogging is not a popularity contest - This is a way for me to journal my experience - work through the rough patches like I did today and then if I help even one other person beside myself that's a bonus.

My Goal for July - Realize my self worth has nothing to do with the width of my ass.

With that off My Chest - I raise my goblet of crystal light raspberry tea and say CHEERS to making it one week.

BELCHING.

OMG I have been belching like a truck driver. I'm still on clear liquids (with 9 more days to go)
and every time I drink something I have this horrifying bellowing belch. I'm telling you I could pull into any redneck truck driver bar and belly up to the bar with the rest of those guys and win a belching contest. I certainly hope this ladylike behavior is only temporary.


On the pain front, I'm doing great I have one spot in my lower left abdomen that is about an inch in diameter that is a constant dull ache and occasionally I have a sharp pain right there for a moment and then it passes. Does anyone know what this is associated with?


I decided I was ready to venture out for a bit longer walk today so I walked to our mailbox which is about 1/4 mile from the house. Halfway to the mailbox I realize I did not bring the damn cell phone and what if I can't make it there and back. Then I have this image of myself in my head sitting on the side of the road waiting for someone to realize I haven't come back to the house (and waiting and waiting) but I did fine. I had to stop a few times to rest but I made it.

I totally miss going to the gym and hate even more that I am paying for it and am not there but I'm just not at that point yet. I am getting bored sitting around the house but every time I try to shower I get dizzy. I manage to get my body scrubbed but can't make it long enough for a good hair washing. I may just have to get my hairdresser to wash my hair tomorrow so that I feel presentable enough to get out and about for awhile.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

Just came in from a lovely post op walk. We have been having tons of rain from Hurricane Alex . This morning on our nation's birthday the sun is shining, there is a wonderful breeze blowing out the humidity and drying things off. The temperature is probably in the 80's - It is just a perfect morning. The air is perfumed with the scent of wood smoke from everyone starting up their barbecue pits this morning. There is absolutely nothing like meat cooked on a pit over wood smoke - charcoal and gas grills; although okay for a quick meal, just can't compare to a good old fashioned pit barbecue. We will celebrate today at my brother's house with brisket, potato salad, drinks , desserts, swimming and of course fireworks. (okay well I'll be sipping on crystal light and imaging the taste of brisket) Hope all of you have a wonderful fourth of July- I hope you spend the day appreciating your great family, your friends and all our nation has to offer us. And big hugs and kisses and well wishes of speedy recoveries for all my recently banded friends.

POTTY TRAINING

Yay me! Peeing like a big girl finally! I did a big no no and drank coffined coffee. Caffeine is a big absolute no with my Dr but I knew it would help me diurese and It did and now I'm peeing up a storm. The rain kept me from getting out and walking around as much as I wanted to today but I did keep moving around in the house.

I'm satisfied with the liquids right now as far as hunger goes but I am sorely missing the taste and texture of food. I sucked the salt off a pretzel today just to have something solid in my mouth. I obviously have some oral fixation that I've been satisfying with food and cigarettes for a while. I'm telling you I really enjoyed that few minute with the pretzel - What a sick puppy I am.

ONE TIME AT BAND CAMP...

I could literally copy and paste - A FORMER FAT CHICK'S blog here - our surgeries went very similarly.

We were up at 0300 to be at hospital at 0500 ( I live about an hour away from where I had surgery) We arrived at the hospital at specified time and since I was pre-registered; they pretty much just put an armband on me and took me back to the waiting room. We then waited there for an hour and a half wondering why we needed to be there so early. Once we were taken back we waited for another 30 minutes while the nurse who was supposed to prep me for surgery tried to find someone else to do it because she was behind. This turned out to be a blessing because this girl entered my cubicle twice and never smiled, said hello, or bothered to introduce herself or give an explanation for the delay. That's okay I got her name.

At 0700 - two nurse's came in to pick up the slack for the first and they we fabulous. Very personable, efficient and I appreciated them immensely ( Can you tell I'm a nurse? - Just a side note When I or anyone in my family are patients I never tell anyone I'm a nurse because technically in that situation I'm not - I'm a patient or a mother or whatever other assigned role I am for that day but I'm not in the nurse role The only reason to let the nurse know I'm a nurse would be to intimidate her and what purpose would that serve. I do however let the vet know I'm a nurse it speeds up the explanation. ha ha)

Next my doc comes in to say hi! Now I have to mention on the pre-op visit, she was very nice - didn't really engage in chit chat when I tried but much more pleasant than the last visit. Well today she had her game face on - she was in and out and not very pleasant. I've decide she is not a people person. Which is not a worry because I will be seeing the PA for fills from now on and she is great. Oh which I need to mention the doc did tell me at this time they needed to see me back in 2 weeks to evaluate my incisions and see if I am ready for a fill. What?!! I wasn't expecting to start fills until 6 weeks out.

Next up the OR - I know I went in there slid over to a table, was joking with the nurse and anesthesiologist and then I was waking up in pacu. I was banded - also had hiatal hernia repair. And I was hurting. It was a pain under my diaphragm. I got morphine 3 times before I felt better. and I was pretty much asleep the rest of the pacu experience.

On to the next recovery area - where I spent about an hour in a recliner before they let me go home. The nurse gave me a four ounce bottle of water to drink and I had no problems getting it down. I did have that pain under the diaphragm again and my nurse explained to be that was pain related to the co2 gas they put in to help them visualize better. He encouraged walking to get rid of that pain when I got home. He did give me some torredol in my iv to help with the pain and it lasted until I got home.

I slept most of the day. I just could not keep my eyes open for longer than 15 minutes. My biggest problems are I am only peeing little amounts at a time which tells me That my bladder is probably over distended and I'm only peeing off the excesses. I hoping that It will improve as I don't want to go to the er to have a catheter put in. and secondly I want to eat. A piece of toast sounds lovely to me. So I have to keep reminding myself I am only on clear liquids. And I can drink them without any problem at all. If I drink a large amount of fluid, I have noticed that shortly thereafter I will belch and then I can feel the liquid trickle down my stoma.

I am a little more sore today than yesterday day but will be taking my pain medication on a schedule today and will go back to prn basis tomorrow. (Here is the nurse's tip for those of you who have not had your surgery yet. Take your pain medication - There are no medals given out to post op heroes. It takes a great amount of energy for your body to deal with pain - energy that you need for the healing process so you don't want your body wasting that energy on pain control. Secondly, people who do not keep their pain under control have higher rates of post op infection - I'm stepping down from my soapbox now).

Probably the biggest problem I had yesterday was the dogs wanting to mob me - my sweet babies.

I have my key to the clubhouse now and I'm officially a band member