AngieB

So, I am a pretty open person. Shortly after my decision to have the lab-band I decided to share with my close family and friends what I was doing. I knew that it would open myself up to comments, questions, and all that fun stuff that goes along with mentioning 1. surgery in a back alley butcher shop.... a.k.a. Mexico. 2. having weight loss surgery. God forbid I get off my large butt, excersise, and eat right like the rest of the normal skinny world. That being said, let's not forget to mention the people who I have told know me, it's like they suddenly forget you (me) don't make rash decisions, and that this is a well thought out and planned event. It's like all the sudden FEAR takes over rational thought, and you have become an idiot in their eyes. After fielding many questions, and sharing what I have learned with them. Each of them came back from the "fear" place and checked out the procedure for themselves. All of them have been pretty supportive, and have been great about keeping the critical comments to themselves if they have any. Thank goodness! What I want most of all is support and understanding. I feel like I have gotten it and am so gratful for that. I told them all I want positive vibes, not negative ones. I am not planning on dieing, I am doing this so I can live a better, healier life with my family and friends. Everyone seem to be dealing with this in their own way. I have a dear friend of mine that I work with, she starts the day coming in and huging me. She understands the mental prep that I have been doing to be in a good place. I love her for that. Interesting to me how everyone is making their peace with me. Almost like saying their goodbyes, like I am not coming back. Or maybe that is my own fear creeping in and that is how I take it? My Aunt Doris did pass after having GB surgery. She had no intention of dieing, but faced those odds head on. Last night as I looked into my sons eyes, I couldn't help but hope I was coming back. I am not ready to leave him, my husband, family or friends. I am not ready to leave my life. I hope that the Good Lord above doesn't have me penciled in his book of arrivals, because I am not ready. I want to be here for my family. I think of Lil D growing up with out me and I want to cry. Please, please, let me come back safe and sound. Everyones emails and hugs, last words have struck a cord with me. I am doing this to extend my life, to be healthy and gain some ground on a battle I have been loosing. I am so glad I have this place to write all these thoughts out in. It's easier on my mind and gives me a pressure release. When I started to write today I felt anxious. Now I feel better. Whether it made sense or not to anyone is not the point. It had to come out, and for that I am happy. Postive thoughts. From moment to moment I have a range of emotions. This is a good thing! This is a great way to change myself and I am so happy about it! On a complete side note, I am thinking of my friend Sandra. She is in Tijuana today. Sandra is a bit nervous and has jitters of her own. I have been praying for her and I'm looking forward to her call, hopefully today if she is up for it. Good luck Sandra! Yay for you! Soon you will be banded!

You look fantastic!

sigma15 - I hope all is well with you band. You are doing great in your weightloss! 6lbs a month is nothing to blink an eye at! Think of this time as an adjustment time, you learning to live with the band and what to do with yourself when you want to emotionally feed those feelings. Chin up! You are doing something awesome! Do your best not to stress, it hinders weight loss. Focus on living and the weight will come off. I am an emotional eater as well, so I face the very same challenges as you do. Sending you postive thoughts and prayers! Your doing great!

I feel nervous, tense, or a general unease. I leave at the later part of the week to be banded. I had planed to pack my bag today in preparation for my trip at the end of the week. It's like I have a block. So I decided to come here and type out my feelings. A short trip, I believe will do me some good. To get away and have some time with no one to care for other than myself. That sounds terrible I bet. I love my son dearly, and the thought of not being around to kiss and tuck him in makes me sad in and of itself. On the other hand, he has been teething. You see at our house, we teeth in sets of four. He has been fussy, and rightly so. It has been grading on my nerves. Sometimes I feel so tense, and uptight I have to take a moment to relax and un-grit my teeth. This is a trip about me, for me. Secondary for my family, and for that I will be grateful that I am getting a chance to do this. It is hard to leave my family behind. I am sure I will be fine once I set out on the trip. Another thing that has been weighing on my mind....I had a reading with a clairvoyant some time ago. I was interested in my career, that was the purpose for the call. She had asked me if I had been having any stomach issues. I told her I had not. Later in our conversation I mentioned my interest in getting the Lap-Band. To sum up that conversation, she basicly said it was not a good idea. That there are to many side effects. She then went on to say, that some of us are meant to be bigger. I tried to embrace those words, but they didn't seem to settle right with me. I think she was picking up on my research of the Lap-Band when she asked if I had trouble with my stomach. At anyrate, in these last days I have reflected back on our conversation. Lately, on the forum, there has been a few people who have had there bands slip or had complications. I think that is dancing around in my head. Last minute jitters I guess, although I do believe the band will help me in my struggle with weight. I am ready and confident that this will indeed be a great choice. I really wanted to write down my thoughts or reservations if you will. Leaving my family the hardest. I am planning on embrassing this trip and relishing the mommy free time and the lack of daily responsibility. It is a mini vacation and a re-birth if you will. I am looking forward to it! Now I must go pack as I feel a bit better just putting my feelings out there!

I read on that site as well, and find myself suprised at what I found just like you. I have posted some information I put together as far as prices for local Drs and fills. What suprises me to know end is the extremes of information. Some Dr's do not require any pre-op diet, some have there patients on mushies right after surgery. There is a lot of information that is different from what I have read on here, Dr. Ortiz's book and other literature on the web. I guess I consider myself very blessed to have joined this forum. I have posted my knowledge in situations that I felt I had something to offer. I joined initially because I was interested in finding locals to chat with. Unfortunatly the Nebraska board is DEAD. Not a huge suprise really. I pop in to read the April Bunny Bansters 2009 thread, because I am getting banded in April. This forum has great information and support. It can be slow going on posts. (Right now I am still hungry for knowledge! ) I have contacted a fellow bandster from Lincoln. We actually talked on the phone, which was very nice!

Dana, I recently was reading a blog entry you posted for another person. When I read about your Aunts passing it made me feel very sad. I wish we did not share similar experiences. My heart breaks even now typing this message. On my quest for information, I realized the statistics and was so shocked to find out how much of a Russia Roulette situation it is. For a while I was angry about what happened. Her Dr. really pushed for her to have GB. She wanted the Lap-Band and was told by her Dr. that he would not recommend that. It was GB or nothing for her. I know why she made the choice, she was desperate. So desperate she was willing to try those odds. Unfortunatly she joined them. I do not understand why things happen as they do, but I do know there is a reason for everything. My mom and brother took the news the worst of all the family and friends I told. I was suprised, I thought my dad would have the hardest time dealing with my decision, as it was his sister who passed away. He really was supportive and knew the differences between the two procedures. I think one of the reasons my mom decided she was going with me was she was afraid, afraid something might happen to me. I am sure many factors went in to her decision to come with me, but I do know she was not going to let me do this by myself. We all make decisions for a number of reasons. My husband would love to be with me, but for practical reasons that involve our daily life, he will be staying here. At anyrate, I am glad I found Dr. Ortiz and this forum. I have counted it as a blessing. I do wish my Aunt would have found Dr. Ortiz as well. My heart goes out to you and I am sorry for our loss. Let our success in this journey be one to make ourselves and family proud. Angie

Great blog Michelle. I am a few more days away from joining you in band land. I am packing light and am feeling very excited! Congrats on your new journey!

EdieB - congrats on your 8 lbs.! Woo hoo! I wish I would have had your forethought. I was thinking the 2 shakes a day were to help shrink the stomach. So I figured I would pick the option with a little bit of food. Since I do not have knowledge of the Adkins for #1 I figured 2 was my best option. As #3 sounded not so fun to me either. To my suprise I have adjusted well to drinking my first 2 meals. Doesn't seem to bother me one bit. I had not done the slimfast diet before so I had no idea it could be okay to do. I figured I would be hungry. I am down 10 and hoping to loose another 2-3 in the next 5 days. I don't have much time left!

Hi Dana! I have some DVD's that I like. One that is really simple and fast is "Walk Away the Pounds" It has different miles you can do it in. 1, 2 3, 4 mile. You are done before you know it. Plus it gets your heart rate up and going. I have the FIRM series. My all time fav is yoga. I have a several pieces of work out equipment at home too. So it is nice to change it up. I am looking forward to reading what other members have to say.

Well, I am down to 7 days. But who is counting right?! ME of coarse! I am counting! Yes indeedy! I am happy that I am making some friends who are getting banded and have already been banded. It's the best of both worlds. I get real life experience and get to chatter about what is on our busy little minds. Yesterday I got a good email message from Montana. She was talking about real life band expirences. Which is so awesome. I can't really wrap my head around all the changes that will be coming my way, but I am sure doing my best to educate myself on the "new way of life." Work is busy as I am preparing for my "vacation." I love that GOD is keeping me busy right up until I leave. Otherwise I would be dying with anticipation! Good Lord! Sometimes I feel the urge to tell an extra someone about my up coming trip. It fades soon after. I feel like I have told my "core" people. Although I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when I speak to my cousins. My Aunt Doris passed away this past December after having WLS. So terribly sad, and I know most of the family will not understand right away how I could possibly have WLS after we lost her. I don't want to seem like I am not sensitive. That is not the case, however I do not feel like living in fear. Nor do I see our situations as being similar. That is not to say that we do not have a common bond. We all have a common bond, each and everyone of us who undergoes WLS. I can pray that when they do find out that they understand and will forgive me for going through with my plans. Honestly I hope a few will follow suit.

Are you on fire or what!? That has to feel awesome! I am so glad members post there sucess here. It is so encouraging! I am looking forward to seeing more of your successes! Go Jude go! Post some pictures, we want to oooo and ahhhh over your progress!

Greg and Todd - you both are Rockin the Band! How awesome! Glad to hear of your sucess! Keep it up and there will be less of you in no time at all! Woo hoo!

I am feeling like I have ants in my pants! I am nearly a week away from my departure to San Diego/Tijuana and I am feeling so ready! I am not one to wish away time, because I believe time is precious. I have "things" to do before I leave. Like packing for my trip, which should take a few minutes. Me being a practical person, I am packing fairly light. So that is really not a big deal. I do need to loose some more weight.....darn it! I am holding steady at 9-10 lbs. Dr. Miranda asked me to loose 15. Oh boy....have to wonder if that will happen? At anyrate, I have been told not to stress, that odds are I will not be turned away from surgery. I am looking forward to this trip. It does make me a bit sad to leave my husband and son behind. I have not been away from my son since his birth. You see we don't have family in town, so no grammy coming over to swope him up for a night. Seems that is what I am stuck on. I know my husband can care for him, that is not the issue at all. It's the momma strings! I am doing this for all of us, not only myself. I want my husband to look at me with that hubba hubba look again. Not to mention I want our bedroom romance to get better and better! I'd love to chase my son around and run and play. Right now, I am so big it is difficult to get up and down from the floor. So sad, I have let myself get lost in the fat that surrounds me. The band will be my moderator! For that I am so greatful! Well, I wanted to put some thoughts down on paper. Here is to just over a week left! Ya-hoo baby! I can barely wait! Let's get this party started!

This will be my ongoing list. My list of what I will not miss. Worry of health issues springing up. Diabetic, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Not rocking the "Granny Panties" anymore Not being able to cross my legs at the knee without a hoist up. Tieing my shoes laces to the side. Being a 40 DD. Getting winded when active. Shopping in the "PLUS" size section. Not receiving compliments. Seeing my "area" when shaving! Not having the sexy feeling. Seeing my spare tire around my stomach. Having people talk down to me and tell me how to eat or diet. My MIL not being able to tell me how fat I am. Not having my legs rub together when I walk.

Wow! You look fantastic and down right inspirational! I am so glad to see your update! WOW! WOW! WOW!

I was high risk. I got the best care, my Dr was wonderful and I loved her very much. I personally think it is very important to like your Dr. After all you are trusting them with the most important job, bringing your baby safely into the world. One bonus about being high risk, was I got to have an ultra sound at every apt! It is the coolest thing ever to see your baby! On a side note, a good friend of mine is on her 3rd baby with the band. She has never been high risk with any of them. Not to metion, had no issues what so ever with any of her pregnancies. Plus, she dropped the baby weight like a rock star after she had her boys. How great is that!?

Dana - What size band do you have?

Happy to vote, I will vote again from my house to when I get home. So you can get 2 votes a day. When does the vote end?