1 Week Post-Op

Ok, so where am I? Well, let me first start out by saying that last night, for the first night since surgery, I slept like the bandster-baby girl that I am! THANK YOU TYLENOL PM!!! This back sleeping crap is for the birds but like in all things, drugs can be your friend! I'm thinking that now that I have really started the healing process it won't be more than a day or two before I am sleeping on my belly again. WooHoo!!

Although my ticker says I am down 8.8 lbs., as of this morning the scale is saying "just" 8 lbs. At first I was very upset...how could I gain? Than, some voice in my head said "Hey Jax, when was the last time you lost 8 lbs. in a week?" Uh, never! I have even been on liquid diets before and never saw that much in one week. Yes, I know I was on liquids and it was bound to come back but still...its nice seeing those new numbers! Remember, I didn't have to do a liquid diet before the surgery so this is only from last Wednesday. All in all, I am very happy with it. I'm leaving the 8.8 as I know I will be hitting it shortly and I've also decided that I will only update each Wednesday.

I have still not gotten my hunger back but I am getting better and better about getting the protein and calories in. Liquids have not been a problem at all thankfully. Yesterday I got up to 850 calories with 57 grams of protein. Each day gets a little better.

I made an outrageous pureed Curry Zuchini soup for dinner last night. Even hubs loved it! I got the recipe from Catherine. If anyone wants it, I will post. It was so easy and fast! I love to cook and this really made me feel great, being in the kitchen, chopping and cooking away! I am going to New York next Friday to spend 5 days with my girls wedding dress shopping and all my younger daughter Jordan keeps asking is "you are still going to cook for me, right mama?" Oh, yea, not a problem, baby girl! I will also be on mushies by then so it will be even easier to manage my diet.

This morning I decided that I needed to buy a new pair of walking sneakers so I went to Macy's and bought a pair of Sketchers Shape-ups...my sister and BFF rave about them. I also bought a scarf to wear on my head like a babuska when I go in DH's convertible. I modeled it with my sunglasses thinking I was chanelling Sophia Loren or Ava Gabor and he says I look like I am from Iran! Oh well. The sneakers really are comfortable and I took Brutus for a 1 mile walk.

Watch out world.....I'm BAAAAACK!

Day 5 and I am still not very hungry

First, can I tell you that I had the greatest pureed french onion soup last night? Oh. My. God. I only ate maybe 1/4 cup but it was absolutely delish! When I asked the waiter what soup was available he told me that and minestrone. I originally ordered the minestrone and he actually said "that is really not a good choice, let me let you taste it and you deside". Well, I did and it truly was gross! I thanked him profusely and he said go with the onion, no bread and we'll puree 1 slice of provelone cheese with it. Sounded good and tasted even better. I'll have a little more of that for lunch.

However, I am just not hungry. This morning I had about 1/2 cup of my smoothie that I made with skim, banana, greek yogurt, peanut butter and honey and I drank 1/2 bottle of the Isopure disgusting fruit punch cut with 1/2 water. Its better with water but still gross.

I'll have th soup for lunch than I plan on having a curried zucchini puree soup that was on Catherines blog. I will possibly have a jello sugar free pudding for snack after dinner. I know I am not getting enough protein at this point but I ordered the unjury unflavored and will start adding that to my smoothie and soups when it arrives. I am however, getting about 64 oz of water in so at least I am doing something right.

I slept a little better last night and even woke up at one point on my stomach! I than freaked out and could swear my port was rubbing against my rib but I adjusted my nightshirt and I was fine. I am such a drama queen! Anyway, I was awake from 2:30 to 4:00 a.m. but I stayed in bed and actually fell back asleep until 7.

My Dad and stepmom left around 9 and I am now at work for a few hours putting out fires. One is out, the other is smoldering and hopefully will be out in a little while so I can go home. I am still quite tired.

Other than all that, I am down 8.8 lbs., no surprise as I am eating next to nothing, but it feels good anyway to see the scale go down a bit. My belly is still swollen but not too sore. Is that weird?

4 Days post-op

I still can't believe how everything has gone since my surgery. I have had minimal gas pain and have not taken any pain meds since Friday night. I did take liquid Tylenol yesterday but that was because of a headache associated with TOM...so glad that made an appearance after I was home from hospital!

My biggest complaint/problem is that I cannot sleep for nothing! I am a stomach sleeper and I am finding it impossible to sleep on my back for more than 3 or 4 hours each night. I was re-reading some of the blogs from when others had their surgery and was so excited to see that Catherine was sleeping on her belly at 8 days post-op! Yeah! Bring on day 8! Ahh, the little things in life like SLEEPING, get me excited!

On the drinking front, I am just not hungry and I am forcing myself to drink plenty of water but its nowhere near what I normally drink. I think yesterday I only got in 40 oz. In addition, I had 1/2 bottle of Isopure punch crap, oops, I mean drink. I hate it but its full of protein so I am being a good girl and drinking it. I have 10 bottles left and you can be sure I will not be buying it again. Way to sickening sweet! I also had about 1/4 cup cream of wheat with skim milk, 1/2 cup chicken broth and my version of eggnog. 1 egg, 1 c. skim milk, splenda and vanilla in magic bullet, wallah, eggnog.

My father and step-mom are coming today to visit and spend the night. I was stressing a little about what to feed them and decided that we should get take-out for them and I would eat one of the great soups I am making today from Catherines blog. So, I tell my Dad this and he says "what did you have in mind?", I said, "chinese?", he said, I can't eat Chinese, I'm doing Atkins! Say what? Hello, he's 80 and really doesn't need to lose weight! He told me he wants to lose 10 lbs. So, I tell him, "fine, we'll go to Houligans". He loves the place and they have plenty of options for him. I called them and asked what the soup of the day would be today and if it was possible for them to puree' it for me, they said yes. Crisis averted!

I'm actually looking forward to getting dressed, doing my hair and make-up, and going out. I've been showering each day and air drying the hair and wearing old sweats. Its time to get out! I had every intention of going for a nice walk yesterday but ended up spending a good part of the day working with a customer on the phone and computer. Its supposed to rain today so I missed my chance for this weekend.

Enjoy your Sunday...I'm going to try to get another hour or so of sleep! 4 more days until day eight!

Reality sets in...

I am exhausted! Me thinks I did too, too much since getting home at 1:00 a.m. this morning. So, if you'll indulge me I am just going to share a few pics from my trip!

Hopefully one of the last full length fattie pics of me standing in front of the hospital:



DH doing what he loves the most:



Me and Dr. Kuri:



Mexican Margharita anyone:



The required belly pic:



Thats all I have tonight!

Change of Plans

On our way from the hospital this morning to the hotel in San Diego, I had an epiphany! Why don't we go home today instead of tomorrow? DH looked at me and said "are you crazy" to which I replied yes. He told me you'll never get a flight this late in the game and I said just watch me. I quickly got on the phone with Southwest and we are now on a 1:45 p.m. flight home. I than cancelled the hotel, called the kennell where my boy is and told them we were picking him up tomorrow morning. Now, we are sitting in the airport and all I want to do is take a nap! I had a very hard days work!

When my doctor came in this morning to discharge me he mentioned that my Uterus was a little enlarged. He wants me to bring this up to my GYN even though he doesn't think its a problem but he just wants to make sure.

We had such a great experience with the surgery in Mexico. I have to admit, even though I researched this until my eyes were falling out, I was still nervous about doing it this way. The few people I told were not great supporters of the idea and that made me not want to tell more people. Now that I've done it, I would have no qualms recommending this to anyone who cannot get coverage here in the States! I can honestly say that the hospital was by far cleaner than anything I've ever experience here at home and the private suites were unbelievable. My doctor stressed to me before and again today how important followup care is and made me promise that I would either do it with him or find a local doctor to take care of me. I told him that as much as I'd love to come back to him regularly, it was not convenient so I have found someone closer to home but will be back at the very least annually so we can keep in touch. Plus, he has the "Kuri Bandster Bash" every August that I hear is to die for!

Thats it for now, I'll check back with everyone tomorrow!

Mexican Adventure Part II - The Operation

Well, I am now officially banded! Woo Hoo! I was woken up this morning at 6:00 to take a shower and than taken down to the surgical floor around 6:30. Everyone could not have been nicer. My anesthesiologist was a sweet little woman whose name escapes me at the moment. She came in to talk to me a little and she gave me a pill to calm my nerves. I told her I've never come out of anesthesia without vomiting and she promised me she would do her best to change that. Its now 3:30 pm. and I have not vomited nor felt nauseous at all!

I was brougnt into the OR and than really only rember them putting oxygen mask on and than that was it. Next thing I remember, I am in recovery and I hear them talking to Connie, the other woman who was also operated on this morning. I was in recovery for about one hour and than they brought me back to my room. DH was MIA but that was ok, I just wanted to sleep. DH came back about 1/2hour later and told me he went back to TGIF to get something to eat. Food? Whats that?

I haven't spoken to my doctor since the operation yet, he is coming by this afternoon. I am interested to know if he found a hiatal hernia. I'm thinking no because I would think I would feel more pain. The pain meds they are giving me are great! I don't feel at all loopy and I also don't have any pain! I cannot believe how good I feel actually.

I'm getting ready to make a bathroom stop in a few minutes than I may do a lap around the floor. I cannot believe it is over already and I feel so good. (remind me I said that tomorrow, ok?)

Oh, Marie? I've been thinking about you a lot today, it seems like I have these little burping moments! Did yours start so soon?

I also found out I was given the smallest size band they make, 9.75 cm which hold 4 cc's of liquid.

Thats it for now, I am off for my walk. Will possibly post later after talking to the Doc.

Ciao for now.

Part I of my Mexican Adventure

We spent practically all day yesterday travelling and I was exhausted when we finally landed in San Diego at 8 pm eastern time. We spent the next 1.5 hrs wating for our luggage. It turns out that while we made our connection in Arizona, our luggage did not. Luckily, there was another flight from Phoenix coming in after our flight and they put the luggage on that. We received a $40 voucher from Southwest because we waited for it rather than having them deliver it to us.

Once we got our luggage, we walked outside just as the van sent for us (from my Doctor in Tiajuana) was circling for the 100th time! I asked the driver Miguel if he was dizzy and he didn't understand a word I said. Oh well, as long as he knew how to get to the hotel, I was happy. The Palacio Azteca was very nice and I just could wait to fall into bed! I was exhausted. This morning I sat with DH while he ate his yogurt and banana breakfast with coffee. I was fasting due to the pre-op testing that I had yet to do. The hotel brought us to the hospital at about 9:30.

I was very impressed with the efficiency we were met with at the hospital. We were introduced to Anabelle and she told me that I was her responsibility and should not worry about a thing! I had my blood drawn, chest xray, ekg and urine done in about 45 minutes. She than took us to our hospital room which was more like a hotel room. Bed, recliner, pull-out bed for DH and bathroom/shower. All private. Very nice. Shen than told us to go and enjoy Tijuana. DH was not excited about this but was a good guy and we went. We had brunch at TGIF...I had a breakfast taco and he had a breakfast sandwich. We than walked around the city a little. I was hoping to find a t-shirt that celebrated my visit to the city. You know, something that said "I left my fat in Tijuana." Alas, i did not find anything!

Once we got back to our room, Anabelle took us to meet with Dr. Peterson. He is an internist who went over my whole medical history. basically he told me I am one healthy fat chica. Ok, he didn't quite put it that way but thats what he meant. I than got to meet my Dr. Kuri face to face. I've spokent to him on the phone but this was my first meeting with him. He did not dissappoint. He was everything and more than what I had envisioned. He answered all my questions and told me to have a nice restfull evening, he himself was going to a party but don't worry, "I see you at 7 a.m.!" With a wink and a smile, he was gone! I am assuming he was kidding.

So, Steve is in his recliner, I'm here in bed waiting for the nurse to bring my sleeping pill and I will be going to surgery tomorrow morning at 6:30 where I will get my Margharita cocktail!

Thank you all for your well wishes yesterday. I am so blessed to have found you and I know you are all waiting with bated breath for my newbie bandster questions! Good luck again to Camille, Tessie and Jenny. I will see you all on the other side!

I will also continue my Mexican Adventure part II after the OP!

Ciao for now

60 Followers and away weeeeee goooooooo!

I am so blown away by this! When I first started this blog I was hoping that including my husband and two daughters I would have maybe five people who read and/or commented on it. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by! This blog community is....well there is really no words to describe what it is to me. As much as I have a support system here at home, no one has gone through what I will be going through. That is where you all come in though. I know I can jump on and ask a question and within minutes, I have answers! Unbelievable! Thank you so much for supporting me. I promise to pass it forward and hopefully I too can help others who will be following me in this journey.

I'm not sure if I will be blogging much between now and surgery on Wednesday. We are leaving tomorrow morning to catch a flight to San Diego and will be picked up and driven to our hotel in Mexico. I'll be in the hospital all day on Tues for pre-op and will be spending the night in the hospital. Surgery is Wednesday and than I will be discharged on Thursday but will not be home until Friday night. I promise to post if I can during the week but in the event I can't please know that I will be thinking of all of my fellow bloggers, Camille, Tessirose and everyone else who will be banded with me this week. We will all have to catch up when I come home and compare battle scars!

Ciao for now!

Don't want no "Pimp Daddys" looking for me!

I tried to avoid these questions yesterday for a few reasons. Ok, really I was avoiding question 5. I didn't want to answer any if I didn't answer that one but today I'm thinking, I am about to make a huge step this week getting the band and part of this whole blogging experience is to be honest with myself and everyone so here goes! God. Help. Me.

1. If you could be a weather forecast, what would you be and why? I'm not really sure what its called but you know when the eye of the hurricane goes over you, its gorgeous and sunny? Then, it passes and you get the backend of the hurricane all stormy....yeah, that's me!


2. If you could be a crayon, what color would you be and why? Royal blue. I just love this color and its so bright and I feel good when I wear it.


3. What is/was your biggest physical goal you want to do when you hit your goal weight? I want to be comfortable riding on the back of my DH's motorcycle, I want to enter a 5k race and someday do a 1/2 marathon.

4. If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? I'd want to be a panther. They are so sleek and graceful. Everything I am not at the moment!


5. Just because I’m new to some followers and I’m curious – let’s do a put it out there in black and white stat question.

What was your highest weight? 234, 6 years ago
What is your weight now? 208
What is your goal weight if you have one? 145 -155
What is your goal size if you have one? 8 - 10
What diet/program/tool do you follow/have if any? I've always followed weight watchers and Atkins and beginning this week, I will have the added help of the Lap-Band.
How did you lose the weight current to today? WW and Adkins and lots of exercise

6. What’s your best advice for people in this weight loss journey? Don't give up. Take it one day at a time....I am learning this myself. There is a saying "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got". I am so open to change right now and I feel it in my heart that this time, I will succeed with my weightloss battle!


7. Have you ever shaved your whootananny? Yes

Thank you Drazil for putting these questions out there. Peer pressure is alive and well in blogland! I suppose its not a bad thing! :)

This is my last.....

Everything I've been doing since my official 1 week countdown began has been preceeded by "this is my last" blah, blah, blah! This is my last Friday going into the office before my band, this is my last episode on TV or whatever, before I get my band, you get the picture. You would think I am going to the electric chair instead of starting a whole new, brighter way of life! oy!

Other than that, I'm really just going through the days until we leave for Mexico on Monday for my Wednesday surgery. I haven't started packing yet but I am a list girl so it won't take me more than an hour or so. I have a very busy weekend coming up so I know Monday will be here in a blink! So exciting!!

Marie of the Unkown Bander and Sherry of Two Sticks or a Lighter will both be having their surgery today so please go on over and send them good wishes!

HI-HO, HI-HO, its off to Mexico we go!

Yes, I even feel like whistling!

Oh dear lord...the one week count-down has begun for the actual surgery but we leave for Mexico in 5 days. I am so nervous and so excited. I don't know which one more. The funny thing is that my husband seems just as or more excited than I am. He has never had a weight problem and I think on some level he has no idea what the problem is....too fat=stop eating! However, on the other hand, he knows everything I've done/do to lose and keep weight off and still, here I am. He is the most supportive and loving man and I am so blessed to have him.

I went out this morning and got a manicure and pedicure and having my hair colored on Friday. You would think I am going on vacation! I figured that I needed everything done anyway and I probably wouldn't be up to going out right away after I get home so why not? I got french on fingers and toes and hopefully it won't be an issue at the hospital. I then went to GNC to get some protein powder and vitamins..I got biotin tablets that I guess i will cut up. I am so freaked about hair loss and want to start taking these as soon as possible but probably not for a week or so after surgery. I also bought some fruit punch flavored Isopure drinks. I thought that would be good during the days immediately following surgery when I wasn't really hungry but need to get liquids in with protein.

Hubs will be getting the suitcase down tomorrow so I can start throwing stuff in. This weekend I will be busy with work and I have an open house on Sunday. Hello, don't these people know I am flying off to Mexico for my surgery on Monday? Ha, I guess not being as I am not telling anyone! Before I know it we'll be on our way to the airport on Monday!

Last but not least, a huge Thank You to BG at the Sweet Spot for nominating me for the Sugar Doll Award! I am so honored and will definitely pass the torch to others.

Questions and a huge Thank You!

First...thank you to all who have stopped by to read my blog! It means the world to me and I really do appreciate it!

Second...3/24, next Wednesday, is my date! I cannot believe it. We are leaving for Mexico on Monday and will get there late in the day and spend the first night in a hotel. Tuesday is spent at the hospital all day doing the pre-op testing and we spend the night in the hospital. (Steve gets to stay with me while in the hospital.) Wednesday is surgery day and we again spend the night in the hospital. On Thursday I will be discharged after some other tests and we will spend our last night in the hotel. I am so fricken excited!

I have some questions that I hope you can all help me with:

1. Coffee - I have one cup of coffee every morning with 2 splenda and a splash of 1/2 & 1/2. That is it all day. While I am on full liquids, if I feel like having the coffee can I with 1/2 & 1/2 (or even milk would be fine)?

2. I know by reading others posts that there really isn't hunger during the first few days but I will be traveling on a plane for 8 hours on Friday two days after my surgery and I want to be prepared. I am planning on bringing a couple of chicken boullion cubes to add to hot water on the plane but what else should I have with me? I thought tea would be fine and of course, water.

3. Protein supplements - for pre-made I can stand chocolate Atkins shakes. Is this ok? What about protein powder? I'd like to have an unflavored powder to add to things to boost my protein. Any suggestions?

4. Liquid Meds - for those of you who flew anywhere for surgery, will I have any problems carrying liquid meds (tylenor, prescription pain killers) in my carry-on?

Ok, thats it for now but please bare with me over the next week as I know I will be coming up with more questions!

Thank you!!!!

It's raining in my kitchen, I kid you not!

But its sunny outside....only in FL folks! Actually, today is the first day in 3 days that it hasn't rained. Its a beautiful sunny day here in Sunny Florida and it feels great!

We have a concrete deck above my kitchen that has leaked a few times since we've lived here. My husband thought he fixed it last time but with all the rain the other day, it quickly became apparent that it is still not fixed! Today, the sun is shining and he went up on the roof armed with a hose! Hence, it is now raining in my kitchen! However, now that he is certain where the water is coming in from, I can now sleep at night knowing that he will finally be able to fix the leak! My man is good, real good with his hands and I know that this will be one leak that's in the history books! You Rock Stephen!!!



Ok, back to me. Its Saturday morning and I'm sitting in my "rainy" kitchen looking out at my Lanai at my blue sparkling pool and thinking: "two weeks from today, I will be sitting in my kitchen, sans rain, looking out at my Lanai at my blue sparkling pool and I will have just gotten back from Mexico the night before with my little Taser installed, aka my band! How cool is that?

I have so much to look forward to. Once I get the surgery out of the way and start working towards my new, healthier lifestyle, I have so many great things going on. On April 9th I will be flying to New York to go wedding gown shopping with both my daughters for my oldest daughters wedding gown! I will be spending some quality mama/daughter time with my babies for 5 uninterrupted days! I am putting off shopping for my dress until I start losing weight but I am not stressing that because 1) I will lose the weight and 2) I have plenty of time before her 3/25/11 wedding date. Actually, I will have my 1 year Bandiversary on 3/24/11 and she'll be married on 3/25/11. Plenty of time.

The first week of June both daughters and boyfriends will be visiting us for a week. I absolutely cannot wait for that visit. Than, my husband and I will be driving up to New York in July to spend a week visiting family and friends. I am so looking forward to that trip because I am sure I will have lost weight by then.

My doctor in Mexico hosts a "Bandster Bash" each year in MX for all his patients. I would like to go this year but will have to wait a bit to see how things are going here at home with work and such. On the work front, you will all be happy to know that the real estate market in FL is picking up! Yay, finally right? Since we were the first market to tank, its only right that we lead the market the other way.

On that note, I have to go get ready for work! Its all good though, sun shining, family visits, Taser on the way! Yea, life is good!

Hot Topic!

A few people have posted today about their fears (or lack of them) of gaining weight after the band. Although I am not banded yet, 13 more days!!!, I thought I'd share my fear.

My plan is simply this: Get band, follow all rules, and with the help of God, me and all my supporters, lose this weight once and for all! Oh, and lets add KEEP IT OFF! Here is my fear. Every now and than, I mosey on over to the "Complications" section on LBT. It scares me to death when I read of people who have had complications such as a slip and have to have the band taken out forever or for a short period of time and they gain back ALL their weight in like a month! I'm exaggerating but I've read of people who gain back 40 lbs in 2 months which is just crazy!

The rationale me says if a complication arises and band removal is the only answer, I am sure that if I had been doing all the above, following rules, exercising, etc., I would be able to apply the restraint needed to at the very least maintain my weight loss. Am I right?

My assumption is the reason some of these people had problems to begin with is because they were NOT following the rules with the band in place. Please, I am not suggesting that everyone who has had a slip or an erosion is to blame. Really, I am not saying that. I'm just trying to rationalize how if someone was diligent and doing everything right, how could they gain it all back in a very short period of time unless all the good habits which should have been formed by following the rules flew out the window. No matter what, you have to take more calories in than what you expend to gain weight.

I really hope I have not insulted or offended anyone with this post, I am really only trying to understand this and hopefully learn by others who have gone before me if I have any complications. One habit I'm trying to unlearn is going to the complication thread in LBT!

4:00 a.m. thoughts.....

Ugh!!! This is not a good way to start the day. I woke up a little while ago with 18,000 things going through my mind. Why does that happen?

Two weeks from today I will be banded! Yay! That thought is immediately replaced with "will this work this time?" It has to. I am so tired of letting myself down.

I was talking to my friend yesterday. We have both been on WW forever and she was questioning why I thought this was the answer. It really made me think. While I know that being over weight is not healthy, I have never had any health related issues. I have always said that if a Dr. told me that I had to lose weight because of a health complication such as Diabetes, that I would be able to lose the weight. Well, this past physical showed that my blood sugar had increased. Surely not in the realm of Diabetes but it is creeping up there! This was the determining factor for me. With Diabetes in my family, I did not want to become another victim. I want to take back control of my life and it all starts with getting my weight under control.

Why do I think the band will help me accomplish this? I look at it this way. With the band, there will be an immediate reaction if I eat in a way that is harmful to my body. While I do not look forward to getting stuck and ultimately PB'ing, I also know that I will eventually have this happen. I am trying to visualize my band as an internal taser. If I eat too much, I will be zapped! If I eat too fast, I will be zapped. If I eat the wrong thing, I will be zapped!

I know this is not the easy way out. However, I'm hoping it will ultimately be the way for me to finally break free of this downward spiral with my weight.

My husband, who has always been my biggest cheerleader in everyting I do, is right there with me. We will be talking about going to Mexico and all that will folllow and he'll say "I can feel that this is what you've been waiting for...you'll be the poster child for lap-band surgery!" This makes me feel so good but it also scares me to death! I have to tell him that this is not a miracle device, I have to work it in order for it to work for me. I suppose in a way, by saying that to him, it only reinforces for me that its not a miracle device. At the end of the day, I am still the only one holding the fork or spoon. My band will assist me in getting healthy but its still me who will steer the ship!

Award Time!

A whole bouquet of flowers to you! Thanks to Bonnie and Sandy Lee for my Sunshine Award. I am passing along this award to very deserving and fantabulous bloggers—Oldies, Newbies and Wannabies! So take your award and post it! The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging world. Honestly, I think every blogger deserves one for putting it all out there in their blogs. Thank you everyone...you are my hero's!

Once you receive one, then you:

1. Post the logo on your blog.
2. Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers.
3. Link the nominees
4. Let nominees know they have won this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person you received this award from.

These are the blogs that are getting me through this journey (also see links above):

Catherine - http://chroniclesfrombandland.blogspot.com/
Andrew - http://harveylah.blogspot.com/
Kathi - http://kayvee-dontlookback.blogspot.com/
Stardustic - http://stardusticsjourney.blogspot.com/
Jennifer - http://lifeasiknowitsc.blogspot.com
Tessierose - http://tessierose-bandmebaby.blogspot.com/
Angie - http://angieinrepair.blogspot.com/
Janelle - http://janellody.blogspot.com/
Girl Bandit - http://myspats.blogspot.com/
Bonnie - http://wishingandhopingandprayingforaband.blogspot.com/
Sherry - http://twosticksoralighter.blogspot.com/
Vickie - http://thequeenbeeslapbandlife.blogspot.com/
Band Groupie - http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

Followers = Angels

I have decided that all of the followers out there are really Angels here on earth! Each and every one of you who leave messages on my blog are with me all the time. Its so hard when I am talking to a "real life" friend and I find myself relating a comment that one of you have shared and it sounds so funny..."so and so said" this or that. Oh, who is "so and so"? Oh, a blogger friend of course! Some of my "real life" friends get it and others don't have a clue! It really is hard to explain to others the community of women and Andrew (hi Andrew!) that I have found here.

Maybe someday the Lap-Band will be as common as those who attend Weight Watchers although I somehow doubt it. Until then, I thank God for all of you and thank you for taking the extra few minutes it takes to read my blog and leave a comment. Comments are like crack...you just gotta have more of them!

I hope everyone is enjoying a beautiful Saturday!

Ciao' for now!

Bike Week in Daytona!

WooHoo!!! Not! Ok, so here is the story...my husband Steve, loves his toys (thats my 80 year old father with the helmet on). He has a motorcycle and some fancy schmancy car I never heard of. He retired after 30 years as a cop and saved his money so he deserves to have and love his toys. Don't I sound like a very good wife?



Well, the problem with the toys is that he wants me to share in his love for them. Doesn't that make him sound like a very good husband? Well he is. No doubt whatsoever! The problem is me. Its all about me and my fatness! Everything I do is influenced by my fatness. I love the motorcycle but hate riding on it because I feel like a whale, I love the little car but hate riding in it because I feel like a sardine squeezing into the tiny seat!

I am so thankful that my husband hates the cold but only in this instance. It has been in the 50's to low 60's this week and for the first time in the two years that we have lived in Florida, he will not go to any of the bike week attractions on this bike! This means, that I don't have to get on the bike with him and I don't have to confront my fatness feelings! In fact, we are going to an event today but we are taking the car! Yay!

I am so sick and tired of having to worry about everything I do in relation to my being over-weight! Even the thought of moving to Florida, once I could get past the thought of leaving my girls in NY (with the rest of our families), my next thought was Florida? Its hot there. What kind of clothes can I wear to cover my body? This is so crazy that I worry about this all the time!

I just want to lose the weight and live a normal life. For me, normal is defined as making day to day decisions and not having to factor in what I weigh. I am married to a man who loves me, no matter what I weigh and he wants to share everything with me. I know how lucky I am to have him and have him want to share everything with me. I just want to lose this weight once and for all and experience how it is to not have to worry every day about my weight.

When I first started reading everyone's blogs I was so impressed with Amy W.'s self-body image. She never cared about wearing a bathing suit or what others thought. I find that so refreshing and I'm so happy that she was able to live life without all the BS that I lived with, self-imposed mind you! Nobodys fault but my own. I didn't even wear a bathing suit until I was 38! To this day I will not wear shorts. Thank God for capri's!

So, hopefully, with the help of the band, I will finally be able to get out of the cycle of losing and gaining and learn to live life with my definition of normal. With the help of me, band, friends, family and of course my blogging family, this will be the last Bike Week that I feel fat!

One last thing....how do you post pictures side by side?

Ciao' for now!

Somebody is definitely watching over me!

When I made my mind up to have WLS in late January I started frantically looking for a date on the calendar that would make sense. I was having a lot of family and friends visit in February so I knew that February would not be the month.

Today, March 4 was the day I chose! As you can see, it didn't happen. I ultimately chose March 24 for a couple of reasons, mainly that I would have felt too rushed to say goodbye to my friends and rush off to Mexico. I thought the following week would be better and than was told the doctor would be away at a seminar for a week! Pooh! Ok, the 24th was a go!

So, this may be TMI, but I woke up with TOM today and my first thought was "Thank God today is not my surgery day"! I also have a few real estate transactions that are taking up a lot of my time and leaving them to someone else would have been a pain in the you know what, not to mention, I'd have to share my commission!

I am a believer in the saying that "things happen for a reason". I was not meant to have surgery today. March 24 is a much better date for me. I have time now to focus on me without that rushed feeling. I got to enjoy my friends and family during the past few weeks without the surgery looming thing hanging over my head!

I just read Angies blog and she is celebrating her 1 year bandiversary. I am so excited for her and others who have celebrated this incredible milestone. For Angie and most of us, we have been proffessional dieters but never managed to be able to stick with it or maintain. In fact, for me, I always would lose the weight, and gain back more! This time will be different. I know this is what I have needed to accomplish this one thing that has always eluded me....weight loss and maintaining the loss! To have to wait 20 more days is nothing compared to what is waiting on the other side!

Have a great day!

20 More Days Until Mexico!!!

I can't believe that in 20 days we will be heading to Mexico for my banding surgery on March, 24. It is really starting to feel surreal!

My friend is here from NY with her husband and we've been talking a lot about what I am going to be going through with all the changes in my eating and they cannot be more supportive!

My DH, well, he is always the most supportive....not a day goes by that he doesn't says something positive. My whole life has changed for the better since the day that I met him. You can't see it because you are reading this but I can't help but smile when I talk about him to others. What a great feeling!

Getting back to my friend Mo, I will be staying with her about 3 weeks post-op when I go to NY to go wedding gown shopping with my daughters. I have not seen the girls since Christmas, this is the longest I've gone without seeing them! I am so excited and once March 24 comes and goes, I will be focused on April 9th!

Can any of you give me suggestions on what kind of clothes to pack for my surgery? I am going to be on a 2 part 7 hour flight coming home so I know I want to be comfortable. I'm wearing flip-flops so I don't have to worry about bending over and tying laces. Any suggestions are appreciated.

We are going to visit St. Augustine today. It is a gorgeous little city. I am looking forward to walking around and going into all the quaint shops. We will probably have lunch there before coming back to my house. Crap! As I just said that, there was a big crack of thunder outside. I guess I should check the weather before I make further plans, huh?

Ciao' for now!

ANDREW!!! COME HERE PLEASE!!!!

I didn't know how else to contact you. I have been reading your blog and have tried to comment on several occasions and it won't let me. Do you have a special setting or something? anyway, just wanted you to know so that maybe you could let me in or whatever.

You're doing a great job!!!