Well bandster hell was just that.... HELL! I was hungry all the time, ALL THE TIME! I was never full. I'm hoping this first fill will change that. I have to be on liquids for two days, then puree for two days then back to regular food.

I got weighed and I gained a pound, not bad considering I haven't been exercising due to all the damned dizziness I've been feeling since I've been off my medication.

So they felt around my abdomen quite a bit and prodded and poked and it actually kinda hurt. When it came time for the needle, it felt like he poked me three times, maybe he just wiggled it around a lot, it's not like I was looking! Anyway, he couldn't find it so I got it done under flouroscopy.

They got me to stand against a table and they rotated it so I was on my back. They cleaned my stomach with that iodiney looking stuff and then froze it with a little needle that buuuuurned. I HATE needles, have I mentioned that?!?!

The tech asked me if I was okay and I said "I'm starting to regret this decision." And he said "Give yourself time, I've seen a lot of people lose a lot of weight with this."

Anyway, they found the port and put in some saline and then turned the table back up to a leaning position and got me to drink some disgusting white stuff that tasted like milk of magnesia. Then they put more in and got me to drink some more. When Dr. B was satisfied, they turned me back up to standing and took out the needle. They washed off the area and all the iodiney stuff and then put a bandaid on. He went over the "two days of liquid, two days of puree, eat slow, chew" stuff and I was free to go.

Fingers crossed.

I went in to get my staples out today, didn't hurt just felt weird.  Apparently I'm not drinking enough but I'm doing fine. I've lost 12 pounds so far. I'm still on puree. I'm sure bandster hell is waiting for me once ALL the swelling is gone and there is no restriction and I'm back on solids.

I slept REALLY well last night for about 3 hours at a time, up to try and concentrate on peeing and then back to bed, lol. My shoulder pain isn't as insistent as it was before but it's still there. I took my bandages off today and I'm allowed to have a shower. Thank God. I STINK!

It feels so good to be able to drink something with a little more substance. The instant breakfast went down well, I added a bit of protein powder to it. I just had a small glass of 1% chocolate milk. I think for lunch or dinner I'll have some strained cream of something soup.

Here's the first picture of my incisions uncovered before my shower.




I wish Miranda was here. I miss having her around all the time. I got used to it while I spent my vacation with her. My grandmother is here, so I'm not lonely but I miss my lady.

Didn't sleep very well last night at all. Was awake almost all night, dozed off maybe for 10-30 minutes at a time. Grandmother is here to look after me. I feel a bit better today. It still hurts to breathe deeply and I have to concentrate to pee. That's annoying. I'm eating a bowl of beef broth.... yumm! Not.

Here's my first post-op pic.

My dressings. Check out those sexy man boobs. GAG!  Be glad when those are gone.

I'm home. I'm alive. I hurt. No complications. It hurts to breathe. I feel like I could drink a waterfall my mouth is so dry. Nothing but water today but tomorrow I get clear liquids.

Long time since I've posted. Since the last time I've been canceled a second time. My white blood cell count was too high and I had gained weight. My new date is on June 24th. I've been on a strict diet and from the last time I was weighed (June 4th) until my new appointment to see the surgeon (June 11th) I lost 8 pounds. I see my dietician again on the 17th for a final weigh in before surgery and hopefully by then I'll lose even more.

Because of my white blood cells being an issue, Dr. B has said he won't do the RNY and has convinced me that Lap Band is a better option anyway. He's said he's going to refer me to someone as well to find out what's going on with my blood. I appreciate that because I'm a little nervous that it's always so high. I hope there's nothing seriously wrong with me.

Anyway, that's the update. Just waiting now and looking forward to it. My girlfriend is still nervous about me getting the surgery but is MUCH more comfortable with the Lap Band than she was with the RNY. Even though she thinks I'm perfect the way I am, she's been VERY supportive and is even helping me diet by being a total food nazi, lol. She and her daughter are the best things to ever happen to me and now thanks to Dr. B I'll hopefully be around for them a lot longer.

After sitting there for 5 hours with an IV in my arm on the 14th I was cancelled and sent home due to an emergency. I was very angry. I got my new date today and I'm not pleased with how far away it is. April 24th at 6:45 am. At least it's still happening but I think someone else should be postponed, I was there first! I know it's selfish but I'm pissed off.

I'm sitting here waiting for a call to see whether or not I have surgery on Friday or not. This SUCKS!!!!!! I got REALLY sick the same day I went in for my tests two weeks ago and my white blood cell count was high, so NOW I had to get blood taken again TODAY and put a rush on it. I feel fine! Just a leeetle bit of drippy nose in one nostril but I'm not stuffed or anything. I wonder why nothing in my life can ever go off without a hitch. *sigh* On the plus side, I got a WONDERFUL care package from Sarah on the ObesityHelp Board! Holy crap! Spoil a guy much? She REALLY didn't have to do that. I JUST saw Be Kind Rewind on the weekend! If I had been awake when they first tried to deliver the package I could have worn my shirt to the movie!

She sent me sugar free jello, sugar free pudding, protein snacks of various sorts, a big bottle of gourmet sugar free caramel syrup for making drinks, a Blender Bottle, a 20 dollar GNC gift card, a Be Kind Rewind T-shirt, a stuffed green monkey with a WICKED t-shirt from the broadway musical and assorted little sugar free doodads.


UPDATE!!! IT'S A GO!!! I'm totally crying now, dammit. I'm such a wuss!

Okay so I got impatient and couldn't wait until monday so I called Rinette, the dietician today and asked if she had a minute for me to come in and get weighed. I've been suffering on this diet for two weeks and I've had a couple slips but I KNEW I had to have lost something. The official weigh in is on monday. I went in to see her and she let me hop on the scale, lo and behold I've lost 9 pounds in the last two weeks. My starving and struggling was worth it. If I can just keep this up until the weigh in on monday and then surgery Friday I'll be on the losers bench.

I forgot to update on Feb 21st after I went in for pre-op. I had bloodwork, no blood gas thank god. I talked to the nurse, got chest x-rays and ECG and a free chest wax thanks to those electrodes. I had lost three pounds. Now I'm struggling with the new diet, failed a few times but for the most part sticking close. As long as have lost SOMETHING by the 10th, I'm okay. And eating the way I have been there's NO WAY I can NOT have lost SOMETHING.