Oh My! A Positive Post!

I thought I might shake things up a bit and write about something positive. I swear I'm really a super happy, positive person in real life. I just take my frustrations out on my blog so I sound like a sour-puss...I'm not!

Still struggling with having a near-empty band, but I'm making it. I've decided to stop stressing about it, live my life, and know that the weight will come off again. But I will tell you this...I cannot WAIT to get some fluid back in there!

Last night I went out with some girls to a super fancy restaurant here (the owners used to own the super fancy (overpriced) restaurant on the lake in the park in NYC) for a class in how to make certain drinks. Last night we learned how to make 3 types of Sangria: red, white, and blueberry (they do this each month...last month it was Gin). It was sooooo so so fun and I met a few new girls that I certainly plan to hang out with soon...as in next week! Def. got a little buzzed and stayed out much later than I had planned (thought I'd be home by 9pm...ha!)

Anyway, I really hope you all have a fabulous weekend. I plan on hanging by (and when I say by I mean in) the pool both days, maybe doing some LIGHT shopping, and turning over my DVR to the evil cable company. I got rid of cable, HBO (GOODBYE TRUE BLOOD!!!), and my DVR so save some money. :( Sometimes we have to do some painful things!

Vacay Update!

I'm still mid-vacation...lucky me!

We were at the beach house last week and it was beautiful! No tar, no oil, no smell...it was fabulous! I'll share pics when I get back to NJ. I even went to a water park!

We came back to ATL yesterday and I went to my original surgeon's office. I spoke to the Nurse Practitioner and we talked about the problems I've had. She agreed that some fluid had to come out. So, she took out 2cc and that now leaves me at 3.9cc. Sooo, I'm pretty loose, but I think this is what my body needs to heal, especially from the reflux.

I'm at a new low, 192.8 (I left the ticker at 193 b/c I round up) so I finally passed that 70lb mark! 40lb more to go to my ULTIMATE goal. :)

I'll post more when I get back to NJ!

Decisions About the Future of My Band

I had my follow up with the NP at my new doctor's office. We got through all the formalities and she asked "How are you doing?" My answer? "Not so great." I went through the laundry list of issues from last post plus some (having difficulty drinking water, GERD, barely eating mushy food, constantly feeling my band, losing hair etc.) and I'm only at 5.9cc after having up to 6.2cc. I asked her "is it supposed to be this hard? should i be suffering with my band so much?" She said no, absolutely not.

I'll skip giving you the play by play of our conversation, but basically I told her what I was planning and she agreed. I'm leaving to go to our beach house in Panama City Beach on Friday (helloooo 19 hour drive) and after spending a week there, I'm staying in Atlanta for a week. The Monday of the week I'll be home I have an appt. scheduled at my original doctor's office. I'm getting at least 1cc taken out...maybe even 2cc. I just need my band / stomach / esophagus to get better. I'll be back in August and will possibly get some of the fluid added back, but prob. not all.

I'm preparing for a more difficult weight loss. I know it will be harder with a looser band, but I can't take eating like this anymore. I want vegetables, I want rotisserie chicken, I want lean ground hamburger. And, actually, the weight loss might be easier with a looser band. I'll have more energy, feel like working out, and feel like eating healthier / better quality foods than the slider foods I've been eating. I'm tired of being dehydrated. I'm tired of constantly thinking if a certain food will go down. I'm tired of being constantly worried of throwing up.

Ready to get this healing process show on the road.

So much to do.

So, if all the stars align, I only have 24 more days until I'm banded! Here's hoping!

I still need to get my final blood work (Nov. 3rd), set up my financing, have my surgery consultation with the surgeon, and do my pre-op diet (starts Nov. 6th, I think).

However, other than the "official" things, above, that must be done, I have many unofficial things I must do in order to prepare myself for surgery. The list:

-Stop drinking with meals
-Stop drinking flipping Diet Cokes!!!! (hard one)
-Get my ass in the gym
-Buy my protein drinks (I think I'll do that right after I hit "publish post")
-purchase my post-op essentials

I need to purchase the post-op essentials prior to surgery b/c immediately after surgery (well, the next day) my family is driving down to our beach house in Panama City, FL for a week. So, I need to have all my items prepared prior to the 6 hour drive.

So, for any post-opers what are the essentials other than the obvious (bouillon cubes, sf popsicles, sf pudding, pillow for tummy when coughing or sneezing, etc.)??? I'd love any advice you can offer.