Hi!!! My name is Cheryl and I'm a fun, loving, passionate person who is living life as an overweight/ obese chick.I have always been overweight as far as I can remember and I recently decided to have the Lap-Band procedure done. This blog will keep you updated on my progress and my everyday life. So enjoy reading and hopefully you might even find a few things useful!!!
**For those of you unfamiliar with the procedure it's an adjustable band that is placed laparoscopically around the upper portion of the stomach to limit the amount of food a person can eat at one time. They have a port which delivers saline to fill the tube, which causes restriction allowing one to not eat as much. This port is attached to the abdomen muscle and is accessed by inserting a needle through the skin for fillings. LapBand.com is a great site for those interested in learning more about the band and the procedure and life with the band.
My surgery date is scheduled for October 7th which means in 15 days I will be banded. I've been working with my doctors since the beginning of February and had to have a 6 month supervised weight loss plan. The plan was meeting with a dietitian, psychiatrist, a weight management doctor to explain the process, and then meeting with weight management doctors once a month in what my doctors call a Shared medical appointment, aka: SMA. It's called an SMA because there is usually 7 to 10 people who are also in the weight management program either doing LAP-Band or Gastric Bypass and in the meetings you discuss successful habits for a healthy life and tips and tricks to changing your lifestyle. During the meeting you get pulled out on a one on one basis and talk with the Doctor about how it's going and they weigh you and take your blood pressure and go talk about what needs to be completed on your "to do" list for surgery. It's been really helpful for me and I have lost 25 pounds just from the program =D
I'm currently doing a pre-op diet until surgery day that consists of protein shakes and bars. (mine were purchased through the doctors office but there are so many places you can find them as well) I have 7 shakes and 2 bars a day which equals out to just over 1000 calories.
It made me sad a bit because my 1st day on my pre-op diet I went into work and I was presented with this beautiful movie basket with all kinds of goodies in it for being September's team member of the month (I work at a target). So YEAHHH for awesomeness at work and BOO for getting candy one day to late lol! At least I still get to enjoy the movie =D And my little sister is staying with me the first few days to help me out so I'm gonna just let her and my roommate have it for helping me =)
I've started "prepping" my house for things when I get home from the surgery. They give you a step by step eating plan- which differs from doctor to doctor- and has you go in eating stages because your stomach will be so sensitive and inflamed after surgery and they want you to heal properly so I'm starting with clear liquids. I bought lots of kiwi strawberry propel to add variety into my water drinking and my wonderful mother gave me chicken broth mix and bouillon cubes to make broth with. I was told that because your stomach decreases in size so rapidity you will be very gassy so I stocked up on Gas-X !!!!! =)
Also I found out yesterday that I had broken a bone in my foot about a month or so ago and it's trying to fuse back together and that's why I started having so much pain. I went to the doctor and this is what they gave me ------------------------------------> Very attractive right? I was moving stuff out of my storage unit and my little sister and I were moving an elliptical and she accidentally let it drop on my foot. There was bruising but no swelling so I shrugged it off. Well turns out I've been walking on a broken foot the whole time =0
The only down fall is that I can't exercise so hopefully my shakes and bars will help me to keep losing weight.
Sorry for the long post but I had to fill you in =D
Until next time Friends!!!!!
