First Lap Band Meeting & Follow Up Appointment

I went to my first Lap Band Support Meeting on Saturday. It was a meeting made up of people in the Houston area who have received the lap band. I got there late but I wanted to hear at least part of it and it was really informative. It was totally voluntary.

I learned that the lap band is made of the same kind of plastic used inside of bodies, like hip replacements, etc. That was comforting to learn.

I asked some of the people there if they ever considered taking the lap band out and they all said absolutely not. I told them that one of the things that had gotten my attention about the lap band was the fact that it is reversible, however I haven't really given that part much thought.

Someone put it this way. People who have a pacemaker keep it inside for years. If they took it out they would die. The lap band is the same to an overweight person as a pacemaker is to a heart patient. If we take it out we may likely gain the weight right back and yes, it can lead to disease (heart, diabetes, high cholesterol) and death. Interesting analogy and very true.

Anyway, I go to my first follow up appointment THIS FRIDAY and for my first fill!! I am so excited! By fill it means that they will put saline fluid in that small tube that you see in the picture that leads up to the band. The band then tightens and restricts how much I can eat. As I lose weight the band loosens and I go in periodically for "fills." SO that's why I'm really excited about going in for a fill this Friday.

More than likely I will be on liquids for the rest of that day and probably mushy food the next day. Then I go back to normal food, but I'll feel full really fast. I am so looking forward to that! As I'm healing more and more my regular appetite is returning and it's scaring me! I need some more restriction. Let's see how I do with this first fill. (It's doing it again. Not leaving space between my paragraphs, even though I keep putting a space there.)

Lap Band Girl Here

I am really enjoying chronicling my lap band experience. I've even thought that it's a great reference tool for people thinking of being banded. I'm no "expert" or doctor, but I’m think it would be cool for people to read the point of view of an average girl's experience. (notice how I like saying girl, not woman ;-) But I'm thinking that maybe I should launch another blog especially for this topic. Like "Lap Band Girl."

Send me your thoughts. That way that topic doesn't take away from this blog topic, which deals more with the thoughts of a working writer mom, living inside the loop, and my observances. Or should I just incorporate this experience into the same blog as part of my over all experience as a writer working mom struggling with her weight too?

I like the idea of starting another blog, but then I think that I’m a one-woman show and it’s hard enough keeping up with this one. I don’t even blog on my MySpace blog. I often just copy entries from here to there. To tell you the truth, I’m not that crazy about MySpace. I only went on there to begin with because that’s how I communicate with my young nephews and niece. So the idea of launching yet another website seems daunting. Hmmm… maybe not….

OK. Thanks for helping me flush those ideas out.

Two More Days

After tonight I will have only two full days left as I've known them for my entire life. Starting on Friday I'll have a new life of restriction. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time.

Friends and family keep telling me stories of people who got the lap band and it didn't work for them. I keep asking them if those people worked the lap band or did they expect the lap band to work a miracle.

One woman in particular never dieted. I asked another friend about her and she told me that the woman never changed her eating habits. She assured me that she's seen me eat and that I eat a lot better than that woman. I hope so!

I have one half day of work left tomorrow and then I'm on vacation until January 7. That will give me one full week and a weekend to recuperate.

My Big News

Here it goes. I'm having lap band surgery on Friday. Yes, seriously. I've debated whether or not to post it on here, given all the controversy (I feel like Prince) that surrounds this weight loss procedure. I wondered whether I should put it out there and then I decided, "why not?" It's not like those of you who know me won't notice the sudden weight loss.

Besides, like my mom used to say, "Nadie sabe lo que trae el morralito no mas el que lo carga." In other words, only I know the burden that I carry. I know what I've done thus far in my life to try and lose weight and what I can't do alone.

I don't see the lap band as a cure-all. I don't expect for it to miraculously make the pounds fall off. I see it as a tool, as a little helping hand. I know that it's going to take a lot of work on my part, as well as behavior changes.

The thing is, I'm going to be 38 in February! In two years I will be 40 and I do not want to spend my 40s overweight. I already spent my 20s and my 30s there. I'd like to live the last half of my life healthy and I'd like to hopefully slow down the chances of my being a diabetic. I know that 50% of it is genetic, but 50% of it is lifestyle. I'm about to change mine.

So that's my news! Major life changing news. I'll be in some pain the first couple of days and I can't drive for the first 3 days. I can't lift anything heavy for about 2 weeks and I can't start working out with weights or doing sit ups for 4 weeks. I can start walking right away, as soon as the pain allows, so that's a good thing and will help me lose more.

The hardest part will be that I'll be on a liquid diet for the first week, half liquids and half mush the second week, and then I can start on very small portions of real food the third week. God grant me the strength!

OK. It's almost 3 and I need to start cleaning. Rey's grandparents, the kids great-grandparents (can you believe they have GREAT grandparents? I didn't even know my grandparents) are coming over with my in-laws for dinner.

Love and Hugs to All! I'll keep you all posted on my surgery and recuperation.

P.S. Those of you who know my father, I'm not telling him what I'm doing so don't ask him about me. LOL!