I have a date!!!

And since it's Sept 1, I get to join all of you!!! I hope you don't mind me coming into your group like this!!! Hugs to all, I'm excited, aren't you? Rachel

Rachel, Welcome to our little group!! There isn't a whole lot that goes on in here, but we will always be Septeberers... Please keep in touch with how you are doing. Brittain

Hi Rachel... Welcome to the September group!!! And congratulations!! We are a little quiet right now, but I'm sure we'll start picking up as our dates get near. And it will really be hopping when we have questions for each other. I can hardly wait!! Since you'll be an old pro when it's my turn, you'll have to be prepared for me to pick your brain. Make sure to keep us posted!! Blessings, Peggy

Peggy, not sure I'll be an old pro, but you can pick at anything you wish... and if you care to take pounds with you... please do!!! LOL I'm looking forward to stopping my pain medications and inflamation meds a month before surgery cold turkey (if you believe me, I have a bridge in brooklyn to sell you, cheap). Then I get to stop my biologics for the psoriatic arthritis 2 weeks before surgery.... this is going to be a nightmare... not sure how energetic I'll be post op at this rate, but I'm gonna make it and I'm gonna be successful too!!! No need to be quiet... let's get this party started so we can all be ready to support each other when September gets here!!! Huggles to ya! Rachel

Hi Peggy, Thank you so much for your great profile, I loved reading it and you are right it does help so much to see that there really are people out ther who UNDERSTAND! You are doing great, congrats on losing that weight! I know how hard it is. Char

Hi Char... Thanks for your kind words...I tend to use my profile as therapy for me and forget that other people may read it. But as long as others enjoy reading it and if sometimes something I go thru can help someone, then I'm happy about that. I know I have learned lots by reading other profiles. You & I seem to have lots in common...besides being September buddies. Are you a custodian at your church? The reason I ask is we used to be custodians at our other church and we would have to set up for weddings, too. Fortunately, we don't go there anymore, we go to a much smaller church...where everybody helps out. Make sure to keep in touch as you get closer...we really don't have that long. Just a little over six weeks.... yikes!! Blessings, Peggy

Hi Rachel! My date is also September 1st! Is it just me or does it feel as if it is taking forever to get here?! I'm so excited! I keep looking at the before and after pics on here and they are just amazing! I can't wait til I can post mine on there!!

It feels like forever but at the same time it is coming really fast... I have three kids and I'm working on getting help for caring for them post-operatively. The oldest is 5 and starts K in the fall, so she'll be in school half the day, the other two are 4 and 2½ and they will be in daycare during the day... so that will be helpful, but getting them to and from daycare, and weekends I'm still working on. Their daddy has them every other weekend, so that will help, but my weekend I want someone to help me the first month, sometimes the 2 yr old does things that really HURT me, like kicking during a diaper change (he just doesn't want to potty yet... argh) I'm also thinking about and planning my "meals" for post op. I want to have everything ready to go with the possible exception of protein shakes. I don't want to think "oh I can just nibble" WRONG answer... I want this to work for me and want to go to Thanksgiving dinner and be "the thin one" again LOL Sad thing is, at 346, I'm already close to being "the thin one" scary thought... Anyway, hope to get to know you! Love to have ppl to talk with! Huggles Rachel

Hi Rachel! I don't know what your doctor has told you about post-op, but mine has said I cannot pick anything up that weighs 20+ pounds for 8 weeks! I have two kids, one is 4 and the other is turning one in less than a month. So, needless to say, this is going to be a challenge. I am lucky in that my mother-in-law watches the kids everyday already, so she'll be able to help me a lot after the surgery. She's used to taking my 4 year old to preschool already too, since I work 12 hour days, so that will be a big help to me. Do you have any friends around that could help out with rides, or you could ask at the daycare about any car pooling options? I sure hope you're able to find some help. You definitly do not want to pile on any extra stress afterwards that might hinder your healing process, ya know? Is there any way you could talk to their dad and see if he can't take them a little more? I don't know your situation with him, but just look at all the options, k? I'm trying to plan out my meals for "post-op" as well. I told my husband we have to buy lots and lots of jello and slim-fast shakes. Have you tried any of those slim-fast shakes? They're pretty good actually. I really like the strawberry ones. I don't think I've tried any of the protein shakes yet, but those are a good substitute. I have to start my liquid diet in about two weeks so I'm stocking up now! I know what you mean about being the "skinny one" at Thanksgiving! My mom wears a size 8 jeans, she's never been bigger than a 12. She's very proud of me for getting the surgery done. She knows what a struggle my weight has been for me for so long. I got married last year and I had to buy a size 26 wedding dress and she was stressing about having to buy a size 10 dress! So I am also very excited about showing off my new self at the holidays! That's really the only time I get to see my family, so they will be shocked! Well, good luck with everything and just keep smilin'!!

Hi Alicia, I was told 4-6 weeks for lifting my son, yuk, not looking forward to it, he's already 30 lbs! Big BIG boy... The other two are fortunately self sufficient for the most part... thank God! The daycare is a short walk from my house, only a few blocks (7), so once i can figure out how to get the baby there and back, I'll be set. I do have a stroller, the problem is getting the stroller up and down the stairs at the front of the house. The exercise will do me (and them) good. We already walk when there aren't extreme heat situations happening because it's a nice time to be together and talk and enjoy ourselves. The X has agreed to take them to and from daycare, and get them into bed at night, basically, he'll be here as well as me and take them on his regular visitations. The only problem is that I will be "alone" every other weekend, I'm working on a schedule for those weekends that I have the children of family and friends to help out... at least with the baby... the girls I'm not so concerned with... they're gonna be "taking care of mommy" even if I don't want them to! The X did make plans for a vacation though which is the weekend after my surgery, so I'm hoping that I can find people to drop off and pick up the days before and after the weekend for me. That will still be within the 2 week time period. Ah the joys... lol... there are some ppl who keep saying "suck it up and do it yourself" but then there are some *****alize that this is too major to goof up. Amazingly enough, the ones who are saying do it yourself are ones who have had the surgery... weird huh? I also have to go off of the meds that make me able to function as well as I do a month before surgery. I've told several friends that starting next weekend I'm gonna need help more often because I'm going to be hurting more often. I'm gonna have to take it easy for most of August. Well, I'm off to the next message, look forward to knowing you better! Huggles Rachel