VSG Victory begins in February 2011

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big2bitty
on 1/15/11 11:35 am

Topic: Items to have at home when you...

Here's some things to get ahead of time:

Fill all your prescriptions before you go to the hospital
soups/broth
strainer for chunky soup (can can drink the broth and blend the chunky stuff to freeze and eat when you have moved on to pureed/ mushy foods)
personal sized blender, especially the kind with many cups/ lids to blend directly into
vitamin E oil or body butter w/ vit. E (good for scars)
extra ice cube trays for freezing broth, mushies, crystal light, etc. (an ice cube is a meal size for a while)
baby spoons (help keep your bites very small)
Aleeve or some sort of pain management
loose pants to wear below incision points (or a robe for around the house)
crystal light, vitamin water, bottled water, etc.
sugar free mints for nausea (hope you don't need them!)
a good scale (some can track weight loss, BMI, hydration, weight until set goal, etc.)
protien shots/ mixes/ shakes, etc.
sugar free pudding, yogurt, etc. (for when you graduate to to something thicker than broth)
things you might like to turn to mush (tuna, chicken, etc.) (look up some recipes ahead of time by searching "Weight loss recipes", "blender recpies" or "blender recipes for weight loss")
cup/ candle warmer (so your mushies or broth can stay warm while you take your time eating)
inscents to burn while others are cooking (are you really going to want to smell yummy food while on liquids?)
GasX strips
prilosec (or something like it)

What else can you think of or have heard about?

BIG2bitty

Do you have a VSG scheduled for the month of February 2011? Join us at "VSG Victory begins in February 2011".
http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/VSGVictoryFebruary2011/

HW:260 SD: date not set SW: we shall see!

big2bitty
on 1/15/11 11:34 am

Topic: What to bring to the hospital

I've been collecting ideas from others that I thought I would share.

Chap Stick
Meds
Loose pants that can be worn below incision points. (I would hate to wear tight jeans home. Ouch!)
Sugar free mints to help with nausea
Biotene mouth spray for the cotton mouth you will have (It's a mouth moisturizer found in the pharmacy)
Robe to walk around in (Unless you want to show off the granny panties one last time!)
Slip on shoes (You won't be able to bend over to put shoes on)
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Brush or comb and hair bands to pull your hair up (Some people have also mentioned shampoo and conditioner)
Wear you glasses instead of contacts (Your eyes will be dry)
MP3/iPod, Nook/Kindle, whatever you'll like to do during infomercial time (You may not be able to sleep very well)
Maybe a sleeping mask or earplugs to block the light and drown out the noise
Hand moisturizer
Don't wear your jewelry, except maybe a watch

What else can you think of or have heard about?

big2bitty
on 1/15/11 5:48 am

Topic: RE: 11 months later.....February 15th ! (long!!)

So sorry to hear about the difficulties you've had thus far. But so happy for your upcoming procedure, success, and mini victories along the way!

BriarRose
on 1/15/11 2:56 am

VSG on 01/24/11

Topic: 11 months later.....February 15th ! (long!!)

Well, Hello fellow VSG'ers for February !

I started this adventure when my arthritis took a sharp turn for the worse after contracting the H1N1 virus ( and losing my dear younger brother at 49 years old to this deadly virus). The virus attacked my joints and that coupled with a fall brought me at 300 lbs to see the orthopedic department of my HMO, Kaiser. The bone doc told me that my knees were perfect candidates for knee replacement, but that I was not, cue to my super mobid obesity. It was like having ice thrown in my face.

So, I had to face either being in a wheel chair and in pain or doing something drastic about my obesity. The lowest I had been able to diet to was about 255 three years earlier. I knew the time had come.

I went back to my PCP to ask for a referral to bariatric surgery, he agreed, and wrote the referral. With Kaiser there are no insurance hoops, just the internal built in hoops...so I took all the tests (ekg, stress cardiac, non stress cardiac, upper GI, abdominal ultrasound, 19 vials of blood, urine test to insure I wasn't pregnant (I am 54, and had a hysterectomy 3 years ago !) and the 12 week Options class. I lost the required 5% of my body weight; and have kept losing (very slowly) but not gaining !

So, here I am. Matched with an outside contract surgeon, who I have met, and liked but whose office only schedules his Kaiser patients one day a month. And he was going out of town in January.

I would have been scheduled for January 18 -- and that had been "my date" but now it has been put off til 2/15/11.

The hard part has been switching my brain from the January 'countdown' -- which was almost completed.....to a full month later.

The only positive that I can think of, is that each week I am managing to lose 1/2 to a 1lb, so I hit my own goal of getting below 50% bmi a couple weeks ago, and hit my next mini goal of losing 30 lbs pre surgery (made it yesterday !) My next goal ? To hold on to my job long enough to get this paid for ( I will put COBRA on a credit card if I have to ! ) and get this surgery !!!

That is my long story in a nut shell. Next weight loss goal ? 267 by surgery date.

Briar Rose

High Wt 300 lbs. Pre-op Wt loss 34 lbs.

BoSSLaDy_83
on 1/13/11 6:03 pm - TX

Topic: RE: hello

Hey! that's great!!!! I actually changed my date from the 20th to the 11th so I'll be leaving the day you have your surgery... it cool to tlk to sumone that will be there around the same time as myself! stop by and visit me after ur pre op care and I'll tell you how every thing went for me!! It's very good you have the attitude you have about this major change you're getting stay motivated and positive and most of all stay prayed up! God Bless you!!!

jalynn-gettin-skinny
on 1/12/11 9:29 pm

VSG on 06/07/11 with

Topic: RE: Pre Surgery Jitters?

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. Just looking at my photos moments ago assured me that I truly need to lose the weight. I hear so many people say how much they love their sleeve but I don't hear a lot about the negative things that I fear. I too believe that I'll have trouble getting used to taking the tiny sips and chewing like crazy. Maybe I'll post a topic on the message boards about this. Thanks again...

big2bitty
on 1/12/11 12:10 pm

Topic: RE: Pre Surgery Jitters?

Yay!!! Another 2/28 sleever to join me! Congrats!
I am mostly excited, but I've thought about some of the same things as you. I'm mostly scared of the head hunger, exercise motivation level and overall failure. However.....The head hunger will fade, I will do what I can (hopefully) with exercise (which I think will become easier and more enjoyable in time) and I really don't think failure will be as possible as I fear. With such a teeny tummy, I should develop new eating habits whether I want to or not! I'm going to have a VERY hard time with taking little sips and chewing little bites to a pulp...but I know my stomach will teach me a lesson very quickly. And just think, when you get old...you'll already be used to chewing your food into a puree! Kidding...you will EVENTUALLY be able to chew more normally, but still thoroughly. You'll get much of your nourishment in non-food ways for a little while (vitamins/supplements and protien shakes), but soon enough you will start getting more out of your food. NOTsaying that you will never have to take vit/supplements or shakes again....many people still do later down the road as an easier way to get some things they are lacking...or just for the boost.
And ask yourself this question.....what will you be like when you are old if you DON'T do this? That will probably get you on the phone ordering those plane tickets faster than anything!

For now...enjoy the ride, it's about to get wild!

jalynn-gettin-skinny
on 1/12/11 11:20 am

VSG on 06/07/11 with

Topic: Pre Surgery Jitters?

I just got the word yesterday that I am scheduled for my surgery on Feb. 28th and I have had a little mini meltdown / anxiety attack this evening. My Hubby asked if I was sure I wanted to do this when I mentioned purchasing the airline tickets. Are any of you scared? I'm worried and excited at the same time about the lifestyle change. I'm worried about having to chew my food like a baby forever among other things like what will it be like when I'm old. Will I maintain a normal quality of life nourishment wise...Ugh! I need encouragement.