I am getting SO aggravated at this band. OK, so for the most part I am eating a whole heck of a lot less than I ever have. BUT are the scales moving down? NO! HECK NO! I'm in what is known as "Bandster Hell"!

AND I'm working out more than ever. I even uncovered (or shall I say dug out) my Recumbent bike and actually have been using it. LOVE that seat! If a normal bicycle had a seat on it like that I actually might consider riding one.

I go for my first fill next Monday. I know it will help some, but not near what it needs to be.

Honestly, right now I wish I had went with the bypass. BUT I need to give this time, and so I shall. But right now it's HELL!!

Hubby's 3 week change.

In case you're wondering, I thought I'd post two photos of my hubby. The one with the green shirt on was the day of HIS surgery. The red shirt is 3 weeks later!

Food! REAL FOOD!

Well I pushed it a little bit today. Hubby wanted some meatloaf for supper. And being the good wife that I am, I went to the grocery to get what I needed to fix one. Let me tell you that the smell of that puppy baking in the oven was so wonderful!

I know that normally a loaf will chew up to almost nothing. So I tried a 4 oz. slice. PURE HEAVEN! Real food! And I didn't get sick or anything. NO cramps, no up chuck.

I have been banded!

Well, it's done. Band is in place and I'm home. Actually I've been home for over 24 hours but just now getting in here to post. I'll not lie when I say that there is some pain. But of all the different little cut places the only one that is painful is the one that has the port under it. The rest are fine!!!

Other than that site the only other thing that is bothering me is my throat. I know that some of it may be from the breathing tube that they put in, but 99% of it is due to my sinus draining.

In the photos above, the first one is of myself with Anita. I'll admit she is the reason that I chose B.B.S.G. to do this. Love her to death. Such a sweetie.

The second photo is of my Doctor.... Dr. Weiss with Anita behind. OK, so I'm no spring chicken, married and all that.. but you got to admit that he is sure easy on the eyes!!!

Third photo is of my two nurses in pre op and they had me in post op too. Really nice ladies.

The last photo is me in all my glory. I can't believe that I'm posting that photo for the world to see. But I guess I'm doing it to show in the future just how far I've came in my weight loss.

Well..... today is the first full day of my new life. As long as I can keep the pain under control I'm fine. NO regrets so far!

My new life is about to begin at last.

Have you ever wanted something so bad you could taste it? If so then you know how I feel. I have a friend that has their LB (Lap Band) done just a few weeks ago. You would not believe the difference in them already, and it has just been 16 days! I hear from them that you really don't get hungry, especially at first. I wouldn't know what that felt like!

Today is Sunday, March 8 and I go in for my surgery on Friday, March 13. Yes the dreaded Friday the 13th. But I am taking the attitude that it will be the luckiest day of my life, other than finding my husband!

We will drive up to Hazard on Thursday evening after he gets home from work, spend the night. Then I'll report to the hospital the next day. I don't know what time yet, will not find that out till Thursday. I hope it is early, I know by that time I'll be starting to feel hunger due to not being able to eat or drink anything after midnight. I get grouchy when I get hungry and thirsty and can't get what I want.

There are three other women that are having their procedures the same day as mine by Dr. Weiss. I think I'm the oldest of this group. I'm not sure how my age will effect my weight loss. I've got a gut feeling that I'll be the one that looses the least amount in the longest period of time. BUT I'm making a vow here and now....... IF that happens it will not be due to the lack of trying. I'm so sick of my body and this fat.

I'm sick of having my gut in my lap when I sit down. I'm sick of not being able to really bend over and tie my shoes without going into some sort of weird movements and a heck of a lot of grunting. I'm sick of being afraid to go to the bathroom for the fear of not being able to clean myself as good as needs be. (I know that is a little graphic but some of you may know what I'm talking about and the rest..... I HOPE to God you never know what I'm talking about.) I'm sick of going somewhere and the first thing I do is hunt for a place that has chairs, sturdy chairs, instead of booths to sit at. I'm sick of having to pay so much more for UGLY clothes than normal, small people. I'm sick of seeing that 'look' from people of normal size. I'm sick of not being able to do some of the things that I'd LOVE to do while I'm still young enough to enjoy them, IE ride the newest roller coaster at Dollywood, and go carts! I'm just so sick of being the fattest person that I know. I'm sick of hurting so much when I try to walk and get some exercise. I'm sick of feeling so alone at times. I'm sick of the snickers of young people behind my back.

I know I'm not young any more, that I know. But I'm not so old that I should just sit down and wait to die either!

My mom said something to me yesterday that the more I think about it hurts. She was looking at some old photographs and commented that she'd love to see me get back to the size that I was when I was showing Duke! OMG that was when I was a teenager before I ever had kids! Now, believe me I've got a lot of faith in this new tool that I'm getting, but that might be stretching it a bit far. Although it would be WONDERFUL to get back down to that size. Don't even have a clue exactly what size that would be. Other than the fact that I can safely say that it didn't start with a 2! If I was a betting person I'd say more than likely a 10-12 or really close to that. BUT seeing as how I'm in a 26 now... well that is a LONG way off. A REALLY LONG WAY OFF!

Who knows, I just may set that as my goal. NOT to see a certain number on a scale but in the size of the clothes that I wear. Yeah, that's it. MY long term goal is to be wearing a size 12! THERE I said it! I don't want to be skinny, I'm to old to look good skinny, just healthy and trim! Slim! HA maybe even sexy for an OLDER lady! OH that was funny!!! (You had to be here to hear me laugh.)

BUT very soon, in 5 days my journey will begin. I am so looking forward to that day. I know I'm going to have some pain after, but I also know it will not last forever. I can't wait!!!

At the very beginning

Where do I begin? I'm not really sure. I know I barely can remember what it was like to not be fat. But seeing as how I can remember the day that my baby sister was born back in 1964, then I'm not sure when I wasn't fat.



I guess most of it started when I started having kids. Yeah, those blasted kids! It's all their fault. NOT. I wish it was that simple, but it isn't. But in a way it is. A woman's body is built and pre-wired to store fat for childbirth. OK, I get that. BUT what gives now?



I'm 5 years post menopause! So please give me a break! OK, so I guess that leads to yet another problem. AS we age our bodies slow down at burning what we eat. Face it I'm doomed! BUT wait..... there might be a way to get rid of this blubber. Hummmmmmm Lap Band!



Now get this..... back in November I went to a seminar. And I made my hubby go with me. I mean face it, I'm not the only chubby in the house. Took the rest of that month and the entire month of December to think about it. Then finally made the call and sent my papers in. Not only mine but hubby's too.



Wouldn't you know it, they called today to say that HE HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED by our insurance! I'm still waiting. Gees!!!!



Now to come up with the rest of the $$$ that it will take that is above what our insurance covers. That could be the hardest part. Well, not really. I know that we will take what little we get back from our taxes to go in the surgery fund. Still have the other half of the sale price for our little boat to come in too. It will all add up.



Now if you're wondering why I don't have a picture of myself up for everyone to see what I look like now, well keep wondering! I will at some point post the before and after photos. I just don't have the nerve to do the BEFORE photos for the world to see. Just take my word for it, it isn't pretty by any means.



But for now at least we both have our feet in the door. His more than mine but we got to start somewhere!