Michelle M.

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April 26 07 Ok So I haven't been really good about updating this. But now I have to climb back on the wagon and hold on for dear life. So much is going on I am not sure where to begin. Well I had to have my band emptied. I am not really happy with that but it is my health that I am trying to improve with the band in the first place. After all of my gallbladder drama, I thought that I was out of the woods. Well the reflux/ night cough didn't stop. I am also under alot of stress right now trying to tfind the "right" job to fit into my life. I just can't keep going at the rate I am going. Kids during the day and work stocking at Target at night from 7pm-4am. Anyway, I was in the hospital for 3 days after fainting. Come to find out I had pneumonia. I (thinking that I am wonder woman) thought that I had a stomcah flu and left it for a week without really eating. Fever, chills, throwing up, aches, pains. Well it was a whole lot more. I am guessing that all the stress my body was under made my band get tight. The doc had to take all 1.7cc's out of my band. Well as of today I am doing better, feeling better. I just finished up my meds and only get tired when I excercise (not really sure when I am allowed to, but I did). I still have to wait 4 weeks until I can go back and possibly get refilled. 
I am really worried about gaining weight, yet it hasn't stopped me from eating. I should have started over (liquid, mushies, solids) ut I kinda went stright to mushies and now am eating again. I can't eat as much as the old me but I am eating alot more than I should be. I HAVE TO GET BACK TO BUSINESS! So I am starting now. I hope that I can get thru it all again. I have been doing so well and I want to continue that way. Wish me luck

Feb 27 07 It has been a long rough week. Last Tue I was having really band stomach/chest pains. Went to the ER and come to find out that My gallbladder is full of stones. It does however explain a lot that has been going on with me. I had been having really bad reflux, even if I didn't eat all day. I was also sore a lot on my right side under my ribs. I kept thinking that it was because of my port being closer to that side. Anyways, I was in the ER Tue, Met the surgon on Wed, and had surgery on Thur. I ended up having to stay overnight in the hospital. I was told that I threw up the tiny bit of salad, that I had eaten over 16 hours before, during the surgery while I had the breathing tube in. I aspirated some of it and they wanted to watch my breathing and check my chest x-ray again in the morning. While it checked out the next am and I was sent home with antibiotics to make sure that all of the crude made it out of my lungs. It's been 5 days today and I am feeling much, much better. I just added 4 new little scars to my belly to go with the 4 from my banding. I also found a new doc for my band, Dr. Laguna, he preformed my galbladder surgery and happens to also do the band.

Feb 6 07 Ok I know that it is Feb but I have been busy. I am doing ok. I am down to about 165 and wearing a size 14. I may be able to wear a smaller size but I am afraid of trying. Plus a size 14 is the smallest I can ever remember being and I still think in my mind that I am bigger than I am. I am getting used to it though. I went to an indoor water park and for the first time wore a bathing suit without caring what anyone else thought. That is a very big step for me because I am normally very  worried about what others are thinking.

Dec 23 06  Ok, We did it. We found a house and will be getting our household goods on Jan 5th. I am so glad that the hard part of the move is over. Anyway,on to me. I went to the doc on the 12th and I had lost 7 lbs in 3 weeks,(185) which is good. But I was eating everything. So the doc took a look and I only had .7cc's in my band. I know that is normal that the band can loose/absorb some of the saline. So the doc put me back to 1.6. It is helping alot. I am down to about 174lbs fully clothed. I am very happy and hope that I contnue losing. I need/will start excercising again now that we are a little more settled into our new home/town.

Nov 29 06  Well it's crunch time...Dec 15 My family and I leave for Minnesota. Where we will be living????That is where most of my stress is from right now. We have found a few places but  my biggest fear may be coming true. We may have to buy a house. I am not ready to own a house and the fact that we will only be there for 3 years, I don't think that it is a wise choice.  The stress has made me think more about food. I have been eating a little more than usual, but not to bad. I use fitday.com to track my intake. I have added weights to my gym routine...something that I should have done a long time ago. I was only doing the min at home with 3 lb weights, I am hoping that it will tone me up. My next appt with the doc is the 12th of Dec. I think that i may need a tiny fill, I am just not feeling as full as I used to.

Nov 23 06  Happy Thanksgiving! I am down another 12 lbs. Yeah, that ment no fill for me on Tuesday went I went to see the doc. I am really happy with myself and how hard I have been working. I am even happier that it is all paying off. I have set a mini goal of another 10 lbs by the 12th of december. Hope I can make it.

Nov 13 06 I met my first goal....I am under 200 lbs. I haven't been under 200 in at least 5 years. I am really happy with my progress. It is very hard work though. I sometimes feel like some of my friends think that because I have this tool that the weight just comes off. Not True. I have to work just as hard, sometimes harder I think. I have to go to the gym 5-6 days a week and be conscious of every bite I take. I have turned into "one of those people" that I used to think were crazy, counting calories,fat,protein. It has all just become part of my everyday. I like knowing what is going into my body.I can also now say...I Like The Gym. I like working hard and seeing the result (I can't say that I like the 5am, but it's ok now). I can't believe the changes, both mental and physical, in the last 10 1/2 weeks. I am just so greatful to have this tool and my doctors in my life.

Nov 2 06 Well I went to the doc on Halloween and he syas that I have lost 16 lbs in  3 weeks. I now weigh 202 lbs fully clothed. I know that last ime I was there (oct 10th) I weighed 213. He says it was 218. I am thinking that maybe who ever wrote it in my chart made their 3 look alot like an 8. Oh well anyway, no fill. I am doing ok with my 1.4 ccs. I am happy where I am with both the fill and the loss. I am going back to see him on the 21st. I think that by then I will need a bit of a fill. I am hoping that the scale is going to be under the 200 mark very soon, I can't wait to say that I weigh under 200. We will see.

March 1 06 Ok,here it goes....I am a mother to four wonderful children (as I type this they are behaving). My husband is in the Navy and as of right now we live in Maryland. Here's the tough part for me to talk about, I am overweight. I have been for most of my life and I want to do something about it. I have been looking into the lapband for I don't know how long. One thing stopping me I have been trying for quite some time to get the courage to talk to my PCM about this and I finally did....the first time I asked about my weight (June 04) I got the dumbest answer I had ever heard, "Try not eating after 6:00". Then I asked again (Jan 06) and I got "I'll check into it". Well that was over a month ago and three unreturned phone calls. I just left yet another message for who ever will return it, we shall see. If I get no response then I will transfer care to Walter Reed and try to get my referral there. I am 256lbs and have a BMI of 41.3

Mar 3 06 My doctor finally put in my referral. Now I have to wait for the surgon to review it so that I can get an consult appt. Hopefully I will get that today, if not Monday. I want to thank all of the people who have shared information with me. It has helped so much.

Mar 11 06 Ok well it doesn't really surprise me that my doctor did not include all of my info in the referral. So when I spoke to someone about an appt. they said that it would get sent back to my doctor and he would have to re submit it. So another I left yet another message for my PCM and he called back on Thur. and also put in a new referral. So another week has gone by and no consult. I am kepping my fingers crossed and praying that I will get a call this week with for an appointment.

Mar 23 06 I finally got a call from the doctor. I have my consultation on April 4th. I finally feel like I am getting somewhere. I know that it's just a start and I have many things to do before I get where I want to be. I am just glad that the ball is now rolling. I started walking with a friend on mon. and I am hoping that it will help a little.

April 5 06 I had my consult with the surgon and it went very well. I have to go to the excercise clinic (april 14th) and nutrition clinic ( april 20th). I also have to get a physc eval, that may not happen until June 1st. But I am very pleased with the surgon and the way things are going. I am excited and scared at the same time. After all of the research I had done, hearing all of the info from the doctor was surreal. After wanting to do this for so long it is actually happening.

April 18 06 Things are moving along. I went to my first support group meeting and it went well. I do have a hard time opening up about this so it will take time. I also went to the "excercise man" I was happy to hear that I am on the right track. I have been walking 2 or more miles 6 days a week for about the last month and he told me to add a little low impact cardio. I was pleased. Next appt is Fri and that one I am worried about a bit. The nutritionist. I don't eat great but I am sure that it's not the worst that she has seen. We'll see.

April 24 06 Ok the nutritionist was really nice and I learned alot about how my life is going to be after surgery. It's starting to feel real now. Things are moving along, now I have to wait about 6 weeks until my pysch eval. This whole process is like an amusement park ride. When your up, your really up and when your down, your down. I know that while I wait for the next appt. it will be like somewhere in the middle. The free fall time. All in all though I am just happy to be able to be able to have all of it.

June 13 06 Yeah...I went to my pysch eval last week and the doc said that he would ok me for the surgery. Now I am just waiting for the surgon to review my record and call me with a date. I can't believe it's almost here.

July 12 06 I finally got the call. I have a date. Aug.30th. I am so excited. I may have to move it a few weeks later, after my husband get home from deployment. But knowing that it is going to happen and within the next month or two. I am so happy. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off. It Is Really Going To Happen!

Aug 14 06 I have about 2 weeks until surgery and I am really getting nervous. One minute I am so excited and ready and the next I am questioning if I have made the right decision. I know that all of these feelings are normal. I have been keeping really busy with my kids trying to keep myself occupied until the 30th and until my husband gets home. I actually had the chance to move my surgery up to the 16th but because I am here with the kids I have to wait until my mother gets here to help with them. I feel like that was for the best anyway because I will be more relaxed and not rushed. I can't wait to start my journey.

Aug 25th 06 Today I had my preop appt. I weighed 245 pounds. It went well, even though I was really nervous. Everything is set for Wednesday. I have to start my preop diet on Sunday. The diet is pretty much Atkins shakes up to 5 a day and any sugar free/low cal liquid. I hadn't really thought about a "last meal". I have so much other stuff going on right now, that the thought has taken a back seat. I am not really worried about the surgery itself anymore. Now I am worried about how my family will do with me not here. I am sure it will be fine, but not everything is going to be done. So I guess that I am going to learn more through this process that I thought.....How to let go and let others help. We will see how that goes.

Sept. 5th 06 I Did It! I am banded.I must say my 3 day pr op diet went better than I expected. I was on liquids only. It has been 5 days since I was banded and I am feeling pretty good. I can't really bend all the way over yet, but other than that I am doing ok. I have not taken any pain meds today and hoping to keep it that way. The meds just make me tired. My abdomen is still a litte sore and bruised but feeling better. The surgery went good. A little longer than most becuase they found that I have an extra artery on my liver and they had to work around it carefully. It took about 2 hours. After I was not awake for a good few hours and after they gave me the med pump I was out until morning. They did wake me in the night to do vitals and stuff but it is a foggy time. I remember feeling better On Thursday morning. I got out of the hospital on the evening of thur the 31st. Each day home has gotten a little better. I am on full liquid diet until the 12th. So far my experience is wonderful. I would/will recommend this to anyone who really needs. I can't believe it's finally done and I am on my way.

Sept 19 06 I had my "2 week" check up today even though it has been 3 weeks.I weighed 220pounds. I have lost 25 pounds since my last appt. and am very happy with my band. I know that anything that you loose before a fill is just all on you and I am very happy with it. I am getting my first fill on the 10th of October. I am getting full when I eat but hope that it lasts until the 10th. I not really in any pain anymore, and all of my steri-strips are off. I am adjusting well to eating less, my family and friends are having a harder time with it. Everyone feels bad eating in front of me, I tell them that it was a decision that I made and that I should have no effect on them. My husband is home from his deployment and is getting used to it all also. I am very happy with my progress and can't wait to see what I can do when I can really exercise.

Oct 11 06 I had my first fill yesterday. It was an experience, I knew what to expect from reading on here. I was hoping for smooth sailing right thru, but it got a little bumpy. The doc asked me to lay back and sit up in a little crunch. He felt for the port, numbed the area, then the stick, then came alot of digging. He was hitting the port but not right in the center. The needle kept slipping off of the port. After a few min he took a break and re numbed the area. Round two...It took him another min and he was in. He put in 2cc's, all good, ok sit up and drink this water (not sip, drink). I drink about and ounce and a half of water and all of the sudden am in the worst pain. I had slime in my throat and the chest pain was making it hard to breathe. The doc asked me to lay down so that he could get some of the fill out, I couldn't. I knew that the water had to come out. So I sat foward and tried to relax and the pdoc is patting me on the back trying to get me to burp, finally a few min later, relief, It came up. So I layed back down in my crunch position and he hits the port the first try and takes out about .6 cc's. I try the water again and it goes down just fine. So after my first fill I am at 1.4cc's. I am going back on Halloween in three weeks to see if I need more. Now that it is over I am not as scared of the whole process. It wasn't comfortable but it could've been worse. I weighed in at 213 lbs. Down only 7 pounds in 3 weeks. I have been going to the gym 5 days a week at 5am, I hope it pays off.