No tears!

Well I am feeling much better today. Thank goodness! I think I have finally said goodbye to the shoulder pain but you never know when it's gonna pop up and hurt again, so hopefully I haven't jinxed myself by saying it's gone!

I have uploaded a couple of pics for you! I love picture posts and would like to be less lazy and include some pictures of my journey with you all.

So the top pic is me before surgery - I was SO excited! The second is of my lovely inflatable stockings and the 3rd is of my belly post surgery.

Firstly let me say - NO TEARS! I was so amazed that I didn't cry, I really thought that I would but no - I was all smiles right up to the time they put the "oxygen" mask on me and then I don't anything after that!!

I had to be at the hospital by 7am - I was so thankful I was first on the surgery list. I didn't have time to think I was too busy getting ready for the 8am start. We started a little late - I think 8.15 and by 10.30 I was back up in my room! I remember waking in recovery for a short period of time but I was so drowsy I was more just in and out of conciousness and didn't really pick up on what was going on around me.

I spent most of that day on/off sleeping. I was a bit sore but no where as bad as I expected - until I got up! Once I was vertical the shoulder pain gripped me like an SOB!!

I wasn't expecting it to be that intense - I knew it may happen but wasn't prepared for how intense it would be. I have been using panadol and heat packs as well as moving around to get it to go away - fingers crossed it is now gone.

The next morning I was called to go have the dreaded barium swallow xray - to be honest it wasn't that bad - it certainly wasnt pleasant but it was tolerable. I can't believe how sweet it is - it took some time to get the taste out of my mouth.

Tony, my surgeon, came down and said he was happy with the xray and I was right to go home when I was ready! Yay!

I got a lot of information when leaving the hospital about post surgery care as well as a special information from Tony about what to expect over the next few weeks.

I was really amazed at how quick the process really is.

So here I am - day 3 post op. I am starting to feel a bit more normal. I must admit I am having trouble with my head at the moment. My head wants to eat something - not because I'm hungry but because it what I used to do - you know - crazy but I'm sure that it will catch up to the new band way of living (hopefully). My mum and hubby have been great - and the kids have tried to stay away from my tummy which has been good. Its hard to tell a soon to be 4 yr old and a 2 yr old that they can't give mummy big tummy cuddles :( but I will just have to catch up on the cuddles when I am all better!!

Well I have to go prepare a birthday party for my son (he's turning 4!) I have just found out that there are over 30 kids coming to this party!!!! Argh! Wish me luck - I will definately need it!

Thank you for all your thoughts - it is so great to know that you all know what I am going through and what's to come.

It's Official!!!

I am now officially banded!

Mini-update - Everything went well and I am recovering OK. I am getting that horrid shoulder pain but all in all it's pretty good. Will give a re-cap when feeling more up to it.

Thank you for all your well wishes and I look forward to returning to blogland shortly :)

The day before!

Well here it is, it's finally arrived - the day before!!

I will be taking the kids to a birthday party, and then heading to Hobart where I will be having my surgery tomorrow.

I have to be there by 7am so going down the night before. I'm so excited - no nerves at all which is great.

I am totally rushed for time - basically I gotta get my arse off of this chair and get ready!!

See you all on the other side where I will officially be a bandit!!!

Little book of Inspiration

I have decided to make a little book of inspirationt to help me along the way.

Its going to be a kind of scrap book full of notes and information that I believe will continue to inspire me throughout my journey.

I have decided to start from the back of an old scrap book and move my way forward pasting and writing down all of the gems of wisdom, shared affirmations, etc I am mainly doing it in reverse because that way my before pictures will be on the final page and when I read through it my most recent pictures will be at the front allowing me to read through to where I have come from.

I'm starting to get so excited now - only 4 days to go!!!

Lunch with banded and my new friend!

Yesterday I had lunch with some local bandits - lap bandits! It was great. I was so fantastic being able to meet up with some familiar faces and some new faces. All inspirational.

I must admit I am really fortunate to have met a lot of wonderful people on my journey to be banded. It's amazing how many people you can reach out to and receive support from, both local and internationally.

I must confess that I did eat a fairly fat laddened meal - I ordered the beer battered fish and chips - It was delicious but honestly next week when I will not be able to eat them, I don't think I will miss the chips as much as I thought when I ordered them.

For the past 3 weeks I have been ordering and choosing food to eat that I either know I will not be able to eat once banded or think that I will miss the most when banded. For this exact reason the scale has been ever increasing and honestly I just can't wait til Monday - it can't come soon enough. TOTM isn't helping in the scale department either and my pants are starting to get tight and uncomfortable - yet AGAIN!

For weeks now I have been worried about missing out but really I need to focus on what that really means for me. Is missing out on a bit of bread such a big deal if the flip side is playing with my kids for longer without the hassle of getting sore feet...I think not. Get a grip Kellie!

There is so much I need to be looking forward to, so from today I chose to look forward to all the wonderful things that my band is going to help me achieve. I will not focus so much on what I leave behind - Although I will always remember. My before photos will become a distant memory, all the anxiety I feel about them now will dissolve into the far back corner of my mind only to be replaced with newer far more attractive photos and an improved sense of self worth.

For me, the next part of my journey is going to be one hell of a mind game. A mind game I plan on winning.

Come on Monday the 15th...

I have a new friend to meet - she is going to be my food critic - her name is Portia and we are going to rock this body!

The Challenge Begins!

OK so it's Sunday morning - the official start of the Holiday Challenge. Here I am dreading what my weight will be now but hopeful about how much less it will be on the last day of the challenge.

I officially don't have a scale but will be using the Wii Fit board as my scale - I think it's pretty much accurate and as long as I use that each time I weigh it should pretty much reflect the weight I have actually (hopefully) lost!!

I am going to have coffee today with some local bandsters I met online (not bloggers) and I am really looking forward to it.

Initially when I started this process, it took me 2 months to decide that I was going to do this and that this WLS was right for me. Since then I have had to wait 12 months for my insurance to cover the op and I am so glad I took this time to branch out and meet a lot of people who have gone through this experience, which include fellow bloggers, facebook friends and LB forums.

I honestly feel that I am in a place where I have thought or considered every alternate, I know that each and every band is individual (I am excited about this) I think it makes each of our journeys that much more special.

Meeting everyone both virtually and face to face has been great and I look forward to the continued support I have received in my lead up to surgery. I can only hope that I too can support people in the future by sharing my experiences too. I only wish I was more articulate about writing posts - but I am hoping to develop that skill as I go to!

Oh well the time has come - off to weigh I must go!

Wish me luck!

Common misconceptions about WLS

I just read a post that highlighted the below article (can't seem to add the link :( grr...) and wanted to share it with all the new bandits out there. I felt that it really covered a few of the issues that some of you are/were experiencing and possibly what I will experience. I know the information will help me through the first few weeks/months....

Here it is:

"As weight loss surgery becomes an increasingly popular treatment for morbid obesity misconceptions abound. Patients who undergo gastric bypass or gastric banding surgeries are often depressed and disappointed after surgery because they believed the popular misconceptions.
Some common misconceptions about WLS:
- Surgery brings joy and boundless energy instantaneously
- Laparoscopic surgery is painless
- WLS is an easy fix and permanent fix to obesity
- WLS guarantees happiness
- Others will support the WLS decision
After reaching goal weight patients can go back to normal Because patients read about the joy and boundless energy enjoyed by others after surgery they assume these feelings occur immediately. Joy is felt after massive weight loss, not after surgery. In fact, for many patients the first six weeks out of surgery are emotionally draining as they grieve for food and feel fatigued and disoriented.
We read the laparoscopic technique used for 85 percent of all WLS is minimally invasive requiring little recovery time. In truth this technique bruises the intestines, liver and ribs. The surgery is painful and recovery is not as rapid as most patients expect. Patients express feelings of failure when they are sore and exhausted from surgery.
For most patients weight loss happens quickly and easily. True to dieting tradition when patients reach goal weight they tend to go back to "normal" disregarding the high-protein low-volume diet. Weight gain results. Unless patients follow the strict WLS rules daily they regain weight.
WLS does not guarantee happiness. In fact, patients commonly describe feelings of anger, bitterness, resentment, panic and self-loathing as they lose weight. They also express happiness, satisfaction, pleasure, delight and self-love. The pendulum of emotions swings wide.
Having WLS exposes one to attacks from others who feel entitled to criticize the gluttonous sloth that could not lose weight by eating less and exercising more. Not all people, including spouses, siblings, parents and friends will support the decision for WLS.
WLS is a lifetime commitment to an extremely restrictive lifestyle that if used successfully will enable a former morbidly obese person to maintain a healthy weight and diminish the co-morbidities of obesity. It should never be considered the "easy way out" or a "quick fix." It is a lifetime commitment with no returning to normal."

Here's to never returning to 'normal'!