Friday, January 8, 2010

24 days...

In a little over three weeks, I will be banded. My fears are strangely starting to alleviate. I'm not sure if it's a result of prayer or not, but I am thankful! My pre-op diet starts in about a week and a half. One week of high protein, 5 days of mostly liquids, and then 4 days of clear liquids. I know this will be great preparation for post-op, but going one month without real food is kind of scary! The one thing I have determined, though, is not to let food rule me. In one of Dinnerland's recent posts, she mentioned that she hoped that food would not rule her life after surgery. After all, it is JUST food. JUST sustenance. No reason to revolve our lives around it. I hope to be the same. I have been on both ends-- the health nut counting every calorie and point and also as the fat girl reviewing every calorie with a gaping mouth. I don't want to be counting all my life. That's why my weight loss on Weight Watchers was never long-lasting. I want to become knowledgeable about what is good for me and will make my body work to the best of its potential, but I do not want to count forever and assess every bite I put in my mouth. Though I'm sure that's a lot of what I'll be doing at first because I will be learning a whole new way of life.

I am getting excited and even giddy. Let's get this show on the road!! :)

17 comments:

  1. Hey Ashley.. welcome to the soon to be "Land of the Banded".. Hope you connect with the many blogs that are out there.. Lot's of experience and hugs to be had.. you will be fine.. but don't hesitate to reach out the banded for support and questions.

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  2. Thank you for the comment and support, Barbara! I am now following your blog as well :)

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  3. Hey! just found your blog! love those cupcakes!

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  4. Thanks, I like the cupcakes too but may begin to resent them during my pre-op diet! lol.

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  5. Hi Ashley! I was banded this past Monday. Welcome to the sisterhood... everyone here is so supportive, such a great source of information and comfort. Congratulations on making such a big decision at a young age. I wish I had this option when I was 22.

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  6. My words of wisdom... Take everything you have read from everyone else's experience with a grain of salt as they say. Ever single experience is different and no matter how much you read or listen to others you can not in any way shape or form be ready for what it is really like. Until you live it you won't get what it really feels like. Every meal from banding on out is a new experience. You will feel everything you eat good or bad. Something that goes down no problem today will get stuck tomorrow. You will lose and gain. You will be starving or you wont be. You will be in pain or you won't or somewhere in the middle. The biggest thing I wish I would have known is how it really felt to eat food post band. You get used to it, it becomes a challange, almost a game you play with yourself. You will think you should be losing much faster and you may or you may not.

    But know this. I would do it again and again and again and again. It is worth all the bad and all the good. Don't get inside your own head and freak yourself out. I agree with Kristin above... I wish I would have done this 20 years ago so I wouldn't have wasted so much time...


    Good Luck, speedy recover and may you be a bandster allstar!

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  7. Hi Ashley,

    Like you I'm excited to get started on this journey. I am currently on a 2 week pre-op diet with surgery less than a week away. Your surgery date will be here before you know it.

    Good luck and good health!

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  8. Hi Ashley! Looking forward to following your journey!
    http://betterbanded.blogspot.com/

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  9. Thank you all for your kind words!! I will be sure and find all of your blogs and follow them :) It is so good to have an online community of support. I live in such a small town that when I tell people I am getting WLS most people look at me like "wha???" Lol.

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  10. Hi Ash
    I am being banded exactly 1 week after you on the 10th. Same worries but to let you know it is better to have it done at your age than to wait until you are my age (I could be your mom!) with all the extra health issues. I too am paying for my surgery. My heart aches when I hear you worry about no health insurance but you are right when you say you need to put yourself into God's hands. Will be following your journey so keep on blogging. I have found the inspirations from others to be so helpful. By the way, my favourite beer is Coors Light but I hate peas!

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  11. Hi Ashley,
    Thanks for your comment on my blog-- and good luck to you in the journey. I love your idea that you will pray when you want to reach for food during the pre-op phase-- do whatever it takes and know this: I wasn't perfect during preop and I am banded anyway!!
    Just do your best!

    I am excited to see you embark on this journey and to have you as a new blogger friend!
    We will enjoy the shrinking process together!!
    Vanessa

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  12. Sandy Lee - It's great to have someone who has a date so close to mine! I will be following your blog close. Thank you for the support. I know I sure am gonna miss my Coors Light!

    Vanessa - Thanks for your comment as well and for your encouragement. I have LOVED reading your posts and they have given me a lot of insight on what to expect.

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  13. Hi Ashley,

    Thank you for following my blog as well. I too wish that I had started this journey much sooner. But better late than never!

    It's too bad that you have to do this without Insurance, but I am glad that your Husband is agreeable to your doing this self pay.

    The time until Surgery will just fly by, trust me! I will be following your progress & like me, just ask questions when you have them, & we will answer as best we can!!

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  14. Hi Ashley -

    DH & I are having surgery on 1/27. I like your blog and look forward to following your journey!

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  15. That's awesome! I am getting banded on February 3rd and will be following your blog closely! It's good to know other people are doing this at the same time :) Thanks for following my journey, too.

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  16. Ashley, I am getting banded on Tuesday the 19th! You are so not alone in your pre-op jitters...I am day 7 into my liquid diet *cringe* Best of luck and I will be sure to keep updated!

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  17. Wow, that's just a few days away! I am following your blog now, too, and am so glad to be going through this with other people!!

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