4 more days to surgery......Still researching!

I have luckily been very very busy the last few days but still anxious and anticipating my surgery on Friday (11/21/08). This also has not stopped me from watching plenty of myspace videos on other peoples weight loss results and problems.

I decided to list some things here that I found out that I didnt necessarily know in the beginning.

-POST OP. Two weeks of fluids and a graduation to solids. Need I say more!

-FILLS. Lap bands must be filled. The fills are saline that gets pumpted into your port that travel to the band around your stomach. Not enough saline makes it easier to eat freely. Too much saline restricts your eating too much. Apparently, you will know when to get this fill based largely on how freely you can eat etc. I did encounter a lady who ate too soon after a fill and had some problems. You are supposed to be on fluids after a fill for a few days. Since my lap band is being performed in Mexico, I called a doctor who would see me in my city to have my fills done. They are expensive. I am paying for my surgery and not going through insurance. Fills for my local doctor are 500.00 the first time and 400.00 every time thereafter.

-EXERCISE. Since I have a very active lifestyle and exercised despite my weight, I inquired about how soon you can exercise. You can exercise freely AFTER your stomach and incisions heal but walking is the best thing to do right now.

-NUTRITION Although you receive the surgery, what you eat is still very important. Comfort foods are out. Low sugar, low fat. Good protein and vegetables.

-WEIGHT LOSS. You can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week for a year. Overall, you should expect 50-65 percent loss of your body weight. This astonishes me.! I weigh 290 now. I have to add that this is if you follow the exercise and food suggestions recommended by your doctor. At this rate, I would expect my first year to look close to 100 pounds, which I can't possible fathom right now.

-EXCESS SKIN. I had a lot of questions regarding loose skin when losing weight with lap band. I did not find a lot of information on this or what the average person experiences. My case worker said that gradual loss has more chance of elasticity to the skin depending on weight and age.

My personal expectations for myself is to be healthy and strong and I will be exercising and weight training to try and get myself in tip-top condition. I figure that I have invested or going to invest quite a bit of money on myself to get it together. I plan on making the best of it.

When I played college ball, I weighed 203 and had to run 2 miles before practice everyday. I would consider getting to 190 a huge success.

My role models are the strong athletic women of the world. A woman I was once and will be again. Women like Gabriella Reece, Serena, Venus and many others are my role models for this journey.

This is really for me, for my children for my grandchildren and hopefully for my great granchildren if I am blessed to live that long.

4 more days.