Who's Up For A Group Challenge??

Back in the day there were all these great BOOBS group challenges.  Well to be frank, I miss those days!  I know not everyone is blogging the way they used to, but are y'all still reading out there??  Can we maybe set up a group challenge again?  Please comment if you'd be interested in joining a challenge, or administering one (I could give it a try, but I know some people have already done it and may find it a little easier than me).  Let me know.  I'm missing the community of the BOOBS.  Though I'm not banded any longer, that doesn't mean that I need our community any less.  Where you at ladies??

Please Help Me Fellow Bandsters!

I'm a very sad lady today.  I got stuck on thursday morning.  Had nothing but fluids the rest of the day as I was feeling rather crummy the rest of the day.  Friday I attempted some eggs in the morning, that went ok.  I just couldn't eat much.  It was uncomfortable.  Soup for lunch, and dinner was very soft.  Still I was in the few bite category.  Late on Friday a friend had french fries so I ate a couple as I was a little hungry.  A while later I was home, had some water and went to bed...  Barely asleep...  I feel slightly unwell.  I start to get out of bed and then it begins,

You Haven't Been Kicking Hard Enough!!!

Yeah, I could blame this all on you... my readers...  Not encouraging me enough, or giving me a hard enough time, etc.  But in reality, I am the only one who can take the blame for slacking.  And boy have I been slacking.  I have had a friend staying with me for the past few weeks who is going through a major life crisis.  The kind where exes and children and lawyers are involved.  Things have been massively stressful for him, and as I have a tendency to get personally invested, I too have become stressed, unfocused and bigger.  Not really bigger.  That's an exaggeration, but I have not gotten smaller.  I haven't been working out (nearly at all).  I have been eating a bit poorly.  I have been consuming on average, a bit more booze.  And the stress had also caused my band to be soooo tight that I needed to have an unfill to be able to eat at all.  And now I'm a pig.  So... that being said.  I need to get myself back on track.  I feel as though my life has fallen off track a bit and I need to get focused on getting it together again.  I am committing myself to writing here on every Monday and Friday minimum, as to keep me accountable.  I will resume tracking my food intake daily.  I will also be sure to get moving more, at least 2-3 times a week for starters.  Wish me luck.  I need to keep my head on straight and learn to cope with having a house guest in crisis without taking it all on myself as well.  See you soon with positive reports! (I hope...)

Devil Inside...

Man o man have I been bad about updating.  I have been really pretty busy the past couple weeks.  I have a close friend going through a personal crisis, and as per usual, I extend myself to those in need around me (almost to a fault at times).  It has been an emotional couple weeks for him (and couple weeks to come for sure as well).  Though his woahs have nothing to do with me really, they definitely have been having an effect on me.  I am seeing that I need to use some of this pent up energy and get more exercise in.  Tonight I plan on

Falling Behind, Losing Momentum

It's been a pretty busy month, but I can't seem to figure out how.  Ever feel like you're running in place?  Working really hard, but not really going anywhere?  Yeah...  It's kind of like that right now.  I'm trying to find balance, but not doing a very good job of it.  I'm not going to make this post about bitching and moaning though.  I just need to reflect a little.  

I got my first fill on July 13.  I haven't experienced any of the dreaded sliming or PBing that I have heard people talk about.  I have experienced the "stuck" sensation though.

Tequila Meltdown

Well last night I finally had my my meltdown... My tequila meltdown.  I haven't done much drinking since my surgery, and I surely hadn't yet gotten drunk.  For some reason yesterday I got the bug.  I was extra bad with my eating and my boozing.  I had more total calories for one day yesterday than I had at all for one day since May.  My Nurse Practitioner and I had a discussion before my surgery, and we were talking about how just because you have surgery, it doesn't mean that you won't slip up.  You might not be able to have an entire pizza, or package of cookies, but you can definitely find yourself making extra poor choices and feeling a bit like you've fallen off the wagon.  Well yesterday I found that I fell off the wagon, on the ground, run over by the wagon, and chasing after it as I watched it rolling away as I cried "wait up!!".  Gio, my NP warned me that there'd be days like this, and

1 Month Bandiversary!

Ladies and Gentleman, I am proud to say I have survived an entire month of being banded!  Tah Dah!!!  It seems like just yesterday I was in tearful conversation with my sister-in-law discussing how I was feeling about my physician's suggestion to be banded.  It feels good to have taken the leap and gone for it.  I am proud to say that I have lost 25 pounds thus far on my journey and after yesterday's fill, I'm sure things will be picking up after a small lull.  Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive so far.  I appreciate you.  I appreciate the readers that have been so kind to comment and leave words of advice and feedback.  Thank you for helping me get this journey going with more support and confidence than I would have, had I decided not to blog.  You guys rock.  

My First Fill!

I just got back from getting my first fill.  What a strange sensation when it was being filled.  It was super subtle but I could feel something changing.  The nurse practitioner had to make 2 attempts to access my port.  I believe that she gets a little skiddish at times, being that when she had to remove my stitch, she was unable to do it, and knicked me a little before giving up and having the surgeon take care of it.  Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with nurse practitioners, I just think this one gets a little self doubting of her abilities at times.  The fill itself was not painful at all.  I did not even feel her insert the needle.  Not even a little bit... either time.  I didn't really even bleed really, just a couple specks on the gauze and that was it.  I am on liquids for the rest of the day, and I have had some water and a protein shake.  I feel the restriction now.  It's going to be weird to see what it feels like once I actually have food.  Any words of advice for a first fill from my veterans??

Intimidation

Today I have a confession.  There are so many things that I avoid due to intimidation.  I know it's probably ridiculous, but I am intimidated by a lot of things.  People who know me and who are reading this are probably thinking "yeah right, Ivy intimidated?", but it is true.  My mother can tell you that in childhood, I was afraid of EVERYTHING.  

BOOBS Challenge

Hey gang.  I'm creeping up towards my 1 month bandiversary!  For those of who don't know what BOOBS is, it is a group of Banded Bloggers who have formed a community on these here internets.  

Counting Calories & Feeling Lonely

So many things to update.  I've been to the doctor for my first follow up.  I finally got my stitches removed.  Only one of my incisions had an actual stitch that needed removing, but it was right at my bra line and was making me crazy.  Thank goodness it's out!  I've also been to the nutritionist.  I'm off the purees and onto real food again!!!