Now I introduce....

The Bama Bandit! That's me! I'm banded! Dr. Zapata is awesome! Mexico was lovely-- the hospital was terrific. I'll tell you all about my experience tomorrow, right now, I just wanna chatter about what I'm coping with right now.

Today, I'm 3 days post op. I was banded on Tuesday the 11th in Monterrey Mexico and flew back home to Alabama on the 13th. So, today was my first full day at home. It was... Trying. I have a lot of bad habits that I'm gonna have to unlearn and also... I have some SERIOUS head hunger! But, I'll make it it through. I'm confident of that. This surgery came directly out of my family's bank account and I am NOT letting all that money go to waste!!!

I'm surprised--and pleased!-- that I haven't had the gas pain many bandsters mention after their banding. I've been a walking fiend, though, so maybe I've cut it all off at the pass. I have, however, had a good bit of port incision pain. I would take pics to show y'all my 5 incisions, but... I can't find our digital camera. That's right folks, no pics from Mexico because I am disorganized and would lose my head if it weren't attached.

Ok. My son (who was 8 months old on Thursday) is having a most impressive hissy fit to nurse. I shall return soon to continue this post.

Until then....

Headed South of the Border!

I canNOT believe that I'll be boarding a plane in less than 4 hours! And in less than 24 hours... I'll be banded! Although the wait has been long, it feels like it flew by (now-- when I was waiting, it DRAGGED).

My kids are weird this morning-- the 7 month old senses something's off so he's yowling and my 3 year old has a horrible croupy sounding cough. I've got to call the pediatrician and schedule her in for an appointment and get her grandmama to carry her in. She just doesn't sound very well at all-- which is bugging me since I'll be leaving her for 3 days. :( I hope this doesn't wreak too much havoc with her diabetes. If she ends up in the PICU while I'm gone, I'll be heartbroken.

Anyways, I have a few more things I need to get done this morning, so I have to log off. The next time I post-- the Bama Bandit I shall be!

Less than a week to go!

HOLY CARP! (yes carp. Don't ask.)

I can't believe it! This all feels really insane to me. Seems like these past couple of months have FLOWN by and now... 6 days until I'm banded! Last night, my husband and I were watching TV and I said, "Omigosh... This time next week, I'll be banded!" He was like, "Ummm... Yeah?" Goofy. He just doesn't get it. I'm gonna get my LIFE back!

(promise to do a real post later-- gotta handle the nursling right now!)

Boy do I feel sheepish!

I haven't posted in AGES!!! :) Life has been pretty nuts around here lately. As I've mentioned, I have a (now) 7 month old son and my daughter turns 3 this Saturday (that's their picture above-- the look on both of their faces cracks me up so I had to share). They are the loves of my life (oh yeah, and my husband!) but man... Having kids is ROUGH sometimes! We're been battling the "Terrible 2s" (3s?) and my son had 4 teeth come in all at once-- seriously, he went from 2 teeth to 6 in less than 36 hours. It's NUTS. Not to mention the kick butt case of post-partum depression I've been working to beat (not there, but getting there).

So, all-in-all... My blog has not been a priority. BUT............. I have my surgery date.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right. As of May 11, I shall officially be "The Bama Bandit"! I'm nervous and excited and dubious and hopeful and really, a swell of so many other emotions that I can't even pick one. It was weird-- when I was getting the plane tickets, the passports, making arrangements with Alma, Dr. Zapata's coordinator... It was exciting and thrilling and... Unreal.

Now, that I am less than 3 weeks from "B-Day" (band day, duh) I'm just a jittery bundle of nervous energy. Am I doing the right thing? Will it really work for me? Will I be able to cope? Could I REALLY just lose it on my own? Am I choosing the easy way out? How will I look in a size 10? .... You see how crazy my thoughts are?

Those of you who've both been there and done that... HELP! Am I going crazy like everyone else did pre-op? Or am I alone in my dubiously sane state?

Come on! If you're out there, I wanna hear from YOU. Yes YOU!! Quit looking for food or fashion porn and talk to me. Let me know I'm a part of the band community! Pretty please? Help calm my jitters!

Tentatively scheduling for May 4

Not officially, of course, but if everything with the money coming and me finding a decent priced flight in the allotted time goes smoothly, we'll be in Mexico May 4 - May 7. Fingers crossed! I'm also hoping that my hubby has a great month commission-wise and our 3 year old can come along (Another plane ticket at $550 is a little daunting!). Otherwise, she'll spend the week with grandmama, which would be a treat for the both of 'em. Since my sweet hubby has to use his only week's vacation time to accompany me I really want to make it into a fun vacation, at least for him and Ainsley. I know I won't be able to swim after surgery and everything, but he loves lounging around and Ainsley loves the water, so I really think they could have a fun time if we can swing it financially.

He and I talked for a while last night after that disastrous seminar. I asked him if he was OK with me having the surgery. He said he was... I pointed out that if I lose this weight, he'll benefit, too. Not only will I have more energy and confidence... Ummm... I won't be too chunky for Victoria's Secret. ;) He said that the surgery wasn't really a concern-- going to Mexico was. And I understand that... I do. Really. It's not exactly what you wanna hear, I'm sure. "Hey sweetie... I'm gonna go to Mexico for a life altering surgery, K?" But, in light of the insurance issues and the local surgeons level of discomfort with the surgery... I feel blessed that this is the road we HAVE to take (again, I don't believe I would have surgery here at any rate).

Am I nervous? Yes, 100%. Am I scared? Of course... I don't like pain. Do I think I'm making a wise decision? ... Again. YES! I believe this is the ONLY smart decision I can make about this. I can't go it alone-- even though I wish I were one of the people with tremendous will-power (and genetics that make skinny easy!)... I'm not. I NEED this tool to HELP ME.

I'm so ready.

Seriously?!?!?

Have you ever really thought about how exasperating some people are? I mean, REALLY thought about it? I bet you're making the same face as the kid in this pic, then. LOL

Tonight was the lap-band seminar at the local hospital that offers bariatric surgery. It was AWFUL! I'd brought along my mom and my husband, so they could see exactly what was going to happen and they could have their fears alleviated. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Apparently, these doctors don't know enough about the lap-band to be comfortable doing it, because all they did was trash it in favor of full on gastric bypass. Sure, gastric bypass has a higher mortality rate, but NO ONE with a lap-band loses their weight-- 50% of the overage at most. Ummm... Really? I've met an awful lot of anomalies on lapbandtalk then.

So, instead of the seminar making them feel all warm and cozy about the procedure... Now my mom is flipping out and my husband is, again, questioning my sanity. It's so frustrating, because I'm not one who leaps into things without thinking them through. Do they really think that I didn't take the time to research a SURGERY that I'm considering? Really? They think I'm going to have something IMPLANTED in my body and not take the research seriously?? Ugh. I am VERY displeased with the doctor who lead the seminar tonight. Ya know what? I think even if my insurance DID cover the surgery here, I think I would still be looking into other options because I just don't feel they know what they're doing at this hospital. And that's the truth!

Anyways... I'm still waiting on the check... When it gets here, I'll call to schedule with Dr. Zapata and then book my flight and... There's no turning back. I'm guessing it will likely be the beginning of May before I can get in (I would say the last week of April, but my daughter's birthday party is the 24th and I have SO MUCH to get done!!!). I'm planning to cut all caloric drinks from my diet over the next month and hopefully get a little weight off so I'll have a chance at fewer incisions. If not, no big deal, right? But, getting out of the habit of drinking bad-for-me-drinks (juices, sodas, caffeine) will be good, regardless.

Anyhoo... That's my report for the day. The nursling is tantruming. He firmly believes it's time for the boobie and some cuddling. Peace out, Bandits!

Rollin'... Rollin'... Rollin'....

Yeah. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. It's not cool. I'm still 100% committed to being banded, but there's gonna be a wait, now. And as I mentioned... Once I make up my mind, it's MADE. Therefore, waiting is TORTURE! Maybe it's good, though... As it'll give me more time to talk the hubby around. He's still not a fan of the whole "Surgery in Mexico" scenario. He'll support me, of course, but... I want him truly on board-- not just agreeing because I'm a force of nature. LOL

The wait now is for money. I'm a little frustrated with it because we just bought a new minivan (woo hoo! 2 adults-- one fat-- and 2 big ol' car seats just do NOT fit into a Corolla!), but... I SO could have handled my toddler kicking me in the head for a while longer to pay for surgery. But... I hadn't decided (nor was I even THINKING about deciding) at that point two weeks ago. Now, of course, I'm kicking myself. We have some money coming from a relative's estate. It should be here sometime in the next 2 to 3 months. It will cover the banding (w00t!) but I'll have to come up with travel expenses which will run about $1500 for myself and my husband (and the nursling-- he's gotta come so he can eat!). I can do that... Maybe it's even a good thing that I have a couple of months without the majority of the money to save up the travel fees... If I had the full amount of the surgery sitting here, I might be going wild, huh?

I'm looking into 2 surgeons-- both in Monterrey Mexico. Both are highly recommended, nary a bad word about either of them. Dr. Rumbaut is slightly more expensive than Dr. Zapata, but both hospitals/hotels/bandings seem comparable. I don't particularly care. Also... In the mean time, on lapbandtalk.com I'm entering to receive a free lap band-- which I believe would be through Jerusalem Weight Loss, also in Mexico. Free is good. Heck, free is GREAT. Pick me! Pick me! I've never been particularly lucky, though, so I see saving in my future.

I hate sitting here, knowing that I'm SO CLOSE to an answer to my prayers... And then having to wait. Isn't it odd how God chooses to handle us sometimes? I never really know what the Big Guy's thinking, but... I guess that's for Him to know and me to find out, huh?

Namaste!