Hi Guys, Just found a website and on it a girl has written her blog...the most interesting thing is how she has got on 1 year later...worth a read !!
"Saturday, September 29, 2007
As promised, here is a summary of the inaugural year of Bandit Girl:
I am still learning stuff.
But looking back - the ups, the downs, the good, the bad, the ugly - if I had to live life over, I would definitely have surgery all over again . It was the best decision I ever made.
posted by Dee @ 7:16 PM "
"Saturday, September 29, 2007
As promised, here is a summary of the inaugural year of Bandit Girl:
- My band is but a tool
- I have a love/hate relationship with it. There are days where I can’t imagine and don’t ever want to be without it. And there are others I curse it as I struggle to swallow a sip of water or a teaspoon of yoghurt
- It took 8 fills and £720 to get my band reasonably adjusted but not necessarily perfect
- My scars are all but faded
- I occasionally get port pain - especially if I'm doubled over for a while or slouching
- I lost a total of 25.3kg (55.7lbs) in one year
- My friend who had surgery the same day weighed more when we were being rolled in theatre but has lost more than I have (and is significantly smaller!) in the same time frame. Truthfully, I am sometimes envious. But then I give myself the proverbial kick, wish her every good thing and realize that everyone’s journey is unique. I now fully appreciate that each person’s body will respond differently. I am so thankful that the surgery and lifestyle changes have been this successful so far
- I would like to lose another 12-14kg (26.4-30.8lbs) … I don’t have a time frame in which to achieve this
- My BMI has dropped from 37.6 to 29
- I have lost 4 dress sizes – from a 22 to a 14 but bordering on a generous size 12 fit
- I’m not so small I don’t recognize myself – other people seem to think changes are dramatic
- My bra size has gone from a 42DD to a 32H
- When it comes to picking clothing items with the heinously vague sizing: S, M, L, XL .. I am now a medium
- I have given away 6 large black bin bags of clothes including an evening gown which cost me £160 … I never got to wear it … it still had it’s tags
- I have lost a shoe size
- I have discovered I have cheek & collar bones
- I have extremely small wrists and fingers
- Rob insists my head has got smaller … go figure
- I have less cellulite on my thighs – it’s still there but you now have to get up close and personal to witness it
- My boobs still droop but not nearly as much as they use to
- I no longer have an apron tummy but I will always have a bit of a rounded tummy – wash board abs will never be mine
- I lose a considerable amount of hair and tend to bruise easily if I don’t regularly take a multi-vitamin
- I take more pride and time in myself – regular hair and beauty appointments, purchasing quality make up and underwear that makes me feel like a goddess even in my unflattering work trousers
- I will more than likely have cosmetic surgery to tidy up the aftermath
- I cannot eat bread. Or muffins. Or chicken. Or steak. Or fries.
- I can only occasionally eat pasta
- More often than not I struggle with yoghurt
- What I can eat today does not necessarily mean I can eat tomorrow
- I have had two major, kick arse chokes in the past year
- These days I very rarely choke or spit/slime … but trust me, it took almost a year to get a handle on
- I am not always hungry but eat anyway
- I am still learning to listen to my body
- When relatively well adjusted, I eat about a cup/cup & a half of food at a time
- When I’m too tight, I’m lucky if I can eat two mouthfuls
- If I over eat, I get hiccups, sneezes, watery eyes or shoulder pain. Sometimes it can be a combination of all of these!
- Most of my medications and supplements have to be in liquid or dissolvable form otherwise they get stuck in the stoma which then feels like I’m having a heart attack
- On days I still struggle with eating too much chocolate
- Nutella does not constitute a food group
- I do drink the odd bubbly beverage – alcoholic not softdrink
- I can now run
- I enjoy kick arse yoga
- My body shape changes significantly when I am regularly running and doing yoga
- I now have room to move in an airline seat
- I occasionally go for a colonic to ensure that my bowels are healthy but generally speaking, I am regular in the elimination department. I don’t need laxatives.
I am still learning stuff.
But looking back - the ups, the downs, the good, the bad, the ugly - if I had to live life over, I would definitely have surgery all over again . It was the best decision I ever made.
posted by Dee @ 7:16 PM "
