I AM BANDED!

It is official!  Yesterday I was official banded!  My surgery went great...my team is top notch.  A friend asked me what all was involved in the lap-band surgery...here's how I explained it:


What I had was the lap-band procedure, laproscopic adjustable gastric banding. My surgeon chose the Realize brand band once he saw my insides and thought that one was best for me. There is also the Allegran band. He didn't have a preference between the two, just picks once he's in.

It is a laproscopic surgery so I only have 5 small incisions, one is centered high in my belly and the other 4 are down horizontal to my belly button. The tools/medical instruments are inserted at these points as well as a camera, so he is doing all of his work looking at a screen.

They inflate you with carbon dioxide gas to make for more room to get around. Then he wraps the band around the upper part of my stomach, leaving about a 3-4 ounce pouch, and snaps the band closed like one of those clear wire ties that you wrap around cords and click to close. At this point the band is left empty/unfilled. He then stiches my stomach a little bit around the band in order to keep it from slipping out of place. There is a tube joining the band to a port. The port was stapled to my abdominal muscle near my belly button with this handy device that staples it right on. This port is used for saline fills or unfills as need throughout time to make the band tighter or looser as needed to keep a good sense of restriction.

My first fill appointment is in a month as it is empty now while healing. 


Well I don't know why the font is all weird...I just copy/pasted this from a message I sent.


Anyway...today I'm just sore a bit and tired...but overall I am very ok!!  =)


I haven't been hungry yet at all...just taking my 2 ounces or liquid so I can take my pain meds.  Speaking of..it's time for my next dose!


Just wanted to keep up to date.