TTT --- from a bad, bad, banded, blogger

It's been a while since I've posted... A lot of things have been happening, so I figured that a good TTT post was the best way to get all caught up!

1. I've been a bad blogger --- I'm sorry.  It seems as though I've dropped off the blogger bandwagon this week.  Haven't read most of the posts (until last night, when trying to catch up) and haven't blogged at all. :-(

2.  This means I didn't post my weight for this week.  I did weigh in, on Tuesday, at WW, but didn't post / change the ticker - It's not good -- new weight 297.4 (+ 2lbs) :-(  BOOO hsssssss  I'm going to change the ticker after I finish this long post.

3. I might try to make excuses for the weight gain, (salt, holding water, etc) but I'm pretty sure it was the cookie dough and mcdonald's that did it.  Yep, I ate McDonalds.  A full 10 pc nugget meal, with fries.  I was full at the end, but not really overly so.  I also went to Shogun yesterday with my officemate - I love hibatchi food, especially the rice, with all the yummy ginger dressing / sauces.  I know, rice = bad, and large portions of rice = even badder!  (I warned you in the title I've been a bad banded blogger!)

4.  I have still gone to the gym - Regularly.  At least 3 times a week. I think that is a positive.  I am starting to like the slightly sore "awareness" I have after my classes, and it is easier to swim the lap portions of my deep water class.

5. I just got an email notification that Lap Band Gal posted on last week's post asking about my MD appt today.  It makes me happy that I do have people that remember / care etc about how the process is going for me.  So THANK YOU!

6.  I did go to the MD this morning.  :-)  I have to give them my weekly weight card but then (probably because they don't trust us!) they weigh us there anyway.  When weighing at the doc's, I have to weigh with shoes on and fully clothed and everything --- It was sad because with everything on I saw that dreaded 3 in the first digit spot again!

7. At the doc (after the icky weigh in) I got my first fill!  After reading all of your experiences, I kind of had an idea of what it might be like, but had no idea how conservative / protocol based my doc was with regards to fill.  Happy to say that he is very individualized.  After the nurse put me in the room and got things set up, she left, and I took pictures :-)

Here is the whole setup - Cotton balls already soaking with "cleaning" fluid as my doc said and syringe "pre-loaded"

Up close and personal with the pre-loaded syringe - up to 6CC's (NOT how much I got!

So the doc came in and asked me how things were going - Then I laid down on the table while he felt for the port.  He asked me to do a little crunch and to hold it while he got the needle in the center of the port.  I didn't even feel the stick.  Once the needle was solidly in the port, I swung my legs around and sat up (yes, while the needle was hanging out).  Doc gave me a big glass of water and told me to drink a sip first to make sure all is well.  Then just start drinking and tell him when I feel it up in my chest.  I drink, and then tell him when.  While I'm drinking, he's adding fluid.  Once we get to the neighborhood, as he calls it (first neighborhood, then street, then house), he took a little out and asked me to tell him when everything went through again.  Back and forth with this a couple of times to make sure we were at the right spot.  Then he took out the needle, gave me a bandaid and told me I had to finish the cup of water before I could leave.  Also warned me to make sure everything goes down smoothly as "it will not get better after you leave the office."  I've read enough to know that is true!

After he left (while I was drinking water --- did I mention how I HATE plain water) I snapped another pic of the now slightly used needle. (Hopefully the nurse came in later to put it in the sharps container!)

Afterwards - looks like 4.0 left to me :-)

So, from 6CC's to 4CC's, that means 2CC's in my band to me, but on the checkout form, he wrote 1.5CC's.... Hmmm... No worries.

8. So now I'm back on liquids for 48 hours... mmmm (or not). 

9.  I have a date with 2 friends (my closest friend at work, and her closest not-at-work-friend) for a ladies night on Saturday night.  Guess what we are seeing :-)  We are doing dinner at the Melting pot (after my 48 hour liquids) and then going to see Magic Mike.  I don't know if any of you all have a melting pot in your town, but it is fantastic!  It is a fondue place, so I think it is actually really band friendly (though expensive).  You cook everything one bite at a time.  LOTS of time in between bites.  And since you are sharing the meats / breads (okay steak and bread are not usually band friendly, but we'll just see how it goes) with the others at your table, it doesn't look like you haven't eaten anything!  

10. My first TTT thing in a LOOONNNNGGG time.  I think my attention span prohibits me from sitting and writing long posts all at once.  Plus I usually end up blogging at home, at night, where I fall asleep.  Right now it is "break week" on campus --- so no students :-)  It is like a week of planning time which is a nice break after the heck that I've put up with for the 3 weeks before - so I figure taking some time out to blog - not a horrible thing ;-)