Pam Herman, bariatric nurse coordinator for Community Health Network Bariatric Services, underwent gastric banding surgery on March 6, 2009. In this blog, Pam shares her feelings and experiences before the procedure, and as she continues to lose weight.
I was a little anxious for my first adjustment. I really needed it, but I also liked eating pretty much what I wanted. However, I want the band to work for me and be the awesome tool that I know it can be. This is the hard part of the band.
There is really no pain with an adjustment. There is a little stinging with the numbing medicine, and some pressure with the adjustment. I had a big hiatal hernia that my surgeon needed to repair. They had to take fluid out of my band during surgery and they think that may have been why the leftover ½ cc in my band had some blood in it.
This is a video of my typical dietary visit with Jenna. This happens to be the video before my first adjustment. Staying in contact with your dietitian is critical to long-term success.
There are several items put into place by our surgeons and program to help us have the best opportunity for long-term success with our bariatric surgery. For me, keeping a food log has always been the best tool for me to stay on track and stay accountable for what I was eating. This video was recorded in the middle of June and I am still sporadic with my journal and therefore, my weight loss has not been where it should be.
This video makes me very happy, but also lets me know how much further I still have to go. I would not get in the kayak last year when we first got them because I was afraid I would not fit or if I tipped it in the lake, would not be able to get back in.
This is the first time I was in the kayak and it was a lot of fun. It also shows that I still have a lot of weight to lose. The funny thing is that right after my sister Sarah turned off the camera I tipped the boat and ended up flat on my back in a foot of water. We all laughed so hard and my nephews thought it was the funniest thing they had seen in a long time. It was a much needed laugh on a long weekend.
P.S. My nephews are pretty loud and pretty dramatic.
I took this video at my parents’ home. It was a really tough couple of days. My grandmother had died and my sister and I went up to help my mom get things together before the onslaught of relatives. Pine Lake is the most quiet, beautiful place to think and get yourself together. However, it also produces lots of Bluegill, which is one of my favorite things in the world.
There were several things working against me. My “triggers” were all happening at one time: the stress of a funeral and losing my grandmother, the stress of a family gathering, the smell of one of my favorite foods. This all puts a girl in a tough position. Add to this the fact that I had not had a fill, wasn’t keeping a food log or exercising and it was a recipe to gain some weight.
What I learn from these blogs is that I am not a great patient and not the best at practicing what I preach. However, the band is my friend and still reminds me it is there and that I need to slow down and focus on what I am doing. I am also learning that this will keep me honest. Videos cannot lie and the only person I hurt if I am not honest in my blogs and food logs is myself.
I was hitting that 3 month spot when on previous diets the newness has worn off and you are thinking “is this forever?” In the old diet days, I would gradually fall off the wagon. That is the benefit of a band; you can get an adjustment/fill and you are right back on track again.
Watch how losing weight, improving my health and increasing energy can make a difference in a typical day.
Planning is important in any big event in people’s lives. When getting married or having a baby we spend months preparing for these life changing events. The same should be true for bariatric surgery.
In this video, I talk about the importance of preparation, both physically and psychologically, for surgery.
Lori was the assistant on my surgery and she does my adjustments. I have total faith and confidence in her and her ability to manage band patients. Does this mean I am the perfect patient and do everything 100% right? No, as you can see from our conversation. Lori is also a Facebook friend and weekly kicks my rear in Bejeweled Blitz.
This is my first video entry. Brian had just given me the camera and as you can see I have a lot of learning to do, especially about sound interference. This is going to fun, but a little scary. Before surgery, I never would have considered myself as someone who would do a video blog.
