Pay Problem Resolved and 10 Pounds Lost!

First, I have to say "Kudos!!" to both Senator Herb Kohl and Representative Paul Ryan, both of whom took the time to contact me. Senator Kohl's office actually called me. I appreciated the care and concern very much. I don't know if it was just the idea that we had the attention of a Senator and Congressman or not, but the pay problem suddenly got solved, and we got paid on October 30th. So, I didn't have to go sign up for food stamps and the free school lunch program as I feared, and we made it through my medical leave in November without a financial hitch, thank God.

My lap-band surgery on October 27th went well. I went home the next day after surgery, and at my first follow-up appointment 9 days later, I had lost 8 pounds! At my one month follow up I had lost 2 more pounds, which is really good considering I hadn't had a fill in the band yet. Losing 10 pounds in 1 month is exciting!! A 'fill', for those of you not familiar with the lap-band, is where they inject saline into a little port under the skin. The saline goes through a tiny tube and into an inflatable ring that lines the inside of the band, making it expand. This shrinks the stomach opening and slows down food from emptying the small area of stomach just above the band. That allows me to feel full much longer, and eat much less. I had one band fill on November 30th and it's helping some. I'll probably need another fill or two before it gets to the point where it keeps food in the stomach long enough for me not to get too hungry. I have another appointment at the end of December for another fill. As I get smaller, the band might need to be tightened a bit more. That's the beauty of the lap-band--it's adjustable to meet changing needs, and it's the least invasive of the bariatric surgeries. Those are the main reasons why I chose this particular surgery. It also involves a cool device, something that always appeals to the Geek side of me! :D

If you ever have questions about the lap-band, weight loss surgery, or other weight loss issues, feel free to ask!! You can also check out the Obesity Help website and forums. I've received a lot of terrific support there.

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