And I made it!!!!

Woohooo!   I really am banded now!!!

The day went by super fast....St. Alexius Hospital in Hoffman Estates ROCKS!  We showed up at a little before 11AM, and were taken pretty quickly back to pre-op....some blood draws, the dreaded IV, a few pre-op meds, a few pre-op tears, and we were off!  I tried to keep my sense of humor throughout most of the process...like when I got into the operating room and noticed 5 TV's, I asked if we were going to be taking tips from episodes of Grey's Anatomy...and I asked if they had ever dropped anyone off the tiny table....

Gas Mask on....Good Sleepy drugs in....and I was out like a light.  The next thing I remember is waking up in a significant amount of discomfort and kicking and pushing a lot....I was later told that some people just do not wake up for anesthesia well.  The nurse was AWESOME and stayed right by my side until I calmed down, and since it was taking forever for them to get a room for me, she even let Jim come back (which we had previously been told would not be allowed).

Thankfully, I had a room to myself, which allowed the recovery to be way more comfortable.  Jim stayed until my mom and dad came, and my sister, Julse, too.  At some point a nurse came in and gave me more pain drugs and I drifted in and out most of the time they were there...ahhh...the bliss of pain meds.

Around 1AM (about 12 hours after surgery) I was asked to get up and try to use the restroom, really a ploy to just get to start walking...and it really wasn't THAT bad.  The only part that hurts, and still is uncomfortable, is the port site...where the doctor will fill and unfill the band.  The other 4 holes, I can't even tell they are there.

I was able to go home the next afternoon after Jim received a lesson in how to inject the blood thinning medication, something I think he enjoys a little too much...

TIP FOR BANDERS TO BE:  When I was walking the unit, I noticed a girl sleeping on her side and made a comment to the nurse.  I am a stomach sleeper, and was jealous that that girl was able to sleep on her side.  The Nurse said she was using a Snoogle Pillow....generally sold as pregnancy pillows.  They help to support your stomach....Jim and I stopped on the way home and picked one up from BuyBuyBaby...and I took a WONDERFUL 3 hour nap with it.... totally recommended.  And my sleep with it last night was really good...

As for recovery now, well, it's Day #3, Abigail is home with a fever which is both a good and bad thing....bad that she is sick, but good because it is forcing me to be up and moving around.  I can move back to my protein shakes today, I had 1/2 cup of one at 9am and get another 1/2 cup at noon...be jealous...it's ok....the pain is pretty minimal, and I am biding time until she takes a nap so that I can take another dose of pain meds and put myself down for a nap....good time, good times!

Thanks a million (again) for all the support and positive comments that I have received...even though I was still in self-doubt mode through the 11th hour...I think that this was the best choice that I could have made for me and my family, and am sure that things are only going to look up from here!