The description on the box tells about the warm maple flavor with a touch of cinnamon. What it doesn’t mention is the back notes of egg. For someone that can’t eat french toast because of my lapband this really is about as close as I can get. No, chugging the warm syrup IHOP sets on the tables doesn’t count. When I say that this coffee is exactly what the company describes it I mean when it’s brewing if you closed your eyes you wouldn’t know it wasn’t the real deal. Definitely worth seeking out. I happened to come across this box at Hellmart for about $11.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup beer
1 tsp salt + a bit to season avacado
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp pepper
Avacados sliced

¤ mix everything except for avacados until smooth
¤ lightly season avacado slices with salt
¤ dip each slice of avacado in the batter and fry in hot oil (350°>) until golden
¤ serve immediately

I’m what you would call sensitive to caffeine.  Some people can drink Pepsi all day and be just fine (you know who you are) .  I am not one of these people.

I made the mistake of getting a fancy coffee drink just after lunch today. The honest reason is that I ordered it because I’m currently serving time on desk duty and we aren’t allowed to have food there and I was hungry (as in painful hunger grumbles). So a big glass of hot flavored milk goes a long way for a grumbling tummy. 

I usually pass out on the couch around 8:00… And now it’s almost 10. NOT SLEEPY!  Ugh. Bring on the sheep!

Before the holiday a friend asked me about having a lap bad.  I pride myself on my honesty with this topic and proceeded to tell her about it all. From getting approved to mourning the loss of my beloved potatoes in my diet.

The one thing that I completely forgot about though was poop.  How could I forget about that? Why is that even a topic a person thinking about getting banded should know about?  Well like the book says everyone poops and bandsters poop different than most. 

When I go to my surgeon’s office the hot little gay man asks me about how much water I get a day, how much protein I’m eating, and if I’m pooping every 2-3 days.  Yah.  Two to three days. Before getting banded I was an every day kinda girl. Post band surgery I fit into that 2-3 day group.  It makes sense though.  Less food in means less mess out.  This also means, at least for me, tender stomach that can get down right painful.

Until I tried the fiber gummys at Walgreens. Holy banded bathroom Batman! I’m back to every day (much less volume mind you of course) and my tummy is so much better.  Two yummy gummys a day and I’m feeling fine I tell you. No more tender tummy too.

Spread the word! Gummys will save the world!

A few weeks ago I posted about how I fell off the lap band wagon a bit.  I wasn’t following any of the rules that I was supposed to and had called to schedule a fill.  Three days before Christmas I got my fill.  It went well which has been rare for me in the past.  My surgeon’s office now does all fill procedures under fluoroscopy.  Think of it as a moving x-ray.  Here’s the simplified version of what happened.

• Get poked by giant looking needle (took 3 times to find my port even with the floro assisting… silly crooked anatomy)
• Stand up and move into position
• Drink “orange” barium to see how my restriction is before getting any additional saline put into the band
• Find out I had “almost zero restriction”.  Translation inside my head: Holy Cow! No wonder you’ve gained 10 pounds in just a few months!
• Doctor K adds 1 cc of fluid (1 cc = 1/5 of a teaspoon)
• Drink “orange” barium again
• Doctor K announces “That’s a bit tighter than I’d like”
• Doctor K removes 1/2 cc
• Drink water
• Witness that the previously swallowed barium now flows slowly but much better through stoma (opening from band made pouch to lower stomach)

The pictures below are not of me or my parts but they will give you a good idea of what happened the other day.

Innards

Drink up!

How has the fill been treating me?  Good.  I’ve added to the no-no list of foods.  Sadly, potatoes in all forms are on this list now sigh.  As are pork chops unless cooked to a medium well, chicken that isn’t roasted,  beef roast unless there’s a ton of sauce to help it down, thick-skinned veggies (bell peppers this means you), pizza, and bread.  I don’t even dare try something as crazy as a burger of any kind.  Pasta is still on the go list though thank the gods! I was always told that as the restriction on my band gets to where it should be my ability to eat much of these things would become very limited.  Which is fine.  I just need to remember not to push it.  Yacking isn’t fun.  Really I mean it. 

Hardest thing for me to remember?  Listen to my body.  If I’ve had a half a cup of yogurt and my body silently tells me that’s enough it means THAT’S ENOUGH AND PUT THE DAMN THING DOWN!

Best part about all of this?  I’ve already lost 8 of those pesky 10 pounds** I gained the last couple of months.  And to that I say I’M BACK!

**And to answer those fools that say I shouldn’t flip out about gaining back 10 pounds I want to remind you that where I’m at 10 pounds is a pant size.  Eating too much and the sensations it brings are just the beginning for me.  10 pounds turns into 20 pounds which turns to gaining back everything I’ve worked so hard to lose plus some.

Ripley's Odditorium

Ripley’s Odditorium was interesting.  We both thought this was a fun stop.  Was it worth the regular admission price of $17.99 plus tax per person?  HELL NO!!!  Was it worth the $10 plus tax we spent because I was able to clean out my cupboards donate food to Harvesters for a discount on tickets? Definately.

Time Share favorite!

Hubby’s parents let us use their timeshare while we were away.  It was amazing!  I love the wooded areas all around the condo.  Too bad it was raining most of the time so I didn’t have a chance to wander around in the beauty.  That’s ok I was perfectly content to spend time in the giant tub or in front of the fireplace.

Yet another fine example of how to relax.

I need to win a lottery so I can retire super early.

Got to see Bass Pro turtles on our way home.

This is the part where I get to tell you that I’ve become totally complacent and I’m paying for it.  The holiday season is more than just nonstop eating of super rich tasty treats.  I know! I was surprised too.

Over the summer I was able to spend quite a bit of time outside. I’d take hikes, go fishing, and spend time camping.  I miss all of that fun.  I never thought about it as exercise. I haven’t gotten a lapband fill in a very long time and I’m sure that if I’d really been working with my band how I’m supposed to I would be at my goal. But I haven’t.

Drinking 60+ ounces of water a day? Nope
Getting 60+ grams of protein a day? Doubt it.
Exercise regularly? Not really.
Drink with meals? Most of the time.

See what I mean? Failure at each piece of the program.  Well call it a reason or call it an excuse it is what it is.  And Thursday I will take my first baby step back into the bandy fold. I’m getting a fill.

But the family holiday weekend is in a few days, you say? Yes.  I’ll still be on liquids when the rest of the family is gorging on Monica’s famous lasagna.  And I’ll still be on mushy foods when the other half of the family is digging into chicken fried steak that I’ll be making.  And you know what? I’m ok with all of that.  It’s the time spent with these people that I’m most looking forward too not the garlic breaded goodness or the gravy smothered beefyness.  Yah that’s it. 

What a whirlwind of activity lately.

I know I’m a bad blogger (BAD BAD BLOGGER!).  I went off on an anniversary trip a month ago and never checked back.  No pictures, no stories, no sign of life.  We had a great time but I’m afraid it will be after the holiday this week before I’m able to jump back on here to update everyone on our adventures over the last month.

Family time can be stressful. So with that I share some turkey day funnies with you. Have a safe holiday everyone.

I’ve talked before about how long I’ve been married and  if you remember we decided to use hubby’s math on this one.  So with that reminder I wish my dear hard working husband a happy 8th anniversary!  Big plans you ask?  Yes, but you’ll have to wait a bit for details.