Texas Lap Band Surgeons Talk With You

I confess!!!!

I’m not really sure but I think Amy mentioned me in her blog about the food police.  Even if it wasn’t me I’m in the mood to tell you a story.  I was having trouble with my blood sugar going way down despite doing “everything I could” to eat right and get enough protein to keep the old pancreas from dumping insulin into my body, in turn creating that vicious cycle of 48 hour hunger….you know the one….the one where you start out with a piece of candy and end up eating the whole bag because you are “starving to death”.

I am a nurse folks….I know better and I still screw up sometimes.  When I went to Amy…who not only is a Registered Dietitian, but also holds a MASTERS DEGREE and actually teaches the stuff at the college…she had a simple task for me……keep a food journal and we will look at it to see what is going wrong.  I told her that I was eating protein, that I was not eating sweets, I was eating things that are supposed to regulate your blood sugar.  After starting my journal, which ended up being a scrap piece of paper, it took me all of 1 day to realize that, for one thing, there was no need to show Amy the journal…uhm…the piece of paper….I mean it didn’t take a rocket scientist to look at what I wrote to know that even though I was doing right things, those things were only counterbalancing….more or less…..ok, so less…..all the wrong things I was doing.

You see, I neglected to mention the chips I was eating regularly for snacks and the flavored crackers I “needed to tide me over” before supper.  I went to Amy and told her what I found.  All she said was “Good, now you can fix it!”  No laughing at me, no reprimands, no shaking of the head…..just “you can fix it!” I was so comforted by the knowledge that Amy trusted me to do the right thing for myself.  I mean she can’t go home with me every day and slap my hand when I open up the BBQ chips.  She just told me I now knew what the problem was and to fix it!

You may think that is strange that something like that would comfort me but it did. Most of you have probably seen her at some point in your journey so I know she has given you the knowledge to do the right thing for yourself. Sometimes we forget….sometimes we choose to forget….sometimes we blame others just so we can have an excuse to forget.  My point is this….when you say you are “doing everything you can” make sure that really is what you are doing. You are the only one that knows the truth. I challenge you to do what I did…..keep your food journal….the real one not just the one you want people to see…..and let Amy have a look.  Mark my words you will get the same thing I did…..a non-judgemental solution!!

If you feel you just can’t do it then come to support group and let us be there with you while you learn how….if you are cruising along then please come help someone who isn’t…..it makes the journey not quite so lonely when you share it with someone who has walked in your shoes.  And people let me tell you I have walked in those shoes……My surgery was August 19, 1994……and my journey is…..to be continued…….–Lori