I've decided that perhaps I'm bulimic and just keep forgetting to purge...

Hi!

I'm Amanda and I'm:

• emotional
• introverted
• frank
• fat
• impatient
• determined
• loving
• complicated
• smart
• nosey
• tolerant
• insecure
• modest
• awkward
• silly
• stubborn
• romantic
• anal

Most importantly, I am myself. When I look back at the list of adjectives, I really don't think I've described myself. Who is Amanda? That's such a complicated question. I guess let's start with the basics...

I'm 22 years old and a North Carolina native. Currently, I work full time and I go to school full time. I'm a certified nursing assistant. I go to Wake Tech Community College for transfer courses. Hopefully, I'll transfer to North Carolina State University, and start my "real" career. I live with my parents and my little sister in Raleigh. I work, go to school, and sleep. My life is busy and I hardly have anytime for myself.

The main reason as to why I'm starting this blog is because I am having weight loss surgery. Weight loss surger?! Oh me, oh my!

I'm getting what is called the Lap Band. What is the Lap Ban you ask?

According to the lovely Wikipedia, it "is an inflatable silicone device thta is placed around the top portion of the stomach, via laparoscropic surgery, in order to treat (treat? not so much) obesity." The Lap Band is a tool, not a cure. It encourages better eating habis, which, in turn, helps in producing long term weight stability when weight is lost.

So, what's the difference between the Lap Band and the gastric bypass?

According to trueresults.com, the "gastric bypass is both restrictive and malabsorptive procedure that has been performed worldwide for over 35 years... it involves cutting and stapling a small piece of the stomach so that it becomes separate from the other portion."

Sounds scary...

Moving on... "the new area acts as a new, smaller stomach with the rest being restricted permanently. The top of the small intestine is then servered completely with the stapling device with the ends of the intestine routed to the smaller stomach pouch. The other end is attached to the small intestine so that the digestive liquids from the liver, gallbladder, and duodenum and pancreas can process food."

What I don't understand is that they just leave the rest of the stomach inside of the body. What is the purpose of keeping it there?

The Lap Band involves NO stomach stapling or re-rounding of internal organs. A ring is placed around the top of the stomach that connects to an access prot through a small tube. The port is placed deep under the skin and is adjusted with a shot orf saline solution that tightens or loosens the band according to personal weight loss goals. The saline regulates the amount of feeling of fullness and feeling satisfied after meals.

I like this option better because it is minimally invasive, safer, customizable, simpler, and reversible. It just makes more sense to me.

I will explain my pre-op procedures and add more. Right now, I have a headache and must get off of this computer!

Cheerio for now!