The summit was great! I learned so much while I was in class. I learned a lot about the band, fills, other illnesses, support groups, etc. It was a wealth of information!!! Some of the information is leading to the discovery of some of my problems! So that is great!!!
I invited myself to sit with a lady named Heather the first morning for breakfast. And then with Jackie at lunch. They were nice ladies. I was proud of myself for not hiding in a corner alone. I did a lot with my time away! lots of new things for me!!
I even answered a question during class!! They wanted to know our opinion of future lapbands and what we would want to see from them. Some of the ideas talked about was a self adjusting band- one that would adjust as your body changes, hormonal swelling, tight in the morning, etc. The other big idea was to make it so patients can adjust their own band. SO I raised my hand and voiced my opinion. Told them my name and hospital. Told them my role in the clinic but told them I also come as a lapband patient. I said that as a band patient I would love to see a self adjusting band. I am typically tight in the morning and suffer from the hormonal swelling so a band that adjusts to my body is a great idea. And then I said how I would never agree to a band that the patients adjust themselves. I said that would lead into anorexia issues as well as the other direction... too much opening it for parties and that allows for cheating the band. I do not believe that a patient doing their own adjustments is something that should ever happen. It was after my comment that they actually asked how many people there were patients. There was 8 of us. Another lady spoke and said she was a coordinator and is now a consultant... I can't remember what she said but I knew I wanted to ask her the difference in a coordinator and consultant but when I tried to head over to her at the end a nice gentleman came up to me and introduced himself. Kevin. He has lost 100 pounds with the band. looks amazing. I got to see his before pic. We talked for a bit. He was very nice.
Tuesday night was a reception, dinner, dancing, dessert, mickey and minnie, fireworks. It was a neat experience. I wasn't sure I would like doing this alone but I wasn't going to back down. Classes went late so I didn't go back to the hotel, I just walked around and waited until it was time for the party. I walked up to someone and asked if I could sit at their table (there weren't many people there yet). I am getting better at this!! A dr walked up and started talking to us. She knew the lady I had talked to but not me. We walked away together to get food and drinks. I came back and the table I was going to sit at seemed full so I sat at a small table alone. The dr came back and asked if she could sit with me! I said "sure" she was a presenter at the summit so I felt good to have her want to join me. Then another presenter came up and talked to us. She invited the dr to join her at her table and the dr looked at me and said "should we join them" WOW. She is a neat lady! So I sat at a table with presenters and drs. I introduced myself and a lady named Marsha was sitting next to me and when she heard my name she said "you are SHERRI?! I was suppose to talk to you. Heather said I needed to talk to you about support groups" I was shocked. We had a nice talk. It was a great night!!! Mickey and Minnie came and I got my pic with Mickey- Kevin saw and asked it it would be on my blog! I told him it sure would be!! He said his would be too! I waited for the fireworks and finally they went off. like four rounds. then nothing. so we all gave up and headed to our rooms/buses/ etc....
It was still pretty early... it was extra chilly and windy though. On the trip back to my hotel I was thinking about the rest of my time there. I decided if I was to make my swimming pool goal tonight would have to be the night. So I got back to the hotel- walked past one swimming pool and no one was there. I went and changed to my swimsuit and by the time I got done on the phone and out the door it was 1130! It was way chilly!! I went to the closest pool and stepped in..... All I could think was- is this goal really worth it? If I just step in and go again did I accomplish it? Then a voice said "it will warm up once you are in just go for it" It was a sweet girl from Russia. I did as she said. Then she and I walked/swam up and down the pool for half an hour talking. It was very nice. She married an American and has a child. They were there on vacation. She talked of her home in Russia and some of the ways there. Then we got cold and said good night. SO goal number 3 accomplished and was a pleasant time despite the cold.
Oh and I tried tuna- not like in the can... but tuna!! It was good! It was an eventful day! And I am feeling good about myself, my progress, my goals, my accomplishments!!!
until I blog again....
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