What is a Bandit? What image comes to mind? For me, my imagination immediately flashesback to the McDonalds Hamburglar (just incase you need a refresher click this -> Hamburglar ). You remember him, the enticing stealth little character responsible for stealing the hamburgers. Why him? I don't know, perhaps you conjur up a different image? Either way, while there have been many different "Bandit" characters throughout time, there is one thing they all have in common-stealing. They are always portrayed as the crooks, robbers & stealer's. So why name a blog about Lap Bands, The Bandit?
Because as we all know too well, living as a morbidly obese (MO) person isn't really life, it's just existence usually accompanied by misery (why else would you voluntarily elect to undergo surgery?). And that surgery provides us with the very thing that make us ALL Bandits, the Lap Band. So what exactly do we steal? Life. We steal it back. Back from the insatiable hunger that controls our thoughts, dream & behaviors. Back from the imprisonment of our own bodies. Back from the toxic food environment. Back from society who stigmatizes, discriminates and degrades us. Back from Obesity.
We are also stealth, we are sly, we are incognito. That is of course once all the weight is lost (or you atleast fit into society, literally & metaphorically speaking) no one knows. No one knows you use to be MO & no one knows you have the band (unless you tell them). This brings me to my next point, aimed at our new friends interested in the Lap Band procedure, friends & family and all others-please take notice of the picture of the band posted on the right, more specifically the words written above & below the picture. Read it again. Repeat after me: The Lap Band is not a quick fix or cop-out. While the band will control the insatiable hunger and restrict intake, it is merely a TOOL. You can loose nothing, something or all of your excess weight. What determines how much you will loose (if)? Read the bottom of the picture. That and of course decisions, healthy ones :}
Ok so you get the logistics of the name. So why write another blog about the Band? Because I want to. Simple enough. While I am an avid writer and am excited to write on a "hot" topic, especially one I am so intimately familiar with really that's just my own personal motivation, there's more. There's comedy. I'm a comedian & well who couldn't use some band bumpin humor!? Oh yea, and there is alot UNSAID. I guess I must be multi-talented because not only was I blessed with an ability to write & a good sense of humor, but also a big mouth! And I promise to blog about everything and anything Lap Band that goes unsaid (or perhaps just needs to be repeated). Lastly, for my own personal use of tracking & creating a memoir of my WLS journey. Feel free to join me on the "My WLS Journey" tab on the homepage (advice/thoughts always welcomed). **Just a note, I am not a newly banded, I'm just still on the journey (are we ever off?) , I've lived with the band for 5 years.
Last but not least: I claim to know a little about everything and nothing about anything! Aka I am not a doctor nor healthcare professional. While I'm always more than happy to offer advice, please keep in mind I don't have malpractice! Also my posts & opinions are just that, my thoughts & perspective. I realize that they may not always agree with everyone else's or even be remotely similar to your experience. That being said, I am more than welcoming to guest posts!
