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Yeah babee!! I'll have a double Razzleberry Monkfish! LOL (repeatedly) :laugh:

Thank you all for your insight and the information. I know that while I might not be compliant if it was just a "good idea" to have one, I'll be toeing every line drawn when it comes to the surgical requirements. If my Doc says I have to do it before and after I will. However, I will ditch the sucker at the first opportunity once the pounds start dropping. (with Doc's approval of course.) My brother has a CPAP so I shouldn't be surprised by any of this.... I can't begin to express how much I love this site and how wonderful it is to have found such a caring, compassionate and generous group. I'm better informed and more confident because of what I've learned from all of you. Many, many, many thanks!!

CW: You are ONE amazing chick, and quite the trendsetter. Think of those New flavors that our local health food stores could start stocking because of your genius: Cookies n chum. Vanilla Squid Delight. Vanilla Cream Codsicles. The possibilities are ENDLESS..... E

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! Congratulations on an absolutely fabulous job.

BCBS IL -- Where in IL are you? There are some fine Centers of Excellence that BCBS IL recognizes.

Diamond Best of luck to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you for a successful surgery, miraculous recovery and a quick journey to perfect health! The Empress

:Dancing_wub: :Dancing_biggrin: Woot Woot -- Doin' the happy dance with ya girlfriend!! So glad to hear that all your activity (and it was a LOT) didn't hurt your back or knees. Yay sleeve! Can't wait to get sleeved too.

Well, if we can't amuse you, we CAN depress the h*ll outta ya. Since I'm near the Windy City, we know oh so well, if ya don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it'll change. I hear ya on the coffee. One thing I'm NOT looking forward to, giving up my morning coffee IV. All in good time, right?

LoL -- Land of Lincoln! Illinois (and, contrary to popular belief, it is pronounced "ill ah noy" and not "ell eh noise")

CW So that makes our musings the Rhymes of the Ancient Midwesterners now doesn't it? We came, we saw, we commented... Vini, Vidi, Vocal? E

:clap: Oh yeah! I so hear what you're sayin girlfriend!!

CW You rock girlfriend! :rockon: I loved your post -- laughed till my face hurt. So glad to hear that you're back safe, sound and sleeved. Take care of your beautiful self! E

I had the sleep study last night that is required as part of my surgeon's preop protocol. I can't believe how tired a sleep test made me. Not sure if I passed or failed because I was wiped out today. I never imagined "sleeping" could make me so tired! Last night just before the test began I had my final weewee break and when I looked at myself in the mirror, I had to laugh because I looked like I had been abducted by aliens and the "probing" was about to begin. The tech came in around 2 am and had to put the mask on me for the remainder of the test. It's kind of funny that I was more annoyed by the finger clip for the oxygen levels than the mask and all the wires. I slept most of today and am only starting to feel like my abbienormal self. I'm hoping that I don't have to have a CPAP machine and, knowing myself, don't think I would be fully compliant if I was told I need one. Anyone have any insights on the CPAP apnea issue they'd care to share? I'm hoping that being sleeved shortly will mitigate the need to go down the CPAP path ever...

Once I put my mind to something, I mean really put my mind to it, I'm beyond tenacious. Can you say BULL DOG?? Seeing the obstacle course before me (compliments of the evil insurance fairies), I've bitten, chewed up and am about to swallow the bullet. Yep, swung by Fort Knox and abracadabra'd the gold bars then handed them off to the Doc and will do the same with the hospital later this week. My journey has now gone from building my go-kart to a funny car extravaganza. Ladies and Gentlemen, my engine is revved, ripped and ready to roll. Can't believe how quickly those obstacles were removed once the leprechaun showed up with the pot o' gold. Good thing I am so very, very worth it. Did I mention that I'm worth it? You bet I am. All the preop hoop-dee-doo is scheduled and it looks like I may be that slinky sleevette by mid-May...... I am so blown away by how quickly this came about -- in the span of 4 hours -- unbelieveable, but so incredibly surreal. I'm sure as I get closer, my fraidycat-mind twin will start beating on me with the "Do you KNOW what you're doing?" "There's no turning back!" "What if..." But, for now I'm ready with my responses: "YES!!!", "I know", and "FMT, shut the h*ll up, I got this one..." YAY ME. Never thought I'd be doing mental gymnastics over "Hey doc, would you please cut up and throw away part one of my EXTREMELY vital parts (a vital vital part) and then charge me an arm and leg for the priviledge." Crazy? you betcha! Happy? over the moon!

Luanne: May I ask how much the adventure in Mexico cost, where you went and the Doctor who did your surgery?

Really truly just starting out on the sleeve journey. Decades, however, doin' the "such a pretty face" fat chick mosey.... HW 275 CW 243 BMI 41 Going for a hat trick in co-morbidities -- hypertension, arthritis, sleep apnea Got denied for LapBand in 2006, irked the crap outta me. (All that crap still didn't make me lose much though...) So, since 07 been working on melting a few ounces while I dealt with hip replacement and spinal reconstruction. Decided maybe that denial was a blessing in disguise. I WILL be one slinky sleevette or there will be some serious butt kickin' and name takin' -- this IS going to happen!!! So for now, I'm working on proving to the insurance fairies that I do believe, I do believe, I do believe, have clicked my heels together 50 times so now I'm worthy of living, um I mean fully cognizant of the risks of going after this or dying early if I don't. The hardest part? Having someone who knows absolutely nothing about me, emotionally, physically or personally decide that I haven't worked hard enough, suffered enough or can't seem to put down my fork long enough to get my soggyjunk outta the trunk or quake my booty off before I can have something done to MY body, for MY benefit and of MY own volition (that I actually have paid for through years of higher premiums and will continue to pay for)! But then again, I may be just a bit "sensitive" about "managed healthcare".....

Krista, you may or may not be crabby, but you're spot on in that most people are idiots. This reminded me of the line from Men in Black where K says "A person is smart, people are stupid". I am pretty adamant about not sharing this info -- it's all on a "need to know" basis and most people don't need to know. If you ever do find that magic bean you could make zillions

Hello all of you AB FAB 50 Somethings! I'm just starting my VSG journey -- and, like everyone else -- it's been a long time coming. If it weren't so sad, it would probably make an awesome dance. I'm callin' it the VSG BOOGIE -- Two steps forward, one step back, slide to the side, move to the back, jump through the hoops, now twist to the left, then skate to the right. Now Everybody JUMP JUMP JUMP. (Okay, so it's a work in progress, but then again, so am I. For now, it's just an interpretive dance...) I've decided that my mental theme song for the first part of my VSG Boogie is "I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it...." Then again, maybe I'm just mental enough to begin with Bette Davis once said "Getting old ain't for sissies" and BOY was she right. So, I've decided that at 56, I'm not even close to old, but I am ALMOST perfectly aged (like fine wine or cheese). No Mad Dog 2020 or Limburger for me thank you very much. There's one thing I'm really, really looking forward to....taking a step and not having to wait for my butt to catch up and stop shakin'. Looking for mentors, accountability partners, and having fun, fun, fun till Big Daddy takes the TBird away.

Bellah I'm so glad to see that your surgery went well. I'm just starting my journey. Starting to jump through the hoops and can't wait to be on the other side. Just wanted to say that when you put ANYTHING in God's hands, it's always in the right place, at the right time with the right outcome. So glad He said yes to your prayers, and I know He's saying yes to mine too! Take care of yourself now and He'll take care of everything else. Donna