leatha_g

I think we're talking Saturday, Saturday night, leaving Sunday. Right?

Good luck Shannon!! Remember, we all felt like lost cases at one point or another. I still don't talk much about my weight loss as somewhere deep inside, I'm afraid I'll jinx it. It's already slow enough.. lol.

That was very nice of you to check on her, Greg! And to let us know how she's doing. Very thoughtful! Michelle, let us know how you are coming along when you feel like it!

Sounds like you're doing well!! Glad you came to update us! You might try drinking with a straw sort of consistently, small sips, if that helps to get in more fluids.

That sounds do-able, if enough people agree to pitch in, I'm in!

:banana :banana Woohoo, Lainie got a band!! Congrats and good luck to you !

I got my first band May 29, 2003. I've lost 67lbs and I also had to have a 'slip' fixed (new band) in July of this year. My loss is slow. My body is small, my metabolism took a vacation and never came back, but I am so much better off WITH the band than without that I will fight like hell to keep it. I have a hard time losing too, especially if I waiver at all into the realm of 'iffy' foods. The scales have no mercy for me, but without this band, I would have gained another 30lbs or more by now IF I were still alive. Hopefully, your fix will allow you to get the restriction you need to help you get over the hump. Have you tried tracking your foods in www.fitday.com to be sure your carbs aren't outweighing your Protein? How bout Water? Sounds like you're getting the exercise you need. Don't give up! You can do this! http://bigolalaskan.com/lapband/fills.htm Check this out.

((((((((((RYAN))))))))) Your posts just always make me feel so much better. Thank you for that. I'm real glad Patty's pain seems better. She is definitely a very lucky lady. I agree, Michelle.

That sounds cool. Maybe spend Saturday night and leave to return home after brunch/lunch? What you think, Betty? Where you gonna stay, Ginny? The Boardwalk Inn sounds nice, but maybe a bit pricey.

I will do what the majority decides, but coming from out of town, I think Saturday would be easier to have a little recovery time before having to return to work. Ginny, I got your phone call. Thanks for the offer. Sorry, my cell phone doesn't cooperate inside my apartment.

I'm open to being an Angel, however, as much as I'd like to, being there for someone's surgery is not something I can do because I work during the weekdays, but I'd love to be available for phone calls, emails, after-hours visits when I can. Having said that, I know I'll be traveling again pretty soon too. But I'd be glad to be an open line of communication for anyone in my area, for sure. (Hmm, we might have to name it something else, however. Angel and my name has never been mentioned in the same sentence. Unless someone was praying for Angels to deliver them from me.. lol:p)

Wishing you a smooth and uneventful surgery Denise! Please let us know how you are doing once you feel up to it!

That's a Sunday, right? I'd love to go. Betty, you could ride with me. What time do you have to work the next morning?

Ryan, I really hope your wife's procedure went well and this will help her to regain some semblance of quality of life. Sounds like she's really had a tough time. God Bless you both! Leatha

I like the idea of a Texas get-together, but I was really referring to the local DFW area. Seriously, we could get together once a month or bi-monthly, just to hang out, have dinner, catch a movie, cuss and discuss. It'll happen. Now where is that Terry Evans..????

I still think we're gonna have to get ourselves together for dinner or something someday soon! There is bound to be a semi central place that we could meet up at. I certainly am not afraid of driving a few miles. Course, there are other boards who have dinners too - some of you may already go to those.

Excellent post. This is my kind of support. I like the sharing. However, it's late and I don't have the energy to write it all out again, so I hope you won't mind if I copy and paste a letter I shared with a woman on another board recently. It definitely has my 'moment' in it, but sort of tells the whole story of why I so badly needed to regain my health as well. Enjoy************************************************* I have lost 67lbs. I still have about 40 to go. I did have some very serious health issues and still do, I guess. after a relatively minor procedure in 2000, I developed a DVT. I begged off the blood thinners out of denial/fear. My dad had had terrible problems with clots etc and I guess I didn't want to believe it could be anything but a coincidence. They let me off after 3 mos. 6 months later, I suffered a Pulmonary Embolism. That was June, 2001. It took me a long time to recover from that. I gained nearly an additional 50lbs over the next 2 yrs and was completely miserable. I also smoked, which I quit in September, 2002. My cholesterol had shot up to 306 and my weight reached 250 and I was still smoking. Even after a Pulmonary Embolism threatened my life and pretty much cut my lung capacity in half. I started traveling for my job again and it became clear to me that I was heading down a path of destruction but my 'desire' to be more healthy or lose weight was not enough. I made one trip to my rheumatologist(I also have systemic lupus which is very inactive.) and I told her that I was ready to do anything, .Liquid fast, having my jaws wired shut, anything. She gave me the name of some doctor who did the liquid fast. I never called. But I did hear through the grapevine at work that one of my co-workers had gotten the lapband. I had heard of it, but never paid any attention because I didn't think our insurance would cover it and I also felt that because I was on blood thinners that I would never be a candidate. Once I heard she had gotten it, I went straight to work researching. That was in June 2002. July 2002, I flew to Houston, Texas to the only doctor I knew of in Texas and he refused to do my surgery due to my Lupus and needing blood thinners. He was afraid that if I ever became 'too tight' that I may not be able to take the meds I needed so he didn't feel comfortable doing the surgery on me. In the meantime, I was still reading the boards and one of the ladies from Northern California also had Lupus and had also had the problems with blood clotting. So I talked to her quite a bit about where and how she had done with the band. (It just so happens that my ex-husband and son had moved to her area about 2 yrs earlier.) So, there had been some discussion between myself and my daughter about moving to California to be closer to my son and since my job is 100% travel, that was conceivable for me. This way, my paying rent would at least be helping someone out as I was never really at home much anyway. It was a win/win situation. AND it was close to this doctor that I had heard of who might do this surgery for me. :-) The decision was made that we would move to Northern Cal from Texas, so we loaded up and went cross country and I had the lapband in my mind the whole time. That was August, 2002. California is very against smoking and my daughter and son in law had asked me to smoke outside, so that was the beginning of the end for me. I stopped smoking the last week of September, 2002. During this time, I am glued to all I can read online about this band and in my mind, preparing for this to happen. I have been overweight all of my adult life, but as a teen I was pretty small and vivacious. I thought I was fat at 124!!lol. but, I do think the thing that really helped me to make my decision was the fact that I finally had to ask for seatbelt extenders on the plane. Not every time, but it happened twice and I was totally ashamed of myself and disgusted. Then, I went to the beach one day with my daughter and SIL and there are very steep inclines to get down to the beach in No. Cal which were very hard for me to go down, but going up was even worse. They nearly needed to get a crane to get me out of there and I was so humiliated and so out of wind once I made it up, but my daughter was concerned for me. She was very scared that I might just keel over right before her and she was right. I was in no shape to be out there climbing. My life was just not as it was when I was smaller and more healthy. I had to come to the realization that I was dying a very slow painful death and I was doing nothing to make it better for myself. I was depressed and self loathing and all I did was keep eating all the wrong things to try to somehow close that gaping hole in my soul. It wasn't working. I finally made the call to Dr. Wetter in San Francisco to ask about the Lapband. This was early 2003. Between my traveling and appointment times, I believe I started in February. I was lucky. I only had to recall all the previous diet attempts I'd had before and that was acceptable. I did have to see a Cardiologist due to my previous cardiac ablation for PSVT (which is when I got my first DVT) and I did have to see a Psychologist whom I chose myself and had a wonderful visit. I saw the doc and turned over my paperwork and was approved first try by Cigna PPO within a week (after his office FINALLY turned it in). Then I had to work the surgery into traveling times and bring my mom out to be with me. The surgery went fine. I was the first ever to have a vena cava filter placed immediately before the banding surgery and it went perfectly. I still have my filter although it is one of the removable kinds. I chose to keep it as a second line of defense. Thankfully so, because as you know, I had to be re-banded this past July and then 6 weeks later had to undergo surgery to remove my gallbladder.. So. It has been an interesting trip, but one I'm glad I've made even though I am not the most disciplined of bandsters. I have eaten what I wanted for the most part and intend to keep doing that. I would like to lose the additional 40lbs, but if I never lost another pound this would have been well worth the trouble. I truly think my quality of life was at a devestatingly low level. I'm not done by any means, but I do go to Curves 3-5 times a week (when I'm not recovering from surgery. ) I have bought myself a bicycle and I do intend to ride it. And now I've signed up for dance lessons, because I want to LIVE my life. I am alone. I have not dated and I want someone in my life. I have to get out to meet people and find common interests. So this is a step in the right direction and in the meantime, maybe another source of exercise and enjoyment. Something I have lived without for far too long. I'm sure I've rambled all over the place here, but maybe that will let you know a bit more about who I am and where I have been.

Congrats!! Looking forward to hearing all about your journey to the banded side. Leatha

It also comes on suddenly with the band, from a too tight fill. Even worse, you may not be aware of reflux during the night which could cause aspiration pneumonia. I realize you want to get to goal, but I would think a .01cc taken out probably won't lose alot of restriction, but may save your esophagus and help you not to get pneumonia or slip your band. This close to goal it would be a pity to have to be rebanded (which I have been due to this very thing) and a possibility that you wouldn't even qualify at this point. Of course, you are the master of your own destiny, but severe reflux with the band in any situation is a warning sign. I wish you the best! Great job with your loss! Congrats!

Sounds like you're doing great Shar!! So glad to hear your trip went well and you had great care! Can't wait to hear how your journey goes from here on out! Welcome Home!

Which after surgery booklet? Inamed?

I'm real glad you've come this far, but it concerns me that you may not have continuing coverage AFTER your surgery. You do know that any new coverage you may get later probably will NOT cover the band since it will be pre-existing, I hope. ?? Also, are you prepared to pay out of pocket for fills and continuing care if you let the COBRA go? I know how exciting it is to think of getting the lapband, but I just want to be sure you understand this is just the beginning. You will have this band for life and things can get a bit costly out of pocket, especially if there are any complications, which we certainly hope you do not have, but are very possible. Don't mean to rain on your parade, but it something you should seriously be planning for. I wish you luck with your approval!

To add to all the other great advise: Gastric bypass patients DO have a 'window of opportunity' for weight loss. Lapband really does not, so don't worry yourself about beating the clock. It is just not something you have to do with the band. Now aren't you glad you got the band instead? :banana

Rica, I'm really sorry to hear of your father's diagnosis. I truly hope that he is able to beat this. Having said that, I'd also like to add that there is a form of 'leukemia' (and I'll try to find it) that apparently hits men of a certain age, usually older. My uncle has this type of leukemia and at the moment, I don't recall the actual name of it, but I can tell you my uncle is 81 years old, goes dancing every weekend and is in better health than his younger brothers and sisters. I certainly don't want to minimize your father's diagnosis, but I don't want you to lose hope either. I'll be sending up prayers for your father and your family as you get it all sorted out. ((((((((((RICA))))))))))