not2big42long

Hi Lisa, Glad to hear you are back on the healing track. A small amount of serous Fluid is normal and actually a good thing, it's just when it gets like yours did before that it becomes harmful. A short explanation of serous fluid, as your wound heals there is usually a certain amount of Serous fluid, this stuff helps to dilute the toxins produced by bacteria and toxic products being released from dying cells. In addition, the serous fluid helps to carry plasma Proteins and leukocytes to the wound site. Lastly, the serous fluid assists in removing bacterial toxins, dead cells, debris, and other products of inflammation. Hope this helps. As long as you have drainage I would keep a bandage on it just to protect your clothes and keep them from sticking to your incision. Having been through this before you know what to look for... Usually it's OK to take a shower but not baths until the wound is healed. Maybe you should take that picture with the red glove and the exposed port tubing and post it on Lopez's web site to show his outcomes. You might just hear from him then! Take Care, Kathy P.S. Any weight loss is weight loss you can count!!

I have to be honest and say I have been feeling the same way. Thanks for being honest and making me feel like I'm not the only one out there being completely unrealistically paranoid.

Welcome and good luck tomorrow on your entrance to Bandlandia!!!

My thoughts are with you both!! I just want to rush you both in to the operating room and fix you myself. I'm sure if Gross Darcy was with me we could do it!!! :( I feel like I am on pins and needles just waiting to find out how everything is going to go for you both. I can't imagine how it must feel for you. Kathy

Wow, impressive red hot circle, and no one was concerned about this but you??? Being a nurse it must have scared the crap out of you!! What part of good aftercare does Lopez not understand?? Take Care, Kathy

Hi Francesca, Congrats on the weight loss. :( But you've got incredible restriction. You should not be PBing so frequently (not good for you or the band) and shouldn't at five weeks still have to be on liquids. Just to make sure everything is OK I would call your doctor and ask him/her about it. You should be able to eat most soft foods by five weeks. How is your appetite? Do you get hungry? What are you supplementing your diet with......are you drinking Protein drinks or taking any Vitamins, etc.??? Take Care, Kathy

Hi Lisa, It's great that your spirits are up again. I'm glad to hear all is going to be taken care of. Hopefully Lopez will learn something with all of this. I think it's a good decision to change physicians, I would be a little concerned to let him touch me again for fear he won't be there again should you need him. Take care and good luck. Here's hoping the infection is all gone and they can just sew you up!!! Kathy

Come on Lisa, You know you ROCK!!!!!!

I wish I knew what to say!! But I don't and I know you will do fine. But I truly wish I could kick Lopez's butt. Maybe if you put a bull's eye there (his website?) I could pretend that I indeed had. Let him know from all of those affected that he needs to understand how disheartening it is to know there is no one to help when you need it! No........you ROCK Lisa.

I have to be honest and I wish I would have gone home. I was interupted every couple of hours for vitals and given pain meds that messed with my head. And on top of it, because of the meds they put me on O2, via nose cannula, because when I had the chance to sleep, because of the pain meds my oxygen sats would go down. Believe me, the nurses only have your best interest at heart but, if you are a normally healthy person, same day surgery is the way to go. Your support should be in place before surgery....but if the support isn't there, maybe you should think about what the doc is saying. "Maybe I'll have enough pain meds on board that I will doze peacefully...hmmmm..." NOT!!! They will wake you even if you are peacefully sleeping. "I won't have anyone at home so it would be peacful and quiet... no beeping IV's or call lights... no vital signs every shift... no dragging a pole with me every time I need to tinkle... Hmmmm... things to think about..." I have to reconsider at this point.....If you don't have anyone with you, who is going to be there should something go awry??? Maybe you should stay and have someone available should you have a problem. Just the medicine in me.....I would want someone around just to take care of me.... The decision of course is ultimately yours. We all just give our advice for what it is worth and you have make your own choices. But, of course mine is right - ha ha!!!, honestly I hope all goes well for you. Take Care, Kathy

Hi Lisa, Although the news isn't great, I'm so glad you finally got a hold of Lopez. My thought on your port is similar to Donali and Vera, that he is going to remove the infected port and part of the tubing and replace it with a new port in a new location. We have done that a couple of times at the hospital I work at for infected ports. Usually they do a laparoscopy to make sure the band is OK and then bring the tube up through an incision in a different area. Then they clean up the old port site and then depending on whether there is still infection in the area they either close it or pack it like they have been doing the last couple of days. Maybe you should ask about getting a fill at the same time. If they aren't worried about the band and you're stomach has healed well around the band, there shouldn't be a reason why they can't. :( What are they doing for your infected site till Saturday? How are they protecting the tubing? Just curious....... Keep your chin up, easy for me to say, and remember we are all praying for you! Drive careful and let Dr. Lopez have it when you get there!!!!

Hi Lisa, Definition of a black cloud: For a sufficiently thick cloud (that has sufficient optical thickness) a bunch of the light is scattered back in the general direction from which it came as well as sideways and forwards, to there's just not as much light getting "through" the cloud to the ground. Up in the sky, thin clouds (like cirrus clouds) usually look white, but not thick clouds. The thicker ones look dark, but they are really just darker than the sky. It is the contrast that makes them look "black". We, along with all your friends and family will hopefully be the light getting "through" the cloud your in right now and keep the one constantly wavering above your head white and fluffy. Just an attempt at a little humor. Hope your feeling a lot better today. Take Care, Kathy

Hi Kathy, You don't need a fill until you feel like you need one. And the hunger for me was the first clue I needed one. But there are some that have gone a full year before they needed one. Dr. Clinch just won't do one until six weeks post-op, so you have had that time to heal and the band is securely in place. No the fill didn't hurt. He injects lidocaine so the whole area is numb. It only took about 5 minutes in all. After he injects the saline, he has you drink to see how it feels. He charges $200 and what I like is he takes care of you as a whole patient not just a quick fill. So if you have any questions make sure you take them with you. Let me know when you make your appointment and I will make sure to make the time to meet with you. Take Care and Congrats on the weight loss!!! Kathy