Norma

I have an inner ear infection and so went to my primary doctor for meds. While there, told him that I was going to Mexicali to Dr Aceves for gastric sleeve surgery. He looked at my research on Dr Aceves and had his nurse run a search on Almater Hospital. He totally approves of my going there for surgery and agreed to follow me afterward. He didn't hesitate for a minute. He thinks that it is the best decision I have made for my health and believes that I might be able to get off all my insulin and reverse my sleep apnea as well.:smile1:

Good wishes and healing energy, Carmella. 75 more days and I will be in your place. I am excited for you and can't wait to be emailing from the hotel just like you.

Hayley, Please keep posting to let us know how you are doing. There are a lot of supportive people on this board. Sorry that you are feeling so miserable.

Nana, I am also having Dr Aceves do my sleeve on Oct 30. You can not go wrong with him.

No Emergency Rm can refused treatment for an emergency. She was most likely trying to scare you. If you are having the sleeve, there is no regular follow-up like there is for the band. I am sure that in states near the border they feel competition more than other states. I would not worry about it. There are some doctors in Mexico and in America that I would not go to so do your research.

:thumbup:WASa is alive and well. She is certainly missed on this site. She is one of a kind and I think that her wit, integrity, knowledge base, experience and personality are blatantly missing here. I don't know if she still posts on LBT or not. She has a different username on OH and DrAceves Bandster yahoo site.

welcome Bex I didn't like the idea of the bypass, was thinking of the band but couldn't get insurance to cover it, refused the bypass, change jobs and insurance, again couldn't get insurance to pay for band, employer changed insurance, then employer put exclusion on all bariatic surgery. I researched Mexico for lower cost as self pay and have now decided against the band because I would probably be one of the ones who do not tolerate having a foreign body in my body and don't want to be even more obsessed with food choices just to get food to stay down. I will be sleeved by Dr Aceves on Oct 30.

Awesome, Renee! Glad you are here.

Short whines are totally allowed. I haven't started the pre-op diet yet as I have till late Oct to go, but I have drunk my last Diet Dr. Pepper and I have to admit that I was/am addicted to the things. I have also switched to decaf teas. Tonight I went to WalMart and had to think twice because I almost bought my ususal case. Lucky for me that I hate the smell and taste of coffee so developed that bad habit. Diabetes has kept me away from alcohol.

Vegas and Bearded, I had wondered about the nudist group. I love swimming naked-just not a lot of that going on here(at least publically) in the buckle of the bible belt. I might have to try that out when I feel more comfortable about my body-maybe I will put that on my NSV list of goals. Tats are Snoopy and Woodstock and Pooh and Tigger-got them in my teen years. Will do others as I find the p:001_cool:erfect tat.

I am on facebook by my real name Norma Fieker-unusual last name and don't worry much about who knows my business--I am multifaceated (if not a great speller) I am a therapist, like massage, reiki, and spiritual stuff, not religious, am a motorcycle enthusiast, member of BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) and very blunt and honest. If you can handle that and want to facebook friend me, just put sleever in your message and I will accept. I understand what you are saying, Vegas, but in a few more months, you are going to be so far on the other side that your body will out itself. Bearded, in theory, I agree with Clothes-who needs them" but in reality--I want to keep my rolls and stretch marks and hanging gut and butt and saggy breast to myself-thank you very much-LOL. I will show you my tattoos though.:thumbup:

Speaking strickly from the mental health therapist viewpoint, I believe that your daughter will be forced to deal with some grief and loss issues around food and possibly around self esteem and dating. Please look into finding the right therapist for her who is educated about WLS and adolescent psychology. She certainly doesn't need to suffer unnecessarily from some green rookie who doesn't understand what your daughter has been dealing with. Dr Aceves has a psychologist on staff who might be helpful pre-op or post-op.

I am being sleeved on Oct 30 by Dr Aceves! 93 days and counting.

Yeah, Judy! Glad to see it coming together for you. Have a great Sunday afternoon yourself!

Pictures seem to make more of an impact than mirrors for me.

I can't change my date as they have no openings in the early part of the month and my friend can't get off then. I will just have to let you be first and watch and learn from your experience. I am paying $9000.

Soon to be Skinny It sounds like you are experiencing low blood sugars. You might try Propel water for those. It won't help with your protein intake but it has just enough sugar to knock off the cold sweats.

Too bad you can't take the same time off that I have. I am getting excited as I have never gotten this far before. I have figured out the financing but still have to earn another 3,000 before Oct. I applied for the passport today. I am just getting the card since I don't expect to fly into Mexico. My photo was a lot better than my driver's license one. I got the tickets and since my friend had a voucher, only had to pay $110 total.:001_tongue::thumbup1::thumbup1:

Hi, It's official. I get to become a sleeve sister with Dr. Aceves' assistance on Oct 30. Yes, I will be out of the Fat girl costume by the following halloween. Maybe next year I can go as Lady Godiva! I am so excited. My friend, Linda, a cardiac nurse is going with me. She is my support system. Although her husband Pete is not too sure about the two of us going to Mexico, he supports my decision to have the surgery. I have no fears. Been researching this for years, so it is so thrilling to have everything falling into place finally.:tongue2:

Steve, Welcome! I have been overweight since age 5-about 45 years now. I have decided on the sleeve but my insurance won't pay for any WLS so I will be self-pay and am going to Mexicali Mexico when I have the money together-hopefully before the end of the year. I have found this site to be full of supportive people who all seem to understand the trials and tribulations of being fat, obese, "vertically challenged", etc. Please to meet you!

If she is unable to support the surgery, I wouldn't want her around me during it either. I tend to do things alone anyway and have figured on doing my surgery by myself as well. I do have a friend who would come with me if I asked though.

I did cardio on elliptical today. I am easing back into it because I have asthma and bad knees. I don't want to overdo and get sick. Thanks for all the responses. Let's keep it up.

I used to play softball on three teams in the summer. That was over 25 years ago. Seven years ago I worked out twice daily at the gym and with a trainer 3x a week and lost 130 lbs in 2 years. I changed jobs and didn't have the luxury of spending 3 hrs a day in the gym and got out of the habit. I have gained back half of that weight. Last week, I made it to the gym on three mornings. My goal this week is to make it 5x. I have to do something to get my body to lose weight as my insulin needs are just causing me to resist burning calories and I am tired of the continued pains and medical issues creeping up on me as I age. I don't like exercise and am not happy:cursing: about the need to do it daily but I am committed to getting healthier while I save $$ for sleeve surgery. Luckily my gym membership is only $11 a month for Supersport club at 24hrFitness. Is anyone else doing daily workouts and if so, what are you doing? Anyone want to jump on a bandwagon and post your efforts with me? We could us each other as support.:laugh0:

Congrats on your learning to cope and to be present while eating. I actually have had to have my esopagus stretched before as I could not swallow pills. They found that it was too narrow during an upper GI and stretched it during the procedure. You might want to see about that.

Judy, I so understand what you are doing for your Mom. I went through a very life altering change of plans with my mother a few years back. We had never been close due to her emotional issues and my parents' very rocky marriage. My father committed suicide before I graduated from high school and I was his favorite. However, my mother had a multitude of health issues in her fifties (gall bladder surgery which led to finding 90% blockage of major arteries, then quadrupal bypass which led to blindness from clot during surgery, copd, stroke) etc. I left my job and moved 5 hours home to take care of her and nurse her back to health. I had another 17 months with her in which we mended our relationship and when she passed we were friends. I am still financially a bad credit risk because of the choices I made to take a year off to take care of her which is making it hard to finance my surgery, but the peace I had when she passed because of having the time to heal our relationship was worth that. I totally support your decision to take care of your mom right now. Sleeve sisters, we are and it will be fun to plan our surgeries in due time. Take care.