PamRN

Thanks D! I'll definitely get a phone card, since I have verizon too. I think I'm packing fairly light, I have a rolling duffle bag that I can use for carry-on. Though with a 12 pack of Water it's gotten pretty heavy... is their bottled water bad too? I'd love to leave mine at home. I bought some old cassette players with headphones, and checked out some books on tape from our library for my mom and I, for the hospital, and flights. I'm staying an extra day, just in case, and to give my mom a day to enjoy some of the locale. Seems kinda sad to go to a place like that and not get to check out even just a little bit of it. Good idea Leatha, I'll do that with a sheet, we call that a tummy splint. Our hospital gives all of our new heart surgery patients a teddy bear with a heart on it's shirt to clutch for splinting. making a note about gold... adding duct taped sheets and rolled up paper towels to my donkey fear...LMAO!

awwwww thanks so much you guys! <wiping a tear> I'm half packed, and excited to the point that I can't sleep. I managed to barter with work to cover their shortage of staff by working today so I could have saturday night off, as if I'll be any more rested (but at least my feet won't be killing me). I can't believe how fast this has all come together, I've been researching WLS for soooo long, and it seems like once I decided lap-band was for me... WOOSH, time has grown wings! This is going to be a whole series of firsts for me, my first plane ride, my first border crossing, my first trip alone as adults with my mom whom I have a blast with, my first solid step toward getting my physical self back... I've worked on getting the house in shape, caught up the laundry, shopped for what I think I'll be needing, and now I'm wishing I'd saved to buy a laptop to take so I could email home, (and you all of course). Thanks again to all of you for all your openness, kindness, and freely shared truths and opinions. I hope I can give back even a touch of what you all have given me.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. I wish you and your's safety and shelter through this.

LOL @ wee bit floppy, the twins might love a week of freedom, but I wouldn't want these things to hurt anyone, so I listened well and bought tank tops with the built in shelf bra. There's not a lot of support in those things, but at least a little bit of restraint. Thanks everyone for the great advice, I'm really feeling comfortable about my decision to go. I have a secret fear of accidentally getting drunk and being arrested in my wee bit bra by herve villachez on a donkey, but I'll get past it thanks to all of your support.

Congratulations! I hope your downward trend continues. We can feel your elation, and I'm SO looking forward to being where you are at this time in 6 days!

What is soft/hard stop?

It sure sounds like the gas pain I've been told to expect, though I'm not sure it should last til a week later. It's possible that it took longer to get up there for you. The posts here say try a heating pad and gasx. Another thing to think about, do you still have your gallbladder? An FYI for all you bandsters that still have your gall bladder: significant weight loss can cause a flare up of cholecystitis, (gallbladder attack) I'm not sure what the clinical rationale for that is, but it happens. One of the symptoms is back and shoulder pain, sometimes a dull ache, sometimes sharper. It should also be sore or tender to palpation up under your lower right rib cage. It may be accompanied by nausea/vomiting when it's at it's worst.

Yeah, I'm really going! Tickets bought and all. I live in central Illinois, near the UofI <GO ILLINI> I work weekend nights 7p to 7a so I'll work friday, & saturday nights, I'm off sunday, and have to pick my mom up in Indiana on the way to the indianapolis airport at about 4am to be there by 6am monday morning. Itching is a common healing sign, greater pain and pressure... not usually. The hard lump could be a hematoma forming under the skin, a kind of a scar type thing that might eventually dissolve, but some stick around. Those aren't usually problematic, just annoying. It could be plain old scar tissue from the trauma of your port to the tissue it was embedded in. I agree that someone needs to see your incision. Is your drainage clear? A little blood tinge is ok, but infection is usually yellowy green or tan in color and/or opaque. Is there an odor? If it smells really bad, it probably is. A body Fluid salty smell or blood odor can be normal. If you develop a fever that's a bad sign, and you should be seen asap. Watch for redness in a patch that is warm to the touch, another sign of infection, The reddened patch Penni showed in a pic recently made me think of a cellular infection called cellulitis, I meant to post on that, but got busy and forgot about it until just now. Cellulitis is an infection that spreads and can be very serious. It usually means inpatient for iv antibiotic therapy. If it seems to be getting better, it probably is, just keep it clean, lightly covered with clean gauze to keep the drainage drawn off the wound, and monitor it until you can get in somewhere. As I said before, I think you need to be seen by a doc, probably an infectious disease doc in a wound clinic. They specialize in wound healing and infection treatment. Let us know how it goes!

Awesome girls! Talk about inspiration for the masses! <Standing Ovation>

Geez Donali, I'm in awe! Ever consider doing your own home show? You could inspire a heck of a lot of women. I love it! You GO girl!

The same pt coordinator tells me I should probably only need 2 to 3 fills in a lifetime. Does that sound logical?

It's nearly time boys and girls, I leave for Tijuana Monday the 20th. I'm having surgery Tuesday the 21st, staying til the 24th, then flying home. I'm dragging mi madre along, since kids are in school and can't afford tickets for 4. I've read nearly every post here, and have gotten some good ideas, but could use a refresher if anyone is up to it. What should I pack? Thanks to all of your great advice, I've accumulated a few things already, but need a good packing list. What are some things you wish you'd thought to take, or things you're glad you took? For home I've bought propel, bottled waters, pudding, Jello, applesauce, Soups, and Protein bars. I've bought chewable gasx, imodium, pepcid, and Vitamins. I bought shirts with shelf bras built in, an abdominal binder, and a heating pad...what's missing? Did any of you do any shopping in Tijuana while there? I'm wondering if cash is safe, or if travelers checks are better or if vendors even take TC's there. Hell will I even feel up to shopping on the 23rd if I have surgery the 21st? Help! Now that it's time to start packing I'm lost! BTW: I tried to find excedrin ready tabs at my local CVS, and they said they pulled them from the shelves. The clerk didn't know why...

ok kids, I need clarification; Should we get a fill because a doc says it's time or should we wait until we are no longer losing for several weeks, or no longer feel restricted? The pt coordinator for the doc I'm using says I should have one 8 weeks after surgery. Sheena's says 2, I've seen others say 4 or 6, and some who haven't had one at all. What's the general consensus?

menu... LMAO! I'll see if I can hook you up when I go next week

I've read that too. That it's necessary to shrink the liver of higher BMI folks to facilitate lifting it out of the way, to try and lift one that is too fatty increases the risk for liver injury. I agree that instruments would probably play a big part in that. I've read that those who need to reduce BMI are asked to go on the liquid diet for as much as up to a month in advance of surgery. I'd think that if you did a reduced diet carb/fat diet for a week, alternating with a liquid diet for a week, so that you end up on the liquid diet the week prior to surgery you might get pretty good results without starving to death. You should check with your doctor on that though. He may have a better plan, or one more necessary for what you need. I wish you luck!

I agree that it's a personal choice whether or not you tell others. I chose not to tell my mother in law, because she has a comment, an opinion and a 24 hour hotwire to all her cronies. I warned my family not to tell anyone, as it's my life and only I get to choose who knows. I chose to be forthcoming at work about my reason for leave, as everyone saw it on the new schedule and several people asked if I were ok. So far I found that I'm not getting negative response to getting banded, but the idea of my going to Mexico for it seems totally unbalanced to most. I guess before I researched it, it might have seemed that way to me too. For those I care about I took the time to explain my research, my reason, and the dr/facility I chose. Instead of going out of my way to make those who don't really matter feel better about what I'm doing for me, I stop them with one line. When they ask why in the world would you go to mexico?? I simply say as I walk away," I'm going to Tijuana for surgery, because I hear they wash and sharpen all the rocks just before each surgery, and the hut I'm going to has a roof." Their perplexed and uneasy laugh as I walk away makes me smile everytime... People are naturally curious, it's how we learn, all of us are blank slates at birth that are educated by the experiences learned from others. It's only normal that people would inquire into new happenings about those they know, even if they barely know them, as there's always a chance they could learn something useful. It's those who seek only something to use against another that deserve a great leave'em hanging line. Think of one that fits your circumstance, and if approached, fire away.

GSue is right on... I have accreditation, earned by attending classes &/or lectures. At the last seminar I earned accreditation for, a girl who sat near me text messaged with her cell phone the whole time we were there... she's accredited too. Beware of any info that moves you to make changes until you research the article and it's author. Just keep in mind that: Internet information is only as legit as it's author.

Hi, I hope this doesn't seem pointed at you, as I'm not questioning the intention of your posting of this article, If I could read it and believe it, I'd have posted it too. Secondly, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that much of it IS true. There could well be merit to it. I personally am not a fan of any artificial sweeteners... I get an after-taste from every brand I've ever tried, and am never surprised to hear that something artificial is bad for us. But I've just gotta clear something up... I'm not sure I can buy this as a legitimate "scientific article", when it states ingested plastic could "get stuck in the gall bladder" That actually made me laugh out loud. Nothing we ingest passes through the gall bladder. The GB is behind the liver and above the intestines. It is a small pouch that has out flow. The GB produces digestive enzymes (bile) that flows down into the intestine through a tiny bile duct, meets up with our dinner and continues the digestive breakdown. The gallbladder and or bile duct can be blocked, but to my knowledge, only by stones, tumors or cancer. It creates stones from an excess of the acid we cause it to produce when we eat high fat hard to digest garbage. plastic stuck in the gallbladder... good lord :straight

you're very welcome, I go down to TIJ for a band on 09/21, so we'll have to compare notes lol Best of Luck to you!

I have a friend who swears that the alfalfa supplements she takes have reduced her arthritic problems. I don't know exactly what she takes, but she tells anyone who mentions arthritis to try it for a month, and she gets it at some health food store. I don't know much about it on a medicinal level, but it may be something worth having a look into. My friend tells me it makes her "joints warmer, and alleviates pain". I'd ask my doc before starting it though, to make sure its not something that would interfere with other meds.

Wow, Darcy that looks painful! I dont remember bruising like that when my gallbladder was removed laparoscopically. Is that your port site? As gross as it is Delarla, you and your goo crack me up. I do hope that gets better for you. I'm wondering too, with all the work you're doing on the homefront, if maybe it's contributing to the problem? Remodeling dust isn't your friend when you have an open wound, that crap will just invite itself right on in and make itself at home anywhere... & everywhere. :alien

Leatha, Great pics of all of you! Your daughter is gorgeous...looks like her mama IMHO

Awesome pics Penni! My greatest hope is to spend a lengthy vacation in negril while I'm young enough to enjoy it all. I'm soooo envious! Good Luck Andrea! We'll be praying for you

Happy birthday Penni, You look great, I wish I were in jamaica with my girls right now! What an awesome time you must be having.

Congratulations! I'm glad everything went well. Isn't benefiber a once a day treatment? Some of my patients take it only in the morning, but I'm not sure if it differs for bandsters, or from person to person. As long as you have some sort of regularity, whether it's normally several times a day, or normally once every third day, you're probably ok. To be on the safe side, email your doc or patient coordinator.