Valentina

So sorry you have had such a bumpy road. I couldn't agree with you more: If you "don't feel right" for any reason, call your surgeon's office and get ready to go to be seen. This website is irreplaceable for support and guidance, but it is not, nor should it be to give medical advise. That is what you paid your surgeon for. People forget that your surgeon works for you. Do not worry about "bothering him", or asking foolish questions. That's why he has a support staff. Surgeons are more than well paid. You've earned and deserve to have their time to have all of your questioned answered in a polite and professional manner. So glad you are on the mend. Be healthy and stay in touch.

Lucky me--I have them both (OA & RA) along with Fibromyalgia and DJD(degenerative joint disease. I will tell you that the less strain on the ol' bones brings much relief to pain. It doesn't do much for the Fibro, but still worth every pain you have post-op. Be healthy and keep in touch!

When in doubt--check it out! Simple. Put your mind at ease and go have yourself checked out. Be well. Be sure to let us know.

I took my favorite robe and slippers--so I could "feel home was close", a chapstick , phone and charger, toothbrush and paste, hairbrush, and my favorite perfume--just to smell like "me" and not like "hospital.

Have you gone online and "googled" him??? You should be able to find any charges against him as well as any malpractice claim. Tread lightly. Listen to the little voice that has you coming to BP with your concern. "If you smell a skunk, you don't need to see him to know that he is nearby". Good luck and keep us posted.

Welcome! I also have Arthritis and Fibromyalgia--both are nasty. By all means, keep us all posted with your progress through this life changing process.

Wooooo HOooooo!!! Welcome to the losers' bench---fully "coated".

Yep, right up here near Cooperstown--where I get to see all of the new Baseball Hall of Famers every year.

I'm having a "pool party" with my family (grandsons especially) .--complete with mini birthday cupcakes and Protein shakes.

I remember HATING THE SWEET!!!!. I got sooo sick of all of everything being sweet on top of sweet. I got so I would gag whenever I had to swallow another sweet drink. I called my surgeon and ask him if he thought an idea I had would be detrimental to me. He chuckled and said that if I could pass it by the NUT. , if was perfectly OK with him. The Nutritionist also giggled, but approved. So, here was the plan: Three times a week I took: 1 tomato 1 cuke some parsley a wee bit of balsamic vinegar a wee bit of olive oil I put it all into the blender until smooth and silky. HEAVEN!!!!! ABSOLUTE HEAVEN!!!! I swear that non-sweet treat was the reason I was able to get through the liquid stage. I just needed a break a couple of times a week from cloyingly sweet. I would never recommend that anyone do this on your own. I called and discussed my "dilemma" before I went ahead with my "salad shake". --just an idea.

I I just took a short note from my phycologist and that was the extent of it. Your surgeon, once he/she has decided that you are a candidate for the surgery does NOT want you to fail your mental evaluation. He/she just needs to know that you are "cleared" by "Mental Health". Just one more box crossed off of the list from the first surgical office visit to surgery day!

My kind of people!!

So, NOW I'm concerned. On days that I have Aqua P.T., I do not have a lunch break, so last night I ordered a whole box of Quest bars as the company is now running a sale not only on the box, but so shipping cost. I will be eating one bar for my lunch three days a week. Keeping my fingers crossed.

My primary hobby before my spinal surgery was raising and showing standard poodles. I adore the breed--and, yes there IS a real dog underneath all of that fancy hair. I loved the competition of showing in this country, Canada and Bermuda. My male, "KAVA'S HI-HO SILVER, finished 5th in the country a few years ago. Not bad for a poor county dog with no Fifth Ave. backing. My daughter, Amanda and myself traveled from Mid Canada to Florida to Maine. She Showed her pug and I , of course the Standard Poodles. If you can, Please watch the Westminster Dog Show next week and rout for the Black Standard b***h. She will be shown by a Japanese fellow--Kaz Hosaka. I am consultant for that girl! I have shown at "The Garden" many times. Showing dogs competitively is addicting and to do it by yourself without financial backing is a tough road, but can be done. I also teach dog obedience and 4-H dog training for the young folks wanting to show at the State Fair. Training a dog is SOOOOOO beneficial for young children and teens. It teaching responsibility, patience, compassion and helps develop common sense. Anyway, since my spinal surgery, I have taken up crocheting, to hopefully keep my fingers moving until the day I can hopefully stand long enough to so the hours and hours and hours of poodle grooming and move enough to get back into the ring. Sorry, to babble on so, but you did ask and I am quite passionate about dogs. Oh Dear!, I almost forgot--with pitchers and catchers reporting this week------I AM A HUGE YANKEE FAN,!!!!! (also Robinson Cano whatever team he plays on) My favorite player is A. Rod #13. OMG! how could I forget? I love to surf fish. In my profile pix, I am holding a 48" striped bass that I landed last May. My favorite is flounder fishing at night.

Sure I can! --been doing just that for many, many years. It's not Learning new behaviors that is difficult. That for the most part is self examination and common sense. It is the "retraining" out of the bad habits that can be difficult, but as the old saying SHOULD go: "You Can teach an old dog new tricks". It just takes patience, compassion and consistency. Ya'll just come on up here to the Catskill Mts and we can have those group meetings that Dub was talking about...

Your surgeon's office definitely should have provided you with a list of providers complete insurance acceptance for each.

I had the lemon pie flavor. It was as tart as it was sweet. Loved it. took me all afternoon to eat it--tiny savory bites-yum.

Thank you for the link. I just ordered a box as they are offering a "no shipping fee" coupon right now. They are great tasting and have decent numbers i.e. Protein, sugar, calories and are SOY FREE! (I am extremely allergic to soy)

This is great news. I had a lemon Quest bar after my pool P.T. the other day and I swear I sounded like an entire rhythm section walking out of the pool area! It's not an issue at home since I live alone, but Gucci, my Chinese crested was starting to give me indignant looks! Thanks for the update. Gucci thanks you too!!

I'm thinking that even if you did eat it, your new stomach would let you know that it was a bad idea. Dumping is no fun, but very educational. You'll learn--sometimes the hard way, but's all good. You're on the right road. You're on your way.!!! You're really doing just great. It's a learning process for all of us .

Did she or didn't she??? That's the question of the day. Today is the day of Adina's surgery. I've sent prayers up for her and am warming her spot on The Losers' Bench, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am more than morbidly curious to know: Did she or didn't she"?

LOL. When I first read it I was simply not connecting the dots, either. But......I have accepted there are all sorts of strange things at play during this time frame for many of us. One thing that I've been hugely frustrated with is that I've had the critical eye on myself for so long that it now tends to focus on conditions around me or even worse, other people. For example......I've been making progress on myself and perhaps eased up a bit. Now I looked around and see the state of my garage and it pisses me off. HTF did it get so disorganized ? Who is the idiot who hasn't been putting stuff away properly ? Who is the fool with fat-man clothes still hanging in his closet and needs to be gone through? Why is that aggravating tree limb hanging down over the deck ? Well, that is the result of being not focused on stuff around me like I needed to....and not having the energy to address it due to back problems and recovering from the sleeve/hernia surgery while working 60 hrs / week. Stuff just gets a low priority or neglected altogether. I look around further still and see things that my wife doesn't do an it gets to me. I get aggravated. I accepted blame for it for a while due to me simply not being myself this last year or so and all things subpar are on me. Eventually, though, I shared my marital concerns with her. Not well received at first but I was respectful yet honest with what was said. Time will tell how things turn out. Time will tell. It will either work out.....or it will not. I will continue to give it my best shot, but I will not blindly hope for a miracle as I've done in the past. This seems like legit advice now that I've gone a few months down this road. I better understand the wisdom of this practice. Its a time to simply work on yourself and DO NOT make any changes. Divorce and career change have been tugging on me......tempting me more than I ever suspected. Married 23 years, same employer for 20......yet now I find myself open to big changes. Scary. Not acting immediately on either.....letting these ideas simmer. Nooooooooo !!!!!! No matter how mad I get......my MacBook will never become a projectile. Neva......eva.... Maybe we should all be prescribed medical weed or some such. Sure would up the attendance in the post-op support group meetings. "Okay now, everyone get their chairs in a circle.....puff, puff, pass........let's begin our meeting with recognizing new members after our opening blaze....." I really get that "Not my circus, not my clowns" statement. Well said. My patience as it pertains to myself is very, very limited. I want immediate progress in all areas of self. Unrealistic as hell and a source of frustration. Thus far, my patience for others is somewhat "normal" dare I use such a phrase. How's this for a oddball fantasy.......we all get to go live in a resort area for our surgery throughout our first year.....surrounded by other patients going through the exact same thing......no outside distractions....no worries.....just focused on the losing and getting our issues nailed down tight. Lol, right? Well, in reality we do have BP and the fine folks here. I agree fully with your statement that we are all family in a way. Here's the plan: We all go live on a deserted island after our WLS where we all can communicate and commiserate without any 'outside" distractions. My concern is that once we open our circle group meeting by toking a wee weed and someone shares the amount of calories that are burned having enthusiastic sex, we'll all wind up in a very skinny and naked pile! Come to think of it---maybe it's not such a bad idea...

Prayers for a pain-free recovery going "upstairs" for you. --will be right here, waiting to hear that it is time to move over and give you room on "The Losers' Bench". God's speed, my friend, Valentina

I just got a "full body drain"---annual blood work-up. As usual, low Vit.D, low Vit B12, and a new low this year--low TSH--thyroid. I will have my px on Feb 10 to follow up on the lab results. What does it all mean?? Maybe it's just age related, or maybe just a new "Vitamin cocktail" is needed. The low TSH is worrisome. I'll find out more on the 10th. Our bodies are constantly changing. I guess we just have to listen better!

I find that I don't have the patience that I did before my surgery. I think I have become so focused on my journey and getting back on track, that I think of little else. "Not my circus. Not my clowns"? I am expecting myself to settle down and be able to take time for "outside the family" people, but for right now---I'm all about me. PS: I consider you all "family", so yes, I do care about you---seriously care.