Mariposa Bella

Oh DeLarla, do I ever have some insane family members, always in my business, I wish they would take care of their own problems instead of making some for me. And okay, okay I get it, I will have to deal with the fact that I can't ever get wasted and have food at the same time.

You have a friend in me, best of luck with your surgey don't worry everything will be allright, especially having so many experience bandsters on this site (I'm not one of them) but any questions that you might have they are always here to help. So good luck and keep us posted.

Well I am always willing to volunteer myself to the plastic surgeon community of America for any experimental procedures. My son had some hemangiomas that were removed by a very famous plastic surgeon in Miami and I am always and always asking him to use me as a gunie pig (is that how you spell it?) He just laughs at me, man oh man you should see the beautiful women that come through his office and his surgery coordinator, has had some serious work done on her, never seen such perfect breasts in my life. But seriously, I will be getting a tummy tuck, I only have three children, but I have been pregnant five times and the skin is really stretched out on my lower abs, my personal trainer says that because my skin is so stretched out it won't reduce in size. And I have consulted a plastic surgeon for lipo of the abs but lipo won't work because there is excess skin, so a tummy tuck is necessary. The surgeon that did by band is a plastic surgeon and he is doing a tummy tuck and an entire body liposculpture on me (lipo of the thighs, inner and outer, back and hip area too remove the patches of fat that don't normally go away with weightloss, as soon as I reach my goal weight, plastic surgeon here I come. I have already started putting money aside for this purpose. I have also thought of auctioning off my fat on ebay and maybe some rich lady will offer to have all my fat sucked out of me so that she can use it for her wrinkles, LOL who knows it could happen!!!! I wish. But don't none of you go stealing my idea, I'll have to patent it now.

I too wish I hadn't told as many people as I did, some of my relatives still think I took the easy way out and boy are they wrong... My parents were having some financial difficulties and an aunt of mine told my mother that instead of me wasting this money on this surgery I should be helping out my family. I was so mad, they are always getting in my business, they assume that I'm wealthy because I had the money to pay for this surgery and because I like to buy nice things for my children. Well, duh that's why I work hard so that I can have nice things, Some people are just so ignorant. I wonder how I belong to such idiot folks, guess I'm the smart one. Kind of scary.. LOL. I wish I had never told.. Even my friends that I trust with all my secrets took the liberty of telling others I was banded, if you don't want people to know, don't tell them. I have learned to eat at restaurants, but am still having trouble with the no drinking with food part, I am a thirsty girl and it doesn't seem normal to not drink something to wash your food down. I sometimes try and PB from it, is there a point in time when you can drink w/ your food? Can't someone re-invent the band so that you can drink with your meal, funny huh... I would think that your pouch would get filled sooner with the added liquid and you would eat even less and therefore lose more weight. It seems so unfair that I can't drink any more baharitas or mojitos with my food. So I can either get liquoured up or have some food. Its not fair, I want my cake and eat it too.

I know the weight makes me not even try to fancy up myself, It's been a long, long time since I wore panthose. Too tight, too hot for the excess weight. I''m a comfy girl, I very rarely wear dresses any more, too short and too fat. But, look out World here we come, in our sexy dresses and our high heel shoes. I'm so happy for you Leatha, I have gained some of my weight back because I hardly have any restriction and have been eating horrible. Buy I get my fill next Tuesday, and I am hopeful that the weight will start dropping. I think it is a good idea for you to take a picture in that dress and those shoes, I especially want a close up of those shoes, I'm a shoe and purse girl, can't seem to get enough of them.

The doctor that banded me is in Reynosa Mexico across the border from McAllen Texas which is about a three hour drive from you. I had a really good experience with him, he is actually a plastic surgeon who also does the band, I have several friends that have used him and have all been very satisfied with him, anytime I have a question and call his office, he will speak to me if he is available or will call me back the same day. He also provided me with his personal cell phone number in case I needed to reach him and he was out of the office. He doesn't charge me for my fills, but I have to pay the clinic for the xray or flouru when I get a fill. I will also be using him to get a tummy tuck and a liposculpture when I get to my goal weight. I have already gotten prices from him and he is very reasonable. Let me know if you need his phone number. The drive from Corpus to Reynosa is not bad.

It is probably not the chicken but the taco shell or tortilla, I am no longer able to eat tortillas, I have tried but I pb everytime. It is such a shame because tacos are sooo good.

Congtrats. Keep us updated.

Well when I discovered this board and had to create a nickname I was feeling pretty lonely and sick and I mispelled it, guess the fingers were typing too fast. lol. So I typed feelingloney, well I am looney most of the time... Oh, Well and now I'm stuck with that, or am I, how can I change it?

I am so sorry that you had this experience Dwayne. Dr. de la Garza was my first choice as a surgeon because he was very highly recommended by a friend of mine (she had her surgery with him four years ago) and was very happy with him. I did a lot of research on him and found him competent, but the dates that I had available to go get my surgery he was out of town, so I had to find another surgeon. I am not defending him, what he did to you is horrible and he should take responsibility. He would have come out better out of this if he would have apologized and recognized that this happened to you, I think we would have understood if he would have said these are some risks associated with the surgery and that he was sorry this happened but that that he would do anything in his power to make things right. He first of all should have refunded all your money to you and have made every effort to help you get the help you needed. Doctors sometimes forget they are human and make mistakes, but they should learn to recognize their mistakes and fix them. I hope you are now well.

Well I do have noises, I am the queen of burping now (at least it not at my other end, LOL), my daughter, says she had never before in her whole entire life (she's nine) heard me burp, and now I do it all the time. The kids love it, I guess they like that their mommy can be kinda gross sometimes. They like to tease me about it.

Tara, I am so happy for you, how are you adjusting to the band? I got pretty sick afterwards, I was really swollen and couldn't keep any fluids down. It was really scary at first, but I had everyone on this board help me through it. Well, I know what you mean about the airport, they have this BBQ place at the airport in Houston that has the best BBQ and I wasn't able to enjoy any of it (luckily I did try it on my way to get my surgery). I am glad that your husband is such a great support for you that is very important. I am having some troubles with my husband at this time, but hopefully it will get better. Tara I really don't have too much of a choice on getting a fill with flouru, I can't afford to pay the $600 for a flouru fill right now. I spoke with the doc's assistant and he said that the doctor has a lot of experience and they do remove the saline that is currently in the band so that they are sure they are in the correct place. I just pray and hope that it all goes well, but to tell you the truth, I am not even nervous about it, I'm more nervous about having to drive down there by myself. I would ask my husband, but then I wouldn't have anyone to pick up the kids from school. I guess I'll just have to go by myself. Well talk to you soon and I am so happy that you are home and are feeling well. And I am sooooooo happy to have a bandster sister so close to me. Hope to hear from you soon. L,

Now, now let's not go crazy here, I get my pedicures during the week when the kids are in school, much more relaxing than trying to make them sit there while I get pampered. But okay, I guess I can sacrifice myself and buy myself two pairs of shoes. Time to go home now, gotta go pick up the little ones.

I want to thank all of you for your caring words. Well, my husband is acting like a child and not speaking to me, he's decided that I am the bad one in this relationship. Funny how we only remember the things others do unto us and not what we do unto others. Oh well, I don't care if he doesn't want to speak to me, I am going to start taking care of myself and my children. And you know its really nice to sleep in my huge king size bed all by myself, never knew how comfortable one could sleep when you don't have someone hogging the bed or snoring so loud next to you. LOL. Meanwhile, I am planning a fun filled weekend for myself and my kids, planning to go shopping (a new pair of shoes always makes me feel better) and to the movies. Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend. Love Always,

Betty 54 Paula 43 Kelly 65 Becky 77 Carol 102 Alex 110 Nana 49 Rich 20 Larae 22 Maureen 73 Marie 56 Wyld Blu 73 Penni 54 Vera 60 Darcy 59 Kelly 39 michelle 135 mary 65.4 greg 77 Sharon 35 Tricia 60 Darcey 23 cindy 88 Melissa 39 Michelle 80 Jonathan 27 Lisa 70 Lauren 23 Babs in TX 150 Bright 82 Jamie 5 Megan 60 Katie 29 Bobby H. 46 Estela 23 Total--2073.40 <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I called Emilio at Dr. Gomez's office and asked him if they would take care of me at no additional charge in the event I needed to get unfilled (if filled too much) or filled more if I did not have enough of a restriction. I also asked if he removes all the saline that is in there now before doing the fill and he said that they do, so I am glad to hear all of this. Thank you all for helping on this matter and for your great advice. This is what is so gret about this site, I wouldn't have thought to ask those things myself, thanks ya'll.

Thank you all for being so caring. What would I do without your support.

Marsha, Thank you, very much for the info, I will make sure to slap on some lipstick before I see him. I was reallly nervous, but you have eased my nerves. I am scheduled for March 1, I hope to get some restriction, because with the way my life has been going I have been stuffing my face with all sorts of things, I even managed to drink a coke last night, It was a horrible experience. I have gained five pounds in the last week and I am so terrible disappointed with myself. Hopefull my fill will give me the restriction I need. Who is Dr. Jesse? Is he a bariatric doctor, is he your doctor? And if so, why isn't he doing your fills? Just curious. Talk to you later. Thanks for the info.

Thank you Kelly, I too hope I can fly away soon, and escape my horrible cocoon. Love,

Zoe I have to confess some more, I had other pieces of chocolate on Friday, and Monday, the kids had their V.D. parties at school and I didn't want their candy to go to waste so I ate some of it. You know funny thing is that I wasn't craving any chocolate or sweets until there was a thread on chocolate that I read last week and now I can't get it out of my mind or mouth. But I promise I will start eating healthy again. Thanks for the encouragement and I want to let you know that I finally found a Dr. that will fill me here in Florida, so I am scheduled to get filled on March. 1. HOORAY!!!!

I am glad to hear that it is safe to do it without flour and that some of you have done it successfully. I would much prefer to have it done under flouru but budget does not permit at this time. I will call the doctor in the morning to make sure that he does remove the saline that's already in the port and Donali suggested I ask what his procedure in case I am overfilled and need to be unfilled or in case I don't have restriction that he take care of me at no additional cost. What woud I do without you guys. L,

WOW, WOW, AND TRIPLE WOW, everyone looks amazing, just amazing, keep up the good work, all of you look fantastic, just fantastic, can't wait for me to drop some more weigh, I haven't been doing good, cause I've been cheating, cheating there I confessed, I sat in bed and ate three pieced of Godiva chocolate on Valentines Day, I am so bad.

Donali, thanks for the information and for the great advice to ask the doctor, you hit some very important points, I am calling the doctor's office back and getting my answers before I head out there.. YOu are wonderful, wonderful, wonderfulllllll. Love,

Tara do you have a phone # for the Cleveland Clinic? Have you consulted with any doctors there and is that where you are planning to have your fills? What is the cost of a fill? Are you excited about going to get your band surgery? Who is going with you? Don't be scared it is not painful, just be very careful to follow your doctors instructions to the Tee... I learned the hard way, took a bite of some food when I was supposed to be on liquids and boy did I pay for it. I was really sick after my surgery, I got very swollen and couldn't keep anything down, last month I started reminiscing about my surgery and I rememberd my aunt gave my mom some home cooked tamales and my mom gave me a bite of one, she said a tiny little bit won't hury you, well it did, that's why I had so many problems after I was back home, so please be sure to follow your doctor's instructions. Let me tell you something funny the hardest thing for me has been that I can't drink soda, well on the plane on the way back a little old man that was sitting right next to me asked the flight attendant for a glass of coke, OMG did I suffer, I could hear it fizzle while she was pouring it, and I could smell it, it was tough, so let the old men that are sitting next to you that they have to drink juice, so that they don't tempt you...

You are right Kathy, LBT is the best. I finally have band sisters in my home state. yippi....