HoosierGirl

Amanda Rae - I know what you mean! These weights are such an arbritrary number. I see people talking about weighing 215 and able to wear XL shirts and size 14/16 pants! That would NEVER happen for me at 215! Although the numbers are the same, we all wear it so differently. All I know is I will be super glad to be off all my medication and be able to exercise without - um - chaffing and sucking wind! Your d-day (deposit day) is coming up fast! When will your surgery be?

Amytug - Flying....you will enjoy it! When you get thru security and to your gate at the airport, most airlines will allow "early bording" for those that need a little extra time. They will announce this as they are ready to let folks board the plane. My suggestion is to take the early bording time since this is a first flight. When you walk from the airport down the jetway to the plane, there will be an attendant on the plane and you could mention to them you are a first timer. Most are helpful. There is over your seat for a suitcase and under the seat in front of you for a purse or bag. Once everyone is one the plane, the attendant will review safety information. Then the pilot will come on and tell you about the weather, altitude and flight time. The attendant makes sure everyone has their belt buckeled and you take off. During flight, they will make some announcements and then will offer drinks/snack. Then, you land. When you have the layover, you will get off one plane, walk into the airport and look for monitors that tell you where your next flight will depart from. One thing I will mention about layovers....if you are traveling when the weather could be snowy or icy, I would avoid travel through Detroit or Chicago or other cold weather city. You are just asking for trouble on a layover! I have flown on all sized aircraft and I actually enjoy the smaller planes. They are more quick to board and get ready to go. Generally, the smaller planes are for shorter flights or serve smaller airports. Some of these might be turbo prop planes and they are more noisey. But if you are able to get regional jet service, that is pretty nice! Good luck - you are going to do great! Allow yourself plenty of time when you arrive at the airport and take it all in. It's actually pretty fun.

Wow - you look fantastic! Amazing 6 months you have had. Kudos to you!

At some point on one of these threads, I read something about receiving a DVD of surgery done in Mexico. And apparently that made BIG impression on me as I am having surgery in Mexico too. In the dream, I am at home recovering from my VSG when my husband suggests watching the DVD of my procedure. His logic was that we paid for it, let's watch it. OK, I'm game. The DVD starts in the operating room and everything is ready for the surgery to begin. As it starts, I am HORRIFIED to see everyone in the operating room is NAKED! All the surgical staff were nude. Of course they had on rubber gloves, surgical masks, and caps. Why wouldn't they, it's an operating room, right?! But other than that, they were all buck-ass naked. I was of course naked, but draped in surgical covering so not too embarassing. My husband was there in the operating room observing the surgery - also naked. And our 4 year old daughter was there too watching my VSG procedure and was, you guessed it - naked! The whole video was like a freaky new age birthing experience where everything was supposed to be relaxing, calm and natural. And, naked I guess. What was even more disturbing was that everyone in the operating room was really carefully watching the surgery and seemingly unconcerned or unaware they had no clothes on. WTF? In the dream, I was furious at my husband for #1 being in the operating room NAKED and #2 allowing our 4 year old to watch a graphic surgery like that. (In the dream I was not concerned that my little daughter was in the operating room naked....that part seemed logical....but I was MAD that she watched the surgery!) WHATEVER! I'm spending WAY WAY too much time thinking about this surgery! I'll be totally nuts by the time February gets here!!! Ha ha!!!

You've got this. No doubt you are going to ROCK this surgery!

Congrats for being so HONEST! Fantastic that you are taking on your weight for yourself and 5 others who depend on you! You will find a lot of support here from all. This site has been a real blessing for me. Hope it is for you too!

Same thing here. Although I didn't specifically notice being "smaller" than everyone else at orientation, one of the other ladies told me she thought I already had the surgery. My BMI is 35/36 and I fight to stay there. I have hyptertension and my parents are both overweight with severe weight related health issues that I would like to avoid. I know I need surgery for my health. Although it is frustrating when people tell you that you don't seem "big enough" for surgery, I just smile and say thanks. Well meaning people sometimes give advice they don't know isn't good advice.

Sunshinegurl - hope you are doing well! Sending up prayers for comfort and good health!

CONGRATS!

WOO HOO! You are going to ROCK this surgery! And it is less than TWO MONTHS AWAY. You will have to give me the full run down of events before my surgery with Dr. Oritz Feb. 27. Congrats on putting dollars to the dream!

Sunshinegurl - you are going to do GREAT. Don't let your nerves get the best of you....just remember all the reasons this surgery is RIGHT for you and what got you to this point. You are going to rock this surgery and have fantastic results!!! This time next week, you will be heading home and everyone (me included) will be coming to you for advice and watching your success.....BRING IT ON!!!!

Oh how i would love to go with you!!! Alas, I will be waiting until Februry. Cannot wait to hear about your experience.

Your blog is a RIOT!!!!!!! Love it and congrats on your weight loss! I'll be in TJ with Dr. Ariel Ortiz in February. And I just hope I do the surgery and weight loss as well as you have.

Great success! Hope I do as well as you have done...gives me hope....

WELCOME BACK! Thanks for sharing so much detail. Glad things went well and cannot wait to follow your posts as you lose weight....super excited/green with envy....haha!

Agree...been concerned for her too!!! Come back CoolMama! Come back!

Oh this is super funny.....but, um, I had not thought about this. Now I have a new worry to obsess over! UGH! Ha ha. In all seriousness, does Dr. Ponce gives you a surgery DVD?

Today is YOUR day! Sending prayers and good vibrations your way!

ladiJ....wow! Your experience sounds wonderful... thank you for all the detail. Iit seems unreal that you would be blogging so soon after surgery. All the steps you mention sound almost stress free! Thank you for sharing and all the best in your recovery!

YES!!!! Like you, I'm so excited - did I say EXCITED?! - that I can do little else but think about this surgery. Believe my excitement is a huge believe that this surgery will work to help me lose the weight and regain a healthy lifestyle.

What a great gift basket! They are thoughtful! I am not familiar with these products, will have to do some research! Thank you for the information.

Carrie P - woo hoo! Your deductible is fantastic and I'm excited that your insurance is covering it! Hope to have surgery in late February. Right now, this all-consuming obession with VSG is getting the best of me! I'm making myself crazy with research, planning, and prepping for surgery. And its THREE MONTHS AWAY! I feel like a crazy woman....there are nights I can't fall asleep for thinking about this! Ha ha! Worse than a little kid - he he.... Hugs to you!

Amytug - have you selected a surgeon in MX? Planning on Dr. Ortiz February 27 in Tijuana. All the best!

Congrats on your surgery! Excited to follow your successes. Hope your trip home is comfortable.

TWELVE WEEK liquid diet!? Oh man! You go!!!