pandagirl

Good for you, thumbs up!!!

Did they tell you why? Do you have an advocate to contact that can help you through this?

Oh that's terrible to be so close and have it yanked like that. I'm sure that the Dr. did what was in your best interest. I hope the murmur thing doesn't prevent you from having the surgery at all. Have they told you what to expect?

March 6th 2008… This Thursday was a long time coming. The journey to get there started years before and failed attempt after another found me switching insurance companies and finally, finally committing to the whole idea. On January 7th, 2007 I was on my way to this day, the day that was going to change my life. I went to bed rather late, but didn’t worry too much about my 5:30am arrival time. I was going to be sleeping most of the day anyway right? Well, I did the no food or drink after 9am thing which is traditional. I packed light and wore baggy clothes, jammy pants and a t-shirt to be exact. Unfortunately for me, it was also my time of the month (this doesn’t affect the surgery). First thing I learned. Just because they told me to be on time didn’t mean they would be. My boyfriend and I were there 15 minutes early and waited another 30 before he prep-crew opened the doors. They made up for it by being nice. I was assigned a bed and asked to change into hospital wear which included their underwear and their feminine pads. I hope to god I’m not on my period the next time I have surgery!!!! And though I packed light, none of it stayed with me. It all went with my boyfriend. My clothes, my book, my glasses, all the things I brought for my one night stay, gone!!! No big, but it was kind of weird not having my glasses. (You can’t wear contacts, the anesthesia can dry your eyes out to the point the contacts will glue to your eyes.) During prep, the nurses hooked up IVs, talked to me a little about my surgery and what I was having done. They answered all of my questions and then I waited and waited until being moved to another room. There, a nurse checked my tubes, got me a warm blanket and basically double checked me and my information. My Anesthesiologist also came by and asked me a few questions about my medical history, my reactions to anesthesia and made sure my C-PAP pressure was right. ( I was told not to bring mine, they would take care of it. Some places ask you to bring your c-papa). All in all it was very smooth and every one made me feel safe. I had no doubt they were paying attention and I wouldn’t accidentally get the wrong surgery or anything like that. ( I would go nuts if I got the bypass by mistake). They wheeled me into surgery and I was out before I new it. When I woke up I could hear voices. I felt people touching me, checking my pulse and things like that. It took some time for me to come back fully to my senses and I’m not sure I actually did until another hour later. As I laid there I could feel my incisions, just slightly, like a itty bitty sting. I also thought that I didn’t feel that much different. Somehow I thought it’d feel like something was inside of me. I was thinking this as my Surgeon came up to me. She was smiling and jubilant. I smiled back the best I could. She looked away for a moment then said ‘We didn’t get the band in.” I heard her clearly. I asked why not and she explained to me what had happened. To tell you the truth I really didn’t hear what she said, just bits and pieces of it. “I have to lose 30 more pounds don’t I?” “Yeah.”, she said. Was she surprised I knew that? Was she just humoring the numbers I tossed out? I don’t know. But I was right and that’s what I had to do. I wasn’t upset at that moment. I took it all in stride and said “I got to do what I got to do and what’s the difference? I’m still losing weight.” I was sent back to the original staging area and there I was in the way. I called my Mom to come get me because I had sent my boyfriend to work, thinking I’d rather have him take the next day off rather than this one. The nursing staff was still nice, but it was hard not to notice to them I was now taking up space. They needed the bed I was in. They needed to get other patients into their surgeries. I did my best to be patient and you know what I did? As soon as my Mom got me I asked to go out to eat. I think it was a fuck you, a bit of anger, a bit of something bubbling inside of me. I started healing that day physically. My incisions weren’t so bad. If I swallowed too much, too fast I just stopped eating or drinking and it would pass. I imagine having the band will feel similar to that. I spent the next few days thinking, ignoring the failed surgery, then I allowed myself to get angry. I took a few days off of my “diet”. I reset myself and got ready to give it all another go. It’s May 29th now. I haven’t lost the weight as quickly as I would’ve liked. There are many factors to that, some medical, some psychological. I’m getting there though. I’m doing what I need to and I know I will have a second chance. Hey isn’t this all about second chances? (x-posted to surgery stories thread)

March 6th 2008… This Thursday was a long time coming. The journey to get there started years before and failed attempt after another found me switching insurance companies and finally, finally committing to the whole idea. On January 7th, 2007 I was on my way to this day, the day that was going to change my life. I went to bed rather late, but didn’t worry too much about my 5:30am arrival time. I was going to be sleeping most of the day anyway right? Well, I did the no food or drink after 9am thing which is traditional. I packed light and wore baggy clothes, jammy pants and a t-shirt to be exact. Unfortunately for me, it was also my time of the month (this doesn’t affect the surgery). First thing I learned. Just because they told me to be on time didn’t mean they would be. My boyfriend and I were there 15 minutes early and waited another 30 before he prep-crew opened the doors. They made up for it by being nice. I was assigned a bed and asked to change into hospital wear which included their underwear and their feminine pads. I hope to god I’m not on my period the next time I have surgery!!!! And though I packed light, none of it stayed with me. It all went with my boyfriend. My clothes, my book, my glasses, all the things I brought for my one night stay, gone!!! No big, but it was kind of weird not having my glasses. (You can’t wear contacts, the anesthesia can dry your eyes out to the point the contacts will glue to your eyes.) During prep, the nurses hooked up IVs, talked to me a little about my surgery and what I was having done. They answered all of my questions and then I waited and waited until being moved to another room. There, a nurse checked my tubes, got me a warm blanket and basically double checked me and my information. My Anesthesiologist also came by and asked me a few questions about my medical history, my reactions to anesthesia and made sure my C-PAP pressure was right. ( I was told not to bring mine, they would take care of it. Some places ask you to bring your c-papa). All in all it was very smooth and every one made me feel safe. I had no doubt they were paying attention and I wouldn’t accidentally get the wrong surgery or anything like that. ( I would go nuts if I got the bypass by mistake). They wheeled me into surgery and I was out before I new it. When I woke up I could hear voices. I felt people touching me, checking my pulse and things like that. It took some time for me to come back fully to my senses and I’m not sure I actually did until another hour later. As I laid there I could feel my incisions, just slightly, like a itty bitty sting. I also thought that I didn’t feel that much different. Somehow I thought it’d feel like something was inside of me. I was thinking this as my Surgeon came up to me. She was smiling and jubilant. I smiled back the best I could. She looked away for a moment then said ‘We didn’t get the band in.” I heard her clearly. I asked why not and she explained to me what had happened. To tell you the truth I really didn’t hear what she said, just bits and pieces of it. “I have to lose 30 more pounds don’t I?” “Yeah.”, she said. Was she surprised I knew that? Was she just humoring the numbers I tossed out? I don’t know. But I was right and that’s what I had to do. I wasn’t upset at that moment. I took it all in stride and said “I got to do what I got to do and what’s the difference? I’m still losing weight.” I was sent back to the original staging area and there I was in the way. I called my Mom to come get me because I had sent my boyfriend to work, thinking I’d rather have him take the next day off rather than this one. The nursing staff was still nice, but it was hard not to notice to them I was now taking up space. They needed the bed I was in. They needed to get other patients into their surgeries. I did my best to be patient and you know what I did? As soon as my Mom got me I asked to go out to eat. I think it was a fuck you, a bit of anger, a bit of something bubbling inside of me. I started healing that day physically. My incisions weren’t so bad. If I swallowed too much, too fast I just stopped eating or drinking and it would pass. I imagine having the band will feel similar to that. I spent the next few days thinking, ignoring the failed surgery, then I allowed myself to get angry. I took a few days off of my “diet”. I reset myself and got ready to give it all another go. It’s May 29th now. I haven’t lost the weight as quickly as I would’ve liked. There are many factors to that, some medical, some psychological. I’m getting there though. I’m doing what I need to and I know I will have a second chance. Hey isn’t this all about second chances? (x-posted to surgery stories thread)

I think we all have it, just for some of it it comes in little spurts. But yeah, I've gone a long way. How's your WLS been going?

I've been in the sugar-free candy aisle a little too much. I love, love the Lifesavers, the Werther's Originals and the Nips, maybe a little too much, LOL!!

You should see how I react when people DO complain about 2-3 weeks. Then I remember it's still hard and I was complaining then, too.

Thanks Susan, every pat on the back helps!!

I wieghed 385 when I got there and they wanted me to get to 330 before the band. I dunno. They were pushing for me to get the bypass, maybe they thought if I couldn't get to 330 that I shouldn't have the band? And I guess it's just taken me forever to lose the weight. I was originally on a 2 shakes then salad/meat for dinner. I lost 15 pounds the first month, got to 330 by December. I could have had the surgery in January, but opted not to because I had a guest coming and I wanted to be able to go out with her, eat if I wanted, etc. ( I ended up getting my g/b taken out that month and was bed ridden during her stay anyway.) By that time February was booked and I really, really didn't to have the WLS right after the other one. During this whole time the Surgeon told me to stay on the diet and I did for the most part, but even so I had a couple days here and there off. I didn't go crazy with it, but it was still enough to maintain my weight rather than lose. Then I got my date. They went in and couldn't finish it. Said I needed to lose a few more pounds, so back I went on the diet. I'm kind of stuck at 312 at the moment. It's driving me nuts. Oh man, was that a long explantion. (Sorry)

I've been doing this for way too long. Since September 2007 I have been on the liquid diet in one form or another and it's really, really starting to drive me nuts. Maybe it's because I'm sitting here at work and everyone, everyone has decided to eat at thier desks today and I can smell burgers, fries, enchiladas and a myriad of other things. I know I can get past this. I know I need to lose 15 more pounds and if I just do it I will go under the knife again, learn to eat again and all that jazz. I know even after the band I can't eat burgers and fries (at least, I shouldn't), but there is a difference in having that choice. Right now it doesn't feel like a choice ( even though it is). Right now it feels like a prison sentence. I know, I know. I'm bitching for nothing. I'm gonna keep on keeping on, but sometimes it's just SOOOOOOOO frustrating. Okay, panda rant over. I'm going to go have my lunch shake and remember the chick eating the fries shouldn't be either. She's just about the same size as me and is going to regret the additional 10-20 pounds at the end of the year. I don't want regrets this year, no, not again and certainly not over a plate of burgers and fries. :biggrin: How do you get through the cravings? (Oh yeah, now I'm really done.)

One of the RN's at my Dr's office had hers done for $5000. She went from a B to a D, had silicone. Maybe you need more done becuase they aren't just going in and stuffing them? I dunno, but $6300 doesn't sound that bad. At least you like the Dr. That should count for something.

Why so many miles?

LOL!!!!:cursing:

When I tell them the band is a tool and I still have to eat well and exercise they(the buttheads of the universe) say, "Why don't you just do that now? All it takes is a little will power." I usually respond back, " Who says I'm not and I haven't ? Who says I don't have will power?" It takes them a really, really long time to wrap thier brains around that.

Try Sac Bariatric. I don't know thier policy on fills, but they are great people and I'm glad I chose them. 916-338-7200

I saw the Dr.'s name and thought of the TV show. Keep us/me up to date on your progress. Oh gosh, it's so exciting to hear that your finally there. :crying:

Do you end up buying the bigger cup sizes then? Right now my issue is my nipples going south. I don't think it's age, but weight loss and I've seen younger women with the same problem.

Tube socks!! That brought some images. Mine are not round anymore. I think by the time I lose all the wieght I need to, they'll be very long A cups. :crying:

I have trouble with underwires, but it might be due to the fact that I use bras longer than recommended.

I think most people look to Wal-Mart, but the one my friend just gave me was purchased at Ross. I didn't ask how much though she said it was a good price.

A friend of mine gave me her scale. So I will have that and a handheld mixer. I'm thinking a food processor sounds like a good idea. $27 is not bad considering I went to buy a new tea kettle and the nice ones are about the same price!

Has weighing your food helped with portion control? Do you think if you stopped that you'd eat too much? I know some people don't weigh thier food while others swear by it. My Dr. has suggested I at least weigh my food until I at least hit the sweet spot. (Not banded yet, so will be a while.)

No wieghing? Do you have any idea what the average amount of food you eat in a sitting is? I suppose one would only need to weigh stuff initially, just to get an idea of what they are eating. Then again...egad, this food thing is so confusing. I was going to say if you handle the mental side of it, eating until your satisified is good enough, but if you aren't then wieghing food would be a good idea. That can be argued of course since we are all different, but anyway. I'm loving my shakes. I had trouble with blood sugars before that. I've been thinking about continuing them once a day after the band. Though, I've heard mixed thoughts on the saftey of that.

Good to know, thanks!