Frangipani

Thank you so much Candle! You've been another huge inspiration to me and it's been great traveling on this journey with you!!! :thumbup::smile:

BBK, LOVE your stunning new photos!!!! Not only are they gorgeous, but they're so creative!!! You're a real natural at this, and it looks like so much fun!

Thanks BBK :smile::thumbup:!!! This Hot Mama thing is very new to me -- maybe you'll have to come visit me and give me some lessons! The numbness does feel weird, but I've had abdominal surgery before and slowly but surely the feeling does return. Cori, don't get me started on shopping, now -- I could go on about that forever!!!! Love, love, LOVE shopping!!!! I shop all over the place because you just never know what you might find. That said, if you want just a few ideas, try Chicos and Coldwater Creek. Both stores have stylish and distinctive items that are very fashionable, but more suitable for the 30 and over crowd. Hope this helps, and let me know if you need any more ideas.

Hi Becky, I'm very numb. The numbness reaches from my belly button all the way to my incision. I'm sorry to hear you're still having pain with your thigh incisions, but your legs look fabulous, so I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end. Stein Mart should definitely pay us -- or at least send us some additional discount coupons (LOL :thumbup:)! Well ladies I learned a little something about the power of cleavage today (which I'm sure most of you have known about for years). I was getting so tired of wearing my saggy, baggy clothing that I've had to wear because of the drain, that I decided to dress up a little today. So I dug out a very a cute top that I recently purchased at Stein Mart. It's one of these plunging neckline, sleeveless numbers with that shows a lot of cleavage -- so much so that I was actually thinking about returning it. The nice thing about it was that even though it showed a lot of cleavage, it's gathered at the waist, so that it still concealed my drain. Anyhow, when I put it on I realized that because of the thin shoulder straps, and the very low cut, I would not be able to wear a bra. Going braless is not something I'm accustomed to, but since I no longer really "need" to wear a bra, I decided to just go with it and headed out to the pharmacy to get a prescription filled. I got to the pharmacy, dropped my prescription slip off and started looking for Mederma Scar Cream, when I suddenly got the feeling that someone was looking at me. I looked up to see the pharmacist seriously giving me the eye! (LOL :redface:) About one minute later, he popped out from behind the pharmacy area, personally handed me my order and then asked me if there was anything else he could help me find. When I told him what I was looking for, he said that he didn't have any on the shelf, but that he would try to find some in the back, and lo and behold he did! So needless to say, I will not be taking that blouse back. In fact, I intend to start wearing it to the Bank -- and the Post Office too!!!

Hi All, Well, I had a great day yesterday. I felt the best and strongest I have since returning home and falling into my "achy fatigue." The pains have mostly gone away now and I'm starting to feel strong and energetic again. Feels wonderful :confused::thumbup::sleep:! Thanks Cori! :eek::smile: By the way, I enjoy your blog! Do check out Stein Mart when you get to a state that has one -- Florida and Texas both have a bunch!!! I go crazy when I travel to both places. Jody, LOL about the GPS and your presentation :mad::mad:! You can handle PS -- no problem. Just be prepared for a lot of hassle and a lot of upheaval. It's a lot like having your kitchen redone IMHO. Becky, don't you love it? We get all of these fabulous deals on summer clothing that we'll be able to wear for months yet (well, in my case all year round). Have a great day ladies :drool::smile::mad:!

Hi Terri, Thanks for the update, glad to hear that it all went so well!!!! I'm looking forward to seeing your photos. I see blepharoplasty as one of those "absolutely necessary" plastic surgery procedures as time marches inexorably on -- and I will definitely be having that done at some point in the future. Did you have much pain at all?

Hi Sue, Thank you so much for that -- you made my day!!! :smile::smile::smile: Thank you Becky and Cherieinnv!!!! Becky of course you know you have been my inspiration, and Cherie congrats on your great success so far!!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Hi Lisaqmoon, I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble you're having, but something is obviously quite wrong here......... Have you had any of your fills done under fluoroscopy? If not, that would be the very first thing that I would do. You need to have your Band looked at to confirm that it is in the right place and to see how much restriction your currently have. I know a lot of Dr.'s don't do this, but my advice is to work with a Dr. who will. I always have my fills done under fluoro, and wouldn't consider having it done any other way. It took me four fills to reach my sweet spot, but I was losing steadily from the first fill on because my Dr. manged to obtain good restriction for me from day one. Here are my three basic keys to sucess: 1) Fills under fluoro always. 2) Track everything you put in your mouth. I started out using Fit Day and currently use Daily Plate. I try to stay right around 1000 calories, but I'm not going to drive myself crazy trying to achieve perfection, so some days it might be closer to 1500. 3) Exercise and lots of it. I never got the hang of not drinking while eating, but honestly with all the other things I do it doesn't much matter. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't try, but based on what you're telling me, this is really the least of your concerns at this point. Hope this helps, and Good Luck!!!!

Nana -- thank you so much for alphabetizing our list!!! In honor of my hitting goal today :woot:I'm updating my total. Great job everyone!!!! Name: Bergdorfblonde Weight loss from day of surgery: 32 lbs Total weight loss: 32 lbs Name: Brandottie01 Weight loss from day of surgery: 32 lbs Total weight loss: 32 Name: Candle Weight loss from day of surgery: 109.5 lbs Total weight loss: 123.5 lbs Name: Ceradad Weight loss from day of surgery: 102 Total weight loss: 122 Name: Frangipani Weight loss from day of surgery: 119 lbs Total weight loss: 125 lbs Name: Gometros Weight loss from day of surgery: 52.9 lbs Total weight loss: 74.9 Name:Gweniper weight loss from day of surgery: 57 total weight loss: 91 Name: hf2havefun Weight loss from day of surgery: 41 lbs Total weight loss: 56 lbs Name: JudiM weightloss from day of surgery: 73 lbs total weight loss: ?? Name: KarenG. Weight loss from day of surgery: 94 Total weight loss: 94 Name: LessNLess weightloss from day of surgery: 63 lbs total weight loss: 69 lbs Name: NanaRenan Weight loss from day of surgery: 68 Total weight loss: 88 Name: Nikki S Weight loss from day of surgery:102 Total weight loss:102 Name: Pammycakes Weight loss from day of surgery: 102 lbs Total weight loss: 104 lbs Name: Pizzicato66 Weight loss from day of surgery: 75.5 Total weight loss: 87.5 Name: purplegirl1818 weightloss from day of surgery: 73.5 lbs total weight loss: 90.5lbs Name: TexasBecky Weight loss from day of surgery: 111 Total weight loss: 121 Name: Salsa Weight loss from day of surgery: 105 lbs Total weight loss: 105 lbs Name: SPEBSQSAlady Weight loss from day of surgery: 57.8 Total weight loss: 57.8 Name: Valstar Weight loss from day of surgery: 52 lbs Total weight loss: 57 lbs

OMG Judi!!! How could I have missed this wonderful post???? You'll have to excuse me because I'm sure I still have drugs in my system from my recent plastic (and GYN) surgery. What a wonderful thing you're doing and congrats on your success!!!! I love your blog!!! You are SO witty and such an excellent writer -- your blog is truly one of the best out there, and absolutely first-rate in every way. I will definitely check in!!! Thank you so much -- what a great and thoughtful idea :smile::smile::scared2:!!!

Hi Salsa, Ditto to the other great advice everyone has already given you. Just remember that you will have energetic days and not-so-energetic days, and this process is different for everyone, so take things one day at a time. Week 3 hit me like a ton of bricks and it is unbelievable how much I slept that week, but sleep is a very restorative thing and the experts say that most of us don't get nearly enough of it. So relax and sleep as much as you can, as it will only make your results that much better. Hope you are having a great and restful day :smile:!

Well, I did it!!! At exactly this time last year, I was planning out my trip to Mexico for my Lap Band surgery (with the excellent Dr. Zapata). I was a size 24/26 with a BMI of 45.3 and here I am 11 months later, at goal, and with normal BMI!!!! There's no looking back now! My life is never ever going to be about "being fat" again -- this Lap Band is an AMAZING, life changing tool!!!!

Good morning ladies and May the force be with you!!! Well, I think you finally have me convinced that I am from another planet (although I have suspected this for some time ......). I truly am ready for round 2 because honestly, I don't like recovering from PS and I want to have it all done in one solid block of time. That said, my Dr. is the one calling the shots on this and, so we'll have to see what he says about all of this in a few weeks. He's very meticulous and careful, and he definitely won't allow me to be impatient and push things along too fast. Now if I could only get Scotty to beam me up and remove this damn drain, my life would be perfect.......

Spanx are totally different, they are basically control-top pantyhose without the feet, so they stay in place nicely without all the problems that girdles have (been there done that before too, and hated it :biggrin::thumbdown::thumbup:). The closer you get to goal, the better and more effective the Spanx will be. I always found that they shaped quite nicely without being too binding. That said, they were just a little to warm for me to wear on a regular basis here in the VI, but I wore them almost constantly when I traveled. Hope this helps. You can also google Spanx -- you'll find tons of info. :smile::eek:

Hey Jody, Great to hear from you and look at your ticker! 43 pounds down Woo Hoo!!!!:thumbup::thumbup: Something I've been saying over and over lately is "Recovering from plastic surgery is not for sissies," and it's true! Don't get me wrong it is SO totally worth it, but there is a lot involved in this whole process, so don't worry, but just be prepared. LOL about Stein Mart -- that place is addictive isn't it? The only thing that saves us is that the prices are so reasonable!!! Just before I left Miami I found some great things on clearance. I bought two pairs of really nice, lined linen pants for $13 each, plus blouses to go with them for the same price. I tell my husband that it could be much worse, that I could have a Neiman Marcus addiction -- and that always seems to hush him up :biggrin:.

Hi Andree, If you look on the "Ask Dr. Schulman" thread, I think this issue might have been addressed. My Dr. ended up having to move my port and as far as I know, it was no big deal. My one piece of advice is to make sure you are working with a Dr. who is experienced in working with bariatric patients and who is familiar with Lap Bands -- this very important IMHO.

Hi Luu2008, With all the fabulous undergarments out there nowadays, you do not have to have PS to look great in clothing. Spanx are/were a Godsend for a lot of us and they work beautifully! Congrats on being banded and good luck on your journey!!!!

Hey Nana, Great to hear from you! Yep, anything you ever wanted to know about Becky and me (plus more LOL :biggrin:) is right there in the thread Becky linked to. BTW, I love your quote on your signature from John Pinette -- I've seen his routine on TV a few times and he is hilarious!!!! Have you ever seen his bit about going to a Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet? I laughed so hard, I cried! Congrats on losing 88 pounds lady -- that's fabulous!!!!

Hey Stranger, No, this thread is not officially dead. I've been following it during my recovery from surgery and I can't wait to be actively joining you guys again. Great job!!! You're doing wonderfully, and I've enjoyed the updates!!! Daddy, I think I congratulated you on the Tri, but if I didn't, you'll have to forgive me because I'm on drugs right now ( ). Congrats!!!! You're a rock star Sir!!!! :thumbup::cool2:

Good Morning ladies! I want to first say that I really enjoy all of you and our chats so much!!! Kat, thank you for your thoroughly entertaining update. You crack me up lady!!! Now you're going to laugh, but I ended up having a leakage problem with one area of my incision and I remembered your suggestion about the sanitary pads and I did it too :biggrin:!!! Sanitary napkins worn low across the belly is not exactly a look that will be hitting the Paris runways anytime soon (I hope), but it works like a charm because when the incision is leaking, the gauze just can't keep up. Great suggestion -- kudos to you :cool2::thumbup::tt2:! Oh, I will definitely be getting out to NM sometime soon. Santa Fe is one of my favorite places on the planet, and I've made some friends out there too. I will let you know in advance of my next trip and I'm very much looking forward to meeting up with you!!! I'm glad to hear that you're doing so well! Becky, thanks for the encouragement on the drain. It truly is getting old, but posts like yours help me to hang in there. Karey, I've been following your final push thread and congrats on losing 6 pounds so far. That's awesome -- and with all of your hard work and discipline you very much deserve it!!! Cori, WOW, December isn't very far off at all. I can't wait for you to be on this journey -- well, actually over the surgery part and enjoying the results :eek::smile::eek:!

Salsa, You look wonderful and your Dr. did a fabulous job!!!! Congratulations girlfriend :thumbup:!!!! I'm simply in awe of how these plastic surgeons can mold the body into something new -- aren't you? Keep resting and healing, and enjoy your new hot bod :cool2::smile::tt2:!!!!

Hi Karey :tt1:, Yes, my Dr. and I are in contact in some fashion (either via phone or email) almost every day. He tells me that the drains are very unpredictable, but he wants me to hang in there as long as I can because the alternative (excessive swelling) is just as bad if not worse -- and I recognize that as well. He's hoping that I'll be able to have the drain removed sometime this week. I've been poking around on the Internet and there are others out there who have had this same long-term experience with their drains, so I guess I'm just one of those people who has a lot of fluid -- lucky me...............

Good morning and Happy Monday everyone -- I hope you all had a great holiday weekend!!! Becky, I can't believe the way you are bouncing back with the exercise -- great job lady :tt1::thumbup::tt1:! I stopped exercising because my drain output jumped 20cc's after my short, 20 minute workout the other day. And yes, believe it or not I still have this drain at 24 days post-op. If this thing doesn't come out soon, I'm going to have to get it a passport..... The drain is only thing that's getting me down right now, but my Dr. does not want it removed until I'm draining less than 30 cc's for two consecutive days. Right now I'm averaging 50cc's with no slowdown in sight. When I worked out and the output jumped up to 70 cc's, I figured I should just "park it" until the drain comes out, even though I am dying to get back to exercising. Anyhow, keep your fingers crossed for me that this drainage will slow down soon -- I'm very happy about everything, BUT I am getting SO tired of this darn drain!!!! Thanks for letting me whine :tt1:!

Hey Candle, Congrats on all of the NSV's :thumbup::thumbup:! Going to a wedding and seeing people after losing 124 pounds must have been an incredible experience! It sounds like you have an excellent plan regarding your PS consults -- and Dr. S seems like a great one to have on you list. BTW, I'm still thinking about our Crazy Ates Vegas trip, and we can talk more about this once I know what I'm doing with my second surgery. I'm headed back up to Miami at the end of July to meet with my Dr. for a follow-up visit, and hopefully at that point I'll have some idea as to the timing of round 2. It's not so much that I'm ready to go back into surgery again, but I like the idea of having everything done (more or less) at once. The second surgery will (hopefully) finish up the body, and I'm quite anxious to have it done. Have a great night :biggrin::smile::frown:!

Hi Kendra, So nice to see your update. Your trip sounds wonderful!!!! I agree with Lindata, time to have some fun with those wigs! The other day I was at a beauty supply store where they had an entire wall of wigs on display -- they were so cute and natural looking, I almost bought a few for myself. I'm sending quick healing vibes your way and also some extra energy vibes to give you a little boost at work during the next four weeks -- and of course, I'm still kicking and stomping! Big hugs to you!!!!