want2bmeagain

oh, Lap...I mean I have never tried to be PHYSICALLY healthy enough to know! I expect that will change with lapbandland

Michelle ~ my daughter will be 20 next month and also lives in the Springs...is your son going to school there? Lap~I have heard (have never tried to be healthy enough to KNOW!) that when we are working on getting physically healthy, sometimes we feel sick as the toxins are being flushed out...I think it is the same with our hearts. As we become healthy and stronger in our bounderies and relationships, and the toxic relationships are removed, each day becomes one to look forward to ! I am glad you are treating yourself each day. I, too, have only one sibling...I don't miss the garbage that came with the relationship at all! Keep strong... Niknaknut~ we need to meet up sometime ! we are too close to miss that! When do you head to Denver next? Maybe we can become "fill buddies!" Well girls, I have EIGHT days before my surgery.....:nervous

September 11th! Gettin' excited! Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver!

My BMI is between 37 and 38, I am also self pay. I never heard any hesitation about my BMI, so I imagine yours might be ok. Call the office and ask for Marilyn. She's awesome!

Stephaniez ~ Wow! I am so glad you posted! What time is his surgery? What time is the preop in the office the day before? Have you booked the hotel? When do you fly into Denver and how long are you staying? Let's touch base on it all, it would be wonderful to meet. I am so encouraged by your success! :Banane01:Maybe we could all plan a "last supper" the night before:clap2: , at least the the extent we are allowed! Lap~I will never truly understand the motives others can have...as the years have gone on, I have had to learn what bounderies are, and with each new healthy picket to my fence, often came the time to push the "delete" button on someone in my life. I have a son with bipolar disorder (medicated and stable now), and since learning more about the disorder, can see it within my own, and my ex husband's family (poor kid in the genetic food chain!)~ I have not spoken to my own sister for over 3 years because she has done everything in her power to break me down, even trying to get me in trouble at my job after sending 40 emails to my company's legal department. I have never done anything hurtful to her other than her perceiving that my hard working, paycheck earning, involved mothering of my kids, thankful to be alive self is a threat to her. As much as she tries to rattle my gate (she is now trying to find some way to call my ex husband..who is a jerk..and has emailed my daughter for his number...why??? anyone's guess), the fence is too strong. Sometimes, there will be people in our lives, that as long as we have lived with integrity and know we have not wronged them, that we just have to walk away from. There is something about a woman becoming strong and independent that grossly inflames some people. Could be their own hurts, could be mental illness, could be projection, could be jealousy..who knows. But, it is ok for us to step back and add another picket to our fence. We need to treasure our energy so that we have it to use in positive ways. I am so sorry what happened. Your mother had no right to violate your privacy, and then to share that violation with someone else, your sister. Sometimes, Ive had to confront her or my ex with authority, strength, and peace. Other times, I have walked away knowing that I am sure glad I don't live in their miserable skin. Most important to me, no matter which response is the most effective, is to be secure in myself and to know it is about THEM, and it is NOT about me. Give yourself permission to add a picket to your fence. Your strength and determination will bounce back. Feel a sort of strange "pity" that your family has to use meanness as some sort of recreation. Don't give them the power to play that game on your court....

ok, random question... how do you get the ticker factory on your signature?? it's driving me crazy..and I will update my consult with Dr. K and Paula thanks!

Hi Woof I am doing better the last day or so! I ordered a couple of books about banding, and got the South Beach diet. I figured if Dr. K told you all about it, that I might be next in line. And...I got it off biblio.com. Wonder where I heard about that?? :cry I have so keenly observed (bright, aint I?) that you all are having a Denver RR meeting the day of my surgery. Please...get together and do the happy thoughts for me! Do you ever meet at a RR in the Springs?

anyone from Western Colorado?

Mare~ thanks for the thoughts. I had to grin imagining you asking to go home. Boy, that makes me feel less of a spaz! I will probably walk in and ask them to give the the "good stuff" right away so I don't care what they do and when they do it! Woof I read some posts before your surgery! Again, I was grinning...sounds so familiar! So that I don't have to dig through old posts, could you all give me your recommendations if I am having my surgery at the Crown Point in Parker? Was is the Select? the Holiday inn, the Hampton? I have them all written down, and have no idea why I wrote ALL of them down. Tell me how you liked where you stayed, and how much with the med. discount thanks all!

Hey woof... MY surgery is on the 11th...woo-hoo:bananajump: , maybe we can meet! I will be in on the 10th for preop. Are you going home on the 10th, or staying at the hotel?

thank you, Lap Dancer, for your encouragement! But, wow...your situation..did you have the colonoscopy as a screening, or did you have some kind of symptoms of something? Assuming it's not cancer (which we won't even consider!), what else could it be? Could you get to Dr. K sooner? gosh, how miserable to go through that daily. I hope he can see you even sooner ...I hope to hear from you soon. Hang in there, we are cheering!

Scheduled for Sept. 11th with dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver! woo-hoo! anyone else going in to him that day?

ok, maybe I should read closer! duh...my surgery is Sept 11th, and it looks like you are following a month later! Have you already done your phone consult with the doc? Mine is this Friday, and I have been compiling some questions I have for him. I really am excited, but so scared..stupid, I know. I have never had trouble with surgery in the past, so the surgery shouldn't be a problem. I need to go and join a new gym here, and really get my ducks in a row..It will be here before I know it! I wish I knew someone going in the same day, would be good to encourage eachother!

good to know there's someone nearby! I am in Montrose. Do you still have to go for fills?

hello ok, am I the only one going through a "funk" before surgery? I was reading posts on the "other" lap band forum...and, good grief, it seemed like most of what I read were problems people were having...nothing to get me excited about. A very different tone than here...some people were reverting to their old ways, were having big problems with no water before, after, or during eating (I am a HUGE water drinker all the time, even take a water bottle into Wal Mart when I shop), blah, blah.... made me scared of my potential determined success. Ok girls, lend me an ear, please don't think I am a whiner, I am a strong woman, but have had so MUCH failure at weight loss, I don't want to screw this up! You are all so positive and I need encouragement. I suspect that once the surgery is done, my fear of myself will turn to excitement!:help:

Hey everyone! I am posting again after reading so much and getting messages before...I am officially on the "bandwagon", have some questions from my ever thinking mind, and could just use the support and encouragement My phone consult with Dr. K is this Friday morning, then Paula in the afternoon. I am officially scheduled for surgery at 1pm on Sept. 11th....so exciting and so scary, kind of like having a baby, but no middle of the night feedings :rolleyes !! So...were any of you "exercisers" before surgery? I have always been allergic to exercise (tee hee!) and am psyching myself out to get off my rear and get boogying! Have you done well changing your exercise lifestyle? And, I will be starting the preop diet in a week or so (I think), I am so committed and excited for this new journey! But....before that, I find myself eating that bowl of ice cream, having that extra enchilada, etc.:hungry: because I know it will change quick! Is that ok? Am I setting myself up for failure by indulging now? Is anyone going to be at Dr. K's on Sept 10th or 11th? Hope to hear back you guys are awesome!

My surgery is scheduled for Sept. 11th with Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver! Was both an easy and tough decision all at the same time! Ok, here are my questions for you who are going or have been there! ~ Are you truly glad you were banded? ~ If you were self pay (I am) how did you pay for it? Do you have any advice about it? ~ How have you physically felt since your surgery? ~ Is it all you expected? I am so excited, but have moments of doubt, and being mad at myself that I haven't been able to get the weight off my myself. Any input? thanks!

Hey, can you send me a PM? my computer is freaking and won't let me send one out!

My surgery is scheduled for Sept 11th. My little doubting thomas brain had a freak attack at the date, at first! But, it will be a new beginning for me! Where are you from? I am on the west slope of Colorado, about a 5 1/2 - 6 hr. drive away! Yippee, we'll almost be banster twins!

Cheri52 ~ ahhh, another tool soul mate!! We wish we actually knew more than we do, but have managed to build a small deck, shed with deck on top, trim windows, baseboard, fencing, raised garden beds, windowboxes, stuff like that...would LOVE to know how to add a room to the house though! Oh, and the replacing faucets, showers, install the garbage disposal, cabinets...ya know, all the fun stuff that saves gobs of money to do yourself! We have learned to figure out everything we have to so far, and more all the time! So, you traded your nail gun for a stethescope? that's awesome! My partner works in landscaping, I work in the insurance/mutual fund realm. And, she is about 5'6" and maybe 125 lbs...egads! but, my shrinking will come! So, everyone...guess what?? I committed..surgery scheduled in September!!!:clap2: Dr. K in Denver. Hey, how is MsDad doing? I haven't seen a post since I discovered this group! Dezbus, Bozlee, TriVon, Baybeeg, Juli, Michiganer, Luci, Chris, MsDad, Mgh (I hope i didn't forget anyone!)...I look foward to getting to know all of you more! You are all awesome..keep up the good work! journey on!

I am scheduled in Sept for Dr. K! Can you believe it??? thanks so much for your input everyone!

Awesome thread! I had fun watching MsDad's journey from before to after! I am at the before stage, just making the decision to finally do this for myself! :clap2: I am a bit nervous, to say the least. Plus incredibly excited at the prospects. Maybe it's a good thing I will have to be self pay, at this stage I might not pass the psych eval an insurance company would want@:faint: My partner and I are in our 12th year together, two kids from my previous marriage. She is supportive of my getting banded, but scared for safety, etc. It cracks me up that with so many couples we have big and small together! She is about 5'6" and maybe 125 lbs. It really sucks when size 8 pants are too big!!!! Well, just wanted to say hello, meet some fellow banditos (or future banditos like myself), and enjoy this GLBT group! Anyone from Colorado? Btw, MsDad, we have a table saw, power drill, router, skillsaw, and an air compressor!! But, damn, were cute! Funny though, I just love designing and building stuff, after I take off the dress and makeup! LOL

Hello I have been reading through over 100 pages of the other Dr. K thread and the posts are wonderful. Since forums produce friendships, a lot of the posts weren't directly about being banded by Dr. K., but about general topics that friends discuss ~ which is totally great, but I was having a hard time reading all the pages! I was wondering if those who have been banded by him could tell me about the experience..the pros, the cons. I had been told to not even consider a surgeon who has performed less than 500 procedures, and I think he's at a tad over 150. Since I am self pay, and live in Colorado about a 6 hr. drive away, it seems like he could be a great doc for me. But, I worry about how many bands he has placed. Should I worry? How did your surgery and after care go? What does he charge for fills? Please just give me any thoughts you have! I am getting ready to apply for a loan, but I have to have a doctor! My other consideration is a great surgeon in Mexico....

I live about 6 hours from Denver and about 4.75 hours from Colorado Springs. I was wondering if there was a fill doc in the Springs because my daughter lives there and it would make travel easy and no hotel expense... I am definately torn on what to do. I would actually have less travel (no drive to Denver) time for surgery going from where I live, direct flight into Mexico. Flying from here to Denver is a little plane that holds about 16 people and costs almost as much as going to Mexico! But, I then need to line up a fill doc. There is supposed to be a great one who supports the Mexico docs. He's in Salt Lake City, which is about as far as Denver. The Springs would be more convenient though. Ugh..all of it makes my head swirl. Lots of research, thoughts, finances, and taking all this great advice! Let's hope I don't chicken out with all it takes to even get to the starting gate. thanks for all your help and encouragement!

Wow, thanks for the responses, and the private message (I will try and email soon!) Please keep the info coming About Dr. K in Denver area - do you know how many lap bands he has done? I had read somewhere else on the board that it is around 100, but I don't know for sure. I emailed his office and asked how many he has done, but they didn't respond. His fill price is wonderful, though. I am glad to hear that others drink coffee! :clap2: I am still researching and reading. I am excited about what the lap band could do for me, but terrified at the same time about surgery. At this rate, though, my weight "aint" doing me any good either. I am so far relieved and encouraged of how much experience a couple of the docs in Mexico have. Has anyone heard of any fill doctors in Colorado Springs? thanks!