SpecialK

TM -- me too! I'm so sorry for you. Hopefully Mt. Carmel can take the various doctor reports and clearances you have from preparing to go to Barix and that should cut time off. I feel so bad for you. Hang in there. P.S. I'm a person that cries instead of cussing too - at least most of the time but every now and then one slips out. Everyone - stay warm -- Blizzard of 2008 evidently is upon us!

My PCP was totally against gastric bypass but was only lukewarm in supporting my decision about lapband - hoped she could talk me out of it but knew I needed to lose weight to get healthy.

Got this one in an email today and thought I'd share it. A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes. A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food. Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food. Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function. Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys. Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body. Eggplant,Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .. It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemica l constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them). Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility. Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics. Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries Grapefruits, Oranges, and Other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts. Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

This was in Weight Loss for Dummies book and I thought it also sounded good. Skipping trips to Starbucks for the liquids stages for sure. vanilla Cappaccino shake 2 scoops unjury Vanilla 4 oz skim milk, frozen into cubes 4 oz skim milk (not frozen) 1 TB instant coffee (decaf) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 packet sugar substitute Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Calories 280 (4 from fat), Fat 0 gr, Sat Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 229 mg, Carb 20g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 48g.

Okay, now I have your attention!! This was in Weight Loss for Dummies book under the liquid diet idea and I thought it sounded yummy. chocolate Covered Cherries shake 2 Scoops unjury chocolate 4 oz skim milk - frozen into ice cubes 2 oz plain low fat yogurt (I use fat free too) 2 oz skim milk 1 oz fresh cherries, pitted (can substitute frozen cherries if needed) Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Calories: 299 (with 11 from Fat), Fat 1 gm, Sat Fat 1 gm, Cholesterol 7 mg, Sodium 238 mg, Carbs 24g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 49g.

I've been thinking about what things different people or posts have said have been helpful and I'm getting my shopping list together and thought others might have something to add to help me: Liquid Tylenol Cup Warmer - I was told to put a small saucer on this to keep your food warm because it takes so long to eat that food goes cold. Candy or Meat Thermometer so you can be sure you don't heat liquids up past 130 degrees or you let them cool down to that temp if you are going to mix Protein (like Unjury) into it. I have the Chicken Soup version and they have big warnings it will curdle if you mix it with too hot water. Digital scale - to accurately weigh 1 or 2 oz of something. Tape measure - to take my Before measurements Disposable camera to take to the hospital or have at home after to take some Before or even Scar stage pictures (if you are brave enough) :tongue: Blender - if you didn't have one before. Hand blender to mix shakes or puree food.

I can speak for the Mt. Carmel side - they have alot of experience with GB compared to LB but they can do either. You just have to go in there firm in your mind with them that you don't want your insides rearranged and you want adjustable, and reversible if it would ever come to that. My surgeon asked me if I wouldn't want GB because I'd lose much faster and with LB I'd have to work harder and maybe lose slower and I was firm that I was committed to LB and he said Great! I'll do your LB.

Yes 2 meetings in April is good. I hadn't looked at the calendar to see that April 7th was a Monday.

We are all thinking along the same lines. I will see what the weather looks like tomorrow a.m. to see if I can make it. I'd love to see you fellow bandsters. I don't think the Easter weekend is very good for most people, I definitely would be post surgery just 5 days at that point and probably wouldn't get out.

Hi. everything I've read say

Come on over to the March 2008 or April 2008 Monthly Support Group threads. Its really helpful to see what others are saying that are going step by step through the same things you are in the same month. Plus we have our little nickname for March 2008 Bandsters of Shrinking Shamrocks --kind of like a little club nickname. I bet the April folks are coming up with one too. Just haven't gone over there to look. When you see others posting, you'll see their monthly nicknames like Victorious Valentines, New Years Knockouts, November Nymphs, etc. Its just a way to have some fun. Best wishes to all.

I think alot of doctors try to talk BMI > 50 patients into gastric bypass because that is what they have the most experience with for seriously obese patients like me. I stood my ground and said I didn't want to rearrange my whole gastric and intestines (removing some intestines with GB) and that I understood that if lapband took more work on my part and more time, I would make that commitment. He was perfectly fine once I acknowledged and said what I wanted. !!

Got my Medic Id bracelet today in the mail that I ordered. Its really cute! Can't wait to put it on and wear it home from the hospital. LOL Plus bought some

I thought I'd go ahead and start us a thread to suggest that the meeting for April be the day of the Style Show April 7th for the Before/After patients that Mt. Carmel's bariatric program is hosting at the Polaris Mall that day. Let's plan for 2-4pm again in the food Court area tentatively. I'll let you know where the style show is held at - probably on the first floor where they'd have some room to set up a stage or something? Not sure.

Here's a tip from someone who had a sleep study x2 -- they put me down for an initial date and asked if I could be flexible and come earlier if they had an opening. Believe it or not, they called me twice with just 4 hours to commit to go and have it done. The first time I couldn't go but the 2nd time, I moved up about 2 weeks from the original appointment. So definitely tell them you want the earliest date they can give you and you'd like to be on a standby call list if someone else cancels that you could come in on short notice. Good luck!

Welcome Amy! You'll enjoy posting and getting support from everyone on the site. I love it.

Since I only have to stay overnight 1 night, I was bringing my pajamas (so I can get out of a yucky hospital gown), slippers, robe and not much else. Sending my street clothes home with family overnight and they'll bring them back the next day. I suppose a little bag of toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush. Not really going to worry about primping too much! LOL! P.S. I'm leaving all jewelry, purse at home and just taking my insurance card and picture ID to the hospital in the a.m. to check in. Hope this helps.

I bought the balloon tonight to mark our spot for Saturday -- a green shamrock! I get to take it home though this time to save for St. Patty's Day - my surgery day.

Question for those who have been through or going through the pre-op liquid diet -- did you notice being cold - hands cold or just couldnt seem to feel warm like you normally were? that is if you were not someone who noticed the cold alot before? I'm sipping some hot chicken broth tonight to warm me up.

I know now the date of the Style Show will be on April 7th but don't know the time yet. Will update this post when I know more. I was told it was very inspirational to see the Before and After photos and the mall stores apparently help dress the patients who are in the style show in some great clothes to accent their new healthy bodies. I guess some of us could look at those who are thinner now and be envious or depressed but I look at it as examples of those who succeeded and it helps to give me confidence to succeed too.

This is a great bunch of March 2008 band date folks and if you want to come on over to the thread for March 2008 bandsters, there is a group of everyone starting the journey about the same time together. The thread is under Monthly Support Groups - 2008 and then March 2008.

I think that's what I was trying to say about the liquid diet portion. Kind of feeling jittery and/or feeling decreased energy when I get about 4 hours past the last time I had a weight loss shake. I seemed to do better day #1 when I ate the meat/veg meal at lunch and then did the weight loss shakes for breakfast and dinner so I think I'll do that again today.

Got my letter in the mail and I'm all set with what I need for pre-op testing. Made it through Day 2 pre-op diet but it was getting harder....

So sorry to hear about your experience. You might try checking the thread out called Doctors & Hospitals and be sure others considering this Topeka facility know of your experience and maybe someone will contact you. Best wishes.

I'm doing the same thing approximately except for 3 weight loss shakes of about 180 cal plus about a 300-400 calorie meal of lean meat/vegs. I really hit a wall this afternoon about maybe 3pm after having my lunch shake at about 11:30 and I had to break down and get an extra shake out of my stash in my drawer at work - I felt a little panicy if that makes any sense. Within about 30 minutes, I was okay again and now almost 3+ hrs has gone by and I don't feel drastically hungry yet to eat my dinner. Found out my pre-op admission testing isn't until March 11 with my surgeon visit on March 14 and then surgery date on March 17. I am doing the pre-op diet on my own discipline because I know so many others have said their doctor requires it but technically until I go on March 11th and they tell me otherwise, I could still be eating. Its just a voluntary act on my part to get into the right mindset.