Denika

Hey, what other site??:phanvan

Please add me!! I won't add anyone unless you want to add me, because I don't want to make anyone mad! Here's my address: http://www.myspace.com/denikajimmyjamie Thank you!!

Oh my goodness, I can't believe that mine has not arrived before now. I even paid $25.00 to get it shipped overnight and the post office promised my mother that it would get there on time. My person was CARLENE! Carlene I am so sorry that you didn't get it before Labor Day. Since I had the car wreck my mother sent it for me, and she paid the $25.00 for overnight. I feel so bad for letting you down. I promise I do not do this kind of thing under normal circumstances. Please, please, please forgive me!! I apologize to everyone for messing up.

moon goddess, You are right, I should PM my person I guess. I was just so hoping that it had gotten there today. I am so upset that my person hasn't gotten it yet. I feel so bad!

Hello everybody, I have sent mine, so I hope it gets to it's destination on time! I know my "person" mentioned that they had not received theirs yet, but I promise it's on it's way! I had a terrible car accident last week, but my mother mailed it for me, so I know it's been sent. (I am O.K., just really sore.) Next time I'll know to mail it three weeks early!

KIM! I am so sorry that I haven't gotten mine to you yet! With school starting back this week (I'm a teacher) and everything else that's going on, I've been slack and irresponsible and haven't sent anything. I promise it's coming. I haven't read the rest of this thread lately, but is there any place in paticular that they need gift cards from? Is there anything else that they need more than gift cards? I am so sorry for being late with this.

Hello everybody! I just want to thank Frances (aka Sallyjo) for my wonderful and beautiful gifts! She sent me a very caring and thoughtful letter along with the gifts. She gave me a beautiful (and very fitting for this time in my band-life) plaque that says, "NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP" and an absolutely beautiful set of two watches, with 12 interchangeable and gorgeous bands! Thank you so much Frances! I love it all!

I think Lexington is down near Burlington and that area. Maybe like south of Winston-Salem. I think. LOL!

Kim, I am so sorry to hear about your cousin's home! I am also sorry that I am late getting involved in helping them, but we were out of town this weekend and I just read your post. Isn't God wonderful and amazing though by keeping them away from home and safe, saving the bunny, and by keeping the Bibles from getting ruined? I know that they have suffered a terrible loss and are going through a terrible time, but it could've been so much worse. I have no clothes that would fit your cousin, but I sure wish I could fit into size 10 or 12! Unfortunately Jimmy hasn't seen 32 or 34 inch waist pants in many, many years either. But, I may have some clothes the youngest could wear, if she still needs some for him. I can also get gift cards. Please let me know what they still need if you can, and I'll try to get some stuff together. If there is anything else you can think of, please let me know!

I AM SO JEALOUS! I wish I could have been there. I'm never gonna get to meet you all! You all look great, and you look like you had so much fun!

All I've seen of the new guy is a picture, but he did look very cute! For me, the only bad thing is that Dr. Bauman told me is a big Red Sox fan, so that's not good! I can still look at him though!

OHH, thank you everybody for the Happy Bandiversary wishes! I am thrilled with how much I've lost in the past year. Sure, I would have rather lost more, but around 70 is pretty good! I won't lie and say that I'm not a little frustrated right now, and I won't say that a part of me doesn't kind of ENJOY being able to eat more. But, that just shows me that my evil, terrible, dangerous habits are still in me. The band just helps me get a little control over them. Thank you so much everybody! I love this place!

Thank you to everyone who asked about me! I am doing good I guess, except that I can eat anything and everything in sight!! It seems so weird to be able to go to a restaurant and almost eat everything on my plate. It's HARD to have any control, and I hate that part! I found out that he wants me to wait 3 weeks to get any fill again, so I'll be like this until August 15th! I'll probably gain it all back by then! By the way, TODAY IT IS A YEAR FOR ME! :huggie: It's very anticlimatic considering my band is EMPTY, so I didn't feel like my bandiversary was worthy of it's own thread. But regardless, a year ago today I was newly banded!! WooHoo!! :Banane27: :Banane44: :Banane10:

I chose my own doctors for everything except the psychiatric stuff. I went to the office that they recommended for that, but just because I knew they dealt with Dr. Bauman's patients all the time and would do exactly what he wanted done. I love Dr. Bauman! Last week when I was having troubles, he actually called to check on me FROM THE HOSPITAL when he was in O.R. all day. He didn't have to do that. In fact, the receptionist had already told me that it would be impossible for him to see me that day and that I would have to come back the next day. Yes, his sense of humor and wit is a little bit "dry," but it's almost funny at times just to listen to him. I'm sure all the doctors are wonderful, but I really am glad I chose Dr. Bauman.

Well, this is something that I never saw coming, but it did. This past Tuesday was when I REALLY noticed it, but now that I look back, I can kinda see that something was up the day before maybe. I went to see the nutritionist at Dr. Bauman's Monday, and even though I hadn't lost much since the last time, things went pretty well. Then, Tuesday it all started. I started feeling like everything I drank was just sitting in my throat and chest. It felt like I constantly needed to burp, and when I would try to, some of the liquid would come up. Not every time, but a lot of the time. When I would eat something solid, it would actually feel a little better for a little while, but the feeling would come back. It gradually got worse, and to the point where I actually had pain in the bottom of my chest and in my throat. At night, I would have reflux pretty bad. I slept in Jimmy's recliner, and even then I would have some reflux. Of course, I was freaking out because I was scared it had slipped. I'm self-pay, so that would be very, very bad. I finally called Dr. Bauman on Wednesday night. He told me to call the office first thing in the morning, and even though his schedule was "disasterous," he would get me in somehow. So, I called right after 8:00 the next morning, just to be told that there was no way he would see me that day because he was in the O.R. all day. I said, "Well, he TOLD me to call and that he would be able to see me sometime, somehow." But, that didn't do any good, and she told me to call back the NEXT day, Friday, at 9:00. What else could I do? So, I said O.K. and hung up. Then, just a few hours later, they called back. She said that Dr. Bauman had called the office to check on me, (have I mentioned that he is wonderful?) and that he would come back to the office at 4:00, and for me to be there at 3:45. When I got there, he took all of my saline out. Then, he had me drink some Water. I drank one sip, and I said, "It's a little better." He said, "A LITTLE? It should be a lot better." So, I then drank the rest of the cup straight down with no problem. It was such a big difference, like night and day. The weird thing is, it's been over a month since my last fill. I don't know why it would get tight now. I mean, I've heard of fills taking a while to take affect, but a month?? The only other thing that I can thing of is that Monday night I ate some Port-a-Pit chicken that was a little burnt on the outside, and that maybe that scratched something going down and got things irritated. I don't know. So, I'm unfilled, and I can definitely tell it! I can't believe how much more hungry I am now. I am afraid that I'll gain during this, but I'm going to try not to. Dr. Bauman is so funny. He is such a smarty britches, but I just can't get mad at him when he does it. He's funny at the same time, but I can see how that would rub some people the wrong way. I just wanted to share my first real "band tribulation" with you. This is the first problem I've had whatsoever, and I'm coming up on a year now. (the 26th) So, I guess that's pretty good. I hope you all are having a great weekend!

I'm UNFILLED! I never saw this coming, but it did. This past Tuesday was when I REALLY noticed it, but now that I look back, I can kinda see that something was up the day before maybe. I went to see the nutritionist at Dr. Bauman's Monday, and even though I hadn't lost much since the last time, things went pretty well. Then, Tuesday it all started. I started feeling like everything I drank was just sitting in my throat and chest. It felt like I constantly needed to burp, and when I would try to, some of the liquid would come up. Not every time, but a lot of the time. When I would eat something solid, it would actually feel a little better for a little while, but the feeling would come back. It gradually got worse, and to the point where I actually had pain in the bottom of my chest and in my throat. At night, I would have reflux pretty bad. I slept in Jimmy's recliner, and even then I would have some reflux. Of course, I was freaking out because I was scared it had slipped. I'm self-pay, so that would be very, very bad. I finally called Dr. Bauman on Wednesday night. He told me to call the office first thing in the morning, and even though his schedule was "disasterous," he would get me in somehow. So, I called right after 8:00 the next morning, just to be told that there was no way he would see me that day because he was in the O.R. all day. I said, "Well, he TOLD me to call and that he would be able to see me sometime, somehow." But, that didn't do any good, and she told me to call back the NEXT day, Friday, at 9:00. What else could I do? So, I said O.K. and hung up. Then, just a few hours later, they called back. She said that Dr. Bauman had called the office to check on me, (have I mentioned that he is wonderful?) and that he would come back to the office at 4:00, and for me to be there at 3:45. When I got there, he took all of my saline out. Then, he had me drink some Water. I drank one sip, and I said, "It's a little better." He said, "A LITTLE? It should be a lot better." So, I then drank the rest of the cup straight down with no problem. It was such a big difference, like night and day. The weird thing is, it's been over a month since my last fill. I don't know why it would get tight now. I mean, I've heard of fills taking a while to take affect, but a month?? The only other thing that I can thing of is that Monday night I ate some Port-a-Pit chicken that was a little burnt on the outside, and that maybe that scratched something going down and got things irritated. I don't know. So, I'm unfilled, and I can definitely tell it! I can't believe how much more hungry I am now. I am afraid that I'll gain during this, but I'm going to try not to. Dr. Bauman is so funny. He is such a smarty britches, but I just can't get mad at him when he does it. He's funny at the same time, but I can see how that would rub some people the wrong way. I just wanted to share my first real "band tribulation" with you. This is the first problem I've had whatsoever, and I'm coming up on a year now. (the 26th) So, I guess that's pretty good. I hope you all are having a great weekend!

Hello everybody, I've been a little scarce around here, but it's been a little hectic. Thursday, my assistant's little boy was in a wreck and was thrown from the car. I called her cell phone, and her husband answered. I asked him if Bryson was O.K., and he said, "I don't know Denika" and he was crying. I told him I was on my way to the hospital. I called my Mama to see if she could meet us there and get Jamie for me, and she said, "Which hospital?" I said "Frye." Then she said, "Well, I'm already here. You're Paw (her Daddy) has had a stroke." Can you believe that?!:drama: So, I was there at the hospital, going back and forth between the two in the Emergency Room. Bryson had a cat scan, and it came back O.K. But, since he was a child and was thrown from the car, they sent him to Winston just to be sure. They said that they have a pediatric neurologist there and that they wanted to make double sure his head was O.K. He got to come home yesterday, and he's fine! Isn't God wonderful?! He does have to wear a neck brace for two weeks because he said that his neck was hurting, but Talia thought it might be sore from wearing the brace since the wreck and that it's making his neck sore. My Paw was in the hospital until yesterday, and even though his stroke was bad and has caused damage, it could have been much worse. So, that's what happened. Plus, yesterday, our boxer that Jimmy and I got after we had been married only a year (and used to sleep in our bed every night before we had Jamie) died. It's been a hectic 3 or 4 days, but God has blessed us by making Bryson and my Paw O.K. Karen, I am so glad that you got your keys back! I can't believe they dropped right down that hole. Dianne, I'm so happy that you weren't hurt in the wreck! You're ANGEL was certainly amazing and a blessing too!! That is wonderful, and gives me chills! :angel:

OHH! I haven't done one of these on here before, but I want to! Please count me in. I'll PM you with my information, and let me know if I leave something out.

WooHoo! Congratulations!! It will be here before you know it, and you'll be losing like crazy. I'm so happy for you!

Karen, Congratulations!! All of those are wonderful NSV's, and you should be very proud of yourself!

Heck yes I've lied about it, and my husband knew pre-band better than to ask. He was forbidden to look at the scale when he did go with me to the doctor about anything, and when we took out life insurance policies, the man filling out the paperwork had to give ME the form and then both of them had to close their eyes while I held my hand over it and wrote with the other hand. I know, I know, like he didn't look later when he left, but at least it wasn't in front of me. Now however, my husband knows the truth. He's overweight too, and we both finally made a pact to let the other know so that we could help each other. He's not banded, refuses to be banded, but does want to lose weight. It is also kind of "freeing" when you do finally let them know though. You don't have to work so hard at keeping the secret. Now, letting other people besides my husband know is a totally different story. That's not gonna happen. Someday I may feel comfortable letting others know what I USED to weigh, but not yet. When I'm at a good weight I'll think about it.

I just want to thank everyone who is responding to this thread. I've already learned several new things to try from it, and I've had my band almost a year!

Hello, I was self-pay, and I think the total was around $18,500. We took out a regular loan at the bank, and I think I borrowed $20,000 just to be safe. My monthly payments are around $400.00. This covered EVERYTHING to do with the surgery, hospital, one night's stay, and four fills afterwards. I love my band, and I don't regret it for a minute. The only time I have any bad thoughts are when I make out that check to the bank every month!

I can't help much, since I was self-pay, but I don't think it should take very long. I do know that last summer when I did finally get "the call" that they had a date for me, it was for a month or so in advance. I know I'm not much help in answering your question, but I am hoping that you'll get your date any day now!

I am so sorry that your mother has had to go through this, but I'm very glad to hear that she is home and doing better. I hate we aren't going to get to meet you! But, you are where you need to be, and I don't blame you at all for not wanting to leave her so soon. I will be thinking about you both and praying for you!