TC27

Hi Gillian and bigsister - 'WELCOME BACK GIRLS!' I'm please that you are back safe and well. Like I said to Wishfull, I am really greatful to you for posting your experiences so quickly and providing a witty, informative recount. I also want to thank you for your good wishes for me too - they are much appreciated. You all seem to be doing really well and are having good results with you weight loss already. I would be overjoyed with 2lbs a week. Keep up the good work girls and dont forget to keep us up to date with your progress. By the way I went to my GP again today and although my BP was a little high, she said it was ok - so Belgium here I come T x

Hi Wishful 'WELCOME BACK' - thank you so much for writing such a detailed accout of your journey so far, it's much appreciated. A really good read; it was informative and made me laugh too ( you, Gillian and bigsister have been a big miss while you were away) You are doing really well and your weight loss so far is fab - well done you!! I hope you continue on your excellent recovery and that you continue to have a great weight loss. I am really excitied for my op now and much less nervous after reading your report. I look forward to your next installment. Thanks again Wishfull and take care. T xx

Hi TL, sounds like you are doing brilliantly considering you haven't even had a fill yet - good luck for Thursday!. T x

Thanks for the update Miss Flump. It's good to hear things are going well for you. Keep up the good work. I look forward to your next update. T x

Hi Gillian and Wishful. It is so nice to hear from you again. I'm pleased it went well and you are home safe and sound (hope you are well too bigsister) Thanks for the info provided so far. I'm really looking forward to reading the full story, so hopefully you are up to it before I leave next Sunday. Take care and get plenty of rest. T x

Hello and welcome Mand. April will be here before you know it. I joined the forum in October and I'm havinge my band fitted in just over a week and the time has flown. The people on here are really special and I am so happy I found this site before having my op as the info and support I have received has been brilliant. T x

I'm looking forward to meeting you too Tammy. I will send you a pm with my mobile phone number so that we can contact each other when we are there. T x

Hi Freckles You dont have to be sorry - it's me that's been the dope. I had a chuckle to myself when I read my post back when I stated I don't think I'm an alcoholic as I only drink vodka:huh2:. I was trying to say I don't like the taste of anything else, but I know I will easily learn:lol: I do hope I get to meet Tammy - it will all be over for her by the time I get there, so hopefully she can give me some advice. I hope if you need them, you can manage to get copies of your x-rays, but hopefully it wont come to that. T x

Hi Tammy, you haven't been on here for a while, so I thought maybe you had changed your mind. It will be good to a have a couple of days in Brussels before your surgery. I only have one day in Brussels before my surgery, but as I haven't been there before I'm looking forward to having a little look around before my op. My flight on the Sunday has been moved back half an hour, so I don't think I will get to the hotel until around midnight. I would still like to meet up with you before you go so hopefully we can have a chat before you leave on the Monday morning - or is your flight silly o'clock time? I will be thinking of you on Friday and send my best wishes for a safe and successful operation:thumbup:. How is your low fat pre-op diet going by the way. I thought mine was going ok until Freckles informed me I shouldn't be drinking at all:ohmy: I will have to try harder I guess:blushing: Teresa x

Oh well Freckles - I guess I have failed already. I had a few drinks last night and tonight. (Note to self must try harder:crying: ) Like you (and most of my friends) I like a couple of drinks most nights, but I don't regard myself as an alcoholic as I don't like anything else but vodka and coke, although after my band I know I might not be able to drink coke - so I guess I will have to experiment - or give up:ohmy: I would really like to be able to drink after my band as I still want to have a life, although I don't mind having less. Happy birthday for Wednesday:cake:. That's what I mean, it would still be nice to be able to celebrate special occassions. I hope you had a good birthday. It's mine on 27th February and I will be 47, so I have 3 years to slim down before my 50th:redface: You would think those x-rays would have made it there by now. I really hope they haven't got lost. Would you be able to get copies without too much fuss? I do hope so. T x

Hi Freckles and mmm Thanks for your support girls - it is much appreciated and its nice to know we all care about each other on this journey. I started my low fat diet on Tuesday. I was going to follow the BOSPA diet that Tropical Lagoon did but I thought it was a bit restrictive for me to follow without cheating. I have just been watching the fat content in the food I have been eating and have had smaller portions. I also didn't have an alcoholic drink (vodka and coke is my tipple) until Friday - big achievement for me - not that I'm an alcoholic just yet mind you:wink2: I got weighed on Friday and I had lost 5 pounds already, so it seems to be working:thumbup: You just go and enjoy your holiday Freckles, have a final blow out, there is very little if no fat in most alcoholic drinks so don't worry. Anyway you have plenty of time to diet when you get back. Have your x-rays arrived by snail mail yet? A week tomorrow and I will be off to Belgium - blood pressure permitting:mellow:. Aww bless you mmm I am excitied too but I'm also very nervous. When I get back it wont be long for you, February 13th isn't it? Then it will be my turn to get excited for you :-) Freckles, when my husband is away at work I don't have much of a life either. I only go out on a Friday night with my friends. Nothing special we just have a chin wag and binge drink - lol. I suppose that will all have to stop after the 27th:ohmy:. Well must go another carrot stick is waiting - yeh right:lol: T x Hope Gillian, bigsister and wishfull are doing ok - sending my best wishes girls xxx

Yes Freckles my husband is going with me but it would still be nice to have someone from the forum going the same time too. I'm sure you will be with me in mind if not in body:unsure: T x

Hi everyone - I'm sure the girls are going to be fine tomorow, but I cant stop thinking about them, probably because it will be me in 12 days time! I'm really looking forward to hearing from them after they have had their op. Freckles I'm sure your x-rays will make their way to Dr Chris eventually, fingers crossed for you it's tomorrow Tx

Best wishes girls - we will all be thinking about you on Friday. Take care. T x:grouphug:

I am curious too Freckles and have sent you a pm with my email address - thank you. T x

Well done TL, both you and Miss Flump are an inspiration. I love reading your updates. Thank you to you both for all the information and advice you have provided in the past. I am being banded on 27th (as long as my blood presure behaves itself) and just want it over with now. I'm starting my pre-op diet tomorrow and feel it is the day my journey begins. Keep up the good work and the weight will drop off. T x

Hi wishful - well done on you great pre-op diet, although I am sorry you have been ill, although I suppose the weight loss was a bonus! Good luck for Friday, I will be thinking of you, although I'm sure the 3 of you will be just fine. Take care and let me know how you get on as soon as you are feeling up to it. T x

Hi bigsis - sounds like apart from the curry and low calorie smoothies (Gillians fault I know:laugh:) you have done well on keeping things low fat. I'm sure your BMI will be fine on Friday and I hope everything goes well (which I'm sure it will) Thank you for your good wishes and look forward to hearing from you shortly. T x

Hi Gillian - the baileys, doubles cream and ice cream smoothies sound devine - OMG I wish they were slimming I would be about 7 stones LOL. I went to my GP today at long last and she was really lovely about the whole thing, although she did scare me a bit and said my blood pressure is too high at the minute and they might not do my op if it stays that high. I am having it checked next Mon and might need to email Frederick to confirm it will be ok. I have had a cough and bad chest for 2 weeks but it seems to be getting better, so hopefully my BP will be down a bit by next week, especially with as my pre-op diet will be well underway (right!). I wonder if they have ever cancelled anyone because of high BP. Anyway I wish you all the best for Friday and cant wait for your first post afterwards. Take care. T x

Thank you so much for you good wishes. I hope your x-rays have arrived by now and you can get things sorted for whichever date you choose ( I know what you mean about valentines day, as everything trebles in price) T x

Hi Freckles, I'm flying from Newcastle direct to Brussels National Airport with BMI. It has cost me £282 for me and my husband and I have booked the package with Dr Chris for 4070 euros, which includes the op, taxis and hotel. With the poor exchange rate at the minute it has worked out quite a bit more than I originally thought it would, but hopefully it will all be worth it. I hope you can get free respite care for your mam for a couple of weeks, it would be so unfair if you have to pay, especially when you are saving the government so much already by looking after her yourself - bless you and her. Good luck with your arrangements. T x Sorry forgot to mention my flight doesn't arrive until after 11pm and Frederick said I could have the meeting with Dr Chris on the morning of my op rather than the day before, but I have decided to have an extra day in Brussels before having my op and it costs an extra 100 euros. Hope that helps. T x

Hi bigsister - hows your diet going? - I was originally borderline with my BMI like you, but I have no worries now after gaining 21 pounds - what an idiot I am, I now have over 6 stones to lose:( I thought the same as your son about the exchange rate going down and only ended up getting quite a good rate as I was too lazy to get my money changed before I did. I have also been working extra hours at work to build up my flexi so that I dont have to take too much annual leave after my op. I can have four days flexi a month and as I dont work a Monday I wont have to use too much leave to have a couple of weeks off. Good luck and take care, I will be thinking of you next week. T x

Hi Wishfull - How's your diet going? Don't you worry I'm sure Dr Chris has seen his fair share of well nourished people (to put it politely!!) and I'm probably well up there with the best of them:) I would loved to have been there with you three but I'm afraid my husband works away and the earliest he could come with me was for me to have the op on 27th. Good luck and I will be thinking of you next week. T x

Hi Gillian - how is the diet going? I have to start mine on Tuesday and am dreading it. I have now gained 21 pounds since I booked my op and I have never been this weight in my life (I feel like a big heffa). I dont think I am eating/drinking that much more but I do know nothing fits any more, so the pre-op diet may be a blessing:( I do hope I share a room with people that are like the members of this forum, you are right they have missed out big time. Thank you for your support and making me laugh - Dr Chris wont know whats hit him when you three arrive. Good luck - I will be thinking of you next week. T x

Hi Sanflan. When I was having trouble sending the deposit through my bank, Frederick said I could just pay the whole amount when I arrived if it was easier. I did however manage to send the deposit in the end and although I asked him to confirm receipt, I didn't get one! I am going to email him again for confirmation that all is ok, although i'm sure it is (sometimes you have to send him a subtle reminder that you are still awaiting a reply :regular_smile: I'm sure everything will be fine, but don't hesitiate to ask him to confirm it asap. T x