Band_Groupie

Thanks for sharing this! Just what I needed today...nervous about preparing for my surgeon consult. I love success stories, and you look great!:cursing:

All compiled from everyone's posts/research here...I'm sure I'm missing something though...

It’s not what you think…although I’m not sure what you’re thinking:glare:…the dryer:washing: broke yesterday. Doesn’t it know I have mounds of laundry to do? Doesn’t it know we, five "we’s" actually, just returned from not one, but two Thanksgiving week trips; :car:Ohio and Philly:car:…I have suitcases full of laundry! Doesn’t it remember putting all my laundry on hold so my DD, home from college could do all her mounds of laundry before we left? My poor dryer…it’s old:closedeyes:…it’s moved houses with us…it no longer remembers anything…it has, as my children say to me when I forget something, it has “old-timers”. I put in a white load this morning…all was well with Ms. Washer…after all, she was repaired (yet again, after another flood) recently. But when I went to close Mr., Dryer, the tiny piece of metal that sticks out (maybe that’s why it’s a Mr.) to tell it the door is shut broke off (ouch, sorry Mr.). Of course the dryer won’t run without knowing the door is shut…I tried to tell it, yes the door is shut…I even tried to push a paper clip in the hole where the metal came from…no luck…but maybe I WAS lucky…I didn’t think to unplug Mr. Dryer before I shoved a paper clip into that hole…HEY, it’s 220V, I could have been electrocuted!!:huh2: I called DH-Mr.SA, and he called his new best friend Art-the-repair-man. Let me go back…A few years back when the appliances started to fail, we called the company for a repair person…we got a $295 bill for a $12 fuse and <10 min. repair.:glare: So the next time one failed Mr.SA decided he was going to try his hand at appliance repair. Do you know there are online sites where you “diagnose” the problem and then buy their parts and follow the online instructions. Sounds like those medical sites doesn’t it…Oh, how my Dr. loves when I go there…diagnose yourself…very scary business….you end up thinking your have all kinds of horrible things…but I’ve digressed…anyhoooo…Mr.SA confidently tried his hand at the diagnosis and the repair…twice, actually…he admitted defeat only when he had no clean underwear left. In marches the local repair man, Art (no expensive company men for us anymore). Nice old guy…and he loves my old washer and dryer “don’t makem’ like that anymore! Those new ones have a computer board…$500 for the smallest problem…can’t fix just a part on those!” Don’t tell Mr.SA, but I ratted him out to Art, just in case he’d done more damage…after Art was done laughing he replaced my $12 fuse, charged me $50 for the house-call and gave me his card with strict instructions not to let my DH touch the machines. He’s been back every 3-6 months since then and Mr.SA usually hurries home to meet him…yep, I’m at home, but Mr.SA, who fancies himself the ultimate handyman (actually he’s very handy…most of the time) loves to chat it up with anyone who touches anything on our house. So today he called his best bud Art. I get a frantic call back from Mr.SA saying I have to meet Art at a local gas station in just a few minutes…he’s booked solid today…so he’s giving us the part…no time to explain. :driving:I rush to the gas station where Art meets me with a smile… “No charge for the little part!”…tell me there aren’t honest repairmen in the world anymore! I smile and wish him a happy holidays and tell him I’m sure we’ll be seeing him soon (unfortunately)…he rushes off shouting out the truck window “It’s an easy repair, but tell your DH to call me tomorrow if he has any problems!” Problems? What problems…of course…why else would we be getting the part…why wasn’t I thinking…he’s put Mr.SA in charge of the repair!!!! I’m thinking as I drive home…doesn’t Art remember how he met us…doesn’t he remember my story of the two failed repairs…has Mr.SA schmoosed him into thinking he can handle this? :unsure:Now I’m getting nervous…after all, I have MOUNDS of laundry…the natives are getting restless…last pairs of clean underwear! Mr.SA gets home tonight beaming in anticipation… “Where’s the part?”… “On top of the dryer.”:thumbup:…I’m trying to be supportive… “Whoops!” I hear from the laundry room…my heart beats faster…whoops?.:car:..he busted something else already??… “I guess I didn’t explain the problem/part very well…he gave me the actual latch for the door…the wrong part!” :party: I guess we’ll be seeing old Art soon (maybe he’ll learn his lesson this time). My wet whites load is now out of the dryer hanging all over the house…at least we have clean underwear this time…even if it’s stiff!:confused:

It’s not what you think…although I’m not sure what you’re thinking:glare:…the dryer:washing: broke yesterday. Doesn’t it know I have mounds of laundry to do? Doesn’t it know we, five "we’s" actually, just returned from not one, but two Thanksgiving week trips; :car:Ohio and Philly:car:…I have suitcases full of laundry! Doesn’t it remember putting all my laundry on hold so my DD, home from college could do all her mounds of laundry before we left? My poor dryer…it’s old:closedeyes:…it’s moved houses with us…it no longer remembers anything…it has, as my children say to me when I forget something, it has “old-timers”. I put in a white load this morning…all was well with Ms. Washer…after all, she was repaired (yet again, after another flood) recently. But when I went to close Mr., Dryer, the tiny piece of metal that sticks out (maybe that’s why it’s a Mr.) to tell it the door is shut broke off (ouch, sorry Mr.). Of course the dryer won’t run without knowing the door is shut…I tried to tell it, yes the door is shut…I even tried to push a paper clip in the hole where the metal came from…no luck…but maybe I WAS lucky…I didn’t think to unplug Mr. Dryer before I shoved a paper clip into that hole…HEY, it’s 220V, I could have been electrocuted!!:scared2: I called DH-Mr.SA, and he called his new best friend Art-the-repair-man. Let me go back…A few years back when the appliances started to fail, we called the company for a repair person…we got a $295 bill for a $12 fuse and <10 min. repair.:biggrin: So the next time one failed Mr.SA decided he was going to try his hand at appliance repair. Do you know there are online sites where you “diagnose” the problem and then buy their parts and follow the online instructions. Sounds like those medical sites doesn’t it…Oh, how my Dr. loves when I go there…diagnose yourself…very scary business….you end up thinking your have all kinds of horrible things…but I’ve digressed…anyhoooo…Mr.SA confidently tried his hand at the diagnosis and the repair…twice, actually…he admitted defeat only when he had no clean underwear left. In marches the local repair man, Art (no expensive company men for us anymore). Nice old guy…and he loves my old washer and dryer “don’t makem’ like that anymore! Those new ones have a computer board…$500 for the smallest problem…can’t fix just a part on those!” Don’t tell Mr.SA, but I ratted him out to Art, just in case he’d done more damage…after Art was done laughing he replaced my $12 fuse, charged me $50 for the house-call and gave me his card with strict instructions not to let my DH touch the machines. He’s been back every 3-6 months since then and Mr.SA usually hurries home to meet him…yep, I’m at home, but Mr.SA, who fancies himself the ultimate handyman (actually he’s very handy…most of the time) loves to chat it up with anyone who touches anything on our house. So today he called his best bud Art. I get a frantic call back from Mr.SA saying I have to meet Art at a local gas station in just a few minutes…he’s booked solid today…so he’s giving us the part…no time to explain. :driving:I rush to the gas station where Art meets me with a smile… “No charge for the little part!”…tell me there aren’t honest repairmen in the world anymore! I smile and wish him a happy holidays and tell him I’m sure we’ll be seeing him soon (unfortunately)…he rushes off shouting out the truck window “It’s an easy repair, but tell your DH to call me tomorrow if he has any problems!” Problems? What problems…of course…why else would we be getting the part…why wasn’t I thinking…he’s put Mr.SA in charge of the repair!!!! I’m thinking as I drive home…doesn’t Art remember how he met us…doesn’t he remember my story of the two failed repairs…has Mr.SA schmoosed him into thinking he can handle this? :unsure:Now I’m getting nervous…after all, I have MOUNDS of laundry…the natives are getting restless…last pairs of clean underwear! Mr.SA gets home tonight beaming in anticipation… “Where’s the part?”… “On top of the dryer.”:thumbup:…I’m trying to be supportive… “Whoops!” I hear from the laundry room…my heart beats faster…whoops?.:car:..he busted something else already??… “I guess I didn’t explain the problem/part very well…he gave me the actual latch for the door…the wrong part!” :party: I guess we’ll be seeing old Art soon (maybe he’ll learn his lesson this time). My wet whites load is now out of the dryer hanging all over the house…at least we have clean underwear this time…even if it’s stiff!:biggrin3:

Thanks gals! You're right JA...I think it's similar to that "head hunger" everyone talks about...I'm finding there's so much "head" stuff I need to change my thoughts about...putting myself first, learning how hard this will be, coming to grips with it being forever...(I could never stay on all my other diets forever, even after I lost big amounts), but starting to believe I can do this...you're right...whole nother ballgame!

Thanks for all the detail, it so helps to see what happens. Hope you're feeling better today!

Is there a list of questions for your first surgeon consult anywhere on here (I'm anal, I know-have another list for the insurance lady)? I realize that some of these may get answered at the initial seminars (been to mine already), but I still have lots of details to ask. I'm hoping the Dr. will cover most of this when I get there. Here's what I have so far, PLEASE help me add to this (going in a few weeks, thanks!): PRE-OP - Pre-Op Diet- how long, what/when? Night before-what/when? - Bowel Prep- or not, what/when? - My Meds.- continue reg. meds, Vitamins, up until when? WHICH BAND (I have a choice) - Realize- Want to see this one filled/crease concern, and the bend back lock - Lap-Band APS or APL- How much fill is in it immediately, and is this all in the port/tube (zero band fill)? See it filled. - Low profile port- Which has? option for me now or later? SURGERY/IN HOSPITAL - When does surgery get scheduled/criteria? Tentative date or wait for insurance approval? - Allergies- Mine-soaps/sheets, adhesive tape (fine with the hypo-allergenic kind), all environmental (asthma) - Anesthesia-preventatives for nausea possible (I get easily nauseated, was given 2 things for nausea by anesthesiologist last surgery)? - Catheter- used? out when? - Oxygen/IV- confirm yes- also? - Clot Preventatives- leg sleeves? meds, other? - Band- Attachment-How-lower stomach folds up and sutured (2-5) on one side? How long until it is secure/fused How can slippage occur? Is it tested during surgery, blue dye or how? - Port (I can chose where) Determine best position, attached how? How long until it is secure/fused? How can flips occur? - CO2- What do you do to minimize gas pains? Remove excess? Is it heated/humidified? Meds after? - Incisions- Confirm 5/locations? Use staples, stitches, glue? Protected with what/coverings? - Complications- should I expect any with my history? - Timing- (Mainly for DH)What is approx. timing/process of surgery (arival, prep, surgery, recovery, etc.) - Pain Meds- after, what, how often, side effects/nausea? - My Meds- Can I take my reg. meds in hospital, when? - Nausea- Meds available immediately after if needed? - Coughing- (some wake up and cough, I have asthma and easily cough) are meds available for this immediately? Can I also take inhaler immediately? - Length of stay- 1 night? What is the criteria for release? - Tests- Barium swallow? X-ray? Urine test? Other? - Expectations- Up and walking when? Shower? etc. HOME/POST-OP - Incisions- What to expect, treat them, buy anything, timing? - Expectations/Instructions- sleeping (propped up?), lifting, work, pain-when to call, etc. - Pain Meds- What, how often? Can I pre-fill Rx? - Other Meds- Nausea/Vomiting (get Rx for Phenergan), Diarrhea/Constipation, Coughing, Gas pains? Get Rx or OK list for OTC, and when it's OK. Call at what point? - My Meds.- If not started in hospital, when is it OK to start regular meds., vitamins? - Card- LB card to carry in wallet available, info. on limitations, loc. of port, surgeon info? - Diet- Phases what/when? Vitamin supplements? What to buy? - Exercise- What, when? LONG TERM - Dr. Visits- What is normal schedule for post-op visits, for what, testing, or only see at fills? - Fills- What is normal schedule/Normal amounts? Criteria? Who does? How are they done- xray, fluroscope, barium swallow, local anesthetic? Unfills the same? - Complications- Fill/restriction issues, Port/Band Pain, When to call? - Support Group- Schedule

OK, since my seminar I’ve been putting off calling to schedule my consult with the surgeon. I found it interesting that AGH (Hospital) leaves it in your hands to call them to schedule if you are interested and you can see the surgeon as soon as you want to. :glare: The other two hospitals I went to say they’ll call you to let you know if you are “accepted” into the program or not, and you can’t consult with the surgeon until a certain point in their programs. So I could see the surgeon right away…nice, right? So why was I putting it off?:huh2: I think I felt like I wouldn’t get many of these visits unless there was a reason for more (maybe just one, not sure), so I wanted to have all my questions in line (I’m anal about researching things). I kept saying “I’ll call tomorrow”.:confused: As we are literally walking out the door to leave for Philly for the Thanksgiving holiday the phone rings. My DH-Mr.SA says (trying to mumble) “It’s Allegheny General for you.” Mind you, I’ve decided not to tell anyone but DH-Mr.SA and here were my 3 children standing in the kitchen, ready to get in the car. I think my oldest, DD home from college, may now suspect something since I left LBT up on my computer and she used it to check her emails :car:(and I over reacted when I saw her on it). I don’t really mind that she knows, I just don’t want her to be disappointed in me if I don’t succeed. So I turn bright red:blushing: in front of the kids and grab the phone. “You attended our seminar about a month ago and we were wondering if you were interested in setting up a consult appointment with the surgeon?” Now I’m grabbing my calendar and running to the other room.:thumbup: He had an opening Dec. 23, which at first pass sounded awful because I know I’ll be busy with Christmas prep, but after a second I realized it’s also a day DH-DH is off so he can go with me.:wub::wub: If he’s my only support then I guess it’s good he knows what to expect after. Plus he was traveling and didn’t make the AGH seminar, so it will be a chance for him to meet the Dr. So…Consult scheduled…now back to my list of questions for the surgeon (why am I so nervous about this?)!:party:

OK, since my seminar I’ve been putting off calling to schedule my consult with the surgeon. I found it interesting that AGH (Hospital) leaves it in your hands to call them to schedule if you are interested and you can see the surgeon as soon as you want to. :biggrin: The other two hospitals I went to say they’ll call you to let you know if you are “accepted” into the program or not, and you can’t consult with the surgeon until a certain point in their programs. So I could see the surgeon right away…nice, right? So why was I putting it off?:scared2: I think I felt like I wouldn’t get many of these visits unless there was a reason for more (maybe just one, not sure), so I wanted to have all my questions in line (I’m anal about researching things). I kept saying “I’ll call tomorrow”.:biggrin3: As we are literally walking out the door to leave for Philly for the Thanksgiving holiday the phone rings. My DH-Mr.SA says (trying to mumble) “It’s Allegheny General for you.” Mind you, I’ve decided not to tell anyone but DH-Mr.SA and here were my 3 children standing in the kitchen, ready to get in the car. I think my oldest, DD home from college, may now suspect something since I left LBT up on my computer and she used it to check her emails :car:(and I over reacted when I saw her on it). I don’t really mind that she knows, I just don’t want her to be disappointed in me if I don’t succeed. So I turn bright red:blushing: in front of the kids and grab the phone. “You attended our seminar about a month ago and we were wondering if you were interested in setting up a consult appointment with the surgeon?” Now I’m grabbing my calendar and running to the other room.:thumbup: He had an opening Dec. 23, which at first pass sounded awful because I know I’ll be busy with Christmas prep, but after a second I realized it’s also a day DH-DH is off so he can go with me.:wub::wub: If he’s my only support then I guess it’s good he knows what to expect after. Plus he was traveling and didn’t make the AGH seminar, so it will be a chance for him to meet the Dr. So…Consult scheduled…now back to my list of questions for the surgeon (why am I so nervous about this?)!:party:

Wow, when I first saw the results of this, I panicked! But it seems like a lot of you are answering about the "head hunger", which I get. I'm so confused now. I'm praying that the band will take away that empty gnawing hunger pangs shaking feeling that I always get on diets. That's what the LB sites promise, right? I also don't get why people are having to follow "diets" like Atkins? I lost 50 lbs. (twice then gained it back slowly) on Atkins, but is that really healthy long term? I'm prepared to eat a LOT less and deal with all the head hunger...but will I feel like I'm starving like I have on so many other diets?

You look maaaaarvelous! How much have you lost in 8 months, wow???

Halfway through "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett- excellent. 12th century England; kings, queens, monks, tretchery, and the building of a cathedral. Love the recommendations here!

Thanks! I've added this to my list of questions for my consult with the surgeon in a few weeks!

After navigating some of my insurance maze (still pre-band) I can reinforce what you said about checking with your insurance directly. It's a simple phone call and you can probably get a print out online or they'll send it to you. I found that even when others had the same insurance co. as mine they widely varied from state to state and in my case even from areas of the same state. I have BC/BS, but specifically Highmark PPO Blue for Western PA, others with BCBS had very different requirements (I don't have to provide any history and others have to provide 3-5 years). If you don't want to call, I'd suggest you repost with the insurance co. name and specific state/area and hope that someone with the same policy would answer your questions (there's also the state by state forum you could try). You're yo-yoing sounds just like me...good luck!:thumbup:

Hi everyone! Just found this PA forum on LBT. I'm pre-band-on-the-diet (band May or June '09), live just North of Pittsburgh (Cranberry) and am going to Allegheny General Hospital, Drs. Uchal & Colella. We have family in the Philly area (Chadds Ford) and we lived in West Chester for 8 years (I worked in Wilmington, DE). I've enjoyed researching here...everyone is so helpful! My son just got accepted to Penn State main (see my blog today on LBT "We Are...!!!). I've been to my seminar and have my surgeon consult on Dec. 23. Anyone at AGH...what did you ask/go through at this meeting?

A little off-topic, but in case someone has the same allergies as I do...I'm highly allergic to almost everything environmental including most detergents. I'm pre-band, but had another surgery a few years ago which involved a 2 night stay. My DH had to bring me sheets, pillow and a nightie from home as I was about to scratch my skin off-rash everywhere (I think they boil those hospital sheets in bleach). They told me lots of people bring their own pillows (just don't take a white pillowcase and you'll remember it when you leave). I had a sleep test a few weeks ago and took my own set of sheets (just put over/under theirs), pillow, jammies...plan to do the same for my LB surgery (not for the surgery bed, but for the stay after).

It was the day before Thanksgiving and we’re packing up the car to go to go to Philly to my SIL/In-laws. We’re trying to get out the door by lunchtime because we know how bad the PA Turnpike gets this day. Side note: You pay a toll to take your life into your (white knuckled) hands to tailgate at 65 mph; :car::car:leave more then two car-lengths and someone darts in front of you (no turn signal, no smile, no wave…Happy Holidays to you too!), causing you to slam on the brakes and wonder if the car tailgating you will soon be in your backseat! :huh2: Back to the story…I finally got my three teens (DD is now 21 actually) out of bed and packing up their final items around 10am (this is early for some of them…teens!). My middle one (DS-18) comes up from the basement beaming.:glare: PAUSE right there! This alone is a holiday miracle…he’s going through that moody-teen:glare:Ask-your-teenager-now-while-they-still-know-everything phase:sneaky:…so moments of “beaming” are a rare commodity! He announces “I got accepted into the Engineering school at Penn State main campus!!! Whoo-Hoo!!”:party:(insert us jumping up and down here). Those of you that know PSU, know what a feat it is to get accepted to main campus your Freshman year (most go to a satellite their first 2 years). He’s a very smart kid (National Honor Society), but isn’t the best test taker (psyches himself out:scared2:). He took a course and studied for the SAT, 2 hours almost every day for months, and then took it several times. He thought he wanted to go to Ohio State “OH”… “IO”!!! (DH-Mr.SA and my alma-mater), but he missed the out-of-state scholarship by a mere 10 points on the SAT, so it was just too expensive to go there…He was crushed,:hurt:but I kept telling him things happen for a reason. Since then :pray2:we’ve been waiting:toetap05: for the acceptance letters online everyday, so this was welcome news indeed! He is totally thrilled (and we are too! He deserves this after all that hard work!...dilemma:confused3:...who will we root for at the PSU-OSU game next year?)! One of his best friends that he played on the soccer team and ref’d with got accepted as well (also engineering) so they’re making plans to room together. My niece is a junior there now, so she was thrilled when we got to her home for Thanksgiving and he told her. The chant around our house now is… :thumbup:“WE ARE” … “PENN STATE”:confused:!!!

It was the day before Thanksgiving and we’re packing up the car to go to go to Philly to my SIL/In-laws. We’re trying to get out the door by lunchtime because we know how bad the PA Turnpike gets this day. Side note: You pay a toll to take your life into your (white knuckled) hands to tailgate at 65 mph; :car::car:leave more then two car-lengths and someone darts in front of you (no turn signal, no smile, no wave…Happy Holidays to you too!), causing you to slam on the brakes and wonder if the car tailgating you will soon be in your backseat! :scared2: Back to the story…I finally got my three teens (DD is now 21 actually) out of bed and packing up their final items around 10am (this is early for some of them…teens!). My middle one (DS-18) comes up from the basement beaming.:biggrin: PAUSE right there! This alone is a holiday miracle…he’s going through that moody-teen:glare:Ask-your-teenager-now-while-they-still-know-everything phase:sneaky:…so moments of “beaming” are a rare commodity! He announces “I got accepted into the Engineering school at Penn State main campus!!! Whoo-Hoo!!”:party:(insert us jumping up and down here). Those of you that know PSU, know what a feat it is to get accepted to main campus your Freshman year (most go to a satellite their first 2 years). He’s a very smart kid (National Honor Society), but isn’t the best test taker (psyches himself out:scared2:). He took a course and studied for the SAT, 2 hours almost every day for months, and then took it several times. He thought he wanted to go to Ohio State “OH”… “IO”!!! (DH-Mr.SA and my alma-mater), but he missed the out-of-state scholarship by a mere 10 points on the SAT, so it was just too expensive to go there…He was crushed,:hurt:but I kept telling him things happen for a reason. Since then :pray2:we’ve been waiting:toetap05: for the acceptance letters online everyday, so this was welcome news indeed! He is totally thrilled (and we are too! He deserves this after all that hard work!...dilemma:confused3:...who will we root for at the PSU-OSU game next year?)! One of his best friends that he played on the soccer team and ref’d with got accepted as well (also engineering) so they’re making plans to room together. My niece is a junior there now, so she was thrilled when we got to her home for Thanksgiving and he told her. The chant around our house now is… :thumbup:“WE ARE” … “PENN STATE”:biggrin3:!!!

Hilarious...I can hardly wait until my first holiday after band...not! :-)

Melody- How do you drink Crystal Light with fiber? Do you add it?

On our way out...waiting for DD (sigh-slow), but I had to stop in...You've made the best decision for you and you've got your Dr. behind you and I'm sure your surgeon will agree, so don't listen to negative comments. I don't get why anyone would come to one of these websites designed for getting/giving support and not be supportive? Maybe they're jealous that you don't have as much to lose as they did? Hey, maybe I'll be jealous (hee, hee) you'll be losing 5x as fast as me, but that won't stop me from being supportive of you! We're in this together...here's to Spring '09!!! (I think there's even a moderator on here with the sleeve.)

Sounds like you're progressing well on your path! I'm so happy you've got the support of your Dr. and a plan. I'm really glad you're sticking around! There's even a forum section for RNY & other procedures here...and so many issues are the same anyway, right? Have a great holiday!

24- Good job Amy! Ticker-go to Tickerfactory.com and follow the step by step selection process, you'll pick a background, item that will move along, etc. (they have a weight loss section) at the end you copy and paste the link they give here. Here, go to User CP (see it up top left under the tabs) and then go to Edit signature, that's where you paste the ticker info. Have fun.

Hello! Friendly bunch here. 13 1/2 pounds is great! Just a suggestion--You might want to post an intro. at the Forum tab-Introduce Yourself, as well (maybe add your state or age to the title and you'll get more replies from people that have something in common). Keep on blogging though so we can see how you're doing! -BG

You look great!!!! Like a new person. What an inspiration!