Corliss

Tide, honestly as much as I like Dr Cardenas and the crew in Monterrey, I don't think I would have a lower body lift out of country unless I was prepared to stay at least 6 wks, because there can be loads of edema and Fluid pocked accumulation that could be a set up for infection if not drained properly. If she is not near her surgeon it would not be possible to do that as she might need it and it is extremely hard to get a US doc to do follow up for other proceedures so I would bet the same with Plastics. I did know of one woman from Louisiana who went and had LBL and returned after two weeks and at some point she became septic and ended up in intensive care with a load of complications. It was not the fault of the Doc in Tijuana who did it, but I think they should require a long stay for follow up. I am not trying to scare ya here, but in thinking about possible additional surgeries for me, I don't think I would ever do that one, but If I did, I would want to be near my surgeon quiet a few weeks. I do think Cardenas is an artist, and would probably return to him if I was going to have LBL, but like I said, only with intent of staying there at least 6 wks, then cost would be equal to here. I will post some more pics soon, prob when I wash my hair and post without bandages. I have to wear them all time except changes for another week, then can leave them off at night, then next week, can leave them off in day time and wear at night. Most bruising is gone except right under jaw. My daughter and Kathy and oldest grand absolutely love it, but the youngest is freaked out a bit by the changes in her Nama! I told her I was still the same OLD Nama, that I just fixed myself so I would look prettier. Don't know that it will be okay with her or not. But you guys might want to prepare the children. My daughter had talked to the kids about it, but Graicen can't even remember me being real fat. It is hard for her to conceive that her Old Nama was ever a baby faced gal! talk to you soon, Corliss

Congrats chris, way to go! that is fab presurg wt loss. Corliss

Hey hon, I got my ear revised today but he didn't take the stitches out. He plans to do it late tommmorrow. I go home friday unless he says stay a couple more days in which i will stay. I had a small corner on the right ear lobe after the first surgery. I had extremely long ear lobs and have always been self concious of them. I asked him to trim them. One really looked funny. Very different form the other. Niether of them ended up small and pretty, however with the one not shaped right, i sort of freaked about both of them. Funny when he fixed the one with the little corner, it looked fine and so did the other one which he didn't touch today! They matched, lol! I would probably not look right if i had pretty little ears. As far as recipes go, there are loads of recipes without sugar on Low Carb Luxury website. It is free. I dont' know for sure what you can have right now as far as how solid, but one of the yummiest mushies/creamy things i have had was greek yogurt, with apple sauce, splenda and cinnamin. It was so good. You can also get a sweetener called erytritol from the netrition.com website and mixed with splenda it tastes just like sugar. Use it with cocoa for hot chocalate. You can take sf jello and chop up a banana in it, and add some cool whip which has very little sugar and fat free or close and it makes a nice light desert. Sweets are easy to make low carb and low fat too if you buy like low fat or fat free cream cheese or yogurt. You can make a little cake in a cup using protein powder and an egg, sweetener and chocolate, cook it in micro. I dont' watch my fat, just my carbs and calories, so i use fat in mine. But there are loads of options, just check out the low carb website. There is one called Eggface.com that has some really great recipes but not always low fat. I can send you some more some time. Glad you are feeling better. Corliss

How are you doing hon? Haven't heard from you in a day or two. Hope things are better with the pain. I am feeling much better from the plastics ands hopefully will get my stitches all out today except for the ear whear he is dong a minor revision today. Corliss

Hi Ellen, unless you are going to be in the hosptal all the time you are there it might be good to hire a sitter when you are discharged. I hear the inner thigh lift is one of the worst surgeries. The brachioplasty is not that bad. You have had one so you are prob aware of it. I hired a sitter for 2 days after discharge and am keeping her during days this week. She takes me to doc, changes bandages, gives med, takes me shopping and sight seeing, does my laundry, cooks for me, runs errands, makes appointments and arrangements and is a very nice and intelligent knowledgable person who specializes in the care of patients who have plastic surgury. I am getting a real bargain and the first two days i needed her desperately due to pain and language issues. She understands more english than she speaks and i speak a good bit of spanish. She has been extremely helpful. Good luck to you hon. I am sure you will do well. Corliss

I had a huge hiatal hernia which Dr zapata only found when he went inside. It did not show up on my upper gi which was very thorough nor did my surgeon who removed the previous lap band find it. I am so glad it was found and fixed. Hopefully this banding will be problem free, so far so good. No pain a little over a week out. I am on mushies now. Beans and potaoes are mighty good as is cottage cheese and mashed banana. Banded again and loving it! Corliss in Monterrey 1st band Nov 17, 2005 by Dr Sanchez Removed Sept. 19, 2008 in Chatt TN by Dr. Sass Day of banding 356 Day of removal <170 Gained up to 230 lbs and lost to 219 by day of banding June 18, 2009 Monterrey by Dr Zapata Plastic surgery June 23, 2009 by Dr Alexandro Cardenas arms and face, PLS SEE my PS album