spiritstalkergoddess

I was at tj maxx today and found a shirt I really liked usually I go straight for xl/xxl. My husband suggested I try a L just to see. Low and behold the large fit. I was very excited I haven't worn a large in about a year!!

I did not wake up with a tube in my throat with Dr Kelly. So if they do this, they remove it before you wake up. I didn't have any throat pain or irritation, so if there was something there, they are extremely skilled at doing it lol. This coming from a person with a choking phobia by the way. You will have a drain in your abdomen, but it wasn't near as bad as I expected.

Actually, there has been a lot of talk about the "death" - and that it very well may not have happened as was told by "A lighter me" - irregardless, 1 death in a surgeon's career, while tragic for the family and the surgeon himself doesn't not make him a bad surgeon. One death does not erase hundreds and hundreds of great successful surgeries - especially when the patient's condition was unknown. There has been no medical report released to the public about the cause of death of this woman. For all I know, she had a pulmonary embolism and died from that days after surgery.
Dr. Kelly is a member of FACS - you don't get there by making mistakes.

Well, here goes nothing. I have made it to the brink of the new life. I get sleeved in just a few hours. Those of you who have been before know the things I'm feeling at this moment and the others will be here soon.

I didn't have a tube, mine was taken out while I was still under.

Congrats!!! It's a wonderful feeling! I too was lucky enough to experience the resolution of my Type 2 Diabetes and I'm on Cloud 9 about it.

My Endocrinologist has officially determined I am no longer diabetic. They still want me to test and come back in for a couple of 3 month follow ups, and to keep a food journal and readings as I enter the solid food phase - but I am cured. I beat the beast!!!
I wish I could tell my Mom. I will be able to tell my little sister, and the light in my Hubby's eyes and the bear hug made it that much better.
Thank you all too! So very much!

Today I lay to rest one of my favorite supporters. Cheesecake, thank you for all the good times we had. Cheesecake made me feel better in hard times, and was always there to reward me for a job well done. Cheesecake was always there for every emotion willing and ready to either comfort me or Celebrate with me. Cheesecake was always at its best smothered in strawberries. While cheesecake was there for me in so many times of struggle, it was not without faults. Cheesecake was full of sugar and calories and so many times lead me into temptation. Cheesecake will be greatly missed but it is in a better place now, in the refrigerator of someone with a high metabolism and self control. Thank you cheesecake for everything. I will now turn to my husband for support when I am at my lowest and reward myself with a pedicure instead.
That concludes the food funeral for my great friend cheesecake

I'm doing this alone too. My only concern is getting home from the airport after the surgery. I wonder if that will be difficult to do alone?

I don't know about you guys, but I am a hard core coupon freak. Paying half price gives me hives, paying full price makes me want to gut myself. I like to get stuff for at least 75% off so I thought I would start a thread on great deals I have already found that are realting to weight loss surgery in some way! I hope some of you find this helpful!
Right now Target is having a great deal on many of their Vitamins. You buy 3 and you get a $5 target gift card! So if you have access to multiple computers and a printer in your home, here's a great bargain:
Flintstone Complete Vitamins ($6.99 each).
OneADay Vitacraves gummies ($6.99 each)
There are coupons you can use to sweeten the deal!
You can print out Target store coupons for both the Flintstone Vitamins and the Vitacraves Gummies- http://coupons.target.com/
And you can combine a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon, so there's one here for the Vitacraves Gummies- http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=xasjbpd73832009&bt=vg&o=97530&c=DS&p=S5MdD629
There is also a Flintstones Vitamins coupon that was in the Sunday paper a while back so if you can get your hands on that you can use that to sweeten the deal!
Last night I bought 2 bottles of the Vitacraves and 4 boxes of the Flintstone Gummies. $41.94 was the total before coupons.
I then used 4 Target store Flintstone Vitamins coupons (-$8), 4 Flintstone Manufacturer coupons (-$8), 2 Vitacraves Manufacturer Coupons (-$4) and 2 Vitacraves Target store coupons (-$4).
This brought my out of pocket total down to $17.94, and because I bought 6 vitamins- I got 2 $10 gift cards. So totally it only cost me $7.94! That's less than ONE bottle of those vitamins usually costs (Normally they are $7.99!)
I believe this deal ends THIS WEEK so you'll need to grab it ASAP.

2- 20oz Blender bottles from vitacost.com for $6.93 shipped! https://www.vitacostrewards.com/home/publicHome.pg
If you do the 'refer a friend' and use TWO email accounts (one to sign up initially, and the other to 'refer'), you will get $10 off a $10+ purchase. The bottles were $11.94 for both, and after the coupon were just $1.94. Then add $4.99 shipping cost! I got two for less than the price of one!

One of my favorite things used to be hard salami with cream chesse wrapped around a sweet pickle. I LOVE that. Only way I'll eat pickles haha.
The Frank's Red hot buffalo chicken dip is great as well. http://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/franks-redhot-buffalo-chicken-dip-RE1242
a meat lover's home made pizza bites on low carb tortillas maybe?
hotwings are always a good choice
meatballs are always good too.

I'd always bail on plans with friends, saying I was tired or busy--when really I was just avoiding being uncomfortable (particularly in theater seats and little wooden restaurant chairs that felt like they would collapse under me).
My favorite line to myself, which I stole from a bumper sticker, was "Fat people are harder to kidnap." That one still makes me giggle.

That there were 2 maybe 3 skinny people inside of me just screamin' to get out. Now I'm down to 1 1/4!

Pinklyfe,
You mean you just joined tonight and you already have people private messaging you discouraging you from using a certain Dr? Did they recommend a different Dr? It's sad, but there are people who will do this to make money off booking you surgery with a different surgeon. Please be careful, but I agree, everyone should do a lot of research. Just don't take one persons advise, there are people that have ulterior motives but act as though they are advising you out of concern. They are really just a bunch of greedy vultures and can't be trusted and don't have your best interest at heart. You can go to a persons profile and click on posts or content to see if they have been contributing on the forum for support or just using it to start drama.
Good luck to you, and I wish you well on your research!! Most of the people are here to offer you support and good advise, so please stick around!

So I bought my plane ticket for my trip to Tijuana on March 14th for my surgery March 15th with Dr. Kelly....I am beginning to feel like this is really going to happen! I am very excited, but also nervous and worried about what will happen here at work while I am gone since I am the only one in the company who knows exactly what I do and how to do it.
I have gotten myself off Diet Coke successfully, and now need to get off coffee, but I am planning on starting that around 2/15 so I am done with the withdrawal by the time I go for my surgery.
Just had to share my excitement!

My surgery was on 12/26/2011 and I will conquer a single digit size clothing! I want to be able to shop WHERE EVER I want to (not in the big girl everything with flowers and ugly patterns section)

This guy tripped and fell staring at me the other day lol. He got up and said to me, "you are soooo beautiful"! I told him thank you, and he just kept following me around the store (a little weird lol)- I had to turn him down, I'm going on 8 years with my BF but it was still very cute. It's funny how these things happen when you start losing weight- I haven't dealt with such things since high school lol.
P.S. I attached a new pic :smile1: All smiles! Loving the new me :smile1:

It was SOOOOO cold here in Vancouver (i'm such a wimp now with the cold). I started out not feeling my toes and ended the race not feeling my toes : )
BUT I DID IT!!!!
I even ran the first 20 min WITHOUT STOPPING!!!!
BUT I DID IT!!!
did I finish first??? NOOOO far from it......I actually finished 7th from last.
BUT I DID IT!!!! I FINISHED and I feel fantastic!!!!
I finished under my 1 hour goal (coming in at 59 min 32 seconds)
Consitering this is my first time EVER running outdoors and with other people around, I am proud!!

Wow!! I agree that most of the commenters seemed to blame the patient. I wish those people who say this is "easy" would read these (or any WLS) boards for a day or two. While this does make weight loss easier in the beginning, we all know that we must continue to do the work in order to reach our goals.
I feel sorry for the girl and her family.

One funny thing that happened with my surgeon is when I was in Pre Op he came over and started going through my paperwork and said, "You know you really did great losing weight before surgery and it's just going to make it easier for me." I replied, "That was my goal, I want this to be as EASY for you as possible."

I am ready to go!!! Tomorrow we fly from Louisiana to San Diego, then over the border we go!!!!!! I am looking forward to having surgery on Monday with Dr. Garcia. I also cannot wait to share my experiences with everyone. Sending good vibes to all of my next week sleeve buddies! :chillpill: :biggrinjester:
Raja

Sorry to hear that... Keep your head held high, I know it has to be hard... But you have come so far.

Spoke to Dr. Kelly, and to Trish... and ....... I GOT MY DATE!!! March 9th!!!!!
I'm crazy excited and suddenly NERVOUS!! Not about the surgery... just.. well... it's such a big step, but there's no turning back now..
@HBskinnygirl.. congrats on a successful surgery!

I feel so good. I am at 5.5 weeks out, am ahead of my weight loss, and I thought I was behind. I am down almost 30 pounds and got the approval to start excercising! My energy level is awesome and I am shrinking.
But the absolute best part is my arthritis pain is much improved, my attitude is better, my sugar level is controlled and my blood pressures are back to normal.
Loving my sleeve and the healthy feelings that come with it. For the brand new newbies just fresh out...hang in there, keep plugging away at each accomplishment.