Just got home from the Endo test.

I have cried and now all I am is numb. TO those that I have already spoken with thank you for your words of encouragement.

Yes, I have eroded as well. I am enclosing pictures of the erosion.

Dr. Billy seems to think mine eroded due to all the problems I had with my port issues. That makes lots of sense to me.

He also said he didn't see the erosion on the initial pass through and only caught it after the turned the camera around and looked back on itself. It was hiding the little bugger. You can see that in the second page of pics Number 16 shows the slight white area to the right.

SIGH!! I am making this short as I am rushing to get everything in order before I go back to Ventura and get checked into the hospital for surgery which is tonight at around 7p. I will be in the hospital for tonight, tomorrow, and be released the next day if all goes well. We are not anticipating any complications. He is doing the surgery laparoscopically. Thank goodness I don't have to be cut wide open for this surgery.

At this point, I am just wanting to get this thing OUT and begin to heal and then get through the holidays. After that I will think about what my options are regarding anything else.

I will be out of touch for a few days. I will call Christina or Lisa and let them know how I am doing and they can post for me.

I love you all.

PS: Take care of your bands people. FOLLOW the rules. If you are too tight get an unfill and learn to cope. PLEASE!!!!!! This is too much to deal with right now. I am a mess.

HUGS

Pictures to follow.

It is the pars flacida technique. I researched the techniques before going into surgery, to make sure my surgeon was using the best one. That is the only reason I knew.

Take care!

Yes, photo 10 is a lovely shot of erosion. Looks like mold. There go my Spagettios.

*Sighs*

Penni, my banded sister...I feel your sadness. I know what you are going through. Please know that my heart and thoughts are with you. We were banded on the same day and had our bands removed one week apart due to erosion. Strange huh? I believe like your daughter does.... that everything in our lives happens for a reason even though we do not know the reason right now. Just know that I'm here for you every step of the way. We can support eachother just as we have been doing for the last 20 months. We can do this!

Love you and big hugs to you

Tonight I will be with you in spirit, holding your hand and wishing you well

Penni, so sorry to hear about this. I hope your band removal surgery goes ok. I will be praying for you. Thanks for the pictures..they are very informative.

Oh, Penni

This was not what we wanted to hear, my heart just aches for you. Our prayers were not answered... but maybe they were. Counting our blessing right now might seem difficult, but lets try. #1 You have a fabulous Dr. #2 You got the results immediately. #3 They found an available OR tonight. #4 We are right here every step of the way. And #5 You have a fabulous Dr.... (I know I already said that one!)

We Love you Lots and want you to get well soon. Thats My Christmas Wish

It is the pars flacida technique.

This is the technique Dr. Ortiz used on me and I still eroded. He even has a chapter about it in his book

http://www.lap-bandforlife.com/chapters_06.html

From the book it reads :

This technique has been related to a drastic decrease in the number of band slippages or pouch dilations that may occur.

Mentions nothing about erosions occurring less.

Some bodies are just not meant to have a foreign object in them for long periods of time, regardless of what technique they use. Plain and simple.

Well I can't type what first came to my mind.

SHIT! is about the third level of expletives I could use to describe how crummy this is.

Oh Penni.... so, so sorry.

Awww Penni, my heart goes out to you. I just can't believe all this is happening to everyone! Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you.

(((Penni)))

I am speechless. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that this would happen to me, let alone to so many people here over the past year. It is mind numbing and incomprehensible.

I wish I had some sort of sage advice, having been the first here to go through it, but all I can really say is:

There IS life after the band.

Every day, though, I am reminded that I was banded once. Not just by coming here, but I can still feel occasional restriction. I can't say that it's helped me any to maintain the shed pounds, but I DO think about it almost every time I eat, and know that I wouldn't be eating certain things or certain quantities if I still had the band. It's too easy to slip back to old unhealthy ways, so be vigilant if you can. I continue to look for ways to be vigilant for myself, and mostly I eat very well. Alas, even eating well is no cure for eating too much.

You are in my thoughts, and I send you the very best of wishes.

*hugs*

Penni I can't even begin to tell you how sad and worried I am for all the bandsters having problems. I will be here for you and I'll be praying for your recovery!!

Im truly sorry for you! hope you can get through this with out to much stress! take care Will pray for you.

I'm sick to my stomach about this. I want to cry and scream and kick the floor out of frustration and sadness for you. I was just thinking about when all of us got together in 2004 for the first Vegas Bash. Of those in attendance...

Karen-erosion

Donali-erosion

LaMadam- erosion

Penni-erosion

All of these are Mexico patients. This is staggering considering there were only about ten of us there the day I was.

Penni please know that I am thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery- both physically and emotionally. This has got to be such a blow. I'll be thinking of you...

Megan

My heart goes out to you Penni. Thank God you found Dr. Billy, he sure seems to be an angel for bandsters. I'm so glad he's taking care of you. I wish you the best through this, and afterward.

You guys are all making me cry even more than I have been. Michelle I have your number and will be calling you tomorrow for sure. Can't even begin to speak to anyone right now. Too much emotions.

And you know mentioning Dr. Billy twice is OK with me. And getting to see him twice in one day is a HUGE plus even if I have to lose my band. He is so easy on the eyes.

(whispering here = I actually eroded on purpose to get him to see me again. shhh! my little secret!) LOL!!

Laughing and crying over here. LOL!! Sniffle!!

Penni -

I'm so sorry to hear this news - it's hard to take. You have done well, you're pictures (the ones outside of your body ) show this to be the case!

What is the difference between the two placements? I'm going to ask Dr. Kuri which technique he uses.

Patti