Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[Snowgator 3]

Hello all,

I'm considering the surgery from Dr. K, and wondered how many days I need to plan to take off work? I have a desk job.

Also, was anybody else nervous that you don't plan for an overnight hospital stay? Did you feel you needed it?

Thanks - appreciate your help so much.

Nora

[bahotmomma 0]

Hello all,

I'm considering the surgery from Dr. K, and wondered how many days I need to plan to take off work? I have a desk job.

Also, was anybody else nervous that you don't plan for an overnight hospital stay? Did you feel you needed it?

Thanks - appreciate your help so much.

Nora

Denver Girl -- Welcome, I had my surgery on 1/2/08 a Wed and I went back to work on Monday. I felt fine and was just a little tired. I was not worried abt staying overnight, but than again my hubby is a paramedic and was home with me. After surgery you are pretty tired that first night, so you just sleep alot anyway. Best of luck to you as you start this new journey, if you choose Dr. K you will be choosing the "best" in my opinion.

[lotzasunshine 2]

Sunshine -- I would be happy to pick you up from the airport and get you to your appt., let me know what you find out abt having to stay a few days. I am available on the 19th though.

You are the sweetest person!!! I would TOTALLY give you gas money if you could help me out. I will probably still fly, and I am hoping to get a morning appt on another days now, so that I can stay all that day and most of the next. Thank you so much for the offer!!!

[bahotmomma 0]

You are the sweetest person!!! I would TOTALLY give you gas money if you could help me out. I will probably still fly, and I am hoping to get a morning appt on another days now, so that I can stay all that day and most of the next. Thank you so much for the offer!!!

Sunshine, Just let me know when you need me and we will work out all the details.

[uptownmami278 0]

Hi there,

Any pointers? I am traveling from FL to Colorado for banding with Dr. K. Any info would be very appreciated.

Thanks for any points.

[BellaPerdente 0]

Hi guys, just checking in. Had a bad day yesterday with head hunger. I guess I am still grieving my old life. I kinda had too much yesterday and was bummed about it. When I went to bed last night, I prayed for guidance and strength to fight the demons in my head and today was much better. I started to track my eating on mydailyplate.com and that is going to help.

Deb: so sorry to hear about your dog. I hope that the vet can save him and he doesn't have to suffer.

I emailed Natalie in Dr. K's office because I didn't even know what size band I had. I have a 10cc band. She said if I am getting hungry, I can try to slowly start the mushies phase. I am not sure if I should just stick it out another week of liquids. What do you guys think?

I had two funerals in two days :smile2: First, a friend and co-worker of my late husband's fell from a roof at work and died. He was such a nice guy. When my husband was sick, he and a couple of guys came to my house and replaced by back steps (they were unsafe). The factory where they worked paid for everything. He even offered to paint my house. You gotta remember, I live in a small town and even the local factory is all home-town people and we are close-knit. I went to the funeral only to see all the guys my husband worked with and it brought back so many bad memories of my husband's funeral.

Second, my uncle died. How sad that I only have two aunts on my mom's side of the family left. My brothers and I were talking and WE are now the old folks:( How fast time goes!!

On a lighter note, a guy came into work today and said I was PRETTY!!!!! OMG....I said Thank You! Gee, and I only lost 20 lbs so far. My brother said he could tell in my face. I guess I am not so bloated like I was before the surgery. Too bad the guy was old!!! Oooh, I forgot, I am old too now.

[Lap_dancer 8]

Great video set to a cosmic movie: The Beatles Across The Universe:You can listen to it in a seperate window while reading this very long post!!![ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuSCwTdxOo&feature=relatedHey]YouTube - Across The Universe Movie Video Beatles[/ame] Everyone! I'm a grandma now!! *Please bump this thread someone as I don't want it to get buried in pages before our group has a chance to read it*This is a summary of what I just sent out to some other friends. YES YES YES... Clara Jean, my precious GRANDDAUGHTER ended up being a GRANDSON!July 23, 2008-9:54 AM, El Paso , TexasCrystal had her baby this morning and here is the tale that goes with it.Monday at her doctor's visit, Crystal's baby "the little GIRL Clara Jean" (more on that later) was not progressing and it was decided that Tuesday they would enduce labor. Crystal and Shawn went off post (in Army language that means not on the Army base) to Las Palmas Medical Center.Remember Crystal had an ultrasound where this much experienced technician called it as a GIRL and even showed them where the GIRL parts were. ( remember that)At 11 AM Tuesday, Crystal began labor and it wasn't pretty. *I think Beelzabub himself walked into the room and said, "this is out of my league" and left the building. This continued up to midnight. She was given an epidural to relieve the pain. The rest of the night, we watched Hurricane Dolly (my nickname for Crystal is Dolly) whirling out in the Gulf on the news. Just before dawn the doctor came in and discussion was made about modifying things to "get her going".Nurses were concerned with the baby's positionthis would later turn out to be that the baby's cord was wrapped such that with contractions the heartrate was dropping.At dawn, Shawn and I were Jonesing for Breakfast. Crystal's nurse warned us about an item in the cafeteria called Mexican "Manudo"... (something that sounded as appealing as chicken beaks with rooster combs) we opted for McDonalds. Shawn left.>>mistake

Shortly thereafter, a team of nurses came in and began working on Crystal. A technician stood by and began setting up delivery items. Crystal was apparently AT delivery. I called Shawn... "Get here now" "Are you serious?" "Totally, get here now" "I'm on my way." He was on the other side of the city and promptly turned his truck around and began hauling back to Las Palmas. The nurses kept asking where the father was. It turned out that Crystal would require a c-section, the baby's heart rate was not condusive to normal delivery. From the time they entered until they prepped, and wheeled Crystal out was under 20 minutes. I call Shawn a second time. "GET HERE NOW" he was five minutes away and would later wheel his 4x4 Dodge into the most remost location of the parking lot and sprint the distance to the surgical room. I waited by the surgery entrance with Shawn's surgical scrubs in my hands. He finally appeared, white faced, eyes the size of a Woody Barn Owl and winded. (hey, he runs five miles a day every morning). He flies into his scrubs right then and there and starts running down the wrong way of the hall. I yell, "NOT THAT WAY" he turns around (see photo) and sprints past the nurse, a couple and the nurses station. Less than ten minutes later, infact he walked in and they said "Dad over here" and the baby was born. They said, "It's a BOY" a what? BOY! "Are you sure?" That looks like a BOY TO ME. The ultrasound tech, and subsequent other three ultrasound technicians who had done ultrasounds on Crystal were wrong. Clara Jean was infact, Christopher James Potter! We are still pinching ourselves. Christopher James Potter named after both his grandfathers, weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. All are doing fine. Finally, if you feel so inclined, I'm starting SEND THEM A ONESIE compaign. Expecting a girl, all things in the bedroom are pink and pink or pink and some other color. And though it might be amusing to see Christopher in pink or a cherry onesie in an ED WOOD kind of way* thanks to friend Liz for the Ed Wood analogy, Crystal and Shawn only have three things that are yellow or green which a boy could pass in. If you would like to mail a male onesie or item their address is: Christopher Potter 3269-A Story Street El Paso, Texas 79904

Edited July 25, 2008 by Lap_dancer

[munchkin392 1]

Congrats on being a grandma Lap!! I have to go shopping for a friends baby shower next week, maybe I will pick up some extra onesies when I am there!!

Deb-I am soooo, soooooo sorry to hear about Tucker. I have to say, you are holding up pretty well. I would be an absolute train wreck!! We are sending you love, hugs, paw holding, and big slobbery kisses from the lab/mastiff crew here!!!! (And there is lots of love to send from these guys!)

[munchkin392 1]

Well, I don't know if this will work, but I tried to attach a picture of Brutus the Mastiff sending Tucker get well wishes! (My mom said the other day that Brutus is the "ugly duckling" amongst all the labs. I told her she was going to give him a complex!)

[munchkin392 1]

Ok ladies, I went today to have stuff added to my existing cherry blossom tattoo. It was previously half the size it is now. The branches that are solid black will fade within a few weeks and actually look all soft and faded, like the brush strokes in a true Japanse watercolor. I think it will look much better then.

The tattoo artist wants to add more to it. I am undecided-it needs something, but I can't decide what. He wants to add Japanese watercolor mountains to it, but I don't know that I am huge on that idea.

Do any of you want to weigh in on this and give me some ideas?

[munchkin392 1]

Adork-Your adorable pup looks like she has some German Shepherd in her. She has classic shephard markings! Give her lots, lots, lots of loves for me!! She is lucky to have found a good home!

[GBear 0]

Deb: I am SO sorry to hear about Tucker! I will keep you and him in my thoughts and prayers.

Lotza: I started on some mushies last night and it's going well so far. But I still eat some pureed Soups, too. I'm feeling almost no restriction now, but I'm still managing to keep my calories kinda low as if I were banded.

Bella: Oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear about the two funerals. I'm glad you went to the for your late husband's coworker. I'm sure your husband is smiling down on you for that. And yay for the pretty comment!

Lap: Congratulations!!! How funny about the grandSON. Anytime a doctor says from an ultrasound that it's a girl, I *always* assume it's still possible to be a boy. I don't care if the doc says, "here are the girl parts," the baby can still be a boy. This just confirms my belief, heehee.

uptownmami278: Welcome! What kind of pointers are you looking for? I flew in from California and it worked well for me. My surgery was Wednesday morning and I flew home Saturday afternoon. I had the advantage of staying with relatives in between, though! By Saturday I felt strong enough to fly home, which was nice. I could have done it on Friday, but was glad I had an extra day. But the day after my surgery was my most difficult day, so I would have been miserable flying home then. This is an investment, so I think it's worth it to pay for an extra day just to be safe. What else would you like to know?

[lotzasunshine 2]

Lotza: I started on some mushies last night and it's going well so far. But I still eat some pureed Soups, too. I'm feeling almost no restriction now, but I'm still managing to keep my calories kinda low as if I were banded.

I just started some mushies too. It depends on how I'm feeling though, last night all I could do was Clear Liquids, but the night before, and tonight I was fine with mushies. I still have some pretty good restriction. I can only eat a little less than half of what I used to, and even then I feel so full i think I might puke. I am having a lot of port tenderness though and am still stringing out my painmeds so I can sleep. I think I may need to pick up some adult liquid tylenol. All DH could find was the child stuff and it does squat even when I take twice as much. Glad to hear that you are doing well, and good luck this weekend on watching your calories!!

[lotzasunshine 2]

Deb- I'm so sorry that your Tucker is sick!! Pets are always so much like family!!

Lap- Congrats on being a grandma to a surprise little boy!!

Bella - sorry that you had to go through 2 funerals, even one is so hard. I am praying for you!!

[Lap_dancer 8]

Slideshow of the whole shabang:

Cherry Blossom Tattoo: To each artist his own, as for me, my artist eye tells me that I would add more florals and bring some larger florals forward for softness. I love the birds! Have the artist blend the reds and a pink to go halfway on the color scale. I would ink that shade on the edges and then go light pink down the petal centers. Odd numbers in cluster like 3 and 5