Hi there,

I am considering Dr. Kirshenbaum in Aurora, CO (www.lapbandrockies.com) I know that there are a few of you in LBT that went to him. I am interested in knowing your thoughts on him and if you have had any complications. I am just a little leary since the price is so low, there is little on the internet about him, and I will be traveling from WI to have this done. Any information you could provide would be much apppreciated...

Thanks!

Sheila:)

I'll have a blue drink for ya'

Ladies, I just checked my calendar for July (and posting Marcyinak's surgery date) when I noticed...The Railbenders (Alternative Country) will be playing outdoors at Southlands Mall @7:00, they have lots of resteraunts and a very nice courtyard with water fountains and such...anyway check it out online...maybe we could meet up there??? It might not be very convienant to many though, but it is right off of E470 and Smoky Hill...just a thought.

I LOVE the Railbenders!!!

8675309....I'm flying in from Alaska for the surgery...pre-op appt. Monday afternoon with Rx for post-op meds, surgery Tues. morning and fly home Thurs night. I don't know if Dr. K files insurance for you (I'm self-pay), but it won't hurt to get him to write a note saying it's medically necessary and then submit it with your claim. Really, the concern for me wasn't a surgeon away from home, it was finding after-care....once you have that then there aren't too many issues. Good luck.

Thank you so much. I will probably be six hours from my fill doctor as well. I live in West Texas, and NOTHING is close.

I AM THE SAME WAY!!!! I always put EVERYONE before myself...this is something for us!! I know it feels guilty, I often think of what else I could of spent the money on and who else I could of spent the money on, I was even looking for approval from my husband and two sons like "is it okay with them"...

I wish you the best!

This has been one of my hardest struggles. I keep thinking how much money it is, imagine if it were in their college fund, or we took a trip to Europe, etc. (When the reality is, we'd probably piss it away like we do most of our money!

My mantra now is, I AM worth it, my kids deserve a healthy mom.

I hear ya! My son just graduated from High School this year and I could have used that money to help him out with college, buy him a car, etc, etc. This year my family is celebrating many other important milestones aswell, we had actually planned on taking a huge family trip, but no one could come up with anything, so...I took the money and ran with it...LOL! Anyway, money comes and goes my dear and we deserve this! I don't regret spending it, it was really hard putting the check in the mailbox that day, but I did it and I haven't looked back! This is something that I wanted for years and once I had the money ready, I did it!

You ARE worth it and you deserve a healthier YOU! Right on with your mantra.

Mal - you are a party animal. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I think it would be fun to go to the Southlands mall, I haven't been. But I hope we can have some quality time before at a restaurant, it isn't the eating but the talking that soothes my soul these days. I think it would be fun!

Have a great trip! gamble a little, drink a little, and just enjoy -

you deserve this break!

Drews - you must be alive and kicking!

Woofay - how are you doing? Can you come up the 12th?

Hugs,

Michelle

I have a phone consult with Dr. K on July 13th!

8675309~Congrats! Before you know it you will be on the other side of the Band.

Okay, I give. What is "alternative country" music? And is there an example of it that I have heard of? (never heard of Railbenders)

Woofay - me neither. But then I know I'm out of it.

Hugs to you and all,

The Railbenders are a Rockabilly band.... know what that is?

How long after the initial phone consult were most of you scheduled for surgery?

Good Monday! Well, I guess you could say that I had a couple of really crappy food days. :think I tried to make better choices as I ate all day, and for the most part I did, but I gave in to the potato chip monster. And it's completely stress eating, I'm having huge coping issues. I didn't realize I was as bad as I am for comfort eating.

You see, my husband's grandpa is passing away. And seeing as how Chris and I have been together for 17 years, and everyone elder in my family is passed (bad heart disease in my family) except for my mom, he may as well be my grandpa too. He's quite old, 91, but he's always been in such great shape. We've been told to expect a call at any time, so now I am on pins and needles. And this really brings back when I lost my brother which has been almost 10 years now. I've never really recovered from when he died and that is when my true weight gain really got out of control and I started needing meds for depression and anxiety.

So...I guess you could say I have a coping mechanism that revolves around food. I mourn with food. I know this. But how do I work around it? I wish admitting this would make it go away. Perhaps just admitting it in this post will help. I've never seen it on paper (screen) before. Sorry to be such a downer on this beautiful day. I'm not really as sad as this sounds. Just more dissapointed that I want to cram a bunch of junk food in my face! Why does it make me feel better, even if temporarily? I used to smoke (years ago) and any amount of stress caused me to run for a smoke and feel better. Now I just cram food in. I get the same effect as I did from the smoke.

Have any of you come up with new things to do other than eat? Nothing seems to give me that quick blast of "feel better" than food. Thanks for listening. I needed to get it off my chest somehow. Like I said, I'm not as sad as this appears. I know he's an old man who's had a great life. I'll miss him, but I'm okay with it.

Have a great day all! And again, thanks.

8675309~ To answer your question...I didn't have a phone consult as I am local, but my consultation was March 23 and my surgery was April 13th. It went pretty quick. The Doc has a couple of weeks to make up though since he is out playing in Africa! Can't you just see him in a safari hat sneaking up on a lion to take his pic? He better be careful trying to get "The Picture" as we need him!

Drewslou~ The Railbenders have a website and I went and listened to some of it. They sound pretty country to me. Or the way country used to sound before it turned into "pop". They seem to be pretty talented.

Dynamomini~ How was your weekend? I've been considering joining a gym again. (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!) You've been an inspiration to me so I guess I need to get my butt (yes, all of it!) into a gym again. They just opened a new one around the corner from me, but its coed. I just don't see myself working out with men too. (No way!)

MarcyinAK~ are you still excited? Time seems to be flying!

Angie38~ are you still out there?

Hi All!

Mary from Dr K's office called me last week to see how I was since I haven't been in to see then in months... I called her back today and she said Dr K was gone now and would be back in 10 days and he was booked solid until almost the end of July! Holy crap, he's getting super busy!