I edited the original version of this post cause things changed during the day; I originally posted that my wound had finally closed for 2 days, but it opened up again this afternoon. It was a thrilling 2 days while it lasted! So I'm shortening this long post.

For newbies, my port site became badly infected so they removed my port in June, and the wound remains open. It's not infected but it leaks every day so I have to keep it clean and bandaged.

My second update had me in tears this morning after hubby gave me my one-month-weigh-in-smooch. In November, I gained 6 pounds on vacation. It took me 2 weeks to lose it, but then I went to California and gained it back. Add Thanksgiving, indulging in countless no-nos (food wise) and the fact I work with the Erin, the world's biggest diet saboteur, PLUS, My period will be here in a day or two so I'm probably bloated, PLUS I DON'T EVEN HAVE A PORT, and I managed to lose an additional 2 pounds (crying again) bringing my total loss in 7 months to sniff, 66 pounds. SIXTY-SIX. It's unreal, unbelievable, insane, baffling, cunning, powerful, righteous and indescribably miraculous. And I didn't diet - not one single day. I'm going to copy this part in the weigh-in thread also, cuz I'm on top of the world so duplicity is okay.

About my port: I've shared with a few people because I didn't want everyone to know; but now I realize how unfair it is to hold information back since this board is integral to our safety, success, and general band health. We need all the info we can get, right? Here goes: In the past months I've been to Urgent Care 3 times, the veterinarian, my primary doc, my secondary doc, my gastroenterologist, a local surgeon, an official band doctor, two radiologists, and I've shown my open incision to over 25 people including several nurses. Everybody says it looks great (even though it leaks.) 45 days ago, both surgeons agreed it would heal. But I was still lost since none of these doctors are capable of giving me a new port. So I called Inamed last week and gave them an earful and cried and complained and vented my anger. Larry got Lopez to call me. Inamed & Lopez refused to let me bring up the past, and I felt at their mercy, so I talked to Lopez and gave him my history since being banded. His first statement was that he needed to open the wound and let it heal from the inside out. That pleased me greatly since he was in sync with the local surgeon - at least they both had the same opinion. But I told Lopez that the surgeon already did that over a month ago, and it never healed (remember the pics I posted of the hole the surgeon made in my wound?) So Lopez was glad I had it cleaned out, but he said the only other reason it wouldn't heal was infection. I told him all the folks that looked at the goop ensured me it's not infectious fluid, and based on all the information, Lopez was 99% sure the tube is rejecting. He said since the tube and band are made of the same material, that my band would eventually reject as well, and that he needs to remove my band. We went over a lot of details, but he wants me in Mexico ASAP to do an endoscopy to confirm his beliefs. I asked if rejected bands erode, and he said, "most likely." He said a small percentage of people reject the material, and I'm one of them. I told him, "no, you can't have my band" so we started making deals. He said if there's no erosion, we could "milk" my band a little longer. He was extremely impressed with my weight loss - pleasantly shocked. Based on my loss, he agreed to put a new temporary port in to see if I can lose more. But he said that I'd have to come to TJ prepared to have the band removed, cuz they'd do the endoscopy when I was under the anesthesia, which means I'd go to sleep but won't know if I either have a new port or no band at all till I wake up in some Mexico hospital. He said if I'm 100% no erosion, he'd put the port on the opposite side. He said it will most likely react the same way my first did, which is to leak and never heal, but based on my experience dealing with an open wound, if I keep it clean every day, I may be able to get the same mileage out of a 2nd port before needing to have the entire contraption removed,

I'm taking everything with a grain of salt till I get the endoscopy results, but I'm not headed to Mexico yet because I don't have the money. Lopez won't charge me surgical fees, but I'd have to pay the hospital and endoscopy, but he said he'd get me discounted rates. I don't have the money now so thank God he said my situation is not an emergency. Meanwhile, I've got my wheels spinning in many different directions checking out other options, other doctors, other prices. I'm extremely grateful this isn't an emergency so I have time to kick it around and get other opinions.

I'm preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. I'm handling it super well. And I STILL HAVE RESTRICTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So no hurry.

Blessed. Truly blessed. There's something to that "one day at a time" that keeps my spirits rejuvenated. Just for today I have a band. Just for today I can eat one taco and a couple bites of burrito. Just for today I can be free from compulsive binge eating. Just for today I am alive and well and damn it, crying again.

I wish I could bottle this feeling and share it with the world. Thank you, every one of you, for being my backbone. Please pass me a tissue – rolling alligator tears – the good ones. Thanks for reading. I love you.

Sonia, the more you educate yourself and your husband the more at ease you will be. You see the scary thing is not really the surgery-it's NOT having the surgery. If a person is carrying around all of this extra weight, it is killing them. Complications are a minor thing when we consider the alternative. But, really-the band is very safe. Most people do great. Continue to read posts and do your research. You will do fine. Good luck to you!

Lauri said it: the scary thing is NOT having the surgery. If you're like most of us here, Sonia, extra pounds are already affecting your health, whether it's through diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, joint trouble, high cholesterol. . . the list goes on. And (not to scare you) it doesn't get better as we get older; on the contrary, the risks increase. If you read some of the past threads, you'll see that the health of a lot of bandsters improves just weeks after having the surgery. That certainly was the case for me; my blood pressure, while still high, is going down.

I realize that my post is looking at banding from the negative side, that is, how we lose bad stuff after surgery. Truth is, we get a lot of good stuff: not just better health, but smaller clothes, compliments, confidence, and hope.

Hi Lisa,

With all my recent woes, I missed this post. There is good news and bad news all wrapped up in one!!! I sincerely hope you can keep your band and that your wound heals once and for all. And 66 pounds is nothing to sneeze at. You have done really really well despite all the of issues you have had to deal with. All I can offer you is cyber hugs and some love from TX! Hang in there!

Babs in TX

334/188/170

-146

6/23/03

I know of two people who had open surgical sites that wouldn't heal after surgery. They finally used a pack of dampened gauze with proxide and water. They changed it every two hours and replaced the packing (new gauze with the proxide and water). With in two days the wound closed. I am not giving medical advice but just passing information on that you may want to think about. Also have you thought about going to bed and taking it easy so your body has a chance to heal???. Not easy this time of year.I read everthing you write and am learning so much from you. Hope you are better soon.

I've tried laying around for a couple days and taking it really easy. I usually ride my motorcycle on Sundays, but last week I didn't get on it - just took it really easy. I've never heard of the peroxide thing. I'm working on getting another doctor appointment. If I don't get anywhere with the doc, I'll rent a box of movies next weekend and lay in bed with a gallon of peroxide and a box of gauze! I'll try anything!

Hey Lisa darlin', I hope your port incision is looking better. Did the Benadry help? If so, that might indicate more of an allergic situation than an infectious one. Also, keep checking your temp, 'k? (I know, I'm SUCH a nag).

I think that open wounds are probably more common than most people think; I know I've cared for my share of them (and the poor folks who had them). But they usually close much quicker than what we're seeing with Lisa. It's almost like her body needs it open for a reason -- like it needs a drain for that Fluid. That, of course, makes me wonder about putting a drain inside and closing the area around it. Obviously that's for a surgeon to decide, but it makes me wonder if that would be beneficial.

The open wounds that I cared for all involved a wet packing material, which was then covered with dry gauze. We called them "wet to dry" dressing changes. I'm not going to go into detail here because of sensitive tummies, but changing out the packing actually seems to speed healing more than just covering it up. So I was kind of surprised in your case, Lisa, that they didn't continue doing that.

But hey, I'm a fairly new nurse (I still have that new nurse smell, although after the last couple of shifts I've worked it's fading fast), so I admit there is lots I don't know, especially since my specialty is maternal child health, not surgery.

Best of luck to you, darlin'. You're so unbelievably strong, you know that? And congratulations on the weight loss. You deserve it.

Smiling here. I've made calls to lots of people including a several band doctors and Inamed reps. I have a couple different options that I'm tossing around, and I'll follow my instinct to make the right decision. I just hope my band is okay today (and tomorrow and for all of 2005 hee hee.) xoxo

Now that the wound has finally closed, here's my plan. All I want to do is maintain my weight loss for one year. If I can manage to stay withing five pounds, I'll be happy. Then in another year or so I hope to get a new port. Once I have a port and a fill, it should be like having a brand new Band, so maybe I can lose some more another year. Today all I care about is keeping off what I lost.

That sounds like a great plan. I wish I could be as philosophical as you are about accepting long-term results!

Lisa, are you sure your insurance won't cover a new port? I asked my insurance twice before getting the band if they would cover complications and they said yes. That even includes the flouro expense when I get fills. They won't cover the fill but consider the flouro neccessary due to complications getting them done blindly. As far as I'm concerned they'll cover anything unusual as it comes up and I'm assuming that includes additional surgeries for fixing or replacements. You might check for the heck of it. Teresa

Teresa, I've checked and checked. They would rather remove my band than pay for a new port. They don't consider a new port a medical emergency or even an urgency. But I'll keep trying! Dr. Billy won't put a new port in for at least 6 months though, so I'm in no rush.

Zoe, I wouldn't mind being thinner considering summer is right around the corner, but I'll take whatever I can get at this point. I bought some size 18 shorts, really cute ones. They are tight in the crotch area and do that horrible camel toe thing, so I'd be happy just being able to wear them in a few months. Like 5 pounds is all I need, but I may have to wait till next year.

Thanks for all the PMs asking when I'm getting a new port. I've been feeling blue and hopeless waiting for a port to magically appear. Today the Powers that Be spoke to me and told me to get off my ass and see my surgeon. The reason I haven't followed up with him is because I didn't see a reason to, considering I can't afford a port surgery now anyway. Why see him if there's nothing he can do for me?

Sometimes we just have to take steps towards our goal even if we can't see light at the end of the tunnel. Earlier I posted that Dr. Billy hasn't returned my calls - that's cause I'm being punished! He had his staff call me to get my butt to him cause he wants to see me every 4-6 months (he wants me bad, I know he does.) Kidding - laugh there. So in order to discuss my issues, I have to see him in person.

It's a huge ordeal for me to see him considering his schedule and mine totally conflict. I have to take off work to see him, but he doesn't even work Fridays so I'd have to take off 2 days to see him. (He does work Fridays but at his clinic in Northern California which is way too far.) He's actually meeting me at his office on 4th of July, this way I don't have to lose time from work. So I'm off to Penni's then for a check-up, and most likely, a few good laughs.

It just makes me sigh deeply, because after making the huge trip, I still come home portless and will have to back again for the surgery, that is, if a port falls from the sky. The part alone could bankrupt a gal! I heard the port part is like $800.00, and that doesn't even include labor! We all know the labor gets us, right? Cha-chinggggy.

That's Step-One... baby steps.

Good for you,that you aretaking those stpes.. I hope it goes well and you get good news. Hey and you get to see Penni and have a great time together

Glad you at least heard back from him and your getting it checked out. Who knows what will happen. Best wishes, Teresa

Well at least there Step one was taken. Hugs to you girlfriend. I am so sorry about your ongoing saga. Doesn't it seem like nothing is ever easy!!!! Not only do you have to deal with the lack of a port but then you have to deal with CA and a crazy schedule. That is really cool that he is willing to see you on the 4th though...exciting!...and you'll get to see Penni too...very cool. Best of luck to you. I'm thinking about you. If it were up to me, I would start a DeLarla's New Port Fundraiser but that probably wouldn't go over too well.

Hugs.