NJ October Thread

[Dutchgrl59 2]

Hi all,

It's been days since I checked in. I just signed up for a seminar in Los Angeles called "Moment of Truth" with Laila Ali. From what I've heard she wrote a book about her lapband journey and is touring the country with speaking engagements. I've planned to go with another lapband person and this will give me chance to get to know her better too. Still eating like a wild woman... but when I get that tightness I quit. My saving grace, in the old days I would keep eating. The seminar is this Saturday, I'll update you all on what I learn. Hugs,

[sunsett 2]

OH KAT I had no idea you have been going through all of this. I am so so sorry. I am praying for you. What a year you have had.

Patty I didn't know you lost your job. I'm so sorry.

Hello everyone else.

I pretty much caught up with everyone. So much going on.

I am trying to get my forum up at running for work.

If anyone can and wants to help me out on there once in a while I'd love you forever. NewHopeTalk.com :: Index I am Lovemylpband. We only have a few on there but it takes a while to get things going.

I promise I'm not leaving here or asking you to leave here. Just some fresh bandsters once in a while would help the support of our surgery centers.

We just opened one in KC, so now we have 2.

I have to go to bed. I was just going to swing by for a second and I read just about every post.

By the way Mandy, I love JACK are you sharing him?

Have a good night. I promise I will be on more.

[Dutchgrl59 2]

Hey everyone,

We are having these aweful wild fires here in So California -- pray for us. I just got off the phone with the elementary school and asked that they keep Lewis off the playground and I got attitude! It just makes me really really mad, I noticed that the teacher at our drop-off is wearing a mask and they let all the kids on the playground, whats up with that?

My throat is raw and my eyes are watering, thinking about brining the kids home early. We've never had fires this bad.

[Dutchgrl59 2]

:faint:Oops, that seminar that I'm going to is from Khaliah Ali, gosh I feel studpid. Apparently Muhammad Ali has a number of daughters(I was told 7) but I don't actually know how many. Anyhoo.....

[jetti 2]

patty

I hope the fires stay away from you. I am acutally talking to a friend I have in So Cal right now and they are dealing with lots of smoke issues as well!!

[piercedqt78 658]

Patty, you can come here and freeze your butt off with me. There's no fires here, but it's cold. Not as cold as usual, but still nippy. ~Mandy

[Dutchgrl59 2]

Thanks Jessica. I'm keeping windows and doors closed today.... unfortunately the temp is getting close to 100 degrees and I have no air conditioning which really sucks.

Mandy: I would LOVE to freeze my butt off, but until my butt is smaller than yours it won't be anytime soon. :kiss2::kiss2: Why are you giving jack to Dianne?? If you guys are talking about Jack Sparrow....he belongs to Me!

[Kat817 19]

Hi girls---and any guys we might have pop in....

Sitting on pins and needles awaiting a call from the Dr. but have heard nothing, begining to think it will be tomorrow----dammit!

Patty been thinking about you and your boys with this fire. Once all the chaos is settled, I would have a serious talk with the school, ANY child with asthma, or any health issues should have been kept in, with no phone calls necessary, that is scary business! Will for sure have you in my prayers.

Dianne---sooooooo good to see you! I can go to your site, just tell me what you want me to do---talk pro lap band---I do that well!!! What if they ask about where I was banded....isn't your site Dr. related....because I am a Mexico bandster.....let me know!

I miss seeing you around, how's the legs----(I have no question mark still---cannot find an adapter, so now I have to either add USB ports through an expansion or buy a different key board.....grrrrr)

Mandy, we have had cold weather too, but today has begun warming up some---and so far the prediction looks as though the kids might have decent trick or treat weather. What is Miss Abi going to be for Halloween----

You never know how much you miss that one little key, the lone question mark, until you don't have it!

Betty---you on the mend now----

Eileenie----hugs---miss you!

Well everyone, I only seem to have questions in mind today....and the lack of the key only irritates me! I had 3 computer shops that were to call me back today---nothing, between them and the Dr. everytime the phone rings I hope, and it is always someone wanting to know if I have heard anything!

Will check in on you girlies in awhile----

Kat

[sunsett 2]

Oh Kat I've been thinking of you all day and praying for you. Major hugs, and thanks for the welcome back!

As far as the site goes, I think that it would be fine to talk about how great your band is. Did you have trouble finding a fill Dr in the US?

Patty it was wondrful talking to you today! We are definitly looking for more staff in LA. Not just nurses so if you know of anyone, A bandster would be awesome!

I'm going to Charleston on Thurday-Saturday for a Bariatric Nurses convention. I'm there to talk to potential employees. I can't wait what a great place to go too. To bad I don't know any bandsters there to hang out with.

Patty I asked for Jack first!!!!

OK I have to go to bed I was up so much last night thinking of all of you. I need sleep....night night

[piercedqt78 658]

I will share Jack, only because you all asked so nicely and I know you will not break him....LOL!

Kat, I'm sorry about the phone not ringing. I had a bit of a scare last friday, I started bleeding (like a period) and called the gyno that did my hystorectomy and they promised me a call back before lunch (fridays are half days in the office) I didn't get a call back until 4:30 and all he could say was that he needed to see me asap. Then he was not in the office yesterday so I couldn't be seen until today. Well over the weekend the bleeding stopped. He did a pelvic today and says he can't even see where I was bleeding from.... weird huh? He says all is fine, if I start to bleed again I am to call and DEMAND to talk to him. I will be seen the same day or he will meet me in the ER if the office is closed. I love this doc but hate the staff there.

Patty, let me know if you want to come to Chicago. I have room here, for you and the boys. It's really a great city to visit. Tons of museums, and e have sports teams up the wazoo. 2 base ball teams, 1 basketball team, 1 football team and 2 hockey teams. It's non-stop sports around here.

~Mandy

[piercedqt78 658]

Oh, I almost forgot I have my big job interview tomorrow, so say a quick prayer for me. ~Mandy

[Kat817 19]

Well no call today---the office said the results have not been uploaded to the computer system they all use, to check tomorrow. I guess they have never waited for this kind of news....has left me an emotional wreck! I truly don't think it is bad news---I am holding that hopeful feeling---but regardless I am headed for some sort of surgery, gotta be able to breath and eat!

Dianne, my surgeon and his office worked with me extensively prior to scheduling my surgery to find aftercare. I am in a rural area of New Mexico, and in fact there are no band surgeons in the state at all. The closest to me works out of both Pueblo and Canon City Colorado. It was his seminar I attended. We worked together for close to a year, getting all our ducks in a row for him to do my surgery. I met the required weight, I had the co morbidities, I was in a 12 month medically supervised weight loss plan. I had to fight with the insurance to allow my MD to do the nutrition appointments, there is not a nutritionist locally. So, finally we were getting things finished up. I was seeing my PCP at the time every 2 weeks---once a month as a nutrition discussion, and once a month for a weigh in etc, as my MD. I had my 10th month appointments done, was a few days away from the first one for my 11th month, and I was in a car accident. I was hit from the rear, and it spun my car into a light pole, pinning me in the car, and crunching my left knee between the dash and the door where we hit the pole. I was taken by ambulance to the hospital, spent the night, and had surgery scheduled within the week. I called and cancelled the appointment for my nutrition consult---I was totally dependent, I could not drive. I rescheduled it within the month---had my surgery, my Dr come to the hospital and saw me. I went to my scheduled appointment. A few days later the surgeons office called me saying insurance was closing my file. My missing the appointment, had violated the requirements for the surgery to be covered. My PCP did not want to get involved, but the surgeons office helped me to appeal, they once again said when I completed 12 consecutive months without missing an appointment, they would cover, but not until.

By that time I was furious with my PCP, he was the one who ruined it in my opinion, he saw me in the hospital---I was just a steady co-pay and insurance payment he was not willing to lose in my opinion!! But changing PCP's and trying to find another who would support the surgery etc....I stuck it out there.

I began looking into other options then. I have a friend here who used the Dr. I did, so I called her, and began researching....while once again begining the appointments. Then my surgeons office called and said the other things I had done...the cardiology work up, the sleep study etc, would not be submisible they needed to be done within 6 months of the surgery, and insurance would only pay for them without referral once every 2 years. So I stopped the whole thing. And began looking into Mexico again. This was before Kirshenbaum or anyone in the US was doing them as reasonable. I had decided on my surgeon, was just trying to figure the finances, without disturbing our savings, that is our retirement....all the while being seriously depressed. Then one day---a really depressed day---Rick and I were going into town and my cell phone rang, and it was the insurance company for the driver at fault. My ortho had just released me and they wanted to settle the case. They were telling me what all bills they had already paid, and throwing numbers out....I was trying to get my phone onto speaker, but was holding it so Rick could hear---and she says something to the effect that they would like to settle with me personally besides paying my medical, for pain and suffering, and loss of mobility, and on and on. When she told me the amount, the door opened. I had my way of doing it.

My SIL was interested as well, so she pulled money from her 401, and we went to Mexico.

Before we went though, as I began---my MX surgeon , spoke with the CO surgeon who worked so hard with me. He agreed to do my follow up care. But he is still 6 hours away one way. So the surgeon also had me contact my oncologist who treated me when I had my bout with cancer, to find out if he would in an emergency access my port for a total unfill only. I went and met with him, he agreed they could do that, called my surgeon with the ok, and we set a date!

It was an amazing experience, the hospital was immaculate, the people all but fell all over themselves keeping us comfortable. They required us to stay longer since we had to travel so far home. It is not a clinic, but a hospital and we were in the hospital for 3 days. Longer if you could not drink comfortably and use the bathroom. All was well, so the afternoon of day 3 they took us back to the airport. I have been back to see my surgeon once, when I went with another friend to be banded. I would do it again in a heartbeat! My surgery, and flight for Rick and I both at the time (April 06), everything involved, travel to and from the airport, the motel, everything but 1 nights meal was included. It come to a total of $7,740.00 The surgeon did accept all my tests---he does require similar tests, but accepted mine, my SIL had to have a cardiology appointment, and a psych evaluation before the surgery---but he did not require the sleep study.

I like the Dr. who does my fills ok, his office staff really worked to get me approved, it was insurance that failed me not them. But in the end, I liked my MX surgeon much better, he was much more informative, and relaxed, seemed more personable. My fill Dr. is very smug!

I have some family members that went and were banded, they did not set up local care, and at this time one of them is doing the fills and unfills for them---yep---crazy idiots! I understand there is now a place in Albuquerque to get fills---I don't know anything about it though. I have not had a fill since a year ago July. Thinking about one to get the last of the weight off, then schedule a TT. WOoo HOoooo---a flat belly what a dream come true that will be!!!!

Ok enough of a book!

Kat

[nightingale2u 42]

Hey All,

First of all...Kat... (((Hugs))) ... I just know you are going to have all of your prayers answered. Also... hearing about your court issues... wow... now I'm really scared... *yikes*

Hugs and well wishes to all of the newbies and the oldies.

Things are strained at best here right now... wish it could be different but mostly I just live in fear of losing my girl everyday. It doesn't help that my ex's lawyer is the family court commissioner in a nearby county... gee... connections much?

Anyhoo... Love to all of you... this is one busy little thread now! Betty... glad you are feeling better... Mandy... love the pic of you and your daughter... she really is a carbon copy of her pretty Mom...Oh... and Jack is looking pretty hot... especially by your side! Sherry... lookin good girl and lets have a close up of that Tat! ... Chris... you look awesome too... keep up the search for Mr. Right... but be complete with or without him. Eileenie... I wish you and Pat would come here and kick some serious crazy Ex butt for me. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... if anyone watches Survivor.... there was a guy that was voted off that was such a butthead... he is my ex in a nutshell... minus the gay ex-male model part....lol. I can't remember his name... but I was sure glad he was voted off. Cindy... You have never PB'd???? WOW... I did it in the parking lot in front of fashion bug the other day... nothing like harking a big plop of slime onto the pavement in public. Diane... good luck with your new website! Pat... seriously woman... you freaking crack me up... I can just see myself playing Canasta in court while the chick in charge yells and screams at me for being a stay at home Mom. Patty... Hope you are okay with all of those fires going on in California. I remember fires being a part of life every summer when I lived in the foothills of California and that I was frightened everytime!

Well... I need to stoke the fire... stack the wood... rake some leaves and take a nice long bath... hmmm... maybe I'll just go for the bath and say ta heck with the rest!

:kiss2:

[Kat817 19]

Awwww Darcy don't let our issues frmo years past scare ya---you have an advantage in so many ways---you have a well adjusted happy daughter living with you who will say you do not keep her from her Dad, what more could they ask for----

Not much time here, the Dr.'s office called, and they want to see me at 10:30. Scares the crap out of me, I think they usually give good news over the phone.....but hoping for the best....will let you know. Wish me luck...I'm scared.

Kat

[Dutchgrl59 2]

Well it's about 10:30 now and sending prayers out to Kat. Hang in there girl.

The winds have calmed down here and I actually have the front door open but the sky has this eerie yellow haze and the sun is hot pink in color. I'm hoping the worst of the fire storm is over, thanks for the prayers.

Mandy: whats this I hear about a job interview? What kind of job?

I just applied for a job.... it's a secret. When I get closer to an interview I'll dish for you guys.

Hey, gotta run. Loads of raking from all the wind and dust.

Hugs to all my girlfriends. Bye.