Since no one in ND has posted, I'm hoping this will help us if we have an ND lurker out there. I am in Bismarck and starting to meet with St. A's next week. I understand today - April 27 - is the day the proctor is here to train the surgeon. I wanted this surgery 2 years ago (when my sister had WLS) but hesitated because I have to self-pay. Hoping to be banded late May - I'm eternally optimistic. Hope to hear from someone else in ND

Hi,

I am from Bismarck, ND. and having the lap band surgury done this Thursday at St. A's by Dr. Schmidt I would like to hear from others who have been banded by him.

Thank You,

ReNae

Hey Nae Nae!

This is your sister-in-law and neighbor welcoming you to lapbandtalk forum! Thursday will be the day of beginning your journey for a new life and a new you! How exciting!!

Naea Nae, JoLynn, Cindy, - our newest ND bandsters. How are you doing? How's everything going post-surgery? I can't believe how I feel so behind in life missing the site for a week. I've got to make a quick trip to Fargo in the morning so I won't be able to catch up until this weekend. Update me.

Naea Nae - good luck Thursday. Celeste

Hi, Fellow N.D. bandsters. I have not been on in over a week as I went to visit my family in Montana. Just got home about an hour ago. All is well with my band.....as far as I know I go gor my first post op appointment on the 22nd so we will see. I ended up having to break my diet last week and I ate meat (jerky). ( got stranded on my four wheeler in the mountains with a friend and I had no food along, he had some jerky and candy bars.) It went down fine and had no problems. I called my nutritionalist and told her about it and she said I would be ok. Just as long as it went down ok. I have never PB'd or slimed yet so maybe that is a good sign that everything is ok in there. I worry so much about erosion and band slippage, that sometimes I drive myself nuts with it. I hope I get a fill on the 22nd cause I have been able to eat a lot more this past week. Well hope you all are having great success. Celeste I will email you about my schedule for the 22nd.

Hello everyone!

I have been lame in keeping in touch because of my busy schedule. I just wanted to say hello to all my ND lap-band friends and to wish you successful journeys ahead! Naea Nae is my sister-in-law, lives just down the road from me and is now a new banster! How exciting! We get to go through this journey together! Celeste, I hope all is well with you! I would still like to get together some time! Asphalt Angel, maybe sometime when you are in Bismarck, we could all get together.

I am at the phase of my journey that I can eat most anything. I consciously have to be aware of what I am doing. I was stuck at -18lbs for days on end. This morning I reluctantly go on the scale always expecting the scale to go up, and low & behold it was down another 2 lbs!! Woo hoo!!!

You all have a nice Thanksgiving and keep in touch! Naea Nae I will see you on Thanksgiving day and I will have the best beer cheese Soup you have ever tasted waiting for you since it is your 1st day on liquids! Even if it is not the best you've ever tasted, I can guarantee that the first day of liquids, everything you consume different than Clear Liquids is absolutely heavenly!!

Are Missy4Gordon and DolphinGirl still around?

Asphalt Angel, Cindyh and I are getting together Dec 26 for dinner in Bismarck. Anyone else want to join us. PM me if you do.

Hope everyone enjoys a thinner Christmas. Celeste

Oh, I would love to get together but I won't be in Bismarck until the 27th! I am finally getting my first fill, I am so nervous!! So what is Dr. Schmit like? Is he nice? Does the fill hurt? I hate hate hate needles. I have to meet with the dietician first, then we are staying at the hotel with the waterslide for the kids, hopefully, I haven't made the reservation yet. Have fun at your get-together!! Wish me luck!

Missy

Dr. Schmit is wonderful. Kay is the nutritionist you meet with and she is very good and patient with my weird ways and travels. Andy will probably do your fill. I hate needles too. The first few times I had a nurse hold a book between my head and the needles cuz I didn't want to see it!!

They will put you on clear liquids for the first 24 hours so prepare yourself for missing dinner with your family that evening or else plan somewhere you can have broth.

I'll pm you my cell phone number if you want to call when you are here.

Missy, what time is your appointments with the dietician and with the dr.

I have appointments on the 27th also. Mine are 2:00 and 2:30.

my appts are 1:30 & 2:00, I will probably see you there! Cool!

Hey Fellow North Dakotans~

I'm still here. Just lurking around every day.

I still haven't gone through my surgery, but I haven't given up hope.

Hope you all have fun meeting...and maybe next time I'll be able take some time off to join you. That would be so cool.

Anywho, hope you are all doing well.

Keep me posted on how things go with your Get Together.

Well, I had my first fill on 12/27/05. I was pretty scared. Kay the dietician is really nice! I was pleased to find out that I had not gained any of the weight back that I had initially lost, I was sure I had. Andy was the one who was going to do the fill, he is really nice too! So he found my port right away, no problem. He sticks the needle in to find the spot in the port and can't find it. He tries for what seems like forever, decides to just go get Dr. Schmit. Dr. Schmit tries and tries, can't find it, I am freaking out cuz they are talking about it possibly having flipped. Just my luck. So they decide they are going to do it by Flouroscopy, but Dr. Schmit tries one last time, BINGO! He finds it and puts in 1.3 cc's! All done! I don't know if I am feeling any difference yet as I have only eaten once since the fill. Both Andy and Dr. Schmit are super nice and thank goodness they are willing to do this for Mexican patients! Hope everyone has a safe New Year!!

Hi!

I am from Minot and just beginning to find my way around this site. I have my app. to be banded on Jan 19, in Bismarck with Dr Schmidt. Would really like to meet and get to know all of you. I spose they will tell me about the support groups that meet and when they get together. Would like to hear from you.

Mail address is dabel2@min.midco.net

Darlene

Hi Darlene, it is great to have some more N.D.n's . There are some support meetings in Bismarck but I have not gone to any as it is 4 1/2 hour drive for me. There are 4 of us now who have gotten together and met and had dinner and plan to do it again when I go back for my next fill so when you get to the fill stage will you have them done in Minot when dr. schmit comes there or are you going to go to Bismarck? If you get back to Bismarck you will have meet with us. Good luck on your surgery and keep us posted.

Thank you for the reply. I am not sure where he will do the fills. I think tthey said it was up to me. I need all the support I can get so I may drive down for a support meeting or two. Still in the stages where you are not sure of how things will work out. I would love to meet other banders though. I have two days left of the pre-diet and one day no food only clear liquids on Weds. I bought a case of broth so it will be nice and handy. Just wondering what to take along for food. I spose only iso drinks. I also was thinking some pillows for the trip home?

Darlene