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intelirish's Blog
 

End of an Era....

Today marks the end of Me as we currently know me.. Today i say good bye to the food dependent, emotional binge eating person i have become.. well in all honesty i said good bye to her about 2 weeks ago when i started the last leg of this journey and went on the Pre-Op diet. Tomorrow marks the start of the next stage of my life, to say i wasn't anxious, nervous... possibly a little freaked would be an understatement. The idea of surgery terrifies me... this isn't the first time I've had surgery but each time has been the same right up to the point where they put you to sleep the crazy thoughts will flash through my head of the what if's...   I know i am in good hands.. I discussed this with the nurse at the surgery center.. I would take the word of a nurse over a surgeon ANY day.   I know i will be fine   I know i am strong enough to do this.   I know I HAVE to do this   This is for me. This is for the girl i used to be This is for the slightly older hopefully smarter woman i want to be. This is for my girls - i will be there to share all those mile stones in their life's they have not yet reached. This is for ME....   Can't wait for this Era to end and for the next one to begin.
intelirish

intelirish

1
Dear Diary
 

Reflections

When I look at this picture, a song comes to mind. (I was almost at my largest, think i was 10-15 larger than this at one point). The song is called reflections   Look at me You may think you see Who I really am But you'll never know me Every day It's as if I play a part Now I see If I wear a mask I can fool the world But I cannot fool my heart   Who is that girl I see Staring straight back at me? When will my reflection show Who I am inside?     This has always been one of my favorite songs..and I guess in so many ways it was MY song for so many years. When I was larger, I didn't feel like that was the true me. Everytime I looked in the mirror its as if the reflection was a stranger. Who is she? And what made it worse is I also hid the fact I gay. I didn't hide that too long, I did come out within a couple of years of realizing who I truly am. Maybe that's what started my journey to self discovery. Would I have had the surgery had I not come out? I spent so many years wondering who the hell I am (well was rather). The day I came out to myself was a wonderful moment. Admitting to myself WHO I AM. Coming out to my family was the second most wonderful moment. Dad took it ok. Mom went through a range of emotions. I wasn't looking for acceptance, however, the freedom of being who i am was beyond words. Now 10 years later, my life has been the best it's ever been. The only and final struggle was the girl in the mirror..   It's been 2 years since my 1st surgery...and I look in the mirror each morning, Smile wide..and giggle "There she is..." There's the person I was supposed to be all this time.. I am so grateful to God for giving me the strength to proceed with my life change. And to my family and friends for being 100% supportive (well minus 1 person, but it is what it is). Each and every day they keep me in check. At first I had issues with some of them sneaking a peek at what I was eating. now however, it's a welcome glance! My favorite person is my co-worker and wonderful friend Granny Cathy. She has been so supportive and such a wonderful friend. I was being bad a few weeks ago and grabbed a kit-kat (sorry those are and always will be my weakness). After I nibbled one piece of it, she looked over, saw it...and took it from me! I almost died laughing. i knew i shouldn't eat it. and she knew i would do it anyway. i love her for that.   i know some individuals struggle with this surgery before, during and after...i can't express to them enough how wonderful this life change truly is. I wish I had done this in my 30's, but i'm a strong believer in everything happens for a reason. just thankful i did it when i did. no regrets....
PrettyLilButterfly

PrettyLilButterfly

1
Inspiredsmile's Blog
 

One week post Op

One Week ago today I had my sleeve surgery. This past week has been not what I was prepared for or expected. I have felt practically "normal", with no bad effects at all. I was prepared to be laying on the sofa wrapped in quilts and being waited on by my hubby. But reality was from the day I came home. I never needed a nap, never needed waited on and never had a moment of nausea. Thank you God! I weighed myself and one week out I am down 8 pounds for a total of 62 pounds lost! Hope it continues.
Inspiredsmile

Inspiredsmile

6
Roo101769's Blog
 

AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!

Right now I am feeling great amounts of stress and anger. I called my surgeons office to see if the pulmonary clearance had been issued yet. ( Was tested Friday- knew I might be pushing it) I also wanted to verify they had received the paperwork from my PCPs office for my two years medical records and his letter of recommendation. And the answer is.....NO! Week before last I went through this run around and I "thought" I had it worked out. My PCPs office said they had never received the request, but would be more than happy to submit to the surgeon once they got it. (the request) I called back the surgeon and gave them that information and a fax number they could send the request through directly. The surgeon's office said they would handle it. Obviously it wasn't handled. I do not know who is dropping the ball here, but it is starting to really piss me off. I know the surgeon's office did send out requests for records that I had signed off on in the beginning because my orthopedic doctor had to have me sign their version of one. ( Because they did not accept my surgeon's version) That was over a week ago. So whether my PCP is being slow or my surgeon is, I have no idea. But I am taking the bull by the horns and I will make sure the paperwork is transferred, if I have to take it to them myself!!! I have a call in to my PCP about it. When they return my call I will ask if they can just do it ( send records / letter) on my request. After all, I have to give my approval for the records to be released. I have read many stories on this site about people experiencing the same issues. What I don't get is why this is such a widespread problem and why it is acceptable??? In my job and many others, if we did such a shoddy job we would be terminated / replaced. I suppose it is because they have us by our proverbial "balls". What are we going to do about it? Not get sick? Never need doctors to keep records? Go someplace else? ( that will do the exact same thing) No wonder health care costs in the U.S. are so out of hand. The bureaucratic BS is insane!! I would like to be fair and patient and say "well they are busy" and "everyone wants their case to be important". But when I am doing half their work for them, and they still can't get it done? I am busy at my job too. Everyone wants me to get things done that need done NOW. Yet I can manage it. Been here 18 years. If I were not competent enough to get the job done I certainly would not have it. It just galls me to no end the case is so not the same when it comes to the medical field in general. Our records are computerized, how hard is it to obtain or send files via a computerized system?? Needless to say I will have to stay on top of this issue. My hopes for an October surgery date are waning. This month has passed by so quickly already. Even if the records are sent this week, and the final clearance is in by Friday, they probably still would not submit to insurance until next week. Then however long it takes for my insurance to decide on it, could be another few weeks. ( I pray to be in the lucky group of "just a couple days" for approval. But I will not hold my breath for that to happen.) Given the steps I have to do after approval, before surgery, it is looking less and less likely I will get in for October. I had just hoped to be far enough healed before my daughter's birthday and the holidays start, but I may not get that. The best laid plans........
Roo101769

Roo101769

1
Blog 85448
 

One Blissful Month...

When the swelling finally went down - about the third week in July - I was finally able to eat normally. Didn't go crazy, but was able to eat all those things that had become impossible due to "Jill's Rules"(see prior blog entries for details). I ate salad, had a steak, had pizza- had everything I wasn't able to eat for over a year. Actually got to go out to lunch with my girlfriends! Continued tracking my WW points and was feeling great...until the end of August.   Invited to dinner at a friend's house - yet another experience I'd largely had to either pass on or do my fake-out food shuffle around the plate routine. The roast was a bit tough, but with no fill, drinking with meal, I was able to get it down. That was until the drive home, where I started gagging, sliming and couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough for a prolonged period of vomiting.   It's been down hill since then. Pretty much any solid food creates the pain across the lower jaw and shoulders. Every episode results in an upper abdomen swelling that looks like I'm pregnant. Back to not being able to eat while wearing a bra. Back to the protein shakes, yogurt, cottage cheese...zzzz. Maybe if they made savory yogurts instead of just sweets - LOL   Next appointment isn't until October ("soonest available") - not that there's anything that can be done. There's no fill in the band. Dreading what I know my WLS is going to want to do...more pricey tests and re-tests that I can't afford.   I was warned that this might not resolve the problem and that in the future I'd likely need to have it removed. Just don't know if my insurance would cover it or if I could even swing another $500 co-pay, time off from work, surgery/recovery. Guess I'm just happy to have the memory of that one month.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

0
Jessica Lynn's Blog
 

Day before Surgery

Yay! Tomorrow is the day. I am excited. Ofcouse I am going to have trouble sleeping like I always do when I am excited. Hopefully tomorrow isn't do bad. I am not concerned about the actual surgery its the after effects that I worry about. Thankfully my wonderful mom will be here to take care of me. :wub:
JessicaLynn04

JessicaLynn04

4
D Jordan's Fat to Fit Blog
 

Getting closer...

Call from doctors office saying all files on me has now been placed on surgeons desk. Now I just wait for a phone call giving me a surgery date. Also told me when the call comes in, I have to do a three week liquid diet before surgery. Don't think I'm going to enjoy that very much. Oh well, got to do what I have to do...
D Jordan

D Jordan

2
My Big Fat Blog
 

Patience: I have nun to spare

I had my pre-surgical clearance appointment today. This is the final appointment with the surgeon where I asked questions and signed surgical consent forms. My patience is wearing thin with all these medical appointments. I know, I know, it is a journey and takes time, yadda, yadda, yadda. I just feel overly anxious and antsy. Especially all the sitting I've done in waiting rooms. My appointment time today was 3:25. I arrived at 3:15 in order to sign in and take care of my co-pay and all that. When did I see the surgeon? 4:30. I still do not have a surgery date as I have yet to receive an insurance approval. I was cleared on 8/27 medically but the office did not submit to Cigna until 9/12. If you were wondering, yes, I called Cigna today to see if they approved yet but my claim is still processing. The recurring theme here is my impatience I brought my ‘sleeve bible’ to the appointment. The 3 nutrition classes, 3 life-skills classes (courses specifically about the sleeve and how to eat), and 2 visits with the nutritionist were informative and produced a ton of paperwork and instruction packets. I appreciate all of the literature I have received and it helped to build my ‘bible.’ I had a few questions for the surgeon about the size of sleeve, blood thinners, medications, leak rate, opti-fast diet, etc. and they were all answered within 10 minutes. So 75 minutes of waiting for 10 minutes with the surgeon and a $50.00 copay. But at least I got my questions answered, right? The best part of my trip happened around 4:00. Just as I felt my blood pressure rising, 2 nuns walked in. You heard me. Nuns. Not just any nuns. Nuns who are getting bariatric surgery. I was really thankful for the laugh and the blatant message from above: Patience is a damned virtue.
Missylaneous

Missylaneous

2
1SuperBonBon's Blog
 

Random Notes to Self

Everything has been moving so fast that I thought I should take a moment out of my day to document how it is I got to where I am today.   Let's go waaayyyyyy back..... I was 17 years old and started developing depression. I ballooned up to 206 lbs from 145 lbs. (I am 5:7") I was mortified to see the scale go over 200 lbs. I immediately started counting calories and riding my bike. in a matter of 8 months I dropped down to 156 lbs. I was delighted. (what I wouldn't give to weigh 206 today)   For the next 10 or 11 years I hungout between 152 and 158. Partly because I was a "professional" dancer and the amount of exercise I got everyday was awesome. July of 1993 I found out I was pregnant. I had mixed emotions, but overal was happy. The day I found out I was pregnant I weighed myself. I was 158 lbs and in really good shape. I figured I had this pregnancy thing under control. Ha ha ha. I was contantly sick and tired. The only bad thing is I never threw up. So I ate and slept my way through my pregnancy and gained a whopping 100 lbs. This is where the struggle begins.   For the last 19 years I have been all over the place on the scale. Anywhere from 172 to 301. About eight years ago I dieted and lost 90 pounds. I looked great. Did all the plastics and everything. But slowly over the years the weight has been piling on. My bipolar medication has not helped the situation out either.   November 14, 2012 I was diagnosed with Celiac's Disease..... I immediately had to go gluten-free. You know what has gluten in it? EVERY FN Thing!!!! I though god has answered my prayers and has now made it impossible to eat crap food without getting extremely sick. Everyone said I would definitely be losing weight. Well I proved them wrong. In a matter of 8 months I lost 14 pounds. whoopie!   So there is the history.... Fast Forward to now..... My beautiful younger sister came to see me in June of this year. She is 4 years younger than I am, 5'6" and 140. She looks amazing. She was here to have some plastic surgery with my plastic surgeon. This brought me back to thinking what could I have done? Well...... nothing. I need a whole body makeover. Light Bulb! I am sooooo looking into bariatric surgery. My sister was in full support and support excited for me. So at my sisters next appt with the plastic surgeon, I asked for a referral for a bariatric surgeon. The plastic surgeon is so nice, he texted Dr. Zare right then to let him know I was coming and take good care of me.   I made my appt. with Dr. Zare for August 1st. He was great and very thorough. It took me two weeks to think about things, but on August 15th, I paid the $500 program fee and things really started to move then. the next few days I went to see the psychologist and the NUT; both of whom wrote me glowing recommendation. Two weeks later my case was submitted to insurance. Then the clock stopped moving for two weeks while I waited to hear from the insurance company. Finally the news came. I was approved. Called the office to schedule my surgery October 22, 2013 and it is on like donkey kong! My pre-op appt is Oct 4 with the surgeon. I am so ready for this. I can hardly stand it.   To Tell Or NOT To Tell I started off not going to tell ANYONE! This was my own little personal journey. Then as I became more comfortable, I told my family, then I told my manager at work to get the time off, and then I told a couple of friends. AND THEN I told my immediate co-workers on my team. I am no longer ashamed of my decision, but I am also not going to scream it from the mountain top either. I will be honest when asked and tell people on a need to know basis. So far I have not had one person react negatively to my decision. I have had nothing but an outpouring of support.     Well these are all my personal thoughts for now. If you got this far reading this... Thanks. I really did this for myself, but just in case anyone else finds interest in it, I posted it for the whole VST to see.   Bye for now Bonnie
1SuperBonBon

1SuperBonBon

0
On the Path to Enlightenment
 

AND THE COUNT DOWN BEGINS

Well I found out yesterday that the doctor’s office finally opened up the claim with my insurance, that mean my insurance countdown begins…. 15 days… well actually its 14 business days until they have to make a decision on my application for surgery. I have to admit I’m kinda nervous, but its only because I want this so bad. All the weeks of prodding and poking and procedures all lead to this moment, to these final days. I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel and guess where it leads….. to a beach walking around without a shirt and being proud about it. it leads to shopping at normal people stores, it leads to roller coasters and comfortable plane rides. It leads to a healthy and brand new life. I am 14 days away from losing the weight and seeing my kids graduate, meeting and enjoying my grandchildren, and loving my life in a way I haven’t been able to in a long time. I am 14 days away from a new chapter, if you can’t tell I’m really excited for this. I ready for this.
SigmaChefSpe

SigmaChefSpe

0
CarryOn7's Blog
 

Week 1 Post-Op.

Finally full liquids. Everything is still going well. I have been keeping myself busy, with sorting through boxes from my mom's house so I can clean out my garage. I have been using my slave labor, my 18 year old is home off & on, she would bring the boxes to the rooms I said, then I when I would be done she would haul stuff either to the car for donation or the trash. Then when my kids came home from school I have them hauling big heavy boxes or books & stuff to the rooms where I will go through them. I over did it a bit yesterday, I made sure my tummy was ok, but overlooked my back, now I am on a heating pad. Doh! Oh well I got a lot accomplished & hopefully can resume more tomorrow. As of this morning I have lost 11lbs since surgery & 12 inches. it's a great personal victory. I went to the store by myself & started looking for the foods for the next stage of foods. Kind of makes my head spin. reading the labels, thank goodness there is this website to help, with people who have went through this, before me. I went looking for somethings for this diet & found that the area I live in is terrible for much of a selection of sugar free stuff, like Torani syrups, I made an online order for a couple flavors. I mean they have crystal light, I think there was 3 pancake syrups, (for my cream of wheat) but I didn't buy yet, I think next time I go into the bigger city where I live I'll run into the health food store. It's a different shopping experience reading the packages verses grabbing what you like. but I can do this, I have committed to this, why put junk back in, that would be a huge waste of my time & money. I think soon enough it will become the normal. Just have to retrain the brain.... I did see the store in my town has a HUGE select of Tons of different flavors of Lite Laughing Cow cheese that made me happy. now I just have to get through the next week. Oh well, it will be worth it when don't have to over think when I go out. will I fit here, can I do that there, will I be asked when I am due. will that make me look stupid. who's driving what vehicle are we riding in. I am beyond ready to just be able to get up & go, no second thoughts about it. That is one wonderful thing about this site, no judging! everyone has similar things going on in there life. everyones stories are different but we all have had parallel things happen, no one wants to be this way, there are many things that happen in life & the next thing you know your needing a surgeons help. The Best decision I have made for myself. Don't get me wrong I love my Hubby & Kids, but there are times they all drive me CrAzY! This is for me, not for anyone else. just to get me comfortable in my own skin, can't remember the last time I was, if ever.   Good Luck Everyone.
CarryOn7

CarryOn7

0
Thoughts/Updates/Whatnot
 

Updated Timeline

I called my claims administrator today, I was starting to get panicky about the timeline, and someone offered me some solid advice and calmed me down until I could call.   I'm very concerned about being able to have my sleeve done before the end of the year. Effective January 1st, my insurance will change, and I will lose my bariatric surgery coverage. I started this process officially end of July, but had seen my PCP in June and July to try and see what could be done about my weight.   So, I called.   We rearranged my appointments a little bit to get about another week squeezed into my timeline. I'm up for team review the 25th of September, from there, I schedule my consultation with the surgeon. I'll have two more visits to meet insurance requirements, the last one is on November 1st. After my appointment I call this gal back and she submits everything to my insurance. She said it should take a week, but we'll have an answer by November 8th.   After that, it's just a matter of pre-op, and scheduling surgery. Could be all said and done as early as December 6th. SQUEE
Mollz

Mollz

0
Melissa's Thoughts
 

Thoughts

Well, I haven't been here in a while! I have missed reading everyone's progress and frustrations, and just everything! I feel like I let myself down last week, I was in major pain with my back, didn't exercise, didn't take my vitamins like I should have, didn't eat as much as I should have, UGH...I just didn't!   I had to break down and see the chiropractor, by OMG, did it feel WONDERFUL!!! My lower back has been in so much pain. I've been walking like a little old lady once I get up from a sitting position! Not very attractive. My chiro did tell me something that I just didn't think of that I thought would be great to share...She said, "you've just lost 25 pounds...that's a significant amount and you are losing inches, your body now has to readjust and will continue to do so as long as you are losing weight. She said it works the same if you are gaining weight." She let me know that the body has to adjust so that it helps you carry the new weight properly. DUH!!! I never even thought of that! She also let me know that while I am losing my body will continue to shift and I may need adjustments throughout this new journey I am taking!   Not feeling well really stinks...it just makes you not want to do anything...it's like My get up and GO, just got up and WENT!!! No warning, nothing, just gone! I know we all have off days or weeks, but please, I'm 2 pounds away from being under 200(FINALLY) and I will exercise this week, I will get back into my routine, and I will get under 200 by the end of next week(helps me to speak positive things to me!!!) I have to push myself, and it has been hard with this back of mine. So onward and upward here I gooooooooooooooo!!!!!   I just think that this is the best journey of my life...and I'm so very blessed to be able to be on it! Thankful the scale is going down and not up anymore, thankful that I'm just not looking at food the same, thankful that my diabetes is slowly but surely subsiding! All these things I'm thankful for! I'm also thankful for everyone on here, reading your ups and downs, highs and lows, successes and failures, trials and errors, and just the everyday thoughts of this walk we are on...helps me make it through this very day!   So...Trust in yourself...believe in who you are...YOU are a wonderful person. AND Don't "allow" anyone else to convince you differently! - My Hubs told me that! Gotta love that man!!!
MWilliams42

MWilliams42

1
Terry Poperszky's Blog
 

I miss eating...

I have had my morning shake at 6:30, and no I'm not hungry, but I would really like to eat right now. Why? A bit of boredom, a bit of panic when I realize that I won't eat again until 11:30 (3 hours), missing pleasure that comes from the act of eating.   Of all the things in my life, I think that overcoming the baggage that food has will be the hardest. Not impossible by any means, but hard.
Terry Poperszky

Terry Poperszky

10
lisacaron's Blog
 

?KNOW IT ALL? posters in Bandland this is for you.

To all the “KNOW IT ALL” posters in Bandland!   I posted this elsewhere today and I’m adding it to my blog because I just had to get this off my chest!   Why is that some people feel they are experts at what is right for anyone but themselves? When "newbies" or even veterans for that matter ask questions in this forum, it's because we are looking for advice and support.   We are not looking for the know it all clipped and often times judgmental comments that are thrown out to refute the actual helpful advice of other bandsters. These comments come in almost exact succession to the postings of certain people who are actually helpful in their comments and advice, and these judgmental postings are really starting to bug me.   If you think this comment was about you, then it probably was and I hit my target audience.   My advice to you is that perhaps you should take all that you know and apply it personally and then edit the content again before you hit post. Or I'm sure there will be more people who will start refuting your comments and judging you for your tone and countering you on your expertise.   Last I checked you were not registered as a Lapband Surgeon, Doctor, PA, or spokesman. It's really all just your opinions that would be better served minus the judgmental tone.   Thank you.
lisacaron

lisacaron

6
abcd's Blog
 

Success with Low Carb

Well, I have finally landed on something that seems to have gotten my weight loss going. I have not lost any significant weight since the surgery a year ago. I just toy with the same 2 or 3 pounds. I am now down 5.5 pounds in a little over a week. I have just started focusing on eating meats and vegetables and fruit every once in a while. It is basically just a low carb approach. I refuse to call this a diet as I seem to have an all or nothing attitude. If I fall off the wagon, I have trouble getting back on when I am dieting. So, I am just staying away from the bread and sugar. It is truly working.   I am afraid to say this out loud, but I think I may have figured this thing out. The band is certainly allowing me to eat smaller portions. I feel like I have a very good friend in my camp. I am still working on eating until satisfaction rather than until I am uncomfortably full. I get full quickly and still want to eat. I seem to be knocking one obstacle at a time out of the way. It started with not being able to eat much so I started eating things that would go down easily, like crackers and sweets. Think I have that conquered now, thanks to low carb approach. Now, I need to get to the point that I can stop at satisfaction rather than eating til too full. Such a head game!   So, here I am a year later and finally starting to lose weight. Yikes!
abcd

abcd

2
Think Sleeve...Be Sleeve's Blog
 

How do you start a life change?

I have moments of true clarity, where I am ready to move forward I have total faith in my next step, and in the decision I have made. Then once I come to terms with my life change I panic and start questioning everything. I am letting the fear blind my eye, I am thinking with the fear in my heart, letting the what ifs take me down.   My yoga teach says you need to step into the unknown, take the leap and jump. I get right to the edge of acceptance and take a step back and then I move that to the edge. I honor the part in me that is working thought the process. I want to enter this life change with an open heart exposed so I can morn the life I had and move into the life I will have.   My journey hours the journey in all of you.   Namaste the light inside me hours the light inside you.   Joy
Think Sleeve...Be Sleeve

Think Sleeve...Be Sleeve

2
Gastric Sleeve Surgery - An Unexpected Journey
 

Rule #1 - Cardio or Why I Would Be One of the 1st to Go in Zombieland

Rule #1 - Cardio   Walking is not wonderful. The only part I do like is getting outside and attempting to beat my previous time. Yesterday, I walked an 18 min. mile. That may not sound like much, but when I first started my mile was around 30 mins. - if I could do a mile. So, I am trying to follow the program and get better, and faster but I can’t say that I love every minute of it.   Walking is boring. If I could get away with it, I wouldn’t walk. Maybe if I could figure out some way to bring my computer with me on a walk I’d have a different attitude. And while some people are very adroit at using smart phones for everything, I tend to crash into cars, trees, and big rocks if I don’t concentrate on where I’m going.   I always try to walk with a buddy. That way there’s someone to talk to and hold me accountable for showing up. And, it’s a safety thing as well. If we happen upon a bear or wolf on the trail, I don’t have to worry about out running the bear. I only have to out run my buddy!   I’ve thought about getting one of the new exercise office desks. So I can stay in the house and walk. Basically it’s a treadmill with a desktop mounted where the controls are normally placed. I could walk and surf at the same time. But if history is any predictor of the future, it will just become another thousand dollar clothes hanger.   Running - I think it is one of my bucket list items. It would be nice to be able to run again. I don’t think I’ve ran more than a few steps since high school. Even then, I really couldn’t run more than a quarter mile, but even that distance seems like a pipe dream at this point.   So, I will only be running if someone or something that wants to eat me (and not in a nice way!) is chasing. And, let’s be honest, the evil thing will more than likely get me. Just like in Zombie Land – “The 1st to go were the fatties.”   That reminds me … I need to check my bathroom and make sure there are no zombie clowns waiting in ambush.   Keep Pimpin That Sleeve!
joatsaint

joatsaint

6
Dear Diary
 

Was I too Open?

I'm reading post after post in regards to whom people have told. And it seems very few are telling people outside of their 'cirle'.   Me, I've told the world. If someone at work asks, I tell them. My job knew the second i started contemplating the surgery.   I think part of my decision to tell everyone was I work for the company/hospital who does the surgery. i was the first one at my insurance company to get lapband. and now i am the first one to get the revision. i actually considered trying to get a job at the bariatric clinic. everyone at work has been so amazingly supportive. two of my close friends at work have gotten surgeries too. i feel like i've inspired others to follow suit, or to at least go to a clnic. i've sort of become the poster child for the surgery. matter of a fact, i may soon literally be the post child. marketing has asked if i'd be willing to be part of our 'my story' campaign. I have already put a testimonial on the website. they want to do a photo shoot (WHAT?? WHO? ME?? really? YIKES, YAY) most of the posters i would be on are within the insurance company and the hospitals. there's a very slight (NO WAY! YIKES) possibility i may be on a billboard.   see here in new mexico, not very many doctors offer the surgery. matter of a fact, it appears to just be our hospital here in albuquerque and one in santa fe. so it's a huge deal to have success stories and advertisement when a huge part of your advertising is 'only hospital in alb to offer wls'. i don't know if all this will come to light, but i'm willing to do what it takes to inspire others. or to be there for anyone who has questions. granted, one of my best friends is the manager of the clinic now, so i doubt she'll let it go. she'll make sure my mug shot is out there! haha..    
PrettyLilButterfly

PrettyLilButterfly

4
Fibro Diva's Bariatric Blog
 

Highlights from PAINWeek 2013

Fibromyalgia: A Diagnosis of Exclusion No Longer   There were several master classes offered for physicians and other attendees at PainWeek 2013 in Las Vegas, NV the first week of September.   Fibromyalgia was the first and most anticipated. Obviously PainWeek organizers underestimated the interest in Fibro. At first there was standing room only, eager "students" stood 3 deep along the walls and 6 deep out the door. Finally, workers from the Cosmopolitan Hotel found a new room with enough seating for everyone.   Thank God I had my scooter with me, I would never have been able to get from class to class so soon after being sleeved.   The next few posts will be about the Fibromyalgia Master Class.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

6
JCassell's Blog
 

5K, a Family Affair?

Why, yes it is. My mother is two weeks post op, I get my surgery date in two weeks, and My sister really wants to loose a few extra pounds. So what could three fantastic ladies do to accomplish thier goals of skinny jeans, and shirt sizes with no Xs on them? They start training for a 5k! More specifically, the Dirty Girl Mud Run. The proceeds go the help with breast cancer research, it isn't timed, its only for wemon, it has mud AND obstacles! And as if it couldn't get any better, if the obstacales are too much for you, they have detours. This sounds like a recipe for the warm and tingly feelings of accoplishment, pride, girl power! It also sounds like a perfect starting 5k for someone who wouldn't run if you were chasing me with a knife. This may sound mundane to you but our idea of a family endurance sport is seeing who stays awake the longest after dinner. We aren't athletic and never have been. In fact, in my current state, I would probably get about a quarter mie before I curled up in the fetal position and cried. But I have high hopes for the future runner buried deep, deep,deeep within me. We are stating C25K, as soon as my surgeon clears me. It will be interesting to see how we handle this. I think its going to be awesome! They have a mud slide, you guys, a mud slide. nuff said.
JCassell

JCassell

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