pinknsassyemt

Ralph... Because my grandfather was Ralph and he was cranky and fussy and well if I don't behave... I Ralph

I wish I had done this... It would be a nice encouragement when I get frustrate with my "extra" skin now that I've lost my weight. I'd rather need to but a tummy smoother in a size 4 than wear a size 12 underwear and still get wedgies! Keep these pics handy you will need them in two years ur doing great

Name your band... Seriously it helped me develop a relationship with the lifestyle change... And I take are of Ralph..... Or I Ralph haha

I am 2 years post op yesterday, and I have the realize band. It was what my physician offers. 147 lbs lost I will say its all about the tool... I'm not sure what name is on it would make a difference.

2 years ago yesterday I started my journey with Ralph (my lap band). The left picture was 3 weeks post op... So down 40 lbs from my heaviest... The right... This morning.

I've been so stuck on rice (one and only time I tried it) I had to use my finger to get a good gag reflex... It absorbs fluid and just gets stuck hard core. Poopy.

I would recommend not leaving. A lot of us are health care professionals with first hand knowledge of the dangers. I am banded, and I have treated several patients in emergent situations with bands before so sometimes we have seen what the "stumbles" can cause and opt to share that. I have no idea what TMF background is, so I only ask that you stay and absorb the support, ignore the other stuff. From PERSONAL experience I too fell off a little not long after post op... I ended up having to get a UGI and swallow study and put back on liquids for 3 additional weeks so even someone with first hand knowledge of the dangers makes slips... Ur back on track and I find when I have a stumble I make a big note post it on the fridge that says "remember nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" and it detours me after ur first fill you will have plenty of reminders, promise

Every bariatric surgeon in the local area... Most turn me away because of my lack of insurance, others apologize because of who my surgeon was and state that they don't involve themselves in his messes.

So June 13th will mark my 2 year love affair with my band named Ralph... I've done fairly well, from 282 lbs down to 150lbs, I feel content. My problem is, my surgeon left his practice and I tried and tried to find another one, and in the interim lost my insurance. I'm working with a 14cc Realize band with approx 4cc of fluid give or take... That's a whole other story. Anyhow I've mastered the idea of knowing my bands moods for the most part and do well eating and sometimes find I'm able to eat far more than I should. I of course know this means I need a fill, however other days I'm so tight I can swallow a protein shake. I've tried tracking this to see it it coincides with stress and so on. Anyhow, I can't see a dr because A. No one will see me and well B. No one will see me. I have since had a hysterectomy so I know my hormones can play a lot and find it hard to drop these last 20 lbs. anyone have some good motivators?!? I'm hoping just being back on the site will help.

Mine is Ralph... First and foremost if I don't stick to the rules what will happen.. I will ralph haha.. and my grandfather is possibly the most stubborn but brilliant man I know.. I think its fitting!

So I am 6 weeks post op, and noticed that my port site/incision was still rather swollen, but I brushed this off as needing more time to heal. On Friday morning I woke up, and I swear to you, thought I had an alien trying to escape from my belly!! I had this huge rock hard protruding fist size lump right behind my insicion. I went to work, and called my surgeon. In the office they decided it could be a seroma ( a collection of serum often related to tissue disruption and rather common). Most seroma's will form then redistribute over time. Mine however.. did not. I find myself laying on a table with 2- 60cc syringes in my belly sucking the life out of this thing. Whew.. Not so bad... and they even offered me a fill while I was numb. I passed since I am totally in the green zone and losing well. Anyhow... Fast forward to Sunday.. The alien is back, but bigger.. and red.. and warm to the touch.. Yikes! I call the on call for my physician while I am at work. ( I work at the hospital which my surgeon is from). They come to see me, and decide its best to give me some antibiotics.. Bactrim via liquid form it is for me.. ICK! I call the office Monday at the on call Dr.'s directions and of course they want to see me. My surgeon has his nurse practioner do another aspiration, again draining off 120cc plus and extra 10cc... it is getting bigger.. They discuss possibly inserting a drain, but I have a fever... Great... So.. they send me for a cat scan to make sure my port isn't being rejected, or misplaced... Everythings fine just a big giant seroma.. 1 hour after a draining it was measured at 8.9x3.4x4.7 cm... yikes~ I have to follow up again on Wednesday and still the possiblity of a drain lingers.. I was happy to hear that "Ralph" (my band) was in perfect position and he was fine. I just wanted to share this, incase someone else has the same symptoms, or if anyone has any brilliant cures before tomorrow... Nothing awesome about realizing you have a flatter tummy, and all the sudden it looks like ur hiding a orange in your waist band. haha

I can honestly say that I have no regrets, not even doing it sooner. I have faither that everything happens for a reason, and until I moved forward, I don't think I was ready. This is a great tool, and a life changing event.

As an EMT, this is what I have to say... If your buying a braclet or an anklet and u want them to be pretty and "unrecognizable" I can guarantee you just wasted your money. When we get on scene we check necks and wrists and that is about it... if we are looking for a medical alert, it means your unconsious and fumbling through jewlery is the least of our worries... we do check, however we don't spend much time on it. PLEASE PLEASE WEAR MEDICAL ALERT JEWLERY WHERE IT CAN BE SEEN AND RECOGNIZED EASILY. Just a little suggestion.