singandsew

Hi, Oh well. I'm good on Wednesday or Friday....both? We all need the walking. Mer

OH Poo! It's already 10:48 and I just got the message. Can't make 11:00. Darn! I was thinking we talked about noon before....... Mer

Hi, Either Tacoma mall or Grandview is fine.....only I don't know where Grandview is.....LOL Mer

HI, I was at Dr. Oh's today with a friend, and talked to a couple people about Friday at Auburn....I think they are from UP so if we want to meet over in Tacoma it's good for me....I will just have to let them know as well. Merrillee

I have my first fill next monday....and I'm wondering if I can ask my Dr. to do a more aggressive fill so that I will feel it. From reading the posts it sounds like it takes several to get there. Problem is, I only get the first fill for free. The rest are $125 a shot..... So do Dr's do more aggressive fills? Merrillee

Hi all, Friday is good for me. Monday I have my first fill at 2:30, so not sure I can make it, unless I leave at 2:00. Tuesday the 2nd is fine for me, too. GEEZ, I guess we have to say what we look like......Blonde and chubby.....anyone else? Mer

Hey! Sorry, my appointment isn't until 2:30. Bummer. I think all of us from Tacoma area should get together for ...... ummm Water and some crystal lite? Merrillee

Hi Cindy, My sister and her husband live in Cle Elum. Small town, maybe you know them? Joanne and Steve Mills? Merrillee

Wenjea, Yippee for you! My insurance excluded lap band too....so I went out and got a loan. Nothing was going to stop me and I'm glad you aren't going to let anything stop you, either! Go for it, girl! Merrillee

Wenjea! Vitalady is a person who sells a LOT of protein, vitamins, etc. out in Puyallup. She and her husband both had gastric bypass many years ago. Their website is vitalady.com. I like the chocolate Whey protein......YUM....Got a BIG container of it yesterday. As for the pre-surgery diet, I think I lost 8 or 9 lbs. The rest has been since surgery. Merrillee

Wenjea, Hang in there. You're doing well. My friend, Rachel, is starting the process with Dr. Oh, too. I'm taking her out to see Vitalady tomorrow. LOVE the chocolate protein powder. Thank God! I DO LOVE chocolate......yum. Oh, and I'm in Gig Harbor, not far from you. As far as the pre-surgery diet, the cravings seemed to go away for me as I got the vitamins and proteins going on that pre-diet. Eat as many sugar free popcycles and jello as you want, too. They are great and actually do fill you up. It helped me to keep remembering that I HAD TO shrink my liver because if it was too large he would have to do the surgery OPEN. YUK. Evidently I did ok. I'm down 20 lbs as of today, since the pre-surgery diet and then being banded 12 days ago. I think the key is to obey the rules, keep doing the liquids and WALK every day. I'm supposed to get my first fill on April 30, two more weeks. Definitely looking forward to graduating to mushy food....at least it will be different. Some of my clothes are already too big. Is that cool or what? Not ready to give up any of them yet, though. I am a pretty good seamstress so I will be taking things in. Merrillee

Hi Cindy, That is WHY you need a fill. There is no restriction until then. So you've been making it on will-power alone, pretty much. Now that everything's healed, you get to really put the band to use. Not there yet, myself, just 9 days past surgery, but that's what I've been told. So hang in there and trust the process. Merrillee

Yes, productive farting! I have experienced this since day 2 after my surgery. The gas has been gurgling through my bowels like crazy, and of course I'm on a clear liquid diet. So, finally do the #2 and it's almost all liquid. Liquid poo, how lovely. And I have to be careful when I fart because it's not always just air..... and I've lost it in my undies a couple times. This sooo sucks. So let's just call this PF-ing. Something akin to PB-ing. I just thought we should have an official title for it. I have read this happens quite a bit....the liquid, that is....Liquid in, liquid out. So I'm not fearing this will be my lot in life....but ick. OK everyone for calling it PF-ing? And referring to it as such from now on? Merrillee

Oh yes, almost had an "incident" at Target last nite. The main bathroom was closed for cleaning and the little single one by the pharmacy was in use. Lovely. Mer

Hi Wendy, Yah, LOVE Dr. Oh. I was self-pay, so from my very first appt. to surgery it was just over a month. A busy month, though. All kinds of testing and classes. It really makes you ready. Is the support group at St. Joes the same one that used to meet at the library near Target in Tacoma? I went there a couple times. Very good. I will have to look into that, although you get more than enough info here. I am doing very well after 6 days. Even made it through my son-in-laws birthday and easter with guests. Still a little sore at the port site, but losing weight and feeling pretty good. Merrillee

LOVE it! Not the pF-ing, but all of you all are so funny. Don't make me laugh or now I'll pee my pants, too! Merrillee

Hi All, Glad I found a WA forum here! Super! I was just banded by Dr. Oh on Tuesday 4/3/07. He's fabulous and so was St. Francis Hospital. I like that hospital SOOOO much better than any of the ones in Tacoma. Very superb treatment. Still sore at the port site, but not anything Tylenol can't handle. Down 14 lbs since the 2 week pre-surgery liquid diet. Off Metformin and Insulin already. Yippee! Easter was alright. We had tons of people over, but my husband, son and daughter took over and did most of the work. We didn't have a sit-around-the-table style meal, so everyone was everywhere and I didn't feel too self-conscious sipping my Soup. OK, I did sneak a little cake after everyone left, but it actually did not feel good going down.....so never mind. I won't do that again. YUK. Love to hear from other folks in the area to chat with. Does the "group" ever meet up for discussion, etc? Merrillee

OK, So how am I supposed to handle going out with my new Son In Law and his family for dinner Saturday nite. They are going to Red Robin. I looked at their menu, and they do have an onion Soup which I can take the cheesy cover off and it's got beef stock under it. Would that be ok? Sheesh. Or should I just take my bottle of Water with some sugar free flavor in it? Also, I think I may be drinking too fast in general. Is that possible at this stage? Thanks, Merrillee

LauraJ23! Mt. Dew has a HUGE amount of caffeine. My husband used to drink it like water.....and couldn't sleep at nite. THEN, we found out the culprit WAS the DEW! ARgh! I won't let him drink it anymore.... As for soda, I was a DIE HARD Diet Coke Girl! Gimme gimme. I've been good and went off it for the surgery. But I had read a couple people on the board saying it was ok, and I was considering it for when I'm off the Clear Liquids and mushies.....but now that I've heard the consensus is nasty......I'm not going to even think about it....... Merrillee

I wanna know, too. I'm in Gig Harbor......Ate nasty french onion soup at Red Robin tonite, but made it through. Merrilee

I made it through! The onion soup broth was pretty much ALL onions so I asked them for a cup of au-jus, which they brought me. Fine. No sugar free drinks there except diet coke, so I had brought a packet of Crystal Lite to put in my Water. Also no problem. Later they all had cake and ice cream in front of me.....bastards.....Just kidding. I didn't even want any. I'm finding I want to live more than I want cake.....LOL.. Merrillee

Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it. Last nite my son and I went to the mall food court and I found some soup at Subway. I slurped the liquid out of it, then my son ate all the other stuff. They also had some strawberry flavored sugar free water. It was nice to know I really can work this out no matter where I go. Merrillee

Of course, I would LOVE a shake, but that's a lot of sugar, not to mention my Dr. has us off all milk products, as well. We'll just have to see what they can mix up for me that's sugar free. I'll bet I'm not the only one in the world that's needs sugar free.....