Southern Oregon

I know I went to Mexico because I am self-pay....I am hearing great things about the hospital/clinic. What do you think? more or less the same? What is the worse thing about either? I know with the local hospital when I had ankle surgery, my heart rate/oxygen level had dropped (I was on a monitor due to low heart/oxygen/blood pressure). The blood pressure monitor went OFF at 2:30 a.m. and machine was indicating that it was like 70/40.....I waited....no one came. I could hear folks down the hall at the nursing station telling jokes....finally, I called on the phone, which was picked up by the switchboard and transferred to make the phone call. I said I think I can read the machine....(my bp is low anyway, like 110/70 on a daily basis). they finally came and checked me out (obviously I wasn't dead). so, after that experience, I am not so nervous about Mexico hospitals....lol

Sending warm fuzzies to all NINETEEN of our group!! Wow...that's alot of stomachs coming off. positive energy, positive healing thoughts are the requirements for each one of you. I want our August group to be the one group that surpasses the statistics and has no complications....so, no cheating, no jumping ahead on the food intake, no dehydration hospitalizations, nothing but feeling good, feeling determined, and on our way to a whole new us!! them's the orders, folks!!!

Thanks, Amy. It's better...are you on the fb group?

1. there is wireless/computer available at most of the hospital/clinic or the hotel. 2. sign up for a google account if you don't already have one. Download googlechat or googletalk. Make sure your family has the same loaded onto home pc. If you have a laptop, microphone built in/webcam built in, make sure you test this before mexico. Ditto with the family pc 3, take headphones or the earbud/mike that comes with your phone with you. Remember test before leaving home to make sure the phone earbuds/mike works on your laptop or the home computer. if it works there, it most likely will work on the hospital computer/hotel computer. 3. get online and talk for free using googletalk/googlechat -- can do voice calls OR video chats for freeeeeee. alternative 1. sign up for a skype account. Skype will do computer to computer calls for free. 2. Buy $10 bucks of skype credit. You can now call a landline from your computer connection. Same deal with the headset/mike...TEST IT BEFORE LEAVING HOME. There is nothing more frustrating than trying something new and feeling icky at the same time and it not working right...... alternative 1. yahoo chat -- I believe it supports voice chat. alternative iphone/android phones -- facetime program for video, or even the skype, google chat options. Just make sure you are using the wireless internet and NOT the phone functions or the 3G/4G services -- you will be charged. Might want to put phone in airplane mode and connect to wirelss that way to be absolutely sure.

ps, link to group is below my avatar pic.....social group: August 13th Sleeve Group....

ladies/gents, I started a group just for the August 13th group so we don't get lost in the shuffle. Right smack dab in the middle of the month -- we will get the experiences of those before us and can reassure those after us. I am on day 4 of preop (okay, started a bit early) and of course got on the scale this am expecting miracles. NOPE. Think I am holding onto every drop of Water I can so that I can continue to dissolve into tears at the drop of a hat. (long story: involves grown children making the same mistakes I made 20 years ago, bad choices of partners, moving in with the drug seeking fool she is in love with and exposing the love of my life, my grandson, to the drug seeking fool). (can't tell I don't like the drug seeking fool much, can you? ). (she announced this on my birthday, yesterday.....after having a broken A/C for two months, broken water heater yesterday, broken car, broken mower, etc......that was just the icing on the cake, so to speak!). *sigh*, waiting for surgery in order to be knocked out and not think about broken stuff, Karen

Good luck today to all the folks beginning the rest of their lives this morning!!

because we are getting so big, the August 13thers -- I set up a group to keep track of each other..... http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/143-august-13th-sleeve-group/ please come fret with us there too!! Been quiet so far, mostly because I was stressing over work issues and big exam, but am now only stressing about surgery so have lots more time!!! 13 days away!! and by this time two weeks from now, we will be relaxing by a pool (I know we can't swim) or walking up and down the hospital floor and on our WAY

I am late starting and so went half liquids, one diet/under 300 calories meal starting today, I think. I will have to go back and read my material.....ARRRGGGHHH. Hey, I made everyone a moderator and I know about five more people are now scheduled for the 13th....if you notice 'em, please invite them over to join our little group!! (I have had a two-three period of intense studying as I took huge exam and am just now recuperating from it.....just in time to start really really stressing for this next big thing!!)

I figure we are all on the same timeline for pre-op....I can do Atkins (induction) if I don't cheat, not even a little (says the nutritionist). I am wondering if I shouldn't just do liquid the couple days before to make sure all is "empty" What about y'all? Liquid or non-liquid for your pre-op? Karen

WW says 140 for me at 5'7" (I think I shrank heightwise since the long ago days of WW), but last time I was 175, my collar bones showed and I looked thin thin thin....I would be thrilled with the 175 at this point, but 150 is where I am headed to make a goal of 128 pounds (a skinny person, I am going to lose a skinny person from inside my bod....lol)

I see you are in Maryland, what airline are you flying? I will try to help you plan this....this is do-able. (socks for the cold feet and I hadn't heard of a support hose requirement, other than if you are prone to clots....hmmmmm...will have to go read my info (am not with Dr. Kelly, so maybe this is his thing).

alone $500 am not happy about the "alone" but it is what it is. Most of my family is east coast, I am west coast and friends work....so, alone, it is.

take both the rolling bag and the computer bag then (IF the computer bag can attach to the rolling bag so that you don't have to lug it). My shoulders used to hurt/ache from carrying the laptop bag on my shoulder through airports....it's a pain. (( most computer bags will fit under seat. I travel quite a bit. I have a Rick Steves computer bag which does NOT fit in overhead in smaller planes (the turbo prop kind) where they gatecheck your carryon's...it will fit under the seat. Just measure ahead of time. Even that bag tho, I can throw in a small purse (which I then take out after getting the carryon into overhead and perhaps the computer bag...). You can have TWO things.....the one with personal items/laptop/purse AND the carryon luggage. I think carryon is restricted to like 18 x 9 x something....(go to your airlines website and find the description). The personal items/laptop/purse just has to be able to fit under the seat, and that is like 9 inches high by 20 inches wide (maybe?)...I will measure my rick steves bag if I can find the measuring tape. What I see most often in the security line is folks getting stuff taken away as they throw the bottle of shampoo/mouthwash/etc in their carryon. Or have a full water bottle in there. The hotels will most likely have shampoo/conditioner/lotion, if you can deal with their brand. Put all your liquids in a sandwich size baggie and put it in an easy to reach place so you can grab it to put in the bin separately. Most of the time, I tell my family NOT to wear flipflops on a plane, but in this instance, take shoes that you can slip/on off without bending over on teh way back and if the only shoes that will work is flip flops, that's what it has to be. (my flip flop rule is after reading Pilot Scully's (spelling?) book about how he manuveured the plane into the Hudson rather than crashing...it is all about preparation for emergency and passengers can prepare for emergency by being dressed for the emergency, i.e., sturdy shoes that will help you get out of a plane, no nylon clothing, knowing where the exits are, etc.).

Oh, and definitely a rolling bag/briefcase for the latop, small enuf for under seat, if necesssary. I throw small purse in that and then have 18inch carryon for clothes, etc. do not let them gatecheck the briefcase under any circumstances

I would take laptop. Whether there are movies or TV depends on airlines and whether flight is international. For example, on any domestic (US) flights, US Airways has NO inflight...only to hawaii or off mainland. United is roulette, somtimes has, sometimes not. Southwest--nothing. Virgin America....hear it is great. Rather than chance it, u will have backup with laptop!

I am going with Ortiz on august 13th....very comfortable with choice...and thinking ahead, wanted to be familiar with doc who would do breast lift, arm fix and tummy tuck and Dr Ortiz is associated with Ariel Center for plastic surgery! Thinking positively here!!!

How is the dunkin donut guy/relationship going?

Yeah!!!! You go girl!!!

Sunday and I am at the office working.... or actually not working as I am cruising the boards.... Anyway, the August 13th Sleevers? I made a sub-group as we are all in different parts/different docs, so we have no sleeve buddies so far.....and because I am scared to death as I am traveling by myself!! (it's all about me.....). Anyway, if you are August 13th, and you want someone to be checking on you immediately after surgery, click on this link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/143-august-13th-sleeve-group/ and join the sub-group. PS. -- this is not to take away from the main group, just a "same surgery date; same healing time; same issues and are you okay?" kinda group!!

well, I am the only one over here that is going to Ortiz (8/13)(there's one other on his forum) so you can be my honorary sleeve buddy, how's that? Whatcha need me to do?

Hi! I am being sleeved August 13th, by Dr. Ortiz in TJ. Age is 55. Kat1, wow, I am so sorry that you are being treated (or rather not treated at all) like this by your doc. I also wonder if he is aware....is there any other way other than through your coordinator to get in touch with him? I have read and re-read the forums and that surprised me as I had read mostly good stuff about 90% of the docs. I am also traveling alone, so will make sure I make lots of noise about anything that is "off". I am scared and I am thrilled at the same time. HAve been significantly overweight (okay, FAT!!) since I was 24 so am ready ready ready to move on and be done with this....

The decision to have surgery in Mexico was not an easy one. But no insurance benefits under my health plan for any obesity related treatment (I don't know if that will change under the new healthcare plan law) -- that made the decision easier. In 3 weeks 6 days, I turn 55 and I will have been obese (FAT) for at least 30 years officially. And 30 years of trying to lose weight and to be healthy is long enough. I thought I was fat as a teen and now realize I was just right....5'7' and 135-145.....but definitely voluptous and bigger than the cheerleaders who all seemed to weigh 90 pounds and were about 5'1" tall. Got married and gained 25 pounds but still was within normal. Went on the pill and gained 25 more pounds...and it was officially "on". Got pregnant, lost 45 pounds after baby and then gained 60 (with the encouragement of my (now ex-) husband. (seriously...he would bring home 2-lb bags of M&M's and a large pizza for each of us.....bagels, ice cream, "you deserve it"). :ph34r: Since age 24, I have tried Diet Center, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Medifast, Optifast, Adkins, appetite supressants and oh, let's not forget the fen-phen. Every single time I lose 20-30 pounds and STOP. The Medifast/Optifast, I knew exactly how many calories I took in (approx 800) and lost NOTHING for a month (I figure my body thought I was dead or something). I am thinking of VSG as a kickstart with extra kicks built in. A tool to be used and that continues to be used. In the next 9 days, I quit smoking. (Dr. 's office said quit at least 4 weeks before surgery).. On August 3, I start 10 day preop but am supposed to lose 5% of body weight before 8/13. Along with taking and passing a huge test for my work the week of July 24th. Gonna be an interesting month.

I think you need to tell HR then. Hostile work environment lawsuits could cost them a bunch of money.....they would make him stop.

that is not a "friend"...that is making fun of you and getting to feel better about himself at your expense. AND, it is probably creating a hostile work environment, so you should tell your supervisor. Shame on him. Don't need "thick" skin need to have him not be "thick" headed.