nightingale2u

Wow ... it's like reading my own experience without having typed it! THe surgeon told me that some people are just very sensative to fills and are not able to tolerate them. I have literally exactly the same symptoms when I go over the 1cc fill mark. Even at 1cc... I still have the issue with not being able to eat the foods I should be eating... pressure in the sternum region and mild pain through to the mid back and the port site... but it is tolerable at the 1cc mark. It's totally freaking me out to see another person having the same problems and quite frankly... makes me feel a little less crazy! I'm so sorry you are having this problem Susan... hopefully the unfill and a slow approach to re-fill will spare you any continuing symptoms!

Michelle... I am so proud of you! You are a force to be reckoned with! How can anyone not admire your strength and determination???? WTG girl!

Hey Pat.. Good to see ya posting! Yeah... gaining sucks... but sitting around boo hooing about it doesn't change it. I think I'm just wishing I could be fat and damn happy about it...lol Anyhoo... miss your posts! Patty... This was certainly not the summer to be without air conditioning! I was watching the weather report anfd thought about your when they mentioned the heat out your way...yuck! Hope you have a safe trip and at least there is air in the car...right? Donna... Thanks for sharing... I got half way through and the phone rang so I will have to go back and watch the rest of the show when I get back from training. Well... It's EAA time here so there are all sorts of bombers flying over... geez... feel a bit like the big one is going to drop! THe campers out there must be sooooooooooooooooo miserable and hot! When I went to workout this morning I walked out the door and my glasses immediately fogged over from the humidity! The only way that I would go out to the EAA is if I knew I would get a glimpse of Harrison Ford... He usually comes every year. He went to college in a small town near here. (Ripon) I guess he was quite a wild young man! Anyhoo... off to jump in the shower so that I can walk out into the sauna...lol. (((Hugs)))

:happybday2: :happybday2: :happybday2: :happybday2: We don't see you nearly enough around these parts but wanted to let you know you are thought of and that wishes are being sent for you to have a very special B-Day!!!!

I lightened this one up a bit... pic whichever you like best.

Hey Cindy... Here's a new avatar... you should be able to right click and save it... if not... let me know and I will email it.

Dianne... If you don't figure it out... send them on to me and I'll put it together for you. :jaw: Betty... I haven't talked to Becky lately... shame on me! I'll have to try and get in touch with her. Wait... I think she and her hubby go to Sturgis... is that going on right now? Darn fickle bands... always putting that cabosh on out best laid plans...lol. Did Eileen's mentioning of hotdogs and flames get that hankering started??? Sherry... Sounds like you had a wonderful time and that i was well worth the 2 pounds! Welcome home and hope the ground has leveled out for ya! Bettina... Sorry about the hubby getting laid off... man... that is just happening all over! I am going to pay the fees to renew my LPN license just in case! I said I was done with nursing... but in a pinch it would put dinner on the table. Hope he finds something soon! Cindy.. Your Welcome. :waytogo: Do you want me to add stats to your pics ??? Also... Do you want me to post them to the NJ picture thread? Well... They say that when you get all of the way down... there is only one way out... and that is up. So... I wallowed for awhile... had a little pity party... did quite a bit of crying and carrying on and am finally plodding forward. I do think that I will be considering a revision somewhere down the line but won't do anything until my daughter is 18. Hopefully by that time there will be even more information on the gastric sleeve as a stand alone surgery. Anyhoo... I got up yesterday and made a plan for the next two weeks... and am not going to weigh until that time period is over. I think it would send me over the edge to see my weight right now. I was 228 at the docs 2 weeks ago and I know I've gained more since then. Reality bites. So... I was 257... got down to 186 after banding... and am probably over 230... that sucks no matter who you are... lol. Anyhoo... Pity Party is over for now... time to clean up the mess I've made. Luv ya...

I'm posting these for Mousecrazy... these are her one year Bandiversary before and after pictures. Doesn't she look great! WTG Cindy!

You look wonderful Cindy... Happy Bandiversary! 7/22/06

Eileen... Perfect.... Do you think it will go well be my teenie weenie red polka dot bikini? I really want to make sure everyone notices me on the beach. LOL Miss Cindy... just wanted to let you know that I will get busy on those pics and get them posted tomorrow...okay? My brain is a goner today! TTFN

Oh Happy Bandiversary Miss Cindy... I bet you look MAHveLous Darlink! Look at those Stats girl... Woo Hoo! (((Hugs)))

Great... now you made cry Eileen... WTG.. LOL. How the heck am I supposed to go out and run errands with a puffy red face! If only I had a pretty red pocket book to match!

Oh Gosh Betty!!! ((((Hugs)))) I think Patty gave you some wonderful advice... both of you get on those bikes and head out for a nice long drive to clear your heads and regroup! THis is happening to so many people here in Wisconsin and nearly forcing my husband into moving and downsizing just so that we can be prepared. You both are in my prayers and I am so glad that you secured employment before this happened! Patty... Betty... Eileen... I do feel the love and I think you all so much for the encouragement and I want to rally again... but I just really feel tired of the fight at the moment. Maybe for my own sanity I just need to accept that the banding was just not the answer for me. THe pit of my stomach is just sick with the realization of the money that has been spent trying to make this journey a success. Even worse is the thought of the money we would have to spend just to have it removed. OY. Bless my husband for putting up with all this and loving me still! You guys really are awesome... thanks for putting up with my blue mood. (((Hugs)))

THanks for sharing your experience Anthony! The VG definitely sounds like an option that I could hang with... I am struggling in regards to possibly having my band removed and hearing the positives of your surgery really gives me hope that there might be an effective alternative. I hope you will continue to updat on your progress from time to time. Congratulations on your success!

:cheer2: Have a good one... and wishing you many more!:cheer2:

Kat... OMIGOSH girl... you are just not going to be able to be the one to handle everything! You are one little person and there should be zero guilt for calling in the troups! I just don't know why bad things are sometimes grouped... pray for strength and reach out for help from friends. Believe it or not... people that don't ask for help are denying their friends the great feeling that comes from lending a hand. I pray that your DD will be able to recover without a transplant and that your Mom will recover from her surgery quickly! Hang on for dear life and get through all of this with your sanity by leaning on your friends. I feel so helpless when I have a friend that is going through a rough time and always wish they would let me help... wishin I lived nearby to help take the load off! ((((Hugs)))) Eileen... I am SOOOOOOOOOOO glad that at least the worry of surgery is behind you. Were they at least able to tell you is the if the tumor looked benign? Gawd... 2 weeks is a fricking eternity! Hope the both of you get to go out on the town soon an shop till the sun goes down! Dianne... Awwwwwwwwwwwww I am so happy for you you!!!! Onederland is a magical place and you have worked awfully hard to get there... congratulations! Crossing my fingers...legs and eyes for your hubby and his interview! Let us know how it goes because I look pretty funny sitting here with everything crossed.:cross-eye Anne... Hope you had a safe drive home! Hey...speaking of gas money... I am noticing that our local service stations are starting to offer full service fill-ups now. I went to a station the other day and the guy walked up and I nearly brought out the pepper spray...LOLOL. Patty... You are on busy woman! Hope you have a safe trip to your Moms and that you are able to pop in from time to time to say hi. Robbie will in my prayers... how hard this wait must be for everyone! Bettina... Welcome... we are all mostly NJ wannabees. My brother arrived yesterday from Nebraska... sure wish he would move here! Anyhoo... He and my hubby and BIL are all off on my BIL's dad's charter boat for a big day of fishing! He left at 2:30 am... boy...sure sounds like fun to me...lol. I'm failing miserably with my band girls... wishing I could just have it removed as it is just plain humiliating failing with it in place. I just can't hardly eat the foods that I need to be eating and all the wrong foods go down slicker than snot. :help: I've got to get myself back to working out... I felt so much better even though I was still eating poorly...at least I wasn't gaining! Betty... kick me in the head with that boot would ya! (((Hugs)))

Hey All... Betty... Girl... that just sucks! I was trying to think of something positive and upbeat to say... obviously I fell short of that mark...lol. My hubby has extremely flat feet ... they bother him a lot and thankfully he has a sit on his butt all day kind of job! I sure hope that expensive boot comes to some use... even if is just to give me a swift kick in the arse. :eek: Anyhoo... Sorry about the expense and hope you are able to avoid surgery! Kat... WOO HOO... BE CAREFUL... runnin around nearly nekked around hubby... it might get his B/P up too high! :eek: Glad you are both back to being home alone and it sounds like you will be nice and toasty for the winter! Donna... Welcome home! Your step-daughter's family will be in my prayers! Anne... LOL in regards to the outdoor symphony... sounds like something I would do with the exception of one thing... I NEVER dress up...lol. Eileen... I hear ya in regards to the heat! Is it unreasonable to want 70 degree temps all year long???? :Banane10: Mary... WOW... your kids head back to school early! Sorry about the frustration with your ex's lawyer... my ex's L was a total doink... he was always talking out of his butt and really only caused things to be more expensive for the Ex in the end. THey always looked so important sitting together all suited up... me across the aisle in my Walmart best... sitting alone... looking petrified. I wonder why they always got the short end of the stick? Anyhoo... hang in there... it will all be behind you one day soon! TTFN

Awww... Shelly... You look so beautiful! What a fantastic setting for a wedding! What a journey you have had on your way to love and now wedded bliss... Congratulations and Wishes to you and your husband for a very happy future!

Hey All... Sorry I have been AWOL. My duaghter came home from camp and it seems like we have been running every since! AHHHHHHHHHH... it's so good to have her home! THe best part was how happy she looked when she go off of the bus and she ran to me and hugged me with free abandon just like she used to do when she was little. I'd have paid the camp fees for that alone! SHe nearly tlaked our ears off over the next 3 hours...lol. Eileen... Wow... that seems like such a long wait for the surgery! THis must be so hard but I bet your sister is her beautiful Gaurdian Angel and will be watching over her namesake. (((Hugs))) Dianne... Oh my Gorsh... my ears were ringing the other day! I am really flattered but Ladies... my nickname at my last job was Brat. It's easy to be sweet when surrounded by so many great peeps! Donna... Your boy is Handsome... Handsome... Handsome! Great pics! Betty... Man... I can't wait for you to get that foot looked at... I am starting to limp just thinking about the pain you are in! Hang in there! Boy howdy... Y'all are getting the hottest end of this hot weather stick! It's hot here too but nothing compared to your neck of the woods! Sherry... Sending wishes for you to have a safe and wonderful trip... you will be missed here! Rene... Congrats on the Weight Loss and for your defoliaging...lol. Cindy... Hope you are having fun! Mary... Happy Bandiversary! My two year just passed so we were banded around the same time frame. :eek: Anne... Halarious Pic... My brother once got into my Mom's tampons and made jet packs for his GI Joe doll. Hehehehe... he then proceeded to come out and play in the midst of a room full of company...LOLOLOL. Kat... Sorry about the hubby's fall... I can only imagine how stressful all of this waiting has been for both of you! It will be good when this is behind both of you and you can be moving away from it instead of towards it. (((Hugs))) Patty... It was a tough 6 days waiting for my DD to return but it was well worth it. She had a great time and it renewed her appreciation for just about everything here at home! Well... Hugs to everyone I didn't get to... I must go and get a few chores done since the entire morning was spent going to dentist appointments and piano lessons! TTFN

I feel for you Penny... if I end up having my band removed I will seriously consider the bypass but I guess I just can't imagine going through it. I still have a very clear picture of my sister's recovery in my mind and I think I'm to much of a weenie to go through it...lol. You are really lucky to have such great line of communication with a surgeon and although the ultimate decision would be yours... it sounds like he gives sound advice and really cares. Wishing you the best as you mull all of this over and eventually come to a decision that is right for you!

Hey guys... Just wanted to pop in for a quick hello... Eileen... Oh heavens... I just can't imagine how frightened you must be with such a diagnosis and surgery facing your niece... I'm so sorry! My prayers are with you all. Big Huge ((((Hugs)))) Dianne... Wow... so glad you are okay! It frightening to see just how quick life can change. Sometimes we are just seconds from a life altering event! I'm not sure what to say in regards to the insurance... I've never really been in a car accident. Hope somebody here has some helpful advice! Anne... It's so good to see your post! LOL abbout the hanging Chad... darn... wish I would have thought of that! Rene... No sweat... we'll all still be here when life settles down for you. Cindy... Pictures of the "painless" tattoo please. THat's the only kind I will ever muster up the courage to get! Betty... Darn it.. hope you find a specialist that is close enough for you to see and get that foot fixed up. I for one need a good butt kicking so I'm counting on your foot to be in tip top shape! Kat... Great news about your Dad! Wow... I can't believe it is only 3 wks until your hubby's surgery! I know he is going to come through all of this strong and healthy and ready to drive ya nuts for ever and ever amen! Well... Nothing new here... just missing my girl. Talk to you all soon and (((hugs))) to anyone that I missed!

Happy Birthday Vera... You look like 27 so no worries! You look awesome!

Most surgeons have a host of requirements for doing fill on patients that were banded elsewhere. I'm not sure where you are located but there are only two bariatric surgeons that I am familiar with in Wisconsin (Though there are many others). Dr. Thomas Chua in Milwaukee and Dr. Georgan in Neenah, WI. You can also go the the Obesityhelp.com website and do a search for bariatric surgeons in the area you are closest to. Good Luck!

Forty... hmmm... nope... not ready for that yet! Seriously... I think there is a little bit of fear installed in my brain due to my Dad dying at age 41. My brain seems to equate the 40's with death. Yikes... I hope I can get over that! I suppose I could just stop having B-Days right here and now?

We Miss Ya Mary... COme back and tell all soon! (((Hugs)))