LeslieLee

Congrats Donna!! can't wait to be where you are!!

opps it was called liquid protein but it was a powder that I missed with skim milk.

-=smiles=- many years ago I did optifast at least I think it was optifast. (liquid protein) It was about 30 years ago, anyway it worked well. I lost and did keep it off for a long time. I didn't mind it at all, that and I drank country time lemonaide..lol -=shakes head=- if one of my kids told me they were going to do it now I think I would have a fit...LOL both my kids are very slim and I am happy for them!

mmmm Friday the 13th... what a day! lol gotta love it. Today my son had an appointment to have a pulminary lung function test redone. He had one done about a year ago as he is applying to join the military and they want to make sure he does not have asthma. When he was little it was thought he did but it turned out he was allergic to cats and dust... but being the guy he is, honest to a fault shall we say he wrote down he had asthma... So it has been lots of fun doing all the tests to prove he is ok.... -=rolls eyes=- So while he was there I asked if there is a washroom close by and the girl tells me down the hall blah blah blah and that I should also know that the purse lady is there and she has some great purses..... I am thinking .... purse lady???? in a hospital??? Can you spell trouble??? omg!! I was in heaven! while he was breathing into a tube I was buying purses! Why didn't they think of this before?? Oh wait I know why... I would be broke!! I bought two purses and a great necklace to wear to the ballet tonight!! My son and I are going to see Dracula... who would have thought they would make that into a ballet? I can't wait to see it. My son is also a huge fan so we will be dressing up ( I am wearing my new necklace and a lovely purple velvet dress) he is wearing his kilt and knee boots, he is a pretty handsome young man if I do say so myself. It will be the last time I go to the ballet at this weight. I usually get season tickets so people get used to seeing you in the same seats. -=smiles=- I am looking forward to the next ballet season and being smaller and wearing something really HOT! Till soon all, have a great day and even better weekend!

Hi Patti, I am also from Alberta, I will be going to Ont. in May to have my band. This is a great site!

Wow lots happened while I was at work! First off please rest assured that I am not about to lose all that money, lol ... as I said (((So I will be out a fare bit if I were to change my mind at this point.))) Key words ...if I were to change my mind. I will do more research which I think is what I was trying to do when I asked where I could read the statistics that Yoda mentioned. One thing that I have learned over the years is that sometimes what is typed is not what was actually thought or meant. Each person puts there own twist/emotions/ feelings on what they read. Thank you to all who expressed their thoughts and concerns and encouragement again. I know that I am going to have my band and I am going to do all I can to keep it right where it should be! I will also talk to the good Dr. and see what he has to say. Honestly it takes a bit more to really shake me to the point I would toss in the hat. I was just concerned that I had missed something important. lol you will know if something is up I tend to use a lot of !!!!!! ????? !!?!?!?!?! and OMG's And at this point I will stop before any thing else gets misunderstood.

Yes well I am having my surgery May 30th with Dr. Cobourn. He uses the Inamed brand. I thought I had done good research but I did not come across anything saying that it was known to slip more than other brands. I have paid all my pre-op fees and booked my flight as well as arranged for someone to be with me there. So I will be out a fare bit if I were to change my mind at this point. So I would like to see the info on the Inamed brand, Can you tell me where I would find that? I know that there are always what if's and could be's in life, that is why I/we check things out. I just never saw anything saying it was known to be a higher risk of slipping than other brands.

Ok now I am worried... I don't want my band to slip ... I guess I did not do enough research...

Bandiva, my thoughts and prays are also with you and your mother. There are so few words one can say especially when they do not know you, but I felt I had to say something so you know you are not alone and that you will find comfort. My life has been hit with this disease more than once and I know how difficult it can be. Last year I decided to walk in the Breast cancer walk here in Alberta. For my niece, my sister inlaw, and more than one dear friend. I felt I needed to do something, anything to try to help so I put on my runners and walked to raise money that might one day help find the cure for this. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had. I know that right now you have so much on your mind but if you get a chance to be part of something like this... I can't tell you how wonderful it could be for you, please give it some thought. It is a positive way to work through emotions that we used to drown in food. The friends you will meet along the way will mean so much too. I hope this doesn't sound like a sales pitch, please know that my heart goes out to you both.

lol Don't you just love watching the tickers Susan! Way to go Andrew! I have to agree with the Dr. situation in Alberta. It is nasty. I am also very lucky to have the family Dr. I do as he is no longer taking new patients. I have always felt blessed to have him as he has always been very good to all my family and I feel he really cares. That being said I know he also spends a lot of hours going between clinics, he works out of two. I listen to friends talk about there wait to see a Dr at a walk in and I am shocked at just how long it can and does take... and don't forget god forbid you should have to go to emergency! That is another nightmare. It seems to be the way of the future at least the near future here. That is why I am going to Ontario for this procedure. When I heard the wait times I wanted to cry. It would be nice to be able to have it done in a clinic here but there just aren't any here like there, and with the way things are going ( I can't get a kitchen/bathroom reno done no way no how) I don't see one being built for some time to come. The price of land is insane too...lol So I am fine with my choice to self pay and to have the fills done here and pay again for them. If I am in Ontario at some point and need a fill I know that I can go to see Dr. Cobourn and get it done free. Dr. Cobourn is also going to be doing the live cast of meetings there in the near futur. So the patients they do from out of province can be part of them. All in all I think no matter who you choose Cat you will have to figure out your after care and decide based on the best you can arrange here. Unless you are planning to travel back for your fills. -=lays a quarter on the table and winks=-

:confused: Hi there from another newbie!! Depression isn't fun and winter can really make it harder especially when I look out my window and see it snowing again.... or should I say still...lol it seems like it has been winter for years here in Edmonton. I wonder if it will ever stop.... Glad you came out to say hello!

Susan, Yes it is fun having your own little thread here. Kinded like having your first home. Lots of excitement and new neighbours!! I am being banded on the 30th of May by Dr. Cobourn. Maisieben, I started thinking about surgery a few years ago really, but didn't really think it would be possible. I heard about the long waits and just felt overwhelmed. I guess I am one of those I want it now people in some ways. Waiting years (3 to 5) was not something I wanted to do. So I kept trying on my own and not getting far. Then I started looking into self pay and found all kinds of information as well. I would say the research was done pretty quickly really at the end. A lifetime of fighting to lose weight and almost never keeping it off, compared to a few months of reading and then asking questions to see how others were doing. I knew I wanted to do this almost right away. :help: Did anyone else feel this way? You just knew this was the right thing to do? Yoda, Thanks again for your input! I enjoy reading your thread very much. I am looking forward to hear how Mr Yoda does. It must be nice to know you will both be doing this. All the things you will be able to do together! Cloe, Thank you too for your thoughts. It means so much. You have come a long way! I can only imagine right now what it must be like for you. It is very exciting for sure! Thanks everyone for the encouragement!!

Hello Cat, I am from the Edmonton area too, although I am not banded yet I thought I would respond with my thoughts. First Congrats on making the decision to be banded! Second there is tons of info here and one thing I would check on is fills. I know that I can get mine in St. Albert from a Dr. Dr. Cobourn has trained to do them. I think the Yoda's go to Dr. Yau and I am sure they could answer about fills there. Great choice! Cat...

-=huge smiles for Susan=- You are doing the best thing ever. You are taking time for you and making a change for the positive side of life. Last night on the news they had a spot on obesity and how the medical profession really does not treat it as it should be treated. Somehow we were all blessed to find a way to end this suffering and are brave enough to say I am going to do this!! And I do mean BRAVE! It took a lot to get to this point in our lifes and we know what it is going to mean. I already know I am going to wish I had done it sooner! -=takes Susan's hand and walks down the same path=- ps, can't wait to hear about your seminar!

-=big smiles=- sounds pretty normal to me... I have been having these thoughts also and I have till May 30th till I am banded. I gained and now I am trying to get it together as I know the more I gain the more I have to take off. I don't want anymore to take off than I already have LOL. This last week though for some reason I have been feeling full I don't know if it is because I am thinking ahead to how different it will be and I have gone into some kind of thing like soon to be fathers do when their wifes are having morning sickness and cravings... lol I am just hoping that I can keep those last supper thoughts at a somewhat happy medium so that once I am on that other side I will not have an extra 20 pounds to lose! So hang in there Susan, it won't be long now and you and I will be sharing others stories!! I can't wait!

OMG CanMac... that is TOO funny and way past the naughtiness in my thread!! I can't wait to see the clinic where you got your wallet made! -=ponders what she can have made=- hmmmm

RIGHT ON!! Congrats on your speedy delivery!! lol well it is a delivery of sorts right... delivery from so many things we all feel when we are at the heavy side of things!! Enjoy your holiday and can't wait to hear more of your story! -=claps for you and waves=- till soon

WOW I had my phone consult with Dr. Cobourn this afternoon. I had been nervous and excited and wondering most of the day as I waited for his call. When he called he asked how I was doing and I told him that I was nervous and excited, he replied "Well lets see if we can make the nervous go away." What a nice way to start. He answered the questions I could think of to ask and asked me a few more. He was very positive and said that he honestly felt that this was the best way to go and the safest too. That he can see this being a surgury that could be done more than RNY in the near future. What happened next I didn't expect..... I will be having my band on May the 30th! I am still blinking and shaking my head...lol I feel so very blessed to be getting in so soon. WOW... :omg:

LMAO.... what happened to My Oh So Innocent thread!! -=whispers=- me thinks me is in good company

-=grabs mind out of the gutter and gives it a shake=- whewwww that was close! -=stuffs it back in and gets a silly grin=- mmmm I don't think it worked....

-=smiles a big smile=- That is what Dr Cobourn said too.. If someone asks you what you are doing Leslie, you don't have to tell them you can just say "portion control" and feel good about it because that is the truth!! -=starts marking of the days till you go for your band=- 28 days before me!

ok ok now I need to know what PBing is... So much to learn!! LeslieLee

So glad to hear you are doing so well! I am LeslieLee and I am north of you just out of Edmonton! Today is My phone consult and I am a weeeee bit nervous but mostly excited and after reading your thread here I am more excited! I look forward to hearing more of your story as the days and weeks go by! The best part of this is how encouraging everyone is, yes even complete strangers! So from this Stranger to another Right On! Way to go! Keep going! and I hope to be on that side with you soon! all the best :clap2: Leslie

Hi Mandi, what an amazing difference between pics. I hope one day to be showing you my before and after at this same point. -=winks=- you are transforming into your very own owrk of art!! Thank you for inspiring others as you go along... LeslieLee

Ok I made the call to Ontario Dr Coburn or Dr Mumford Phone consult on Monday!!