SIJoe

Thanks to everyone for the congrats. And no Liz, no offense. My wardrobe has one or two gold specked items - a requirement for all of us Staten Island residents, since most if us transplants thought we would find gold at the end of the bridge.

I was banded a few weeks before the U.S. Open and named my band while watching the games. I named it Serenity in honor of Serena Williams.

This is what I meant to post: It's a tad presumptuous to say that Christie is not on this forum. Anonymity is a valuable and significant part of this forum. Did you really think that he would his real name? Very few of us here use our full names. Some don't even have a photo. Anonymity gives us the security to be honest. Even if Christie does not participate, I'm sure there are others here who have struggled and continue to struggle with their weight. You are only two months post- op - you have a long road ahead - hopefully one filled with continued success and good health. But it's unfair to label anyone of us a failure because of your idea of weight loss.

Not very supportive Tikvah. As just about everyone else said, a 100 pound loss is not failure.

"Colored"? Only some white trash trailer park moron would use this word. I say this in a loving way, because I love and respect people of all races. And while we're on the subject of hateful words, there are a number if people here who like to use the word "fat" - very hateful really.

That's the whey to go!

The recipients are apt to say "I live in a great country."

The money comes from our tax dollars via Medicaid and Public Assistance.

Hi. I gained about 8 pounds from the time of my first MD visit to my last MD visit and Cigna approved the surgery despite my weight gain.

Thank you both for your thoughtful and inspiring posts!

Thank you. I especially like the visualization with the exception of the slinky black dress - very hairy arms and legs. Not pretty. Joe

About the Goldfinch, I'm about three quarters finished. It has a traumatic beginning, some depressing situations, but not a depressing book so far. Some good insights into personalities.

I have Cigna and am very pleased with my coverage. I was required to have four monthly consecutive visits with my primary care physician during which time I GAINED about five pounds. I had pay $250 out of pocket to both the nutritionist and psychologist. The total cost of my procedure including the surgeon's fee, anesthesiology, and hospital bill was just about $70,000 (yes, that's a seven!). My total cost was six hundred dollars - the $500 previously noted, and my co-pay was $100 for the hospital. I also pay a $30 co-pay with my follow-up surgeon visits. Cigna approved the procedure pretty quickly.

I'm reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - one of the best books I 'be read in many years. I recently finished: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood, and Simple Dreams - Linda Ronstadt's autobiography. All good.

Be very proud of yourself. Great work! Joe

I believe this was the physician that was found to be partially negligent in a law suit involving a death of a woman following weight loss surgery. The jury awarded her husband 1.38 million dollars if the information is correct.

I was banded this year in early August. I had my fourth fill last week - the last three have been 0.5 cc's. I can eat just about anything in moderation by eating slowly and thoroughly chewing. I was 276 two weeks pre-op when I started by 2 week liquid proteins and am now down to 216. I have had no "stuck" or "sliming" episodes.

Congrats on winning the battle!

Our NaNa, thou art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. This is the praise you feel entitled to. You are a god and the rest of us are mere, uneducated misinformed self lab band abusers. Respectfully yours, A newbie that has lost 35 pounds since my August procedure with not even one episode of vomiting or getting stuck because of all the incorrect information provided to me by my incompetent lap band team who know so much less than you!

Hi all - I read an article a few weeks back about the varying costs of a colonoscopy throughout the US and other countries. The differences in costs was huge. I had my lap band surgery last month. This morning, I checked my insurance website and found the following: the surgeon billed $10,000, the anesthesiologist billed $2,500, and the hospital billed $49,250 - the total = $61,800! My procedure, that started at nine PM (yes, PM), lasted all of 75 minutes. I was in the recovery room an hour at most, and I was discharged home the following morning around 11 AM. I can understand the surgeon's and anesthesiologist's fees, but almost $50,000 for the hospital when I was there for about 14 hours?! This is so absurd. No wonder our healthcare system is in such disarray. No wonder why some of us - US citizens, are forced to seek medical care outside our country. Deplorable.

Has anyone read my tongue in check, no disrespect to our Lord, revised Lord's Prayer? MaMa is really NaNa for she believes she is the all knowing God. Thank you to many, well most of you for your posts. But I may have to say a final NoNo to NaNa by deleting this account because I cringe when I see her posts.

And deliver us from the evils of unfriendly lap band foods, protective burping, gastric ulcers, sliming, excessive gas, incompetent surgeons, nonsterile operating rooms and the most dreaded slipped band

The Lord's Prayer - A Variation Our MaMa that art in heaven, hollowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in cyber lap band heaven. Give us this day our daily forbidden doughy bread, rice and Pasta, and lead us not in food temptation and deliver us from the evil of every on

Thank you Lisa Caron. I, as a newbie so to speak, is so tired of reading the uninformed rants. I try to skip them, but there're everywhere.

Mastaciolli - that's what I like to hear! How much volume can you handle?