LilMissDiva Irene

Aww thanks!! I just saw this post -- your prayers are so appreciated! Hows it going lady???

Well I'm "Officially" a Dr. Aceves patient now as of the 15th!! :001_unsure:

Hey globe, what your Surgeon has told you I have heard as well. I fully intend to lose about 75% of my excess weight by 9 months out and work really hard to meet my goal by one year out. I think at this point I have about 115 lbs to lose or so. Goal is also a state of mind, in my opinion. I just put myelf at 24.9 BMI because that is what all the charts say I should be at my highest. Well, if I feel comfortable at a higher weight, am very healthy then I will just say I'm at goal at that point. I just don't want to put so much "weight" into the numbers anymore. My ultimate goal is to be able to buy all the cute clothes I want, be able to workout without hurting my arthritic knees and to be off all my comorbidities medications. :001_unsure:

Awww mila thanks my friend!!! ) I'm recovering rather swiftly, especially considering my first two days. Those were NOOOO fun! I have missed all you guys too! All I could think about while I was so sick in bed was, hey I gotta go check in so people aren't getting too worried!! Daisy you were so right about how wonderful everyone was there. Thanks Jane!! It looks like you're plugging right along yourself! Hugs!!! Well everyone I am back in the good ole US of A!! My Mom commented once we were back in Calexico that it was nice to see the STOP signs instead of the ALTO signs... LOL I thought that was pretty funny. I planned my trip over 2 nights and 3 days. I wanted to make sure I don't over-do it. Our first night is here in Palm Springs. It's toasty warm out there but it is very nice. The main reason I chose this destination is that there is a monstrous sized Outlet Shopping Center here off Highway 10. They have just about every Fashion Designer you can think of. I do plan to buy so many cute things!! We'll drive up and down each aisle to see where I'd like to stop. I'm feeling really great so I don't see any issue on why I can't just walk about some here and there. I won't go in every single store, but I do have a few pegged that are a must see!!! :thumbup: Before I left Mexicali the night before, Dr. Aceves came in and spoke to me (along with Dr. Campos) to remind me this is my second chance... so don't blow it!! LOL I mean, I struggled with the band yes, but I do admit I could've done better on my end. I think once I got the idea I was not going to get ANY help from my band I essentially gave up. Then every time I tried to do the right thing again it seemed to get harder and harder. I honestly believe I made absolutely 110% the right choice! Well if you'd asked me that right after and I felt like I was gonna die right then, I don't know what I would've told you... lmao - but now? YESSSS!!! My Mom said I'm already looking skinnier!! That's always a plus! :thumbup1: I just wanted to thank each and everyone here. I couldn't have done it without you guys and gals! The support here is A+!!! :001_wub:

Hey everyone, checking in! I'm on surgery day 3! It was really tough. If you want all the particulars you can check out my personal thread. I just wanted to wish everyone well who is going soon, and to congratulate everyone who has already done theirs. CHEERS TO US!!! :001_tt1:

Thanks Hitori! I'm feeling even better as we speak. Thank you breezy :biggrin2: !!! I simply cannot say enough about Dr. Aceves, Dr. Campos, Yolanda, Nina and all the rest of the staff here. They have been superb. I've never needed to wait for more than 1 full minute for someone to see me if I press the call button. Their accommodations are A+++!!! :thumbup: For all the folks around here who have convinced me to come here, I give a hearty THANK YOU!!! Just to give you an idea of how wonderful it is here... my Mom is a huge worry wart. Well only after one day did they settle her nerves and she has been happy ever since. She's always commenting on how helpful they are and how clean they keep it here. She often compares it to some facilities in the US and the nod goes to Hospital Almater! I finally finished my first full 10 oz glass of apple juice. It only took me 5 hours but I did it. Now they have my full spread for dinner. broth, lemonade, apple juice and chamomile tea. It's actually really good tasting. I surely don't remember saying that after lap band surgery!!! Here is a little comparison I've noticed just today with my new sleeve vs. post op Lap Band. Lap Band = Day 3, super HUNGRY!!!! liquids was not cutting it, and I was absolutely miserable. I worked through it but it was NOT easy! Sleeve = Day 3, zero hunger. Not even thinking about food and here comes this huge tray of liquids. Though, they are good and I drink them, but had they not come I honestly can't say I'd even give it a second thought. Just a little tidbit of info... and I'm ALREADY TICKLED ABOUT IT!!! Could this sleeve been what I needed all along? Well, so far so danged good! Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy the first few days. I had severe nausea, vomited once and it wasn't pretty. Dr. Campos came right in and said "this will make you feel better, and a bit sleepy". Well, ha! That's all I remembered after that. I pretty much slept the rest of the day... lol I do also have some abdominal cramping, but hey - they just cut my stomach out so I wouldn't say that is abnormal. Dr. Aceves is quite impressed with my outcome. He said he usually notices some pulsing from his band to sleeve patients during the 3rd leak test. He didn't see any with me, so that was good! I'm all set to go as of 7 am tomorrow... now I loved it here, but surely there IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!! :001_wub:

Thanks Lisa, Dr. Aceves charged me for a revision. I can't really remember how much he charged for a sleeve only. I believe it was around 7,900 or something close to that. He is in Mexicali which is closer to the Arizona border rather than the San Diego area. You would be super impressed. It's a small quiet hospital and the nurses are always so attentive. You will also stay at the Holiday Inn which is quite plush. The food there is really good too. You will also like the idea of staying in the hospital for 4 days and 3 nights. You really do need it. I just can't imagine having been sent home the very next day with how I felt. Mine was a revision, so more detail involved but still. It's tough! Good luck on your decision! Thanks Gracey!!! ) Hi everyone! I'm alive, and made it through the more torturous hours post op. Was wondering there for a minute if I would too. I was doubting my decision to do this even, and wished I could take it all back. But as the hours passed and the better I felt I realized I made a good decision. True and final decision but that's how it is. I needed something permanent. There's no getting out of this one so you just have to learn how to work with it and not against it. Hoping everyone else is doing good too! BTW I was 272.0 on surgery day. I can't update it from here on my ticker but just wanted to reflect that for the record.

Thank you my dear!! I'm feeling a little nauseous... so my nerves are on overdrive. I just want to get in my little bed with the IV's and relaxers already... sigh Get this over with! My Surgery won't be until Noon or 1 PM so I have to wait all day. :lol0: But I just got to suck it up and get this thing done! I know I can't keep this band here much longer, and I need something or I'll gain and gain and gain... For me my best choice is the sleeve. I wouldn't do well with the RNY, the malapsorption would not be good for me. I will try to log on as soon as I can. Doubtful it will be today though, I'm always out of it on surgery day.

LOL!! This is the first time I noticed this thread... It's nice to see it though! Thanks everyone for your Congrats. However things here are so nice, I doubt you all will keep me all that busy. And anyone who knows me, knows that's how I like it.:crying: PS, Susan how did the audition go???

Congratulations to you! My band removal and sleeve is tomorrow. Everything written at this website helps so much to remind me I'm doing the right thing! xoxxo

Hi CG! Wishing you well for your Surgery Friday! :crying:

Thank you!!! :crying:)

THANKS!!!! XOXO I will do my best to stay positive, but dang - surgery is always so nerve wrecking for me... *sigh*

Thanks everyone!!! It's getting closer and closer :crying:

Gracias tdov!! :crying: All the very best to you tomorrow too! I can't wait to hear how you do. Hey all, so I'm sitting here in my Hotel room. It's the Holiday Inn, and may I say WOW!!!!! It is Gorgeous here. I'm am SUPER IMPRESSED! My Mom was even really impressed. She admitted she was very nervous but she said she's feeling more comfortable as we're going along. I'm glad because I don't want her to stress too much. In talking with Lucy (who is an absolute sweetheart!!) and the Anesthesiologist, and the nice lady who goes over all the paperwork with us (sorry her name escapes me for some reason) it's just setting all our minds at ease. The food at the Colorado Restaurant was super good! I had grilled chicken and fettuchine alfredo. The chicken was amazing! So juicy and the fettucine, very filling! The bread was good, but of all the things to eat - the Ice Tea and the corn chips were A+++ My Mom had 2 Margaritas and she's feeling good right now.. ha-ha! I have my Ativan for later. I'll definitely take it because I am so wired up right now. Thursday is the Mexican Independence Day and it is their Bi-Centennial Celebration. I came here at a very festive time! They are decorating all the street corners and everyone is flying their flags everywhere. It's pretty neat!! Even the Hotel is decorating everything and they are planning a huge concert type thing for tomorrow. At least that is what the concierge tells us. However I will be pretty out of it when they do their Celebrations. There was a vendor right across the street from the Hospital selling all kinds of flags and whatnot. My Mom is going to go to them tomorrow and buy some flags. I told her to get me a huge one!! Being I'm partial Mexican I can at least Celebrate with my people!! I cannot say enough about this whole experience so far. Everyone here has been just awesome! They are so accommodating. It's almost like I want to say even more so than in the US. They are so helpful, and anything we want they go out of their way to get it. Well tomorrow we meet Ernesto the Driver at the Lobby at 7am. He looks so great by the way! He had the Sleeve surgery by Dr. Aceves I guess awhile ago. He looks really good! You can't even tell he needed the surgery before. One last thing, it turns out I will be the last surgery of the day!! :svengo: They tell me they save the best for last, or rather should I say the most difficult cases. The good thing is during my barium test my band looked really good - no signs of slips or anything like that. Great! Anyway my surgery should be around noon or 1pm... *sigh* Though they promised to give me tons of happy pills... hehe!! I'm here with a lovely lady who is getting the Sleeve tomorrow, as well as Nina husband who will be sleeved tomorrow too. Nina is my bariatric coordinator... I just think that is awesome! :w00t:

Good luck!!!!!!! tdov, see you on the losers bench! We are going to be sleeve sisters now bern, I'm so sorry to hear that! That is my one worry I have. But, take it like this - at least your surgeon was caring enough not to push it. Just keep your eyes to the future and rest, heal and you will be sleeved in no time. Time flies! I got my date 5 weeks ago and now it's already set to happen tomorrow. Wow!!! acs, Im getting a revision as well. I only hope it has not done so much damage that I will not be able to get my sleeve. Well I will know by tomorrow afternoon. OK everyone, my big day is less than 24 hours away! I'm going for my preops in just a few hours. It's here!!! Its FINALLY here!!!!

Hi Pookie, all the best in the upcoming days! You should be either in the OR right now or just about finished. Hope it went well for you!!!! Daisy, thanks so much! I will definitely tell them. Nina told me her husband will be on the same day as me getting sleeved too. Isn't that great??? That for some reason gave me a big sigh of relief and instant readiness. I don't know, it's like - if she trusts her husband to the staff - and she's my coord. I should trust they'll do excellent with me too. Awesome!!! So I'm going to Calexico in just a few more minutes. I admit I had a good Breakfast too.. lol!!! But now I can't eat anything else until dinner. I did bring me some beef Jerky so if I have to wait awhile I won't be so hungry once I have all my preops done. )

sleeve, you are doing really REALLY well! 20 Minutes is good... just the fact you're doing it... that's great! You will be doing those 5k's in no time!