moparmemaw

He's beautiful! (or is it handsome)

I didn't like the fuzzy navel either. UGH. I also liked Chike chocolate, even though I'm not a chocolate lover. Samples are really the only way to go until you know what you can tolerate. If I had a choice, I wouldn't drink ANY of them. LOL

I like the Roadside Lemonade nectar. I do have to mix in a little Crystal Lite....not too much or it will be too sour. I also like the Isopure drinks from GNC. There are several flavors. Somewhat like Kool ade but not as sweet. They tend to dry my mouth, but there's 40 g Protein in a 20 oz bottle, no carbs and 160 calories. A good way to get the majority of your protein in.

Oh I hear you about shorts! I don't remember when I wore shorts. I am glad capris became popular. Even when I was slightly overweight, the legs of the shorts would always work their way up between the legs. UGH! Boy I hope I lose enough that that doesn't happen! My surgery date is 2/23. Finally! In Kansas City. I'm self paying for VSG. Wish me luck Wanda

Congratulations! What an exciting year 2010 will be for you. Just a suggestion on the wedding dress....don't pick one out too soon. Not only will your body change to the point that you would want a different style, but you don't want to have to do major alterations. LOL

Wow Tiffy...only 3 lb to goal! You rock! :thumbup1:

Can I come to your house? We can have that pity party together. Oh, no.....wait, I can't even open my front door 2 inches due to a 3 ft high drift. Bah Humbug. My DH is happy though, because Santa brought him a new snow blower. I'm not sure it will make it through the drifts. Good thing the garage door goes up, so he can get the blower out and work his way to the front door. They're calling for up to 18 inches before it's overwith. I'm thinking Santa was not pleased when he had to visit Iowa. But DH is fixing bacon and eggs for b'fast. We have Cookies, dips, broccoli salad, chili and a very expensive beef tenderloin ($13,99 a pound). And no one to share them with. The loin will go in the freezer, I will eat the broccoli salad for several days (DH doesn't like it) and well, maybe a few cookies and chips/dip. I guess it's a good thing I haven't had WLS yet. My parents, brothers, nieces and nephews and "greats" are all in Illinois enjoying their day together. And we (DH and I) are home alone and won't see any of our kids today. They can?t get to us and we can?t get to them. Yep, having a pity party at my house. Waaaa Waaaa. But at least we didn't lose power....yet. Then there's that bottle of wine I was going to share with company. Maybe I'll drink it myself and wallow in self pity??right after I eat everything in sight. Like I said....BAH HUMBUG! But I hope everyone else has a wonderful day. Wanda

Can I come to your house? Oh, no.....wait, I can't even open my front door 2 inches due to a 3 ft high drift. Bah Humbug. My DH is happy though, because Santa brought him a new snow blower. I'm not sure it will make it through the drifts. Good thing the garage door goes up, so he can get the blower out and work his way to the front door. They're calling for up to 18 inches before it's overwith....on top of the 12 inches already on the ground from the last storm. I dream of a white Christmas every year. We got all of those year's worth of snow this year. UGH. I'll never dream of a white Christmas again. I'm thinking Santa was not pleased when he had to visit Iowa. But DH is fixing bacon and eggs for b'fast. We have Cookies, dips, broccoli salad, chili and a very expensive beef tenderloin ($13,99 a pound). And no one to share them with. The loin will go in the freezer, I will eat the broccoli salad for several days (DH doesn't like it) and well, maybe a few cookies and chips/dip. I guess it's a good thing I haven't had WLS yet. My parents, brothers, nieces and nephews and "greats" are all in Illinois enjoying their day together. And we (DH and I) are home alone and won't see any of our kids today. They can?t get to us and we can?t get to them. Yep, having a pity party at my house. Waaaa Waaaa. But at least we didn't lose power....yet. Then there's that bottle of wine I was going to share with company. Maybe I'll drink it myself and wallow in self pity??right after I eat everything in sight. Like I said....BAH HUMBUG! But I hope everyone else has a wonderful day.

LOL....But a turtle neck might look kind of funny when it's 100 degrees outdoors!

I responded to Chancie's post because she had already addressed most everything I was going to say. Breekahouse- You are beautiful inside and out and you will continue to be so. Best of luck in your journey!

I'm a pre-op too. My grandmother had more than half of her stomach removed due to severed ulcers when she was in her 40s. She died at 81. The only thing I noticed was how little she ate!

I too have thoughts about dying on the table. I have normal BP, cholesterol and am not diabetic. Just old and fat. LOL But I think about people who have heart disease, diabetes, etc. and get through surgery just fine. In fact, when you think about it, people who have had major heart attacks go under the knife for bypass surgery (not the gastric persuasion - the heart kind) I don't even have a date yet and these thoughts enter my mind. But I want and need to lose the weight so badly, I'm just going to have to put on my big girl (no pun intended) pants and just do it! After all, if we don't get the excess weight off, our chances of a heart attack or stroke are way up there on the charts of probability.

I admire you for making this decision at your age. Even though a light weight now, as you age, that takes a turn for the worse. At your age, I wore a size 18. Now I'm a 28. I wish these options were available to me at your age. But, on with life. It's going to be a wild ride!

Congratulations for the two of you making this decision together. In my opinion, it will make it easier for both of you to be successful. I have been jumping thru hoops to get lap band, but began having a lot of reservations about it regarding after care and complications. My original wish was VSG, but my insurance doesn't pay for it, nor does my surgeon accept self pay for it. Just a week ago I learned of a surgeon in Kansas City who accepts self pay and it's only $11,999! So, here I go; jumping through their hoops to have it done! I'm very excited. I didn't choose RNY, which my insurance would cover, because I don't want malabsorption or dumping. I like the idea of the gherlin hormone producing part of the stomach being gone. I struggled somewhat with the idea of losing a large portion of my stomach, but RNY is a lot of cutting and pasting that I'm not too crazy about on top of the other issues. With VSG, your body will still process foods the way it does now, but in smaller portions. Of course, any WLS is a decision you and your wife must make based on what you feel is best for you. You each may even choose something different. Do your homework. Read posts old and new on this site. Another site, Obestity Help also has a VSG forum that I visit regularly. Lots of good information on both sites. Best of luck to both of you! Wanda

Check out Bariatric Surgeon Profile - Guillermo Alvarez M.D. Guillermo Alvarez M.D. Dr. Guillermo Alvarez: Gastric Sleeve (VSG) & Lap-Band® 112 Rodrigo Andalon St. Suite A Piedras Negras I met a woman from Illinois who went to him. She and her husband had nothing but good to say about him and his staff. They showed us pictures and explained everything to us. I also sent messages to many other people on OH who used him. I received about 17 responses, and every one of them said wonderful things about him. If I were going to go to Mexico, I would choose him. I know he checks for leaks before releasing you from the hospital; then you stay at a hotel in the states for 2-3 more days; then he has you come back in and checks for leaks again before you go home. The hotel and transportation back and forth from the hotel and hospital is included in his price, which was $10,500 when I last checked.

If and when we get another dog, I've told my husband it will be a Bichon Frise. I don't particularly like poodles and want a dog that doesn't shed. He wants another lab. I LOVED our lab, but oh, the hair! LOL We can love a non-shedder too. I haven't done any research, but what other dogs don't shed?

When I went for my psych. eval, he asked me this questions. You should have seen the look on his face :ohmy: when I told him I want to go tubing! Not exactly what he expected from a 58 year old fat woman. LOL

Thank you DeeDee. You have done great! Congratulations!

Hello everyone. I have been jumping through hoops since June to have lapband. From the beginning, at the seminar, I really liked the idea of VSG. But my insurance only covers the band or RNY, so VSG was just not an option. My surgeon does VSG, but doesn't accept private pay for it. So I began doing my homework regarding the band and on 11/17/09 everything was sent to insurance for approval. Today is 12/9 and I haven't heard anything. I'm almost hoping they deny. Because..... on another internet site, there was a message that mentioned that a surgeon was having an "end of year" sale for self pay patients for VSG for $11,999. The cheapest I had found in Iowa was $17,000, but that was 5 hours away. Anyway, I will attend the seminar in Kansas City on 12/21 and if they approve me for VSG, I'll pay for it. KC is 2 hours from home. There will be some more preliminary things I will be required to do (that my Iowa surgeon and insurance didn't require). But I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Are there many long-term VSGers on here? Anyone else have their surgery in Kansas City? What about other Iowans? I'm excited and going to learn as much as I can in a short period of time. Wanda :biggrin0:

Hi Midwestern girl. I have been going to Des Moines Bariatrics. The $17,000 quote was from Genesis in Davenport. We live in southwest Iowa, so a pretty long drive for numerous appointments. Kansas City is only 2 hours away. Actually, Des Moines is also 2 hours away. Where do you live?

Other than the obvious (health, less pain, smaller clothes, etc.) I want to: Go tubing and be able to climb back into the boat afterwards Go Jet skiing and be able to climb back on if I take a spill Play games with my grandchildren outdoors (running) Fit into an airplane seat without paying for 2 seats Go on an Alaskan Cruise and be able to enjoy myself because I will be able to walk long distances without exhaustion Keep up with all my skinny friends when we go shopping (I don't have any fat friends) Walk into a room and NOT have to figure out which chair will hold me Cross my legs Wear some knee high boots Carry something while walking up stairs Swim with the dolphins :biggrin0: Dreaming of the day.......