dallasdoll

ok here is the lodown. the scar is from hip to hip....its big... just a fact.. it can be covered with undies or a bikini bottom but man that thing is huge... they remove all the skin and fat from above your current belly button to your pubic hair line... then they pull down the top part and sew it to the skin at you pubic hair....my doc also sinched up my ab muscles and they are tight and you would think i did 1000 sit ups a day for years.. they also make a little hole and pull your belly button through and create a new one... i made my doc use extra care here and i told him i wanted a "hooded" belly button in case i ever opted for my belly button ring again... it looks like a real belly button.. i have seen some that are bad and look like button holes though. they put drains in on each side for the first week and pink juice oozes out..it is painful when they pull the tubes out... ow.. you will also be unable to stand up straight and you will be hunched over shuffling around for a week... as for pain.. honestly it was the most painful surgery i have ever had.. i mean it hurt bad... when they made me get up to walk in the hospital the day after, i felt like i was cutting in half... oh man it hurt... the recovery was painful too but by 2 weeks i was up and at em... the day after surgery i had one of those medicine buttons that gave me pain meds when i wanted.. that was great... once i lost that i was in pain alot... but a year later the scar is white and not raised at all... but... it is quite obvious... if i had to do it over i would do it in a second though!!! my stomach is flat as a board and it is such a blessing to buy pants and not worry that my bulge is sticking out... it is also weird to look down in the shower and see EVERYTHING... thats freaky... but great. hope this helps.

so i got my first fill yesterday... they made the mistake of leaving me in the room alone with all of the needles and stuff on the table... i was staring at it in the packaging thinking "nah.. thats not for me... that is for.... must be for... something else... maybe it isnt a needle... it cant be....maybe thats a.... slightly smaller form of CHOP STICK... or... it could be sitting there because they are doing some sort of cabinet reconstruction and need large metal tools... or something... yeah thats it...." then the doc comes in and goes over there to unwrap it.. holy crap... i am not usually squeamish about needles.. after all i was an EMT, went to dental school and now i am a med student... needles are my thing... just not when they are being jabbed into my belly!!!!!!!!!! so i had a minor panic attack when he was hovering over me with this pole looking device.... however i am happy to report that i didnt feel a thing..(i credit my tummy tuck for this... since i have limited feeling in my abdomen after that one) i could feel the liquid that he injected... i felt it go through the tube and even felt it filling around my tummy.... anybody else feel that?!! then the doc was thumping on my port.. what was that about? anyway i got 1.5 cc in my 10 cc band.. i didnt realize i had such a huge band.. no wonder i can eat my face off whenever i choose... anyway after the fill i can still eat like a monster... so i am going again next month... bummer.... but it wasnt as bad as it looked... i recommend do NOT look at the needle.....i almost ran out of the room.

professional student. Graduated from Texas A&M with a B.S. in Biomedical Science Worked at NASA as a Mission Control Engineer for Shuttle/ Space Station (quit to get married to a guy in Dallas.. but he was a big cheater and married somebody else last year... go figure) soo... Graduated from UNT Health Science Center with a Master's In Public Health Went to dental school for 2 years before deciding it sucked Currently deciding whether I should go to med school in August or get my PhD in Public Health at UNTHSC in Fort Worth in August.. I got accepted to both programs.. so.... like i said... student for life!

yes i have had a tummy tuck.. but it was prebanding... i have a tummy that is flat as a washboard now.. and the doctor tightened my ab muscles so i can flex them incredibly.. you would think i did sit ups every day.. nope... here is the graphic details if anybody is interested.. it was the most painful surgery ever... i mean it hurt bad... i wasnt scared going in... i had lip at the same time as well and that was nothing... just bruising.. for the TT they slice you from hip to hip... i actually used to have a flower tattoo on my lower abdomen (it kinda settled on the fat roll that i had gained)... anyway... they removed all of the fat and skin from above my belly button to the top line of my pubic hair so i lost the tattoo.... then he pulled the top all the way down and sewed it together and created a new belly button... i made sure he gave me a "hooded" belly button since i had a belly ring before the surgery and i wanted one again... i didnt get a new one though... anyway... the frightening part was the drains that were on each end... tubes hanging out of my belly and pink juice draining into these bulbs... but i was in and out of consciousness the day after surgery... i was on the push button meds...and the catheter was evident adn uncomfortable but i wasnt gonna get up to pee to save my life... then they came in to make me get up and walk around.. i can honestly say that i have never felt more excruciating pain in my whole life... i sat there and decided i was freaking nuts to willingly do this to myself.. i was moaning while i slept... then you have to hunch over for about a week.. it is impossible to stand up straight.. and you kinda shuffle around because you are limited with movement. it was really painful even on full meds... then the drains came out.. ouch... but... i healed nicely... the scar is evident from hip to hip.. its a big one... but it has healed white... but sooo obvious. and since the surgery i can say that i have limited feeling on my skin in some areas.. which is normal since they not only cut off the skin and fat but also the underlying nerves... so i have some numb spots.. same for the lipod areas.. i just have Patches of skin that i dont feel anything when i pinch.. however.. i have such a flat tummy... i would do it again even with all the pain.. i wore a bikini for the first time in my life that summer... no tummy flab... was incredible. but be warned.. it HURTS

Ok I was inspired and just ordered one!! It had some room so i engraved: My M. Name Adj Gastric Banding Has Port W/ Tubing it was a bit pricey but i got the 10k fashionable one... and you could see what it looked like after it was engraved.. i ordered from http://www.americanmedical-id.com thanks for the GREAT IDEA!! that card for the wallet was nice.. but as a former EMT, I never rooted through anybody's wallet for any info it may contain.. we did however check for medic alert bracelets or necklaces. i cant believe i didnt think of this sooner.

here is an honest blurb from someone on the other side... i am one of the "unlucky" folks who get the band and can eat exactly everything i could pre-band... now i get my first fill tomorrow, so i will post how that affects my intake...i am upbeat and still psyched at my band.... even though its been a month and i am back up a few pounds.. only lost a total of 4 pounds as of today... i havent updated my info yet.. i dont want to discourage because i think i am in the minority here... (i had 2 hot dogs for dinner.. and last nite had a full enchilada dinner plus a beer at the astros game).. but i can eat mcdonalds and full meal portions.. sushi... bread and buns... people say its a tool.. and it is... for me it just hasnt quite worked yet and i havent done my part.. but again.. if i could do my part i wouldnt have needed the band in the first place.. lets just be honest here... i need it to help me feel full earlier and allow me to eat less.. unsure why i can eat full portions with no full feeling.... i am assuming its cuz i havent had the fill. so... this is just to illustrate the other side of the coin... i love the band and i am eager for my fill... no regrets yet.. but... i cant wait till i lose some weight.

it is too bad because that would be fun! mine are so long that i dont know what to do with them.. they are like weapons... i have never had nails before and i dont know how to handle them.. i keep accidentally scratching myself!.... but i am fixated on painting them now... i change colors every day... im like a 13 year old girl with new nail polish!

OMG the same thing has happened to me!! i am so freaked that a nail bit will get stuck that i havent bitten in forever.. they are super long and i cant type anymore!!! the band is solving all kinds of my problems!

i dont get any comments... its the "watching" that bugs me... i can see them monitoring my eating and just... low level observation about the quantity of my intake. bugs me.

i had my surgery around the same time you did.. i have only lost 9 pounds total.. i can eat like a horse.. tonite i had fettucine with chicken.. some bread... and pringles... people keep saying that it will be better after the fill. it doesnt help that we got this surgery but feel kinda like failures compared to others... i am so happy to hear that people have lost like 20 pounds... but they have lost it in less time than i have lost my weenie 9.. and that hurts too... but it doesnt mean that we arent going to lose more... maybe you do need another fill. but you may have lost inches ya know. i am certain that you arent one of the people who wont lose weight after getting the band... you have already lost weight that ya wouldnt have if you didnt get the surgery right? i believe you will get there.. it is early yet... if after a year you have only lost 10 pounds then i will be astonished.... one day at a time....

the guy married to reese witherspoon.. Ryan... somebody..?

I just got 2 calls from 1800 F***ers... today is tuesday... WAY after mothers day... the first call was to tell me that they dont have anymore of what i ordered so they are replacing my order with something the florist has left.... the second call was to tell me that the delivery boy cant find the address and they cant reach my mom on her cell so they didnt deliver it.. and they dont know what to do now. i am so pissed... i gave her hell on the phone though. this is the 2nd and last time i will use them.. the first time it was the same BS and i ended up with a gift certificate.. which i used for this order... and it is worse this time around. stupid stupid argh

I told my friends... and i am glad because i dont like to keep secrets... BUT... they stare and watch me while I am eating when we are all out to lunch.... like i am a sideshow freak or something.. they said that they are curious about how much i can eat adn are just curious... but.. it is starting to bug me.

i remember laying on my bed when i was a teenager... i was taking a nap or it was bedtime.. i cant remember... but it was right when i was about to fall asleep. i had been wrestling with the question of whether or not there was life after death or were there really angels... and i said softly to myself..."is there anybody there?"... i was half asleep and my eyes were half open... and in my right ear i hear an older man's voice whisper "there is"... i sat straight up in bed and was FREAKED OUT. was it a dream or not?? i duno... but i can still remember the voice vividly... on a random note... whenever i drive at night... consistently EVERY NITE.. when i am at a stoplight i will look up at one of the street lights and it will go out. Or if it is already out, it will turn on... this is not random because it happens whenever i am out at nite.. my friends make fun of it now.. and when they are riding with me at nite they watch to see which light will do it... and then when it happens they freak out. anybody know what that is?

i had 2 pieces of birthday cake.. normal sized... that was after i had half of the fishermans platter at the aquarium.... and sushi that afternoon too...the whole lunch portion. (hey it was my birthday.... i dont eat like that everyday.. although i have been living on cake ever since) i am sure there is something in there....there must be a band.. i can feel the damn port... maybe he put it around my kidney instead of my stomach.... cuz peeing more is about the only difference i notice. fill on the 17th!

I had sushi for my bday today... seaweed and all.... tiny pain once when i ate too big a bite.. but NO PROBLEMS!!!! YEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

i know it... i can eat less... but still WAY too much. i had sushi today and teriyaki.... the whole lunch portion... sigh i cant wait for my fill. im having cake today too since its my birthday... im still a piglet. we must be patient for the fill.. i am ok with it... it makes me feel better to still be able to eat like a normal person.

why dont we set up a nightly time that people plan to meet and chat about anything? everytime i go in there it is deserted... maybe 8pm (central standard time)? anybody got any other ideas?

when i was in college at texas a&m, my lab partner was this country guy who worked at the bluebell factory in brenham.... every week he would come in wearing his work clothes and his bluebell hat... and it had a different color smattering each time... he would point out the flavor splashes on his hat and shoes... and he smelled like ice cream.... different flavors each time.... IT WAS HOT! i would take a man that smells like Cookies n cream over eternity anyday!!!!!!! hahahaha

I am game for lunch anyday.. I am chilling at my parents house in clear lake for the summer... and I am super bored. wanna go grab a bite and chat? PM me!

awww... i wish i needed it. i always look at the wedding stuff on ebay.. wishful thinking on my part. some of us arent lucky in the love department. i turn 29 on wednesday... solo... still. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

i am not into solids every day.. more the mushies all the time with a venture here and there into solids.. but yes.. i can eat heartily.. as much as i want... pretty much all day... and i have no problems with anything... i hiccuped once... that was it. (tonite i had chicken and rice for dinner.. with the family... and i had a cheeseburger from mcdonalds a few days ago... bad bad.. i know i know.. but again.. no problems) i know that i havent had a fill so this is normal.. but... its freaky.. i dont get full... its like the mushies just slide right on through my tummy. i am losin weight.. but... f r e a k y.

not sure.. i am still waiting for it. i felt it once on the first day back with food...but since then i can eat my heart out..... kinda not what i expected.

i have it too and i am 2 weeks out... it feels like my ribs actually hurt on the lower left... and the pain is bad sometimes.. i have to get up and walk around.. but it feels weird.. my port is centrally located (i think) so i am not sure what the deal is...

have you tried the boost chocolate Protein shakes? i had bought 3 different brands and then tried the boost.. YUMMMMMM!! actually tastes like a thick chocolate milkshake... the atkins ones sucked big. try em... they are my snackie of choice now.