sheaross99

242 lbs 37 BMI on the day of my first surgery 8/30/2007. Lost 100 lbs in 14 months with very aggressive tight fills. So aggressive I slipped several times. Finally had to have the band replaced with a Realize band in Nov. 2009. Never filled it past 3 ml, emptied it down to 0.8 ml after another slip on 12/24/11 and gained back up to 197 by 4/6/13. Switched clinics and got a 2ml fluoroscope fill on 4/6/13 at Forest Park Medical Center (best place for fills ON THE PLANET in my opinion!) lost 4lbs, got another 2 ml today 6/6/13 and at 4.8 ml I'm hoping to lose back down to about 150 over the next year. Planning on taking it slow this time. No drastically aggressive filling and unhealthy weightloss this time! I'm in it for the long haul.

RUN, don't walk to Dr. Richard Benevides in Richardson TX - in 3 years he never let a MA touch my port. Only himself or PA's (Nurse Practitioners) He's at Richardson Surgery Center. Call him right away!!!!

August 5, 2007 - 235lb./Size 22 (25 days Pre-band) January 1, 2008 185 lb./Size 12 (5 months post-band) MARCH UPDATE: Don't really have any new pix, but as of today March 20, 2008 - 179lb. now really comfy in my size 12's!!! I have permanently said goodbye to every piece of clothing I had in my "spare" closet where I had stashed everything over a size 14. NOW IT IS ALL GONE. I have my 14's just in case, wearing my 12's and am already starting to accumulate some size 10's for inspiration. I guess he** really has frozen over!!! Still a work in progress!~ Shea Ross Plano TEXAS - Dr. Richard Benevides High weight: 235 - Aug 5, 2007 Weight when banded: 227 - August 30, 2007 Today's weight: 179 March 20, 2008

Thank you!!! Sometimes people who knew me at my biggest but haven't seen me since my surgery don't even recognize me, and that feels great!!! I love my band! My third fill then small un-fill back in December put me at 6.1cc. in a 10cc band, and it's "just right". Lots of restriction but still able to live a somewhat "normal" existance. Do any of you have trouble with your hair thinning? Mine "sheds" - it was very thick before, and now just sheds all the time. Not coming out in clumps, but in strands. What can I do to remedy this??

August 5, 2007 - 235lb./Size 22 (25 days Pre-band) January 1, 2008 185 lb./Size 12 (5 months post-band) Still a work in progress!~ Shea Ross Plano TEXAS - Dr. Richard Benevides High weight: 235 - Aug 5, 2007 Weight when banded: 227 - August 30, 2007 Today's weight: 185 February 4, 2008

That is all Water weight from the IV. You will be amazed how much weight you are about to lose and how fast you will lose it. Put the scale away - hide it under the bed, in the closet, wherever you have to hide it to keep it out of your mind. There's no reason to weigh yourself everyday...you will see the difference when your clothes begin to fall off....you will feel the difference. Don't worry! You still have fills coming up and all that...once your band is filled properly (took me 2 fills to get where I wanted to be) the band will make the decisions for you. I found it effortless. I couldn't be left to my own devices...my band is my watch-guard now. It won't let me gain weight. You'll see!! Keep doing what you're doing and it will FALL OFF!:whoo:

1. Is your second toe longer than your first? Not yet. 2. Do you have a favorite type of pen? Not really. One that writes could be considered my favorite I guess. 3. Look at your planner for Sept 14, what were you doing? Went to work. 4. What color are your toenails usually? Depends on the season. I'm a pedi-holic - religiously getting a spa pedicure weekly for about 8 years. In the summer I do French exclusively, fall I like darker colors. 5. What was the last thing you highlighted? My hair. 6. What color are your bedroom curtains? coffee (a/k/a brown) 7. What color are the seats in your car? Grey 8. Have you ever had a black and white cat? NO. I am not a cat person. 9. What is the last thing you put a stamp on? A thank you note. 10. Do you know anyone who lives in Wyoming? Not yet. 11. Why did you withdraw cash from the ATM the last time? traveling to Arkansas to see my grandmother 12. Whose is the last baby that you held? My brother's son Nathan. 13. Unlucky #? Not sure I have one. 14. Do you like Cinnamon toothpaste? Used to but got tired of it. 15. What kind of car were you driving 2 years ago? 2005 Toyota Matrix 16. Pick one: Miami Hurricanes or Florida Gators? Can't really care about either one. I'm a HOG FAN & a COWBOYS FAN. Boo on all the others. 17. Last time you went to Six Flags? Memorial Day 2004 18. Do you have any wallpaper in your house? NOT ANYMORE!!! YAY!! We bought the house in March 06 and it was circa 1982 throughout! I have finally and at much expense finished updating the whole thing to 2007. It's awesome! 19. Closest thing to you that is yellow? A post-it note. 20. Last person to give you a business card? My husband. 21. Who is the last person you wrote a check to? I bought a 2007 Suburban on Saturday, so I guess that was the last time. 22. Closest framed picture to you? Ben Crenshaw winning the Masters, getting a hug from my friend Carl, his caddy. 23. Last time you had someone cook for you? When I was still living at home with my mother, 1989. 24. Have you ever applied for welfare? Not yet! 25. How many email accounts do you have? Two, work & personal. 26. Last time you received flowers? Day of my surgery - August 30th 27. Do you think the sanctity of marriage is meant for only a man & woman? I can't say. I'm not one to judge what sanctity means. 28. Do you play air guitar? I try very hard not to EVER play "AIR" anything. 29. Has anyone ever proposed to you? Three times...I accepted twice, should have only accepted once. 30. Do you take anything in your coffee? Fat Free Half & Half / Splenda 31. Do you have any Willow Tree figurines? Can't say that I do. 32. What is/was your high school's rival mascot? My high school was an all-girls Catholic convent school - our biggest rival was Sister Richard Mary. 33. Last person you spoke to from high school? Scarlett 34. Last time you used hand sanitizer? When I was visiting my grandmother last weekend. 35. Would you like to learn to play the drums? No...I would have to set up a big drum set in my house, which would be a constant nuisance with three kids and three dogs...no I really would not like to do that. 36. What color are the blinds in your living room? They are mahogany wood. 38. Last thing you read in the newspaper? About Dallas City Hall and the indictments of the crooked city councilmen. 39. What was the last pageant you attended? 1982 Cinderella Miss - State Pageant in Texarkana Texas where I took 4th place, even though I had a huge fever blister on my upper lip. I was 11 years old. That type of thing is very much out of style now but back then it was awesome! (Til I turned 12, then I completely lost interest!) 40. What is the last place you bought pizza from? Pizza Hut 41. Have you ever worn a crown? OH YES - I was the reining Cinderalla Miss from Jacksonville Arkansas in 1982 and State Cinderella Miss 4th runner up. (I had a crown for both - recently my children played with them and destroyed the rickety little things) 42. What is the last thing you stapled? My daughter's home work. 43. Did you ever drink clear Pepsi? Didn't know there ever was such a thing. 44. Are you ticklish? I know I used to be, haven't been tickled in several years. 45. Last time you saw fireworks? Plano Balloon Festival - a few weekends back 46. Last time you had a Krispy Kreme doughnut? YEARS ago. 47. Who is the last person that left you a message & you actually returned it? I wouldn't know because I never check my messages. EVER. 48. Last time you parked under a carport? I can't say that I ever have. 49. Do you have a black dog? No, but I did. She was a black cocker spaniel named Sable. We got her when I was in 10th grade (1987) and she died about 5 years ago. 50 . Have you had your mid life crisis yet? I'm 36. I HOPE NOT! 51. Are you an aunt or uncle? Yes, I'm an aunt to Anna Claire (6) and Nathan James (2) 52. Who has the prettiest eyes that you know of? My daughter. 53. Believe in Karma? I don't know exactly, but I do know what comes around goes around. 54. Do you remember Ugly Kid Joe? Who? I remember an ugly red headed kid named Danny. 55. Do you have a little black dress? Not yet. But I'm working on it.

EVERYBODY CALLS ME: Shea MY PRIMARY RELATIONSHIPS INCLUDE: Husband: Jeremy (married 9 years) from Jonesboro, Arkansas Daughters: Haley (12) Ashley (8) Mary-Shannon (7) Mom: Kim - Stepdad: Jerry (N. Little Rock Arkansas) Dad: Bobby, RN - Stepmom: Judy (Jonesboro, Arkansas) Brother: Trey, sister-in-law Stephanie, neice Anna Claire (6) nephew Nathan James (2) (Maumelle Arkansas) Sister: Samantha - 18 - Freshman @ University of Arkansas - Chi-Omega Grandmother: Chris (N. Little Rock Arkansas) Best-Friends: Bridget (Shreveport, LA) & Brooxie (her Boxer) MY NON-HUMAN FAMILY CONSISTS OF: "T-Doo" - Male Yellow Lab puppy 5 months old and a maniac "Dizzle" - Female Texas Blue Heeler - 1 1/2 years old - Mama's girl "Connor" - Male Pomeranian - the "baby boy" we never had! I LIVE IN: Plano Texas - suburb just north of Dallas (2006 - present) Previously lived in: Fort Worth, Texas, where my husband graduated from TCU (go Frogs) Vail, Colorado (where my oldest daughter was born) Little Rock, Arkansas (my hometown - woo pig sooie!!) Jonesboro, Arkansas (my husband's hometown - Go Big Red) OCCUPATION(S): I work in the oil and gas exploration/drilling industry. My official title is "Firm Administrator" which means I wear a lot of hats, but get paid for wearing just one hat. AVOCATION(S): I'm not sure what an avocation is, but I think it's the same as a hobby. If so, I have very few because I have very little spare time with a full time job, three kids and three dogs. (and my husband is better with the recliner and remote than household husbandry, so let's make that 4 kids) I do have a housekeeper one day a week, which I would hate to do without, but still don't have much time. I do like to collect frogs (frog prince is my favorite) I like my houseplants and I like to take pictures of my family and pets and frame them in neat collages. I give a lot of those as gifts...just the pix of the kids, not the pets! (as if everyone enjoys looking at my kids as much as I do!! Ha!) __________________

<p><p>Rules: </p></p> Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They MUST be real places, names, Things...NOTHING made up! If you can't think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the person before you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question. Your Name: Stephanie (aka Shea 1. Famous singer: Shania Twain 2. 4 letter word: Sh*t 3. Street name: Southwest Drive (Fort Worth, Texas) 4. Color: Sienna (crayola crayon color name 5. Gifts/presents: Sunglasses 6. Vehicle: Sunfire (Pontiac 7. Items on a menu: Salsa 8. Girl Name: Sandy 9. Boy Name: Steve& 10 Movie Title: Sister Act 11. DRINK: Soda 12. Occupation: Senator 13. Flower: Sunflower& 14. Celebrity: Shakira 15. Magazine: Sports Illustrated 16. US City: Savannah GA 17. Pro Sports Teams: Suns (Phoenix NBA 18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Sickness 19. Something U Throw Away: Sock (the loner 20. Things You Shout: Sooie (University of Arkansas - Razorbacks ya'll!!!) 21. Cartoon Character: Spiderman YAY!!!:whoo:

I just got a fill at Surgery Center of Richardson today- now the fill center is called "True Results Aftercare". They did not use flouro, but they may have the ability to use it, I don't know. You will not get any bad attitude there, that's for sure! I had my surgery there and my first fill today and they have been great!!!

Still losing! I've slowed down, but still losing before my first fill (which is set for Oct 3) I have had a few scary "I'm eating too much too fast" moments - band put me in check, with pain under my sternum and watery-mouth nausea that made me run for the toilet to throw up, but didn't. (didn't eat anything else after that though!) I suppose this is what I signed up for when I plunked down $15k and had this surgery! My band is doing its job and keeping me out of trouble. It flat out stops me from eating! Isn't that the point?? I think so, and I'm GLAD FOR IT! Down 25lb / 21 days post-op and wore a size 16 (Lane Bryant, but still) pair of pants to work today and they were comfy, almost loose fitting! (On the day I was banded I was busting out of Lane Bryant 20's) This IS what I signed up for, and I'm totally in love with my band!

SheaRoss99 Banded Aug 30 2007

August 9, 1971

I eat bananas every day. I'm 19 days post-op. I have to eat them slowly and chew them up really well, but they go down fine.

Moving on down!!!! Yee Haww! 21lbs down - 14 days post-op. I'm soooooo excited! I have NEVER in my life lost 21lbs (unless I had just had a baby - which does not count to me) I'm thrilled!!! I've also had a great experience with the band so far, no complications. I have an AP band, so it had some restriction from the get go. First fill Oct. 3rd. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT! How are ya'll doing?

Stephanie, 8/30/07, Dr. Benavides, Dallas TX

Getting under 200 is definitely a short term goal for me, but what really motivates me are clothing sizes. On the day I started my pre-op diet I was wearing a very tight size 20. Today, 12 days post-op, I'm down 19lb and the 20s are bagging. I haven't had the nerve to try on my 18s, but will have to soon. I have 16's in the closet too, but nothing smaller than that. Getting into a comfortable size 14 will be A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR ME! (Haven't been in a 14 since 1998) My ultimate size goal is 10, which may be a stretch, I would be just as happy in a 12. Anything outside the plus-size section will work for me!!!

LOL! I just sat at a restaurant tonight with my family, for my daughter's birthday, and they had NOTHING on the "liquid diet" so I sat there with a glass of iced tea and watched my family eat!!! UGH!

Down 19lb this morning. Been a while since I've seen 215. Put on my one pair of size 20 jeans. They used to be my fat jeans when I bought them around Christmas 2006. They kept getting tighter and tighter, until I finally outgrew them about two months ago. I just didn't have any jeans for a while. Nice to have them back, but I'm looking forward to the 18's and 16's hanging in the closet. I haven't been in a size 18 pair of jeans since before Christmas 2006, and I haven't been in a size 16 pair of jeans in about 2 years. I haven't been in anything smaller than a 16, or weighed under 195lbs in over 9 years, so all those clothes are long gone. Once I get to that point, it will be a very serious moment. I love my band. :whoo:

Down 19lb this morning. Been a while since I've seen 215. Put on my one pair of size 20 jeans. They used to be my fat jeans when I bought them around Christmas 2006. They kept getting tighter and tighter, until I finally outgrew them about two months ago. I just didn't have any jeans for a while. Nice to have them back, but I'm looking forward to the 18's and 16's hanging in the closet. I haven't been in a size 18 pair of jeans since before Christmas 2006, and I haven't been in a size 16 pair of jeans in about 2 years. I haven't been in anything smaller than a 16, or weighed under 195lbs in over 9 years, so all those clothes are long gone. Once I get to that point, it will be a very serious moment. I love my band. :whoo:

Hey! Dr. Benavides did mine last Thursday! Were you there in the morning? I was the first surgery for Dr. B, 7:30 am. Were you in the Wednesday pre-op class with Stephanie at 1:30pm??

Oh, forgot to tell you, I'm 5'5" and was 234 on the day I started my pre-op diet (2 weeks before surgery) I was 228 on the day I was banded. We sound like we have similar situations, and I hope you find your way to an awesome surgeon and get your life back from the weight. I feel like I'm on my way...

Do lots of thinking, and lots of research. It's a life-changing decision, and a very expensive one too! (you'll be a low BMI like me and probably have to self-pay) I began my Quest to lose the weight in November 2006 when I had my first consultation with my doctor. I went through testing, nutritionist visits, you name it, and my insurance finally turned me down for low BMI back in April. It took me until August 30, 2007 to finally decide I wanted this for myself anyway, enough to pay $15,000 out of my own pocket and actually do it. I'm only 8 days post-op, but so far I'm down 19lbs, I'm back at work, (in jeans I haven't fit into in over a year) and I'm feeling like so far so good. I've never lost 19 lbs. any other way, EVER. (and I've had 3 kids...I never lost that much of any of my baby weight, just kept packing more on) So for me, this is a major major thing. Good luck on your quest...

Liz, I'm on day 8 and felt exactly the same thing under my left rib yesterday! I slept in the recliner again last night, took pain med, and this morning it was gone. I have a feeling it was still more gas from the surgery. Hope yours disappears tonite too! Hang in there!

I'm in! I was banded 8 days ago, at 5'5" and 228lb. (234 the day I started the pre-op diet) Today I was 215. I had to self pay of course, due to the "low BMI" denial, but it's done now and I'm on my way to a truely low BMI!