Suzamundo

FloraBama - I see it's only been a few months but are you happy with the revision so far? I am going for a sleeve revision Tuesday. Although I lost with the sleeve, I stopped losing way short of goal and am now slowly regaining. I'm torn between MGB and regular bypass. Thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I went to Dr. Rod and don't know that - but the man gives you his cell phone number. He certainly seems agreeable. His "team" at BeLiteWeight should be able to answer that? Or you could call the hospital or email him. I felt much more at ease in that full service hospital, personally.

You

If you understood the failure rate for restaurants and the extremely low margins - you'd gladly pay the $2. The vast majority of restaurants fail and if you read the news, you know that includes large chains. Restaurants are extremely price sensitive and don't charge more than they need to in order to survive for the most part. Massive chains are struggling right now and thousands of people are in jeopardy of losing their jobs. I read that Ruby Tuesday lost $22M in just the first quarter of 2014. Currently they recovered a bit and operate at a little over a 5% margin. I don't think they were trying to steal from you by charging you as an able paying adult. They had that policy in place for a reason. They don't make money, and possibly lose it, on kids' meals that are in place only so that parents will come and eat there. In addition, service staff also makes their living on tips. A tip of 20% of nothing is nothing. Yet the server did the same amount of work for that cheap child's meal. Servers are some of the lowest earning hardest working people on the planet. As for going back to them? I don't think they really want your business. They have a professional customer service department that is trained to respond the way they did. If they have too many customers like you, they'll be bankrupt by next year. The manager at that store probably works the industry average of 70 hours a week. He is responsible to maintain his stores "numbers" including customer discount percentages. He probably got a nice little "Merry Christmas" message from corporate, too, just to make his day. Customers in restaurants, in my opinion, shouldn't eat there if they can't afford to pay the asking price. Complaints should come from rude service, poor quality or unsanitary conditions and not "purse allergies." I apologize if I am coming across as harsh or even rude. The restaurant business is super tough - and I think asking for special treatment as if we are disabled or something because we had an elective surgery is unfair to all of those working in it at all levels.

Oh, PLEASE do! I will forego all TV and just tune in to you guys. It would be a hit!

I am in Tampa and can come help you if need. Instead of putting you down like they do a horse, how about one of those slings they put them in when they can't stand? Ha! Now there's a picture.:-)

I went to Dr Rod in Juarez 8/14 from El Paso. They drive you straight to Star Medica and walk you right up to the desk. I had a great experience and love the surgical team. Juarez is a dangerous city with drug related violence. However - I think most of us WLS patients make unlikely drug trafficking victims. The violence is between rival cartels and not random chubby people walking laps to get gas out. :-). I think shooting breaks out on Bourbon St in NOLA about as often. I did dress down. I did stay in the hospital. I would do it again. I have been to TJ many times and don't feel safe walking around there, either, although I know many do.

I went alone to Dr Rod in 8/14 and it was smooth sailing. He's a great Dr and so are the others in his team. He gives you his cell phone number - and is easy to reach if you need him. I'd highly reccomend.

Gah! I'm in Tampa, too. Keep us posted!

@@bobbyswife BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's so how I FEEL!

I am 4 months out. I do get hungry. Starving, sometimes. But it's all over in about 6 bites.:-)

I have had my breasts done THREE TIMES! I was a very thin size 4 when I had them done initially and they were D's. I looked good, I guess, if you want to look like a stripper. I made a double breasted blazer look sexy.:-). First go round - over the muscle. Big mistake. Looked amazing for 6 months and then started to fall. Had to have them redone and placed under the muscle after 12 months. Very expensive. Then - a few years go by and a few pounds go on and they just make you look FAT, not sexy. So, back for third time for smaller, narrower implants. Now, I wish they were even smaller because it is not in style to have big breasts at ALL, they ruin the line in clothes and as the years go by I just find them to look more and more matronly. I can't face doing them again or I would. Nothing bigger than a small C. That's a sexy size but "wearable." Victoria's Secret models are Bs, by the way. You can always choose bras that take your nice tight B or C and bring them up a size if you like - but you don't need to be stuck carrying these overly large things around all the time.:-)

I am looking forward to more of your comedy posting. Although I value the support here, "How do I get my protein in?" and "I can't stop eating chips but can't understand why I can't lose weight" just don't make me laugh like your post.:-)

That was really good.:-). I was thinking, "Wow. Some people on here have major issues!"

Ha ha ha! I was up and walking easily 30 minutes after surgery. Was back to work in 3 days. Lots of people just do t have that much pain. Lucky us.:-)

I'm down 47 pounds and I think maybe 2 people have noticed. (230-180 pounds. My 18 year old son didn't notice. I had to ask him - and he was embarassed to admit he hadn't noticed. (Yes. He lives with me.:-))

Okiebon - I was glad I went alone. 4 days in a hospital room with someone with only one English TV station is a long time. Plus, I moved around a lot from the bed to the lounger to the guest futon thing. It will be fine.:-)

Dr. Rodriguez sutures over staples. I was very happy with him.

3 pounds LIGHTER. Darn thing cut me off.

Well, at exactly 8 weeks after my sleeve, I attended the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff in New Iberia. I ate Gumbo. And I'm here talking about it alive and well. (And ........don't tell anybody but I may have had a bite or two of CRACKLINS!). Came home from 3 day food festival 3 pounds lighter. Go figure.:-)

Ha ha! Yes! Dr. Elmo is as nice as he seems and that is exactly the team of Dr's I had. You'll be on a first name basis with all of them by the time you come home because they'll visit you a lot in your room. The anesthesiologist was great, too. A woman. They are all so fast it's over before you know what's happening.

I went alone and took almost nothing with me. A toothbrush and my phone was about it.:-). I left around 10AM Thursday. It takes quite some time to cross the border but I felt fine so it didn't matter. I was glad I traveled so lightly because border patrol completely emptied our van and everything in it onto tables so they and the canine "officers" could inspect. I was happy not to have a suitcase full of stuff to explain in front of my van mates. Border guys are pretty humorless. They didn't find the bananas and fruit my van mates had in bags to be remotely funny. They also don't understand or know much about medical tourism so be sure every prescription you bring back is well labeled.