SpecialK

Hi. Mondays are my weigh in days and I'm feeling pretty discouraged this a.m. as the scale is saying I'm up 4 lbs from my lowest point since surgery. Now I know it can be fluid retention from just having knee surgery 4 days ago, but it is just so hard to see the scale go in the wrong direction. I am going to really try to buckle down hard this week and watch my calorie level and see if I can pull a weight loss by next Monday for my Fill appt then on Tuesday. I have been tracking what I'm eating really close and I'm staying about 1200-1400 calories which is where my doctor said I could be for this stage but now I'm going to try to get back closer to 1000-1200 for the next week. How about the rest of the bandsters - what are you seeing and what level of calories are you at? I have to remember that even at this rate, I'm still eating half of what I was pre-surgery days so I need to keep it in mind. I'm going to attach a graphic here I got from a March 17th bandster called Scrappy! I feel like this cartoon. Maybe jumping up and down on the scale will burn a few calories.

We are up to 239 Shrinking Shamrocks! We Rock!

Yes, I did forget about the differences between Tower Elevators and Central Elevators. The Tower Elevators is what I was referring to about the Testing Center and if you come in the Main Entrance of the hospital, its easier to access the Central Elevators which is where you drop off at the 4th floor for surgery registration. Yep, I agree the best thing to do is stop and ask someone with a Mt. Carmel badge if you're confused. That's what I did. I got out and did an hour walk on the knee yesterday and was doing fine and even got on my riding mower to do the lawn but this a.m. I'm a little sore and stiff so I'll take it a little easier today but overall, this knee is going well. I'm like Sarah, just hanging in there for my fill on the eating front.

Testing Center is easy to find. Park in the attached garage (Mt. Carmel West) and the 3rd floor level has a walkway that connects you over to the hospital and you just follow the signs. The testing center itself is on that same level where you come in for the walkway (I actually think its the 2nd floor of the hospital) but I have always had to go down to the 1st floor to the Testing Center Registration - get checked in, then they sent me back up to the Testing Center itself. For a dietician appt, I don't think you'd have to do the Registration desk part. Anyway, they've got good signs marking where to go.

Wow. I've never read anything like that. Our doctors all do the first fill using Flouroscopy so they know exactly where the port is. After the first fill, then I think they can judge better how to find the port. I get my first fill April 29 and I definitely need it as I'm getting hungrier each day trying to stay at the same low level of calories. I'm committed but it is work and toughing it out.

I think about any jewelry store could do it, I know I've had jewelry work done at Jared's the Gallery of Jewelers and they are in lots of cities. I didn't want to just put a ring on a necklace but still enjoy wearing it as a ring but until I got this, I'd definitely put my wedding/engagement ring on a pendant chain.

I'm home and the knee surgery was a piece of cake. Hardest part was when the alarm went off at 4 am to get up to be ready for when my brother picked me up at 5 am to be dropped off at the hospital. I am able to already walk on it with my full weight but I'm not going to push it too much and just give it a couple days rest but maybe be out even this weekend on my riding mower! We'll see.... LOL Well, its nap time... isn't nice to say that on what would otherwise be a work day 8-) Here's a good laugh -- when they weighed me when they checked me in this a.m. it said I'm down 10 lbs this morning from where I was when I got weighed at the doctor's office last Friday!!!! OMG! I don't really believe it totally but even if its 5 lbs I'll be dancing a jig if I can update my ticker soon. Maybe I'll start setting my alarm clock to get up and get weighed at 5 AM if that's true---NOT!!

Hi all. Darla and I attended a 11 am session with the new Mt. Carmel bariatric program dietician and she seems really nice. Her name is Andrea Czopur, ? spelling I will double check. She has worked for Mt. Carmel a combined 8 years I think she said and did a stint at Grant Medical Center as a food nutritionist too. I think the thing I liked the best was her admitting she isn't a fanatic about every bite she eats, that she emphasizes Healthy Eating, and she is encouraging us to keep a good food journal so that if we hit a plateau and are struggling to break through, she can go over things with us. Yea! She said she watched 2 Gastric Bypass surgeries and 1 Lapband surgery this past week and has a phenomenal respect for how skilled our surgeons are! She got to see how they form the stomach pouch and how big it is so when she is telling us to stick to 1/2-1 cup servings, she knows what it looks like where its going! I'll look up her email and phone # when I get home and post those here too.

I posted some pictures from Saturday April 12 on the Yahoo Group web site HeatherA has set up for us. If you haven't logged in there, thought I'd post a note here. I still have more pictures on a disposable camera to get developed and then I'll add those too. BrandNewLisa - please add your pictures you were also taking. THANKS

Well folks, I have been quietly working on getting lined up for a 2nd surgery in a month - March 17th banded vs April 17th for knee arthroscopy and a meniscus tear repair on my right knee tomorrow at another Mt. Carmel - the New Albany hospital. I have to be there at 5:45 am and should be home by noon if all goes well. I've been really vocal about telling the ortho nurse, doctors, hospital staff including anesthesiologist, etc. about my lap band - NO NG (nasogastric) tube insertion without a Scope! They shouldn't need to put a tube down my throat but just in case of emergency.... I'm making sure they all know what a lapband is and what precautions to take. I should tell you I have a cute MedicID alert bracelet I wear that is pretty hidden of what it is. It has the normal MedicID tag under my wrist and the top of my wrist, is the decorative part with cute crystal beads. Since I drive alot by myself, live by myself and also travel overseas at different times, I felt this was just a precaution in case of an emergency but I'm enjoying having the bracelet. They do make plenty options for men as well with just a braided leather or just silver/gold.

Ditto to what AJONEEN said! We have over 268 March 2008 Bandsters from what I could put into my little link thread when I was having fun seeing what dates, cities, and user names all were Shrinking Shamrocks. So maybe 3 complications out of 300 in our group-- 1% complications rate. Take care. K

I always enjoy seeing new bandsters joining in and saying they are doing well. Welcome! Since we are a month ahead of you, we'll let you know how to get through initial bandster hell -- when you're healed but have no restriction -- until you get fills done. Did you post an Introduction either on the Ohio thread for that or on the main forum Introduction thread? Are you local to Columbus/Central Ohio? We'd love to have you stop in at the group get togethers we do at Polaris Mall. Look for the May announcement under the Ohio thread.

Greg, I'm so happy for you and your family for the answered prayers!:crying:

Yea Sarah! Maybe we'll see you April 29th too! That's wonderful that they moved it up. They must be hearing the same story from alot of us that is reinforcing that they really need to work with us on fill appts. Even if you are May 6th with Sue, that's still a big improvement over waiting until June!

Okay, got my 1st Fill appt for 1pm on April 29th and I'm supposed to report to the the Testing Center by 12 noon. Woo Hoo!!!!!! Hope to see Greg, Niki and others.

I use My Food Diary :: Online Calorie Counter w/ Diet Journal & Exercise Log it has a huge library of foods and restaurants, a good exercise minutes tracker, a forum for discussion and reports of your progress on calories, protein, carbs, fat, etc. It is $9 /month and I've used it for 2 years.

Sarah - I'd talk with Dr. Choban, Dr. Price or Dr. Miller and ask to get moved up if you really can't wait until June 23 from April something -- I agree that is a long time between fills when you're losing or if you feel you get well into May and know you need a fill if your weight loss is slowing down or you're real hungry. I'm excited like Greg about getting my first fill.

Hey there KTBugg -- can you explain the kinds of consignment rules and fees you've experienced. I haven't ever tried this so maybe it won't be worth the hassle or fees to me either. In that case, I'd definitely rather donate them to another lapbander who can use my sizes of nice things on their way down the scale. Thanks for letting me know that Crissy's isn't there. I think I was talking about the Just Plus consignment store. Got the name wrong. Sorry folks.

Sarah - it was wonderful seeing you for the first time and I'm glad you felt welcome. Darla - you too! Your husband sounds like great support! Congrats - he's a keeper.

Carol - I'm so happy for you. I read your story of your journey through cancer and then on to getting your lapband - such courage. God Bless you and wishing you a great recovery and a thinner healthier body soon!:biggrin:

Yes, I'm thrilled as well with how this is turning out that we are all such a great support to each other. Even for Juli and her friend coming after a cold long bike ride just to be sure she checked in and Debbie coming up from Cincinnati to be sure she could see everyone too after. Let me see if I can count who all we had: Heather and her daughter Thinner Me (Angie) and her sister Darla and her husband Courtenay (from Cleveland !) and her significant other - sorry I didn't find out who the guy with your table was BrandNew Lisa Sarah Melissa Debbie Tyanna - Kathy SpecialK - Kathy Juli Babygrl1234 -- from Michigan! Did I miss mentioning anybody! 16 of us!

I'm going to get there by 1:00 pm as I was told in my doctors' office yesterday at Mt. Carmel that they are expecting a big crowd for this. I'll do the best I can to get us a block of seats. I'll have the Butterfly balloon a flying!

Scrappy -- love that Garfield graphic! Yep, me too on getting hungrier but I did get approval to move up to 1200-1400 calories for the next 2 weeks until I get my fill because I was really struggling to stay close to 1000 plus get at least 30 minutes of exercise in several days which was burning 200-300 calories or so.

I had my post op surgeon check up today and I discussed with his nurse that I was really struggling to stay at about 1000 calories now that 4 weeks will be post op as of Monday and they said I can go to 1200 or even 1400 calories if I am exercising like I have been and burning 200-300 calories until I get my first fill in a couple weeks. So that will help me to not do any 'guilt' eating about going over 1000 calories when I read about other bandsters eating such small portions. I'm really pleased with how my incisions are healing. Hope everyone else is doing well too.

Hi to all! I had my post op check up with Dr. Price today and he was very pleased. Judy his nurse said I'm down 19 lbs by their records.!! I asked about getting my first fill appt the week of April 28th which will be 6 weeks out from surgery and Judy and Dr. Price agreed to put that into the computer to get it lined up. I have my first follow up appt now with Dr. Miller for June 3. These guys sure are busy doctors but I'm doing fine and that gives me a month with a fill to see how the restriction is going at that level so he can advise whether I need a second fill to keep making progress. Last, I gave Dr. Price the LAPBANDTALK.COM website name and told him that he really should be aware that there were some not flattering things posted about the office staff in various aspects and I specifically explained what happened to me with my appt and etc. He said he really appreciated me letting him know that he needs to be on top of these things. He asked if there is anything posted about the surgical care from the surgeons and I said No-- we love our surgeons and are really happy with our recovery from surgery and things. Last, I asked about Melissa being the one doing fills now instead of one of the doctors doing that and if its becoming fairly common practice for the nurses to be trained and perform the fills and he said yes, its very common now for them to train a nurse for the fills and then they are there to back her up if needed. So, I'll be in line with the rest of you to get Melissa to do my fill here in a couple weeks. I really appreciated Dr. Price saying he was going to get on the internet and read for himself what the concerns are, and maybe get his nurse/office manager to check on things??, and that it was important for them to do the office things well as much as the surgical care too. I was thinking about it on the drive home and realized about 80% of our interaction with them is the office staff and nurses and 20% with the doctor themselves. Guess we'll see how it goes.