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Sara, I totally edited your post for my quote! My DH is a lot like yours. He's very supportive but on the other-hand hasn't asked me a lot about it (he knows the basics, function, slow WL, etc.). His work schedule is such that he hasn't been able to go to any of my appts with me (he's a fireman) except the dietitian and then he had to take our 2 year old out! He asks about my news when I have a class or another appt. And he seems excited about my latest news (if you REALLY want, I'm blogging but it's boring!). I try not to talk about it too much b/c I over-talk about stuff I'm excited about so I come here instead! I'm not saying we never talk about it and we have had some serious conversations about my thoughts and hopes with this surgery, usually ending with me in near tears! :thumbup: It's a very emotional thing for me. He was surprised that I decided to do WLS b/c I had said I never would. Although I was talking about bypass at the time, (my mom and sister both have had bypass) I'm also a little surprised that I am pursuing this surgery. I'm excited on the one hand but terrified on the other b/c I've failed at all the other ways I've tried to lose this weight. I was skinny when we married 20+ years ago and am now 100+ lbs more than when he met me. He remembers me thin. I remember me thin. I LIKED being thin. I WANT to be thin again. We'll see.

Ezma, that's all any of us can do. I try but sometimes, I just don't do well. You don't even want to know what I had for lunch today! SLG, that's perfect! If you can't do fresh, frozen is the next best thing. They're flash-freezing produce now as soon as it's in from the fields. It's canned that isn't so great, although it's okay in a pinch.

edna, I'd be interested in that recipe too. Please post it! Please! Please! Please!

First, it's no one's business at work. You just tell them you're finally starting to take of yourself and getting routine appts taken care of, if you MUST say something at all. I have Plantar Fasciitis too. I also have bottom of the heal spurs b/c of it. I have a very large back of the heal spur that's giving me most of my foot pain now. Believe it or not but spurs on the bottom of the foot actually make the PF feel better and not flare up so much. The Plantar Fascia doesn't have to stretch as much b/c the spur fills in the space some. Just e-mail her and ask her to refer you to the nutritionist and the psych departments for WLS. You'd like to proceed and need her for the referrals. Once those appts are done and you've done the orientation, you then need to e-mail her and ask her to go ahead and send the referral to the bariatric surgery dept. If she was that set against it, she wouldn't have sent you to orientation. Don't be hesitant, be assertive (be nice about it) and just tell her you're doing your research and would like to proceed. Simple as that. You're welcome and no you're not. We've all been newbies at some point and we all have questions. The only stupid question is the one that's never asked! You don't learn if you don't ask! And no matter how long we've been in the process, we all still have questions at some point.

Okay, lost my post, let's try this again! Vicki, have your DD call her local bariatric surgery dept and see what they are requiring. We're all still in transition so I don't know what any of the others are doing, just Fresno. Wow! That other person got through fast! How exciting! Since the band is coming to Fresno at the end of the year (hope!) I've decided to stay with the Fresno program. It's just so much closer and I was looking at banding about spring-time anyway (based on the projections I was hearing from people about going the the bay area) sooo even if I don't get banded til then, just the logistics make so much more sense for me. AND if I can get banded sooner, all the better!! And Minxz, I agree with Vicki, unless the surgeon finds something that would prohibit the surgery your going after, they will put you through. Even if they try to talk you out of it, if you're serious and have done your research and are determined, they'll give you the surgery you want. Best advice for any of you, no matter your insurance, is to be your own advocate. Make the phone calls if you haven't heard anything, keep in contact with the people you have phone numbers for. E-mail your PCP to ask him where things are in the process, etc. Stay on top of it without being a PITA and you'll get through just fine, if not a little faster. And you will get through faster than those people who are just wanting for phone calls and not losing their weight.

This is why I'm not sharing with anyone! Other than DH (of course), I've told one of my best friends and my mom. That's it. Part of why I told my best friend is that she and/or her 13 yr old DD are taking care of my DD when I have classes or appts and DH isn't home. I needed to let her in on it so she wouldn't worry. As far as everyone else is concerned, I'm taking a weight management class through Kaiser and am slowly losing weight (which is true!), they just don't need to know the real reason behind the class itself! After surgery, I'll decide if (and who(m?)) else I might tell. You are going to have to tell people to back off. It's really none of their business WHAT or HOW MUCH you eat!

Oh! I forgot! If you want to do this while you're waiting for orientation and your PCP is on board, have him refer you to the Dietitian and the Psych depts to get those out of the way now. You can get it done anytime. You don't have to wait to start class. It's just all part of the process, so you might as well do it now. Once you have those done your PCP can then send the referral to the surgery dept and then after that you do the group Surgeon's class or the individual appt with the surgeon. In the meantime, you will have started class and will start losing your 10%. That's the whole process before seeing the surgeon before surgery. They'll do more tests right before surgery but that's down the road a ways. Anyway, just a thought. Bye!

SG, it really is for the best. I'm glad you see that. As frustrating as it is, the patients who stick with it and have to jump through all the hoops really have the better results. Makes 'em think long and hard before it happens so there's no jumping in with eyes closed. Just a warning though, remember that they are going to be doing A LOT of talking about bypass. Lap Band really only comes up rarely and a little more if someone asks questions about it. Do your own research. I've actually answered questions (just a couple, and I'm NO expert) in class that the instructor didn't have an answer too. Which is fine since she doesn't deal with LB but still it would be nice to have more info in class. I'm sure that will change once they get the band surgeries up and running. Are you actually IN Fresno/Clovis area? I'm in the mtns so it's an hour & 15 minute drive for me to get out to the Clovis center for class every week. The gas is killing me! AND I'm driving my DH's former commute car, a little '87 Toyota Camry that gets about 30 mpg as opposed to my truck that gets like 10!!!! Then, like this week, with the class last night and class Thursday night, I'll be down there TWICE this week! There are only so many errands I can run with all of these trips! :thumbup: Don't get too anxious, it'll happen soon enough. Hang in there! Talk to you later.

Vicki, it's good to 'see' you! Things have changed some since you went through. They're streamlining and making the different facilities into, basically, one department with different area teams. If that makes any sense. You have been such a huge help to me and with great information. I don't know if I've thanked you or not for your help, so if not, THANK YOU so very much!! Take care! SG, I'm soooo excited! The new lap. bypass surgeon will also be doing bands! They are hoping, by the end of the year, to have the after-care team in place to start doing band surgeries then. I've decided to stay with the Fresno program and just wait for them to get up and running. It may still take until spring to get surgery but it would save so much from having to go to the bay area. I was starting to panic about childcare for my 2 year old if DH couldn't get off from work (which, as a fireman, it's likely he WON'T get off from work, esp. this time of year!). This will make things slightly easier. I'll probably see you in class when you start. My sessions end the middle of August. It's a continuously running class so we cycle in and out but still all get the same info at some point. Let me know if you have more questions. Take care! DB, WELCOME!! Don't know anything about Kaiser, CO. May be a little different process (even in CA there are differences between the AREAS!) Best bet would be to call the Bariatric Surgery Dept. and ask them about the process and what you need to do. Best wishes! Have a great night everyone!

I just picked that magazine up last week at the store! I've been thinking a lot of this lately. I've been trying to do better by my 2 year old than how I grew up eating. We are members of a local organic farm and they put together a box of fresh, in season veggies and fruits for us to pick up every week. They taste amazing! The carrots taste like real carrots should taste! I've been thinking more and more about organic raised beef. We can get that through a supplier from the farm and I'm going to look into it. I try not to over-cooked or process the foods that we're eating and I'm buying less and less of the over-processed garbage at the store. I've been buying organic milk, cottage cheese and a few freezer foods items that DD especially likes or eats a lot of. DD is eating whole grain breads (and likes them!), less sugar yogurts and she drinks no juice on a regular basis. Only Water and organic milk, with juice every once in awhile and then it's usually a whole juice of some sort. We're not perfect and we never will be but we can certainly do the best we can on a daily basis! :ohmy:

mmmmm, pringles. Those should be okay. They have olestra so they'll go right through you, won't gain any weight with them and should actually lose some pounds! :ohmy:

:redface: WTG Froggi!!! Keep up the great work!!

Thanks Ladies! I HATE these threads b/c they can be so dangerous for the OP if they listen to the garbage above. Come 3 years (or whenever) down the road, they'll be on here crying b/c of the complications with their band that they probably caused when they didn't follow their surgeon's advice. It's sad and potentially dangerous. I really hope they're okay later down the road. :redface:

Thanks, Wasa. I guess I've been learning a lot since joining a few months ago. I wasn't sure I should post since I'm not banded yet but couldn't leave it. Wasn't going to write that much either but once I got going, well, I just kept going. Those post actually piss me off b/c the results can be so detrimental and people just don't get it! After reading several posts from some of the long-timers, I actually have it in my head to do a month of liquids (full) before moving on. I do NOT want to chance slippage or erosion due to that stage. I know it can happen no matter how well you follow dr's plans but I'm hoping to hedge my bets by being extra cautious!! And you TOTALLY crack me up, you'd better not leave the boards!!! Seriously though, you're one of the people that I've learned a lot from. Please stay! :redface:

No, you do NOT need to start losing weight right now. I would wait til you go to orientation/seminar/whatever they're calling it now. Try not to gain anything though either. I'm hoping that by doing everything in Fresno, they will not make me do it again in The bay area. They won't make you do classes again b/c they won't make you drive that far every week but they could make you see their psych and nut and go to another seminar class. You will have to go to the bay area for fills and aftercare involving the surgeon. I have been hearing rumors too. Just that though, rumors. They have a surgeon coming this summer to start doing laporascopic (sp?) bypass and I'm assuming that he will also at some point start doing bands. Problem is the support team for bands. There has to be a team for the aftercare. I am expecting to find out more at the class on Monday. It would be nice to only have to drive an hour vs. several to get surgery and aftercare but I will if I have to. There are a couple of really good (from what I hear) band surgeons in Fresno. I wish Kaiser would just farm us locals out to them but God forbid! :redface: I'm still very much in the dark as well. I'm just a few months farther along is all. If you have any questions, holler. Maybe I can answer them for you. It's hard, I know. It helps hanging out here though.

Try this: Leaps and Bounds Kids - My Very Own Flatware Set

Hi! I'm in the Fresno program too. Been in the process a little longer than you have tho. Make sure you have a RECENT documented weight BEFORE you start losing. They will take your weight at every class and it's then put on your records and that's how they document the 10%. At orientation we took our weight and that's the weight we start with to then try to lose the 10%. (I'm struggling with this. It's hard or I wouldn't be here!) You will be sent to the bay area. Usually Richmond but a gal in my class said she called Fremont and she can choose to go there. The other hospital is S. San. Fran. I'm not sure if you CAN choose which facility to go through. If so, I haven't decided which facility to go through yet. So far, my process has been: PCP referral to orientation Orientation PCP referral to psych and nut Psych and nut appts. continuing classes and finally - surgeon's class on Monday - this class I'm hoping to get more information on how to get to the band team. The surgeon is the bypass surgeon in Fresno. In the meantime, I've been TRYING to lose the 10% required and the whole time HOPING that the band surgeon isn't going to require more! Best wishes to you all!!

I would talk to her about it. Tell her it was NOT appreciated and WILL NOT be tolerated again. You are an adult and therefore can make choices about what you will or will not put in your mouth. Thank her for her concern but tell her it will NOT happen again.

Y'all are crackin' me up!! You'll love this, just posted and I'll probably get spanked but they needed a spankin' first! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f18/going-nuts-67046/

Are you pre-surgery or post-surgery? Actually, it doesn't matter. DO NOT CHEAT!!! If you are pre-surgery, your surgeon is wanting you to shrink your liver so he can access your stomach easier. The liver is in the way and I've heard of surgeon's canceling surgery if they can't safely move around your liver. Some surgeon's also do this to find out how serious you are about the life-style changes you need to make after having surgery. If you are post-surgery, it is VERY important that you follow the eating stages that your surgeon has laid out for you b/c in the first few weeks your stomach is healing and any movement from eating/digesting (even mushies) will cause the band to not adhere correctly and your stomach to take longer to heal. This results in band slippage or erosion months or years down the road. There is usually no immediate reaction and you will feel no pain. This will be something that takes place later from your failure to follow surgeon's orders. Everyone goes through "bandster hell," that period between surgery, real food, and your first fill (or fills, til you get good restriction). You have to remember why you did the surgery and that the surgeons have their reasons for the eating plans they have us on. As to the posters above who replied, "didn't hurt me," you don't know that it didn't and you have no right to tell someone else to ignore their DOCTOR'S ORDERS. Please think before you do that. It could hurt the OP later down the road. Heck, it could hurt YOU down the road but you won't know for awhile yet. I REALLY hope you 2 will be okay. Best wishes and hang in there!

Minxz, Congtrats on getting that far! You'll know more after your orientation but if Kaiser told you a year, then that's probably what you're looking at. The 8 months is what people who've already been through or just finishing up had to wait. I'm coming out of Fresno, so don't have any idea what the wait will be for me. I'm going through everything down here before getting to the bay area (that's what they're having me do). I have a class with the bypass surgeon on Monday and will find out then how to proceed from there. Down here we have to see him first then HE hooks you up with the band team. Sounds crazy but that's how they work it down here. If you want a few more details (or NOT!!! :rolleyes2:), I've posted about it a couple of times on my blog. Best wishes and hang in there!!

Still praying for good things LJM! Hang in there!

Oh! And as for eye make-up remover - Mary Kay makes a great Oil Free Eye Make-up Remover. It's like $14 for a bottle but lasts forever. Just use a cotton swab or a tissue. Conditions your eye lids/lashes as well as easily wipes off your make-up.

nancie, DS is a duodenal switch. Different type of WLS altogether. They have major problems with stinky gas and bowel movements and yet they tend to think their shit don't stink and all other types of WLS suck and we do too for doing something different! It's crazy! You will have gas pains after surgery but that is from the surgery itself. Walk a lot the first few days and that should take care of most of it. After that, gas is just like before surgery, relative to what you're eating and what your system produces. Best wishes on your surgery tomorrow!

Snowbird, I'd heard that too. I'm just staying with the 64 oz til more comes out about it. Crazy, I swear. One day something is healthy, the next it's going to cause cancer or kill you some how and then later, it's okay again! I'm not saying that about Water but you know what I mean. I wish these people would make up their minds! I'd also heard about the "drink half your bodyweight" stuff too and I guess if you are of a normal weight (that's still a lot tho!), that would maybe make sense but I would have to drink 124 oz a day! I have a hard time with the 64 sometimes!! I also have an added problem in that if I don't drink enough (in order to urinate enough) then I can't get the bad stuff out of my system and it results in a lot of bloating and not feeling so great the next day. I'll stick with (shoot for!) the 64 for now. I think it's kind of a safe bet for everyone til "they" get it all figured out!