*susan*

WasA, it was 100% worth it. Today we held our annual volunteer appreciation luncheon. Last year, I missed half of our volunteers get their awards because I was in the ladies room choking on my lunch. This year, I was able to eat my lunch with no worries and got to enjoy all the festivities. It was so nice. The snafu with my old surgeon was sad that it even happened. I will first state, that I think the surgeon himself is amazing, wonderful and fabulous. It is his office staff I take issue with. I was feeling miserable and had only seen them as private pay in the past. This time, I was going for medical issues and it was covered by my insurance. I had always paid by check. I was miserable and when I left the house, I just grabbed a stack of cash that was on the counter, one check, my driver's license and insurance card and stuffed them in my pocket. When I got there, they told me I had a $25.00 co-pay. I went to write the check and they refused saying they no longer take checks. So, I pulled out the cash to see how much I had and it was $20.00. I told them I could pay them that, and as soon as my appointment was over, I would run up the street to my husband's work, get the additional $5.00 and come right back and give it to them. They refused to see me. I begged them to, because I was sick. I was crying and really upset, but not even the office manager would agree to let me see the doctor. I told them I paid them $16,500.00 in cash three years ago, and had been paying them close to $100.00 a month ever since and couldn't believe they were refusing to see me, someone who was obviously sick, over $5.00. They said that is policy and they would have to reschedule me. The soonest they could see me was the following week and I knew there was no way I could wait that long. Needless to say, that left a very bad taste in my mouth. I sent them an email and told them that I am an administrator on this site and receive numerous requests from people asking what lapband doctor to go to in our area and that I have always recommended them. But, I could no longer do that in good conscience if I am worried that they have a medical issue that requires immediate attention and they would be turned away over just a few dollars. After that, they called me back and told me they felt "threatened" by me. End of story.

WasA, sleep is highly overrated, go ahead and call her. I think we should arrange a conference call and all of us call her at once, that would be fun. When you do talk to her, tell her I said hello and hope she is doing well.

Once, if they were lucky. I think I posted about when I had my foot surgery and was wearing my surgical boot at the grocery store and the ladies kids were running wild all over the place with carts and one of them ran right over my foot. When I let out a painful sound and requested they be a bit careful, the mother told me it was my fault for wearing that kind of shoe in a grocery store. Never mind it being her fault for not having her kids under control.

Just wondering how you are doing. I sure wish you had your laptop. I will be thinking about you as you get your sleeve tomorrow.

Wow, day two of feeling good again, this is amazing. I actually felt like exercising today for the first time and it felt so good. I am love, love, loving my sleeve. I have not experienced hunger once and am stuffed after only a few bites of food. I just had an interesting realization, exactly three years ago today, I was banded. Wow, I thought the band would change my life. I had so many hopes with it. I am sorry it didn't work out, but so happy for people like WasA who pointed me in the right direction, the sleeve. Today was a perfect example. We have a college girl who has been interning with us for three months and her internship is up this week. So, we took her for a "goodbye" lunch. We got to the restaurant and normally my coworkers know to put me on the outside for the inevitable run to the bathroom to choke up my food. There was no issue with that today. I was able to sit there and enjoy my lunch. But, more importantly, I was able to enjoy visiting with my coworkers, chatting, laughing and having a good time without once having to worry about suddenly racing to the ladies room because my lunch was coming up. Wow, what an amazing change in my quality of life this is going to be!!!

Thank you! It is so wonderful to feel like a human being again too. I actually returned to work today, and am pleased my job is still here. I agree, he is adorable. Love the picture!

You are going to love it!

Rosey, that is wonderful news, and I think you have made an excellent choice for surgeon. Vegasangel, are you a band to sleeve revision, or just a new sleeve? This makes a difference in what the cost is.

Personally, I think the whole idea of Miss America/Universe, whatever is outdated. I don't even know of anyone who even watches it anymore.

Hey all, I am back and alive. Looks like I have an ulcer that has been causing me all the problems, not so much the gallbladder. Still doing testing, but the surgeon today took me off one of my meds, which he felt was actually making me more sick. He also gave me a shot of something and I am feeling so much better!!!! I reported the problems with the way the site is loading to Alex and Ken. Hopefully they will get it fixed shortly.

Wow, just wow. I think I was the poster child for proper band behavior. I lived and breathed following all the bandster rules. If someone were to have accused my problems with the band on errors on my part, I would have been livid. The bottom line is, the band does not work for everyone. I did everything right, but it didn't work. End of story. I got the email from Dr. Campos. Today is the first day I have felt up to being on my laptop in days, so I haven't responded yet, but plan to tonight.

Wow, welcome to all the new folks, great to see you here! Elisabeth, I am finding that food holds absolutely no appeal to me. I have to remind myself to eat, and nothing really interests me too much. I have been eating a lot of tuna with mayo as well though, for the protein. I have not once been hungry, which is so strange. And, when I do eat, four or five small bites and I am absolutely stuffed. This is just amazing to me.

Hey all, thanks for all the well wishes! It means a lot. I am ALIVE!! You wouldn't believe how many messages I got from people thinking I had the swine flu. Nope, I do not!! I have been so miserable, today is the first day I have even been on my laptop in days! I finally made it into a surgeon today. I was quite impressed with him. He spent over an hour with me going over my records from Dr. Aceves, the emergency room and just listening to me. He did a very thorough exam. The ER doctor had determined all my problems were related to the sludge in my gall bladder. The surgeon doesn't think that is it. He said he could just go in, do another surgery and remove my gall bladder, but he doesn't think that would alleviate the pain and other issues I am having. He said based on my symptoms, and his exam, he thinks I may have developed an ulcer. He also felt one of the meds the ER had me on may have actually been making me sicker, so he took me off of it. He had the report on my cat scan, but he wants to view the actual films himself to see if they may have missed something. If nothing shows up there, then he is going to do an endoscopy (I think I got that right) on me. He also gave me a shot and he said I should notice a drastic improvement in my nausea, dizziness and vomiting within 24 hours. Oh my gosh, it has only been eight hours and I am feeling like a human being again. This is the best I have felt in weeks. I am so happy I went to him. He said before he does anything, he wants to determine exactly what is causing my problems so I don't have to have any unnecessary treatments, surgeries, etc. It feels so good to feel good again!!! :thumbup::biggrin::tt2::biggrin::biggrin: Oh, and on another note, I received the final pathology report on my liver biopsies today. Unfortunately, they are in Spanish and I can't read a word of it. Gaby is going to have Dr. Campos send me a translated version. I was kind of surprised, they even sent me the specimens! :thumbup:

Good luck, girl! I am sure you will do wonderfully. I can't wait to hear how you are doing.

Hey there, just wanted to drop in and welcome you to LBT! I was banded by Dr. Herrera in 2006. In terms of Dr. Herrera, he is amazing. I recently had a bit of a run-in with his office staff that left a very bad taste in my mouth. I met Dr. Baptista for the first time today. I was referred to him for some separate issues I am having, non band-related. Actually, I was quite impressed with him and his staff. I have been having a great deal of medical issues for the past few weeks, and he spent close to an hour with me today trying to find the cause and really listening to me. I have not met Dr. Cywes, but have heard very good things about him. I hear he can be a bit rough around the edges, but is an excellent doctor.

Good luck with the job, I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for you as well. I am bound and determined to get to feeling better. I see the surgeon on Monday and hopefully he will take this silly gall bladder out in a hurry!!!!

Are you referring to your profile picture, or your avatar? There is a difference.

I agree with Plain, a lot of men, with the exception of my husband, do have a very strange attachment to their mothers. They are true mama's boys and always will be. My first husband was. I prefer walking around the neighborhood to my treadmill. I can't walk my dogs with me on the treadmill, there is nothing interesting to look at on the treadmill, and I don't run into any interesting people on my treadmill. I shave, can't stand not to. Oh, good morning everyone.

Well, I hope my intolerance to milk is short-lived, because I really do love it and would miss it a lot. Daisy, it is almost time for you!! I am so excited for you. And Ruthi, you are next in line after Daisy. You guys will have a wonderful experience with Dr. Aceves and his staff.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Question, is it possible for someone who loved milk and drank quite a bit of it to have this surgery and come out being lactose intolerant? It just dawned on me that when I drink anything with milk in it, I get very sick to my stomach.

Hey all, what's up? I see have like 18 pages to catch up on, and simply don't have the energy to do that right now. So, I thought I would just pop in and say hi. I was in the hospital this weekend. I was having a lot of pain under my right breast, dizzy, nausea and just generally weak. I ended up being severely dehydrated and had to get fluids via IV. I had blood work, urinalysis, EKG, ultrasound and cat scan. After all of that, they determined I had a UTI and a lot of sludge in my gallbladder and that it needs to come out. I went to see my surgeon today, and had a major snafu with them and ended up leaving angry and in tears. I am sick, I can't work, I feel miserable and just want this dam gallbladder out. Fortunately, I found a new surgeon and will be seeing him in a couple of days. None of this was related to my sleeve though. The doctor said it just hit me at a bad time and my poor body just has nothing left to fight with right now. Anyways, that is the latest on me. I hope everyone here is doing well. And, I don't know what the comment was about, but I agree, lots of sex is a great cure for whatever ails you, except maybe gallbladder.

Hey, I am doing lousy. Had a big snafu with my long time surgeon here and ended up having to find a new one. I am really ticked at my old surgeon, but don't feel like going into it right now. At any rate, I see the new surgeon on Monday. I am still weak and dizzy. I just want this silly gall bladder out now, even if it does mean more surgery. I am ready to feel better, more like my old self, and to start exercising so I can really maximize my weight loss during these first few months.

I am noticing that anything sweet smelling absolutely turns me off. I have never been a big sweet eater to begin with, but I do find that odd. Salty, crunchy things are my downfall. I wish they were unappealing to me.

I am still experiencing pain, but I am in a happy place right now! I am sitting here eating my first official mushy meal. I am eating a scrambled egg and it is wonderful. I just finished my fifth tiny bite and feel totally stuffed.

That is awesome, Gloucester!!! Wow, pretty amazing. I am not even going to get on the scale. I just spent 1 1/2 days in the hospital on IV fluids, which always cause me to gain weight. I think I will wait a week until I get back on it. Mac, I am so excited for you. I can't wait to see how you do! I can't guarantee they will help a sad kid, but they sure would help a "I'm sick of hospitals and surgeries" Susan!!!