Devana

Beechee, I too am proud of you and admire you for the emotional risk you took in talking about this. I think sometimes this risk taking can be the first step in getting help. You have all my positive thoughts. Devana

I'm so glad she's doing it on her own terms. I can remember her saying once that she wasn't concerned about her weight because she was active and healthy, but others were sure concerned about it. Has anyone seen or heard her and Vicki Gabereau together? Talk about two peas in a pod. They're both nuts!

Holy smokes, Cloe, I hear ya. Tomorrow's an new and good day, but remember that the rest of today is salvageable as well. My problem when dieting was that if I blew it in the morning the whole day was screwed so I might as well eat what I want and start again tomorrow. Not only that I'd binge in anticipation of depriving myself the next day. I think we almost have to take things moment by moment rather than day by day. I'm so glad you're still feeling positive. I tend to feel like a piece of crap when I screw up which certainly doesn't help things. Good luck on your wonderful day tomorrow. Devana

I've had a Bamix hand mixer for many years now. It's small, easy to use and I've found it much more powerful than the Brauns. It will even make peanut butter and grind coffee. They're made in Switzerland and you can often find them on ebay. I like that I can use it in a pot of something on the stove, like smoothing out lumpy gravy.

Congratulations, Vince.

Hey Argon, I know you didn't imply I was cheap, I didn't take it that way at all. I think that if the price was the same here as there I probably would have done it here just to have ongoing care close by. However, another factor is that the Mex drs also generally have a lot more experience with banding. Cost was absolutely a factor for me, though. I did a lot of financial jiggery pokery to do it. Kim, congratulations on your committment to do this. What reassured me in my scared and wondering phase was all the support on this site. So many people reminded me of all the wonderful changes that are in store for me, what a wonderful life change this is. I find this so exciting. When is your date, by the way?

Well, it's almost 3:00 am and I'm creeping around the house so as not to wake the family. I'll be leaving in a few minutes to pick up my friend Jane and then we're on our way to the airport. We'll be in Mexico in a few hours. It's hard to believe my date is here at last.

Thanks Elizabethsew, I am indeed feeling much better. I almost feel up to long walks again. It's been a few months as my joints just got too sore. I know that if I do an hour walk every morning, the weight will come off so much faster. My buddy Jane is feeling like a million bucks, going on hikes and drinking wheatgrass juice and beet juice (yikes) and because she's at a lower BMI it's really showing on her already. I can't wait till it's that obvious on me!

Argon, Jane and I went to Dr Huacuz in TJ. I didn't choose him just because he was the cheapest (6500 US) but because I spent a few hours on the phone with his team and felt pretty good about them. I am very happy with how things went. Looking forward to my first fill now.

Hi Vines, I think it's fair to have the expectation of the dramatic weight loss for yourself, too. I really think having that expectation sends a message to the universe that will set the wheels in motion for the expectation to be realized. Many years ago I had drug induced Cushings syndrome (as opposed to disease like you) that set this whole whole weight thing going. Dang, hey? Good luck with all your testing. I hope you get a surgery date soon and start a new chapter in your life.

Comfy shoes are almost an obsession with me. I almost always wear sandals and I like cushioning. Clarks Springers are very good for that. I have some that I've worn for many years and many miles and even with my weight the soles haven't broken down and they've retained their cushion. I've just recently bought a pair of Crocs thongs and they're like walking on pillows. The same with Italian Flyflot sandals. Anyone with heel spur problems, though should avoid these soft type shoes, they could really aggravate things. Right now I'm wearing Ana-Tech sandals. I have my custom orthotics in them. They're not as initially comfortable as the more cushiony shoes but I can make it through a long day better with them.

Aww geez, you guys. I'm heading off to work and how am I supposed to be attentive and focussed on people while I have visions of monkeys and beach balls and ball-cuzzis dancing in my head? I just know I'm gonna keep sniggering at inappropriate times!

I was actually initially looking into dental work when I discovered the lap band. I know many people who are very happy with the dental work they've had done in Mexico. My lapband doctor and the psychologist who interviewed me before the procedure gave me the names of their dentists, so I'm seriously thinking of going down and getting some work done. Devana

I paid just under $8000 Canadian for everything, including the flight. My fills nearby will cost $400 for the first consult and fill and $75 for subsequent fills. The cheapest I could have had it done here was $12,500, not including transportation. So even if I get a thousand dollars worth of fills it's still costing me less. Also, another plus for me was I could do it in Mexico sooner. I spent ages reading and learning, but when I made the decision to do it I didn't want to wait the 2 or 3 months that it takes to get in here. Devana

Paulax, my friend Jane and I were on the plane flying down for our surgery and we had a "moment" when we looked at each other and both said "Are we crazy????" However, the moment I awoke from the anesthetic I was filled with a feeling of excitement and pure joy that I had actually done it. Good luck tomorrow, I hope your recovery is swift. Devana

Congratulations to all of you. What an inspiration you are.

Steve, congratulations. I'm glad all went well. Wonderful life changes are in store for you. And uncle, good luck on your band Quest. Devana

My brother in law had rosacea and asked me for help and this is what I found out (it's a little bit creepy). We all have a parasite called the demodex folliculorm mite growing on our skin. The face will sometimes get too many of them living and reproducing in single follicles which then causes what you see as rosacea. Research has shown that buckthorn oil in soaps and creams works. We ordered some online for my BIL and it worked for him. Overgrowth of these creatures is also associated with persistent acne. You don't want to see electron microscope photos of these guys! Devana

One of my favourites, sweet and simple: If not now, when?

I was living in a state of despair, the co-morbidities were beginning to appear and I was worried that I wouldn't survive long enough to see my son into adulthood. I knew nothing about lap bands and found out about them in an indirect way. I was really pissed off about 2 things: My teenage son needs a hip replacement and the orthopedic surgeons said that he wouldn't be eligible for one until age 40 (!!!!!) and I had what I considered to be a relatively small amount of emergency dental work done and it cost me $3000 (!!!!!). I began to look into medical tourism in India, mainly because I have worked with some extremely well trained Indian health care professionals in the past and I have a great deal of respect for them. I thought I may be able to get one of the new ceramic hips for my son when he was fully grown rather than middle aged and I also thought that any future dental work may be more affordable out of the country. So in the process of looking all this up I came across lap band information and was interested in all the positive aspects of it compared to other bariatric surgeries, which I had always dismissed. Then I found this forum and spent several months lurking as a guest and finally joining. I was banded in Mexico two weeks ago and so far I'm delighted with my decision. Devana

Hello Marc, I'm glad you're here. When I read your first post, I got to thinking about one of my favourite quotes, from W.H. Murray: "Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and slpendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it! " I have always found that when I take a positive step in one area of my life other areas seem to improve as well. I love what Kathy (the best of me) said about changing the outside and more easily finding her inner self. Your boldness in committing to getting banded does indeed have genius, power and magic. Wonderful things are coming your way. Devana

Becky, I bet if you can walk for an hour every morning as well as staying on your pre-op liquid diet you can do it. Walking is amazing especially if you go for over 45 minutes and do it in the morning. Good luck with it, just KNOW that you will be banded. Devana

Yup, that's a good blend. Also, if I'm feeling really extravagant I'll add a little apple. Yum.

The movies I can see over and over again: Midnight Cowboy Some Like It Hot North by Northwest The Big Lebowski Biloxi Blues La Cage Aux Folles The Big Country Those are the ones off the top of my head. I'm also a sucker for French cop movies. Debra

Here Cloe Cloe Cloe........