RKidder

So beautiful! You must be so proud, as you should be. God smiled down at you and sent you a sweet angel - so precious. Congrats, and best of luck on your weight loss journey. Rachel

After 25 years of struggling with the weight gain, I realized that I could not continue along this "path of self-detruction". I had my first child at 39, with all the complications that come with being obese and pregnant. When my son turned 5, I was diagnosed with Diabetes (after having gestational diabetes while pregnant). I continued gaining weight, yo-yo dieting, gaining more weight, and feeling like a failure after each diet attempt. I have high cholesterol, and need to take multiple meds. 1 year ago, I became insulin-dependent. I no longer have energy, and I want to be able to keep up with my very active, supportive husband, and teenage son. I want to feel "healthy" again. I want to feel attractive. My husband gives me compliments all the time, but I truly want to feel "cutely average". I don't want to be too thin - just average would suit me just fine. I want to enjoy the wonderful life I have with my new husband and my terrific son. They deserve someone who is fun and willing to be adventurous with them. My surgery is scheduled for May 23rd. A new chapter, a journey I am willing to take to finally make things right for me and my family. God has smiled down on me before, He is always there for me, always.

Congrats Hazelnut! I will be banded on May 23rd in Portland, Maine. I will keep you in my prayers and best of luck to you! Rachel

Yes! I watched it - I missed the first 20 minutes or so - but I was fascinated by the program - very enlightening! I wish I could have recorded it and watch it again. Rachel

If there is an opportunity to socialize, you could tell the host that you are unable to make it to dinner, but would go after dinner, to say hello, etc. That way, you could have the meal that you can have at home which would be within your restrictions and you would not insult the hostess. Rachel

Not very original. My name is Rachel and my last name is Kidder. Now folks can say "you are such a kidder" - right they are. My former name was a very long hyphenated French name - nobody could pronounce it. When I remarried, I was more than happy to drop the longer name.

Aetna denied me based on missing 5 consecutive years of documented weights. Why didn't they just request this info and give me an opportunity to provide them with this info before jumping the gun to deny my claim? I had my old PCP's office send an office note dated in 1998 that documents my newly diagnosed Diabetes and a documented weight going back 9 years. Now the appeals process will take 45 days. That means scheduling my surgery date a 3rd time. My boss is going to have a kitten when she has to change the dates my leave yet again. I am convinced that insurance companies are trying to discourage patients into giving up! Rachel

I signed my surgical consent and all is a go for April 24th!! I can't wait to start on my journey to better health. I have been waiting nearly a year. I began this quest last April with another Bariatric group in New Hampshire, then I was denied last December because it was "out of network". Found 2 surgeons that do lapbanding here in Portland, Maine, and the group was nice enough not to make me start all over again! The first bariatric group kindly faxed all my medical records to Portland. I have learned so much from this forum - thanks to all of you. I will be happy to share my experience(s) with you once I've become the bandita diva! Wish me luck. Rachel

The preop diet is sometimes recommended for the purpose of shrinking the liver - this allows the surgeon to be able to perform the procedure more easily. Not all surgeons have their patients do this pre-op diet. Don't worry - you would have been told by the nutritinist and nurse if you were required to diet pre-op.

Best of luck, Sherri! Your surgeon cannot substitue gallbladder surgery for the lapband surgery. But when you signed your consent, it would have stated that if the gallbladder would be removed, if necessary. I will be banded myself on May 2nd - gallbladder already removed 10 yrs ago, but I will have my hiatal hernia fixed while she is in there.... a 2fer!! My prayers are with you...Rachel

My dear, sweet, husband David has always been supportive of me since day 1. When we met, I weighed 222# (at 5'2"). He has always been very fit. When we were engaged to be married 2 yrs ago, I became very ill, and was on a ventilator for 12 days in ICU. He was by my side every single day. I survived, we were married 6 months later. When I discussed my goal to finally lose the weight and become healthier, he did not cast judgement. He asked questions, came to support meetings, and met my surgeon. He has always told me he loves the "inside" me, and that the outside did not matter to him. He says he wants me to feel well and be happy with how I look and feel. I am scheduled for my lapband on May 2nd. I have been very lucky -- and my David has enhanced my life tremendously! God has indeed blessed me. Keep talking with your guy, tell him how this life-saving, life-enhancing surgery will benefit you both. God-willing, he will come around. My prayers are with you. Rachel

MRSA (Methacillin Resistant Staph Aureus) - fancy name for a very reisistant strain of Staph infection. As a nurse, we have patients in the hospital with this type of infection from time to time. Best of luck in your efforts to get better. You will be in my prayers. Rachel

I am scheduled for my lapband on May 2nd. I am really excited! Dr. Renee Wolff will be doing the procedure. She and Dr. Cobean have been doing them in Portland at Maine Medical Center since Feb 2006. I am a nurse also and will be a patient on the floor where I used to work at Maine Medical - that will be a little strange. Rachel

Good for you, girl! Way to go! You have worked hard for this goal, and you should be proud. You are an inspiration to me. I will be banded May 2nd. Rachel

IMO, some people who have never had to deal with weight issues, are the worst offender. When I began gaining weight, I had the "are you pregnant" questions. But the worst comment happened one time when I walked by a group of young men, probably college age, when one of them said as I walked by, "Thar she blows...." I just wanted the sidewalk to open up and swallow me right there. I don't know what came over me, but I simply turned around and looked the guy right in the eye and said nothing to him, just stared blankly at him. Their expressions soon turned to fear, and they quickly turned around and walked in the other direction.

Sorry to hear about your son. I can relate. My son is 13 and he is still very affectionate with me; even when his friends are around. I am hanging on to that as long as I can because -- this too, shall pass. I hope your son has a speedy recovery. And it sounds like he has a very special mom...Don't be too hard on yourself. Take Care, Rachel

Will be meeting with Dr. Wolff to sign my consent - can't wait! I think I will be given a tentative surgery date. We'll see.

Will be meeting with Dr. Wolff to sign my consent - can't wait! I think I will be given a tentative surgery date. We'll see.

Oh my god, I ordered the one that says "I dare you to picture me naked". I am going to wear it to the hospital on the day I get lap banded!!

Oh, you could call it Band-ora!!

Kids, if left up to their own devices, will try all the tricks in their little bags to see who will cave and who won't. But, they also don't realize that we were also kids once!! You are not a mean grand-dad. But you are the one who will be the one is not a push-over. My dad set very specific rules for my son when he was there. No going into the fridge without asking permission, no playing with tools in the toolshed, no dessert or treat until he at least tasted unfamiliar foods on his dinner plate. I do not mind that my son does not like this or that (not that he is a picky eater), but he was asked to take only a single bite, then he could decide if he liked it or not. He is not expected to clean his plate if he does not want to - but we did not substitute dessert for his dinner. Kids figure out pretty early on, what they can and can't do. They are resilient - and conniving at times. Keep up the good work, grandpa! Rachel

Another pet peeve... This evening my husband, son and I went to dinner at Applebee's. There was this guy there with his 2 small children (I would guess about 2 yrs. old and 10 months old. They were both in high chairs.) The oldest started to teeter on the edge of the high chair and and the father was totally oblivious to the potential disaster about to happen. I couldn't stand it any longer and I loudly told him "Would you please pay attention to your child?! She is going to fall out of that high chair! His response "Naw, she won't fall." So now he's freakin' clairvoyant! I was ballistic! If he spent half as much time watching out for his kids instead of making them babies, he would know that it only takes a second for a child to miss their footing and take a tumble. He's the one who will end up in the E.R. because his children will need stitches or a cast for a broken bone, because he was negligent. Whew ... glad I got this off my chest.

I am now 52, and at the age of 25, I underwent a breast reduction (I was a 36 DD at 5'2" and 125#). I love the results. I was a B-C cup for many years until I began to gain weight. Even at my current weight, I am still a healthy, perky C cup. My husband can't believe I have 52 year old boobs. He teases and says he wants to meet my plastic surgeon and thank him for the great job he did. I was not able to breast feed my son, but I was able to have a healthy non breastfed son, nontheless. (Please no lecture from La Leche League members.) The elimination of back pain, permanent grooves from bra straps, and the stupid, sophomoric sneers from men was worth it all. I could, for the first time, buy tops that fit right and nice, pretty bras. Even now, the scars are barely noticeable. No regrets here. Good luck to all of you who make this choice for yourselves. Rachel

Mmmm, I will take kettle cooked potato chips over chocolate -- EXCEPT just before my monthly cycle, then it's Milky Way Bar for me.... Salted, buttered popcorn - can't get enough of it! Ranch flavored Doritos, sheeeesh, I better stop here, or I will get in my car, and stop at the nearest 7-11. Sorry folks, gotta stop this... Have a great day! Rachel

Another reason to get banded... Last week I received a letter from MetLife; based on my BMI, Uncontrolled Diabetes, Elevated Cholesterol and Hypertension, I have been turned down for life insurance. At the beginning of the year, my employer went with a new life insurance carrier. So, if I croak from an MI or a stroke, or kidney failure, I am going to be up a creek without a paddle. The only way right now that I can protect my family, will be to buy private life insurance, and that will cost an arm and leg. So - my quest continues to get this lap banding done... Wish me luck! Rachel