bigsister

Can you add me to your list to send your memoirs to please TL. I am gail.ward@btinternet.com. Thanks again for all your info and tips, bigsister x (soon to be littlersister!)

Hi wishfull, think you will find our date is only 2 weeks on Friday! Don't turn up 1 week late - it will probably cost you another £500 the rate the euro is going! Bigsister x.

Poor you Miss Flump when you expected to be at home with your family for Christmas, hope New Year is better even though you can't enjoy party food and drink. You'll just have to console yourself that you have had a good weight loss so far, make sure you keep us updated and Trop Lagoon too. Enjoy your New Year everyone, bigsister x

Make mine a Baileys/Ice Cream/Thorntons Champagne Truffles (or half a selection box will do) smoothie (with whipped cream topping) please while I can still do it before the low fat diet starts on 2nd Jan in preparation for banding. Just the right drink to accompany a curry I think! Sorry to all the recently banded for tormenting you by writing about things you can't have - you can get us back in a couple of weeks!

Just been watching the Royle Family Xmas special I recorded from last night and when they were having their 'cup a soup' starter, it reminded me of you yesterday with your soup and made me laugh!

Thanks for the tip about getting frisked - that's another piece of helpful info - hope they're not too rough! Think I will definitely ask for a wheelchair, may as well have any extra help that's on offer.

Hi Tropical Lagoon, good to hear from you so soon and that you also appear to be making a good recovery - did you fly home the day after surgery? If so, I expect the wheelchair at airport was probably even more important to you - did you have anyone travelling with you who could push it? My partner will not be with me and therefore a wheelchair would not be much good to me if there was no-one to push it! Hoping that Miss Flump is also doing well and will be able to join us with her comments soon. Shame you had to just watch everyone else enjoying their dinner yesterday but you will soon be seeing the results and rewards of the best present you got for Xmas?! Take care (both you & Miss Flump) - we were thinking about you - and please keep us posted on your progress, bigsister x.

Thanks by the seaside for answering that, I feel much more confident that having over a full week should be sufficient. Have a good xmas and new year - how's the weight loss going? Bigsister x.

Me - on a tobacco n booze trip? How believable do you want that to be cos anyone who knows me will suss straight away and know that I would never do a trip like that! Think the story for work sounds fine, as long as you get husband to stick to it as well Lilykay has got to be our ideal benchmark now for an ideal post op, well done to her for recovering in lightning time. Would have thought you would be fine to start your placement on 6th Jan as that is 2 weeks away and you seem to have come so far in just a few days. I am taking annual leave and due to go back to work 10 days after banding, I was hoping that would be sufficient if no real problems. Not sure what I will do if not as don't have any more leave left!

Yeah, but they look much better on me. Big curry night tomorrow, we should start counting down how many curry nights to banding - 4 to go I think. We should be doing low fat diet but maybe if we are good rest of the week we can have a bit of a splurge on a Saturday night if we don't go too mad and are careful what we pick? Hoping that I recover as well as Fox as I have been invited to a 50th birthday party of an old friend and it will be 8 days after banding and really wanting to go to that if I can. Hey TC - for our office xmas party next year, if I am down to target, then I will be wearing a bikini! Don't care if its 0 degrees with ice on the ground, my smug self satisfaction will keep me warm! By the way Fox, gillian doesn't need the 'mum' look - she used to (and still does) scare our Mum with her own version! And she is usually a big fog horn herself, so her husband/boys are well trained and will soon be jumping to attention to a temporary replacement one. G x (the quieter sister!)

Hi Mizofatso, and welcome. Glad you have found this site, you will find no end of useful info and friendly support here. If you really can't get anyone to accompany you, would it be possible for you to stay a couple of extra nights in Belgium so you would be more recovered for a long flight home? A little more expense I know but would probably be worth it if you felt better? Let us all know when and what you have decided, bigsister x

Think I have got big joggers sorted - have got a very attractive pair about 12 years old that I use to slob around the house in and will take those cos don't want to invest in anything I don't need to. Obviously I will be wearing these with sexy crop top (size 20) - just to let the air get to my wounds of course - but will cover up when we leave cos don't want to be driving all the male population crazy with desire! I can't say I'm particularly looking forward to the immediate post op (and lack of sympathy from partner) but of course I'm looking forward to the results and a transformation hopefully by summer next year. Be seeing you soon now, G x

Hi to everyone, I can't even think about how close it is. Everyone else seems to be so organised in the run up including clothing, medication etc but I can't even think about that sort of planning really at least until Xmas/New Year is over. Also, the post op pain descriptions seem to have got worse as time goes on -or is it just me? Have been e-mailing to see if I could pay by a bank transfer or similar prior to the op so I didn't have to carry such a huge sum around with me but have been told no. I did ask what would happen if the money got stolen but got no answer to that apart from them saying that it doesn't seem to have been a problem so far. All well and good but that would be no comfort to the first person it may happen to - 4,000 euros out of pocket and no surgery to show for it either. Not really happy about that arrangement when I offered to pay well in advance so the money would be at their disposal before the surgery date. Anyway, well done all recent bandsters, it is really encouraging to hear you all doing so well and taking the time & trouble to pass on your advice and tips - much appreciated. Also, will be thinking of Miss Flump and Tropical Lagoon next week and sending you best wishes and hoping you at least feel comfortable over Xmas, let us all know how you're doing, G x

Damn! You've just spoiled your Christmas present surprise! Bigsister

Don't particularly think it's that - he probably thinks I'm too old to be interested in male attention! I am a whole 5 yrs older than him after all! I know he doesn't like thin or really slim women but if that is the reason, it's a bit selfish and he should be thinking of the health benefits if nothing else. I'm pretty sure he won't go, he hasn't got any time left to take from work until April and he wouldn't give up any of his golfing time anyway! I will feel bit guilty tho if someone else's husband is having to help me out with luggage etc - perhaps I could tip them to avoid this? G x

Hi Fox, hope the problem you were having with the stitches around the port are sorted out now and you are feeling better by the day. Thanks so much for all the very useful and practical info, even the smaller details are really invaluable and I'm sure everyone who will be off themselves soon is really appreciative of your 'helpful hints'. Keep recovering well and posting with your progress. Take care, G x

'Breathing always wins'? Now that's not strictly true is it littlesister? If there was a Mars Bar on the floor, you would manage to bend down for that now, wouldn't you?

Hi Wishfull, I think the eldest should go first, which will be me! Although I still haven't had the confirmation and alternative payment info I requested from Bridget. Think I will have to text her, better still be booked in. I will go mad if not as I told my partner last night - felt like a teenager asking their Dad for a tattoo! He didn't kick off as I expected but it's obvious he won't be coming and doesn't agree with it but appears to have accepted it which is the main thing I suppose. Don't have as much time on my hands as littlesister (gillian) as I work full time and am extremely busy at the moment with other stuff as well. She is a serial texter too, once she starts, she doesn't know where to stop - don't give her your mobile number whatever you do, she will stalk you! Be seeing you very soon now, G x

My airport wheelchair is now booked! Hi Fox, we have all been thinking about you. Glad you are feeling bit better now and well done so far! Thanks for the info, even if it's not exactly what we want to hear, we need to know the truth like you say and glad that is what you have given us. We will be eagerly waiting for your updates on your progress which is already off to a great start - well done! G x

Hi mmm. My sister (gillian) made our arrangements through Bridget at professional beauty via website www.europesurgery.co.uk who has been very helpful and not pushy - I think she might have approached Tullia but felt that they were hassling her a bit? Maybe you could check out the alternative we are using? Have you also checked out the other thread below? Good luck with your enquiries and let us know if/when you have booked, G x

Hi TC, gillian's bigsis here. When is your date? Will you be paying in cash or have you arranged something else? Also looking forward to hearing from Fox and thinking of her and that all went well, G x

Hi TanyaC. It would be good if you could find someone on forum going on same date - when is it? If not then I'm sure everyone being banded on same day supports each other. I wouldn't be worried about going on my own, but obviously feel better about going with littlesister (gillian). Looking forward to hearing from the people who have been recently.

Well I was hoping to be in a size 10 bikini for the journey home. It will be a full 2 days post banding after all! Think possibly sister gillian was lying when she insisted you lost at least 4 stones in the first 24 hours!

Yes, it will be an all butter gastric band covered in the finest Belgian chocolate (from the 'be good to yourself' range of course!) I have been measured up for my highly superior post op jogging outfit by Armani (which comes with a matching chihauha) at considerable cost. Please do not acknowledge me in Belgium donning your Vicky Pollard outfit, I will deny any family connections!

Morrisons??!! How very dare you! It would be M&S or Waitrose and well you know it! If I said I was going to Morrisons he would be suspicious....Yes, big final blow out starts on Saturday at middleslimsister's birthday bash. Will have to cancel my birthday on 1st Feb though as we will only be 2 weeks on and doubt we'll be tackling a 3 courser?!