Meredith2424

PJ- You poor thing. I hope that you get better soon! Lauras suggestion about the clinic is a great idea. Check into that if possible. Well everyone, I am on day 4 of strict liquids. I have NOT cheated at all even though I have been tempted to. I am on 4 Boost high protein 8 oz drinks, 2 light yogurts, and am allowed 2 half cup servings of sf jello and 2 one cup servings of low sodium broth per day. The broth is disgusting to me, so I think I'm gonna steer clear of that, but the jello does help a little. I actually feel pretty good, it has given me so much energy. I went today and bought a new pair of running shoes, sports bras, socks, and work out capri pants. The weather is beautiful here and I am excited to go for a walk this evening. Before I do that though I have to do some housework and a TON of laundry! The countdown is on until June 26th! More later. Gotta get to work here! -Meredith

Hi all! Thank you so much for all of your words of encouragement. I am so sick of food and actually I am finding myself happy to finally be at this point. My wonderful boyfriend Andrew took me out to dinner tonight to my favorite resturant. So sweet. And, when I got to work today, the receptionist suprised me and made me a cake that said "Happy 'Last Supper' Meredith". It was cute. It was in the back room at work where only the employees go. I've told everyone and they are so supportive. We are like a huge family and in a large salon like ours there are no secrets! It's ok, from telling people about the surgery I am about to have I have found so many others who are interested in getting it, or have already gotten it. Anyhow, it's way past my bedtime. We didn't get home until late. After dinner we went to my parents house and then I filled out all of my surgical paperwork. I'm getting really excited! I find that now I am more excited than nervous, which is good. Have a wonderful night everyone! Thanks again for all of your suggestions and positive reinforcement! You are all the best! -Meredith

Hello again all. Laura, you are on vacation, don't be so hard on yourself! Have fun, and remember, you've lost 3 pounds while on vacation! Thats awesome! I'm glad that your sister is doing well. Well, I just wanted to say that I know that when I complain about my sister, it sounds bad and like I don't like her. I love her, but we are just so different. It is hard sometimes to get along, but in the end we have each others backs. You all know how the sibling relationships go. I also wanted to hear about all of your pre-op diet phases. I'm nervous, but I have convinced myself that I MUST stick to the plan. It looks so difficult on paper. 2 weeks of liquid only. How did all of you do it? Once again, I would like to thank all of you for your support and sharing of all of your stories. I have been able to identify with so many of you in so many ways. Thank you! -Meredith

Hello everyone. I feel like it has been awhile since I have posted, but it also looks like everyone has been posting away! I've read and caught up. Congrats to all of you who are doing so wonderfully. Anyhow, I just wanted to say that I totally understand the whole "people pretending not to notice the weight loss" issue. I have told lots of people that I am getting the surgery. I have had "friends" tell me that they didn't think that I would be the same person once I lost weight and tell me that they didn't want me to lose any weight at all! Well thanks people, thanks for all of that support. Geez! Just yesterday, my skinny sister told me that she was mad that I waas getting surgery. At first I was upset and ran to the bathroom in tears. Then, I came to realize that she might be worried that I will become just as thin as her! Everyone has always called me the "pretty" sister and her the "thin" one. Well, maybe she is afraid that I will be thin too? IDk. All I know is that I don't need that crap and I am not going to discuss this with her again. She doesn't understand what its like to be fat, and probably never will. I asked her what she thought it would feel like to carry another one of her bodies on her back all day long? She said "Well, I never had to think about that because I would never let myself get fat. You did this to yourself!" I was soooo mad. If we were not out to dinner for my moms birthday at the time, I would have leapt across the table and slapped her! The nerve. Oh well. This is not about her, it's about me. I refuse to let others opinions have any impact on my life what-so-ever. I will only listen to the opinions of the surgeon and dietitian. Thats it! Anyhow, I am starting my liquid diet on Friday. I am ready to start my new life! I am so excited. I have vowed to follow everything that the surgeon and dietitian have told me and that are going to tell me. There is no other option really. I went and got all of my Boost high protein and light yogurt. I just need to stock up on chix broth and beef broth as well as sf jello. Well, thats all for now. CBL. I took the day off today. It feels good.

Long- You look fantastic!!!!! You go girl! You should be so proud of yourself! Just got home from a bridal shower. Gonna take a nap and do some wash and clean this house. It is quite a disaster! Ok, not much else to report. The count down to liquids is on. I start them on Friday. CBL- Meredith

Thank you to everyone for all of your kind words of support. I just was so shocked at my experience that I had to vent and share it with people that I knew would understand how it feels. I sometime feel bad for my boyfriend too. I know that he loves me no matter what I look like, but I also know that people are looking at us together and wondering "why is that thin good looking guy with a fat chick?" and probably "he could do so much better". He doesn't seem to think that any of this is true, but I know better. People can be cruel. Long- Congrats again! Can't wait for those pics! Laura- I know that you will be just fine on your trip. Don't worry, just have a wonderful time enjoying your family! JoAnne- You hit the nail right on the head!!! Sassy! Hehe. I just like to have a good time and have a good laugh. Phyl- I am just repulsed by some people sometimes. These are times when I firmly believe in Karma! 1Day- I am so sorry for your loss. That is the worst feeling in the world. I will pray for your friend. Well all, I am just gearing up for the weekend. I have to work in the morning and then I am going to clean and prepare for the hectic week ahead of me next week. Take care, Meredith

Boy, was I ever happy that you posted this! I am feeling the EXACT way now, before my surgery as you were before yours! What if I fail like I have done so many times before? I just have put my mind to it that I am going to follow all of the rules to the "T" and do exactly what the dietitian and dr tell me to do. Especially for the first year. Thank you for this, and happy bandiversay! I hope that a year from now I can look back upon my year and see the same success as you have. Now, time for my "last straw" story. A lot of people on here seem to have them. A moment frozen in their minds about how someone else made them feel terrible about themselves and their weight especially. Well, an older woman that comes into the salon, but to another hairdresser has been making small talk with me lately. Nothing big, just "hi", "bye", " you look like a real Irish girl", " I think that your name should be Bridgette because you look so Irish" etc. You get the idea. Well, today that was it! She came up to me and said, "You are just so beautiful! BUT....YOU REALLY NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT"!!!!!! Well thanks lady! Like I didn't already know this! I absolutely cannot stand when people tell others about their obvious flaws in their appearance. I just about died! And worse, she did it in front of one of my co-workers! Mortified. I guess that if I ever questioned myself about getting this surgery, this was my confirmation from God that I have made the right decision! That was my "last straw". -Meredith

Thank you all for your support. I spoke with my dad again and cried (of course). I explained to him that this is my decision and that I am happy and confident with my surgeon, hospital, and all that goes along with this. I also reminded him that I am younger than the man that he heard about that died. He felt bad. We are really close and he didn't mean to hurt my feelings. Sometimes men don't get it and need to keep their mouths shut he told me. At least he gets it! Now that all of that is cleared up, I can look forward to my big day! Laura- I totally understand where you are coming from. I think that some people think that if they point out the obvious that it will make you more inclined to do something about it. My favorite example is house work. I remember being a young girl and my mom telling me to clean my room. The more she told me, the less I wanted to do it. The same thing happened with me and my weight, the more someone reminded me how big I am, the more I wanted to eat. So, I get it. Sometimes dads have the best intentions, but they are still men. You know. They can't help it! LOL. Good luck to your sister. I'm glad that everything worked out well for her. Charlene- Congrats on your husbands date! June 17th will be an exciting day for both of you! Also, thank you for reassuring me that this is the place to vent our fears and problems. I needed that. Julie- I keep reminding myself that people have complications all of the time. Before I had my date, I wasn't scared at all, now, I'm more nervous and I wish that everyone outside of the LB world did not feel the need to put their 2 cents in. I am glad that I explained clearly to those that I am closest to that they need to support me only and keep the side bar comments to themselves. Apples- Oh, he is reading alright! I gave him every single piece of information that I have ever gotten about the LB. By tomorrow he will be schooled! Once again, thank you everyone for all of your support. No one else would ever understand like all of you. That means a lot. Thanks! ~Meredith

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement. Today I went to the Dietitian. She gave me my pre-op and post-op diet plans. Mine starts on the 12th. This is how it is supposed to go: Breakfast: Boost High Protein Lunch: Boost High Protein Snack: Light Yogurt Dinner: Boost High Protein Light Yogurt Snack: Boost High Protein I'm ready. I understand that this is a life style change and I am so excited and after the meeting, I was pumped. It made me feel even better that it was a group style meeting. There were 4 others there getting the band and there were 2 that are getting the sleeve. It wasn't until I got out of the meeting until I got upset. My dad has been iffy about this whole idea of me having surgery since the beginning. So he called me to tell me that he talked to his best friend (I call him uncle) and he told my dad that his buddy had the lap band done and died a few weeks later. Oh great! Just what he needed to hear before his first born child goes under the knife! I am so upset now because he called me and told me about this and said that he doesn't want me to get it at all! Great. Then I got so angry and just furious and hung up on him! I don't need to hear this at all. I just need to try to keep positive. I know that he is just nervous, but geez, he needs to keep this to himself! Sorry about my venting. I'm just upset. Thanks for reading. ~Meredith

Hello everyone. I was so busy this weekend I didn't even get a chance to check in and read the posts at all. I just did now and it sounds like a few are having some troubles with various aspects in their lives. It is true about a window opening! Just when I think it cannot get any worse, suddenly something happens to make it all better. I hope that goes the same for you mrose. Laura~ Keep us updated on the fill/unfill business! The scale is going down though! Janet~ Thank you so much for reposting the break up letter. This is just what I needed to read before my surgery! 25 days! I am getting nervous now. Not so nervous about what life will be like after the band because I have learned so much from all of you. But rather the surgery itself. What if something goes wrong? I just have to think positively and try not to be nervous. Ok, have to do some homework. CBL. It's beautiful here, I might do homework outside! ~Meredith

Thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement! I have some even better news today...... Well, once insurance approval happens, these people are on their toes! I got my date!!!!!! June 26th! :crying: I finally have something solid to look forward to. I start my liquid diet on the 12th. I think that the time is going to go by fast now. Although this is exciting, now I'm kinda nervous too. I am so thankful to have all of you here for support and kind words. Thank God there are people out there that understand as well as all of you.:thumbup: Laura, We are getting some lousy weather here too. It reminds me of Florida when I visited there last, hot, humid, and storms. I know that the weather there can be beautiful too, but apparently I have bad weather follow me whenever I travel. Janet, you go girl! You are a strong tough one for sure! And, I cannot tell you how happy I am that you decided to start this thread 218 pages ago! Everyone, Thank you once again for all of your support! You got me through the insurance/approval debacle with flying colors! I love reading about all of you and your experiences with the band. Another question.....what exactly does a surgery clearance from my pcp entail? Thanks again! Cheers, Meredith

Sorry, but I am having major issues with this site. Either my last post didn't post at all, or it got posted 20 times! ~Meredith

Hello everyone! I have no idea what the problem is here, but for some reason, this is not posting? Good thing for copy and paste! Great news! I just called my insurance company this afternoon to make sure that they recieved all of my pre-authorization paperwork. This wonderful woman that works there has helped me through all of this. She did indeed have all of the paperwork needed and insured me that it would be 2-4 weeks to wait for an approval. An hour later she called me back and told me that she felt bad for all I have been through dealing with all of this and she had taken care of everything herself. I'm approved! It took only 4 business days for approval! I could not be happier! She said that she was going to fax my paperwork immediately to the surgical office. Tomorrow, I hope to talk to the woman at the surgeons office who handles all of this so I can get a date set up there. Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will know the plan. How is everyone doing? I see that it was a quiet weekend on here, hopefully that means that everyone was busy outside enjoying time with friends and family. Congrats to all of you who have lost weight!!!!! It looks like everyone is doing a great job! Check in tomorrow! ~Meredith

Hello everyone! Great news! I just called my insurance company this afternoon to make sure that they recieved all of my pre-authorization paperwork. This wonderful woman that works there has helped me through all of this. She did indeed have all of the paperwork needed and insured me that it would be 2-4 weeks to wait for an approval. An hour later she called me back and told me that she felt bad for all I have been through dealing with all of this and she had taken care of everything herself. I'm approved! It took only 4 business days for approval! I could not be happier! She said that she was going to fax my paperwork immediately to the surgical office. Tomorrow, I hope to talk to the woman at the surgeons office who handles all of this so I can get a date set up there. Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will know the plan. How is everyone doing? I see that it was a quiet weekend on here, hopefully that means that everyone was busy outside enjoying time with friends and family. Congrats to all of you who have lost weight!!!!! It looks like everyone is doing a great job! Check in tomorrow! ~Meredith

Hi everyone! Sorry that I haven't been on to update you. When I'm not in class I tend to not go on the computer very much since I live on it every semester. Well, here is the update...... I called the office manager on Wednesday and left her a very polite message asking why and if it was normal for my chart to be in dictation for two weeks? I also asked her to call me back at her earliest convenience. I then called my insurance company just to make sure that they did indeed NOT get anything from my surgeons office. They assured me that they did not and then told me again exactly what I needed to get pre-approved, and additionally the fax number to give to the surgeons office in order for things to move more quickly. Then, I called the woman who is in charge of the lap band at the surgeons office yet again! I gave her the fax number and she was kind of rude and I could tell annoyed that I was calling again. Well, if I'm not going to keep tabs on things, no one will! She again told me that my chart was STILL IN DICTATION!!!!! I reminded her, very politely that it had already been two weeks. Well, she informed me that she would call me as soon as she knew anything. Ok, so I thought that was that. 50 minutes later I got a call from her angrily accusing me of talking to the office manager about my chart being in dictation. I told her that I did not actually speak to the office manager, but rather I left her a simple message asking her why it was taking so long. The woman then told me that she had miraculously found my chart out of dictation and on the surgeons desk! Wow! Imagine that?! Then she told me that she already had sent it to the insurance company. It's about time! But, she told me it wasn't signed. What the heck? So, now I'm really annoyed. Oh well, there is still nothing that I can really do until I hear from the ins co. I am going to call them on Wednesday just to make sure that the process on their end is moving along. Thats how that went. I cannot wait to let the surgeon know what kind of treatment his staff is giving to future patients! Oh, and another thing, Saturday I received a bill in the mail from the office for 260 dollars! My insurance covers these visits 100 percent so I should not have gotten any type of bill at all! They didn't even try to submit it to insurance! I will ck on all of this wednesday. But, it's frustrating to say the least. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I wont be such a stranger this week. ~Meredith

Hi everyone! Sorry that I haven't been on to update you. When I'm not in class I tend to not go on the computer very much since I live on it every semester. Well, here is the update...... I called the office manager on Wednesday and left her a very polite message asking why and if it was normal for my chart to be in dictation for two weeks? I also asked her to call me back at her earliest convenience. I then called my insurance company just to make sure that they did indeed NOT get anything from my surgeons office. They assured me that they did not and then told me again exactly what I needed to get pre-approved, and additionally the fax number to give to the surgeons office in order for things to move more quickly. Then, I called the woman who is in charge of the lap band at the surgeons office yet again! I gave her the fax number and she was kind of rude and I could tell annoyed that I was calling again. Well, if I'm not going to keep tabs on things, no one will! She again told me that my chart was STILL IN DICTATION!!!!! I reminded her, very politely that it had already been two weeks. Well, she informed me that she would call me as soon as she knew anything. Ok, so I thought that was that. 50 minutes later I got a call from her angrily accusing me of talking to the office manager about my chart being in dictation. I told her that I did not actually speak to the office manager, but rather I left her a simple message asking her why it was taking so long. The woman then told me that she had miraculously found my chart out of dictation and on the surgeons desk! Wow! Imagine that?! Then she told me that she already had sent it to the insurance company. It's about time! But, she told me it wasn't signed. What the heck? So, now I'm really annoyed. Oh well, there is still nothing that I can really do until I hear from the ins co. I am going to call them on Wednesday just to make sure that the process on their end is moving along. Thats how that went. I cannot wait to let the surgeon know what kind of treatment his staff is giving to future patients! Oh, and another thing, Saturday I received a bill in the mail from the office for 260 dollars! My insurance covers these visits 100 percent so I should not have gotten any type of bill at all! They didn't even try to submit it to insurance! In any other circumstance I would be seeking out another surgeon to do the surgery, but I really like this surgeon and have heard only amazing things about him. Plus, my father and his best friend have both had surgeries done by him laproscopically. Anyhow, that is all of the venting I'm sure all of you can take for now. I hope that everyone has a fantastic day off tomorrow. Enjoy! I will keep everyone updated after I call the ins co on wednesday. And, of course I will check in before then. I will not be such a stranger this week. Take care, Meredith

I'm calling the dr. office now! I feel like I've been waiting forever! Lets get the show on the road! I will check back after and let you know how it went! Meredith

Hi everyone. I really haven't been on in awhile. I haven't been feeling very well. I had a stomach ache almost the entire weekend and had to do some major hair for a wedding on Saturday. Sunday, I just relaxed and didn't do very much. Anyhow, I called the surgeons office today to see if I could finally schedule my surgery. Apparently my chart is still in dictation! How long does this take?!?! I am frustrated and am just ready for this, but I cannot believe how long this is taking! My insurance is fantastic and I know that they are not going to be the problem. I mean this cannot be normal. I really think that the woman that schedules the surgery being on vacation really put people behind in this process. One of the patients was supposed to have her surgery done on one of the days that this woman was on vacation and they called her the morning of her surgery and told her not to come for surgery bc there was a problem with her insurance. Sorry, I just had to vent. I am so ready to start this journey as soon as possible. EEEK! I'm sure that I am over-reacting, and just anxious, but I am also pretty sure that all of you can understand my frustration when you look back on having your own surgeries. Hope everyone has a wonderful evening. Ck back later. ~Meredith

Hello ladies! Thank you to everyone for all of your meal planning advice! I am going to cut and paste all of it into a word document, print it, and put it on my fridge. Nothing new really to report. I called the woman who schedules surgery (she is back from vaca), she said my chart is in dictation and would have to wait to send all of my information before she could set a date for me. She reminded me that this is not an overnight process, and I realize that, but all of this should have been done immediately after my appointment. Just venting really. I want to get the show on the road! I'm sure all of you can think back to before you were banded and can identify with me. I went to a beautiful benefit dinner tonight for the people of Abruzzi, Italy (the earthquake). My boss is from that area and put on a benefit dinner. It was beautiful and they raised lots of money. Plus, we got entertainment from local Detroit Opera talent. It was amazing! I was so impressed! It really was beautiful and heartwarming to see all of these people getting together and raising money in these tough economic times for people who are worse off. Anyhow, gotta get moving. Time for bed. Check in tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone for all of your help! ~Meredith

Good points everyone! I agree with all of you in that the Doctor worded the post improperly. Anyhow, most of the time, like tonight, if I eat a salad, I get grilled chicken on top of it, And, add cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots with a vinegar, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil dressing! This should be a lesson to all of us that we need to do our own research on what works best for everyones individual bands.

Laura and Apples~ Thanks for the advice! It is a great help! If you do have simple and easy food ideas for me before I get my surgery, I can start to purchase things that I need before. I would really appreciate it! Thank you. Also, my dad wasn't sure about the surgery at first, and actually was against it. He is my best friend really, and we spend tons of time together and on the phone. I think that he was just worried about his "first born". Once he did his research and I told him more about it, he is 100 percent behind me. He and my boyfriend (who is thin of course!) walk together all of the time. I feel blessed to have everyones support and encouragement. Have a nice night. ~Meredith

Barb~ Before I get my banding done, I am trying to shop and prepare meal ideas for when it happens. I was just wondering what you marinate your tofu in? Also, I was wondering if you, or anyone else tried baby food in your mushy phase? Apples~ Your weight loss is amazing! You are truly an inspiration to all, especially me! I love reading your posts about the farm. It reminds me of my sister. Everyone~ I only have 2 more days until the woman who schedules surgery is back in the office! YAY!! I cannot wait.....but I must. My dad was so cute last night! He has a smaller weight problem than I do but is so excited for me. Last night, he said, "I don't know if it is okay for me to ask you this, but I was wondering how much weight you plan to lose?" When I told him 120# he said that he is going to support me and help me through this journey. It was cute and nice of him. Also, he wants to start walking with me after the surgery! That will be so nice since we have a wonderful lake front park here just for the residents of our city. They also have a park there with a HUGE swimming pool! I plan on taking Water aerobics with my mom this summer there too! Has anyone else done water aerobics? Ok, well, gotta go, I'm over my sisters house and I want to get out of here before her girlfriends come over. Hope everyone has a great night! Check in tomorrow, Meredith