TracyinKS

KC area: I'm currently working on finding my MOM the best self pay My doc (Dr. Steven Malley) Self Pay price 16.5K other places around town: Dr. Opie, Dr. Hoehn, Dr. Wanda K... all around 16-20K.. There is ONE doc in the Leavenworth/Atchison area doing bands for 11K, and they also use CARECREDIT...but unless you REALLY know what you are doing in the process.... (meaning if you are VERY active in your healthcare and pretty much are NOT intimidated by dr and staff) I just can't recommend him.... I do know of a few people that are getting bands from him.. (he is a bypass oriented doc, that is now also doing bands) I WILL NOT be sending my mom to him. SO......... the great reviews and LOCAL good prices come from Tallgrass Surgery Center in Topeka KS... about 45 minutes away... I need to call for their latest prices but last time I checked it was around 11K.. So for I'm leaning toward Dr. K in Denver with followup from my doc (who DOES accept other docs patients)

I am not weighing this week because we are staying in the camper in a campground about 30 minutes away...... (I have my Leather and Lace girlies) up here for our MidSummers Get together.... they are all at the campground.. so funny this morning the ones up and drinking coffee.. all said.. HAVE A GREAT DAY AT WORK!!!! See you when you get home! LOL.............. My mom just found out that her insurance will NOT be putting the band on her insurance........... and she tried to have an MRI done on her boob and didn't fit into the machine..... BASTARDS.. didn't put her in an OPEN or Bariatric sized MRI machine...... and since the mamo was NOT regular it goes against deductible and NOT well woman! She is beside herself upset......... so I'm trying to snap her out of it via email........ listing her best self pay options.... (Dr. K Denver 10K, or Tallgrass in Topeka KS for around 12K) about 1 hour away. and that I WILL BE GOING WITH HER no matter where we go...... Step dad has totally veto'd Mexico......... anyway...... first things is healing her boob and praying that it is NOT a reappearance of breast cancer. (we think she has an infection in her glands)

LOL!!!! I am still sooo tired! My boss wants to talk.......... OH and I got the dear john email saying that I DID NOT make the cut for the Lap Band Video..... The meetings were good, but I'm not supposed to talk about it.... mainly feedback type stuff. My sis had a great time hanging with one of the other guests they ran around and did the touristy stuff....

skipping posts........ but I'm back, I'm extrememly tired, had a great time! I'm at work today even though we have the camper out at a campground and I have my Lace friends in this week for our MidSummers get together....... Vegas was go go go, I did take Kat's and Laura's advice... Played noticeable slots but if they didn't hit ANYTHING within a few plays I moved........ I hit something on a $ .01 (played 15 lines) and $3.00 turned into $65.00 I was happy and cashed out....... I will say.. our Room at the Wynn was GORGEOUS!!!!!! it was on the 20th floor and looked out over their waterfall and Treasure island facing the mountains.......... meeting were good too.. just tiring

THANK YOU KAT FOR THE CALL!!!!!! I am packed, I have been able to eat nothing today... as my band is swelled up tighter than a 3 day dog tick! I did swing through the drive through liquor store and fixed me a parrot bay and dt.dr pepper to unwind with......... LOL I need to go spend some time with hubby, so that he is not pouty... LOVE YOU GUYS! Thanks Kat and Laura.......... SEE YOU ON SUNDAY or Monday!

I will be looking for the shrinkin Violet!!!!!!!!!!!!! :Angel_anim:

My PCOS story............ written LONG ago but I copy and paste it a lot. :Angel_anim: Hey there: Kick up your feet and stay a while, as you read my PCOS story. Hello, I'm Tracy... I was first diagnosed with PCOS while undergoing infertility treatment during my early 20's. (Mid 30's now) ..... Period at age 9, Birth Control pills at age 16-18, Married at 18 no birth control, no babies... finally at age 22 I sought treatment. I was told that I had the thyroid of an 80 year old man, and that I had PCOS.. he put me on synthroid for my HYPO-thyroid, and told me that it was just my body type that caused me to have PCOS... no offer of help or anything... just to accept it. Since I had PCOS, I wasn't able to ovulate.. my periods had NEVER been regular except when on birth control pills...... Treatment didn't work: charting, pills, shots... nothing could budge my follicles to pop out any mature eggs..... so I went on with my life, childless.... then fast forward to 1999... I was surfing the net and came accross an article "Losing Weight With an underactive Thyroid" Well, this peaked my interest, and from this article they mentioned Low Carbing and Dr. Atkins..... I was like "What the HECK" is low carbing???? Well anyway, on my lunch break I went to the book store and bought Dr. A's book, I started to read, and read, and read.. and that night I threw away the nasty slim fast, and made myself a bunless cheeseburger.... I had been starving myself on Low Fat Slimfast shakes and GAINING weight....... I would cry because I was hungry and then to get on the scale and actualy GAIN weight... life just wasn't fair..... ok.... so I took dr. A's advice and decided to devote 2 weeks of my life to the diet.... I did... meat, cheese, eggs, and Water.... I started dropping weight like crazy.. 14 lbs during induction.. my husband was shocked... but as the pounds came off and the sizes went down... everyone soon became a believer. OK...... so, I was about 3-4 months into the program when I realized by looking at my weight chart that my period was starting a pattern of every 28 days... I couldn't believe it.... from the first month my cycles had reset themselves to be just like a regular person!!!! THIS WAS A MIRACLE... my cycles were SO regular that I could set a clock by them... so I suspected that I was ovulating too.... my hopes of being a mom returned.... and BAMM, a few well timed whoopee sessions and I ended up preggo... unfortunately I suffered 3 miscarriages right in a row. So here I was down 80 lbs, PCOS symptoms were non-existant, and I FINALLY saw the little pink link on a home pregnancy test all with out meds or dr's... but life was unfair and I lost 3 precious babies.... all at about 7-9 weeks... one after I even saw the Heart Beat... that one killed me, and I went into a deep depression.. and I started feeding my sadness with High Carb things... I really feel that I was sabbotaging myself..... Lots of other Life events followed... got caught up in a corporate meger/layoff... so my job of 12 years went bye, bye.. and so did my husband my best friend since age 15.... had replaced me with someone who he said was "just like me" just 10 years younger...... so ok..... divorce, heartbreak, money issues... yada, yada, yada..... life goes on! Get your butt up and live life!...... ok so time passed... I hooked up with a new guy... technically my "rebound" guy from hell.... we both started LC'ng, the wieght had returned and my periods were slipping to sporadic bursts at no particular time.... PCOS had taken it's hold again.... anyway I told him, If I start LC'ng I might end up preggo........ he didn't believe me.... but ONE month after starting to eat right again.... I ended up preggo... and now I have a son who is the light of my life! April, 2004 I rededicated my eat life to Low Carb.... it may not be for everyone.. but it is what keeps my PCOS in check and I lose weight as a side effect! Edited August 11, 2005....... my little Low Carb miracle has now turned two years old. It was funny, that during my first Low Carb journey where I had 3 misscarriages.. no one wanted to believe that a formerly infertile woman could get preggers, simply by changing her diet. I had started seeing articles in the Atkins Center magazines for open calls for women with PCOS that had noticed changes in their cycles or had gotten pregnant because of this WOE... I called and told them of my experience.. as so many had done... NOW, in 2005... every PCOS website will lead you to a Low Carb way of eating, also they've developed drugs to help with the symptoms... .I feel proud to have been "IN" on the discovery of this phenom...... you will see LOTS of women popping up pregnant all over the Low Carb Friends website, and many threads where the gals are pregnant and doing a maintenance level of LC'ng to help control the amount of weight they gain during pregnancy.... IT IS AWESOME! I feel like broadcasting to the world.... I AM FINALLY A MOM!!!!!!!!! All thanks to the Low Carb way of eating.

I have PCOS.. LOW CARB EATING has ALWAYS helped get my cycles back on track and reversied my formerly infertile status.....

LOL! that is a pretty cool video!!!!! and its the Swedish band (realize)

I think both are good choices, both will most likely be "upgraded" in coming years anyway........ :Angel_anim: Realize and JNJ is giving LapBand Allergan a run for its money... so I'm betting that both website support areas will be pretty equal and competitive with each other in the future too... (think Kleenex) Kleenex is the BrandName of facial tissue.. but what we all associate with allergies! LOL I have a LapBand........ and I LOVE IT! as I'm sure the REALIZE has its fans as well!

I know that if I was unfilled I would eat pizza (trigger food) I haven't had a FILL since November 2007 (and that fill was taken out in January) .3 cc......... I am at my sweet spot, but I won't get to goal unless I WORK A PLAN.. (meaning that I've eaten TUNA for breakfast every day this week) Its hard for me to imagine myself actually MAKING goal.. so I will see what happens when I get there..... however I might get a slight unfil to see if I can "handle" it STAY TUNED

Ok... so we had surgery the same time, and hey we are even about the same weight... although I'm about 20 lbs from goal.......... First, My husband is puking sick of my band.... he also told me that my ass is now flat and would I please eat more ice cream... oy (nother post for nother place) But yes.... I wonder how long it will take for people to think of me as this size normal... (but in my case they are all waiting for me to start the regain process) because that is what is normal for me... PROFESSIONAL YOYO dieter........ I've been grabbling with this exact issue because I have been asked to try out for a LapBand video... and I've now made it to the top 10... but then I see banner ads pop up and think.. HOLY SHIT THAT COULD BE MY HEAD and my HORRID B4 pic............ and THANK YOU CHICKIE a post from last week has REALLY made me wonder.. do I want that "out there" forever.......... or do I want to quietly slink away and be in normal land........ with my band and my 1 taco........ I think yes, ESPECIALLY since your a guy.. the 175 lb YOU will BE NORMAL soon enough! CONGRATS!

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I wish I could give you a big ol hug!!!! That is THE most beautiful site! Congrats!

Suzie: I think you are right........... I AM a little overwhelmed..... I'm also excited about all that has changed in my life since I had the band... namely my VIOLETS....... and the stuff currently happening.... I am really excited about just getting away for the weekend with my sis.... she wants to go to a drag queen show.. LOL..... OHMY... anyone have any slot machine tips?????? I just love you guys.......... I'm sucking at personals right now, but my mind is going every which way...... sorry

such cute little toesies!!! (even IF they are purple..) but hey they at least fit into the VIOLET theme! :Angel_anim:

GOOD MORNING!!!!! Thanks Tracy! I am soooo excited to go to Vegas tomorrow! I am taking a tiny bit of gambling money since I've never been there before.... 30K WOULD be a major blessing.. (I'd pay off all our crap bills) and have money for a tt! A girl can dream. OK...someone just walked in

Kat: I am speechless (and thats BIG) thank you

I got to 179 BEFORE VEGAS!!!!!! I was looking at my weight chart (and xcel spread sheet that I created in 2003 after Robby was born.) I’ve hit a new low on it……. I guess the lowest I got the last time ( in 2005 ) was 181.2. The FIRST time I did Low Carb back in 1999 – 2000 I did get to 174. I can not believe I am closing in on 100 lbs lost! Looking back I hit 189.4 on 3/25/08……….. so, it has taken me 3 months to lose 10 lbs… MAYBE I can make the 160’s in another 3 months… But again… I KNOW that if I drank some water I’d be even lower. I am basking in the glory of the 170’s today, because I KNOW that I will be bad in Vegas and bounce back up… but OH WELL, I’m here today.

Laura did the benedryl help the itching????????? Kat: OH YES MAAM you need to wear that confounded garment!!!! You don't want those under the skin water waves (can't remember what they are called. HAVE FUN at lunch!! Jane, Michelle, Tracy, Pamela, Suzie, thanks so much for your vote of confidence... I am TRYING not to get my hopes up...... I think I looked like a big ol goober in my video.. so who knows.... I am trying desparately to get rooted into the 170's before Vegas, cause I KNOW I'LL BE BAD (drink wise) Damn you TracyK for having me taste your kalua colada's! Can I fit you in my pocket to fix my brows... (I DID have them waxed last week) and tonight I'm putting color on my hair

Healing Vibes To Macy!!!!!

The Wynn Baby, The Wynn!

I wanted to pop in here and say HEY!!!! My mentors on this thread.... Now I've past my 1 year bandversary and I go pop in on the April 08'rs the same that all you did for us! Susan I too went a while with too much fill......... I did it on purpose over the holidays....... but by January I HAD to get some taken out.. and that is when the scale started moving again..... it's slower in year two, but I'm HOPING to make it to the 160's in my year two of banding. Have a great summer! The laughing girls in my siggy pic are all gals you helped inspire.. and yes you'll even see your buddy KAT17 in there.. she ended up sticking around for our daily questions and we never let her leave! THANKS SOOOO MUCH!

GOOD MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I DID MISS Denise's post! OOPS! I told you I had a bad week last week.. :thumbup: Suzie: GOODNESS!!!!!! I hope you are feeling ok.... (I was smiling reading your story... cause I've BEEN THERE) Terry: SHIRT = ROFLMAO! (and I hope you are doing ok this week, between dh and sis) Laura: my myspace is.. (I actually have 3!) MySpace.com - Tracy - 38 - Female - LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS - www.myspace.com/tracyinks (the one originally set up to spy on my neices) and this is my one for Losing Weight MySpace.com - Tracy - 38 - Female - KANSAS - www.myspace.com/lowcarbbandster TracyK: MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE SOOO BUSY! I hope Macy starts feeling better today! Pam and Michelle: (Skinny dipping /chunky dunking!) LOL Kat: I am so glad you got a good report from your doctor..... I can not wait to see pics! I lauged at your post yesterday about the one ON one time! Haydee: Have a great day! I am definately keeping your PS in mind!!!! Jane: How are YOU feeling these days? Nothing to report today........... getting ready for Vegas... trying to pack light light light...... 181 today.. I KNOW that i'd be in the 170's if I had my head in the game........ Also....... I've been thinking long and hard about the Lap Band Video thing..... I guess I've made it to the top 10 (I think I told yo all this) Well...... it kind of hit home after I read a post from Chickie the other day....about how she did an interview for Make Me Heal and still to this day she gets people coming up to her and talking about it..... she said to be ready for the good and the bad reactions, and to remember that IT NEVER GOES AWAY...... So then I log on to my yahoo email I see banner ads for the Realize band, they are people like me........ and then I think HOLY SHIT... MY HEAD COULD POP UP ON BANNER AD's all over the NET! My BODY could be TALKING on their website......... and I think...... this is NOT just my doctors site.. this is ALLERGAN big big company.... as of yet compensation has not been determined......... and I'm of the mind that if it is NOT a decent amount.. I AIN'T DOIN IT! If its enough to pay off some bills I will, but if its $500 or less.... I'm going to pass... as it is.. the whole reality of it is kind of freaking me out......... and then I think.. Tracy you goob.... you are NOT gonna make it anyway...... Oh well.. thats where my head is at.

As a person who was once in your shoes.. I am crossing everything for the DOUBLING, BABY StICKING Vibes........ (and when I say everything I'm talking chins, boobs, batwings and belly rolls! Telling you to quit freaking out is just not gonna happen........ I did it for 5 months until I broke down sobbing in my docs office saying that I just couldn't go through AnOTHER miscarriage.... he hugged me and said even if I had him TODAY he would make it.... Seriously it wasn't until I heard it from him that I finally calmed down and ENJOYED my pregnacy,,,, so hugs girl.. I feel ya

From Denise's MySpace Bulletin page Jun 20, 008 1:01 PMSubject: Kara's new baby boy, Dimitri Andrew Body: Could have easily lost both of them...it was touch and go, and I'll write more about it later.... Everything is ok so far...they extubated him and he's now breathing on his own with a little bit of oxygen. Blood gases look good - they're planning on keeping him at Fresno Community in the NICU unless things change and then he'd have to go to Valley Childrens but so far he's looking great... Was very scary at first - Kara had a 50% placental abruption and they lost the heart beat for about 10 minutes - he was limp, grey and not breathing, but they worked on him fast and so far so good.... He was 3 lbs, 13 oz and 16 inches long...actually pretty good size for a 31 weeker! I've attached a few pics...I'll see everyone Monday. Thanks for everyone's prayers! DENISE: I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND!!!!!!!!! We miss you dang it