BJean

TOM: There was a Deli shop nearby that did exactly the same thing when I ordered sandwiches a while back. They must have not treated me that way exclusively because they are now out of business. Probably spread some e coli of their own around town. Anybody have any theories on why the bad stuff is showing up in lettuce, spinach, etc.? I think some of them workers is taking dumps out in them fields. Anybody got a better theory?

P.S. Lisa, they are NOT mutually exclusive. You're probably too young to remember the book that suggested pineapple and whipping cream... I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out what goes where. :paranoid

Thanks Wheet. I may get up the nerve to Google it, but I saw "Borat" over the weekend so my full frontal nudity fix has been taken care of for a day or two. Anybody seen it? Nothing like a little male "mud" wrestling, huh?

Oops. I mean Sparkette - I guess Sparklette is a brand of Water. You don't own a water company do you? Cause your credibility might suffer a little when you call Dr. Ortiz! Seriously, good luck. It sounds like you're going to be treated very well and you have someone lined up for your fills, so we'll stand by and look forward to hearing from you about your experiences and how you're doing!

Sparklette: Plead poverty! Might work! What could it hurt?

What a load of poppycock. Who are these people and why are they participating (authoring) such hate? Is this the same guy who attacked Kerry's military records? The "Swift Boat" terrorists? Why can't they ever get over the fact that Bill Clinton was elected for 2 terms to the Presidency of the United States and that many, many Americans love his politics? Nothing they say or do now is going to take away from the really good job he did as President. Besides, if it is a pissing contest you want to get into regarding our Presidents' military service, I'd think you Bushyheads would want to back off pretty quick from this topic!

Yeah, Green, but that's just YOU! :heh: Bubble: If someone at my dinner party reminded me to wash my hands after handling raw chicken, I'd be both embarrassed AND offended (because I'd be so embarrassed) and totally disgusted with myself. I'd probably run shreiking from the room and order pizza just to set their minds at ease, then I'd bring out the hard stuff and after tipping back a few, we'd all have a big laugh.

What wat wat? Infection, cross-contamination are more important than my doctor's feelings? Surely you jest.

Well, if something doesn't happen soon, I'm going to be very offended!!!!!! Cm'on somebody post the male version of this so there can be an equal opportunity exposer. This photo as it stands (lies) is just not PC! Sock man, take off your socks and lie down!

I've heard so many people say that when you're a patient you should insist that anyone who is going to touch you should wash their hands first. I don't know how you get the nerve to do that. If you think they are capable, you shouldn't have to remind them to do something that basic. But I must say that even in my doctor's office, it makes me nervous when I can hear him talking out in the hall or the room next to mine and shortly after that walking into my examination room. I didn't hear any water running... how could he have washed his hands that quickly?

Debbie: The first part of your post could have been me writing!! Amazing how much we have in common with our husband's support, but concern, and we've been married about as long as you have, and practically word for word all the rest of that paragraph is what I've been experiencing. I'm not usually starving in the morning unless I have had something high carb the night before. I have given in to having a small portion of dessert when we are out with family or friends occasionally. You know, the planned "only one bite" that turns into diving in until everyone else has eaten some too and it's thankfully gone! :faint: Anyway I sometimes find myself getting busy in the morning and it's 9:30 or so before I realize I am getting really hungry. The earlier I have breakfast, the less I can eat anyway, so it all works out pretty well usually whether I eat when I'm first up or later in the morning. I have much better luck eating scrambled eggs with a little fat-free cheese instead of most cereals. Sounds like you're doing very well! Keep up the good work.

Boo Boo Kitty: You win!!! We lived in Orlando when my daughter got married. We booked a fantastic ballroom downtown at Church Street Station for the reception. When I went to check on things (fortunately early in the game) they told me that they booked a different wedding party because we we having fewer guests. No, they did not apologize or comp us for anything. I was stunned, extremely disappointed and beside myself. They showed me another room that was available, but it was hidden under the big rooms, like an ugly step-sister's cubby hole or something. My daughter was completely unfazed. Couldn't have cared less. Thank goodness. I re-grouped and someone told me about a beautiful new golf course not too far from our house. It turned out to be very beautiful with an adequate outside breezeway looking out over the golf course, for the actual wedding and very pretty rooms for the reception. In the wedding video the sun is setting behind the chaplain who married them and my daughter's dress went from white to nearly all colors of the rainbow - incredibly beautiful. All the men (mostly from Maryland) were thrilled to have the chance to play 18 holes of golf and the best man's father hit a hole in one. (During the reception he kept thanking us for having this party to Celebrate his hole in one.) Our deejay was a nut and tons of fun and everyone relaxed and had a blast. Lots of people came up to me afterwards and told me it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to. To cap the whole thing off, my new SIL's mother came to my house the next morning before heading back to Maryland and handed me a check for $2500 to help defray the cost of the reception (she had already paid for most of the flowers)!! What a woman! Everyone still talks about what a great party it was and what a beautiful wedding it was. I am still a little on cloud nine over it and they've been married 7 years. So this doesn't exactly fit the bill for the worst wedding, but I had to say that not all brides are bridezillas and not all weddings have to cost $100,000 to be fabulous.

Bubble: Thanx for the info. It boggles the mind that in 2007, people might not be using basic infection control procedures! As for my local grocery, I guess our lettuce and spinach are not the only things we have to watch out for, even Peter Pan is contaminated!!! What's the world coming to?

Oh thank goodness. I thought that thing following me was still my huge oversized butt.

kat: That was a great post! And yours was a really good experience. I am sure everyone who is trying to make a decision will appreciate your taking the time to write about your very positive experience in Mexico!

DynamoMini: You explained the carb thing very well. I tend to look at some foods as my drug of choice. I can sidle up to some of them like they're my best friend, and then the next thing I know I'm in a sugar-induced coma. Am I the only one who's eaten a pint or 2 of Hagen Daz ice cream, become very elated and hyper and then crashed and fallen asleep? Talk about your true confessions! It's tough to admit, but it's the truth. I consider this a very healthy place for me to hang out because I too feel like many of the bandsters here are allys, who know just exactly what I'm talking about, and I understand them too. It's great. Thanks, ya'll.

Who the heck is Jbean and why is she stalking me? I think I know what a Rebuplican is and it lurks here at LBT. Meaner'n all git out! Geez!

One of the determining factors in choosing my doctor for LB surgery was that he uses a hospital that only treats well people. It's for orthopedic surgeries, LB, hernia repairs, gallbladder, etc. I figured that it probably would not have some of the infectious diseases like staph infection and other junk that lurks in hospitals so I wouldn't have to worry about getting those. What I didn't think about is that at that hospital much of the nursing staff is working there part time and at other hospitals part time. So I guess they could carry stuff from one hospital to another. In fact, I suppose that could be true with surgeons and anthesiologists. Or is that probably not a serious factor in choosing a hospital?

Denise: I'll bet you'll drop a few before you know it. It is strange how we bounce back and forth with the same few pounds sometimes. But overall it seems like we are moving ever so slowly downward on the scale. Some bandsters who are losing really fast are able to exercise like a couple of hours a day and they are not just cutting portion size, they're taking in less than 1000 calories a day. They will undoubtedly get there before I will, but I will get there! I have the same problem with carbs as some of you others have. I have also found that if I have caffeine I tend to crave chocolate too. I made the mistake of tasting one truffle after New Years and I still haven't been able to stop eating some chocolate every week. I try to stick with the Healthy Choice or Blue Bunny fudgecicles instead of candy, but it is very hard if I've had caffeine at all. I'm like you Carlene, if it's in the house with me I will obsess over it and eat it until it's gone!

Scary, scary stuff. Did you say that you work in the medical field, Bubblebutt?

Donna: I've been posting here for quite a while and most of the stories I've read about Dr. Ortiz have been very good. Haven't read anything about Dr. Aceves. The one thing I have learned is that before you schedule with a Mexican doctor, you need to be absolutely certain that you have a local doctor who can do the fills and any follow-up that you might need. I chose a doctor primarily based on his laproscopic surgical experience and someone who had plenty of Lap Band procedures under his belt. My surgery was supposed to be $18,000 out of pocket expense. However, it covered the surgery, hospital and all that (overnight), plus pre-surgical tests and all fills for 2 years, plus a dietician and exercise physiologist for 2 years, and a clinical psychologist profile and monthly psychologist's group lectures, and monthly dietician group meetings, a newsletter and all the phone calls and doctor's visits that I need for 2 years. It's a comprehensive package and I wouldn't have wanted to do this without it. I knew I had a hiatal hernia, but wasn't sure if I needed gallbladder surgery. The pre-surgical tests bore out the hernia, but ruled out the gallbladder removal necessity. Because I needed the hiatal hernia operation, my insurance, which also had a strong non-bariatric surgery clause, covered part of everything. They wound up paying us back almost $10,000. So that would make it close to what you're husband is willing to cough up. Pardon the expression. Some of the doctors in this area resent people going to Mexico for the initial procedure and they charge $1000 per fill. They don't offer much in the way of other surpport either to people who choose to go to Mexico. I've had 5 or 6 fills since my surgery in September. My doctor insists that we take this slowly and to never cause me the discomfort and possible anguish of an over-fill. When you are paying out of pocket each time for a fill, the conventional wisdom is to get as much as you think you can possibly need so that you don't have to go back soon (and pay again). Some doctors insist on doing floroscopy (like x-rays) during the fill to make sure you are properly adjusted because they are trying to cut down on the over-fill scenario. That machine's usage costs money, although I am not sure if these are the same doctors who charge $1000 per fill and the floroscope is how they justify it. Bottom line of what I'm saying is that you need to be absolutely certain that you have a local doctor who is amenable to doing your follow up care and your fills. And you need to know just exactly what that will cost you. If you have the band and have to go without the proper adjustment, you may as well not have the band. I've typed this quickly because I'm expecting company in a few minutes so I hope it makes sense. Your best feedback about the Mexican connection is from someone who's been there, done that. But I did want to share my personal experience with the outcome of my insurance company's willingness to pay for the hiatal hernia part of the surgery and how it put me in a position to get everything done locally, which is really great. Please keep us posted. I'll sure be thinking about you.

As far as special diets are concerned, no one has told me NOT to do them, but part of my "package" surgery deal is that I see a nutritionist/dietician every couple of weeks. She does not like any "fad" diets. She says that we must really work at getting the proper nutrition and that we should always eat Protein first. But we need fruits and vegetables as well. I have read that some of the other bandsters are going to Weight Watchers and even have read that some have been taking different over the counter diet pills. I know my doctor and dietician would probably not mind the Weight Watcher's meetings, but would be against diet pills of any kind. They emphasize that we need to re-learn all about food and nutrition and that if we use the band properly we can do that without other aids. This is not supposed to be a quick fix, like extreme diets most of us have gone on. It's supposed to be a lifestyle change. Gerbera: Good luck with the knees. I am in the same boat. I really, really wish I could get on a treadmill and go for long walks. We are at a disadvantage, but Water exercise is good for everybody so it will be good for us too, just not as convenient. I hope you're able to avoid knee surgery!

These are GREAT! More, more!

Denise: Sorry, I get in too big a hurry posting sometimes. What I meant to say is that if I take a long hot shower in the morning and try to eat a regular breakfast soon afterwards (like eggs & toast) I can only eat a bite or two before I feel full and don't want anymore. If I eat breakfast before my shower, I don't have a problem eating pretty much all I want at breakfast. Green said that if she has a nice warm drink before breakfast she can eat breakfast easier. I haven't necessarily found that to be true for me. Everyone is very different but we do notice some similarities sometimes. Like before the band, about the only meat-type protein I ate was baked chicken breast. Now I can almost just look at a chicken breast and feel all uncomfortable. I always choose something else like fish or turkey. I also have no trouble eating most kinds of beef, while some other bandsters say that they can't eat steak. I can't eat a whole filet mignon, but I have no trouble eating part or half of one. :hungry: I may not be as restricted as they are though. You can't depend completely on what any other bandster tells you about amounts of food or what kinds. Except for a few things, it's pretty much individual trial and error. :rolleyes Before surgery all this sounds a little ominous, but it really isn't awful. The benefits of having a reminder to slow down and don't eat so much is great. The further I get on my journey, the easier it gets to figure it all out.

Bitter: You go, girl!!