StephC

LJM - how do you feel now? I was just looking at your dates and its been 2 full weeks. Do you feel pretty much back to normal, as far as energy and ready to work a full day? Last week you said you were doing half days, do you think you were pushing it or ready? And what about the standing straight, are you able to stand completely straight now? I know thats a bunch of questions, sorry.

Va - I still have weird feelings with my port, now and then a little twinge of pain, and some days it sticks out alot more then others. I have a bad habit of rubbing it, like just to feel that its still there. 8 lbs is great! I want to lose 10 this month before tt but I'm so bad, I can't get into tracking or walking. I hope to get a fill this week, maybe that'll help kick me in the arse. Jill - whats your due date? Boo - congrats on the new baby in the family - ohhhh I love babies! And take care of yourself, I hope you feel better soon.

LJM and Karey - I didn't catch how long you were in the hospital when you had the surgery. My dr says I'll be in 3 days. My sister was an outpatient. Anyone else have to stay a few days?

Wow Carole, sorry to hear you're not doing well. We'll say a prayer for you.

So good to hear from you Nikki! Stay strong and healthy, no more dehydrating. Its so exciting to think we've been here together through a whole pregnancy. And now Jill - how ya doing Jill? I haven't drank a beer since I got banded. I was afraid of the carbonation, soda makes me burp burp burp. When I was prego with #2 I craved beer too, but she was born in Aug. and it was the hottest summer in history..lol (excuses)...one once in a while won't hurt the baby but it might hurt your tummy. We went to the annual St Pats party last night, we had a BLAST -- theres a group of us who are all.. well they are all 51 y/o... I'm the baby of the group and dh always get the robbing the cradle ribbing. We "old" ones were the last to leave at 1 am - I just woke up at 7 with a throbbing headache. I really wanted to go back to bed but took fast acting tylonel and I'm afraid I'll get heartburn if I lay down. So I made a cup of hot tea and hope the pills dissolve soon. I took my acrylic nails off yesterday, first time since I was banded. I feel naked without them and keep looking at my hands, weird. It feels so weird typing, I can type so much faster now with them short. I needed a fill and figured why bother when I'll have to take them off for the surgery next month.

Hey Jackie! Actually Jackie at the office hasn't gotten back to me, maybe since you're getting a fill on Tues. she'll fit me in there too. If she does I'll definitely do a liquid lunch! Margaritas at Re Azteca's? LOL just kidding! But coffee would be great!

Darlene - I've heard good things about Dr Ortiz, so I don't doubt he's well qualified. If you have health problems they will band you. I think its a bmi of 35. Have you talked to Dr. Marley and gone to his seminar? So if you are a self pay and have co-morbites (sp??) you should be able to have it done here. Either way, I wish you the best. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sue - I did pm you. If anyone else is interested this is what I wrote. Good luck. When you go in to see the ps, tell them you get rashes under the 'apron' (did you see my pics? they are in the thread "I got approved!!!!"), you do have an apron, right? Anyway tell them you get rashes, I said I need to use an anti fungal cream for athletes feet to get the rashes to heal, tell them you feel a tearing of the skin when you roll over, that you have a hard time jogging bc the skin slaps, so even with it binded its real uncomfortable, and also lower back aches. If you can think of anything else that would cause a medical reason for the removal tell the the surgeon. I know some insurance will cover the pannectomy (apron removal) but not the tummy tuck. I think most ps will work with you and only charge so much for the extra work. My surgeon told me lets at least get the hospital stay covered and then we will worry about the rest, since the hosptial is the most expensive part. I truely was not expecting the insurance to come through for me like this. I have said it before and I'll say it again, I give God the glory bc I did an awful lot of praying. I feel blessed (even tho the girl in scheduling probably thinks I'm a real beast).

well said Ghost

Karey - first of all I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better with the unfill. 2nd I had posted on the other thread about my friend being a bit negative and you said read your thread. I think you did the right thing - have you heard anything from her since you sent it? My friend started out negative but it really is just her normal reaction to things and after 20 years I'm used to it. As we continued in our conversation and I talked about now that I know it'll be April for my surgery and I'll be back to work full time then, she said well if you have any mailings to do, like the newsletter or billings you can bring those home and I can come down and help you with that. So my point is although I could have continued the conversation in the negative attitude that she had initially started I ignored it and she proved herself the ever faithful friend that she is by offering her help. I'm sure she'll come through for me.

bman - can you send me the site for the C25K - I've found different sites but I can't get the stupid thing to download, I downloaded them on my computer at work, from way back but dd just gave me her old mp3 player so I'd like to put them on this and get started. I have had such a roller coaster of emotions with this flipping tt! They told me yesterday I have to go in again for another consult visit and they won't schedule me until then, so it'll be the end of April before I get it done. They also switched hospitals on me, which some of my friends have said is good, that its a better hospital, and so I was VERY disappointed bc of being back to work full time by then. But when I got the call I was at work and my "boss" was there and I told him I need to have a "female" surgery and they cant' get me in until the end of April. That I would need a whole week off and then the 2nd week I'll just be half days. He said that was fine, we can handle it. That took a load off my mind. I told him I really tried to get it done over the winter when I was off but they couldn't get me in. He said don't worry about it, we're still slow in April, especially here you never know if it'll snow one more time or not. I am really going to try to get another 10 lbs off before the surgery. I called yesterday for a tweek fill, so hopefully I can get that on Wed. and I'm going to start tracking today. Va - I'm glad you got a compliment, it makes a girl feel good. How much have you lost since your last fill?

Kjeter - I'll pm you with the details.

I am so happy to have LBT and you all to give me support! When people ask me advice, especially girls from my support group, I tell them get on LBT and find a group who had it done the same month as you, or are going through something simular. You all are great. I am calmed down now. I have already decided to take a small plant in to the scheduling girl as a peace offering, I feel like crap talking so rude to her. I really believe in respect and she was just doing her job and I wasn't respecting it. Now I'm thinking I'm going to try really hard to lose 5-10 lbs this month that I'm waiting. Every little bit has got to help.

LJM - did I ever tell you that you're a doll? You always make me feel better. I am on the cancellation list and I did ask if we could schedule now and she said no. On the UP side of all this, while having lunch with my friend, she told me that my doctor is very good, then another friend of ours came in who had gastric bypass and she also said he was very good and that she would go with him... if her insurance would pay it. I am blessed, sometimes I just need slapped. My sister kinda slapped me when she said everything works for the good of those who serve Him. So maybe I don't see it but in the long run it'll work out.

I was talking to my best bud and now I'm alittle scared. I wasn't going to tell her but we had lunch today and I blurted it. She was a tad bit negative (which is her natural state of mind) - kinda said something about not getting it done until goal but I said geesh I'm 15 lbs from my goal, its not like I'll have to have another tt when I lose it. Then she flipped and went on about how good I look and how even she has the belly flab - she's like 115 lbs - but I'm a little scared of the pain now.

I guess he's that booked. I've had such an emotional day today - ugh. I was a total bitch to the poor girl at the dr's office and I know its not her fault, I told her I know its not your fault I'm just really disappointed. But I'm sure she probably hates me. I hung up in tears when they said I won't get in until the 27th, geesh how many appointments to I have to go to before they book a date for me? Seriously this is my 3rd appointment and 3 months. I calmed down, talked to my "boss" and told him I needed to have a 'female' surgery (he didn't bother to get into the details) and he said its ok, I can have the week off - I guess it'll be the end of April - unless they throw another curve ball at me. My sister kinda shamed me.. sisters are like that.. she said well thats not a big deal, its just not getting done as soon as you want it but at least the insurance is paying for a full tt. That humbled me and I'm ok now - still disappointed but I'm dealing with it.

I'm totally bummed out today. I talked to the ps office and he wants to see me on the 27th - good grief I wanted to have my surgery before then! Then she tells me he switched hospitals on me, and I said I thought it'd be faster getting in there and she said no bc the other surgeon uses that hospital and so most of the time slots are used up. So then she says it'll be the end of April. I'm so pissed! I told him back in Jan. that I would be going back to work April 1st and couldn't take time off. Now I don't know what to do. Its kind of ridiculous to find a new surgeon at this point. But I'm really thinking about it.

Claud - good to hear from you! I'm glad life is going good and you are happy. The dr's office called yesterday while I was out... of course!... they got everything straight with the ins.co and she said everything is covered! So good to hear that but then she said the dr wants to talk to me about losing additional weight before we schedule. WTH! I'm so mad, I told him I have time constraints, so I have to call today - I'm going to tell him I'll do a pre-op diet if he wants me to but that I'm happy with my size right now and if it takes me 3 years to lose the last 20 lbs then so be it. I'm just so frustrated, I couldn't sleep last night, I'm just praying for good news today.

LJM - see thats what I'm thinking - I may not look nice and tight and I might have a little saggy skin but as long as I don't have an apron I'm fine with that. I was to the point that I didn't care if the insurance wouldn't pay for a tt, if they'd pay for the pannectomy that was good enough for me - just cut that darn apron off!

You're right! He is working for me! I'm going to tell him if he wants me to do the pre-op diet I will but other then that I'm not going to postpone my surgery bc of 20 lbs. Thanks hon, I needed that bit of encouragement tonight, I was feeling ... well... pissed.

hello everyone! If you go to support group you've seen me - I go every month. Darlene - sorry but Dr. Marley won't touch a Mexican band. I don't know the whole story but he's very firm about it. I heard a girl from Somerset has to go all the way to Erie to get someone who will give her a fill. Is the money that makes you choose mx? I know Dr. Marley does a payment plan, if you have most of the money down maybe you could finance the rest through him? Just a thought. Still wish the best of the bandworld!

She's jealous -especially if she could use a tt herself. Don't let her get you down.

LJM - did your ps say you might need another tt if you lose more weight? Mine sounds like I would but I can't imagine I'd ever have anything like this apron that I have now. I wonder if he thinks I want to look like a young hard body instead of a 46 y/o women. Angie - the belly butt is cute!

thanks LJM - but did I tell you the dr wants me to lose more weight before surgery? I don't want to. I'm already a size 10 and I'm pretty happy with my size, 20 more lbs will put me in the normal bmi and my goal is 15 more lbs so I just don't get it, if I'm happy with me why should I have to lose more for him?

Julie was asking me if I had side fat so I decided to post a pic of my jelly belly. See how I can pick up the fat and move it - surely they can cut that sucker off!