wish412

I just had the Tummy Tuck so that is the only price I know: Texarkana Texas 7000.00 everything included except 44.00 lab fee. Hope that helps!

Julie......I was just thinking about what all you have gone through to get your body to catch up to your spirit,,,,,not being able to stand straight with the TT and now not being able to sit with the thigh lift....I can only imagine how gald you will be to get through the boob work, and finally get on to enjoying your body and reaping the benefits(looks, whistles, and green eyed envy are just a few you will probably have to deal with). You certainly deserve to be able to flaunt it all. I certainly wish I had your stamina, but this TT things is really whipping my butt. My back hurts from the poor sleeping positions, and now I am having terrible hurtburn for the first time in a year and a half. I assume that all the abdominal sweeling is putting a lot of pressure on my band. Did you ever have that happen? If it does not improve I will talk to my doctor about it when I go next week. They did not do my TT and I think they are a bit P.O'd about it so they may not be much help from now on. Oh well..., Kepp us posted and get those pictures out soon,,,, you know we live for Pictures.....visual aide for lap banders..... Mizboo

I really don't know who is who on this board, but I did want to say that to wichever one is the nurse at N. E. Surgery Center in Texarkana, a great big THANK YOU for being so nice while I had surgery there recently. You are certainly a great representative of the successes of the Lap-Band, and a tribute to your profession. I had not one fear or regret during my time under your care, and we talked a great deal about our journeys, it was so nice to meet you. Again thanks!! MIZBOO

Julie, you are indeed my AMERICAN IDOL. I really think that show has their criteria for idol all wrong. Look at what you have done with your life!!!!!!Simply Amazing!!!! May I ask you a question regarding your TT ? Was there ever a time post surgery when you wondered if you had done the right thing, or if you would ever stsand up normally again, and look normal? My husband is telling me how unnaturally high my bely button is, and it really does right now. WIll that all chsange? I am 5 days out and sort of freakin right now. My front hurts nothing like my back does. And rear end hurts from sitting in this chair for 5 days straight. Any words of hope for me???? Thanks, I have followed you r every progress, MIZBOO

Julie, I am about to have a TT on Monday, and am kind of concerned about my port and how they go about seperating the skin from around it without pulling the tubing apart or pulling the port lose from the muscle, etc. Did that come into play any with you, and is your port a lot more visible now after the swelling has gone down more. I wish I could ask all this of my surgeon but he is out of town till Sunday and I have just began the real worrying about everything post op. Thanks in advance for your reply. MIZBOO

<p>Hippmom, Good for you,how bout those 16's. Hope you find some real nice 14's before long. By the way, what is the mg meeting you and someone else referred to. Is that something to do with the band stuff? Anyway, hope all is well, Arkie, and you heal real fast, and lose even faster. Everyone else.....Keep up the hard work, and try to put off buying your halloween candy till the last minute, and only buy the kinds you don't like,not so much temptation. Since, i am married to a chocaholic I know all the routines. See ya'll, Mizboo</p>

Dr. Heiker, Wow, you got lipo!!!!!!A man after my own heart. How does it look after a few days, I really am considering it on my tummy, that or a full blown tuck. Let us know how it goes. Tell your wife the website sends her a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY< and make sure the jewelry is great, she deserves it! Thanks for the doorprizes!!! Miz-Boo

Arkie, welcome, and hope the tenth goes perfect for you!! Where are you from in Arkansas.? I am also from the hillbilly state!!! Hope to see the rest of you on Monday!!!! Mizboo

Sugarbear, I hope you get to go, and we will help you get a comfortable seat with a place to prop your foot. Hope to see you all there. Mizboo.......oh yeah....when was Ms. Betty having her lipo done. maybe we will get to see her great results she was expecting, she was so excited about getting it done.....we will see, and Amy will be getting ready for her wedding........

Sugarbear, saw you in Amigo's tonight...looks like you are about to get adjusted to that cast. Glad to see you out and about. Did your hubby have the surgery also. I know he comes to the meetings with you but wasn't sure. Anyway, glas to see you are better. Mizboo

Just curious, why do you sometimes get the hiccups after the first or second bite wen there is no way you can be full after just a couple of bites of soup. That happens to me quite often, ad I also get the strangest pain in my port when I get too full. I think the food puts some sort of backpressure on my port . Anyone else ever feel that pain.

Hippmom, Congrats on the 50 lbs.!!!!!! I know what a great feeling that is, and even if it says 49 tommorrow, you still got to get that rush at the 50, and knowing it is obtainable. Keep up the good work, and we will all be cheering when you get your pin at the next meeting. I never knew how much those little pins were worth, till I pinned mine on the front of my journal cover strap as a daily reminder, and now I really need to see it every day to help keep me on track. Glad you are doing so well, way to go!!!!!

Question for Dr. Hekier......... I have been banded for over 1 year, and may have thrown up 5 times in all and almost all to do with bread. Last week I got a piece of chicken breast hung up and threw up about 10 times, hard wretching, before it came up. I laid off all but liqids the next day, then the next soft stuff. I have thrown up several times since on the simplest things, ice cream, slim fast, but still have eaten mexican, more chicken etc, with no problem, just the occasional wierd experience with some foods. I also have little twingers of pain every now and then, but they pass. Does this seem normal, and will it pass as time goes on, maybe just a hangover effect from the bad chicken episode? I am due to see you soon, so just wanted to feel you out before I get all worked up that there could be a problem. Thanks in advance for your attention to this post.....

This was a new one for me...... when my husband got in our suburban to drive after I had been driving it( which I rarely do), he hit his legs on the steering wheel. He began to gripe about who moved it down that low, and I explained to him that after losing 90 pounds my butt sits a lot closer to the seat, and now I could not see over the steering wheel. He really got a kick out of the fact that my butt being flatter also made me shorter in the seat. See if it is true for you, you have to move the seat or the stearing wheel to see over the dash. I also love that the seat belt will actually stay in place and not slide up over my face cause my boobs push it out of the correct place. Some days being in my own car seems like an out of body experience( a good thing)!!!!!

Hi all!!!! Good to see you all last night at the meeting. I thought it went well considering the small room, but it had a coziness to it that the Y didn't have. There were so many successfull folks there last night, it always makes me smile when folks get their pins, I know what an awesome feeling that first 50 lb pin is, so I know how proud they must feel. I was really impressed with the guy who had lost 199 lbs. I can't even begin to know how much better he must feel. There are some really beautiful folks in our tiny group, and I can't wait to see their faces when they ALL reach their goal weight. Just think,,,,,everyones closets are going through the same shuffling ordeal....what to wear, nothing fits!!!!Yeah Have a good day ya'll. MIZBOO

Sugarbear, I know that the trainer is a bit pricey, but after Colby came to the meeting and said that if we pay only for the trainer for2 months we don't have to join the gym, I thought I would give it my best shot for eightweeks. Usually it is about 150.00 just for the monthly fee, so the trainer was a pretty good deal. 600.00 for 2 months, and you get one on one training three times a week for 1 hour each time. I am doing things I never thought were possible at my age, and I love the feeling of sore muscles cause I know I have really oushed them hard, and I can still walk and talk and BREATHE! If there is any way possible just try to hire a trainer for just one hour at a time, and learn some exercises you can do. I just know myself too well, and after I broke a sweat on my own, I would leave and head to Starbucks, but she keeps me on track, and not quitting after 15 minutes. Hope has 2 gyms, but I am not sure about personal trainers. I really don't even shop much in Hope any more, so I just drive to Texarkana and usually get to have lunch with my hubby after my workout. Please post if you hear where the meeting will be this month. Thanks, MIZBOO

Sugarbear, Thanks for the kind words! Yes, I do go to the support metings. I have missed 3 in the year since being banded. I am from the Hope area, so it is fairly close for me. I go to T-town 3 times a week now anyway, since I took Colby up on his challenge and went to Minton's and got personal trainer. I am not where I want to be just yet, but I am so much more energetic, and more optomistic than ever that I will get there soon. I origonally(?) set my goal at 150, but I still think I have too much excess body fat to stop there, but any where below 150 will just be icing on the cake. Hope all is well with you, and I need to say that I have had some computer glicks lately, but I never go more than a couple of days without checking out to see how everyone is doing. I don't reply that much but I stll check on everyones progress. See ya next week. MIZBOO

I wish i could figure out why my totals on fills never matched what they said on my chart. I always write it down on my little card after each fill, and I also can do math fairly well, but they never were what the office said. I always showed that I had more in there. I wonder if they don't write down the first fill since they are basically filling up the tubing. By the way, my hubby was the same way, and he has the 10cm and I have the 9.75, so the band size has nothing to do with the math. Maybe Dr. Heiker will respond to this and let us know why the discrepancy in the totals. MIZBOO

Just wanted to drop a line and report my one year bandiversary was on the 5th of July, and I have had what Dr. Heiker describes as the model band year. I always told him my goal was to be the model patient, and he is pleased so far. I went for my regular appt. On Monday, had only lost 3 lbs. since the last visit , but he said to just hold steady as I have made excellent progress, have no problems, and the barium swallow I asked for at one year looked perfect. I guess I can now just get on with life and get my mind off my band all the time as all is fine. I have hired a personal trainer from Minton's (inspired by Colby at the meeting), and am enjoying that. I was afraid that some of the exercises might put a strain on my port, but Heiker checked it yesterday and said it was great, so I shall plunge on with the weights. I really just want to encourage you new guys not to always worry that something is wrong , which I did a lot, and just get used to watching your body change, and work hard at making good choices. My hubby has not gotten his head wrapped around band eating yet,and has even gained back a few pounds he lost post surgery. It really requires setting your mind to bandster eating habits, and the band will certainly do it's job. I am ready to see what year two has in store, and even though I missed my one year goal by about 13 lbs. I am still better than I was one year ago, and if this is where my body wants to rest for a while, I can live with it much better than I could at 249 lbs. Good luck all, and see ya at the next meeting. I know they get boring sometimes, but I always think that if I don't go that those who get there pins for losing weight won't have as loud an applause as they deserve, and they really do deserve a huge applause!!!!!! MIZBOO

I have talked to several folks that have all had ther appts. rearranged due to one thing or the other. They seem to be gone out of town almost everytime I set an appt. lately. I am beginning to get worried that something wierd is going on, and that we may end up wthout our doctors. Hope I am reading this all wrong. Dr. Keilin said that she was going to try to get a rotation in plastic surgery soon, so I wonder if they are looking at leaving the obesity surgery realm, I know they must stay sooooo busy with 70 patient visits on Monday, and nearly that many on Tuesday. Hope all is well with them. Any views on this?

Edie, we had our surgeries in the same month(7/5/06) and we are both 48, so I have kept up with your weight loss. I have lost 85 ls. and sort of jst been sitting there the last few weeks, but I also wear a size 12, down from a 24. I have been experiencing the exact same thing you are discussing. I seem to be always cold indoors, and can't even seem to work up a god sweat doing yardwork and stuff. ISN"T IT ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TO FEEL THIS WAY!!!!!!!!! Hasn't this really been an exciting , scary, challenging, and miraculous year. Keep up the great work, and enjoy the new life you have created for yourself. MIZBOO

Well, I have sort of been rewarding myself all along since every 25 lbs. I have to find new clothes( but my sister and I stayed so close in size that we kept switching our closets around), but my really serious reward came when I lost 75 lbs. I went to Tiffany's, and bought myself a platinum and diamond ing with a little dangling heart on it to remind myself daily that all of this work has been to spare my heart any further damage, and then when my new grandbaby is born in December I will gift it to her . I really feel that if I had not had this surgery, I might not be alive to even hold her, much less watch her grow up. My heart was suffering from the load it was under, and my husband had had a heart attack at 45 from years of obesity. Now he has had the surgery, and is on his way to a good reward. Mizboo

lo2us vbmenu_register("postmenu_482070", true); Future Texarkana Bandster I'm actually going to try to lose 80 to 100 this first year. Dear lo2us, I noticed this sentence in your reply, and just wanted to tell you that your goal there is absolutely obtainable, and you can reach it then move on to the other part of your goal. It is amazing how guickly a year goes by, as I am in my 10th month now. I have about 5-6 weeks left for my one year goal, and I have lost about 85 lbs. It really is hard to believe that less than a year ago I weighed 250 lbs, and wore size 22-24 clothes and now it is a 10-12 every time I get something new. I constantly have to remind myself that I am REALLY buying that size clothes after having been HUGE since 1990. Just keep your head wrapped around your goal, try to follow Betty's box rules, and you will be amazed at the changes you are about to experience. I feel like a new person. I spent Monday painting, and after about the tenth time up that ladder it hit me, I AM CLIMBING UP AND DOWN OVER AND OVER AND AM STILL BREATHING!!!!!!. Go for your goal, don't look back!!!!!!!! MIZBOO

Maltomeal, it can happen, just keep thinking about it cause it just sort of sneeks up on you, how small you are getting. I started out a size 22/24, and now 9 months later, I am into all 12's, and some stores 10's. I could never imagine that ,and now it is almost like I am shopping for a stranger, because i have been large since a car wreck in 1990 that caused me to put on 100 lbs I could never lose. Thank God for the lapband, cause I lost that weight almost faster than it took me to be able to walk again after the wrexk. It is truly amazing how it all works, so just keep believing in yourself and the band. It will happen for you!!!!! Mizboo

Kaitlin, I have a friend with an overweight daughter, who wants her to get the lapband. She was told that she had to wait till she was 18, according to Inameds guidelines. My question is this:how did you get it dne at 17, and did you get the inamed band or something else. I would love to give her hope that she could get it done and lose her weight before she goes off to college next fall. Thanks, and congratulations on your success so far!!!!