any April 3rds?

[BigBandFan 0]

my surgeon's office called today and moved my surgery to friday. i've been so mentally prepared for thursday, but at least it's only 1 extra day. i'm glad i don't have to wait over the weekend or longer!! can i still be an honorary april 3rd member?:biggrin2:

got alot to do tomorrow night, so i'm not sure if i'll be able to log on. good luck to everybody on thursday and i hope the Mexico travelers have a safe trip.

hope to be back on when i get home on saturday.

take care,

Amy

[p3photogal 0]

Amy of course you are welcome!

Tomorrow's the day girls!!!! Good Luck, God Bless and get skinny! lol

[LynneB 0]

Best of luck to all the 3rds!! Cant wait to hear how it all goes! Big hugs to all of u.

[GiGiRN 0]

Hi Ladies,

I am back in the states and doing great so far. The healing has begun. I am having chest pressure from the gas but other than that it is not too bad. How about all of you? I can't wait to hear your stories. We must stick together! And BigBand....we will still consider you one of us!

[p3photogal 0]

I posted my story on the main board but i am feeling great! I overdid my walking yesterday and walked about a mile and felt like I pulled a muscle in my abdomen, so I did some indoor walking and a lot of resting today, but other than that feeling great! AND! I can actually sleep on my stomach and side! Even my port side! it doesn't hurt at all, the incisions don't bug me, just the muscle in my abs. I was so happy to be able to sleep when I took a nap today and not in my recliner!

[lam61157 0]

I am getting banded at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, VA by Dr. Victor Stelmack.

Hello Everyone..... i am new here & ANY info you can give me i would just love you for it . I live in Ladysmith & I just went to see my primary Dr today & i was shocked he is not against this surgery. I havent even been to a meeting yet & i want off this YO-YO.......nice to meet ya everyone. Id like to join in if you can squeeze me in .

[p3photogal 0]

hey there neighbor! any questions you have i would be happy to answer to the best of my ability. I LOVE dr stelmack, he's been amazing and guided me through the whole thing, but he's also very straight forward and to the point, which is just another thing i love about him, he tells it like it is. The other dr in that office is dr. Merzer? something like that, he's more quiet and sweet. They are both great and the nutritionist there is fabulous!

[lam61157 0]

hey there neighbor! any questions you have i would be happy to answer to the best of my ability. I LOVE dr stelmack, he's been amazing and guided me through the whole thing, but he's also very straight forward and to the point, which is just another thing i love about him, he tells it like it is.

I love straight forward upfront & to the point. The nurse from the Dr. Office will call me & let me know when the meeting is . I am so full of MANY questions i am about to burst . I can't sleep because of this . That's why i am up @ 2:30 am i have been awake since 6:30 am . I will continue to read here & try to be patient. So did you like MW Hosp ? How soon till you are back at work ?

[p3photogal 0]

I LOVED MW which is funny because i have HATED them for everything else. The testing and disorganization peeved me off so badly, but for the bariatric aftercare, they were phenominal. The nurses were great and had a great sense of humor, and I would call them to go for a walk and jump out of the (insanely) high bed! haha, they were like woah! well then! haha. So we walked and talked and my biggest suggestion is to take a cup of ice with you on your walk because your mouth gets SO dry from the anesthesia. My favorite nurse was Cynthia and my favorite CNA...hmmm there were two, I can't remember the first one's name, she's this tiny older woman with longer blonde hair and she was just too damn sweet. And the other was Stacy. I only had one CNA who checked my vitals every hour who seemed a bit grumpy and i wanted to kick her, but no biggy when she's just checking your temp and blood pressure! The silly co2 monitor annoyed the heck out of me! It has this little circle thing that hangs down to your lip and gets in the way when you drink and eat so you end up drinking out of the side of your mouth. The sf Jello was INSANELY sweet, but that might have just been the change in my pallete because the one at home was really sweet to that I have tried. And the popsicle too...I only had about 2 bites, it was just too sweet. The crystal light was good, i was diluted a little more than normal so it didn't taste too sweet, and i normally like it strong. oh...i also had a BAD experiance with the diluted apple juice and the morphine...made me nauseas, that was the first and only time I vomited and it scared me so bad, but it didn't hurt and it was more like a kid spitting up where it didn't make my stomach really flex or anything. Dr. Stelmack uses the morphine pump and Mirzer uses IV pain meds. AFter the first night, you get switched to a liquid percoset with stelmack not sure what merzer does. It tasted yummie though! hehe. I walked a LOT. There were two patients in there that I never saw walking once, it was strange, i am sure they walked at some point, but i was really hoping since i knew the other band patient (other was bypass) that we could walk together at least a few times, but it didn't happen. Everytime I asked to walk, they came right in to unhook me. The catheter stays in until 6am the next morning, mine came out at 5:30. TRICK! I almost had to be in and out cathed the second day because i couldn't pee...my mom told me to drink diluted cranberry juice and it worked like a charm, I could finally pee on my own and my discharge nurse, carol gave me the biggest hug! lol. Lynn, the bariactric coordinator and nurse office manager comes to visit you a lot, and she's GREAT! funny and sweet and really positive. She will answer any question any time no matter what. It was just trying to get all of the testing done ahead of time. I came in at a strange time though because Cathy the new insurance lady is the second one, and when I went in, she wasn't there so the first lady who was fired, never told me any of the things I needed to have done. So mine was kind of rushed. I work from home, but I am photographing a wedding this sat, and my dr and Keisha, my nurse all told me I would be just fine to do it as long as I had someone to carry heavier equipment, which I do. And I feel great! no pain, a little ab muscle discomfort here and there, but I can sleep on my stomach and go for 2 half mile walks a day, from the day I got home. I have lost a total of 13 pounds so far 5 of that was in the last 5 days. If you want my number or to meet up for lunch in F'burg or something, just let me know! I am pretty flexible with my schedule for the most part. I live in King George so I think f'burg is central for us right? Never been to ladysmith. The only one I am not so thrilled about at dr. stelmack's office is Joanne, the secretary. some days she's happy and very pleasant and other days...she's a royal pain in the rear. but it think it was just a matter of getting used to my overly sarcastic sense of humor! haha. and again, Deanna! She's FABULOUS! She's the nutritionist and will bend over backwards for you. she has worked with over 1200 bariactric patients and not one has ever failed. She goes to all of your follow up appts and you can always call her or make an appt with her any time you need to get some extra support. She also is very quick to respond to e-mail. She tries all of the supplements and shakes and such that she suggests and only recomends the ones that don't taste like crap! haha. Of course I went and tried samples of just about anything until I found what I love and don't mind having every day for a month. She will also give you this BIBLE of info. It's awesome, it has all of the info you could ever need as far as your diet is concerned. Now that I have overloaded the thread with local info! haha.

My e-mail addy is krogers45@verizon.net if you have any questions I might be able to answer for you.

[p3photogal 0]

How is everyone doing?!!! check in ladies!

[dsk 1]

How is everyone doing?!!! check in ladies!

Should the guys check in too? :frown:

Getting really tired of these Ensure shakes.... Walking about 1.5 miles per day which is very refreshing. Pain is pretty much gone. Im ready for some mushy food!

[p3photogal 0]

of course dsk i am so sorry the "code names" are so gender neutral! lol

I feel you on the mushies! i am at about a mile a day. i overdid it a few days ago so i needed to slow it down. today i have a little left shoulder pain, but heating pad and a warm shower will help...heating pad first then shower lol.

glad to hear you're doing well!!!

[lam61157 0]

WOW thanks for all the info i will be e-mailing you . I wk at the hospital so i know how some of the staff can be . You have your good & bad not matter wherever you go . I will be in contact with you THANK YOU so much for all the detail YOU are my hero !

I am lam61157@yahoo.com please feel free to contact me .

Edited April 8, 2008 by lam61157

[BigBandFan 0]

hey gang!! I thought i posted saturday when i got home, but it must have just been the pain meds!! I have done pretty well with the surgery and after care. Walking was the only thing that made me feel better. I did have a little more trouble than some of you because dr schroder had to repair a hiatal hernia that he found. that's been the only source of pain besides the gas pains. had to switch to lactose free milk which was kind of a surprise, but other than that fine. i, too am ready for mushies. anything but cib!! haven't been on a scale yet. still feel kinda bloated. Kris, I'm very jealous that you can lay on your stomach!!

to the new one from ladysmith...i'm in hanover. let me know if you decide to look into st mary's and richmond surgical. can't say enough about them. grew up in F'burg so i've got lots of love for MWH, too! this hiatal hernia kinda burns so i'm off to chew a pepcid. chec back later

Amy

[lam61157 0]

Me me me (waving hand in the air) i am from Ladysmith .

Hey thanks i will go with whoever accepts me . I haven't even gone to a 1st meeting yet . My Dr. wants to try MWH first then Richmond i have Aetna Ins & medical issues to make me a good pick . How long till you can go back to work ? I'm thinking 1 week is that realistic ?

Thanks

Lee Anne

Edited April 9, 2008 by lam61157