Kaiser Richmond Pre-op

[reggie71 0]

Candra, you MUST come I miss you too!!

Mo- I am so sorry about the little one, I hope she feels better soon, tell her she has a house to ransack on Saturday and she'd need the energy LOL! Congrats on being in onederland!!

Tamra, sounds like you are doing well girl.

Pat- hope you are healing well. I Pmd you earlier this evening.

I hope to see you all on saturday. I need a head count please.

Tina, Pam, Mo, Lee, Nicolie, Ash, Jes, Candra(hold the doo LOL), Riley, Donna, Nicole (can you come?), Heather, Pat, John (will you join the us?) I know I am forgetting a few people plese pardo me just add on . Thanks.

[Canolie 0]

YAY Mo..... Onderland.... You are rockin it girly...... Keep it up!!!

Jes, I didnt say chili.... I said Chillis hahahaha.. I ate a quesadilla, rice and I drank Dr. Pepper with my straw lol.. I was goin a little nutz I think lol.. I sure am payin for it tonight tho... 3 months without a soda and then drinking 2.. UGH bubbles jacked me up..... I dont think the extra sour cream and quacamole helped either lmao... Ok so now that I have come clean on my ravigness tonight lol... Ahhh I feel better lol...

Candra, I kinda figured it was just a check up... no worries.. im not even banded yet and already thinking about a fill. One thing at a time....lol... (that was me checkin myself)....

Ok well Im off to bed... Night all...

[Desperate1 1]

Go Mo - it's your birthday - !!! Your 1st or one-derland b-day. Great way to begin 2010!!

[Lee 19]

MO!! You made it to Onederland. I'm so proud of you! I know how happy you must be. I got there in 1989 and stayed there for 10 years, then again in 2006 for a minute. A quick minute of a few months. I'm looking forward to staying there this time. I'm so ready to feel good about how I look and feel.

The Richmond support group was very good last night. The topic was staying positive and staying on track. It was about not allowing that first bite that's off program, or thinking that one meal won't matter. For us pre-ops, about establishing good habits. There was a lot of talk about staying positive and working our program as written, and finding the support that we need. A big focus was on being in a support group where people might not follow all the rules and enable each other. Some talked about friends who said, you can have this just once. Someone spoke about being out with friends who have had the surgery but don't follow the rules of the plan and how she has to stick to her own plan for success. That can create real waves between people. I think that really good things came from the discussion. It definitely gave me a lot to think about with the way the Kaiser plan is written. I think that sometimes people think that it's about the Kaiser staff wanting to control things, but I think it's more about everyone in the Bariatric department wanting each of us to succeed. They have everything to gain from us being a success. Not in terms of success rates, but in terms of them being on our side and wanting this to work for a healthier, happier life. I have friends who stuck to their program and some who didn't. I can honestly say that the ones that are happiest today stuck to whatever their program is. Some Kaiser, some not.

So there's the recap of the meeting since I was the only one there. I hope if you ever see me eating off plan, that you'll call me on it and remind me that it's not the path to success. Surgery is a dramatic step to take and I want to really work my Sleeve for a healthy BMI. My own path got me to 249 pounds, dieting for almost 50 years. I'm ready to wave the white flag and accept that someone knows more about this than I do, and I can be one stubborn woman!

I got to talk to a woman last night who was Sleeved by Dr. Baggs three weeks ago. That was very cool. She had a tough couple of weeks but it's getting easier for her now.

UGH.. I have a lot going on at work. I woke up at 3:30 to go potty and I've been up since. It's gonna be a very very long day!

Let's make this a day of great choices!

[tamra. 6]

Darn! I forgot it was the meeting last night I would have went! You guys have to remind me, because I never know when it is...LOL..

Feeling good today, doing 1/2 mashed potatoes for Breakfast, but since the surgery I have NOT had 64 oz of Water a day yet, so right now I am drinking one of those mini safeway 10 oz bottles...I want to drink at least 3 before breakfast.

[AudsMom 2]

Reggie what time Saturday? I get off at 4. But if its at like 5 i can be there:D

[swrktp 1]

Interesting topic for the support meeting. Especially in light of all the recent comments about our groups being idiots.................anyone think our thread is read??? :-)

I just think you can only handhold someones hand for so long than you have to let go and let them chose what to do. In other words you can't parent someone forever you have to let them go and trust them to make good choices or step away when they don't and let them suffer the consequences. HOw to know if someone really is capable of making good choices if you don't back off a little.........

I am sure I am one of the sabateogers that they talked about because I still believe that after a year you either get the rules or you don't. I didn't do this to have my hand held for years. I know the rules and I know what I need to be doing. I don't want monthly check ins anymore except with my surgeon and even than I am hoping for less over time............

I have a problem with them telling me to have a support group and than at the same time telling me not to buy into a support group of idiots............very mixed message. I get you have to stand up for what you think is right but to keep down playing the support groups seems counterproductive..........

I think different approaches work for different people. But still I have to point out that some people at Kaiser are not perfect and do talk bad about patients in front of other patients and that creates a lack of trust for me and makes me not trust that system totally either........

or certain employees anyway.

I am honest and I am sure that is something they don't want if we admit we aren't always perfectly on the plan......than we are not a good support memeber.

I don't know Bella. I hear what they are saying but I think they say have a support group and yet don't buy into it totally either. I would rather be honest than to be a good group member and try to act perfect.................

I think the honesty is part of the process. Of course I run groups and I just totally see things different as a social worker.

But ya I think that group discussion was for people like me who really put things out there...............warning to the rest of you to watch out!!

I still don't totally buy the approach. Nothering personal but I hate the way the put down on the group and the process all the time..............if everyone pretended to be perfect I would have left the group long ago. If we are sabetauging each other............that only happens if we don't take personal responsibility..........we all better have the personal responsibility figured out by now......

But I am not a favorite at Kaiser right now. So I am the one they warned you about...............:-)

[smallerj 2]

FYI-Carnie wilson is on Dr OZ

[MoniqueD 8]

Good day everyone!

[swrktp 1]

I missed the Carnie episode but I hope to be home by 4pm for the next one............

I think the one thing Kaiser is missing is support groups in differnt locations and also I think the psychological part should be required. I think people should have a certian amount of counseling or a structured support group or emotional eating class. That might make up for some of the problems they seem to have with the group support approach. I just get so darn tired of them generalizing and downing our group all the time. If they came and spent timne with us or came to run a support group in the area than I could say ok they know what is going on. But how can they know unless they read the posts all the time and even than how can they know what is REALLY going on with the group..................I am tired of the putting down the group process or maybe it is just our group. Everyone show goes in says they are downing our group all the time and they also warned me to stay away from the group. So..........what is left if they down that??? I don't see an other support group in the area they are running.

I get tired of the negeative alot of us are really trying and have really made progress..........we make mistakes but still we have all come a long way. THe people who aren't doing well usually drop out of the group. Just give us some credit at a group........

I am gonna end up bring this up next time I to to Kaiser. Just loosen it up and quit downing our groups. It has helped me alot or else I would not still be here..............

[skiingj 0]

Hi Ladies!

Reggie - Thanks for the invite! It's my last weekend off work before surgery and I have so much to get done. I'm working the following weekend to limit the time off. Again thanks!

Lee - Why did the Sleeve lady at the support group have such a tough couple weeks? Fill us in!

[Lee 19]

Tina,

There was a roomfull of people there last night. There was nothing said about this group here on LBT. No groups in particular were mentioned. I belong here, Verticalsleevetalk, Three different groups on ObesityHelp. I think that lots of other people in that room belong to various groups. The spirit of the meeting was to always take care of ourselves and not get derailed by what others are doing, or how they are working their program. I was just reporting back what happened at the meeting.

There was nothing aimed at anyone in this group. Let's take the constructive suggestions as what they are and not look for hiden agendas.

I was hoping that it would generate good conversation on how we can help each other be accountable in our food and exercise choices.

I'm sorry that this hit a sore nerve. Definitely was not my intention.

[roseyyyd1 0]

Okay that's it! I stay caught up on the posts, and think how would I answer that...but this one, I have to get NEW YORK tough on! Mr. John, who I have not met yet but met my husband only to find out we were in the next town in NY... YOU have to come on Sat! It is going to be the best thing for you, Nikki is def part of us, and can we (Canolie) & I pick u up! Even if it is for a short time, u will be glad u came...and we will even do our measurements in the other room...lol.

Thanks Candra and all, I am here, missin everyone...and am soooo excited for this Sat...NOT missin this one...oh yea, I dreamt that I forgot my camera...lol!

Love and need our Banded SOS/Sleeved Bros & Sis!

ALSO hello to our NEWBIES...this group right here, they help me to figure out the balance of real life w/ WLS, yes we keep it real!

Have a blessed day everyone, Audsmom, thinkin bout u honey! Pat & Tamra...you go girls, we r here for the rough spots!!!

[Lee 19]

John,

The Sleeve gal had other medical things that may have contributed to her difficult time. I'm not at liberty to talk about her as I wouldn't want anyone telling "my" story.

I spend a lot of time at Verticalsleevetalk and there is a lot of discussion about the initial period being rough. That said, some do better than others, as with any surgery. The difficulty seems to come from the intense nausea and difficulty hydrating. There are a lot of band to sleeve revision folks over there. Lot's of men there too!

Are you getting excited? I wish it was tomorrow.

[AudsMom 2]

Mrs Donna, did you forget my name? LOL, youve never referred to me as auds mom....

i hate to say this but they are talking about our group, i say this because they used to recommend us.... big time. It was when it was just the first group of us.. until we were all like 6 months post op. BUT i have to say we are all doing great. I wouldn't be where i am without these women and men.....

back to accting homework:(