mona-camille

Thanks for posting this!

Welcome and great picture. Save it for your before shot. I had my photo up too but took it down. I guess I ought to get it back up there.

So glad you are back Paula. What a bunch of crap to go through and I"m sorry you had too. But hopefully that is behind you now and you can relax and get it back together. You can suck as much energy as you can from me, although I don't know how much I have, so don't be taking it all, LOL!!! Seriously though, ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Good for you!!!! How exciting and I can't wait for that to happen to me. And you look great!!

You can really see it in your face! You are gorgeous!!

You mentioned once before about going to Gettysburg and staying in Maryland while you were there. Wondering if you can recommend a hotel. I am taking my mom and some other family for an overngiht visit there and need a good hotel. Well, a decent one anyway. We want to do one of the ghost tours and visit the battlefield and stay overnight. No-one wants to stay in a haunted hotel though. Any recommendations?

I can't add too much to waht everyone has already said except......... Dr. Ortiz is very proud of his cleanliness/complications/success record and does not intend to EVER let anything ruin that. The place is spotless. The staff are well trained and competent. Lost of people go alone, LOTS! You will hook up with some other bandsters the same day and will hang out together. The water in Mexico os now safe to drink. They have implemented purification systems all over so you don't need to fear the food or water. However, if you are still paranoid about it, everyone serves bottled water. Dr. Ortiz believes in nipping a problem in the bud, so even if you do not have a hugely high BMI, he will still perform the surgery. He does not believe in waiting until you are grossly overweight with severe health issues before treating it. And that makes a lot of sense to me. It is not a medical hospital. When Dr. Ortiz used to do the surgeries there, the infection rate was too high so he bought his own private clinic. But, there is everything there that would be needed. He has never had a death and that is not even a complication anyway. He uses a very fast acting anethesia that is very safe and the surgery only takes about 45 minutes so it is very minimal. After surgery you will feel very bloated so wear elastic pants or even a loose fitting dress would be better. You will feel that way for up to 2 weeks but it is not incapacitating. You will be up a few hours afte surgery walking your tail off and feeling great. The next day you will be shopping on Revolution Avenue along with the rest of the bandsters. YOu will be fine at your photo shoot. I was worried too when I first thought of going to Mexico for surgery. But, I did my research and learned that Dr. Ortiz has been doing this for so many years and he taught the American doctors how to do it. Mexico (and France too) have been doing this procedure for alnost 20 years. America - 5. That should say something. I was treated better down there than I have ever been treated here in the states. I would never hesitate to have anything done down there. THe U.S. doctors and health care system could learn an awful lot form them. This was the easiest thing I ever did! Heck, I never even took apain pill! So calm down, forget the worry and go for it.

I have sleep apnea and sleep with a machine also. ANd you must bring it with you!!!!! You will wear it right after surgery and most likely they will be giving you breathing treatments before and after surgery too. Those are no big deal, just breathe medicine through it. But, if you are bringing it as a carry-on, just be prepared that you will have to take it out of your luggage and when you go through security and they will be doing a test on it. A drug test. I guess sometimes druggies hide their wares inside the machine so they test them all. Just don't let it out of your sight when they take it because they dropped mine and broke it and I intend to make them pay for it. As for the diabetes, I don't have it, but one of my sisters does and my neice. You will just need to make sure and drink diet drinks and keep a close watch and test your blood often to be able to cover the difference if you take insulin. Most people are no longer diabetic after lap band, so unless you have type 1, one day you should be free from it! My neice has type 1 (juvenile diabetes) and unfortunately, with that one she will never be able to give up the needle. Well, unless she get a pancreas transplant that is. So, depending on which on which one you have, you could be rid of it soon!

Remember last weekend they thought her port was infected but then her surgeon said no, just an intestinal infection? Well, the intense pain came back so bad, she couldn't move so she has been back there for tests and now they admitted her. All I know is that they are going to go in through her stomach and look around because they think something is twisted around something else. I'll be going up there later to see whats going on, but I a liitle worried since she has had ultrasound cat scan mri and no-one knows anything! No answer yet, but I did speak to her last night and they did an mri of her entire trunk area and all they could find was a dark spot on her omentum (this is the tissue that surrounds the stomach). It is right around the port area so the only thing her doctor can think of is that the port attached itself to that area of her stomach tissue somehow. If that is the case, they might have to remove the band. If it is an infection, they will have to remove it. But, her blood tests do not indicate an infection in her system at all. Just debilitating pain. Her gall bladder is fine as is her appendix. No diverticulitis either. Since she is a fill in for surgery schedule today, no idea when she will get it. I just don't like that word 'dark spot'. I am probably a little more nervous than normal but I already lost one sister at age 42 and can't bear losing another. I know thats crazy to worry over nothing, but when you lose your father, then your sister, you can't help but worry. Anyway, just rambling now, so I'll update when I hear more. THanks for the prayers and well wishes.

Well, I haven't been to the zoo, but I am sure you will be well enought to make the trip. It will be fun, so do it!!

Oh thanks Buddy, now I'm, hungry!

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!! Good for you, you lucky girl you!

I felt bloated in the stomach and that was it. No pain, no incision pain, no throat or chest pain, none. Follow the rules and you will be fine. That is, walk A LOT and sip liquids A LOT! I came back to the hotel 4 hours after surgery and did just fine. Out on Revolution Avenue shopping the next day. It really is a very easy surgery. And for me, I never needed a pain pill at all. I felt great, except for the bloating in my stomach.

I don't 'count' carbs, but I avoid them as much as possible. No rice, pasta, bread, sugar, etc. And, not only is it healthier, but I feel better than ever not having so many carbs in me. More energy, sleep better, no naps, weight loss and just an all around feeling of wellness. Getting carbs out of my life was the best thing I could do. Now, don't get me wrong, I still get carbs, just not too many of them. Your body doesn't need all that much anyway.

The best place to start is right here. Go through the posts and you will find lots of the answers to your questions.

Much much more!

Good for you, congratulations!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!

You beat me. I'm at 14475. But, you won't beat me tomorrow!!! NO WAY!!!!!! I don't like to lose! I'll be kicking it up a bunch of notches, errr steps, I mean.

Don't panic woman! Remember all my pain in the butt whining about hunger and no restriction? What did you ALL tell me, HUH???? Come on, you know. Relax, don't worry, you will get a fill and eventually it will be fine. It may take a few, but you will get there. Just try to make healthy choices for now. Go back on liquid diet if you have too. I did that when I was losing control and it helped. Eat if you must, but make it healthy!! Come on honey, you know the drill, chin up, you can do it!!! ((((HUGS))))

Cathy is right. Don't worry too much. I know, easier said than done, but you are fine. If you weren't, believe me, you would know.

So sorry you are all feeling poorly gals, but it will get better, I promise! Do not worry about calories or weight at this time. You absolutely MUST get fluid in you somehow. Some people do better with warm liquids so try that if the cold is not helping. Dehydration makes your whole body feel awful and if you don't get some fluid in you, you won't feel better. Gatorade is best, although I hate that myself. But try diluted apple juice too. Anything that will work at this point give it a try. I had horrible vomitting because of dehydration and you don't want that, so get sipping!!! And feel better and please let us knmow how you do overnight, ok? Both of you gals!!

Oh my God, run him over? What a filthy peice of scum #%*^%#@& ($^(*$)@~_)# Thank God your daughter was there, what an angel!!!

Ok, it's yours. Actually, it is my sisters, so she will mail it to you, ok? She asked me to post it because she doesn't know how.

AVENUE Women's Stretch Outfit Size 18/20 GREAT outfit for summer! Shirt Style: Sleeveless button down Material: 97% cotton, 3% spandex Colors: Red & off-white Pattern: Floral Measurements: armpit to armpit across front: 25" length: 28" Capris Size: 18 Material: 100% cotton Colors: Red & off-white Pattern: Floral Waistband: drawstring with zipper, 2 hook & eyes, and button Measurements: waist: 40" rise: 13" length: 33" inseam: 22" EXCELLENT condition!