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I thought we could start a before and after photo of all of us on our journey! Here is my before pregnancy photo (8/2002) at 330 lbs Here is my pre op photo (ok photo from day after surgery w/ Dr. O) 7/28/04 & yes I was up and walking and we went to the cultrual museum and walked there and back with all three of my kiddos at that point!!! It was great- make sure you go! Here is my most recent- Daughter's chritening 187 lbs 4/30/05 So it can be done. I feel I have made minimal effort. Just continued with my desire to live healthier since I found out I was pregnant in November of 2002 for me and my children (now four of them and I still think we will do it again if someone choose us to parent their special little one)and my dear sweet husband and best friend ---Eric!!!!

1. When were you banded? JULY 27TH 2004 2. Who was your surgeon? DR> ORTIZ & MARTINEZ 3. How much weight have you lost? -90 at this point 4. How are you dealing with your new band? ***** LOVE IT!!!!! 5. How is your family & frineds treating you since surgery? My children (4 1/2 and under ) keep trying to feed me and DH is happy I did it and spent the $$$ he just wants me to have a little less energy 6. Is your spouse or significant other treating you any differently since weight loss? Yeah- he keeps ripping up the long homey do lists I make! And having a hard time keeping up with my energy (but I was a energy biundle at 330 lbs) 7. Would you reccomend your surgeon to others? GOSH YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8. Any regrets? Not doing it sooner!!!!! 9. Where did you have your surgery done? TJ Mexico! Before at Melea's christening in August 2002 Miranda's CHristening April 30th 2005 Not the most flattering photo ( but the only one that has most of me in it from last sat) I LOVE MY BAND!!!!!

Self explanatory!!! and very excited about making it to onderland. I bet you could all hear the screaming (amid the fact three of mt four liittleones have a roto virus and have been puking for two days)

My mom is going saturday. So maybe you can meet her. I still don't need one and am doing fine with my first. It has slowed down a little but then I have big jumps every few weeks, but overall I still am stuck with that last ound to wonderland. Jane

I took the tylenol (liquid) and I we loved the therma care patches. I got the small ones and wore it between shoulder blades to help with gas pain relief. I don't think the gas x really works- since the gas is not "in you digestive tract" but in you internal cavity. But my two cents. I also took isopure with me to mix in water, but I had needs for more protein issues due to breast feeding. Good luck!!!

I am a crazy Christmas decorating fiend!!!! Last weekend when I was decorating my 6th (of 9) trees in our house. I finally felt like I was losing!!! As I stood on the top of the step ladder, for the first time I was able to lean over without hitting tummy against the other decorated branches of fear of being to heavy for the ladder rating. I also never felt like I was out of balance or was going to fall. This was AMAZING!!! It encouraged me to clean out my closet- I got 7 bags of clothes to go to Good will I got rid of sizes down through 20 and all 2x (except 1 favorite sweater- I can't give it up). SO I officially only have size 18 stuff. The saddest part was I opened some boxes of clothes I put away (for after nursing- not accesible for baby) the last few months I was pregnant in 2003. I was looking foward to wearing them again- but alas I AM TO SMALL!!!!!!!!!!!! So out they went to I did keep my stupid strech pants they are 2x (about 5 pairs) but I am trying to make them last till spring- I got a bunch of size 14/16 dresses last fall on sale (3$ and 5$ each) as well as capris and short sets. I can't wait for them to fit. I always feel I will be an xl or a big L because I am 5' 9" with ape arms (and lets not forget the bat wings from hell) but I am so excited for the first time since surgery)

YEAH MICHELLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know you were so proud. I hope to be following you at some point. You are my hero.

I would do it again also!!!! Dr. Ortiz and Martin ez and his staff are wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We all had a fun trip and the surgery was so minal that I went back to the hotel the night of the surgery (MY CHOICE). I also can't believe how small these scars are compared to other's I have seen people, post. I wish the weight would just fall off, but it is slowly and safely coming off so I am very pleased.

Sometimes I think it is just because all of the data is on the people it approves, sometimes I feel it has to do with the insurance lobby and many times I feel like it comes down to the same old thing. You are just lazy, and that is why you over eat and la lal la la la la..... I feel that most people don't take surgery lightly and maybe if I had sureger at bmi of 33- I never would have made 330 lbs and that would have been fine with me, and about 8 diet places would be a little poorer now. I do know that the FDA is not he be all end all of information. Other countries have been making it for many years and protecting their citizens with and with out the USA for hundreds of years. And just because it was not studied in US- does not mean it wasn't studied elsewhere- so expand you search if he needs real proof. US medical system is not the be all end all. Oxford is pretty good to (snicker snicker) Jane ps- most5 thin people do not get it

Actually- just finished lunch and thought I would tell you what i had (remember I am just adding back soilds again after fill) 7 medium size grapes portabello beef soup (cambells 8 g of protein in 1 cup- 2 cup container, I ate all the meat, vegetables and most of rice and about 1/4 broth) so it was probablly about 14-15 g protein and 180 calories and 20 from fat only bad thin is the sodium content) and 1 baby carrot I'll get off the soups for lunch in a fex days, but these are left over from my liquid phase & mushy phase and they have a whole lot of protein, low carbs and little fat- so not so bad and can be heated in microwave and single serving container. (Itallian wedding soup is my favorite) I had no problem with the grapes and didn't peel them- just chewed very very well I only ate the carrot (I hate them) because my son was having them and he is three and 1/2 and always feeding me- he thinks I am starving. Carrot wasn't the best idea yet- didn't fill terriffic and I know I didn't chew it well enough- but I hate the taste, but I can't let him know that- because I am trying to get him to eat healthy foods. He will choose grapes and apples over chocolate or cookies And I'm full full full!!!!! Jane

Well the day after my surgery , my dh and I walked to the cultural museum from the hotel, say the museum and took all the children (three toddles) with us. So it was about 4 hours on feet. I did sit a little at the museum because I got a little hot. (more due to not being allowed to bring in water with me) We stayed in TJ for three days after surgery to give my mil time to recover. I went back tot he hotel the night of the surgery (but I was still nursing one of the babies) Mom took off 1 week total and had the weekend to recover and she was fine. However both out BMI's were over 40 I was able to eat anything I wanted when allowed to add back solids after surgery- just less. Today I am starting to add back solids from the fill so we will see. I know the moral is CHEW CHEW CHEW!!!!! Jane 7/27/04 -22 so far first fill 9/18 2.6 and a little

My mother and I will be going down for a fill the 18th. We are flying in from St. Louis. We arrive really early (11 am), and will also be staying at the Lucena. Would love to meet up. I am brining only one of my children (the still nursing one) Jane 7/27/04 -17 One month today!!!

Tina- Jane here. It really was nice to meet you. Mom and I are coming Saturday the 18th, and we are flying back on Sunday. I was just going to Pay Jr. to drive us back & forth since I am bring the baby (only the nursing one this time) and Mom is not in the mood for the bus/ trolleyt/ taxi thing. email me privately. Jane ps- I set my fill up with rene@obesitycontrolcenter.com

We just got back last saturday, and also had surgery at the new center. It was TERRIFFIC!! My followup doctor here in US is trying to work out something similair her for his non risk patients. So he can get more self pays. Because it is the hospital & lab costs which add up so quickly (and having been a self pay for pregnancy I can sure agree) I had to return to the hotel that evening because I am nursing my one year old and my dh was trapped in a mexican hotel room with three children under four and not speaking any spanish. I had my 12 hours of observation (again the same my follow up doc does with those in same day) and I was then released. I was eating ice, drinking walking (chasing my mother in law- she had surgery too) and checking on the others who had surgery. I also could not get the pain injections (except tylenol for the nursing) They adjusted my hotel bill accordingly and Were terriffic. The only thing I regret was I had spoken to the Oasis management and they had said it was OK for dh to wait with the children in my room. However at the surgical center they were not allowed. Mama Ortiz had to bring dh and the tribe over after the surgery- and since I didn't know ahead of time I didn't even get to say goodbye. That sort of lead to a lot of crying on my part (after the adavan) and my 2 year old. I was afraid I wouldn't get to kiss them again- but they have been jumping on me since. I feel great and would do it again. The nurses were wonderful and the doctors- especially Martinez- were terriffic. They also found that I had a hietal hernia (pretty big) and fixed that. Jane