My First fill & update on Hotel Lucerna

[mlgpdx]

Hello Bandster Family !! > I had my first fill Monday May 12th and recived 1.8 cc in my 4cc band. It really is cool to watch it on the monitor.

Am I feeling restriction? Well... I ate 2 tiny tiny bites of a piece of bread and it got stuck and I had to throw it up. I am eating soup with no problems, cous cous, tender chicken, corn tortiallas & guacamole. (and amazingly tequilla goes down VERY well)

Everything I'm eating or drinking (including water) is givine me gas I'm hoping that ends soon.

I was very glad to go to OCC for my first fill because I wanted them to "check it out" make sure nothing had fallen, slipped or been absorbed (haha) everything looked good.

After reading everyone's post about NOT having restriction after a first fill I panicked a little... but I'm just going to listen to my body and keep controlling my portion size, exercising and see what happens. I have to remind myself that this is a gradual process (I didn't get obese overnight) and I'd rather do it slowly / correctly then drop a huge amount of weight at one time.

Update on the Hotel: hmmm.. well.. I love hotel lucerna and I really love Alonso who works out front.. he was/is soo kind and generous.. When we arrived they didn't have note that I had the "fill package" so they wanted me to pay for 2 nights.. I said no and it was kind of a stand off for a minute.. finally the front desk agent agreed to let me talk to OCC in the morning and resolve it with them. we were given a room back behind the pool and (1st time I was in the tower) and the room STUNK like mildew/dirt/mold... we immediately called the front desk and alonso can and showed us to another room.. when we walked in we all 3 looked at each other and said "this stinks" the 2nd room was stinky too! We finally ended up in room 818 and it was just fine. I am a motel 6 type of gal so really I don't have high standards but the first 2 rooms were awful. AFter we got settled I walked up to the front and asked them if there was was any way to get a room in the tower... there was much confusion and they said "OH NO.. it's FULL, and we are having cosntruction, all the pounding will keep you awake" hmm... OK.. I never saw 1 constructon vehicle/worker or anything of that nature when Iwas there. I'm telling you it was just odd.

The staff was great, as usual, the pool beckoned and we had a fabulous time. There was just a little *different* feel in the air for the OCC patients this time.

THE BEST place to eat is the bright YELLOW Cantina about 1/4 a mile (less than) from the hotel. walk out the hotel, take a right, cross 1 little round about and it's right there. The food is FABULOUS!! It's safe to walk there and back, we walked clear down to the shopping mall and all around when we were there.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

[Alana]

I was banded last Friday (the 9th) and our floor was having heavy remodeling/construction done to it. I never saw any evidence outside of that, but inside, it was dusty and LOUD. thankfully, they stopped pretty early, but during the day, it was quite the commotion. I don't know how many floors were having this done, but half of the 4th floor was being remodeled. That is probably what they were referring to. and it smelled in the tower, too - just kinda of musty.

[calicat]

Thank you so much for posting this!!! We too read all the "not so good first fill" posts lately and were starting to question ourselves if we were wasting our time and money to go back to OCC. But I'm a huge Dr. Ortiz fan and believe he knows best, and I need to trust him. So....our group is still on for going down tomorrow for our first fills!!! Yeah!!!

Did you eat at the Cantina before or after your fill??

And thanks again for the positive post - it just goes to show - not everyone has the same experience!

I'm sorry about the smelly rooms though too - I'll keep my nose out tomorrow for smells!!!

[Paula Bee]

I am so happy for you that you got a good fill. I am jealous...

Who did your fill? Dr. Romano?

We were in the tower on my first fill, and the construction was so loud in the daytime that I thought I was going to go nuts. No naps, no nuthing until they quit for the night. I spent some time outside on a bench near the pool and read for a while.

I do love Alonso, but I also had trouble with them not having me on the list for a room, and they also tried to make me pay. I told them no and they called the OCC, who took care of it. I don't blame the hotel at all. They looked on the list sent to them from OCC, and my name wasn't on it. Someone at OCC messed up.

When I go back, maybe in late fall, I will probably stay in the other hotel to compare it. I will also book a time when it is Dr. Romano's rotation for fills.

[shrty835]

Im going to be at the new hotel on June th 9th. I talked to Lori, and she said the new hotel is closer to the center and shopping, but no pool . But she says its much nicer so I will update in June.

DENISE

[trulytangledgrl]

Should we be concerned about staying at the Lucerna? I requested to stay there, not at the new place, so now I am not sure... What to do?!

[Allcdngirl]

We're here right now Karrie, and really no sign of constrution exept on certain floors. I would still stay here. Anita

[trulytangledgrl]

Thanks, Anita! I appreciate that > What about the smell? is it stinky? LOL!

OH ALSO - CONGRATS on your surgery!! All done? Feeling good? Keep us updated

[jena]

We stayed on the second floor. It and our room smelled like someone spilled an industrial size can of carpet fresh, rose scented, on the floor and didn't vacuum it up. We left the sliding door open to air out the room.

There was banging going on all day long, but it stopped around 5 or 6. We never could figure out where it was coming from!

[tehudson]

It's not just the Lucerna that's having issues with reservations. I was at the OCC for my first fill (3.1cc in a VG band) on Tuesday and paid $279 for the fill, transportation, and hotel. The driver dropped me off at the Camino Real, but they had no reservation for me. It only took half an hour or so to get it straightened out, but in the meantime I had to refuse to allow them to charge the room to my credit card a couple of times. As far as the Camino being nicer -- it's newer, but the rooms are about the same quality and the Lucerna is much more "user friendly" for those of us who don't speak Spanish. I'm sure they had good business reasons for switching to the CR, and all in all it didn't really make that much difference to me anyway.