trulytangledgrl

Darlene - I will be there the 29th, too! I will request to stay at the lucerna as well, because I have just read a whole bunch of reviews on both hotels, and it seems to me that the Lucerna gets much better reviews. SEE YOU THE 29TH?

AAHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Why can't it be MAY 29TH??? LOL! I am so darn impatient I swear. I feel like the days are going to drraaaaaaaaaaaaag on and on and on until I leave for my surgery. I just wish I could fall asleep, and then wake up, and be in TJ for my surgery. Its too bad thats not how life works. Did you all feel this way, too? Like, so excited you could barely stand it? I hope I am not the only one lol!

I can't wait to hear how the surgery goes for you both! I bet you two are so excited!! I am super excited for mine and I still have 23 days! blech! I know I know, it will go by fast I am just impatient! LOL! I want the whole story when ya'll are able to get to a computer to type it! GOOD LUCK (not like you will need it since you're in THE MOST capable hands you could possibly be in)!

Alana - Not only are the chromium picolinate good for fat blocking, they also assist the body in maintaining stable levels of insulin. I have polycystic ovarian syndrom which causes insulin resistance, and in addition to my prescribed meds by my doc, she also has me take chromium picolinate daily to keep my blood sugars stable and level. So, just another little tidbit you might be interested in knowing Level blood sugar = LESS HUNGER! WOOT WOOT!

This is definitely me, too! Wow! I can't believe how accurate that article was. There are definitely times when I do things for others, but I don't want to, and then I resent them for even asking (because they know I won't say no) and I end up binging on junk food to drown my anger. I am a nice person and it is my nature to help those in need, but it is so true that there is a certain point where it is just ridiculous, and those people who you think are your friends are just using you because they know you're a push over. Lately I have been trying to do more things for myself - this surgery is the first MAJOR thing I am doing for myself. I have been going weekly to get acupuncture - I know I know, this sounds more like torture than pampering, but its truly relaxing. I can't even describe it - its like you can feel all this negative energy flowing out of you where all the needles are placed. I love it! For those of you who have never tried it - I highly recommend it!

WOOOHOOO!! I bet you are SO excited =D> I WOULD BE! I am excited FOR you. Please keep us all updated and let us know how it goes!

I walked today for 40 minutes hehe.

Its great to have everyone here to assure me otherwise I might be losing my mind! lol! I will definitely keep you all posted - LOOK, ONLY 25 DAYS LEFT! =D>

I might see you! I will be at the OCC on the 29th in the afternoon for my preop visit/tests!! WOOT WOOT. Anyone else who will be there the 29th or 30th? I will probably see you there.

LOL! I am glad that I am not the only one thinking this way! I mean, I guess its only natural when such a large amount of money is at stake. I cannot wait until the 28th of this month - I will be packing my stuff and I will probably be awake ALL NIGHT like a little kid at christmas! hahaha! My flight leaves at like 6:25 am on the 29th, so I will have to get up at like 4:00 am cause the airport is a good 45 minutes away and I like to be early. So I will want to be there by no later than like 5:30 am. I don't like to be rushed. I guess that early in the morning the airport won't be TOO busy! LOL!

Well, I just made my final payment for surgery thru paypal online. I am sitting here thinking to myself 'i hope this isn't a scam'. I mean I know its not, its just that ... $7200 is a LOT LOT LOT of money to be sending via internet and my gosh... I would be so upset if I just threw so much money away. I am getting more and more excited - everything is paid for (airline ticket and now surgery), so all I have left to do is get started on preop to try and lose some weight. Dr. Miranda said I didn't HAVE to do preop since my BMI is 32, but she said it wouldn't hurt to lose a little bit. So, thats what I will do! I AM SO EXCITED!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAULA!! I hope that your day is fantastic, filled with all love and joy, and of course everything you wished for! >

I completed 40 minutes on the elliptical trainer on Saturday I completed 15 minutes of strength training on Sunday and 35 minutes on the treadmill oh... AND on sunday I was in the city with friends for a festival and we probably walked about 3-4 miles at LEAST! We were walking from 2:00 pm until about 7 pm. My legs hurt. Can sunday count as like 2 workouts? lol! =D>

AMEN SISTERS! Cathy, I am with you on this - its so exciting to think that one day we will be able to wear those gorgeous outfits or cute outfits that now we only WISH we could wear... WE WILL WEAR THEM. Our day is coming very soon! I am so excited, too... MAY 30TH will be here before I know it. The days are creeping by right now, but before I know it the 29th will be here and I will be flying out to San Diego to head down to TJ and have my surgery. I am so happy I decided to switch my date to May 30 instead of keeping it all the way in JULY! Ugh that wait would have been horrible! LOL! I have so many cute clothes I want to wear soooooooooo bad - SOON! =D>

I read in the paperwork somewhere that if you use a credit card as payment for surgery, there is a fee of $300. I emailed Rene and asked what my balance was, and also requested a semi-private room so I can save $250. I was told that my balance is $ EDIT - but it doesn't make sense to me because the surgery total is like $ EDIT... take away the $250 for booking semi-private room and you get $ EDIT. Take away the $500 initial deposit and that is $ EDIT... so my question is when do they add in the additional $300? I was going to pay my balance over paypal, so once I do that does the extra $300 get added then? I am confused. HELP!

Hey MAY BANDSTERS! I will be arriving on May 29th and leaving June 1st! I have only talked to one other person having surgery on the 30th... Anyone else? I am going by myself, too, and have been a little anxious about this because I have never been so far away from home by myself. I wish my mommy could come with me LOL! I am 25 yrs old and want my mom. How funny. I am sure it will be fine - thank goodness for this forum, though, because otherwise I would have probably cancelled my surgery by now. I was SO nervous when I scheduled - I was just thinking 'oh my gosh, what have I gotten myself into? Is this the right choice' etc... and after reading this forum and everyone's AMAZING experiences, I KNOW without a single doubt, that this is the right thing for me. I am blessed to have found the OCC/Dr. O's website! I AM SO EXCITED for my surgery! 27 DAYS TO GO!

I took my dog for a walk today - 45 minutes and 2.6 miles! =D> It was GORGEOUS out today and I got done work early (yippee!) so me & the beagle went out and down to the duck pond! She loves to watch the ducks/geese. She thinks she can catch them! lol! Its so funny she gets so worked up and excited to watch them.

Hey does anyone know if we can reach Dr. Miranda by email? If so, does anyone know her email address? I was going to try and email her to find out what I should do for the pre-op diet. Thanks everyone!

Hey there! Maybe email carolyn or rene and ask if they can re-send it to you, and then just fill it out again and take it with you? I think that would be okay.

Hey Amber... I have PCOS too - I understand what you go through. Its really tough, isn't it? I have always had weight issues, too, and have been on so many diets and nothing works I just gain weight like crazy. I have been seeing an endocrinologist in Philly who specializes only in PCOS and only sees patients with PCOS - she is amazing! Thanks to her, I also found out I have hypothyroidism. None of my other Dr.'s believed me when I told them that something was wrong - they just told me to 'eat less and exercise more' ... I am just wondering what medicines have you been on? I have been on 2000 mg of Fortamet for like 3 yrs now, but my cycles still aren't regular, and from my understanding, the medicine should help with that? Also those darn pills are SO HUGE! I nearly choke every time I take them, and I have to take 2 per night. Well, we should keep in touch its always great to have supports of those who struggle from similar medical issues. We could help eachother through rough times, as it still may be more difficult for us to get the weight off meh. Well, good luck to you and hopefully we can stay in touch! ~Carrie

Hey all! Well, my name is Carrie - picked my nickname because... well... it is basically descriptive of me. I am kind of all tangled up - I am indecisive at times, I am kind of all over the map because I like to keep busy, and sometimes I just feel like a knotted up mess! lol! I am 25, will be 26 in July. I live in the Philadelphia area in PA - I grew up in northwestern PA! I am a childrens/adolescents case manager (resource coordinator) and I love it. I am studying to get my MSW (Masters in social work degree) and will be done MAY 2009! YEAHHH BUDDY! I can't wait! I hope to work with adolescents or adults doing one on one therapy. Counting down the days until graduation so that my hectic life can calm down a little. I enjoy naps, spending time with my friends and family (I live with my older sister and her husband, and my girlfriend), going out every once in a while in the city, going to small cozy cafes to enjoy a cup of coffee/tea/whichever, going to Barnes & Noble every thurs with my girlfriend to sit in starbucks and read magazines (lol silly I know), taking walks, going aerobics, using the punching bag, going on vacations (have 2 planned for this summer already), and playing with my cute beagle MYA!

ONLY 29 DAYS UNTIL MY SURGERY!! =D> WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!! I am officially beginning my countdown. I never thought I would say that I can't wait for summer classes to start, but I can't... because that means my surgery date will be here! Summer classes start the 27th, and my surgery is the 30th! YEAH YEAH YEAH! I am so friggen excited. I have a question - for the pre-op diet, does Dr. Miranda contact us or do we email her? How does that work? I also heard some people saying that since they had a lower BMI to start with (mine is 33) that Dr. Miranda said they didn't have to do the pre-op diet? Hmmm. I have been trying to do protein shakes (2 per day) and a lean cuisine, anyhow, but... it hasn't worked out as I planned My job requires me to pretty much drive all day (I am a social worker/case manager for children and adolescents)... I have an office but I am there maye 25% of the time, and rarely have time to breathe let alone sit down and eat a meal. MEH. Anyhow, so this has been extremely difficult for me to do.... I pack my lean cuisine which is fine, but having trouble getting my other protein shake in cause I don't have access to a blender while working. So by the time I get home its usually like 9 pm and I dont like eating that late. What to do? suggestions? Thanks all >

Happy birthday, Britt! Hope your day was an enjoyable one - even though you had to be away from your boyfriend (that is rough).

Hey this is a great idea! I don't have my band yet, but I figure this couldn't hurt that is for sure. So, here goes! Carrie (trulytangledgrl) I am challenging myself for GOLD LEVEL in the month of May Some of the exercises I will do: elliptical trainer, treadmill, walking my dog, workout DVD's, weights, and using the punching bag.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! =D> WELCOME TO BAND LAND!! So happy to hear that everything went smoothly - honestly though, its not a suprise. I don't think I have heard a single negative comment about Dr. Ortiz and his staff. The most I have heard about was some mix ups with transportation. I am so happy to be able to come here and read all these positive stories because otherwise I might be a nervous wreck! Thanks for sharing your story