my_friend_amber

Hello all! I just wanted to report back to everyone on the forum that I was banded on the 15th and things are really going well so far. I thought I'd give a day-by-day breakdown so that up-and-comers can see the journey step by step. I originally posted this on the 22nd, but though it really fit best here, so am re-posting now. Day 1 - Tuesday, May 13th: Worked until 3pm, then headed toward Texarkana, TX where I met my mom and we drove the rest of the way to Dallas. Stayed the night there since our flight left the next morning and it's a 4 hour drive from my home to Dallas. Day 2 - Wednesday, May 14th: Flight left at 10:55am from Dallas - 3 hours later (11:55am local time) landed in San Diego. Driver was not there, but a quick call to the OCC had him coming around again and I rode into Tijuana and straight to the OCC with 3 other bandsters-to-be, and one young lady who had a slipped band and was there for help. (Her name was Terry G...anyone know what happened to her? She was banded a year ago and has lost all her weight, but she got the flu really badly and the band slipped. I never got to find out if she got to keep her band or not...) Arrived fasting since the night before and had pre-op consult w/ Dr. Miranda and, after many hours of waiting, got my bloodwork done as well. Afterward, we were taken to the Lucerna (note: they tried to change the hotel to the Camino Real but I called my coordinator, Carolyn, and said that I'd agreed to the package price which included the Lucerna and I wanted to stay there and she made that happen and I am VERY glad I did!) That night was the "last hoorah" meal - my mom and I ate at Rivoli, the Italian restaurant at the Lucerna and it was very, very good stuff. Dave (aka: Dolittle) joined us as we were waiting for our dinner and talked to us about what to expect, the OCC in general, etc. and was super helpful. It really put my mind at ease. After that, we pretty much just went to our (lovely) hotel room and I had my mom take pictures of me in just the sports bra and panties from the front, side, and back, as well as a close-up of my face. I think I will try to take those pics each month to document progress. We went to bed fairly early and I was very surprised at how well and peacefully I slept. I think after seeing the OCC and all, I was really relaxed about what a first-rate place it was. Day 3 - Thursday, May 14th: Surgery day! We were up early and waiting for the driver in the Lucerna's lobby by like 7:45. Since the doctors hadn't been available to do our EKG's the day before, we had to do that today, but it took maybe 5 minutes total and was no biggie. I was told my lungs and heart were good and strong and that I was a good candidate for surgery, so I was excited. A bit after 9am they started pulling us back to our rooms one by one. Anita's surgery was first and she was so excited to get to go that it made the rest of us waiting our turn all the more excited I think. I was called back to my room around 10am and let me tell you, it was the nicest hospital-type room I've ever been in. Aside from the typical bed, there was a mounted tv, a loveseat, and a chair for my mom and everything was decorated so cute! It was realy nice. After a bit, I was given my hospital robe (open to the back, thank you!) and the notorious paper thong to put on *yes, I did say "paper thong" for those of you who may not already know!* and I was surprised to find that it wasn't actually uncomfortable. Before long, a sweet little nurse came in to help me with my compression hose (up to the calf - to decrease chances of blood clots) and she helped me with my spanish and I helped her with her english. Soon thereafter I was given my "I don't care about anything" pill which just disolves under the tounge and I guess a little after noon I was rolled off into the operating room. I vaguely remember the surgery team getting everything prepared around me and thinking "wow - this place looks just like it did on the online video" before drifting off to la-la land. In what seemed like 30 seconds but must have been about 45 minutes later, I was being awakened by one of the doctors, and was wheeled back to my private room where my mom was waiting. Apparently Dr. Ortiz had come to talk to her after my surgery and told her I did great and that I was "beautiful inside" which cracked me up. I slept for a good bit after getting back to my room and later that afternoon I had some juice and water and could really feel the restriction caused by the swelling around the band. I also noticed some major swelling in my stomach from where I had been pumped full of air for the surgery and it was pretty uncomfortable, but nothing too awful bad. My mom (and all visitors) had to leave at about 5:30 that night, and I think they all kind of went out to eat together which was nice for the supporters to have some support from each other! I slept a lot and got up and walked a lot. All of us new bandsters put on a freakshow parade walking in circles around the OCC with our silly robes and hooked up to our IV's! It was hilarious! Walking was a must though, and really made me feel better, and I spent the rest of my night walking, watching TLC (in Enlgish of course!) and making some phone calls to the US (which you can do unlimitedly and free from the OCC) and checking my email (again - free and unlimited.) I slept very well and didn't wake up until about 6:30 the next morning. Day 4 - Friday, May 16th: My mom re-woke me up at a little after 8am (was taking another nap - lol!) and we visited and just hung out until I was lucky enough to have another visitor - MamaMichelle!! It was so nice to meet her and she was so sweet to come check on me. I was released from the OCC fairly early and we got a ride back to the Lucerna where I took a wonderful feeling shower and examined my scars in the mirror. Not bad, really! I also took a picture of the tummy so that I can document the incision marks, bruising, swelling, etc. in the future. After a bit of "lunch" (gatorade) my mom and I took a cab to La Avenida del Revolucion (Revolution Avenue) which is kind of like their market/flea market. You just walk up and down the blocks of street and barter (never pay what they 1st ask for an item - you can usually get it for 1/2 or maybe even less!) and we had such a fun time. We walked and shopped around for about 4 hours actually and I felt pretty good the whole time! I was so surprised how much energy I had and how little I hurt. That night we had dinner (chicken broth) at the Lucerna again and we ate with quite a few of the other bandsters, which was fun. Day 5 - Saturday, May 17th: Another day of bartering mostly. My mom and I went and spanned the rest of the part of Revolution that we didn't get to the previous day and then spent some time by the pool, which is SUCH a great pool. I couldn't swim of course, but I did stand in the water and lay out and actually got a bit of a tan, which was nice! Later that afternoon we went to the mall - just down the street from the Lucerna really - and it was a total waste. It was not so different from malls here in the states and the prices were horrible after being able to barter all day, plus I was feeling tired, so we came back after probably only an hour there. Another dinner of chicken broth for me and we got all packed up and were in bed pretty early since our transport back across the border was early the next morning. Day 6 - Sunday, May 18th: Up at 5:30am to be sure to catch the van which left at 6am on the dot. I'd heard horror stories about 2 hour border crossing times and all, but I am happy to report that we were all the way done with crossing/customs/etc. by 6:38am!! Wow!! I guess early Sunday morning is a pretty slow time for the border and I'll be sure to remember that for future trips! We caught our flight back to Dallas by 9am and were back in "the big D" by 2pm my time (Central Standard.) After that, we were shuttled back to our vehicle at the hotel and made the 4-hour drive back home. I was so happy to see my hubby and be on my own couch again!! It was great to be gone but it was also so great to get home! Days 7 & 8 - Monday and Tuesday, May 19th and 20th: I took both these days off work and it was really nice. I s l o w l y did some laundry and unpacked, etc. and did a lot of napping and hanging out. It was great to be at my own home and have this time to unwind and heal, etc. I also (possible TMI warning!) started my period Monday and was SO GLAD it came when it did and not a few days earlier!! Whew! Day 9 - Wednesday, May 21st: Back to work! Today I've been back to work all day and it really has been okay. I've been asked 10,000 questions of course, but that's to be expected. I'm moving around pretty well by this point and am healing quite nicely. I'm also 13 lbs down as of this morning compared to where I was pre-op, so that's pretty amazing! I know I can't keep up that rate of loss (and don't want to for skin purposes even) but I'm happy to be on my way. Overall, it's been a pretty amazing journey so far. I have felt at each step that this decision was a good one and that I have been in excellent, professional, caring hands. It has been so great to talk to and to meet so many of you bandsters out there - it makes such a difference to actually know someone who can truly understand what you're going through. I've not had any episodes of PBing or sliming yet, but I know they will come and I know where I can turn when they do! I hope this epistle hasn't been too overwhelming and I hope it has been of some use to someone who is soon to be at the OCC for the first time themselves. The main thing I would say is just to have faith in the whole experience - the doctors, consultants, nurses, staff, location, etc. Things in Mexico don't really work the way they do in the US - we're so worried about the exact time of our surgery and the Mexico attitude is more like, "Well you're the 4th surgery of the day - whatever time that happens." but dont' let that stress you out - instead, assimilate your attitude to be more carefree and trust that things will get taken care of and all will be well. Wishing everyone much success wherever they may be on their journey! ~Amber

Hello all! I just wanted to report back to everyone on the forum that I was banded on the 15th and things are really going well so far. I thought I'd give a day-by-day breakdown so that up-and-comers can see the journey step by step. I originally posted this last week on the main page forum, but realized today it really fits here. Happy reading! lol! Day 1 - Tuesday, May 13th: Worked until 3pm, then headed toward Texarkana, TX where I met my mom and we drove the rest of the way to Dallas. Stayed the night there since our flight left the next morning and it's a 4 hour drive from my home to Dallas. Day 2 - Wednesday, May 14th: Flight left at 10:55am from Dallas - 3 hours later (11:55am local time) landed in San Diego. Driver was not there, but a quick call to the OCC had him coming around again and I rode into Tijuana and straight to the OCC with 3 other bandsters-to-be, and one young lady who had a slipped band and was there for help. (Her name was Terry G...anyone know what happened to her? She was banded a year ago and has lost all her weight, but she got the flu really badly and the band slipped. I never got to find out if she got to keep her band or not...) Arrived fasting since the night before and had pre-op consult w/ Dr. Miranda and, after many hours of waiting, got my bloodwork done as well. Afterward, we were taken to the Lucerna (note: they tried to change the hotel to the Camino Real but I called my coordinator, Carolyn, and said that I'd agreed to the package price which included the Lucerna and I wanted to stay there and she made that happen and I am VERY glad I did!) That night was the "last hoorah" meal - my mom and I ate at Rivoli, the Italian restaurant at the Lucerna and it was very, very good stuff. Dave (aka: Dolittle) joined us as we were waiting for our dinner and talked to us about what to expect, the OCC in general, etc. and was super helpful. It really put my mind at ease. After that, we pretty much just went to our (lovely) hotel room and I had my mom take pictures of me in just the sports bra and panties from the front, side, and back, as well as a close-up of my face. I think I will try to take those pics each month to document progress. We went to bed fairly early and I was very surprised at how well and peacefully I slept. I think after seeing the OCC and all, I was really relaxed about what a first-rate place it was. Day 3 - Thursday, May 14th: Surgery day! We were up early and waiting for the driver in the Lucerna's lobby by like 7:45. Since the doctors hadn't been available to do our EKG's the day before, we had to do that today, but it took maybe 5 minutes total and was no biggie. I was told my lungs and heart were good and strong and that I was a good candidate for surgery, so I was excited. A bit after 9am they started pulling us back to our rooms one by one. Anita's surgery was first and she was so excited to get to go that it made the rest of us waiting our turn all the more excited I think. I was called back to my room around 10am and let me tell you, it was the nicest hospital-type room I've ever been in. Aside from the typical bed, there was a mounted tv, a loveseat, and a chair for my mom and everything was decorated so cute! It was realy nice. After a bit, I was given my hospital robe (open to the back, thank you!) and the notorious paper thong to put on *yes, I did say "paper thong" for those of you who may not already know!* and I was surprised to find that it wasn't actually uncomfortable. Before long, a sweet little nurse came in to help me with my compression hose (up to the calf - to decrease chances of blood clots) and she helped me with my spanish and I helped her with her english. Soon thereafter I was given my "I don't care about anything" pill which just disolves under the tounge and I guess a little after noon I was rolled off into the operating room. I vaguely remember the surgery team getting everything prepared around me and thinking "wow - this place looks just like it did on the online video" before drifting off to la-la land. In what seemed like 30 seconds but must have been about 45 minutes later, I was being awakened by one of the doctors, and was wheeled back to my private room where my mom was waiting. Apparently Dr. Ortiz had come to talk to her after my surgery and told her I did great and that I was "beautiful inside" which cracked me up. I slept for a good bit after getting back to my room and later that afternoon I had some juice and water and could really feel the restriction caused by the swelling around the band. I also noticed some major swelling in my stomach from where I had been pumped full of air for the surgery and it was pretty uncomfortable, but nothing too awful bad. My mom (and all visitors) had to leave at about 5:30 that night, and I think they all kind of went out to eat together which was nice for the supporters to have some support from each other! I slept a lot and got up and walked a lot. All of us new bandsters put on a freakshow parade walking in circles around the OCC with our silly robes and hooked up to our IV's! It was hilarious! Walking was a must though, and really made me feel better, and I spent the rest of my night walking, watching TLC (in Enlgish of course!) and making some phone calls to the US (which you can do unlimitedly and free from the OCC) and checking my email (again - free and unlimited.) I slept very well and didn't wake up until about 6:30 the next morning. Day 4 - Friday, May 16th: My mom re-woke me up at a little after 8am (was taking another nap - lol!) and we visited and just hung out until I was lucky enough to have another visitor - MamaMichelle!! It was so nice to meet her and she was so sweet to come check on me. I was released from the OCC fairly early and we got a ride back to the Lucerna where I took a wonderful feeling shower and examined my scars in the mirror. Not bad, really! I also took a picture of the tummy so that I can document the incision marks, bruising, swelling, etc. in the future. After a bit of "lunch" (gatorade) my mom and I took a cab to La Avenida del Revolucion (Revolution Avenue) which is kind of like their market/flea market. You just walk up and down the blocks of street and barter (never pay what they 1st ask for an item - you can usually get it for 1/2 or maybe even less!) and we had such a fun time. We walked and shopped around for about 4 hours actually and I felt pretty good the whole time! I was so surprised how much energy I had and how little I hurt. That night we had dinner (chicken broth) at the Lucerna again and we ate with quite a few of the other bandsters, which was fun. Day 5 - Saturday, May 17th: Another day of bartering mostly. My mom and I went and spanned the rest of the part of Revolution that we didn't get to the previous day and then spent some time by the pool, which is SUCH a great pool. I couldn't swim of course, but I did stand in the water and lay out and actually got a bit of a tan, which was nice! Later that afternoon we went to the mall - just down the street from the Lucerna really - and it was a total waste. It was not so different from malls here in the states and the prices were horrible after being able to barter all day, plus I was feeling tired, so we came back after probably only an hour there. Another dinner of chicken broth for me and we got all packed up and were in bed pretty early since our transport back across the border was early the next morning. Day 6 - Sunday, May 18th: Up at 5:30am to be sure to catch the van which left at 6am on the dot. I'd heard horror stories about 2 hour border crossing times and all, but I am happy to report that we were all the way done with crossing/customs/etc. by 6:38am!! Wow!! I guess early Sunday morning is a pretty slow time for the border and I'll be sure to remember that for future trips! We caught our flight back to Dallas by 9am and were back in "the big D" by 2pm my time (Central Standard.) After that, we were shuttled back to our vehicle at the hotel and made the 4-hour drive back home. I was so happy to see my hubby and be on my own couch again!! It was great to be gone but it was also so great to get home! Days 7 & 8 - Monday and Tuesday, May 19th and 20th: I took both these days off work and it was really nice. I s l o w l y did some laundry and unpacked, etc. and did a lot of napping and hanging out. It was great to be at my own home and have this time to unwind and heal, etc. I also (possible TMI warning!) started my period Monday and was SO GLAD it came when it did and not a few days earlier!! Whew! Day 9 - Wednesday, May 21st: Back to work! Today I've been back to work all day and it really has been okay. I've been asked 10,000 questions of course, but that's to be expected. I'm moving around pretty well by this point and am healing quite nicely. I'm also 13 lbs down as of this morning compared to where I was pre-op, so that's pretty amazing! I know I can't keep up that rate of loss (and don't want to for skin purposes even) but I'm happy to be on my way. Overall, it's been a pretty amazing journey so far. I have felt at each step that this decision was a good one and that I have been in excellent, professional, caring hands. It has been so great to talk to and to meet so many of you bandsters out there - it makes such a difference to actually know someone who can truly understand what you're going through. I've not had any episodes of PBing or sliming yet, but I know they will come and I know where I can turn when they do! I hope this epistle hasn't been too overwhelming and I hope it has been of some use to someone who is soon to be at the OCC for the first time themselves. The main thing I would say is just to have faith in the whole experience - the doctors, consultants, nurses, staff, location, etc. Things in Mexico don't really work the way they do in the US - we're so worried about the exact time of our surgery and the Mexico attitude is more like, "Well you're the 4th surgery of the day - whatever time that happens." but dont' let that stress you out - instead, assimilate your attitude to be more carefree and trust that things will get taken care of and all will be well. Wishing everyone much success wherever they may be on their journey! ~Amber

I'm going crazy!! So maybe once or twice in my life, I've noticed a little redness if I left a band-aid on for longer than like 24 hours, but it appears that I have a true allergy to adhesives. Last Thursday, exactly 1 week after being banded, I started noticing some serious itching from my incision sites. I thought that itching meant healing, so I was just going to try to be tough and suck it up and not scratch. But then...things got crazy! The skin around the glue started blistering and turning serious shades of red and I was going insane! That night, I apparently got so itchy that I clawed myself silly in my sleep! The next day, Friday, I couldnt' take it any more and got into the shower to get the gule all wet and then slowly and carefully peeled it off. The entire are covered by the glue was (and still is!) swolen, red, and blistery!! OUCH!! I have been putting benadryl cream and neosporin on the areas dilligently since, and the incisions themselves are healing up really, really well, but the itching is still driving me nuts! Has anyone else experienced this? Yipes!!

Hey Rob!! Hope you're well!! We can also have jello of course, and I've been having some 1% milk, too. Also, SlimFast Optimas are pretty good and have lots of protien and stuff and are on our list of okayed foods too.

Hello all! I just wanted to report back to everyone on the forum that I was banded on the 15th and things are really going well so far. I thought I'd give a day-by-day breakdown so that up-and-comers can see the journey step by step. Day 1 - Tuesday, May 13th: Worked until 3pm, then headed toward Texarkana, TX where I met my mom and we drove the rest of the way to Dallas. Stayed the night there since our flight left the next morning and it's a 4 hour drive from my home to Dallas. Day 2 - Wednesday, May 14th: Flight left at 10:55am from Dallas - 3 hours later (11:55am local time) landed in San Diego. Driver was not there, but a quick call to the OCC had him coming around again and I rode into Tijuana and straight to the OCC with 3 other bandsters-to-be, and one young lady who had a slipped band and was there for help. (Her name was Terry G...anyone know what happened to her? She was banded a year ago and has lost all her weight, but she got the flu really badly and the band slipped. I never got to find out if she got to keep her band or not...) Arrived fasting since the night before and had pre-op consult w/ Dr. Miranda and, after many hours of waiting, got my bloodwork done as well. Afterward, we were taken to the Lucerna (note: they tried to change the hotel to the Camino Real but I called my coordinator, Carolyn, and said that I'd agreed to the package price which included the Lucerna and I wanted to stay there and she made that happen and I am VERY glad I did!) That night was the "last hoorah" meal - my mom and I ate at Rivoli, the Italian restaurant at the Lucerna and it was very, very good stuff. Dave (aka: Dolittle) joined us as we were waiting for our dinner and talked to us about what to expect, the OCC in general, etc. and was super helpful. It really put my mind at ease. After that, we pretty much just went to our (lovely) hotel room and I had my mom take pictures of me in just the sports bra and panties from the front, side, and back, as well as a close-up of my face. I think I will try to take those pics each month to document progress. We went to bed fairly early and I was very surprised at how well and peacefully I slept. I think after seeing the OCC and all, I was really relaxed about what a first-rate place it was. Day 3 - Thursday, May 14th: Surgery day! We were up early and waiting for the driver in the Lucerna's lobby by like 7:45. Since the doctors hadn't been available to do our EKG's the day before, we had to do that today, but it took maybe 5 minutes total and was no biggie. I was told my lungs and heart were good and strong and that I was a good candidate for surgery, so I was excited. A bit after 9am they started pulling us back to our rooms one by one. Anita's surgery was first and she was so excited to get to go that it made the rest of us waiting our turn all the more excited I think. I was called back to my room around 10am and let me tell you, it was the nicest hospital-type room I've ever been in. Aside from the typical bed, there was a mounted tv, a loveseat, and a chair for my mom and everything was decorated so cute! It was realy nice. After a bit, I was given my hospital robe (open to the back, thank you!) and the notorious paper thong to put on *yes, I did say "paper thong" for those of you who may not already know!* and I was surprised to find that it wasn't actually uncomfortable. Before long, a sweet little nurse came in to help me with my compression hose (up to the calf - to decrease chances of blood clots) and she helped me with my spanish and I helped her with her english. Soon thereafter I was given my "I don't care about anything" pill which just disolves under the tounge and I guess a little after noon I was rolled off into the operating room. I vaguely remember the surgery team getting everything prepared around me and thinking "wow - this place looks just like it did on the online video" before drifting off to la-la land. In what seemed like 30 seconds but must have been about 45 minutes later, I was being awakened by one of the doctors, and was wheeled back to my private room where my mom was waiting. Apparently Dr. Ortiz had come to talk to her after my surgery and told her I did great and that I was "beautiful inside" which cracked me up. I slept for a good bit after getting back to my room and later that afternoon I had some juice and water and could really feel the restriction caused by the swelling around the band. I also noticed some major swelling in my stomach from where I had been pumped full of air for the surgery and it was pretty uncomfortable, but nothing too awful bad. My mom (and all visitors) had to leave at about 5:30 that night, and I think they all kind of went out to eat together which was nice for the supporters to have some support from each other! I slept a lot and got up and walked a lot. All of us new bandsters put on a freakshow parade walking in circles around the OCC with our silly robes and hooked up to our IV's! It was hilarious! Walking was a must though, and really made me feel better, and I spent the rest of my night walking, watching TLC (in Enlgish of course!) and making some phone calls to the US (which you can do unlimitedly and free from the OCC) and checking my email (again - free and unlimited.) I slept very well and didn't wake up until about 6:30 the next morning. Day 4 - Friday, May 16th: My mom re-woke me up at a little after 8am (was taking another nap - lol!) and we visited and just hung out until I was lucky enough to have another visitor - MamaMichelle!! It was so nice to meet her and she was so sweet to come check on me. I was released from the OCC fairly early and we got a ride back to the Lucerna where I took a wonderful feeling shower and examined my scars in the mirror. Not bad, really! I also took a picture of the tummy so that I can document the incision marks, bruising, swelling, etc. in the future. After a bit of "lunch" (gatorade) my mom and I took a cab to La Avenida del Revolucion (Revolution Avenue) which is kind of like their market/flea market. You just walk up and down the blocks of street and barter (never pay what they 1st ask for an item - you can usually get it for 1/2 or maybe even less!) and we had such a fun time. We walked and shopped around for about 4 hours actually and I felt pretty good the whole time! I was so surprised how much energy I had and how little I hurt. That night we had dinner (chicken broth) at the Lucerna again and we ate with quite a few of the other bandsters, which was fun. Day 5 - Saturday, May 17th: Another day of bartering mostly. My mom and I went and spanned the rest of the part of Revolution that we didn't get to the previous day and then spent some time by the pool, which is SUCH a great pool. I couldn't swim of course, but I did stand in the water and lay out and actually got a bit of a tan, which was nice! Later that afternoon we went to the mall - just down the street from the Lucerna really - and it was a total waste. It was not so different from malls here in the states and the prices were horrible after being able to barter all day, plus I was feeling tired, so we came back after probably only an hour there. Another dinner of chicken broth for me and we got all packed up and were in bed pretty early since our transport back across the border was early the next morning. Day 6 - Sunday, May 18th: Up at 5:30am to be sure to catch the van which left at 6am on the dot. I'd heard horror stories about 2 hour border crossing times and all, but I am happy to report that we were all the way done with crossing/customs/etc. by 6:38am!! Wow!! I guess early Sunday morning is a pretty slow time for the border and I'll be sure to remember that for future trips! We caught our flight back to Dallas by 9am and were back in "the big D" by 2pm my time (Central Standard.) After that, we were shuttled back to our vehicle at the hotel and made the 4-hour drive back home. I was so happy to see my hubby and be on my own couch again!! It was great to be gone but it was also so great to get home! Days 7 & 8 - Monday and Tuesday, May 19th and 20th: I took both these days off work and it was really nice. I s l o w l y did some laundry and unpacked, etc. and did a lot of napping and hanging out. It was great to be at my own home and have this time to unwind and heal, etc. I also (possible TMI warning!) started my period Monday and was SO GLAD it came when it did and not a few days earlier!! Whew! Day 9 - Wednesday, May 21st: Back to work! Today I've been back to work all day and it really has been okay. I've been asked 10,000 questions of course, but that's to be expected. I'm moving around pretty well by this point and am healing quite nicely. I'm also 13 lbs down as of this morning compared to where I was pre-op, so that's pretty amazing! I know I can't keep up that rate of loss (and don't want to for skin purposes even) but I'm happy to be on my way. Overall, it's been a pretty amazing journey so far. I have felt at each step that this decision was a good one and that I have been in excellent, professional, caring hands. It has been so great to talk to and to meet so many of you bandsters out there - it makes such a difference to actually know someone who can truly understand what you're going through. I've not had any episodes of PBing or sliming yet, but I know they will come and I know where I can turn when they do! I hope this epistle hasn't been too overwhelming and I hope it has been of some use to someone who is soon to be at the OCC for the first time themselves. The main thing I would say is just to have faith in the whole experience - the doctors, consultants, nurses, staff, location, etc. Things in Mexico don't really work the way they do in the US - we're so worried about the exact time of our surgery and the Mexico attitude is more like, "Well you're the 4th surgery of the day - whatever time that happens." but dont' let that stress you out - instead, assimilate your attitude to be more carefree and trust that things will get taken care of and all will be well. Wishing everyone much success wherever they may be on their journey! ~Amber

I had such a great time, too! It was so wonderful to put real faces and personalities with your screen names!

Hey there Anita! Sorry you're needing tylenol - hope your pain stops soon! I went to Wal-Mart before surgery and got some of the desolvalbe grape flavored tylenol tablets. Yum!! Happy hunting!

I think it's important to remember that overfilling is a big lead in to having a slipped band, so erring on the side of caution could be a good thing...

I did it! I'm banded! My mom and I arrived yesterday at about noon and were taken to the OCC after just a few short minutes of looking for that gold minivan w/ the OCC insignia on it! Trip was uneventful (except, that is - to see the line of cars waiting to get BACK across the border and into the US... it was literally over a mile long! Wow!! Was taken to the OCC which, by the way, is totally lovely for any of you who've not gotten to see it yet. Had my bloodwork done and my nutritional consultation with Dr. Miranda. Every single staff member here has been very, very kind. After a long day of fasting, it was so nice to arrive at the Lucerna (they tried to switch my reservation to Camino Real before I came down here, but I called Carolyn and said not to be rude, but I agreed to this package with the Lucerna as the hotel and that's the way I want it to stay - and it was done with no further questions.) I'm really glad I made sure to be put at the Lucerna, too - big difference in the 2 hotels from what I can see: no pool at Camino Real, amazing pools at Lucerna, no internet at Camino Real, free internet service at Lucerna. I've not been there myself, but some of the other folks who are staying there are saying there's just a big difference in the level of cleanliness, service, etc. too - so maybe this switch to Camino Real will be short-lived if others prefer Lucerna as well and say something about it, I don't know. Anyway - Anita and her sis Berni, Natasha and her hubby Lyman, Matthew and his mom whose name I can't remember all got picked up from the Lucerna lobby at about 7:45 this morning and Anita had the 1st surgery of the day - I think they got her started a little before 10am. I was about the 3rd or 4th person in line for surgery, so mine was a little after 1pm ( I think...) and though I did have a bit of a hard time waking up and did/do still have some gas pains, it's really nothing too horrible. Pretty much everyone decided to go back to the hotel tonight, but myself and it looks like Matthew and maybe one other person are going to be all-nighters here. My mom went back to the hotel and I'm sure I could have gone as well, but I just wasn't feeling up to par when the shuttle left here a bit after 5 and just opted to stick around. Besides, my private room is super comfy, has a flat-screen tv, etc, so I don't feel like I'm missing much. And with a phone right in my room to make all the calls I need world-wide, I'm in good shape. So overall, I feel a good bit tired still - kind of that loopy tired you always have when you're coming off pain meds from the IV I guess. My tummy doesn't hurt too much if I don't cough or twist the wrong way. Definitely the port site is going to be bruised and painful for a good few days to come, but it's nothing I can't live with. I've been able to get some ice chips, some orange juice ice cubes, and am currently working on drinking a Capri Sun, which is good. Think I may go for some broth here in a few hours. Watch out!! Anyway, I don't want to bore you all to death with a million details but the major points I want every future OCC bander to know are: even though things are run kind of different here (like no specific tight schedule where you know for sure your appointment time, etc.) it's just a difference in culture and in no way reflects on a lack of ability, concern, or responsibility on the part of Dr. Ortiz and his staff. Also, if you're like me, you've studied this thing out for a long time and poured over every post looking for something that is going to let you know exactly how things go and the truth is, this experience will not be exactly the same for any 2 people. What you need to know is that if you decide this is the tool and the place for you, that you can have total faith in the process, in the support you will get from this staff, from the people you will inevitably become friends with who are here at the same time you are, and in the lapbandforum to always provide support, encouragement, a swift kick if it's needed, and lots of virtual huggs. > Look...there's one now! Really though, all my best to everyone. I'll be here until tomorrow morning and then at the Lucernal until Sunday morning, so any of you who are heading this way between now and then, I'm looking forward to seeing you! With high hopes for future success and a real desire to soon be less gas-filled, Amber

This is it! In 30 minutes I am leaving work and heading for Dallas, TX, where I will stay the night with my mom and then we will get on a plane tomorrow morning and go to the OCC! I AM DOING THIS!! Wa-hoo!!!

Thanks to everyone for your input. I've lost a noticeable amount of inches, but the pounds are another story. I'm afraid I started doing too much elliptical and put on some muscle (as my body type does.) Just FYI, I have called Dr. Miranda, but just haven't heard back from her quite yet. I am not substituting anyone's opinion for Dr. Mirandas, just wanted to get some info from those of you who've been there before.

Oh yay!! I'm so glad so many of us are going to be there this weekend! I will be getting banded on the 15th and am not leaving until the 18th. I'll be at the Lucerna as well, so I'll make a point to head to the pool and share our code phrase (OCC!) and meet all of you wonderful ladies!! YAY!

So my surgery is this Thursday and I'm supposed to lose 15 lbs. before then, but I'm only down like 6!! Will my surgery be canceled? Anyone have any tips other than just a liquid diet to lose bigtime between now and then?

I'll be there getting banded on the 15th as well and am staying in the Lucerna also. See you ladies there!!!

So I went to the doctor last Thursday and they said I had bronchitis. I've been on the antibiotics and steriod pills they gave me, but even though my meds run out today, I'm still not 100%. What should I do? I'm planning to go back to the doctor (my GP) today and tell him that I need an aggressive treatment for this b/c of my upcoming surgery (on the 15th)) Will this hurt my chances of having my surgery on the 15th? I'd HATE to get all the way down there and be turned away and I'd also HATE to not be able to us my non-refundable plane tickets!! Help! :lb12:

I am going to be ticked off if I'm suddenly bumped down to some other hotel when I booked this package to include the Lucerna!

So did anyone bring thier cell phone w/ them to TJ? If so, did you get international fees for using it there? Did you have enough of a tower to give you bars to call on? I have Cingluar/the new AT&T.

So...did you guys bring your own liquids to TJ or did you get them there after surgery or what? Also, what kinds of things did you drink during that first week out? This time next week, I will be having surgery!!! Wa-hoo!!!!!!!

Greetings from "The Natural State!" My name is Amber and I'm from a town called Arkadelphia (reads like Philadephia, but with an "ark") Arkansas - about an hour southwest of Little Rock. I'm a college recruiter and I love, love, love that I get to travel around the NW and SW parts of my state and talk to peole about my alma mater (Henderson State University) as a job. I've been married for over 7 years to a stellar person, Justen, and we have no kids (yet - hopefully a year from now my weight will have stabelized and I'll be ovulating again!!!) but 2 dogs - Piper and Zoe who are adorable muts. I have a bachellors in Psychology and am about 1/3 of the way through a Masters of Science in Counseling. I really love higher education and recruiting and want to stay working in that vein all of my life. You'd think with all this education I have on human behaviors, I'd have been able to better restrict my own, huh!? What I do know about myself is that I am at a point where I need some help exterior to myself. I was a big-time athlete in high school - lettering and achieving in every single sport my high school had to offer. When college began, I had an academic scholarship to keep and I let my body go by the wayside. I started gaining at a crazy rate about my Sophomore year and was finally diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS. I have been through a myriad of medicines and treatments to reverse the terrible symptoms of PCOS (acne, lack of ovulation, male-patten hair loss in some, excess facial and body hair, severe weight gain around the middle, skin tags, etc) but to no avail. It was only about 3 months ago that I broke down and admitted to myself that I have become bigger than myself - if that makes sense. What I mean by that is that the weight I have gained is just more powerful than my own intrinsic ability to fix myself at this point. I knew something drastic was needed. After researching all the options out there, I decided on the band because it A: doesn't re-route, remove or sever any organs B: is fully reversable if need-be and C: still requires me to do work (if that makes any sense) I didn't want a surgery like the Duodenal Switch, where they say fat is your friend because everything just flushes right through your body - I wanted to have the help to limit me there after I've done all I can do. I look so forward to my surgery date - May 15th (arriving on the 14th...holy cow that's soon!!) and to meeting some of you and learning from many of you!!!