Phoenix

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! Congratulations!

Surgery report and receipt in one fell swoop (e-mail)

Ortiz was a Plastic Surgery resident and it certainly SHOWS. I have 5 scars. 4 of them are 1 cm long and are barely there already. The "large" one, where the port was inserted is 4 cm long and will look like a scratch before long. Massage them in the shower after the dermabond (surgical glue) falls off and gently work out the little calcium formations. The three weeks of liquids after surgery suck. ISOPURE ultra clear protein drinks the first week are wonderful. The protein bullets are wonderful. After that, creamy soups with Unjury unflavored powder are quite wonderful. If you don't have a stick blender, I recommend one to puree out little lumps of mushrooms or potatoes or whatever. Every single one of us here lived. You will, too.

Oh, and: melissa@obesitycontrolcenter.com (hit send too soon, oops)

While you're getting your receipt, ask for a copy of your surgery report. It comes in handy with the local fill doctors who ask for it.

Sweet success! Congratulations!

If you're shrinking then the muscle has to move -- get smaller -- right? Smaller waist means the muscles moved in. Your port will stay where it is stitched, but the place where it's stitched should move. Muscle moves. It's all good.

If you have a choice, especially for your first fill, use fluoro. No other way to see the band, how the stomach has healed, etc. Being in Phoenix, I'm lucky that I can get to two places in a day (and home again) that use fluoro -- though there are several places I can get to in 15 minutes that don't.

Yes, give Rene or your rep a call. They'll pick you up at the airport or at the car lot, though there's a fee. Walking across the border was easy as anything from the trolley station. There's almost never a back up going into Mexico, but coming out there can be.

What a cathartic dream! Thanks for sharing it!

Where's the Nicorette gum when you need it? It's all about healing. You're about to go on a three week "fast" of only liquids after banding. If you ever considered a colon cleanse, now's the time. All the toxins out. Much success. Linda

They're not cheap, but the quality is good and comfort is, too. Coldwatercreek.com (I always go to the outlet section)

Get a grip. For three days you are to concentrate on you. Pack, fly, have surgery, recouperate for a day, go home. Your son will survive. All autistic children survive being away from their parents for 72 hours. He may melt down, but he will survive. You don't need much more than a comfortable pair of shorts, a t-shirt, a nightgown and flip flops. Add some sweat pants, another t shirt, a comfy light jacket, your hairbrush, tooth brush, deodorant, toothpaste and eyeglasses if you wear them, a pony tail holder, your gas x strips, birth certificate, ID and you're done. You can skip the make up and the hair implements. They have hair dryers, shampoo and conditioner. Dont' bother with jewelry or fancy clothes. They have broth and juices in the hotel. There's a Starbucks across the street. Keep it simple and you won't have to worry about forgetting a lot. Son needs clothes for three days. Meds for three days. Medical insurance card. It's only 72 hours.

Yeah, I had .6 ccs go somewhere... I hypothesize that it lives in the tubing or something. Since the needle and syringe pulling the fluid back out are not exactly a vacuum, parts that don't (and shouldn't) deflate or flatten easily can hold a tiny drop of saline. No need to worry you have a leak until your band won't restrict, right?

I can recommend the RIU in Playa Del Carmen (and in Cancun).

Go to the fill Dr. thread. I've been back to the OCC for the first fill. I went to Dr. Berger for the 2nd. I'll be honest and tell you that the fill with Dr. Berger was more professional and more comfortable. I couldn't have had a better surgical experience, but the fill experience wasn't what I expected. Flagstaff is 2 hours each way from Phoenix. You need 1/2 a day. TJ is a full day. Price wise, they're about the same. It's great to have options.

You mentioned you had 1/2 of your thyroid removed. Maybe it's time you paid your endocrinologist a visit. Maybe your meds need adjusting.

You BOTH look wonderful!

No worries. I've gone "snap, crackle, pop" once or twice since banding.

A little of anything is generally okay. You sort of have to think of it as a condiment though. My youngest daughter is largely a cheese-based life form. She wouldn't have survived 2 - 3 without it.

What an honorable goal! Very worthwhile.

Conga Rats!

I'll have to get thin first and then I'll get back to you

I think it's high time for yoga and or pilates. Cool thing about intro belly dancing is that you don't have to wear the costume. You can wear shorts and a tank top and buy one of the cool coin scarves (I recommend eBay for those). I've been doing it for about a year. It's fun! The toughest thing is on the arms and shoulders, but you'll see! When you get the hipscarf with coins on it, the louder the better! When you're doing the moves correctly, the coins will ring like nobody's business

It doesn't LOOK naughty! Look up Hitachi Magic Wand. There was a SITC episode where Samantha buys a vibrator. She didn't want one of the silly phallic ones, she wanted one with POWER