ladyhart77

My surgery went great!! Everyone is awesome... I came back to the hotel last night and we are getting ready to catch a cab over to revolution avenue for some shopping! I am definitely sore but not that bad at all! Have a safe flight and hope to see you this evening!

Awesome video.... very inspiring!!! Thanks!! You look great!

I am sitting here on my bed at the Lucerna in TJ after a great experience today at the OCC. Everyone here has been sooo awesome. We arrived late last night and Francisco brought us to the hotel, which is beautiful by the way! Then bright and early this Fernando(who is extremely fun and helpful) to us to the clinic. I was the first one there and Melissa got me rolling on my preop testing.. the other nurses and her went out of their way to ensure I was comfortable and my hubby also. I met Dr Jimenez and the sweet Dr Miranda for their preop tests. Dr Martinez spent about 20 minutes with me before the surgery and then I was on my way to be the first surgery of the day! It went very fast... I was out of surgery by 930. I met and spoke with Dr Ortiz for a few minutes but I was still very groggy. Shortly after, I was up and walking around.... almost no pain... just sore. So I came back to the hotel and I am feeling pretty good.. just making sure that I get up and walk around quite often!! I had my first dinner of chicken broth tonight and I am feeling totally satisfied. I am hoping to feel well enough tomorrow to do some sight seeing and shopping! Just thought I would share my experience of entering Bandland... it was awesome here just as everyone else had given me the assurance of. Hopefully I can return the favor and put someones mind at ease also.... it was a breeze!!!!

Hey beth! We are staying at the Lucerna.. it is beautiful and the people are great! We wont be leaving until Friday morning so hopefully we can meet tomorrow evening!!

Hey! I am here now! It was awesome.... such a breeze... I was the first banded today with 3 others right behind me! Everyone here has been sooooo great just like everyone had said!! I will post more later from the hotel room when all my loopiness is gone! Hopefully we can meet you tomorrow or friday!!

Hey Everyone! Hope all is well! I am getting ready for my trip! I fly out tomorrow and will enter bandland on Wed. the 11th!!! WOOHOO! Although, I will be the first to admit I am a little nervous about the trip and even more about making sure I have everything ready for the kids while I am gone!! I am gonna bring my little netbook.. so I will do my best to keep everyone informed about my trip and surgery!! Talk to you all soon!

Hey FarmGirl! Where in NC are you? I live in Gates County and I am being banded next wednesday at OCC!

Thanks everyone!! I feel much more confident in my preparation now!!! You guys are all looking awesome!! You are such great inspiration and support.. I cant wait to join bandland!! Just gotta get the last 7lbs preop weight off and get off these last few cigs a day and all will be good!!!

Hey everyone! Hope you are all well! I will be leaving a week from today to go to TJ to be banded!! YEAH!!! I was just hoping you guys could give me a little advice on what to take with me. I want to keep it light, so I can avoid racking up a bunch of extra baggage charges with the airlines! What are the essentials you would recommend? I know the norms.. like personal hygiene stuff... how should I pack for clothes? Anybody know what the weather is like there right now? Did you take mostly comfy clothes for after surgery? Did you take laptops with you? I have a very small netbook. I know this seems silly but I just would feel better if I got some opinions from people who have already been down! Thanks so much!!

Dr. Steve, Thanks so much for sharing your story! I leave a week from tomorrow and will be banded on the 11th. It was great to hear another wonderful and positive story about Dr. Ortiz and the OCC! Keep us posted on your progress!

Hey!! I am sorry... I didnt realize that was you trying to connect with me!! I added you now!! How are things going with you?

Hey Guys! How is everyone doing? I am getting excited and nervous about my date! I am also struggling now with my preop diet.. I think I need someone to slap me on the face to wake me up! I hope everyone is doing well... we are almost there!! ;-)

Stormy, I know that had to be sooo scary!! I am glad it worked out okay! I think the candy bar can be forgiven after that!! ;-)

Hey Guys! Hope everyone is well! I am starting to get nervous with my excitement. I am also hoping that I can return to work on the following Monday, I am having surgery on Wednesday. I am also wondering what kind of clothes I should take with me? LOL the silly worries are kicking in!!

Hey Odette! I just started my preop about 4 days ago, I am being banded on Nov. 11th.. just figured I would give myself plenty of time to lose the 15lbs I have to lose. I am using EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control and they are keeping me much fuller than Slimfast Optima ever did! I used to use them when I was trying my own diets. You can get the EAS at Walmart close to the vitamins.. they are actually in the muscle building section. They have more protein in them than the Slimfast.. that may be why they keep me fuller. I have lost 5lbs.... but I also had to lay off the soda that may have helped too! Good luck and stick with it!! I cheated last night too bc we had our local fair... LOL! But got right back on today! You will be fine and just think... in a few weeks you will be in bandland!!! Keep us posted!! (Guess I better go update my ticker for my weightoss!!)

Welcome back Beth! I am being banded on Nov 11 at the OCC... maybe we will cross paths on the 12th! Good luck on your fill tomorrow!!

Sabrina, Awesome job on the hike!! Looks so beautiful!! Enjoy the rest of your trip!!

Hi Lisa!! You are such an inspiration!!! You should be so proud of how far you have come. I am still pretty new here and as someone else said your pictures are part of the big picture here on this site that helped me decide to be banded next month!! Congratulations and thank you again!! You look great!!

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well and getting prepared for your big day!! I started my pre-op diet today.. its a little early but hopefully it will ensure that I lose the 15lbs I need to lose before surgery. I am still so excited! I also have read Dr. Ortiz's book "Lap Band for Life." I would recommend it for us as patients and for family members... it is soooo informative and covers just about anything you could want to know about the Band. I am also gonna read "Ultimate Lap-Band Success" by Dr. Duc Vuong, it was also highly rated on Amazon. Just thought I would share!!

awww hope! I am sorry... hopefully you can find someone to go with you... but I will say that I have read on here that many people went by themselves and had a great experience.. everyone at the OCC makes you feel at home and comfortable. Plus I bet the closer we get to Nov. we will have many more people here that will be getting banded around the same time as us and hopefully some on your day!!!

YEA!!!!! I am so happy we got our passports in the mail!! So.... now I'm ready to get on the plane and go to TJ!! Too bad I have to wait for another month and get through preop diet first! LOL!! Anyhoo..... I am still excited!!

Hey! I am in the same boat... I have never been a little thing anyway but after two kids I am hanging at about 60 lbs heavier than I was before I got pregnant with my first child. So I can totally relate!! Hopefully the band will help us win this battle!

Hey Cx... just thought I would let you know that I did change my reservations to the Lucerna! So I will see you there! I cant wait!!

LOL!!! You figured it out... COOL!!!

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