ANYONE in the week of FEB 26 to Feb 29 SURGERY DATE?

[thesecreteater]

Had mine on Feb. 27. Still a bit sore and (blushing) a bit gassy, but I hear all of that is normal. Have lost 4 lbs. Only 126 more to go!!

[WAgal]

Hi Hanna-

Is your daughter coming as your support, or will she be "banded" also? I tell you, I think my daughter is about out of her mind already. At the moment she is at a birthday party for a friend, so hopefully her mind is off of it. I'm sure it doesn't help that as I am on the forum reading feverishly about every aspect of this, I read aloud most of what I find interesting--which is practically everything. This forum was the best thing. I was literally ready to fax my 12 page patient information package from a local doctor (his cost $24,500) when I hit on a post found from a web search that landed me to the forum. Even the folks that have had a few setbacks still believe in the lapband as a tool. And to see the incredible amounts of weight that have been lost is truly amazing. My daughter watched a Youtube.com video of the procedure. When I watched it I felt a little weak and sweaty (can you believe I work in a hospital and deal daily with blood, bone marrow and tissue biopsies?). We also clicked a link that had a 3-part interview with Dr Ortiz. He also personally called my daughter (with Lori's help) to make sure she understood the lapband and the changes she will have to make. He was so sweet to her on the phone, and not once seemed like he was just "gettin it done". We both look forward to meeting everyone and hopefully hugging Lori. She is wonderful!

I am glad that your anniversary party went well. I think a cruise sounds like the perfect idea. My boss and his family did something similar to that. The only problem with that idea is I think everyone would go on the cruise except my parents (they watch a little too much TV news - haha). When my parents got married it was just them, their bestman, matron of honor and the minister at the rectory. Not a high profile deal. We want to blow their socks off. My youngest brother wants it to be a complete and total surprise. I told him that if it were me and everyone else was all decked out to the nines and I showed up for my own surprise party dressed in my "I'm just running up to the store" duds, I would be tempted to seriously hurt someone. I think we will end up just telling them the date and no other details--just vague instructions to lose their weight, get their botox and fancy party clothes, and the limo will pick them up at 5pm that afternoon. It has been fun so far doing the planning together.

Really looking forward to meeting up with both of you! Diana

Hi Diana,

I just read this post!! Wow... forgive me but I was new to the posting thing on this forum before surgery. I never could tell where to follow up on the post so that's why I missed it. Here I was just browsing and I found this. You sound like you are having fun with the planning or NOT... of the anniversary. The 50th anniversary I planned was my in-laws. My husband is the eldest of their children and somehow the responsibility got passed down to me. They have been like my own parents since I got married, so it was an honor for me to be able to do this for them. One simple thing or maybe it's common now-a-days, is we did a slideshow. I put the slideshow to the music "Sentimental Journey" by Doris Day. I had family members email me pictures and quotes they wanted along with their pics and even short video clips of grandkids. I put funny quotations of who or what the pics might be about from their original wedding reception pictures. It was a hit. Everyone was laughing and nostalgic of the wedding day, 50 years ago.. well I mean my in-laws sibblings that were there. Also baby pics of the grandkids got the children (range from 3 to 21) talking to each other again. It was a great ice breaker! Have fun with it.

Oh.. about the local surgeon... I was looking to other alternatives already a year ago since I didn't meet the 35 bmi... I was 32-33. I was going to have it done in the Philippines (wanted to make a vacation out of it too) then my husband said to just have it done locally $18,500 here. We went to the seminar, it was nice, since they will answer all questions you have prepared and even have the actual doctor performing the surgery there. He was nice and I checked out his record, he had done more the 250 lapband surgeries, a good sign... but they weren't even going to keep you overnight. They perform the surgery and then send you home about 2 hours after surgery. So all in all you are there at their medical center 4 hours. Your payment includes 12 months of support to include fills and all that comes with banding but I guess that's what the extra 10K is for. I reasoned with my husband that I wanted someone with more experience... Dr. Ortiz, someone who has done 10X more than the local doc. The only thing that made him nervous was that it was in Mexico. We all have been there, but Dr. Ortiz is so high profile now, especially afer the show on Oprah. I am totally convinced that the docs in America do not want the foreign countries to cut into the market share of WLS as one of their main reason to discourage Mexico banding. I was only comfortable with the thought of Dr. Ortiz and there are many there in Mexico I'm sure. I didn't go into this blindfold... I did my research and prayed and prayed about it.

Well I hope you and Alyssa are doing great. I'm working on the fill appointment today.. I think I'll do the email online to request for a fill appointment. Shall we do the 17th then.. or earlier? Like the 14th, which falls on a Monday. I read somewhere here that Linda wants to not have to take off from work too long. We have to put in a shopping day too! This time we can shop since we will all be recovered, LOL! I just want one of those big sumbreros and a pancho!!! Keep in touch!

Love and blessings,

Hanna