Saturday Roll Call

Thanks to the "one" Chris mentioned for posting late yesterday.

Welcome back, as the youngest of three I have been able to avoid some problems but not all.  I am likely not being as diligent as I could be with my new digestive system.  Just cannot live in the cocoon.  So I too look forward to this conversation.  I have had the labs and the normal but have not even thought that normal for normal might not be normal for RNY since at that point past the digestive tract I thought we were still normal except for the times we put things in that pass right by and cause the rest of our system to think we have eaten large amounts of something our digestive tracts no longer process.  What does Vitalady have to say on this?  I guess I should go look and follow up with folks.  My surgeon retired after my surgery but Northwestern surgeons do not want to follow up with me even though I have surgical issues to address in the future.  I was in the hospital five months ago with internal bleeding that has not completely resolved but with taking iron and it slowing and most of the time stopping my blood counts are "normal" but sometimes maybe not but I cannot again be in that cocoon where a blood test to see if now that is due to excess iron or bleeding.  I am going to repost this as my first Saturday post.

We ended up walking an hour and a half along the lake yesterday and then in front of a fireplace in a Starbucks for ten minutes and two buses to Argyle that we now know could have been one but then we would have missed the fireplace and the pieces of cotton that melted as you touch them while waiting for the bus.  Argyle so far has at least three of our favorite food types.  Indian, Chinese BBQ and Vietnamese.  So I just had cold duck for breakfast with my coffee, vitamins and meds.

Supposed to get up to 45 today so I will likely get out to Jewel or maybe even Aldi today for a few things then  back inside to hunker down for a cold week.  Takes a few days to get used to new temps these days.

What is the rest of the Land of Lincoln up to?

GOOD MORNING!:) Randy,i posted Vitaladys target list of labs on yesterdays post, i think it is a good list to follow, just dont know how to ge therer, I also didnt realize  our labs  have some different  highs, not all but some, she has a great site,

 Today i have grandbaby #2 boy almost 2 and his sister 6 months coming for the day, My daughter and hubby are going to chicago to ,,,,christkindle village? i think that is it? so will be a busy day here, sunday a day of rest!!! hope you all have a great day

denise

going to chicago to ,,,,christkindle village?

Christkindle Market. It is on Daley Plaza. We go every year. We will be down there next Friday through Sunday. We are staying at the Mart Plaza, going to a sacred music concert at Moody Memorial Church on Saturday afternoon and out for a couple of nice meals.

What hospital will you be going to for the surgery on Wednesday? Time? so we can keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

BRRRRR - that wind was chilly willy yesterday even in the evening. It hit me like a brick when we came out of the play at 1030 last night.

Denise, welcome to the IL board. Come back often to the daily roll call. There are a bunch of great people here from all over (mostly) Central IL to the northern area of IL. As far as your questions about your labs here is a link from the ASMBS as to an article with PO info. In it is info on nutrition. http://asmbs.org/2012/01/bariatric-surgery-postoperative-concerns/ Everyone might find it helpful.

For me with my lab numbers my doc kept an eye on them and there also would be ranges for where they should be. I always got copies of my yearly labs and looked at the numbers. I hand carried them to my surgeon just before this last surgery and he looked them over also. Most WL surgeons will accept the lab printouts from a PCP and then will recommend areas of improvement and what you should do.

Hey you ladies that live down in the Joliet area would you give Denise info on your doctor practice? She is looking for a doc to FU with. PCP & WL surgeon.

Not much going on with us. We need to switch out the cable box because we found out from our bill that Comcast did a BIG switch on us and started charging us for a DVR when we never even signed up for the service. Bastages! They are the ones that gave us the box years ago and then when the old one broke that is what they replaced it with. I got the charges refunded and they agreed to not charge for the shipping and return of the box.

 &

Since Dr. Vitello retired shortly after my surgery and the nut who was doing the FU PO group left also their was a new nut but the email list for UIC seems to have gone dead except for occasional questions that are not answered and spam.  Not sure there is even a support group there anymore.  I understand it is blue line ride to UIC but I have never made it and I really wanted to change to Northwestern since my Neuro is there that I need and so my PCP is with them.  Eventually my hernias and flap will need surgery.  Things are changing Jan one in insurance and prescription plans so have to ask some questions quick because the changes somehow just got noticed by me this morning while Cheryl was filling out the enrollment that we thought would be just like last year.

I live in Joliet my WLS Doctor is Dr.Lahmann here is his link - he is at Silver Cross Hospital  

http://bmisurgery.org/_live/

My PCP is in Plainfield.  If you don't mind the drive...it takes about 30 minutes from Joliet to get there.  I love him and he the best doctor ever. 

Here is his info

http://www.edward.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=1624&action=list

Thank you for passing your info onto Denise.

Thank you!!, does your dr. Keep up with the levels of a gastric  patient? that seems to be my problem , i love my PCP, but he always says levels are slightly low, slightly low is a lot low for a gastric patient, I will give them a call  soon as i get the gallbladder taken care of, thanks again, Denise

I have a band so I don't have to worry about levels (I don't have malabsorbtion with the band).  So I don't know how good he is at that.  I do know that when I was coming in regularly for my fills he was the best cheerleader.  Even when I wasn't doing very well.  I heard some doctors can be very degrading and belittling to band patients when they aren't doing well.  He would always keep very positive and be encouraging.  I always walked out of there feeling like "I can do this".  When I started doing well he was sooo very excited for me.  He doesn't hold your hand though either.  He does say it is up to us to make follow up appointments and make an effort if we don't do our part he can't do his part.  That is all I can say about him.  I can't tell you about levels...but judging at how well he took care of me I would gather he would take good care of any of his patients whether they're RNY or Bands. 

Hello everyone

Well online yesterday I did snag some deals.  I got 2 sweaters for $10 each and free shipping.  I also got a DVD for $3.99 and free shipping.  Why go out to the stores when I can bring the stores to me!!!! 

What's on the agenda for today....Brenda and I are going to see Breaking Dawn (the new Twilight movie).   I am so excited!!!  I have been patiently waiting till the crowds died down to go.  I also wanted to wait till someone can go with me.  Last year in Champaign I had to go by myself and I thought no way am I going by myself this year!!  But before the movie I am going to workout.  In fact after I write this I am going.  Then later after everything I have two projects to keep me busy.  I have to unstop my tub...oh what fun.  I know I can call maintenance but I can do it so why bother them.  Then me and Monica have a project going for work.  We have stockings and we are putting everyone's name on the stocking.  We divided up the list of names between us.  We each have about 11 people.  We are going to hang the stockings up at work at everyone's office door/ cubicle.  But I'm sure I will be bored by the end of the night.

Time to officially start my day...have a great day everyone...see ya later...bye