One that you would never be able to get with and from what I heard...keep.

Frances, I'm soooo sorry you're suffering and in pain. You have gone through so many surgeries, and now you're facing another. Thanks for the update sweetie...take care

This is a double post. I'm posting this for both the LB vets board and the DS board. Lots of people might not understand that and that's OK. I'm still giving life and weight loss a nice long thought, but I've just finished a week of pain that has me just short of losing both my mind and my job. I spent most of the afternoon and *all* of the night in the ER and a walk-in medical clinic last Wednesday. My pain levels were high and my blood pressure was responding to it -- 240/120. Despite my long running issues, the ER was just interested in getting the BP down and making sure I didn't have a heart attack. I didn't, of course, and my heart looks great. I slept off the trauma Thursday, but Friday the pain was back with a vengence. My abdominal pain starts on my left side and spreads to both my left arm and down my left leg. On top of being miserable, my supervisor thinks it strange I could go this long with testing and procedures and 13 hours in the ER and not have a diagnosis. Despite the check-out sheet from the ER and Urgent Care, he thinks his fine institution is being taken advantage of. (place your own cussing here) I'm not 100 percent and between home, work and my family, the pressure is on to perform and no one understands why I just can't get better already. (I am not kidding, unfortunately.) My SupaDoc has even conferred with another bariatric surgeon close to our area and they both agree that the band has got to come out. Maybe there's some other issue at work or maybe I'm just rejecting it being there, but I'm days away from surgery to see what the heck is going on. My boss is delighted and added that I should make some type of contengency plan just in case my surgery can be scheduled before my current e-news project is finished. I should know which day on Monday, but it will be next week. I have a few days to go "hmmm" about my options and I'm considering *all* conversions accept to RNY (because of my pesky anemia and other deficiencies) and may decide to just remove and think about another surgery later or not at all. You all have been wonderful and I have been given so much information and support, I feel adequately prepared for next week. I feel like I've found the best of both worlds in the support I've gotten from both DSers and the Band folks. The last few weeks haven't been easy, but I've NEVER felt alone. Thank you, Frances

Anita, That is so sad, but hopefully it was caught early. I hate cancer. I lost both of my parents to it. My mom was the age I am now and she was dying.

Honey, I know what you are trying to say and I do think that if we post 'inviting' posts, it will start some DS-band spats. I don't post to that crap. I don't read that crap. I just wanted to jump in here and say I know what you were trying to say and that your message got lost. If people want to post and create drama, then go for it, but then don't complain when the DS people get offended and start posting here. I honestly don't think Nancy's post was offensive, but unfortunately it still started something. Can't we just go back to being a supportative group (to newbies, vets, and friends)?