MUSC MAGAZINE ARTICLE

I am so humbled by the great article that MUSC has published. If it can help just one person then all I have been through with the surgery and now the kidney stones, it has been worth it!!! Here is a pdf format of the MUSC Checkup Magazine MUSC is now a Center of Excellence, page 6 http://www.muschealth.com/checkup/CheckUp%20Spring%202006%20Final.pdf Enjoy Deborah

What a great article. You're a star!!

Wonderful article Deb, that I know will help a lot of people. "You Go Girl"!!! Tonya

Deb, I have tears in my eyes now after reading that. What a wonderful article. You will be an inspiration to so many. You rock!!! Mary

Great article, great picture and loved the "plug" at the end. We LCBB have to stick together! Susann

GREAT JOB, MS DEB! SOOOOOOOO GLAD YOU WERE FEATURED & A GREAT BIG "THANK YOU" FOR MENTIONING LCBBuddies ... YOU GAVE US EXPOSURE & VALIDITY ... MAYBE THAT WILL ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN US. AS FOR ME, OUR LITTLE THURSDAY EVENING GATHERING IS A LIFELINE & A TIME TO JUST LAUGH & RELAX WITH OTHERS WHO KNOW WHERE EACH OF US IS "COMING FROM" ... &, REALLY CARES ABOUT US AS A PERSON & ABOUT OUR LIVES ... OUR SUCCESSES AS WELL AS OUR CHALLENGES. IT'S WONDERFUL NOW THAT WE ARE MEETING AT MS CHERYL'S PLACE BECAUSE WE CAN RELAX & KICK UP OUR HEELS WITHOUT WORRY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BOTHER ANYONE. (THANK YOU, MS CHERYL !). GOOOOOOOOOOOO LCBBuddies & HIP, HIP HURRAYYYYYYYYY TO MS DEBORAH FOR REPRESENTING "US" SO WELL!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

Hey Y'all, Can you fill me in a little more on what LCBB is? I am in Charleston- West Ashley- and have only lived here 16 months (a former "nawtherner" here). Meeting some new people, especially ones who have similar struggles like me, would be a blessing! And I don't work, so I can meet almost any time. My surgery date is April 24- 9 days to go! And I still need an ANGEL! Thanks, Christine

SURE, MS CHRISTINE ... LCBB = LOWCOUNTRY BYPASS BUDDIES ... IS A GROUP OF US "POUCH BABIES" (LAPBANDERS WELCOMED, OF COURSE) WHO GET TOGETHER EVERY THURSDAY EVENING, & CHECK UP ON ONE ANOTHER AS FRIENDS. OUR MEETINGS ARE VERY, VERY INFORMAL ... WE TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING ... IF SOMEONE TRIES A NEW PROTEIN PRODUCT, THEY BRING IN SAMPLES FOR EVERYONE ... QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED ... CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED ... BUT ALL IN A FRIENDLY SETTING INSTEAD OF A MEETING SETTING. WE MEET AT JC's BAR & GRILL ON ASHLEY PHOSPHATE ABOUT 3/4 THE WAY DOWN ASHLEY PHOSPHATE ON THE RIGHT IN A STRIP MALL WITH A FOOD LION IN IT ... DOWN FROM RIVERS GOING TOWARDS DORCHESTER ROAD. MS CHERYL OWNS IT & SHE HAS HAD RNY SO THAT MAKES IT WONDERFUL ... SHE HAS STEAK NIGHT, SO IF YOU'RE HUNGRY ... YOU CAN HAVE ONE OR ORDER OFF HER HIGH-PROTEIN MENU. OR, JUST COME & HAVE SOME TEA OR WATER ... WE LAUGH & ENCOURAGE & LAUGH SOME MORE ... I'M TRYING TO GET A DIRECTORY TOGETHER, BUT I RAN INTO SOME PERSONAL THINGS THAT I NEED TO DO SO THAT'S ON THE BACK BURNER FOR A LITTLE WHILE ... BUT, EVENTUALLY WE'LL HAVE A LIST OF E-MAILS, ADDRESSES & PHONE NUMBERS SO WE CAN STAY IN CONTACT ... & IF ANY OF US NEED SOMETHING, WE CAN CONTACT OTHERS IN THE GROUP. IT'S GOTTEN TO BE A FAIRLY TIGHT-KNIT GROUP WITH A LOT OF CLOSE, CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS GROWING OUT OF OUR MEETINGS. THERE ARE NO DUES, NO RULES, NO ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS ... WE'RE ALL JUST THERE TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER IN A COMFORTABLE, FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE. JOIN US ANY TIME ... BRING YOUR SPOUSE, FRIEND OR COME YOURSELF ... HOWEVER YOU ARE COMFORTABLE. GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

I am an employee of MUSC and also happen to be getting a lap Bypass May 12th. I was very inspired by this article. I'm originally from Scotland and I plan to send a copy home to reassure all my worried family and friends that I have chosen the right Doctor and Institution to perform the surgery. Lesley

YOU HAVE DEFINITELY CHOSEN THE BEST, MS LESLEY. WE ALLL LOVE DR B & HIS STAFF ... &, I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR BETTER CARE THAN I RECEIVED FROM THE NURSES & STAFF ON "BYRNE'S BOULEVARD". THEY WERE EVEN ATTENTIVE TO NICK, WHO STAYED WITH ME IN MY ROOM THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS AT MUSC. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SURGERY DATE, MS LESLEY ... WE ARE SOOOOO VERY EXCITED FOR YOU. YOUR FAMILY WILL COME AROUND ONCE YOU BEGIN TELLING THEM OF ALL THE POSITIVE CHANGES IN YOUR HEALTH & IN YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!! IT'S A SCAREY PROCEDURE SO THEIR REACTION IS TO BE EXPECTED! GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK