Hi Laura, I am driving by Long Beach on Saturday.....had to postpone my trip to Orange County by a few days.  Hope you have fun at the World Pole Dance Convention too. I'll wave when I go by LAX!

I went to the doctor early too....my appointment got changed and he approved me! I am really excited and happy, but now have to educate myself on the sleeve a little more. I said I would go with whatever he recommended and he said the sleeve would be better for me, because of the scar tissue from the band. He removed all of the fluid from the band yesterday and for the first time in 3-1/2 years I can swallow food without choking! Amazing...ha ha.

I know what you mean about "last meal" mode too...same here! My doctor warned me that I would be on liquid too for awhile.....that is all fine with me. Just want the sleeve to work. I can't go through all of this again!

Have a good time!

kelley

 Morning I wasn't able to take a shower till my drain was out so I am going to say no, but every place is different. I took with me to much stuff you will probably only need chapstick, a robe or pants for walking the halls, depending on if you are a sleeper maybe a good book or music, I love being online so a good phone or labtop but u probably won't use. toileterres if you want your own personal things but the hospital usually have them. good luck hun

"Thriving!" was just released a few weeks ago. I don't care for the analysis by the author but I'm enjoying all of the personal stories (even though I don't relate to many of them).

Hope you have a good time in the LBC tomorrow. Too bad it's not Thurs, I'll be off then (I'm going to the World Pole [Dance] Convention at LAX Fri-Sun and gave myself an extra day off).

Sorry your BMI is going up but that helps justify revision... silver lining? I hope your doc is like mine - very "oh, don't worry, we'll find a justification for insurance to cover the revision". My follow up is the 26th - I hope we both get good news that day!

I'm suddenly gaining weight too - I think my subconsous has gone into "last meal" mode. I didn't do that before band but I've been highly aware of the pending lifestyle change and suddenly eating like it's my life's purpose. I need to stop that BEFORE surgery (preferably before the liquid diet weeks [my surgeon requires 2 weeks of liquid pre-op]).

Good jujus and all that...
-effini/laura

Thought I'd update that my endocsopy went well and I was diagnosed with erosion and band slip. Combined with my continued 44 bmi, and new diagnosis of "Anteriolar Sclerosis Retinopthy" - which is an eye conditiion where diabetes and/or high blood pressure could lead to me going blind in my left eye - I think I'll be approved for band-to-sleeve revision... maybe having surgery by mid/late July.

I'm super nervous because I keep having this foreboding of something going wrong after surgery - complications or life threatening conditions or something. I hope it's just the jitters over the idea of radical overnight change of lifestyle; of not being able to use food for comfort & stress relief.

In happier thoughts, I've recently started boxing workout and I LOVE IT. And, despite being too out of shape to get back on a pole, I'll be at the World Pole Convention next weekend.

I'm currently reading "Thriving" and, once again, annoyed and the constant talk about obese people feeling hopeless and sad and worthless and anything else that is negative. Yes, I'm fat. Is that all I am? Hell no! I go clubbing, I have high self confidence, I excel at my job, and I live life fully (hell, I posed nude 2 years ago and had my photo in an LA gallery for 5 months). I hope I find at least one similar story in this book, which comes highly recommend in the WLS community.

And I guess I needed to mental dump. Sorry. But I hope you're doing well. Have you had your appt yet?

How long in the hospital, from the beginning to the end? (without complications)