DonnaMaria

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Post Date: 6/17/08 5:22 pm
Nannette,I agree with everyone & have nothing else to add other than HUGE HUGS to you!!!!
This was posted on BArix site the other day maybe it'll be a bit enlighteningIt was for me
 

Life Lessons

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone.  It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God.  He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.  But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

          But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.

          Don't save it for a special occasion.  Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone, everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.  Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.  Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms.  They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day.  Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

MeLinda

Post Date: 6/19/08 5:12 am
Last Edit: 6/19/08 5:20 am

Looking over some past postings, here is the best information I could find.

According to the following posting:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/NJ/a,messageboard/action,r eplies/board_id,4833/cat_id,4433/topic_id,3564850/ 

Englewood Hospital in Englewood use to have them.  Not sure if they still do.  Use to be on a Tuesday once a month.  201-894-3000 .. (thanks to Hessie28) .. 

According to the following posting:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/NJ/a,messageboard/action,r eplies/board_id,4833/cat_id,4433/topic_id,3575504/

Support Group at Hackensack Hospital .  It meets the first Thursday of the month from 6:30 - 8:00 PM The group is run by Annette Wasielewski, the Nurse Bariatric Coordinator for Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMED   .. (thanks to Plum1967) 

Valley meeting, from what I recall, they meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month starting at 6:00 PM and running for about an hour and a half.  They meet at the Kraft Center building on Essex Road ...  I think it is - off ofCenturty Road ...  I dont' know how familiar you are with the area, but it is not too far from Route 17. Their meeting is run by a gentleman names Gio ... (thanks to Plum1967) 

I know there is a group that meets at Morristown Memorial Hospital . The meeting is the second Tuesday of each month.  Here is their link:

http://www.morristownmemorialhospital.org/en/morristown/serv ices/bariatric+surgery/classes+and+support+groups.html

and a group meets every 4^th Thursday at Saint Clare’s in Dover . Gastric Bypass patients meet between 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.. Banded patients meet 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m..  Here is their link:

http://www.saintclares.org/stclares/services/services_ak/CWL S1/CWLS_Support_Groups.asp

I also know that my Doctor’s group holds meeting at their office. There is one that “hosted” by Doctor Garrison, and the other is “hosted” by Doctors Bertha/Abkin. I think the Abkin/Bertha meetings are the last Thursday of the month. I am not sure when Doctor Garrison’s meetings are. I believed they are open to anyone, but I could be wrong. It would be best to call them. Here is their website: http://www.advancedlaparoscopicsurgeons.com/

 I would love to know about the one held in Fairfield . If anyone can send information concerning that I would be greatly appreciated. 

 That’s all I am aware of. Hope this was helpful 

 

 

 

 

 

When I got the band I did not believe my Dr. that the band was 1 to 2 lbs. a week loss. I was however very fortunate that I lost 65 lbs. in seven months. I lost 85 lbs. so far and I am one year and seven months out. Okay now the point of all this?

I know that I would be on the gaining side already if I had the gastric. Eating slow and having to eat slow saves me a lot of calories. I recently gained 8 lbs. and because I was almost empty went in for a re-fill. Being able to go in for a re-fill is great because it restricts you but I also think it gives you hope; knowing you still have a working tool. I can't tell you how many gastric patients say they aren't sure their pouch is small enough anymore.

I personally like that I am a work in progress and know it would be VERY scary for me to loose the weight so quick and then try to maintain it. When they (gastric) patients loose weight that fast how much can they learn about eating habits?

I think the people that have the band and do well will more than likely maintain their weight loss better than gastric patients. It will be interesting to see how it plays out over the next few years in trials. 

Donna

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/LapBand/action,replies/board_id,5359/cat_id,4959/topic_id,3566894/a,messageboard/

Gail,
     Hi. It was great to see you and I am sorry I haven't sent you this information sooner. Here is some information regarding my journey to WLS (weight loss surgery):
     The minute I read about weight loss surgery I knew I would consider having it. I met with my first bar iatric surgeon in 2001. I was only 50 lbs. overweight when I met the bar iatric surgeon and I have to admit I thought I was being a bit drastic. Later that year I mentioned my visit to my cardiologist thinking he too would think surgery was drastic and to my surprise he not only thought it was a good idea he was willing to get the process started.
Five years later and 50lbs more I met with Dr. Ibrahim the surgeon that did my Lap-band surgery. To be honest I would have had the surgery sooner but felt that unless I had some severe medical condition I thought the risk wasn't worth it. Well in 2006 I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and my blood pressure was out of control. When I discussed WLS in 2001 Kurt would not even talk about it and even with all my medical problems in 2006 he was not willing to discuss the possibility of surgery. So, without my husband's blessing I started the process of having WLS.  I was approved the first time they called the insurance company. I started having all the tests done for my surgery but the entire time I have to admit I was apprehensive. I kept thinking, "Maybe I can take the weight off on my own". What made me think that after 30 years of trying to loose weight I was going to finally go on a diet and loose weight now? Although they said I could have the surgery immediately I told Kurt that they had said I couldn't have it until September. I figured I had two months to loose weight on my own and if I did I wouldn't have the surgery and if I didn't I would have the surgery. I guess you know what happened. Not only didn't I loose weight, I gained 5 lbs. They call that the "last meal syndrome" because many people feel they better eat now because they won't be able to in the future. 
     Because Kurt was not receptive about the surgery I didn't talk about it alot. I am so glad I didn't tell alot of people. The problem with telling people is that you are set up for failure in so many ways. First of all the few people I did tell would look me up and down like they were assessing how much weight I lost. Second of all people will say things like, "oh my cousin had that and he can only eat a couple tablespoons of soup" or "my neighbor had that and he throws up all the time". That kind of help you don't need. The other problem is that most people do not understand the difference between lap band and gastric bypass. Gastric bypass patients loose very quickly because the pouch they make is only capable of holding a couple of tablespoons in the beginning. Gastric patients also have malabsorbtion if they eat say 100 calories they are only absorbing 60 of them. Lap band patients have a smaller stomach after surgery but it needs to be fine tuned with adjustments for optimum weight loss results.  I have lost 85 lbs and lost all of that weight within the first year. I would like to loose another 20 lbs but if I don't I would consider my surgery a huge success!
   Since my surgery I have stayed the same weight for a year (who knew?).  My sleep apnea is gone and my blood pressure medication has been cut in half. I tell people if I had to go into the hospital and have the surgery every month to keep the band I would do that. Now I have not had any complications but I do get things stuck quite a bit. I eat too fast and don't chew my food well enough. I am learning to eat slow but old habits die hard. If we went out to dinner you wouldn't know I had WLS. I eat just like other people I just eat more like a thin person. The other night we went out and I had two shrimp, a dinner salad with dressing on the side and 1 1/3 cup of penne vodka. Now it wasn't very dietetic but it isn't anywhere near what I would have eaten before. The lap band is a tool and a very good tool at that.
     If your husband has any questions please have him call me. My cell is _ _ _ _ _ _ _. My surgeon’s information is at the bottom of the page. I really liked Englewood Hospital .  I know two people that used Dr. Ibrhaim and they both were extremely happy with him and his staff. If you do call him ask for Lana and tell her I sent you. Darien is the insurance contact and they will work with any insurance.

 

 

 

 

http://bestbariatricdocs.com/bariatricourteamdribrahim.asp

 

 

 

 

Gail,
     Hi. It was great to see you and I am sorry I haven't sent you this information sooner. Here is some information regarding my journey to WLS (weight loss surgery):
     The minute I read about weight loss surgery I knew I would consider having it. I met with my first bar iatric surgeon in 2001. I was only 50 lbs. overweight when I met the bar iatric surgeon and I have to admit I thought I was being a bit drastic. Later that year I mentioned my visit to my cardiologist thinking he too would think surgery was drastic and to my surprise he not only thought it was a good idea he was willing to get the process started.
Five years later and 50lbs more I met with Dr. Ibrahim the surgeon that did my Lap-band surgery. To be honest I would have had the surgery sooner but felt that unless I had some severe medical condition I thought the risk wasn't worth it. Well in 2006 I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and my blood pressure was out of control. When I discussed WLS in 2001 Kurt would not even talk about it and even with all my medical problems in 2006 he was not willing to discuss the possibility of surgery. So, without my husband's blessing I started the process of having WLS.  I was approved the first time they called the insurance company. I started having all the tests done for my surgery but the entire time I have to admit I was apprehensive. I kept thinking, "Maybe I can take the weight off on my own". What made me think that after 30 years of trying to loose weight I was going to finally go on a diet and loose weight now? Although they said I could have the surgery immediately I told Kurt that they had said I couldn't have it until September. I figured I had two months to loose weight on my own and if I did I wouldn't have the surgery and if I didn't I would have the surgery. I guess you know what happened. Not only didn't I loose weight, I gained 5 lbs. They call that the "last meal syndrome" because many people feel they better eat now because they won't be able to in the future. 
     Because Kurt was not receptive about the surgery I didn't talk about it alot. I am so glad I didn't tell alot of people. The problem with telling people is that you are set up for failure in so many ways. First of all the few people I did tell would look me up and down like they were assessing how much weight I lost. Second of all people will say things like, "oh my cousin had that and he can only eat a couple tablespoons of soup" or "my neighbor had that and he throws up all the time". That kind of help you don't need. The other problem is that most people do not understand the difference between lap band and gastric bypass. Gastric bypass patients loose very quickly because the pouch they make is only capable of holding a couple of tablespoons in the beginning. Gastric patients also have malabsorbtion if they eat say 100 calories they are only absorbing 60 of them. Lap band patients have a smaller stomach after surgery but it needs to be fine tuned with adjustments for optimum weight loss results.  I have lost 85 lbs and lost all of that weight within the first year. I would like to loose another 20 lbs but if I don't I would consider my surgery a huge success!
   Since my surgery I have stayed the same weight for a year (who knew?).  My sleep apnea is gone and my blood pressure medication has been cut in half. I tell people if I had to go into the hospital and have the surgery every month to keep the band I would do that. Now I have not had any complications but I do get things stuck quite a bit. I eat too fast and don't chew my food well enough. I am learning to eat slow but old habits die hard. If we went out to dinner you wouldn't know I had WLS. I eat just like other people I just eat more like a thin person. The other night we went out and I had two shrimp, a dinner salad with dressing on the side and 1 1/3 cup of penne vodka. Now it wasn't very dietetic but it isn't anywhere near what I would have eaten before. The lap band is a tool and a very good tool at that.
     If your husband has any questions please have him call me. My cell is 201-755-7959. My surgeon’s information is at the bottom of the page. I really liked Englewood Hospital . Valley has Dr. Davis who is very good but his office is so busy that I don't see how they can properly do after care on so many patients. Dr. Schmitt is very good and he is out of Hackensack but because my mother died at Hackensack hospital that wasn't an option. I know two people that used Dr. Ibrhaim and they both were extremely happy with him and his staff. If you do call him ask for Lana and tell her I sent you. Darien is the insurance contact and they will work with any insurance.

 

 

http://bestbariatricdocs.com/bariatricourteamdribrahim.asp

 

 

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups diced plum tomato (about 6)
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring occasionally. Combine beef mixture, tomato, and next 6 ingredients (through broth) in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Uncover; cook 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in salt.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 291(19% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 1.9g,mono 2g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 34g; CHOLESTEROL 49mg; CALCIUM 92mg; SODIUM 752mg; FIBER 8.9g; IRON 4.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.2g
Cooking Light

2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles
1.5 pounds of chicken (I used boneless, skinless thighs, and I think I had a little more than 1.5 pounds in the package)
1 onion, diced (not too small of pieces though)
1 can of sweet corn
12 ounces of chicken stock (or. recipe called for a bottle of beer, I didn't want to add the calories)
1 can of black beans
1 can of chili beans (in my opinion it could of used more beans)
a package of taco seasoning
my add: 2 cloves of minced garlic

Add everything except chicken and mix together well. Place chicken on top of mixture and push down to just cover chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours

After 5 hours, take out chicken pieces and shred into smaller pieces, I left the chunks bigger than shredded for fajitas. Add chicken back to soup and mix.

Cook 2 more hours on low. Top with cheddar and sour cream (light/fat free is just as good).

Original recipe also says to top with tortilla chips, but again, didn't want the extra calories.

It was the best thing I've had in a long while, just fabulous!

http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/tantrica/

10 Important Rules Here are ten rules for eating, drinking, and exercise that will help you to achieve your goals. How willing you are to follow a new way of eating is important in making the operation a success: 1 Eat only three small meals a day 2 Eat slowly and chew thoroughly (approximately 15 to 20 times per bite of food). 3 Stop eating as soon as you feel full. 4 Do not drink while you are eating. 5 Avoid snacking between meals. 6 Eat only nutritious food. 7 Avoid fibrous food. 8 Drink enough fluids during the day. 9 Drink only low-calorie liquids. 10 Exercise at least 30 minutes per day.

Rule 1: Eat only three small meals a day. The Lap-Band creates a small stomach pouch that can hold only about half a cup (3 to 4 ounces) of food. If you try to eat more than this at one time you may become nauseous or vomit. If you routinely eat too much, the small stomach pouch may stretch. This may reduce the effectiveness of the operation. Frequent vomiting can also cause certain complications, such as slippage of the band. You need to learn how much your stomach pouch can hold comfortably and then not exceed this amount. Rule 2: Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Food can pass through the new stoma only if it has been chopped into small pieces and chewed well. Remember to take at least 20 minutes or more to eat each meal and chew your food very well. Rule 3: Stop eating as soon as you feel full. Once the part of the stomach above the band is full, your body receives a signal that you have eaten enough. At first you may not recognize this feeling. It takes time for you to become aware of this signal. If you hurry your meal, you may eat more than you should. This can lead to nausea and vomiting. This is an important part of adjusting to the Lap-Band. Rule 4: Do not drink while you are eating. If you drink at mealtimes, the food you have eaten becomes liquid and will pass through the band quickly. This causes the effectiveness of the Lap-Band surgery to be reduced. You should not drink anything for an hour after each meal. That way you can keep the feeling of fullness as long as possible. Rule 5: Do not eat between meals. Try to avoid snacking or grazing in between meals. If you feel the need to have a snack, it should be a low calorie and healthy choice. Unhealthy high calorie snacks are a major cause of inadequate weight loss after Lap-Band surgery. It is very important to break this habit. Patients with proper "fill" levels do not feel hungry in between meals. If you feel hungry early after a meal, you may need an adjustment to the band. Rule 6: Eat only nutritious food. With the Lap-Band in place, you should be able to eat only a small amount; so the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your small stomach pouch with "junk" food that lacks vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in protein and vitamins. Fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, and cereals are good foods to choose. Foods high in fat and sugar are not. You may eat fruit, but try to avoid fruit juices because they are high calorie liquids. Rule 7: Avoid fibrous food. Food such as asparagus and celery contain many fibers which can block the channel across the band. This is because you can't chew this food well enough to break it up into small pieces and your saliva can't break it down. These foods should be well cooked and then you should chew them well to avoid blockage of the stoma. Rule 8: Drink enough fluids during the day. If you lose weight, your fat content will drop producing waste products. You will need to drink adequate amounts of liquid every day in order to urinate more and excrete these waste products from your body. Individual needs will vary, but you should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Remember: you should only drink water, tea, or coffee (without cream or sugar). Also, keep your food and drinks completely separate during the day. Rule 9: Drink only low-calorie liquids. Drinks, including those containing calories, simply run through the narrow outlet created by the band. Ice cream, chocolate, milk shakes and alcohol are examples of high calorie liquids. If you drink excessive liquids high in calories, you will not lose as much weight as desired, even if you otherwise eat carefully. We also recommend that you avoid diet soft drinks. They can lead to a strong desire to consume sugar or other high calorie foods. Rule 10: Exercise at least 30 minutes per day. Physical exercise consumes energy and burns calories. This is very important to successful weight loss. Calorie restriction leads to weight loss and exercise helps maintain the weight loss. Exercise will help you get closer to your ideal weight. Exercise can also help improve your mental and physical health. Your excess weight may make it more challenging for you to exercise as much as you should. Aqua-fit programs or swimming are an ideal way to burn calories without adding stress to joints. This is a good way to get started on an exercise program. The more weight you lose, the easier it should get. Start with simple exercises, such as walking and swimming. Gradually expand your program to include more vigorous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging, and aerobics.

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