work_n_prgrss
August 06
I saw a lap band commercial today. What the heck is that? It looks very interesting. I wonder if it could be the thing to really work .....to really get the weight off for life. Hmmm....I think I will call the number. I call and the local bariatric clinic assigns you a seminar date. They do not answer any questions over the phone. So I sign up for the seminar.
September 06
I am very excited today. My husband has agreed to go to the lap band seminar with me. Its on a Friday night in another town. He works hard and by the end of the week its like pulling teeth to get him to do anything....not complaining...just am suprised he decides to go with me.
About the seminar.....
We go to the seminar and its absolutely packed. Most people are quite a bit larger than I am. But as they rattle off questions about their co-morbidities...or obesity related diseases to the doctor...I realize that I am in a crowd of my identical twins and feel sadly at home with everyone. I say sadly because my high blood pressure is one of my motivating factors in finding out about the lap band. The doctor does not have enough time to answer most of the questions. He gave a slide presentation about the gastric bypass surgery and the lap band surgery. He also showed a scary graphic of how obesity is spreading through the country like a plague. And that bariatric surgery is the only way to "cure" obesity for good. We fill out paperwork and wait to hear from someone fromt this clinic. We are told to be patient as it could take 2 weeks to hear back from them. Dont call them they will call you is the exact sentence used to close the seminar.
On the way home from the Seminar...........
My husband and I talk seriously about whether this is an option for me. He says he will support me if I do not consider Gastric bypass. He says that surgery scares him and he will not be a part of that. (not bashing RNY its just his feelings) So I say I understand and that I was interested in the Lap band anyway. I cry all the way home explaining to him how I am a failure and an embarrassment to him and our daughter for my obesity. He is distressed at my depression and agrees that if the price for the surgery is in our means to do it ...then we will do it.
2 Weeks go by.....I hear nothing....
I call the bariatric center of course waiting on pins and needles to find out the price of the surgery etc. I leave several messages and no calls are returned. I carry my cell phone with me everywhere so I will not miss the clinics phone call. While I am shopping in Dillards dept store....I run to the restroom and leave my cell phone with my mother and daughter on her stroller. The center calls me back then. So I call them instantly back and play phone tag with someone for days.
I decide to take matters into my own hands.....
I start researching lap band on the internet. I find OH and start lurking. I am suprised to find that the lap band surgery has been preformed in Mexico for years and that the doctors are very experienced down there. Infact most of these doctors have proctored or taught American doctors how to do the surgery. So I start researching even harder about Mexico docs and their reputations. I find one that stands out to me...Dr. Roberto Rumbaut. He has done over 4,500 lap band surgeries and has a band himself. I go to his website and contact his American office. The phone is answered immediately and Cathy the patient advocate answers all of my questions patiently and kindly. She has a band and was operated on by Dr. Rumbaut. Her before and after pics are on their website.
Meanwhile I hear back from the local clinic.....
I talk to the patient coordinator at the clinic that I have been wating to here back from and she is not knowledgeable or kind. She tells me the price of the surgery for a cash pay patient is around $20,000.00 dolllars. I am absolutely dumbfounded as I have researched the cash price in Mexico and its half that.
We decide Mexico is the answer for me and my Lap Band Journey......
I go ahead and schedule surgery with Dr. Rumbauts office. Work out the financial arrangements and find a friend who can go with me for the 5 days I will be in Mexico.
My Mexico Experience.....
All transportation is arranged for me as well as a very nice comfortable hotel. I do no driving at all while in Monterrey Mexico. After preop tests and several meetings with the doctor himself and his staff...I know tomorrow is the day ...I will be admitted to the hospital for this wonderful new beginning to my life. I weigh in at 240 lbs.
The hospital and the staff.....October 06
The hospital is clean and very hi tech. I actually have a suite with a beautiful mexican marble shower and flat screen t.v. I am admitted in about 20 minutes. I go straight to a changing room...then into pre op. I see many in preop who I have met at the hotel and are my lap band buddies. They give me the happy pill and I am off to dreamland........lah lah lah.
I wake up in recovery....wow....where am I?...(just kidding)
I am shuttled up to my room for the night. The nurses are very kind and accomodating. Dr. Rumbauts associates check on me several times during my 24 hours in the hospital...Next morning I go back to the hotel room. I stay 2 more nights at the hotel and the Dr. Rumbaut or his staff see me about 4 times in that time frame and check on me and the others. I am given the name of my aftercare surgeon who will treat me when I go back home.
Life after band......
The first two weeks I am not hungry...but I am hating the liquid diet. I survive and am onto mushies....mushies never tasted so good. Solid food is a wonderful thing and I vow to never take it for granted again.
My first fill........December o6
I meet my aftercare surgeon at my first fill appointment. He is very competent and has a straightforward way about him. I think he is fabulous and feel very fortunate to have him. He tells me right off the bat that I had one of the very best surgeons in the world do my band and I have gotten off to a great start in my lap band journey. The clinic I had orginally attendend the seminar at...refuses to see me for fills because I had surgery in Mexico. I had already done research and Dr. Rumbauts office had lined up my aftercare surgeon Dr. Billy...But I called them anyway just to see. I am feeling so very glad I did not get my surgery locally. After my fill I go to support group with Dr. Billy and his other patients...He is now responsible for me and I couldnt be happier. I do not feel restriction with my first fill.
2nd fill & support Group.....January 07
I see Dr. Billy and find that I have lost 8lbs and am flabbergasted. I never really felt restriction from my first fill and thought I might have even gained weight ....so I had avoided my scale. I get another fill and attend support group. I tell Dr. Billy I am frustrated with the no restriction thing.....He explains to me that we must creep up on fills and restriction. He says its like putting a rubber band on the tip of your finger and if you wind it to tight you would cut off blood flow to your fingertip. So our stomachs are like that. We must gently ease into restriction for our stomach health.
3rd Fill.......THE MONEY MAKER...March 07
I get my third fill and Dr.Billy is sure this one will be the one I have been waiting for since surgery. He is absolutely right. I have waited 6 months for this and I have the perfect restriction! I weigh in at 198lbs.
April 2007
I dont need a fill so I dont see Dr. Billy this month. But my restriction is perfect. I just have to relearn what doesnt want to go down well.
May 2007
I will see Dr. Billy on the 12, I am excited. My weight currently is 186lbs. I think he will be happy with my progress.
June 2007
I get another fill when I see Dr. Billy. When I asked how much he put in..he says, "I brought you up to what you had before". So it must have been a miniscule amount, I am at 2 cc's in my 4 cc band. I weigh in at 180lbs. This fill is perfect I have not slimed or pb'd since I got it one week ago. I still need to eat slowly and really chew my food, but I believe this is perfect restriction.
July 2007
No fill, I still have good restriction. I weigh in at 171lbs at the end of July.
Aug 2007
As I update my profile I realize its been a year since I saw the lap band commercial that started me on this journey. I cant believe it! Dr. Billy's wife had a baby...so he is not available in August...I will see him again in Sept. (On Aug-14: I weigh in at 166lbs.)
Sept 2007
I go for a fill and get a slight tweak. The water does not go down well so Dr. Billy actually gives me an unfill at the same visit. I probably have less in my band now, than when I came in initially.
Oct 2007
Its my official one year bandiversary!....still holding steady at 164lbs. Dr. Billy says I am an official lap band success. He knows I would like to lose 20 more pounds and tells me to be patient and that it will come off in time if I continue my good band habits. I do not get a fill this visit either.
January 2008
I still have restriction and have broken my plateau.....Goal weight here I come! I am exercising regulary now and feel better emotionally and physically.
December 2008
I have been at goal for about a year. I tinker with the idea or losing 10lbs or so. But life is good in size 10's!
