It's Been A While

So I forgot what my password is...and it took me a while to reset it. So far, i am doing okay with the lapband. I cannot wait for my first fill. I have no restriction at all. I can eat anything! Ahhhhhh! But I guess I should not be surprised. I have read in the forums that you wont feel restricted until a couple of fills. I have scheduled my first fill for June 2nd...I cannot wait!

My amazing support...

So, I decided not to tell my Mom and my sisters yet. The only one who knows it in my family is my amazing husband. How can I start to even describe how much I love him? I just adore and cherish him so much!!!

From the beginning, he had supported me. He never told me not to do it. He just made sure that it was a safe procedure. He was with me when I went to Mexico for the procedure. He prepares all my meals and get my lunch box ready before I get to work. When I get home, he has everything ready for me. Whenever I am down, he always tells me that I can do this. I just love him to death!!!

Day 12 Post-Op

Just an update!

4/21- We arrived from San Diego to Miami. Flight was no problem. No pain...honestly, just tired of liquids :) and I was just beginning! I keep telling myself...I can do this!!!

4/22 - We drove back to our house in Central Florida from my Mom's house in South Florida. The 5 hour drive was not a problem.

4/23 - I started creamy soups today. I had clam chowder soup in a can. I swear it was the best soup ever! hehehe....

4/24- I was back to work. 14 hour shift! Again, no pain except for the annoying left shoulder pain.

Today, 4/27. I am off today. I am feeling okay. I had an optometrist appt but after that I just rested. I cannot wait to go on solids. Be strong...be strong...be strong!

Today, I decided where I will go do my first fill. I will do it at St. Petersburg FillCenterUSA. It will probably the first week of June. A colleague of mine recommended Dr. Jawad in Ocala, but when I called today, they told me that they do accept Mexico patients but it would be $250 for initial consultation. Then, it would be $100 if I need an adjustment +$50 office visit. So just for the first fill, I am looking at $400 and they do not even use fluoroscopy. At St. Pete, I think it is $375 and they use fluoroscopy. Plus, I heard the they have a great staff. So, there it is, I made up my mind, it would be in St. Pete for my first fill.

My weight...Actually, I feel like smashing my weighing scale. I was at 196lbs the other day...I was loosing. Then, it went up! But why? I barely eat anything...maybe I was not getting enough protein? Maybe I am retaining water? Anyways, I was reading the forums and it seems to happen to a lot of bandster. I would just try not to use my scale everyday. Wish me luck!

5 Days post-Op

I am actually here in San Diego airport right now. We stayed here in San Diego for a couple of days after surgery. We toured the city and I really want to move here. What a beautiful city!

How am I feeling? - In terms of pain, there is not much except for once in a while when I feel some sharp pain at the incision site. I only feel weird when I am sitting down or laying down. While standing up, I feel fine. Gas? I don't have much...only once in a while. Bowel movement? Well, I don't feel constipated. I have moved bowels but very little. I am hungry! Post-op diet is a killer! Especially, I am in a place where they have my favorite Filipino foods! We have the nicest relatives here. By the way, no one knows about my surgery except my husband, one of my friends, and my supervisor at work. Anyways, my relatives took us around the city. They were so nice to take us to Harrahs Casino in Escondido. The buffet!!! Oh my goodness! I felt bad eating just the soup (especially it's an expensive buffet) but I was proud of my self not to eat anything. I had told them that I had a temporary tooth placed before my trip and I could not eat solid. This is actually not a lie. I did go to the dentist before my trip and I had a temporary tooth put in. They will put the actual crown when I get back so it was not 100% lie. The only lie is the food part because I was allowed to eat after the temporary tooth was put in. Everyday that we were here, they cooked such great meals. Oh man, it was tough! They were truly wondering if I was okay because I was not eating.

Okay, till next time again. Our flight is going to start boarding soon!

Suggestions of things to pack...

I knew I had questions on what things to bring with me to TJ. Here are some things in my carry-on suit case.

• OCC paperworks
• Passport (right now I don't think it is mandatory but starting June, I beleive it would be) and Driver's License
• cash - mostly singles and fives
• Pajamas
• Undies - the comfortable ones
• comfortable clothes - you really just need 2 sets of clothes because in the OCC, you will be wearing the clinic gown with the infamous paper undies
• comfortable shoes - I suggest just wearing sandals or flipflops because bending over after surgery is a task...plus when you are staying overnight at the OCC, it is just more convenient to just slip on your sandals
• toothbrush/toothpaste
• The hotels have toiletries but I still brought some but it's not necessary - Lucerna has Neutrogena toiletries (facial soap, boady soap, shampoo,conditioner, and lotion). They even provide toothpaste if you forget yours. If you do bring liquids in your carry-on remember the 3-1-1 (3 oz containers in 1 oz ziplocks, 1 per passenger) rule in the aiport.
• I brought my laptop - but OCC and the hotels have laptops for you to use. I just brought mine because I will be in San Diego for a couple of days after surgery.
• My cellphone - note: OCC has phones where you can use to call US for FREE
• chicken broth cubes
• packets of crystal light
• Gas-ex strips

Pack lightly. I just brough a carry-on and everything fit even though I will stay in San Diego for 3 days after TJ. Remember, when you cross the border to get back to the US, you have to lug your stuff around. And to tell you the truth, after surgery, you don't want to be carrying heavy items. If I remember something else, I will just edit this list later on.

Crossing the border...

It was truly a painless experience. I thought it would be a hassle to cross the Mexican-US border to get back to Cali but it was really fast. It took us about 10 minutes or maybe less. The van which Francisco, the driver, drives was inspected and me and my husband was escorted to go inside a building where they check our passport and ID's. We also had to take everything we had with us so they scan the contents of stuff. After getting out of the building, we just had to meet Francisco on the other side then off we go to the airport (actually, Francisco was nice enough to take us to the Enterprise rent-a-car place where we needed to be because we are staying in San Diego for a couple of days before heading home).

Day 3 of Surgery

Today will be the last day here in Tijuana. In fact, our shuttle will be picking us up at 8am in the lobby of the hotel. Yesterday, I arrived at the hotel at around 9am. I just showered then we headed to Revolution Avenue. Revolution Ave was really nothing spectacular. In fact, I did not even buy anything there. Well, let me correct that...I bought 3 keychains (3 for $1), 1 t-shirt for my hubby, and 1 bracelet. We also took a pic with BIMBO, the donkey. I will post the picture here as soon as we get back home and get to scan it. We also went to a restaurant. They serve buffet. Of course, only my husband ate. Before we headed back, we went to the KFC so we can get a togo meal for my husband for his dinner.

When we get back to the hotel, I just basically slept most of the day. I got a call from the OCC around 6pm that the shuttle will pick us up today at 8am at the lobby. The whole night,we just relaxed in the room and got a good night sleep.

This morning, when I woke up, I saw some blotches of blood on my shirt. I don't think my stiches are bleeding. It is just probably left over blood from the surgery (I hope). Anyways, until next time. Gotta get packing...

PS. Right now, I am not feeling any pain. Once in a while, it will come and go but I recommend for everyone to have plenty of rest so your body can recover. This is why I just stayed in bed most of the day yesterday :)

Flight, Surgery, and Post-op

So our flight from Miami to SanDiego was great. No delays, arrivals on time. Upon our arrival to San Diego airport, we headed to the baggage claim area. A driver from the OCC was upposed to be waiting for us there. He would be holding a sign with my name. We waited about 10 minutes and there he was. He informed us that we were waiting for one more patient, so we waited 10 more minutes before we headed to the airport parking lot where his van was parked. It was about a 30 minute drive from the Airport to Hotel Lucerna. I picked Lucerna because I read from others that it is the closest to the OCC. There is Dominos and Starbucks right across the street so this would be convenient for companions. The hotel also has great restaurants. My room overlooks the pool so it's a plus. We arrived at the hotel at 1030pm . The next day, we had to be at the hotel lobby at 7am. It was freezing, because they had an unexpected cold front. It must have been 40 degrees. The driver arrived almost close to 8am. Upon arrival to the OCC (which is about 10 blocks from the hotel), we were welcomed by the receptionist and given some paperwork. It was just basically a consent form. Shortly thereafter, I was called by Dr. Barajas, the dentist who did the complimentary dental exam. After Dr. Barajas, the dietician, Dr. Miranda, called us into the room (me and my husband) to discuss the post-diet instructions. She also took my height and weight. Then we are back to the waiting area. Then it is Dr. Jimenez turn. He checked my Pulmonary and Cardiovascular functions and everything was good to go.

After the pre-op, we were back to the waiting area for a short while then they called us to go in. Dr. So directed us to our Suite (Suite 5). It looks like a hotel room because you have the bed, sofa, a chair, and TV. It was a comfortable room. I think I like it even more than the room in Lucerna even thought it is half the size. Dr so instructed me to put on the hospital gown and the infamous paper underwear. He said as soon as I got dressed, open the door. Sweet nurse Carmelita then came and put my compression stockings. From someone so small and sweet, she's pretty strong!

While waiting in the suite, a couple more staff passed by to chat or offer assistance. One nurse gave me a fleece throw (even though there were already 2 in the room). Then Mrs. Ortiz, (dr. Ortiz's mom) came just to say hello. She's very sweet too. She just wants to say hello and to have a small chat. Then, Dr. Ortiz came and talked to me and my husband (nothing lap band related). He just wanted to know where we are from and he asked me how I found him. I told him that I was planning to do the surgery in the Philippines but when I found his website and I found out that he tought the Filipino doctors and even the American doctors about the lapband, I was sold. He asked me if I wanted to do an interview but I respectfully declined because right now, the only people who knows of my surgery is my husband and one of my friends.

After our chat with Dr. Ortiz, he said "you're next." So, another nurse put up and my IV and off I go to the surgery room. I don't know much about what happened. The only thing I know was that they injected this sedating drug in my IV and off I go to lala land. The next thing I know, I was back to my suite, all done! Besides being groggy from the sedation and a little sore, that's it. My husband stayed up to 4pm then the driver drove him back to the hotel.

While in the suite, I just watched TV. I walked some around the hall and met 2 more "lap bandees". The were both from Cali. I had a good night sleep. I woke up about twice and just watched TV. In the morning, nurse gave me my last dose of Zofran and tramadol. Then she took off my IV. She also took off my bandage from my abdominal area. They put that to avaoid hematomas of my incision sites. Dr. So came to look at my incisions and he said they were good. The nurse came again and gave my hot chicken broth. Then that was it. At about 8am, the told me to go back to the waiting area to await for my driver who will take me back to the hotel. I met some people in the waiting area getting ready to have their lap band surgery done. They are all from the US, 4 from Missouri and 1 from Tennesse, and another one (I forgot where she is from).

The receptionist gave me 4 pain meds just in case I feel pain and an ID that says I am a lapband patient. Then my driver came and off I go back to the hotel.

So that's it for now. I will update more as I go this journey. Time for a shower :)

Love, Michelle

My very first post...

First of all, thanks for reading. I am starting a blog to document my journey to lose weight Usually I write my blogs in my journals but it's time, I will be writing (or should I say, "typing") here.

My weight has always been a struggle to me. Even when I was young, I looked like a big round beach ball already. As I grew up, it was a constant struggle. I would lose the weight then it would come back. I've tried every diet possible. I've tried different weight loss products and programs. But, I seem to end up in the same place. It seemed to be a never ending cycle.

Last month, I had made one of the biggest decisions of my life. A decision that hopefully will help me with my weight loss struggle. I decided that I wanted to have a LAPBAND surgery. It was a pretty easy decision to make because to tell you the truth, I have been researching and wanting it for so long already but I never really had the financial means to do it. This is not to say that I have the money to do it now. The difference now is that I am finally out of school and I have a permanent job. Again, this does not mean that I paid for it in full. In fact, I paid for it with plastic (my credit card).

Also, since I just got of school and I do not have $30,000, in cash just laying around, I wanted to find a doctor who will not be so expensive and at the same time, a great doctor with a great reputation. This is how I found the OCC. IN the beginning, I was hesitant to book an appointment in Mexico but after reading tons and tons of testimonial about Dr. Ortiz, I knew I found my doctor. The OCC is located in Tijuana, just a short drive from San Diego. I am scheduled for my lapband on the 16th, just 1 day away. Here is our itinerary:

April 15 at 1:30 pm head to Miami International Airport (MIA) - My sis, Madelle is dropping us off. Our flight is not until 5pm but we will be there a little early because Madelle has to be work at 3pm. We have a stop over in Texas and we arrive in San Diego at 9:45pm.

Here are the instructions for my surgery:

Your appointment with Obesity Control Center is confirmed for 04-16-2009.
According to the information you have provided to us, this is your flight itinerary (if any):
Arrival information: Wed,Apr 15 9:28 PM, Continental 435 Departure information: Apr 18 , return to SD Airport
When you arrive at the San Diego airport please go to the baggage claim area where our driver will be waiting for you. He will be holding up a sign with your name on it and take you directly to the office or to the designated hotel.
If your appointment is for Lap Band Surgery, don't forget to fast 8 hours prior to your preoperative tests the day before your surgery (if it's earlier than noon) and on your surgery date and bring comfy clothes.

We are staying in Hotel Lucerna in Mexico. Here is the link to their site: http://www.hoteleslucerna.com/tijuana/index.php We had the choice to stay at the Marriott but from what I was reading, it was better to stay at Lucerna because of the proximity to the center and to everything else in Tijuana.

After the surgery, we plan to go to san Diego for a couple of days to relax. Anyways, I will try to update this about my lapband surgery as soon as I can.

For now, gotta get some rest. We have a flight to catch tomorrow (or I guess today since it's already almost 2am).

Love, Michelle