Hi Linda!!! it's great to see you!!! and i thought the same thing, when Jessi said that she was coming all the way down HERE for the surgery. SOOO, i went into obesity help to see what the deal was with Boston - and no one does the DS in Boston! i was VERY VERY surprised to see that.

Greenbaum was one of the first fellows trained in this - i had to check!!!! - and he's published, and is active in ASMBS, and gives outcomes presentations. so i'm figuring that Jessi's in good hands here.

and isn't this BIZARRE??? that there's something that HARVARD doesn't do?????

Jiff,
I am NOT suprised. We have EXCELLENT medical care here in Boston but I have found that for the very special surgeries in personal care, WLS and plastics, that there is a far better market in NY than in Boston. many people are willing to travel there for surgery. Boston draws from all over northern new england where NY draws from a much much larger population and wealthier community making a better place to practice some of the specific surgeries.

I am glad J is in good hands, i wish her all the best in her journey and all the ladies here (men too). It can be so hard to make the choice, with all of the outside influances, family friends and anyone else that gets into your head. for me it was one of the reasons I got fat, I let everyone else make me feel bad about me and I wanted to make them all happy, it took into my late 30's to relize that the power belonged to me, i could't make everyone happy and most of all i was making me unhappy.

As i shared with Jiffy, I had plastic surgery, over the over the kids christmas break. I went in for a consult for a TT but decided the recoup on lipo would be easier over all and I really just wanted to look better and feel better in my cloths. I told a few friends, one thought I was crazy, others were envoius, but I never told my family, and frankly have no intentions of telling them any time soon. I did not tell my kids either, I just said I had girl surgery and that was enough for them (ok I have 2 boys so it was enough to send them running)

My husband was not really on board for this. he loved me the way I was, but I needed this for me. I finally had to say to him, I did not need his permission, what I needed was his help and if he did not feel he could help me I would make arrangements for finding someone who could. I think he did not want to apear to be that big an ***, so he was a great help when knew it was a go with or with out him.

Chosing your Dr./procedure is about what is most comfortable to you, and making an informed choice is never a bad thing. Ultimately you don't have to spend the rest of your life hating yourself because it pleases other people.

Thanks for letting me participate in your forum, I read it all the time and I admire all of you who have chosen to have surgeries and even those that have not.

be well my friends and happy living!

Great attitude about your TT Linda! I'm not surprised your husband got on board about the whole thing after he saw how committed you were to it.

I bet you look and feel fabulous!

The Phantom Lurker,
Chickadee

Good to see you Chikadee! how are you! it has been a while since I have seen you around, I hope you are still doing well and still happy with your WLS...

I am 5 weeks out from Lipo of flanks, upper/lower abs and bra roll, feeling great about my body, which has been a long time coming, maybe ever? my cloths fit, I can wear a dress, which I honestly have not worn a skirt or a dress in well forever because of the muffin top. I hope to be healed by summer (4m-1 year is what most Dr's say) as for looking great, I think that is always a work in progress :-)

be well!

At some point I want a tummy tuck and probably some lipo. Of course, i would have to be closer to goal weight to do it. I would love to wear a dress, but the tummy just looks goofy when I wear one!

As far as WLS, I don't regret it, but am obviously not where I wanted to be at this point. I think it worked, but I haven't always worked it! Overall though, I am much healthier and happier than I was before surgery, so I'm glad I did it. I think I like food too much to ever be really skinny .

At 51, I'm still a work in progress too and will be til the day I die. Nice to see you!

The Chick

it's great to see you both around here!!!!!!

Hi all!
I tried to respond earlier but my internet tanked so here I am again! I decided on the DS because it seems to be the one with good long term results and doesn't have as many life changing side effects. I found Dr. Greenbaum and decided I liked his experience. I'll probably drive down - feel like company Jiff? LOL I have no idea when this might take place. I wanted to have another child but my husband is scared to death that we can't afford 2 kids. I also think he has some fears that when I lose the weight he might lose me. Not something he should really worry about.

I told one friend, the only one I thought would be supportive, my "thin" friend as my DH calls her. She has never had a weight problem but I knew she wouldn't do the negative response thing that happens when you tell your fat friends you're going to change your life or when you lose weight. She was great and it felt so good to talk to someone about it who was actually listening to my concerns and hopes and not telling me to diet and exercise more because this time of course it will work. I know that my DH will fall into line once I talk to the doctor and he sees that this is actually healthier then staying the way I am now.

L - thats awesome about being able to wear a dress and feeling great about your body! Congrats!

Congratulations on making the big decision!! How exciting that you have an appointment scheduled.

Personally, I would wait until you've had the baby and you are done breastfeeding before going for the surgery. I'm so sorry to hear about your MC. I know that can make the whole process of trying to get pregnant again so scary and stressful. Do you think that money is the real reason why your husband is worried about having another child - or is it possibly connected to the pain of losing your child in August?

If his concerns truly are financial, I'd remind him that there is almost never an "ideal time" to have a child. Seriously. If everyone waited until things were perfect before having kids, no one would ever have kids. Most of the time, it's a fear of "what ifs" -- and those will never go away. So if you both really desire another child, i bet you can find a way for it to work financially.

I'm sending you lots of fertile vibes and I wish you all the best! What an exciting time in your life!

OMG, MAMA!!!! that's what my mother used to say - 'if everyone waited to have children until they were 'ready,' it will never happen - there's never a perfect time!!' and mom ended up with 4 of us.

LOL!!! I guess it's a very motherly thing to say.