Hey guys! Just wanted to give you a heads’ up on our upcoming Portland Baltasar Support Group Meeting.
We’re going to have our regular support group meeting at Cedar Mill Bible Church (12208 NW Cornell Road, Portland, OR 97229; room P201 – it’s upstairs – look for the elevator and we’re just around the corner across from the restrooms and water fountain.
Since it’s December this next meeting we’re going to have a white elephant gift exchange at lunch. We’re gonna go to Happy Panda Chinese Restaurant (http://www.happypanda.com/) at 1:00 pm. Their address is:
1415 NW 185th Ave
(corner of Walker Rd)
Aloha, OREGON
Ph: (503) 690-2753
I need to know if you’re planning on joining us for lunch – they have a separate room they can reserve for us if we have enough people. Last time we met there there were about 45 of us and it was a great space. RSVP to me here or via email (dinacmcb@comcast.net) or my cell phone via call or text – 503.887.6147.
The rules on the white elephant gift exchange follow:
RULES FOR WHITE ELEPHANT EXCHANGE
1. It is more fun if the value is less than $20. Some people will ignore this and spend a lot more money hoping to impress everyone with their gift. It won't work. Gather these gifts together in a big pile.
2. Count how many people are in your exchange and write numbers from one to your total on slips of paper. Toss them in sack and shake them up to randomize them. Have all the players draw numbers and then form a circle around the packages in numerical order.
3. In order, each person should walk forward and choose a gift which they then open and show to the whole group.
4. When all gifts are open, the exchange begins. In numerical order, each person will get to exchange their gift for any other gift. They do not have to exchange if they like what they have. If they do choose to exchange, this allows the person they just exchanged with to switch with someone else. This series of exchanges goes on for 30 seconds. Whatever people are holding at the end of the 30 seconds is the gift they have going into the next turn.
5. Hiding your gift or in any way stopping someone from taking it is cheating and everyone who does it is a dirty rotten cheater who should be banned from the game next year.
6. After the highest number goes, whatever gift everyone has is the gift they get in the exchange. This usually result in one happy person and lots of disgruntled people. The perfect way to celebrate Christmas!
I’m not so sure I like the way explain the process – number 4 seems kinda iffy – we usually open them one at a time and then exchange as we go along. Suffice it to say we may change our minds between now and the actual exchange!
Should be fun!
Hugs,
dina
Open BPD/DS July 2, 2002
Revision: Lap Re-sleeve November 10, 2008
Dr. Aniceto Baltasar in Alcoy, Spain
Read my story at: http://www.duodenalswitch.com/Patients/Dina/dina.html
See my photos in the Photo Gallery at http://www.bodybybaltasar.com/
See my ObesityHelp profile at: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/dinamcb/
http://livingthedslife.blogspot.com/
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Beaverton Support Group Meeting
Just a reminder - the Beaverton Support Group meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. That's October 8th - a week from this coming Wednesday!
We meet for dinner first for anyone who is able to join us. This month we'll be going to:
Beaverton Community Center
12350 Southwest 5th Street
Beaverton, OR 97005
You can easily find it by going to the corner of SW 5th and SW Hall across from the Beaverton Public Library. The meeting starts at 7:00 PM and goes until 8:50 PM.
Also, many people use the meeting as a place to bring and exchange clothing, so feel free to bring clothes you no longer fit in.
If you have any questions, please contact Helen McCann at 503-230-0560 (home and office phone) or 971-998-7840 (cell phone), or via email at h_mccann@comcast.net and helen@hmccanncpa.com .
We meet for dinner first for anyone who is able to join us. This month we'll be going to:
Azteca
www.aztecamex.com
10505 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy
Beaverton, OR 97005(503) 643-8269
After dinner, you can find us at:
Beaverton Community Center
12350 Southwest 5th Street
Beaverton, OR 97005
You can easily find it by going to the corner of SW 5th and SW Hall across from the Beaverton Public Library. The meeting starts at 7:00 PM and goes until 8:50 PM.
Also, many people use the meeting as a place to bring and exchange clothing, so feel free to bring clothes you no longer fit in.
If you have any questions, please contact Helen McCann at 503-230-0560 (home and office phone) or 971-998-7840 (cell phone), or via email at h_mccann@comcast.net and helen@hmccanncpa.com .
Friday, September 19, 2008
Welcome!
We're so glad you found our blog! It's been quite a journey for us... Maybe we should start at the beginning and introduce us!
We are three WLS post-ops who lead separate support groups in the greater Portland area, who have a passion to see a more cohesive, informed, proactive, educated WLS community.
Dina McBride is the Patient Support Coordinator for Dr. Aniceto Baltasar. Her open BPD/DS surgery was performed by Dr. Baltasar on July 2, 2002 in Alcoy, Spain. Her weight at the time of surgery was 365 pounds with a BMI of 64. She had out-of-control diabetes (on five oral medications) with fasting blood sugars regularly in the high 200’s and low 300’s; stroke-level hypertension (on four oral medications), severe obstructive sleep apnea that prevented her from laying down at all (use of a c-pap at maximum setting was completely ineffective), severe chronic GERD (on two medications), stress incontinence, etc. Due to severe degenerative joint disease standing for more than 30 seconds was an impossibility. In the 9 months prior to her DS she underwent two knee surgeries due to damage to her knees, and for nearly 2 years prior to her DS she was wheelchair-bound.
Since her DS surgery six years ago she has been free of diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, GERD, stress incontinence, a couple of hundred pounds, and from early on post-op - her wheelchair. She has current pictures posted here. Interestingly enough, Dina’s husband John is also a BPD/DS post-op, and their son is a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy post-op.
Since her own surgery she has been acting as a leading support person to other Baltasar patients in a variety of capacities. Her official title is now “Baltasar Patient Coordinator” - offering assistance with a wide array of tasks, including providing research tools toward making a decision for or against surgery, answering questions pertaining to traveling internationally for surgery, facilitating online and in-person support groups, assisting patients with tracking their post-op labs and interpreting results, as well as consulting on appropriate diet and supplementation for post-ops.
She can be reached at 503.887.6147 or dinacmcb@comcast.net
Helen McCann is the Beaverton, Oregon Support Group Facilitator. Helen had weight loss surgery in November of 2002 in San Francisco. After several years of health problems, including two broken ankles, and treatment for breast cancer, her weight was totally out of control. She was unable to walk without the use of a cane, and was in constant and severe pain. Her BDP/DS surgery was performed by Drs. Jossart and Feng of Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco. Her starting weight was 350 pounds, with a BMI of 55 – defined by the medical community as super-morbidly obese. Before surgery, she suffered from a number of co-morbidities, including asthma, severe acid reflux, stomach ulcers, severe osteoarthritis in all major joints, sleep apnea, uncontrolled high blood pressure, uncontrolled high cholesterol, pre-diabetic blood sugar levels, etc.
Helen is a local CPA owning an operating her own home based business for the last 20 years. At 6 years post-op, the majority of her pre-surgery health problems have been resolved by weight loss. She now weighs 185 pounds and is no longer obese. She loves to walk, hike, bike, and is an avid gardener. She lives happily with her pets – Blue the cat and Muffin the dog. She has been coordinator of the Beaverton WLS support group for several years. She can be reached at 503-230-0560 (home and office phone) or 971-998-7840 (cell phone), or via email at h_mccann@comcast.net and helen@hmccanncpa.com.
Lee McKibbin is the Pacific Laparoscopy Support Group Facilitator for the Portland, OR/ Vancouver, WA area.
Lee’s struggle with weight began in her mid 20’s. Each loss of weigh was followed by the subsequent weight regain plus more. When her weight reached 280+ pounds with a BMI of 48, she knew it was time for a permanent solution. After researching all types of weight loss surgery she chose to have a Lap DS. Surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Rabkin of Pacific Laparoscopy in September of 2003.
Two years after her WLS, Lee traveled to Vitoria, Brazil for her reconstructive surgery with Dr. Fabio Zamprogno.
Today, Lee coordinates the WLS Support Group for Pac Lap in the hope of offering a place where both the pre-op and the post-op patient can go for information and support.
Lee can be reached at 360-260-7447 or by email at grammylee@comcast.net
We hope you'll check back here often - we hope to post pertinent information about upcoming conferences, developments in the field of bariatrics, and want to welcome any questions you might have about WLS and support in general!
We are three WLS post-ops who lead separate support groups in the greater Portland area, who have a passion to see a more cohesive, informed, proactive, educated WLS community.
Dina McBride is the Patient Support Coordinator for Dr. Aniceto Baltasar. Her open BPD/DS surgery was performed by Dr. Baltasar on July 2, 2002 in Alcoy, Spain. Her weight at the time of surgery was 365 pounds with a BMI of 64. She had out-of-control diabetes (on five oral medications) with fasting blood sugars regularly in the high 200’s and low 300’s; stroke-level hypertension (on four oral medications), severe obstructive sleep apnea that prevented her from laying down at all (use of a c-pap at maximum setting was completely ineffective), severe chronic GERD (on two medications), stress incontinence, etc. Due to severe degenerative joint disease standing for more than 30 seconds was an impossibility. In the 9 months prior to her DS she underwent two knee surgeries due to damage to her knees, and for nearly 2 years prior to her DS she was wheelchair-bound.
Since her DS surgery six years ago she has been free of diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, GERD, stress incontinence, a couple of hundred pounds, and from early on post-op - her wheelchair. She has current pictures posted here. Interestingly enough, Dina’s husband John is also a BPD/DS post-op, and their son is a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy post-op.
Since her own surgery she has been acting as a leading support person to other Baltasar patients in a variety of capacities. Her official title is now “Baltasar Patient Coordinator” - offering assistance with a wide array of tasks, including providing research tools toward making a decision for or against surgery, answering questions pertaining to traveling internationally for surgery, facilitating online and in-person support groups, assisting patients with tracking their post-op labs and interpreting results, as well as consulting on appropriate diet and supplementation for post-ops.
She can be reached at 503.887.6147 or dinacmcb@comcast.net
Helen McCann is the Beaverton, Oregon Support Group Facilitator. Helen had weight loss surgery in November of 2002 in San Francisco. After several years of health problems, including two broken ankles, and treatment for breast cancer, her weight was totally out of control. She was unable to walk without the use of a cane, and was in constant and severe pain. Her BDP/DS surgery was performed by Drs. Jossart and Feng of Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco. Her starting weight was 350 pounds, with a BMI of 55 – defined by the medical community as super-morbidly obese. Before surgery, she suffered from a number of co-morbidities, including asthma, severe acid reflux, stomach ulcers, severe osteoarthritis in all major joints, sleep apnea, uncontrolled high blood pressure, uncontrolled high cholesterol, pre-diabetic blood sugar levels, etc.
Helen is a local CPA owning an operating her own home based business for the last 20 years. At 6 years post-op, the majority of her pre-surgery health problems have been resolved by weight loss. She now weighs 185 pounds and is no longer obese. She loves to walk, hike, bike, and is an avid gardener. She lives happily with her pets – Blue the cat and Muffin the dog. She has been coordinator of the Beaverton WLS support group for several years. She can be reached at 503-230-0560 (home and office phone) or 971-998-7840 (cell phone), or via email at h_mccann@comcast.net and helen@hmccanncpa.com.
Lee McKibbin is the Pacific Laparoscopy Support Group Facilitator for the Portland, OR/ Vancouver, WA area.
Lee’s struggle with weight began in her mid 20’s. Each loss of weigh was followed by the subsequent weight regain plus more. When her weight reached 280+ pounds with a BMI of 48, she knew it was time for a permanent solution. After researching all types of weight loss surgery she chose to have a Lap DS. Surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Rabkin of Pacific Laparoscopy in September of 2003.
Two years after her WLS, Lee traveled to Vitoria, Brazil for her reconstructive surgery with Dr. Fabio Zamprogno.
Today, Lee coordinates the WLS Support Group for Pac Lap in the hope of offering a place where both the pre-op and the post-op patient can go for information and support.
Lee can be reached at 360-260-7447 or by email at grammylee@comcast.net
We hope you'll check back here often - we hope to post pertinent information about upcoming conferences, developments in the field of bariatrics, and want to welcome any questions you might have about WLS and support in general!
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