Alexandra

IMO the Electric Slide is the devil's spawn. :girl_hug: There is just something about it that makes me want to run screaming from the room! The Macarena and other line dances don't thrill me; I don't dance to them but I stand on the side looking faintly amused. You're absolutely right about the wedding horror stories. For mine it was the rain, which came down in torrents after sunset. But as with all things, there was a silver lining. It ended the party at a decent time--we'd been out there since 3:00 p.m. and it was 10:00 or so when everyone left. And of course the partying continued at the hotel for those of us who were so inclined. I hope by the time my daughters get married this silly notion of who pays for the wedding will have changed. We certainly aren't going to mortgage our retirement for a big party or two! And while I have no qualms about sticking to my guns about that, it'd sure be nice not to alienate the grooms' families or the kids in the process.

Ahhh, wedding stories. They are legion. I flew to Bermuda to be a bridesmaid in one of those she-just-wants-the-ring weddings. I hate to say that because she is and was one of my very best friends, but even she recognizes that she married the wrong guy for all the wrong reasons. They had two kids but it was over in five or six years. She married a second wrong guy (this lady has issues), but at least this time it was at the J of P. That one ended in four. :rolleyes I understand the drive to have it all one's own way, because it's really the very rare chance in a lifetime to have it all be about YOU. It's special, you know it, everyone else knows it, and it can be a wonderful experience. My first wedding was all about the guy--he wouldn't budge on the details and gave me no string. (I shoulda known then, huh?) So the second time I wanted it to be wonderful, but of course that doesn't mean it has to be expensive or over-the-top. Make the bride and groom pay for it themselves, and that'll keep the costs down! :girl_hug: We got married on my grandmother's front porch with the audience on the lawn; had a rented dance floor under a tent in the yard; had my husband's deli "cater" the pre-ceremony noshes; I gave the DJ a list of what I DIDN'T want to hear (the Electric Slide, anyone?) but gave him permission to surprise us; and I gave my husband a giant chocolate-chip cookie as the groom's cake. Even with more than 100 guests it was low-key, elegant, and relatively inexpensive. We spent way more on the honeymoon than we did on the wedding.

Sherri Jo, please dial back the vitriol a little. Rants & Raves is an off-topic debate area, and it's par for the course when someone starts a thread to get debate back at them. There is nothing personal about it. To correct any misimpressions: No, the moderators can't read PMs (or are you talking about Alex the owner? I'm sure he could if he were so inclined, but I assure you, he's not). And no, I never send PMs "warning" people about anything. What exactly did you mean by that?

It's not Horizon but the AMA that sets the standards for medically qualified. If your BMI hovers around 40 you should be considered qualified even without comorbidities, but your list of conditions will serve to confirm your eligibility. I'm quite confident you would be considered medically qualified. You will also have to show that you've been morbidly obese for at least 5 years and have tried other means to control it. Exactly how that information is presented may vary from carrier to carrier, and I'm not certain how Horizon requests it. But be prepared with it because it will have to be shown at some point. If all those points are in order you would be considered medically qualified for bariatric surgery (assuming you pass the psych exam), and if Horizon gives you any push back on that score you have grounds for appeal.

Can't wait for your "I'M APPROVED" post, Laurend!! :clap2: :clap2: Jack, my eyes, my EYES!!

NJ state law requires a response from the carrier within 30 days, though it usually goes much faster. Of course that's 30 days from the date they receive a complete file, and that's the hard part. The good news is that Horizon is very band-friendly. If you're medically qualified, you'll be approved. :biggrin1:

Listen, peeps: Just because a thread is in the R&R section doesn't give everyone carte blanche to insult one another. Please keep it civil--debate the IDEA, not the PERSON. I am not addressing any ONE individual here, so no one jump down my throat. This is a general advisement to everyone. Thanks. :confused:

Ooh, ooh, me too me too! To answer your question about thread deleting, T_O_M, a while back the forum options were changed to prevent anyone from being able to delete their thread-starting post. It proved too disruptive when someone went on a deleting spree and took a lot of helpful and important information with her. Members can edit their own posts, but can't delete them for this reason.

Laurend, I learned long ago to get copies of everything and deliver it where it needs to be MYSELF. That's the only way you can be sure it gets where it's going. Stick to your guns, girlfriend. You'll get it done. :biggrin1:

I kind of assumed that you'd let Cheyenne make her own decision about whether to participate, since she's 14. Please don't misunderstand: I wholeheartedly agree that Auntie's actions are potentially hurtful and even unkind, and if I were in your shoes I'd probably encourage Cheyenne to turn down the invitation. But I still wouldn't think Auntie has done anything "wrong" -- she makes her decisions, and we can choose to go along or not. I just think it's inappropriate to ask her to change her decisions based on what anyone else thinks is "right."

I have to agree with Ms. Vicki. In my opinion, the bride and groom's decision shouldn't be questioned by anyone. It's their event and they get to plan it the way they want. I have two daughters, and am excruciatingly aware of the consequences when one is invited to do something and the other is not. But were I in this situation I'd have to explain to my daughters that Auntie gets to make the decisions. I tell them that there will be many situations in the future that differ for them, and they must enjoy the other's experiences as best they can and realize they will get their turn down the line. Things simply cannot always be exactly the same for both! I really feel for my younger daughter because many, many times the reason she can't do something her sister does is just "you're younger, you have to wait." I know that stinks, but it's reality. Now, of course I don't have to be happy with the decisions, and depending on the relationship I might try various means to get Auntie to change her mind. But bottom line, it's her party and she gets the last word on who participates.

Slimfast has a new line of shakes called High Protein that seem to have a better nutrient balance. They taste pretty good, too!

I don't know anyone personally but I have heard horror stories. For what it's worth, my advice would be to stay far away from anything that bulks up in the stomach. There are other fiber supplements (Benefiber and its generic clones) that work just as well that don't present the same risk to bandsters.

I can certainly see where she'd rub people the wrong way--she's not the most personable of people. Recently I've actually been impressed by her refusal to "apologize" for her initial Iraq vote--saying that she didn't make a mistake, but the Administration did--is what I've been saying all along. As much as I was against this war from the very start, and as dismayed as I was when Congress voted to authorize it, I had to believe they were being shown information that made it the right thing to do. The American people might have had the knee-jerk reaction out of fear, but Congress needs evidence and they were shown "evidence." I'd rather think that they'd vote the same way again, given the same information. It seems to me that a rep who says he'd make a different decision the second time, even under the exact same circumstances, is someone who doesn't know what he or she thinks. And that's essentially what the "I made a mistake" crowd (read: Edwards) is saying. Hillary certainly regrets her vote, as well she should, but I think it's unfair to say it was a wrong vote. They were lied to. That's what is unforgivable. Of course, people who were against the war from the start are really my standard-bearers. But I want someone who can win this time.

At this early stage, it is indeed quite the crowded field. Al Gore is my dream candidate, has been since the mid-1980s. He's the only politician who displays continued conscience, wisdom, and good judgement, and who doesn't weigh every move and statement against his own personal ambition or gain. As time goes by he just impresses me more and more, and I'd love to see him get in the race this time. HE could bring dignity and integrity to the Oval Office, maybe for the first time in several decades. If he doesn't run, Hillary is my next favorite. She has an insight into the Presidency that no one else could possibly match, and IMO she's incredibly smart and cares about the right things. But next year at this time things could look very different. This is certainly a horse race!

Very true. :clap2: :clap2:

Just read that your surgery is tomorrow. Good luck and I hope everything goes well and smoothly!! Tell Dr. A that his friend Alexandra says hi! (Tell him I'm the tall one, not Ali.) :myscared:

My fills always take 3 weeks or more to make themselves fully felt. My theory on that is that our stomach tissue reacts to the increased pressure of the band by thinning out, making the stoma essentially the same as it was before the fill. Over time--two days, two weeks, it's different for everyone--the stomach tissue returns to its normal thickness and voila! Restriction. It seems very unwise to me for a doctor to tell someone they need more fill after only a few days. Hasn't he discovered that for many people that will result in a too-tight band?

I think it's helpful to remember that everyone goes through many different phases on their banding journey. Some people who find themselves saying "I never PB, I'm the perfect bandster, I follow the rules all the time and have lost 300 lbs in a year" may sing a different tune when their weight loss stops well short of their goal. Things change, people change, behavior and the band's effects CHANGE over time. The rough Patches people post about are often temporary, but the nature of a message board can make it seem like they're permanently having a dysfunctional relationship with their bands. Patience, time, persistence, support: these are the elements to a succesful bandster journey.

www.advancedlaparoscopicsurgeons.com They don't take all insurances, but they do take most. I have nothing but great words for them and their program. Good luck!!

Hi quadmom, welcome!! Of course fear of surgery is normal, and it's a big step. But holy cow, compared to what you've been through (and still must tackle on a daily basis, I imagine) banding surgery is easy!! I said that compared to childbirth this was a walk in the park. And this might be a great time to have it done, before the babies get mobile. Yikes! :biggrin1: You've come to the right place. Congratulations on your remarkable family and good luck with your consult!!

Dang, you people without small kids are so productive! I plan to spend the weekend ferrying girls to soccer and ice skating and doung laundry. We might get in a hike if the trails aren't too muddy--it's going to be 50+ today which feels balmy! My house is a disaster that needs mondo amounts of attention, but it all seems so huge I'm putting it off until the girls go to college. :eek: Laurend, I have a friend who basically samples streams for a living. It's cool! What degree are you going for, and what are your plans?

Thanks for the kind words, Bubble, and we're glad you're here!!

Any and everything is possible on the sexuality spectrum. But we are what we ARE, and it's simply not the case that homosexuality is a choice. Sexual behavior is a choice, of course; anyone can choose to be celibate or sleep with multiple people of whatever sex. But bottom-line sexual identity is no more a matter of choice than is skin color. And it should be equally meaningless with regard to our civil rights.

Glad to hear you're home and healing!! Yeah, why did you have a hole in your stomach? Did he say your band had eroded through? Or did you have an ulcer somewhere else? Anyway, rest up and get better fast!