mjsafari

Lookin' good Captain Dan. Love the pic! Nothing new with me to report - hanging where I have been. I am not unhappy, but wish I could get in gear and lose some more. Hubby is doing great - 8lbs away from goal of 200lbs, that will make 148lbs lost for him total. He has good restriction, but has trouble sometimes because he forgets to chew. I on the other hand still need some more restriction, but haven't made time for a fill. I am busy with work (in GA tonight), house, and school activity - same old excuses! Hope others are doing better - would love to hear from everyone!

BigBaby - unfortunately he is the only one on my insurance right now that will take patient's from other surgeons without a huge up front fee. I really need to start trying again though and not expect a fill to solve everything. A fill is not going to make me make better choices. I really need to focus on protein as your post suggests.

I am sorry to hear others are struggling. It helps to know you are not alone though. I have made changes, but am certainly still drawn to all the wrong choices. I need a fill - I can eat bread, but I hate my fill doc, so I don't know when I will go back. I still have some restriction, but not enough. It is so hard to make a permanent change after years of bad choices. Insub - I am so excited for you! Glad you are enjoying youself.

Hi all - Hope everyone is having a good summer. I have been trying to read, but I haven't had much to say. I haven't gotten around to getting my pics, I think on my way home when I have my nice work clothes on I need to have someone take one, then I get home, get swamped by dogs, cat, and kids, so I just never seem to get to it. I am still where I have been for months now between 187-195. I need a fill probably, but hate my fill surgeon and am worried about getting too tight again. I am not unhappy where I am though. I feel healthy and feel pretty good about how I look in clothes. I even started wearing heels again, I could never wear them before. People at work even noticed because I was a little taller. Recently several people have asked if I have lost more weight. I haven't, but I did buy smaller, nicer clothes and I probably carry myself differently. I have gotten back in to the habit of fast food for breakfast and lunch most days - but certainly in much smaller portions. We went out for lunch today - I ordered a smoked sausage sandwich with tater tots and we had fried pickles as an appetizer. I ate 2 pickles, half the sausage (no bread of course), and a couple of tater tots (that were the size of hush puppies). I was looking at my plate and thinking how different it was. Before I would have eaten the bread they had as an appetizer, would not have shared the pickles, the entire sandwich, all the tater tots and some off someone else's plates, and probably still been hungry! Have a great weekend!

dang it Rhonda, I am sorry you had trouble again! Can't you go to a hospital near you and have a barium swallow? Insub - you have a very hard decision - I like Suzzie's suggestion of just a 1/2cc, so you have some control. I know I have none myself when I am out of town - see post of gaining 5lbs in 3 days in Chicago! I can't imagine what I would let myself do in a whole year! Now if you are staying in hotels and think you will really dedicate yourself to visiting the gym when available and you are walking or doing other activities, then maybe you don't need the fill. We expect to see posts about your exciting adventures! What is your itinerary?

Hey all! I am very happy about my flight! I don't think I have ever said that before! I did have to tighten my seat belt - about 6-8 inches and I was able to use the tray table with room to spare! At the meeting I got to see everyone from KC - they had nothing but good things to say. I have to say these last 40lbs have made a bigger difference than the first 100, I think. Now if I can just get 40 more lbs off! Not happening any time soon though - I gained 5lbs in Chicago. I hear you guys about keeping at it. Potato chips and chocolate go down so easy and taste so good. I let my self slide in Chicago and came home to Pringles in my house, once they are gone maybe I can get back at it! If we made good choices all the time, we wouldn't have needed the band! All we can do it keep trying!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend! Insub I think you are right on the slowing down of posting. But the site is still very important to me. I do read daily, just to see what everyone is doing. I think this is a life long journey, so I know I need the support of others who are on the same journey. Faith - I know you can get back on the wagon and you know your Mom would want you to. I am sorry for your loss. I am flying to Chicago on Monday. I have lost another 40lbs since last time I flew, so I am looking forward to maybe - just maybe needing to tighten the belt a little?? It is Southwest though, so probably not!

I am here. Trying to read daily. Busy with the new house. It is amazing! We are outside all the time, we come in when it gets dark. Weight wise I am stalled at around 190. But I am in a size 16, which is great for me after being barely able to find 32s that would fit. I am feeling healthy and energetic so I am not going to stress about it. I hopped on my son's new bike yesterday and rode it around no problem. I may invest in one for myself. I have dial up now, so the internet is slooooow. My blackberry is faster, so I am using that! Country living is worth it though! Happy 4th everyone!

Insub - what a great list! I was so happy for you when you quit, you sounded so miserable! your trip sounds exciting, we expect a lot of pictures! What a year it has been! Had surgery - smooth sailing Got a promotion Moved to Nashville Bought a house (moving this weekend) Finally have the acreage we have dreamed of since before we were married - already have 2 goats, 2 dogs, a turtle, and 4 cockatiels. I am sure we will soon have chickens and ducks for the pond. Miniature ponies and cows to come! Feel almost normal - I still think people are looking at me, but now I wonder why, instead of knowing it was because I was huge. Wearing clothes from the regular size department Bought a swim suit and went to a public pool - I have not had one for my entire marriage - it is a dress to cover my ugly legs - but I dove in the pool swam and climbed out of the deep end without any problems - I didn't worry about being too wide for the ladder. I am not the largest person in the room anymore (I want to talk to everyone bigger than me about the band - but I don't want to insult them) my home in the country means I will be stuck with dial-up. I hope to be back up and running next week, although I am sure it will be much slower! thanks everyone for the support and the shared stories this year!

thanks everyone - Rhonda she is 5 1/2. She is doing fine. she has one scrap on her shoulder and a bruise where she had her IV. You would never know anything had even happened. It is very hard to keep her down, since she doesn't even feel hurt. we closed on our house today! 13 acres with a stocked pond. I hope to be outside more and getting in some exercise working on the farm! Toni - I am so glad to see you post. I hope you can find something that will work for you. I can't believe it has been 1 year - what a difference a year can make. I will try and post a picture, but I am more excited to see everyone else! Get those pictures out there!

hi All - just checking in, we have had a very difficult but exciting weekend. Friday call - we are closing on our house with 13 acres on Monday Friday call on the way home from work - my daughter had fallen out of our 3rd floor apartment window. My husband had her in the car when I pulled in, we rushed her to the ER. She was having trouble breathing and in pain, but conscious. The ER nearest to us, put her in a c-collar and took some x-rays, but called Vanderbilt children's since she had fallen so far. They sent an ambulance for her. As we were going to the initial x-ray she stopped complaining about not being able to breathe and was not having any other issues. They put her on the backboard and got her ready to go, she was laughing and joking with us, nervous about the ambulance but being very brave. When she got to Vanderbilt, my husband said they treated her like a trauma - IV, blood gas, doctors everywhere. She had a CAT scan and after a long wait in ER we went to PICU. Through all this she has never cried, complained or anything. AMAZINGLY all she has is a small laceration on her spleen, no broken bones, no spinal injuries. she had to wear the c-collar all night until the neuroradiologist could clear her, so it was a restless night last night. They watched her overnight, drew her blood and sent her home today. The surgeon just said she needed to take it easy for a month. She fell straight down and landed on her back, 1 inch away from a metal fence post that would have impaled her if she had been an inch over. Today she is fine, walking around with only minor discomfort and minimal bruising. Scary night, but everything is fine now. weight wise - :laugh: is all I will say for now.

nvalicia - sorry you didn't get your fill - does your doc use fluro so they could see it? Not that it is perfect, mine tightened up after a couple weeks, even though it looked perfect at the time! I am slowly getting back to more solid food, but trying not to push it. But that means I eat more carbs than I would like. I am going to be glad if mine 15 y/o passes everything this semester! He is a genius, but like you Suzzie thinks high school is stupid. He is somehow going to magically have a music career, so why does he need school? this from the kid who was reading at 2 1/2 and knew all the state capitals when he was 3. Cathy - good luck on your upcoming surgery - if you feel like reading, we have almost a whole year of experience on here! It is hard to believe. ToniTeach - are you still out there - you were one of our firsts! fingers-crossed we will be closing on our house Friday or next Tuesday!

smilin - that sounds very scary - I have no clue. I hope you have talked to your surgeon about it?

Beckie - I am so sorry you are still have MRSA. It is called a super-bug for a reason darn it. An ID doc is definitely what you need. I had a 1cc unfill on Wednesday. Doc said my pouch looked slightly distended, which could be the beginning of a slip. He basically accused me of keeping my band too tight this whole time, making it do the work, and that is how I have lost this much weight. If he had been my choice for a surgeon - I probably wouldn't have had the band - he is a typical arrogant SOB. He doesn't listen, assumes he knows what you are doing wrong, and never gives you a chance to finish your sentence. Hopefully this unfill and sticking with liquids, soft foods for awhile will do the trick and I won't have to see him again for a long time. I hate being too tight and only having liquids, but of course he didn't let me explain that. I did ask for this last fill because I could eat too much - I can not explain why it tightened up again too much and of course he didn't bother to try to explain it, just I told you so. I am hoping it was distended because I had a bad episode of Pbing the night before I went. I was so hungry that I tried to eat a very soft small new potato. I went to bed about an hour later, then woke up choking. I now know what my husband felt like with his reflux before he lost weight! Not fun! Sorry for the long post - I needed to vent about my arrogant doc!:thumbup: I changed my goal on my ticker to the weight that will put me at a normal BMI. I don't know if I can get there, but it is something shoot for!