DeLarla

Ben and Jerry are my lovers. Ohhhh, sexy! That's Voodoo with Chloe McSorley. She's my doll (friend's bb.) I accidentally posted the wrong pic, but they're so cute together that I left it in.

Uh, is it me, or do we have a one month countdown? And were are we, Penni? Who is in the lead? Have you kept track?

Peeing my pants here. My husband does NOT have a leather thong, and I do not want leather chaps, and I will not get a tatoo! I'm not a biker chick, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not! But that leather vest with nipple peekers sounds like fun... I gotta stop laughing and start working. Speaking of the bash, I just made our revervations at Buca di Beppo for 19 people, Friday October 8 at 5:00 p.m. at the corner of Paradise and Flamingo across the street from Terrible's Casino. The reservation is under LAPBAND BASH. The coordinater, Yvonne, is someone I've met before, and she's very intrigued with the band and may actually join us in consideration of becoming one of us (she's a big beauty, too.) She said I did not order enough food, but she thinks like an Italian mom, not a bandster. Remember, the Entrees are served on platters, not plates. So I ordered 2 large salads, 3 huge entrees, a large garlic bread (size of a large deep dish pizza), and a large dessert. If that's not even food, it's no problem for us to order more, but this gives us a good start. This is gonna be a hoot. Can't wait.

I didn't have a problem with Mexico. I was treated very kindly at the Oasis of Hope. Sure, it wasn't the pristine, white & chrome surgical rooms like we have here - with filtered air and everyone being as serious as a heart attack, but they were all masked and gloved... but they were very, very kind. I went to a second facility in TJ to have my port removed. The lobby looked more like the DMV than a hospital. If memory serves me well, there was not a door on the surgery room, which meant people were walking by. I didn't think much of it at the time, but afterwards I was warned that an open environment with people walking and kicking around dust is an invitation for bacteria. I can't confirm that, but it's what I've been told. But I think of the surgeries that were done in mud puddles on battlefields with bombs exploding in pouring tropical rain, and then having surgery at the DMV didn't seem so bad.

There are several grocery stores within a mile from my house. I'm taking off work on Friday, so I'll be hitting the store after I shove all the dirty clothes under the bed and shove a mop around. I'm still not sure of what we'll be having - big suprise to all of us (including me.) Penni, how do you know about Chris's sweaty leather thong?

Last night someone asked me if I was crazy for opening up my house to a bunch of strangers. But to say publicly, "sure girls, just give me your shopping lists" is cracking me up! Okay, now that I'm done laughing, sure, send me the marguerita ingredients and I'll pick them up. Meanwhile, I'm going ahead with the plans for Buca and the menu suggestions since I haven't gotten much feedback and time is running out. And we need Tequila, and ice, and mix, and cigars, and tampons, and sunscreen, and flip-flops, and naked men magazines, and rolls of quarters...

Okay, there goes my ego again! Thanks girls, I feel pretty fantabulous! Port - hmm, wouldn't that be wild if after all my hell, my one little fill is my actual sweet spot? Oops, did I just jinx it? Yesterday I got some restriction and ate very bandlike (aka ladylike.) The jacket's too small. It fits real snug, but I don't want to "shrink into it." I want it roomy. I tried an XL on in the store that was really, really tight, so I ordered a 2X figuring it would be much roomier. But when you're talking Harley brand leather jackets, the difference between an XL and a 2X is barely noticeable. I need just a hair more length to the arms and one more speck of "give" so I'm gonna order the 3x. I'm in total disbelief today because I squeezed my ass into Michelle's size 18 Capris. Michelle, you know those darling ones you sent me with the leather fringe/belt? F-ing CUTE. I'll take a pic tonight - they're a flipping size 18, granted their stretch jeans and I'm wearing girdle undies and barely breathing, but woo-hoo (hey, one day at a time, and for today it's woo hoo!)

So busy at work I can't read my posts! Boo hoo, but HI and HAPPY whatever-day-it is today!

Sue, my house is right on the Henderson border! And Ky, you're freaking me out because I just got rid of the Adkin's book! I swear, I just recently put "DONATION" post-its on all my diet books and dumped them into the library book return box! Vera, Penni beat up my husband and made him do a nice thing for me a couple weeks ago. So we ordered the leather jacket, and I just got the message that it's in. I'll pick it up tonight, but the beauty of the deal is that I still get a present at the end of the month! Chris is afraid of Penni (because she bought him a Harley Jamaica shirt and wouldn't give it to him unless he did something nice for me.) Penni, my jacket is here!

I saw my primary care doctor and my gastroenterologist. Neither knew what it was. I was referred to a surgeon, but I'm afraid to ask for any more time off. But it's not infected, and I put clean gauze on every day.

Slimfast has lots of fiber, so it might make your belly rumbly. But my regular protein shakes make me very rumbly. I haven't had one in 2 weeks. I drank 1/2 of mine this morning, and my belly is loaded with gas. Too much info? Nope, nothing is sacred once you get a lap band!

I was banded with 6 others, and each one of us received completely different pre-op instructions. A couple people got to pig out the night before surgery. I was instructed to have only Clear liquids the day before my surgery. At first I was jealous of all the Mexican food they ate, but they were all jealous the next day when they had to poop and I didn't! The surgery is a pretty huge ordeal (to me, anyway) plus you're hooked up to an IV on wheels. Getting around the first day or so is no picnic, so having a bowel movement the day after surgery simply can't be any fun. No, no, no. I'm glad I stuck to clear liquids the day before!

Am I the only one crying?

BOOM, my ego just exploded and splattered the walls! Thanks girls! Michelle, I'll talk to you tonight after I practice more U-turns. I dropped my truck off for service this morning and didn't feel like waiting around for their shuttle to get me to work. So I started walking. I figured I'd walk a mile then take the bus, but I ended up walking all 2.8 miles to work in 10 pound boots carrying my helmet, purse & lunch. Penni, you got me workin' it!

I've made great progress because I only weigh once a day now. I was getting on the scale every time I went potty!

All doctors give different rules for eating after getting the band. Some doctors recommend you add Protein powder to your milk to make sure you get enough protein every day. If you count your protein grams by looking at nutritional labels, and you are getting enough protein with food alone, then you don't need the protein. With me, I don't like eating in the morning, and a lot of days I have too much restriction to put any food in my stomach till lunch time. But my body needs protein, so I drink a shake for Breakfast. If you don't want to have a shake, you can have regular protein like eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, chicken, tofu, etc. Or you can eat a Protein Bar. There's lots of options, but there are no stupid questions. The only stupid ones are the ones we're afraid to ask!

Michelle, I put the scale in the garage to keep from daily weighing. The next morning I went into the garage naked and weighed even though the garage door was open halfway... oops. Next, I put Scale high on a shelf. It wasn't pretty getting on a chair naked to weigh myself the next day. I've tried "not weighing" but I failed the scale challenge. The scale rules me, it governs my every breath, I must bow to the scale. I hate that F'ng scale, but she is my queen!

Pam, are you really going to TJ next week? Where do you live? I don't need a fill, but I'd like Dr. Kuri to see my incision. It's starting to hurt me a little... maybe that means it's healing? The area under the incision is all hard like a big cyst. Can't be good... I thought it would dissolve, but it's not getting smaller, and it's still leaking.

Thanks girls, I didn't want to post the before pic, and I was pretty haggard when I took the shot yesterday with wet dripping hair, but there’s the hardcore truth. I called Penni last night to keep from eating (brain fart cuz Penni was my Tuesday appointment.) Tonight I’m calling Michelle because I don’t want to stretch my pouch. I’m still laughing at my sunburned pool - good one! I don’t know how long the job will take, but I’m extremely impressed with the company I chose. They're here first thing every morning making incredible progress. They refused a down payment, so they're motivated to complete the job. And yes, I'm suddenly a biker chick. Not by choice... you must have missed the post where hubby came home with a brand new Harley saying, "better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission." We can't afford it, and my instincts won't let me divorce him so to get even I'm learning to ride it and doing damn well might I add! I passed the written motorcycle test yesterday on my first try and got my permit. Yesterday hubby watched my U-turns and skills and said I'm ready for the riding test, but I'm taking a 3 day course 9/24, so I’ll get my license then. He’s only got a couple more weeks to really piss me off, cuz once I’m licensed I’ll drive off into the sunset on that beast and make his hair fall out. I think he’s having sex with the bike. I think all the men in my neighborhood are having sex with that bike. Even a cop approached us to worship it. MEN! The last thing on my L.O.T.T.D. (list of things to do) was to learn to ride a motorcycle at 41. I'd rather ride a horse any day of the week, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. So riding the Harley isn’t for me, it's for all womankind! *** WAVES RED, WHITE & BLUE BRA IN AIR****

Whip, maybe this will make you feel better. I was really worried that they wouldn't do the surgery because I was supposed to do lo-fat for a week, but I porked out (imagine one of us doing that, unheard of!) But when I told the doc how I ated, they just said, "don't worry, honey, this surgery is going to help you." From your picture, you don't look as large as many people who have been banded. Listen to these smart people and do some more research & talk more to your doc. If they told me to liquid Protein for a week prior to weight loss surgery, they would have had to lock me up.

As far as my going to Mexico for the surgery, I'm getting the craziest responses. So far, nobody cares if they sharpened the tools with rocks - all they want to know is how much a boob job, tummy tuck, dental implants or lipo will cost them. I guess I shoulda brought a menu home from Tijuana.

Gail, I'm still hiding my band. My boss was concerned because I kept having medical appointments, so I did tell him I had stomach surgery because he knew I was having problems with my hiatal hernia. They asked me if I got it repaired and I said, "yep.' It wasn't even a lie, cuz the doctor fixed my hernia during my band procedure. It's really simple. Just tell people that large amounts of food really hurt your stomach. Many obese and normal people have hiatal hernias and ulcers. My hernia made eating extremely painful. Nobody needs to know about my band. But I have slowly told several people. I kinda wish I wouldn't... I envy you because you are still so mysterious while I wear my heart on my sleeve. The way I saw my surgery was like birth and death. I came into the world alone, I'll leave the world alone, and surgery to fix my obesity was only for me... too private, too intimate. The few people I did tell are always asking me, "Hey, you're not allowed to eat that, are you." I shoulda kept my trap shut.

Just wait a minute everyone... what's this powder mixed in Water? I was having a Protein shake every morning, then lunch, then dinner. My goal is not to snack. But I haven't had a protein shake in a couple weeks because I'm always in a rush and they're a pain to make. Where do I get the magic powder? Sounds way easier than the milk & fruit I've been doing. When I'm good, I have one Protein Drink with fruit in the morn. One cup of coffee with real cream & real sugar. Band size lunch (protein & veggies, a couple crackers) Dinner - whatever hubby cooks in small portions. For me, no snacking. Snacking doesn't work for me, it gets me wanting more, more, more. But when I'm being a bad band girl, I eat a lot of Pringles and anything else not tied down.

There was a girl almost exactly the same size as me when I had surgery. She had Ortiz, I had Lopez. She had to do 3 weeks of protein shakes to lose weight prior to her surgery. I was supposed to do one week of low fat. Well, I screwed up and wasn't able to stick to low fat, but they did the surgery anyway. So yes, Whipple, they will ask you to lose weight to shrink your liver. Blah, blah, blah, rules, rules, rules.. I hate 'em!

And while I'm at it, look what they've done to Sachi's swimming pool!