DeLarla

It's the freakin' TV. When I'm alert, well rested, etc., then I don't plop down in front of the TV. But when I'm wigged out (like lately) all I want to do is PLOP when I get home - it's all my mind can handle. Soon, very soon all this insanity will be behind me. I can't wait to get my bike license to give him a taste of his own medicine. Let him sit on the couch with his mind spinning while I'm gone for hours at a time, and oops, forgot to recharge my cell phone!

THE ULTIMATE CONFESSION: Gulp, here goes *** hands shaking in fear of you people....... Last night I ate a pint of Ben & Jerry's. It took me 2 sittings, but I ate the whole thing on top of too much dinner.

Somebody please help me understand this band. Why do some people PB while others stretch the pouch? If you PB, do you stretch? If I'm eating too much for my pouch, why don't I PB? Since I don't PB, that means I'm stretching the pouch, right? So I think PBing is a good thing. I'm even learning ways to eat past golf-ball-in-throat. If you have chicken stuck in throat, eat Pringle and it pushes it down. Lisa has lost her last marble.

Kyleigh, I had my first major anxiety attack at 17. In my 20's they were so severe that my doc put me on disability for almost 2 years. Back then he instructed me to only wear shirts with pockets and keep a pill in a pocket on my chest. After a few weeks, I was able to make it through a day without medication. Just knowing that pill was in my pocket helped me overcome the anxiety. I haven't had a full blown attack in years, but I keep meds in my purse at all times - always within reach. I usually take one before getting to the aiport, otherwise I hyperventilate on the plane and freak everyone out... the stewardesses help me breathe into a paper bag. I always preboard and sit up front, too, close to the exit.

Teresa, I really do think you need to hi-five everyone you see today including strangers. Don't even explain yourself. Girly, you wanted to see under 300, and you did it. It's that simple. Far FNG OUT, seriously. Okay, I want serious answers here. Who on this board is abusing their band? I'm having major issues at night. There's no doubt that I've stretched my pouch on several occasions. I have some good days, but I'm seriously struggling at night, and I think I'm damaging my pouch. I've gone to bed kinda sick feeling about 5 times in the past month - not good. Is it only me? Does anyone know when the FDA is approving the brain band?

I have a funny electrolysis story (imagine that?) Ten years ago I bought one of the home electrolysis units. I have about 10 hairs on my big toe, so I tried getting rid of those hairs first. It hurt like hell, but I kept going. But I ended up returning the stupid machine because it was really painful and I didn't think it was working. Well, after the huge red swelling went down 2 months later... let's just say I only have one hairy toe now. It actually worked!

I think it's only fair that I open my house since I'm the only one not coughing up money for air & hotel. But having some of you early to help would be a blast! Too many cooks in the kitchen... run!

Yep, I just got mine today, and I get it every 30 days. So no bikini bull riding for me... sorry.

Damn, I wasn't even gonna shave my arm pits considering tank top weather will be over. Do I gotta pluck my eyebrows now, too? I'm taking off work that Friday and the following Monday, so I'll be up waiting for y'all. I'm 5 minutes from the aiport so start getting me arrival times before the margueritas get here - no drinking and driving!

I'm guilty of not using the Total Gym, too. My house is so small that it's in a cramped little corner. My handyman is supposed to finish off the master bedroom tonight so I can move stuff around and hopefully find a place to move. By the way, major cramps... isn't this bitch central? Darcy, you can whine better than that, can't you?

Penni, if you get a fill, I'm a cooked goose. I have zero restriction, so I'm working with only willpower, which failed me today because I had 2 pieces of designer chocolate for breakfast! If you get a fill, I'm taking diet pills and getting my jaws wired! And no, the -51 isn't accurate as of today. That was what I weighed on my 4 month anniversary, but I'm up several pounds. Yo-yo, yo-yo, ding dong, ding dong. Oh, and I'm looking at my calendar and the 8th of October will be my precious monthly bloating (perfect timing for you.) So everyone put your money on Penni. I don't think I have a chance!

Breakfast - 2 pieces of chocolate and 1/2 Poppy Almond Yummy Muffin. And it's only 9:00 a.m. OOOPS.

I hate to say it, but my face has aged years in the past 4 months since being banded. I tend to think the wrinkles were being pushed out by the fat, but yes, I'm looking droopy and older. Geeze, we can't win, can we. I never thought of a face lift (tummy tuck yes, but my face was fine.) But now I'm wi$hing for one all the time.

I hate to say it, but my face has aged years in the past 4 months since being banded. I tend to think the wrinkles were being pushed out by the fat, but yes, I'm looking droopy and older. Geeze, we can't win, can we. I never thought of a face lift (tummy tuck yes, but my face was fine.) But now I'm wi$hing for one all the time.

I always round up. I struggle with food all the time. Last night was bad. I ate and ate, then chewed at my nails and peeled them all down to nubs. Nervous head hunger, so I went to bed early at 8:30 pm. Today I took off work to get household things accomplished, so I'm feeling pretty good about stuff. My carpet is in and the handyman is coming tomorrow to fix tiles & finish off floor borders. Then the big job - they're draining my pool and replastering it... I'll have to get re-plastered myself to deal with the expense, but it will be a huge worry off my mind. My pool is damaged so I have dreams of Mt. St. Helens errupting in my backyard. Like the end of Poltergeist where the mud and dead bodies shoot straight to the sky. Oh, and all my friends were really obnoxious about my selection of tiles. Trying to make me feel bad for my choice. OUR choice - get this, Chris and I actually agreed on something today! Progess.. baby steps! Darcy, I'm sure between all of us there will be gobs of pics! Tons of them!

Hi everyone. I was mostly band-friendly today, except I just ate a bowl of ice cream. I decided to have ice cream once a month - a big glob of it right before my female "monthly visitor." I used to eat a pint at a time once or twice a week. It was really too sweet, but heavenly. Hope all's well. My carpet was installed today, and I'm sleeping on our brand new matress tonight... can't wait. We got one of those memory foam ones.

Like I said before, I never even read the article. Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby! Anything can be bad for you. You could choke on a piece of raw carrot and drop dead, but I like the hippy natural thing. Naked, sugar, real boobs, etc. I limit myself to a spoon of sugar in my morning decaf. Last night I had a candy bar and too many Pringles, but the night before I ate like a banded angel. We wouldn't be here if we were obese, and I know sugar didn't cause me to be obese since it wasn't allowed in my home when I was a child. I became obese on wholesome foods (the only kind my mother bought.) No chips, cakes, pies, goodies, just meats, cheeses & veggies. As an adult, I went to OA and abstained from sugar and alcohol for two years - it had zero affect on my weight. Blah blah blah about sugar in carbs.... I just wanna be normal, and normal people eat normal sugar, not 10 packs of artifical stuff a day to get a fix. Sorry if I sound bitchy, but I am. It's 2:00 a.m. and I'm supposed to be sleeping but I have insomnia (once a month due to my precious monthly 'female" visitor.'

Sept 29 but in denial. No more birthdays, please.

Sugar has been around since the beginning of time (as far back as my brain can calculate.) Sure, it's got carbs, but isn't it worth the real thing once in awhile?

No, our finances are actually worse! I had to refinance our house to fix the problem Chris created by buying the Harley, so I borrowed extra do do the repairs. Now we're even deeper in debt! And the "royal tour" is funny. My house is really small!

Nah, my open wound and me go way back. I just started the home repairs this past weekend. I have a "seroma" which is something that happens when an implant is removed from the body. It causes a cavity - an empty space where something once was, and the empty space collects Fluid. The fluid needs to drain... actually, it's supposed to eventually absorb back into my body. Gross Darcy got her name cuz she likes blood & gore... she's not very gross though, not at all. As a matter of fact, Darcy, your belly didn't look very fat to begin with. Yer no bigger 'en a corn nub.

Betty, I know exactly what you're talking about - the feeling of being on meds. When I drank Diet Pepsi or anything with artificial sweetners, I actually felt high or medicated or something weird. But when I stopped drinking diet and drank regular Pepsi, I never felt that way. There's something in sweeteners that makes me feel bad. And I don't care what anyone says, the artificials sweeteners have an addictive quality. I tried quitting Diet Pepsi for years, but I was so addicted that I'd be grouchy as hell if I couldn't get one. I weaned myself off by mixing diet with regular. Now I'm finally off sodas, but I took a sip of a Diet Pepsi yesterday, and it was so gross. Hard to believe I used to drink the stuff by the barrell.

Oh my goodness, Gross Darcy, that's really gross! But I love it! I'm feeling gaggy again because I'm really tired of my leaking incision. Goo Goo, go away, come back some other day (but not in my lifetime!)

Saturday I hammered out tile from my bedroom. I had carpal tunnel surgery last year, and taking up that tile really screwed up my hands and back. Sunday we rode with about 10 bikes all over the desert. Yesterday I finished pulling up the tiles. Our entire house is tiled, but the previous owners carpeted 1/3 of the master bedroom. It's always driven me nuts because I'm a Libra and I need my balance, so part tile/part carpet in my bedroom drove me batty. So tomorrow I'm having carpet installed in the master and also in the guest room. New ceiling fan, cable repair, pool resurfacing, repairs to the kitchen floor. I hate it all too, but it sure feels good when it's done! Oh, and I splurged and bought a brand new California King bed for the master, but I won't pick it up till the carpet's in!

Betty, keep us posted. You've got my ears up.