DeLarla

Or more appropriate for my age (12) this is me completely sober... now you see why I worry about drinking? Twenty grown-ups at the Haufbrau Haus restaurant face painting each other with frosting and all the birthday confettie that blanketed the tables.

Darcy, I got so many compliments on the red flower in my hair that I had to wear it again Saturday night. Then I got so many compliments on the flower Saturday night that all the girls decided they're going to start wearing them as well. I have a white one too... need a lime green & yellow one next!

Wow, my husband is exactly the same way! I can tell him something 39 times, but he acts like he's never heard it before. But then a friend or neigbor will repeat what I've said, and suddenly Chris hears it for the first time. So strange. Yes, I'm on one giant roller coaster with that man. I tried hating him last week, but then he does the cutest and nicest things so I can't even stay mad at him. When I try to "communicate" a concern to him, he listens very carefully and hangs on to every word I say, then he replies with "so what's for dinner." Why do I bother?

Leo, last time I put Neosporin under a bandage, when I removed it there were little red Water blisters under the entire area... I'm thinkin' Neosporin allergy. It's not the actual incision that's infected though. The incision closes over and heals fine, but then the liquid from under the skin forms like a huge blister that needs to be lanced and drained. The liquid is slowing down, and at the moment the scar is mostly flat... I just hope it stays flat and doesn't poof out again. Alex, I've had a few surgeries before. One was horrifying, and they never figured out what went wrong (radial kerototomy to correct my vision.) That was 5 years ago. The doctor that did the surgery was so worried about me because I couldn't open my eyes for over 6 months witout being in sheer agony, that he spent his own money to fly me to San Diego to see other specialists. Nobody ever figured it out, but now that I have the sarcoid diagnosis, that was probably my eye surgery. I had back surgery 20 years ago, but maybe that's before I got the sarcoid? No problem there. Same with tonsils and wisdom teeth, cyst removal, small stuff. I've been suspicious of the sarcoid all along. The scary thing is that I told Dr. Lopez of that I had Sarcoid Disease before my surgery. I know he acknowledged it because when I said it, Carmen looked at me quizically, so Dr. Lopez told her "Sarcoidosis." However, I was never offered any Inamed information. I did not know that there could be a problem due to my autoimmune disease. Dr. Lopez fluffed over my Sarcoidosis like it was nothing. That's the reason I worry so much about my band. People with certain auto immune diseases aren't allowed to have the band. However, there's not enough info about Sarcoid to know if this is one of them. From what I understand, it effects the lungs and eyes but people have told me not to worry about my stomach. I know that I have a hard time getting rid of colds or bronchitis, which I avoid like the plague.

Excuse me, Your Grossness, but today it's forty-THREE. I added "smelling salts" to my grocery list. It's so weird because all I do is KNOW in my head that the band won't work for me. I just know it won't, there's no possible way this band will work. But then I wore my old jeans all day and night on Friday. I hated taking them off. Normally when I wear jeans (which is rare because they're not elastic wasted) I rip them off and kick them in a corner as soon as I get home. But I could have slept in my old jeans. Diggin' it, Baby. Now if my incision would heal. I keep having to pop it open because it needs to drain... I just want it to stay flat like it is now and hope it doesn't poof out again. THANKS DARCY.. peace and love!

Tell them to hook you up or they'll have to deal with me! Woof.

Leo, are you there? Help... is it normal to BOOM, get major restriction out of nowhere? Just woke up yesterday with tons of restriction. Normal? I had my first and only fill during my port removal one month ago.

THANK YOU Leo!!! You just said exactly what I need to hear, which is that there are people out there with only one fill that are sucessful. I suddenly have major restriction so bad that I had my first PB yesterday and was barely able to eat dinner last night. I had my small pretzle for breakfast today, which wasn't the greatest choice, but I earned it (calorie wise) so I allowed a Sunday treat. Other than that, all I've had today was my antibiotic. It's 4:00 p.m. and I'm too restricted to eat anything else. I hope this sudden restriction isn't a band problem, but I have an appointment scheduled to see my gastroenterologist soon. I LOVE not having a port. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to have one. I've had an infected incision for 2 months now, and I'm on my 4th or 5th (lost count) round of antibiotics. So if my body rejected my original port, and it's infected after my 6/17 port removal, would it be wise to think my body would accept a new port in a few months? I'm not even sure how my band is, but at least I have an appointment in August with my local gastroenterologist. But if my band is fine, and if I can hold on to this level of restriction, I'd love to have no port. Truthfully, after all the port misery I've been through, I might consider having surgery one day to put a port in just to give me a fill, then take the port out and sew me back up. Anyway, thanks for the hope, it's something I really need.

I just visited the MLO site. They have three types of Protein powder: Vegetable Protein, Milk and Egg Protein, and Brown Rice Protein. You can order it on line, but I noticed the price is the same as in my local grocery store. The Milk and Egg is the best tasting powder I've found so far. As far as yesterday's PB, I didn't learn my lesson. Last night, I was barely able to eat, so I brought home the pretzle from the German restaurant. I woke up really hungry, so I decided to try once more to see if I chewed really well if maybe I could eat in the mornings. Breads aren't a problem for me as long as I chew. I haven't PB'd, and I probably won't but I definitely feel the lump in my throat. I really need to take my own (and everyone else's) advice and get more sleep. I usually have a Protein shake in the morning, but when I'm tired is my biggest problem for sticking to any type of routine. I'll try to skip lunch and get the shake in then so at least I can try to get back on track. But I'm having the shake an average of 5 times per week, which is thousands times better than the way I used to treat my body. And even though I ate a small pretzle for breakfast, I used to have a couple tortillas with tons of cheese with eggs and chorizo, potatoes, bacon, etc.

I've tried lots of nasty Protein powders. Now I stick with something I found at the grocery store called MILK & EGG PROTEIN. It's very plain tasting so it doesn't overpower other flavors, plus I add a couple packets of chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast to the container, which fixes it up fine for me. MLO Products Fairfield, CA www.mloproducts.com

You hit the entire nail directly on the head and even figured out his self-esteem & insecurity issues. He acts tough as nails and isn't afraid of anything physically. But his tough guy exterior probably has a lot to do with how he feels inside. As far as counseling, there's no way. We tried it once before and he threatened to beat up the counselor (tough guys wonders what the hell the guy in the suit knows.) I can see where his low self-esteem comes from, since before we met he was a mess. But after 13 years and lots of successes, a beatiful home, decent vehicles, amazing pets, etc., you'd think he'd have more confidence other than showing off his brute force. I've tried talking to him about it a billion times, but he thinks talking is for sissys and just brush it under the carpet and it will go away. But I need ropes and ladders to get over the decade worth of crap under our marital carpet. I guess it's just nice to come here and have somewhere to vent. My marriage isn't any different than anyone else's. It's got its ups and its downs. My friends all envy my husband because he's cooler than all the other guys, but cooler means less responsible. I don't want to treat him like a 9 year old, but often there's no way around it.

Debra, the better I begin to look, the more cocky he becomes. You are absolutely right, but he's admitted it openly. Before my surgery I often broke down crying at my obesity, but he'd just keep feeding me. I asked why he wouldn't help instead of hindering, and he said, "cuz I don't want other men looking at you." He said it in a funny, teasing way, but I know he means it. But that's not a healthy marriage, because he's never had any reason not to trust me. I've read and heard many times that men who don't trust their wives are doing so out of their own guilt. They figure "if I flirt with hot women behind my wife's back, then she's flirting with hot guys behind mine." So yes, it's becoming an issue. But he should be used to it because I didn't always weigh this much. Years ago, a beefy hot guy was checking me out at Home Depot and had me nearly blushing. He actually stopped my husband and said, "damn, you are one lucky guy." He told Chris "Dude, if you ever decide to leave her, I'll be waiting right here." I took it as a huge compliment, while Chris took it as a threat. It irks me that he thinks I'd ruin my marriage because he knows I'm a firm believer in marriage and would never do anything to jeopardize it. If I decide to have an affair, it will only be if and when I'm divorced, which I don't plan on ever doing unless Chris doesn't grow up pretty soon. He leaves me believing that if he got the same proposal, he'd act on it... why else would he feel so threatened? I went out with my 2 hot girlfriends Friday night, which really bugs Chris because they both have killer bodies and huge boobs and get tons of attention from men. I'm the fat third wheel, but I'm confident in myself so it doesn't bother me when shallow guys approach us and become engrossed by them while occasionally throwing me a bone like, "so what was your name again?" Chris doesn't forbid me from going out with them (which would just get me out the door faster) but he makes snide and sarcastic comments as I'm getting ready, as if my friends are whores. Sure, they look amazing, but they wouldn't be my friends if they were gutter sluts. And what's so lame is that he's totally invited to go with us, but he acts like a 90 year old man and would rather go to bed at 9:00 a.m. on Friday nights, and he says, "you're a married women so you shouldn't be running around." I need a life outside of the house... it would be different if he was awake watching movies or hanging out with me, but I need companionship. So thank you for the compliment, but I'm still not sure what to do about my marriage. I feel it's on the rocks while he thinks I'm crazy for thinking we even have a problem. I insist on love and laughter, but he's creating irritation and aggravation... why, because his wife is getting more attractive... isn't this supposed to be a good thing?

I've been on the market for disposable blenders, like a month's worth that you just throw away after each use. Marie, I may look into that unit. My blender works great, but I don't have a food processor so maybe one day I'll get one. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen every morning taking care of my petting zoo, so I'm tossing stuff in the blender as I go along, and making my shake doesn't bother me at all. It's not that big of a deal to rinse out... it would take just as much effort to wash dishes used to cook Breakfast. Gross Darcy, I just had to express fluids from my own wound. Where the heck are you during all this gross excitement? There's still a lump of hard scar tissue (or what I thought was scar tissue) under the incision. I'm sticking with my belief that it's that hardened stuff that's breaking down slowly but surly and turning into liquid. Like an infected lump of something. Make any sense? Michelle, yes, I went home at 4:30 but figured I'd find out about the kitchen incident eventually! Oh, and I've P'd my last B. No more PBing. I think they're preventable (for me, anyway.) Because I simply can't eat food in the morning - band is CLOSED FOR BUSINESS in the morning. NO ENTRY. It wasn't the peanuts' fault, so I won't blame them.

Chris is exactly the same way. He's constantly starving to death because "my wife won't cook or go to the store." First, we could feed a family of four for a couple weeks with what's in our house, but worse, he hasn't learned in over a decade that I have never or will never accept any responsibility that he views as "women's work." He knows his chauvanistic comments won't get him anywhere, but he's dumb as a box of rocks and still thinks I'll suddenly jump to attention at his command. Like last we were partying with my friends, and they asked what my plans were today. Before I could answer, Chris announced, "she's got to do the grocery shopping tomorrow." BOINK. Wrong answer. If he asked me to go in a decent tone, I'd be at the market right now. But I don't take orders so I'll be busy floating in the pool today. Doesn't he remember the last 100 times just this year that he's tried telling me what my wifely job description entails? Does he NOT remember my vagina tantrum? Has anyone seen a grocery store with posted signs "NO VAGINA, NO SERVICE" or "SHIRTS SHOES AND VAGINAS REQUIRED?"

Marie, only my close inner cirlcle of friends know about my band, and I didn't tell them till long after I had it done. I waited an entire month before telling my sister and my brother, but only after they promised not to tell anyone else. Till this day, my parents & other family don't know, and only one attorney at work knows. I have lunch with the same people every day, yet not one person has noticed that I went from eating $10.00 worth of fast food to nibbling on some plain tuna. Nobody has noticed my 40 pound weight loss, so I'm glad I didn't tell them. You took the words right out of my mouth, "I just don't want to live under a microscope." With me, I don't want anyone monitoring my progress or warning me about what I should or shouldn't eat. Sometimes I think my husband has a learning disorder because he simply can't adjust to changes. He still insisits I take a bite of this or that, or after he's made a fabolous 6 course dinner, he watches every bite I take and asks, "did you try this yet, mmmm, did you eat this yet, mmm, are you going to have more of this." I ask him all the time to please "try to downplay food." It's enough to smell it and see it, but while I'm struggling to keep my head above Water, he's adding weights to my ankles. He literally argued with me for 10 minutes over stupid spagetti sauce that he made because he wanted me to try the sauce for flavor. I ended up hating him all night for being so ignorant and refusing to leave me alone when it comes to food. So you are right again that he loves me but just doesn't know how to show it.

I could never separate my (fine, our) fur babies. So I guess I have to withdraw my marriage proposal to Mr. Whipple's daddy. Marie, could I borrow that skillet to knock some sense into Chris? All we have is Teflon that woulnd't even make a dent in Chris's Cement head.

Wippledaddy, will you leave your wife and marry me if I divorce my husband? You just wrote the decade's sweetest love story that really touched me.

Michelle, that is the cutest tuna story ever! You never came back to chat with me after running to see what all that tuna commotion was all about! And your hubby reading the band book is awesome. Chris asks me every week how much I lost. Today I told him that kind of bugs me because I feel pressured, but he said that's not his intention. He said he asks so I know he's constantly thinking of my band. He's got a lot of rough around the edges, but he can be a real cream puff, too.

I only use 8 ounces of milk, so I guess by the time the fruit & powders are blended I get about 12-14 ounces. That's about all my belly will allow. Some peanuts came up, but the pieces were smaller than what you'd find in chunky Peanut Butter. My husband said I need to put a sign on my band saying "closed for business" till noon, which is when I start getting hungry enough to eat anything. Alex, I wish they made disposable blenders. I refuse to leave it dirty, so I have to take it apart and clean it every morning. But remember, I don't have kids to take care of or get ready. We just got back from this great German restauarant called the Haufbrauh Haus (sp?) for a surprise party for Babs' husband. After my morning incident, I had watery cream soup for lunch. I didn't order dinner, but I played with my husband's food and had asparagus, mashed potatoes, a few bites of sausage and 3 bites of birthday cake. I wish I didn't learn tricks to help food get down, but unfortunately I learned that I can sip liquids with food if I'm at a party, so I was able to partake in the meal. What a blast the night was though - that's for sure! They have a German band playing the oom-pah-pah stuff, yelling at everyone to raise their steins. Wild & crazy - my kinda night even though I couldn't eat the enormous pretzle they have.

I've been getting e-mails saying that people are trying to send me private messages but my box is full. But my box isn't full. There's only two items in there. There have been many items in my box in the past with no problems. My two items are small and have no attachments. What's going on?

Thank you! My "sent" box was stuffed. I emptied it. Thanks again.

Alex, does the whole PB experience involve the food getting stuck in your throat? Actually, I think it feels good on this side of the fence because nobody has to warn me to stick with liquids! Like I even feel like trying to eat again? No way. I had watery Cream of chicken Soup for lunch. I may never eat again! As far as the Protein bars, I simply don't like eating in the morning. But my friends & neigbors sometimes watch me in amazement as I make my morning shake. Everything goes in there! Milk, banana, berries, Vitamins, a fiber tab, and my special mix of Protein powder mixed with Instant Breakfast. So I'm getting my protein, fiber, Calcium, vitamins, etc., all one one shake that goes down really easy. I don't like chewing food in the morning, and I can't even explain why.

My husband didn't find the band or this site interesting at all. His attitude was "do whatever makes you happy." However, someone I met on-line that had band surgery and lost 66 pounds came to Vegas for the weekend, so I invited her over. She's a dentist and is totally into Nascar, so she really impressed my husband. She showed us her scars and told us the whole story, what she eats, her success, worries, etc. Well, two minutes after she left our house, my husband said, "so what's stopping you from getting that surgery?" Maybe you can show the naysayers this site and have them read how happy we are with our bands. As far as my husband suporting me now that I have the band, well that's a horse of another color! He's still handing me monster portions of food, he's still chasing me around with a spoon trying to get me to taste stuff, and he's still talking, planning, thinking and wanting our lives to revolve around food. He's a slow learner.

I was so bloated and gassy that I ran to my primary care doctor because I thought something was really wrong - "paranoia" in medical terms. I started feeling better after 2 weeks and 2 days, but my heating pad really helped the gas pains. And I put Cream of Asparagas/Chicken soups in the blender and water them down. The warm, nearly clear soups were really satisfying.

Maybe, but I've heard that gastric bypass patients have really smelly buttholes and have to wear carbon filters in their underwear. I'll take the constipation, thank you.