DeLarla

I never liked Christmas or Easter, but I really love Memorial Day. Makes me think of my late uncles & their war memorial in the center of town near where I was born. Here's to fond memories, to our flag, to our friends, to you. Please be safe this weekend, and share your plans here. I might nag hubby till he caves to drive to California and invade John (Penni won't be there cuz she's in Florida.) Then Monday, one of us Bandsters is coming to Vegas to meet me and play with me! I have a four day weekend... And you? (Waving flag with hand over heart.)

Vine, you are killing me here! That Kenyan coffee & turbonado sounds Heavenly right now. Next you'll tell me you've got fresh, thick cream. Stop it.

That sounds like my kinda freaky flick! I'd love to see it, but I don't purchase movies. If anyone buys it, can I rent it from you for a weekend?

I'm really sorry. This is the most devastating news for any of us. We all have to worry about erosion all the time. Nobody can tell you exactly what caused your erosion, but this is what I know for now. The surgeon that placed your band may have nicked your stomach during your original band surgery, and that nick could have gotten infected, which could lead to erosion. Infected ports can also lead to erosion. It is said that use of NSAIDs (like Motrin or other anti inflammatory medications) can cause problems and potentially erosion. Several of my friends have had their bands removed due to erosion. Who was your surgeon that placed the band? I am truly sorry and wish there was something I could do to help. I'm going to let my friends know about you (the ones that had their bands removed.) They would probably be willing to talk to you on the phone, if you'd like. Please get your band removed as soon as possible. I just heard another Lopez patient has erosion, but hers is very small so Lopez said she can keep her band a little longer. But yours sounds much more severe, so take care of it as soon as possible. I just saw one friend who had her band removed several months ago, and she looks FABULOUS (K.H.) She said she gained a little, but she's still maintaining an incredible loss. Good luck to you.

I'm with Alex. I said sugar was bad, but I never said I avoid it! I love the crap! I'm also an Equal & Sweet n' Low junkie so I mix them all the time.

You sound like you're doing the right thing. I was too frustrated with all the different opinions, so I kinda made my own set of rules. I took what all the doctors said, then I added what everyone here said. Then I listened to my own body and kinda tossed it all around and came up with a sensible plan special for me. I never ate anything I wasn't supposed to, but I did switch to thick liquids a day sooner than I should have. However, the Mexican hospital served thick applejuice, the consistency of applesauce, the day after my surgery. I pointed out to my surgeon that it was thick and not clear, and he said that's no problem. So if I could drink applesauce, I didn't see a problem with having cream soup a day early. Putting soup in a blender slides right through the band (I did the same thing then gave the bits to my pets as I ate the soup.) Congrads to you.

There are tons of reasons: - Sugar is nothing but empty calories - Sugar is addicting - Sugar contributes to obesity Boy, I'd have to write a novel to continue this one! I'm a sugar junkie, LOVE the crap. However, I'm really addicted to it, so I can't have just a little. I personally don't think there's anything wrong with having a little sugar, but if you are like me, you'll just want more and more and more. Ask yourself why you got the band. Probably to lose weight and live a healthier life, right? Well, sugar doesn't have any health benefits - quite the opposite, actually.

I consider ice cream a liquid. It melts before you swallow it and slides right through. I could at a gallon. Okay, half gallon, no prob.

I had perfect restriction ONE time, and it was glorious. I had a full plate of food (I use a salad plate.) About 3/4 through I felt a slight PB come on that stopped me from eating any more. The beauty was that the PB feeling went away after a few minutes, and it wasn't even a bad PB, just the slightest golfball feeling that made me stop. Hell, I'd swallow a golfball if it kept me from eating.

I must have gotten the LapBand A.M. because my band is closed for business till noon. I often drink a protein shake, but I'm totally not interested in food in the mornings. I wish that would happen at night & wonder when they'll invent the P.M. version.

I was smart (finally) and saved my old cell phone, which I usually give to charity. The guy at Verizon saw the busted remains of my mangled phone and felt so bad for me that he transferred all my numbers from my old phone to my husband's old phone. But my old phone was from before I knew Penni, so at least I have most my numbers. I only had that spiffy new camera phone 15 days. Cha-ching, more money down the drain! Oops.

Kathy, I get my brows waxed when I get my roots done, which I'm overdue for. I thought I was pretty brave posting a pic fresh out of the shower with no foundation or cover up! Just me & my old woman puffy eyes & blemishes.

I'm with the whole fairytale thing. If I can't live a fairytale thing like Rob & Amber, or like Carrie Underwood being the new American Idol, then it's sure fun being part of the fantasy by watching them on TV.

I attached the picture to my original post - click back to page 1.

My cell got ran over by a car yesterday and destroyed! So I lost all my numbers, but I have Penni's home number memorized. I called & woke up John, who is going to call me back with Penni's cell number after he wakes up.

CONGRADS TO CARRIE! I would have been excited for either of them. But now I need therapy because I have empty nest syndrome. What will I do Tuesdays & Wednesdays now that my babies are off becoming superstars?

Somebody put a red circle around the English teacher's grammatical error! Haha, too funny, but I'm only playing. Couldn't resist that one!

Ice cream. Holy moly. That's my biggest issue in the whole entire world. MUST HAVE MASS QUANTITIES. I wonder if it's cuz when I was a kid, we didn't get junk food at all. None. Gross liver & hard crunchy lima Beans for us. Once every blue moon the "Momster" bought 1/2 gallon, and there were four of us. Nobody's eyes would leave that container, and she'd use a knife and slice through carton and all and give us each 1/4 of the ice cream with the box still around it. Now I have to eat the whole container or I'll surely die. But my band surgeon told me I'm never allowed to eat low fat or fat free food again because they replace the flavor by adding extra sugar. I'll have to check out some labels.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PLEASE DON'T EAT THE BUNNIES! Ouch, my heart, my heart, I'm dying... helpppppppp!

Shucks, I'd let them take my gallbladder if I knew it meant they wouldn't want yours. Sucks being anxious, but how cute are you to plant Snapdragons? See if the doc will put your gallbladder in a jar for you. Decorate your hospital room with crepe' paper. Ask the nurse's station to page you. Bring lollypops for the whole staff. Try to have fun with it to keep yourself from cracking up, and it will all be over before you know it. Peace & good luck to you.

I personally think the winner will get the stinky end of the stick. They'll be stuck with the American Idol contract. Who ever comes in 2nd will have the freedom to sign with whoever they please. They'll both have offers coming out of their ears, but the winner won't have options. That said, I love Bo. He's mine. He wants me. He talked to me 30 times on the phone last night. Okay, am I the only dork that voted? It was his voice on the recording, so I kept calling back. But I think Carrie would do better with the American Idol contract. They are both amazing, but Carrie might need that protective shelter more than Bo. Hell, what do I know? They are both superstars.

Darn! I can't believe I missed that. Anyone know if it's replaying?

I'm lucky that my gorgeous blonde skinny friend actually understand. She's a smoker. She's a holistic smoker, so she won't take an aspirin but she'll smoke a pack of death. She's really sick right now from food poisoning from bad oysters, which turned into gastritis. She's been in the hospital twice last week. She called me last night cause she feels like she's insane, since smoking just makes the stomach/esophagus sickness much worse, yet she's standing in a 140 degree garage sucking down a cigarette. I told her that's how I feel about food. Thank God I have a skinny friend that "gets it."

P.S. When I told Penni's John over the phone that I had this done, he kinda freaked. He thought I was nuts for doing something so permanent, as did my husband. But John & Penni were just here, and even John said it looks great & natural. Men don't like the hooker look, and even my dentist this morning said he'd get it done if he were a woman, cause he sees his wife & daughters painting the same goop every day. Oh, but eyebrows? For the life of me, I can't understand why women shave off their eyebrows & draw new ones. Someone please explain? I can't even imagine having my brows done. Not even sure I could get lip liner but they mix & match the color just a shade darker than your lips, so they get defined but not outline.

I would never have gotten it done, but I've seen lots of this woman's work. She's had the same reputable shop for twelve years, and it's where everyone goes to get their screwed-up jobs fixed. My aunt had it done in her 60s. I'm gonna take a pic this week to show you guys that it's not a big deal at all. Even if I were 90, it would just look like I still have lower lashes. If you think of a big paint brush, and pull out one or maybe two bristles, that's as thick as it is. It doesn't even look like eye liner, really. It just looks like my lower lashes are fuller. Honestly, I would never be able to make a line this thin with real eyeliner. Flippen groovey. For the record, I don't believe in tattoos on woman. No way, not for me. That's way too permanent, but this is the best beauty secret I've ever spent money on (aside from Bandy.) And it fades over time. You've all seen real tattoes when they're new? They are pitch black and very dark, but after 10 years fade to gray and pink. I won't mind having lower lashes when I'm 90, not at all.