DeLarla

Yikes, I see Lopez and my tail sucks back in, but as long as you have an aftercare surgeon close to home you should be fine. My suggestion is to see your local surgeon right away so he can keep a close eye on your port area. Then get a fluroscopy as soon as you're able to, plus (for all Bandsters) to have annual endoscopies to watch for erosion. Congrads on your Band. I hope it's a boring adventure, meaning I hope you lose weight without any of the insanity I've endured!

I forgot to tell you guys I'm on the left. Yesterday we rode bikes from Vegas to Laughlin, then to Oatman, Arizona, where the wild beasts roam the street like house pets. They had a special thing for me since everyone feeds them carrots but I brought them whole wheat animal food. They said, "carrots, phooey, give us the carbs!" Very nice asses, indeed. And Kim (Livetocanoe) recognized Oatman from the pic. This old cowboy town tucked away so deep in the desert that it's hard to image it still exists. Yesterday was awesome, even though I have a yellow stain on my face from a huge bug splat.

I think this hole is closing up at a pretty good speed. I used to pack it, then put gauze over the top. Now I'm just packing it and putting tape over the top since there's not much to pack any more. I think it will be closed by May 5, which will be my one year band anniversary. That's my plan.

Sorry for the 'fusion, Kim... Penni, can ya side-by-side these?

Who needs people when ya got this kinda lovin?

Till the knucklehead falls off! GOOD ONE. Yes, I love my band, and I feel like I just went pee-pee in the big toilet for the first time... I just took my first shower in almost a year without a bandage. I'll stuff the thing with gauze in a few minutes, but it sure feels good running around without a diaper shoved in my belly for a few minutes! I have zero restriction. Last night I ate my biggest meal ever. I need a fill!

I'm always pushing fuzzy booties. I got pink ones so my feet wouldn't get dirty in the hospital. And a phone card if you're going to Mexico. My cell wouldn't work and I couldn't make outgoing long distance calls on the hospital phone. Girl without phone, not good.

5 yr old Chloe spends lots of days at my house. She has her own toy chest but still brings a backpack and a huge suitcase full of stuff for every visit. I think you're really lucky, cause Chloe's not a nester. Her stuff is scattered throughout the entire house, every room, in the pool, the bathtub, garage. Nesting is a good thing!

Holy batcave, this is the first time I actually looked at the before pic and my skin is all crawly now. That first picture was January 29, so in less than 2 months it's gotten a lot smaller. I hope it's closed by my May Band anniversary. It's exhausting. The worst part is the bandage rashes. It doesn't hurt, but it still grosses me out so sometimes I have a hard time changing the packing. I've been afraid to say how much the last procedure cost - it was over $34,000.00. I just got a letter today that insurance covered most of it, which kinda really pisses me off. If insurance would have covered my Band for $15,000, none of this would have happened. Now I'm in the hole for about $8,000. They can pay $30 grand but not $15?

I went to Urgent Care a couple weeks ago because of the same type of lower ab pain. They diagnosed me with gas. Embarrassing, but they say gas can get pretty painful.

I'm glad this thread is still going strong. It's amazing what we've done. Stunning photos for sure.

Barb, I was asked not to leave LBT by some pretty impressive and significant folks. But sitting around waiting for it to end wasn't making it stop. I'd be the first in line to vote for supsending the next member who even breathes a sigh of it! (Please don't take that literally!) But when I see my name all over the boards after over a week of being absent.... see above.

Alexandra, when all the pooh hit the fan, I honestly felt bad enough to walk away from LBT to cool my jets and allow peace to be restored. But that wasn't good enough for the clan. Too many people equate silence to guilt. But the straw that broke the camel's back was the new thread Nancy started today bringing up my name again. How many new threads are they going to start while at the same time crying that they want to stop the insanity? Now Rebecca started yet another thread where she cut and pasted quotes from this one! She owes me an apology but instead started a whole new batch of drama. It's a malignant cancer that won't stop. But it has to stop. So now I sit here with my mouse headed towards the delete button weighing my options: Do I delete this thread to make nice-nice? Do I let it ride? I promised that I'd try to stop deleting threads, so I'm going to keep it up. I did edit one sentence earlier since I misquoted Greg, but this thread has to stay.

If you call that a "good" time, ee-ho-lay! We had a ripping blast, and I have pictures to proove it!

Greg, you're absolutely correct so I fixed the duck line.

You can get phone cards in just about any corner pharmacy in TJ. My Verizon cell wouldn't work even after I upgraded it.

By the way.... there's tons of bullpoop hitting the fan here on LBT... but it's COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE BASH! Nothing but love and fun once you walk through my front door. All kidding and arguing aside, EVERYBODY IS WELCOME. And I mean that from my heart. Bygones.

Please see my response to this in the "I'm Bacccckkkk" thread. Thanks.

Please see my response to this in the "I'm Bacccckkkk" thread. Thanks.

This is in response to Nancy's "Moderator" thread posted today in addition to Alex's "Moderator Privacy Issues" thread. I'm not sitting back accepting defamation of my name any longer. Ya'll got what you wanted - DeLarla's back in town. Nancy, to what evidence or fact do you state your claim that Marie & Betty have been disciplined? Have I missed an important announcement? And what offense am I'm being charged that warrants disciplinary action? Is it a crime to be a victim of brainless rumors? Penni, Betty & I admitted we affected the board wrongly and negatively. We deleted everything ugly and mean we said, and then I stopped posting, naively thinking my absence would clear the air. But instead, Marie abused her moderator's privileges to un-delete everything Penni & I cleaned up (please note she left Betty's posts untouched to further manipulate our posts.) Yet you continue to sing praise to a moderator who dug in the garbage to continue her public assault on the entire board while wrongly defiling my name. I did not run away from LBT, I stopped posting because I won't allow Marie to dig through my garbage again. But you've coerced me back to defend my name and dig up the past in hopes of shutting the trap for good. Seventy-five people read that I'm not Bigchix but only nine people responded. Which one of you started the rumor? Was it Greg's comment that if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck...? Maybe I'll suggest to my attorney that he use that line next time he stands in front of a jury. Why bother with truth and verity when we can use fallacious ducks as prosecuting evidence? In the "Moderator and Privacy Issues" post, Alex asked for suggestions on how to fix the problem, yet all he got in response was malevolent diatribe from the henhouse. I was the only one that offered an equable request to keep my response confidential to prevent further conflict. Congratulations to all of you that have infected yet another thread with your ancient soap opera antics. Here's your sign. Am I the one accused of sending threatening PMs or have others been placed on the chopping block alongside me? I sent PMs to several members providing evidentiary and factual evidence in defense of my grounds. They're facts, not threats. No more subtle innuendos please. If I threatened somebody, why hasn't a moderator contacted me? These are serious accusations, and I won't sit by any more allowing anybody to further taint my reputation or defile my name. Rebeccalee, you're crying and shaking and getting sick to your stomach yet you're at the top of the list of polluting LBT with hurtful and destructive falsehoods. You accused a moderator of making up new identities. Since you're in agreement with Alexandra, Marie and Betty, that leaves Penni. Who are the "other people" you mention? Is it just DeLarla or have others been attacked with the same nasty rumor? Nightingale2U compounds the problem by describing a "linch mob that involves another of your moderators." Nightingale2U, do you have proof? Could you perhaps have fallen for a trap that might have been set by other crafty members to make it look like DeLarla? Could it have been teenagers playing silly games? Is there a possibility that it wasn't DeLarla and/or Penni? Can someone please pass the evidence? I'm not bigchix. Penni is not bigchix. If anyone needs to be disciplined it should be every single tyrant that participated in these accusations. Those of you talking about one apple spoiling a whole bunch need to take a look in the mirror; the reflection will tell you exactly why LBT won't come back from hell. If you're crying and shaking with torn up stomachs, you'll continue to cry and shake until you make direct amends to those you've hurt. Guilt can manifest as illness. And considering all the clucking about wanting this to end, why do you keep coming back throwing rocket fuel on the inferno? As far as lynch mobs and witch hunts, allow me to update ya'll on the way things are run in the US today. We're not an oppressed country where women shield their faces behind veils while being told what to do by men who make the rules. Our American rights allow us freedom to speak and write what we please. When someone alters the meaning of what we say or write it's called "slander" and "libel" respectively, and it's illegal. And we are innocent until proven guilty, and have the right to a fair trial! And the laws of "discovery" give us the right to know our accusers, what we're being accused of, and any to inspect any evidence being used against us. So to each one of you that "think" they know the truth, back off before slamming my values or erroneously accusing me again. I want all allegations against my name to stop immediately. While you hide behind your embroidered hankies sniffling about how sick this makes you, stop contaminating the board with sour treachery while feigning innocence. It's no wonder men don't take women seriously.

We don't want a totally formally organized event, but last year a bunch of people were late for dinner. This year I'll make reservations for 6:00 p.m. Friday night (last year was 5:00.) Would that help? And festivities at my shack begin Saturday - whenever Penni and Megan get their butts out of bed.

I can't keep my mouth shut any more so I'm gonna start with a mini hi-jack... JENNA IS A BABE! Now back to business. Last year I took on too much and got really stressed out. So anyone wanting to volunteer for different projects would be greatly appreciated. I organized 9000 items of clothes (till wild women tore through it like fresh kill!) Shopping, cleaning, cooking, airport/hotel shuttle-girl, filtering calls, finding last minute rooms, giving directions, introductions, internet research, doors knocking, photo albums, new friends, white elephants, rumors that my hubby was doing my neighbor and that I was bisexual.... Arrgghhh! I finally grabbed a bucket of Carol's margueritas and jumped in the pool with my clothes on (don't listen to rumors about my underwear cuz I did JUMP IN dressed.) Anyone that didn't come last year, prep for a blast! No worries, no huge suitcases, no fancy clothes (unless they're for the exchange.) It's going to be hot in September and Vegas for the most part has gone completely casual unless you plan to go clubbing. Slacks or skirt, nice blouse & cha-cha heels are fine. Are we doing a white elephant exchange? I like the idea. We WILL play the name game! Any other games? Any other ideas so things run smoother (last year half the people were in the pool during the clothing exchange & white elephant deal) Are we having awards? How about our own version of LBT SURVIVOR game? Oh, this could be fun! I'll do the cooking. For those that want to bring food or cook, I'll take us to the grocery store. I'll make reservations and plan the meal at Buca for Friday night. But can we have volunteers for: -Hotel room information/reservation, etc. -Clothing Exchange Coordinator/Organizer -Front Door Greeter/Phone Answerer (my cell & home lines were ringing like mad) -Party Planner (for the party at my house to coordinate awards ceremony, clothing exchange, white elephant exchange, name game, coordination of when we throw Penni in the pool, etc.) -Anyone driving that could pick others up from the airport? (5 minutes from my house.) Did I miss anything?

Alex, I have too many PMs that would not be appropriate to post publicly. If I put the title to this thread in the subject line, would you read a short PM from those of us that feel the need for confidentiality? Thank you. And we can't thank you enough for LBT.

I really don't have a heart murmur but if insurance doesn't cover the bill I'm finding Thema and riding off a cliff on my Harley... with a bottle of tequila, and I'll light my hair on fire for special effect. I don't think the weirdness will ever fade - it will never be the old freeflowing LBT.

Thanks T! This is the only thread I'm participating in and just reading lots. I'm not listing any numbers either. Too much focusing on numbers isn't helping right now. As far as that "apology"... zipping my mouth & keeping the worms in the can.