DeLarla

Seriously, I think my boss is jealous. I told him about it and he just grunted. He's a big fat partner of a law group, but he swooned over the first bike and said, "we must be paying you too much cause I can't even afford a Harley." I didn't feel like waiting for him to say anything, so I buzzed his line & told him. He grunted. He hasn't even looked at it, and it's right outside the window. Poor guy just got married to a young thang that wants babies. I think he's pretty jelly in his belly.

I'm not shutting up till Lulu shuts up, besides, I think too much laughter causes restriction. Restriction - GOOD.

I had to hit rock bottom first. There were no choices for me, either surgery or a slow, lonely death at an early age. In the past 10 years, I have never, ever skipped a meal. That was simply unheard of. Now there are times that I'm actually too busy to eat, or not hungry enough to eat. Sure, my mind still says, "EAT" but sometimes my band helps me muster up the willpower to tell my head to shut the heck up. I've gone to bed without dinner on occasion. Sometimes I have to run errands at lunch, so I don't eat. Before my band I'd drive through Taco Bell and eat $10.00 worth of it while driving when I had errands to do. I can't believe it's even me typing this! I'm constantly aware of my band. I feel tightness in my ribcage all the time. I'm rarely hungry. I don't eat Breakfast because of the tightness, so I just drink milk or Protein shakes. I'm not too hungry at lunch, so I have a small lunch. My hunger kicks in late in the day. I tend to crave healthy foods. I crave chicken mostly, and I try to eat fresh veggies with lunch & dinner. But I don't follow any eating plan whatsoever. I do, however, try to get in some milk and cheese for Calcium, and I try to get veggies & fruits in moreso than I used to, but it's easier now. Yesterday I was at a party, and the hostess set a tray of brownies in front of me, but then she snatched them back up and apologized for torturing me while I was on a diet. I told her I wasn't on a diet and let her put the tray right in front of me, then asked if I could wrap one up for when hunger kicked in later. I ate it last night with a little chicken salad. No more dieting for me - ever.

Lookitchoo all up in dat hot little mini! Even your avatar is amazing. You don't even look like someone with weight issues. And hootie-pattootie hottie guy on your arm... where ya going, to accept your homecoming crowns? NICE! Shelly, you're so cute, but you don't post much any more.. I miss you.

Penni, I was with a teenager that wouldn't take no for an answer. My legs nearly gave out on me stepping into the roller coaster. Jelly knees. But the roller coaster is child's play. She whined and cried and dragged till I finally went on that free fall death trap. Never been so f-ng scared in my entire life. I actually gave in to death - that's how bad it messed me up. I haven't been back to the top of the Stratosphere since - that was over 5 years ago. Now there's a 3rd ride up there. Hard to explain, but designed to kill.

Darcy, Darcy, Darcy, why didn't you just do the 23 hour thingy? But at least you're on your way to knowledge, and finally some doctor took the time to listen to you. Geeze, I'm so not into this biker thing that I actually forgot to wear my leather jacket this morning. Rode the motorcycle and was kinda cold. Mental note - put on some leather.

"You did it because you wanted your hubby to suffer and worry and wring his hands about HIS nifty swifty new Harley when you learned to ride it and then take off without him knowing exactly where you were going." Penni, isn't that what I said? That's exactly what I was trying to say. Or something like that. But seriously, I'm not a speed demon. They all think I'm dorky for putting "Safety First" stickers on my cool helmet. I'm the safety geek that actuall counts in my head to make sure I'm following two full seconds behind traffic - 3-4 seconds in fast traffic! In otherwords, I'm a big chickenship. And just for that snotty response, YOU are going to the top of the Stratosphere and riding the Screamin' what-ever-the-hell-it's called. I'll see to it. Now there's a good game to play. Who ever loses has to ride with Penni. That flipping thing is Horrifying.

Betty, it's exciting for all of us to watch new people get banded. I'm still new myself. I wasn't nervous at all - I was giddy and excited. I just wanted them to knock me out and get it over with.

Darcy, the only thing I had to fear was allowing my husband to tell me "girls ride on the backs of bikes." I simply don't stand for that kinda thing. I think bungee jumping should be outlawed. I don't understand motocross, people who ski over sides of mountains to see how many mid-air somersaults they can do, or people jumping out of perfectly functional airplanes. Unlike Tom Cruise, I DO NOT feel the need - the need for speed. I said it in another post, and I'll say it again. I did not learn to ride a motorcycle because I wanted to fly down the street on 2 squirrelly wheels. It's not for me; it's for all woman kind! It's the ultimate good deed. This is America, home of the free and of women that don't take the back seat! It was my patriotic duty. Women can't keep burning their bras cause they're too damn expensive, so we do what we gotta do. Now shouldn't I get a badge or something?

BONK. BONK BONK BONK BONK! Gross Darcy, would it make you feel better if I sent you a real gory picture of the grossness of my open wound? Please don't hate your band... be careful what you wish for. Just keep demanding answers. Betty, there's a lot of scary band stuff going on around here. BUT... look at the number of bands being placed every day, then look at the complications. I think we see a lot of bad stuff cuz people usually only post when they have something to post about. I'd get re-banded all over again, regardless of all the problems I've had. It's worth the weight (loss.)

Michelle, how could you have missed this post? YES, I turned 42 last week and today I rode my very own Harley to work for the first time. My boss hasn't even seen it - he's walked by several times with his head in the clouds. He'll surely have me committed to the Funny Farm. There's a mandatory 72 hour hold when you get taken to the County Mental Hospital, so I'll take all my meds like a good girl and will be out in time for your arrival wearing my new straight jacket. I hope it has fringe.

Miss Darcy, my heating pad has been my band's best friend. I've been on the phone all morning scheduling an appointment to see the surgeon about my open wound. Can you hear the circus music? He won't see me unless I come with Cat Scan films. So first I had to schedule a Cat Scan. But I can't have a Cat Scan without blood work first. And I need to pick up a bottle of Cheetah to drink before taking the Cat Scan. So my disgusting wound will be seeing the surgeon on October 21. Till then, I'll just keep it clean with antibiotic cream and fresh bandages.

October's mortgage is paid! We'll worry about November in December. Donali, I'm suing one of the attorneys that work here for forcing me to buy the bike. I'll add your name to the Complaint. He kept asking me every day if I bought one yet. I told him that planting subliminal messages was very wrong and quite illegal, yet that just fed his fire. He's at court now but he'll have to walk right by that orange bike on his way in. He's gonna die laughing. My big boss doesn't know yet... my Jimmy isn't in my parking space. He usually asks where my car is but he must not be awake yet. The bike is so small that it's hidden behind this pillar. I'm playing dumb. "Bike... what bike?" Do you believe me?

Darcy, you could be a stripper. Or a figure skater. I'm still getting notified. Does a heating pad help your sore belly?

Hahaha, I planned on cleaning my house, pulling weeds, making everything perfect for this weekend, but I was too busy having fun on my new motorcycle. You guys don't mind a little dirt, do you? Carol, I can taste those Margies now!

My husband was raised to be extremely selfish, but like he tells his friends, "Lisa knocked all the rough off me." He'll lean over my shoulder and read a post from time to time, but the fact you came here on your own really touches a soft spot in my heart. Good luck to your loved one. I found this board before I got my band, and it's been my savior. I can't even imagine having a band and not knowing about this site. Thank you to all my friends that pull me through the goods and the bads. Smooooochh!

Wow, great thread. I never even thought of complications related to anesthesia. I'll have to be knocked out myself for an endoscopy soon. But the last 2 times I was fine. I don't have the luxury of getting unfilled because I don't even have a port. We always have to remember to tell our docs about our bands and those kinds of complications. Maybe they can give you something for nausea before knocking you out? Just guessing.

Y yo, tu. Por que yo hablo Espanol muy rapido que yo entiendo. Ole'! It's quiet around here today. Everybody must be having a fun weekend. Haven't seen Donali around, which must mean she's really enjoying her honey-bunny. Mmmm... beer. I agree Betty, drink up!

On Sundays we meet with this really great group of folks and take long bike rides. Today I met the head of a huge hospital out here. He gave me his number and said to call him Tuesday, he's gonna hook me up with a doctor he thinks can help me. If the head of a hospital can't find me a doctor, nobody can! Afterwards we went to his home for a barbeque. The most amazingly beautiful honker of a huge home. Huge rock mountain built around the swimming pool, complete with misters, waterfalls that somehow turns into a slide, attached jacuzzi, and a flipping huge flat screen TV built into the rock formation with waterfalls on either side so you can float in the pool and watch TV. No lie. Then a full mini golf course, hammock, etc. To die for. Darcy, it's October and we're still having pool parties. Frying hot outside... you sure you can't make it?

Darcy, you'll have to wait in line since Penni probably already has about 10 things to bonk me in the head about. And you're right, but I'm at my rope's end with my incision myself. It healed over completely, but then got all poofy again. It opened, but now it's like an inside out wound with this little wad of cyst-like stuff protruding. So tomorrow I'm making an appointment with a surgeon. So far, all my doctors are clueless, and I'm not about to call Mexico, because they make me feel the way Darcy feels. But I'm not gonna cry either.

I've got a pile of clothes started here. Once I get all the boxes, I'll try sorting them in size. Far out - thanks to everyone for particpating.

Leatha, that's such a nice post. Thanks for sharing. I won't be doing any long distance on my little go cart. But Chris has been building the trailer, so we'll be able to take them places. Back to the Dodge Ram with all the bells and whistles - yep, we got one of them, too. But it's a 1997, which should have been paid off 2 years ago. But noooo, he likes to screw around, and paying things off isn't something he comprehends. So we still have the truck payment, which is why I was so mad that he bought the new bike. He had to work today, and he was really worried I'd go out alone and get hurt. But I've been riding my motorcycle all morning. I'm not stupid, and I don't take dangerous chances. I went to the Avenue to buy underwear on my Harley! It has two saddlebags for girly underwear n' such. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Thanks for not throwing your shoes at the computer when you read that I bought another bike. Nice to have you guys to hold me up!

My part time job is banging my head against the walls. I was really working part time at the Avenue store for a couple months, but the second Chris destroyed our financial future with the brand new one I quit. Last night, after we got home, I asked, "honey, seriously, how we gonna pay for this crap?" He said, "uh, duh, I figer'd you worked that out." Worked what out? Did he see me come home with lotto winnings? I was just so very sick and tired of fighting over the bike. Now he can't whine, bitch and throw sissy-girly fits about me taking the Dyna to work. At first he said he'd never ride my baby bike, but after all the compliments I got on the way home, he jumped on it and took it for a spin. Then he sat admiring it. Now his ego will blow through the roof as he brags about his "two Harleys." No more fighting. That was my goal. Peace and love... peace and love.

Darcy, Baby, I have seen 3 different doctors for my incision problem; my primary, my gastro, and the Urgent Care doctor (twice.) NONE of them have even heard of "Seroma." I got that term her, from Donali, I believe. So keep going to new doctors till someone finds out what's really wrong. Gastritis doesn't sound like something so painfully debilitating - to me, anyway. I actually explained Seroma to the Urgent Care doctor, who had never heard of it. So keep researching the internet and keep going to doctors. If it is gastritis, you'd think there'd be a medication to sooth your poor 'lil belly. You're making me sniffle over here. Be a strong soldier and get to the bottom. As for my incision, the last few days have gotten really worse. It closed up and poofed all out again. Then yesterday it sprung a tiny leak, so I covered it. This morning the gauze was soaked, and the innards were protruding through the incision like a huge pea-size nobule of cystlike stuff. I actually sanitized scissors and snipped the head off (zero pain in this thing.) So I have another appointment lined up and will keep making more appointments till someone can tell me what's up.

HERS (although we're sharing so I'll still ride the Daddy Dog when I want.