DeLarla

Why is it so easy for some of you who've never been through port infections, slippage, severe reflux, complications, leaks, etc., to judge those of us who have? Maybe you aren't directing comments at one person, but some of these responses are filled with unnecessary sarcasm. If you don't even have a band, how do you know how you'll feel living with a foreign device strangling your belly? It's not always an easy feeling to live with. So until you walk in our shoes, you might consider that it's not stupid or crazy or weird to consider proactively removing the band. Try my shoes on. I'd have had my band removed before my erosion was detected if I could have afforded it. You can't rely only on one itty bitty poll from here at LBT since we're just a tiny fraction of the banded community. I know three people other than myself that wanted "the damn thing out of them." Take a look from the other side of the fence, and never say never. The are so many surgeons placing the band that it's very likely erosions and complications will become more prevalent as time goes by. It's just a hypothetical, but how would you feel if 10 people banded from the same surgeon were all detected with erosion about the same time? I'll tell you how it feels ~ it feels like you have a time bomb ticking inside you.

"To me this operation was an absolute cinch." YIKES! This is MAJOR surgery!

I took a huge chance and made a big investment in my own little company! It keeps me busy. It keeps me on the phone yapping with other people. It keeps me motivated. It keeps life interesting!

Vera, sorry I didn't get the phone but I was trapped in bed between a 200 pound man and 150 pounds worth of goat-smelling furbabies! We were all tucked in so tight watching Wife Swap that I couldn't get to the phone. I LOVE YOU THOUGH!

I'll be seeing Melissa next month, and I'll ask her to donate her unwanted clothes to our next clothing bash. Heather, there's a Christian store that sells "marital devices" because they want to keep sex in the marriage. One of our biggest Jesus freaks from this very board couldn't find anything in the bible against my toys! Plus, it's a multi-billion dollar business, so no matter how many people are offended, way more are totally into it. The "toy" part of Slumber is just a small part of what I do. Imagine a girls' night out with no men, no kids, no dishes, bills? We all deserve more of them, so it gives me enormous pleasure show women such a great time.

Old Navy Below The Waist? Next time I go potty I gotta see what the label says. So, I'll get used to them? I do tend to tug on them every time I stand up. I have darling support thongs. They aren't floss, they have a nice T-back. But I can't find them any more. Avenue used to carry them but I can't find them. Michelle is wearing size 10? WHAT? And that's MY masculine man ass. I'll take it!

I'm wearing NORMAL STORE (Old Navy 18) jeans today! But they feel so foreign to my body. What year did women's jeans change to where they button 3 inches below the belly button, and is this supposed to be a comfortable fit? Will I get used to it? I put them on with my usual French Cut Jockey panties, but had to change into a thong because 5 inches of panty showed above my waistband - but I can't even call it a waistband because the band sits on my hips. Even a thong panty shows above these jeans. All kidding aside, are skinny women actually comfortable with this hipster clothing thing that apparently happened when I was hiding under all that weight? It's a very odd, odd feeling.

Hey girlie, I just got back from a lung CAT scan myself. Has anyone mentioned possible Sarcoidosis? I'm not a doctor, but I had such bad bouts of Sarcoid I thought I was dying. They've been doing annual x-rays to compare the nodules on my lungs (that's what showed up on films, suspicious spots) to see if it gets worse. But the last 2 surgeries I woke up practically strangling the person standing over me because I couldn't breathe. It was awful. After band removal, they did another chest x-ray. But this time they freaked me out by mentioning "possible cancer" and wanting me to do a lung CT scan ASAP. I had the scan this morning. Same fears you have but I can't dwell on them, so I rode my Harley to work and wore jeans with lots of pink even though it's not Friday. Live life now is what I say. Neither one of us have cancer. Nope. Please keep your hopes high and stress low. Go get a pedicure, spoil yourself. Hell, do like me and get a new Harley while the gettin's good!

Damn, the religious woman refused to do Melissa's job. She got in the car and drove all the way to the Slumber Party, but she refused to go inside, which is such a shame. There's so much more than just sex talk at a Slumber Party. Actually, the "toy" segment is the shortest part. But getting together with no men, no dishes, no children ~ and letting loose for a change with just all women is an experience I'm thrilled to be part of. I think she's a little over the edge, but those of you who saw Melissa's home saw what Slumber Parties can do for a woman's income. I LOVE IT!

And we have another Wonder Woman! Welcome to Beanland, Reneband!

It's about lifestyle changes. It's about eating reasonably and the band is there to HELP you. Not magically change quarter pounders, pizza, tacos and burritos into "health food." Well said!

One of my Slumber sisters (Melissa Kraut) is on Wife Swap tonight. She's swapping with a religious family, and they are supposed to exchange rolls. Do you think the religious woman is going to agree to have a Slumber Party? I can't wait to see it - I've been waiting for weeks!:kiss2:

That's it. You're grounded. I am the weakest link. Good bye.

"Once this becomes the norm for almost 2 1/2 decades.....then how do you put things in reverse without major resentment." Why should you care about their resentment towards you, when you've been swallowing resentment for 25 years? I feel for you, and I totally understand where you're coming from. I've spoiled my husband (though to a much lesser degree) and now he's a pain, so every so often I'm forced to "go on strike." I hate going on strike because my house gets really dirty, but it's the only way to take control of my household. Instead of washing piled up dishes, I'll go to a movie by myself as my husband looks at me as if I've lost my mind. Soon enough, he gets tired of the dirty house and cleans the entire thing. You're so concerned with upsetting your family, while they upset you every day. Stop laughing with them and show them that you are a strong, remarkable roll person, not a door mat. Like I said, start slow. Try one thing at a time. Maybe after dinner excuse yourself and get a pedicure. Tell your family how hard it is for you to be surrounded by all that food, and ask them to do the dinner dishes while you train yourself to stop grazing on leftovers. Tell them you want to change your habits, so while they do the dishes you can take a walk (to the pedicure shop, hey, it's a walk!)

Kare, I have feelings too. How many jokes does it take to get DeLarla to take an LBT vacation? Last time I stopped posting, I was innundated with e-mails and phone calls telling me to get my butt back. I will ground you from me, then you'll miss me. I'm like a drug - bad for you but you gotta have me.

I lost my band due to erosion. I'm losing weight very slowly, but I'm STARVING most of the time. The amount of food it takes for me to lose weight is very small. If I eat more than 1200 - 1500 calories, the weight doesn't come off. So I eat my tiny meals that don't last in my belly till the next meal. I'm always hungry, always cranky. When you have a band, the food stays in your pouch long enough that you don't have to suffer physical hunger. I was hardly ever hungry when I had the band, because my pouch stayed full for hours and hour and hours! Don't worry about what your friend says because she doesn't know what it's like to feel hungry all the time. Your belly feels satisfied with just a little food that lasts when you have a band. Being hungry all day is no picnic - literally.

"Hell, I leave mine up as reminder to everyone. Watch out for her.. she's Nuts!" Hey, I like this reasoning.

Awe, I'm sorry Diane. Vines is right, sometimes my brand of tough love comes off rather harsh, but desperate times call for desperate measures. For the records, somebody from this board actually contacted me to point out your thread because they figured I might have some strong words. To know me is to love me But still, can you serve those bean sprouts tonight?

OMG, is that what that is? I (ducking) fell asleep during that movie. Too many sword fights. Where can I get an avatar of Johnny blowing me a kiss?

Diane, for dinner tonight prepare steamed brussell sprouts and broiled fish with no butter or oil. Everyone gets a lemon wedge, and serve a side of raw bean sprouts. Thank your family for caring enough to get your butt in gear, and announce that you'll now be cooking healthier for the ENTIRE family since your children are predisposed to the fat gene. Tell them, "Daddy doesn't want fat kids, and neither do I" then pass them a rice cake for dessert. Then say, "WOOF" and mean it.

I take a little offense to "These women have no couth....." considering Diane's thread is based on a women being insulted by her husband (man) and children through incessant, hurtful jokes. I'm not laughing. I wasn't raised around any men whatsoever. I didn't have a father, a grandfather or any uncles. My grandmother was divorced before I was born, and my mother divorced when I was an infant, so I can't fathom allowing a man to insult me in my own home. Perhaps that makes me the wrong person to give advice on how to handle a husband that makes fun of his wife. It disgusts me, and I'd slap his face and risk a night in jail just to shut him up. Diane, your husband and children are verbally abusing you. The sooner you look at the severity of their jokes, the sooner you'll come up with the right words and actions to teach them respect. A family just like yours was portrayed on Nanny 911. The husband a dentist, the wife a stay-at-home mom. He and the kids constantly insulted her weight. It was awful to watch. I don't care if they're kidding or not, there's nothing funny about making fun of your mom. Nothing. And I know Nanny is just a TV show, but it sent an excellent lesson on respect across the tube. I'm not saying you should leave or destroy your family, but you need to put your foot down. Call a meeting with your husband. Use a notepad and show him how bad it hurts when he allows your children to make fun of you. Ask him how he would feel if his children didn't show him respect, and tell him it's tearing you up. Men don't often respond well to being told what to do, so instead show him what YOU are going to do.

How bad does it suck that this man is married to my friend, and I'm married to a guy I already love? Dawg, how did I miss this thread? Great job! I don't know the girl's name, but Dr. Fisher in Vegas had an erosion last year, and Lopez flew in to teach him how to remove it. That's when Lopez was in Vegas and agreed to have me back to Mexico, so the info came from the surgeons. Have Michelle and Francesca responded? They were both banded by Ortiz, both eroded. Karen H (my Vegas pal) doesn't post much, but she was a Lopez patient that eroded. I was banded by Lopez in Tijuana May 2004

HOTTEST ~ new avatar - Vera! Creepiest avatar ~ Sorry Leenerbups, but your avatar scares me! Is that the devil trying to eat me? Most patient baby bandster ~ Renebean! Most obnoxious non-bandster ~ ME! Cutest couple ~ Photonut & Dawg God ~ Chuck Norris

"PhotoNut and DAWG - where have syou two been all my life?!?!" HEY, that's what I was gonna say!!! I want to marry them.

HOW YOU BEEN, BEAN? Looking forward really bad to hearing that you're doing great! LOVE YOU xoxox