DeLarla

If it's an ear thing, have you heard of Ear Candles? My weirdo herbal friend introduced me to them. I thought she was kidding, but she really shoved this long candle into my ear and lit it. I had to lay there on my side as she monitored the thing because I was afraid my head would catch on fire. I'm not sure how it works, but it's supposed to draw out all the wax. You look really stupid during the process, but they make my ears feel pretty good afterwards.

Dramatic? Who, me? GUILTY!

Alex, I think I'm allergic to climate changes, especially lightening. I get loopy/dizzy/lightheaded, plus my eyes become severely painful. I still predict earthquakes on occasion by screaming noises in my ears that drop me to the floor. A couple years ago, I happened to catch a special on TV about a woman that's allergic to lightening. Okay, it sounds weird, but the poor thing curls up in a ball and has electric shock pains through her whole body during storms. Then other people talked about predicting earthquakes based on piercing rings in their ears. Furthermore, I get severe vertigo in high buildings. When I'm at the top of the Empire State Building my body bonks off the walls like I'm a human pinball because I wobble and can't keep steady - legs turn to Jello. There's a rotating restaurant at the top of The Stratosphere, where I had to leave my steak and lobster behind because I got seasick and nearly tipped over when I tried to stand. I get more seasick than most people, too. Plus I have anxiety disorder. I've also been told by several psychics that I'm highly intuitive, so I wonder if all this adds up somehow. Toss in the fact that I'm the only one that got severe Elevation Sickness when I went to Brianhead a couple weeks ago to 11,000 feet elevation. I think I attribute a lot of this to differences in air pressure. My dad lives in Key Largo right on a canal. I get seasick even before I get on the boat. It takes me several days to adjust to living near the Water. I have to take seasick medicine as soon as I get to his house or I get really sick. And the day after a fishing trip Chris has to hold my arm to walk because I can't steady myself. I'm extremely sleep-deprived today, so my mirds are wixed, but the point I'm trying to suggest is perhaps the climate, storms, and all the weird weather might be to blame? Just another Delarlaism.

Wait, let me back up and agree with Vine. I still hate shopping, even after losing 65 pounds. My height added to my weight still makes it next to impossible to find pants. I was starting to squeeze into 18s, but only a few pair fit. The rest vary between 20 and 22. Phooey on shopping. But when we do find that one amazing item that actually fits and flatters, I guess it makes it all worth while.

I get dizzy and/or vertigo from anxiety. Also, maybe it's time to get your eyes checked?

I shop at Ross every two weeks because they have a wide variety of "disposable" clothes. I get bored easy so I only wear things a few times, and Ross has tons of different designer labels for really cheap. During the holidays I splurge on big ticket items that stay in my wardrobe for life - Nordstrom is my fave, but I also love Dillard's.

I LOVE this list! A new driver's license? I just stood up and applauded that one. Wearing high heels, going back to school, learning new things, giving up prescription meds, breathing independently... I am so, so impressed. My new business was started by women and run by only women. I went to my first meeting, where I met the most amazing, professional, upbeat and POSITIVE women in the world - simply empowering. I wanted to be one of them, so I signed some contracts and plunked down a nice investment. I'll have my new company e-mail set up in the next week, but I won't have my website up for three months. "Lingerie, novelties, books, lotions, edibles and devices." Yep, toys, too! Only it's all done in such a classy, tasteful and fun manner that I can't wait to get my inventory (next week.) Let me know if you want more info and I'll PM you. NOW I AM ONE OF THEM! There's no way in hell I could have stood up front of women doing presentations at my old weight. Now I stand in front of the room feeling like this enormous powerful brilliant sexy woman, and it's all about attitude. If I can feel hot and sexy at 250, anybody can. My French and guitar are coming along, so what will I do next year?

"Lingerie, novelites, books, lotions, edibles and devices." Yep, toys, too!

My friend Tina has the thickest hair in the world, but she loves this thing. But you are right, it takes her an hour cause she has to make so many sections.

Vera, I said things you DON'T use! Hahaha!

Just wanted to let anyone with huge, frizzy and unmanageable hair know that I still LOVE this product and use it all the time. If I'm in a hurry, a few runs through the top layers of my hair smooth things out nicely. Great product.

Awesome! Here's one that offers too much information, but I have to say it. On a rare and special occasion, my hubby likes me to go without panties. I'm not thrilled, but he thinks it's sexy. There's no way in hell I would go without them before, but now for a cheap thrill I can toss some jeans on and go commando. This goes hand-and-hand with the "more sex" part. My husband wanted sex all the time before I lost weight but I hated it. Now I'm all into it! I even started a whole new business based around sex, so he's finally getting his money's worth out of the marriage!

It took me awhile, but mine are yummy. I bought a $13.88 Hamilton Beach shake maker from Walmart. I use soy milk, 1/2 banana, some frozen berries and some bran cereal. I buy plain old fashioned, "Milk and Egg" protein powder from Walgreens and add a little. If the berries aren't sweet, a pinch of Nutrasweet does the trick.

Uh, does anyone see my point? HI PEA PEA!

So get rid of them, sell them all and buy a raft to float on! It feels so good to be free of all that useless crap because it was just a daily reminder that I wasn't using it. Different story if you actually use the stuff, but all my friends have the same crap, and I've seen the dust bunnies, oh yes I have! My point is to use what Mother Nature gave you! If she gave you motivation to use the gizmos you purchased, that's great. But if they haven't been used in a year, studies show they probably never will.

And how much do you actually use? Be honest, I know the truth. I had two gym memberships, 5 tapes, 3 machines, hand weights, a pully doorknob thingy, and a bunch of other dusty useless crap. I did the most amazing, liberating thing that lifted 10,000 pounds off my shoulders. I got rid of it ALL. Every bit of it, including the gym memberships. I went to Walmart and bought a yoga pad and a simple barbell (Danskin has cute colorfully padded girly cute ones.) Now I walk my dogs, swim, ride my mountain bike, dance, hike, go motorcycle riding, walk the malls, clean my house lots more, etc. I do fun stuff and normal calorie-burning exercise, then I do some plain old fashioned sit ups and push ups and pump that barbell 25-50 times. Done. Nobody should have to kill themselves to be healthy. I'm doing just enough to keep my heart happy and my muscles toned. Some of you may have grown up thin, but I've been fat my whole life. If God wanted me skinny, it would have happened by now. My journey hasn't ended, it's just begun. LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH.

Babs hit a rough patch this evening & could use some good vibes sent her way. She breezed through her surgeries, although the first hour after waking up was excruciating. But then she had a great day, great staff, great hospital, till she had a bad reaction (hives) to Morphine. They just added a new Morphine bag with added Benedryl. She's taking her sleeping pills n' going nite-nite now, but she did eat real food today. She expects the true test will be tomorrow when they make her get up and walk around. Just think… waking up for the first time in life with no belly roll? Pain or no pain, sounds like Heaven to me. Please pass the hives.

I started a thread about accepting the weight I've lost so far, and all the wonderful responses inspired this new thread. We've come a long way, BABIES, so let's list the things we do now, or the things we've accomplished since shedding some of what held us back before: In one year, I've: - Started & maintained French Lessons - Started & maintained Guitar Lessons - Got rid of all my useless exercise gizmos, dusty work-out tapes, exercise machines (aka clothes hangers) and gym memberships and have adapted to a NORMAL exercise program of walking, riding 10 speed, dancing, lifting some dumbells, hiking, SEX, and come winter, I plan to resume skiing (it's been 10 years.) - Took motorcycle lessons, learned to ride one, and got my motorcycle license. - Bought a Harley! - Smile in pictures - Stand in front of the group in pictures - Made 100 new positive relations & ended a few dysfunctional ones - Got the handbags I make into a Vegas boutique - And as of Today, I am my own business owner! There's lots more, but let's here from everybody, okay?

Jack, I have no idea what you just said but I'm busting up over here. I was physically hungry after dinner, so I just ate 1 1/2 Cookies of the very evil Otis Spunkmeyer variety. That's what I consider "normal." If I can go the rest of the night with no food, then I'll just go ahead and weigh 250! Life shouldn't be such a struggle, plain and simple. I'm so thankful for all the encouragement and compliments here. Losing that weight has changed my life. I'm going to start a new thread about things people have accomplished since banding... meet me there, okay? Thanks everyone for the nicest words. Love, the Giant.

With the Upper GI they'll see exactly how the barium flows through the band. If the barium flows "around" the band, then there might be trouble. Cheers to a smooth flow!

If I read this 2 minutes sooner I could have spit out a cookie. I say SPIT!

Mysterious Romance (sorry, that one's too hard to pick one.) Spit or swallow (sorry, had to be done.)

Okay people, this one's either really super offensive and lame, or it's really funny. I can't decide. Check out this link and tell me what you think. http://www.illwillpress.com/fatkins.html

I can't believe it. She's living my dream come true. If anyone deserves this, Missy Babs, you're the gal. Can't WAIT to see you up n' at 'em running away from the guys! Michelle, thanks. I'm burning the candle at both ends and appreciate the update.

It's a piece of cake. Nothing to worry about. They need to know you're ready to accept a lifelong change. This isn't a diet, it's a way of life. If you tell them you refuse to eat slow, or obey band rules, then they won't operate. I don't know anyone that's failed. For example, my surgeon won't operate on alcoholics or drug addicts because people don't have good judgement when they're intoxicated. If you sit in your psyche evaluation and tell the therapist that you expect the Band to do all the work, then that says you are unwilling to accept this enormous change. If you aren't ready to accept a new way of living, then the Band isn't right for you. That's it in a nuthshell.