hagerteresa

Hi Jody, My wound was never infected but it did leak a LOT a week or two after surgery for several days. My family practitioner did not want to take any chances and extended my anti-biotics for several more days. Good luck, Teresa

Donali, Maybe your dragon learned better manners and consequences. I'm sure glad to see you popping on here more frequently. My world wasn't the same without Donali. Best wishes, Teresa

Mama Leones chicken Soup Saute in a soup pot with a little butter: 1 small onion 3 stalks celery 1 zuchinni 3-4 sliced mushrooms Add: 1 can chicken broth 2 cans diced tomatoes 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken (easiest if you get the pre-roasted rotissorie chickens and just use part of it) 1 pint of light sour cream or whipping cream salt and pepper oregano and basil a couple of handfuls of chopped spinach at the end Another yummy recipe: Southwest Scramble Scramble 5 eggs (for 2 normal people, it seems I can only eat 1/2 of what I think is a band serving) Just before they get done add 1 small can of chilis to the eggs Top with a little bit of cheddar and light cream cheese.

Thanks BigT and Jack. I loved the story and what a great analogy about the band. Best wishes to both of you, Teresa

I don't know what I'll plant in memory of Blossom yet but I'll think of something. Teresa

I too am shocked at this tragic loss. Poor Blossom... She was so inspirational and a joy to all of us on the forum. I am so sad to have read this post. Phillip, I am so sorry this happened to your family. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers. Teresa

I thought that might be the situation. Best of luck in your search Tina. Teresa

Those donkeys are adorable. I love equine critters. You are looking slimmer and slimmer Lisa. Teresa

Costco actually makes an adult chewable vitamin that tastes better than the flintstone ones. You only take two of those. I also take the viactiv calcium chews. Teresa

Yes Marsha, it has happened to a couple of others on this forum. Try P.M. Vera, she just had a leaked repaired. Best wishes to you, Teresa

Part of the show was how they did off the ranch and they all did very well. They realize that people can go back to their old tricks at home so they incorporated 7 or 8 weeks of their home life into part of the reward. As mentioned the band will be around later. Also if the insurance does approve you can't you just delay them for 6 months if needed? Teresa

I would do the biggest loser, learn new habits and better techniques and excercise habits. It won't be too late to do the band later but it would be too late to do the show. I LOVED that show and think it would be a good experience. I would have loved to have gotten my mom or brother on that show. Anyway good luck, Teresa

I'm down 1.5 lbs for the past few weeks too.

Yeah Lisa, The insurance thing is a joke. My insurance said they would cover any complications including the flouro part of my fills but not the original band...OKAY??? What are we missing? I'm thinking about doing what Penni is doing and submitting it for reimbursement just to see what they say. Sorry your deeper in the hole... Oh, I lost my mind and bought my hubby a moped a few weeks ago. He loves it!!! Babies it all the time and finally something got him off of his computer games. I was able to buy it off of my best friend for $100 and we've put another $330 into it getting it all registered, tagged, titled, new tires and lastly full coverage insurance incase the nucklehead falls off. I'm just thrilled he likes it so much. Anyway keep up the healing girl! XOXO Teresa

I need to update my pic. LOL... Thanks though Vera...

If I got to my final goal and stayed there, I would want to reward myself with a tummy tuck (maybe a full body tuck at that point) but when I get my first job teaching I am going to buy myself a horse. That kind of coincides with a band goal because my band goal was to lose enough weight to be able to mount and ride a horse easily and feel comfortable doing it. I haven't really come up with short term goals but they seem to come up as I go along. Last year I got to go to the vegas get together and I had lost 68 lbs at that point. It wasn't neccessarily a reward but I kind of thought of it as one. If I've done great all week I might allow something special for a meal or desert... Best wishes, Teresa P.S. I just remembered my newest goal/ reward. My husband and I booked our first cruise ever (7 nights in Mexico) for this next December so I really want to stay focused on my band progress and be as slim as I can at that point. I haven't been able to wipe the smile off of my face since I booked it and have been really good all week. I am hoping to stay excited and focused till we leave.

Hi Cameron, Welcome, its nice to have you here. I have some questions... My fill doctor (who I absolutely love) doesn't use the barium swallow when he does flouro fills. I have heard of other doctors in my state (Oregon) who also do not use the barium though I know far more people who get the barium. It seems like I am missing out on something without getting it. What is your offices protocol on barium and flouro fills? Also what is your offices' theory on erosion? It seems like far more complaints regarding erosion have occurred by patients from the surgeon I used and of course that concerns me. It also seems like there are endless theories regarding erosion. Have you had any occurrences of it in your office? How many years and bands have been placed there? Again welcome and I'm glad you've come to visit. Best wishes, Teresa

I don't know about a toy nest but I remember I used to like to go into the yard after the lawn was mowed once the dead grass had dried a little and make a pile of the grass and lay on it thinking of it as a nest. I must have been about 4 or 5. I think my parents tried to confine my biggest toy messes to my bedroom too. Teresa

Thanks everybody. I forgot to mention I can now climb very long flights of stairs without pulling myself up the railing and without being winded at the top. Darcey I go to the pool out on Mohawk in Springfield. I used to go to the Tue/ Thurs class from 6-6:50 (If I recall correctly- I'll have to double check) It really is a lot of fun and I feel like I get a good work out. Would love to see you there sometime. Teresa

I have mentioned before that since being banded I still allow my 1 single normal sized candy bar a day so I don't feel deprived, right? Tonight I decided to make myself work for it. I jogged all the way to the market (a few blocks) to get it tonight. Considering I haven't done more than 10 continous jogging strides in decades I was quite impressed with myself. I'm sure they felt the earth tremors in China but oh-well. Another thing I caught myself doing recently that would not have been attempted for the past several years is climbing up onto things. When I was painting our spare bedroom a few weeks ago I actually climbed up on top of this swinging bench I have so I could wash the top of the window frame. HELLO! SWINGING OBJECT and I was STANDING on it! Did I mention I have terrible balance and fell and broke my ankle 5 years ago? Later that day I climbed and stood on top of the bed to hang a picture. For years I have been worried I would break whatever I put my full weight on but that didn't even cross my mind when I started up this time. I had to curtail water aerobics since December because of schedule conflicts but I am happily heading back to the pool starting next week. I CAN'T WAIT! I have actually really missed that activity.

Oh my goodness that is so GROSS!!! But it does look a LOT better. Glad your healing up finally Lisa. Best wishes, Teresa

Your baby is so cute!!! What a wonderful family you have. Teresa

Hi Nicole, Congratulations on your banding! Hmmm... What's it like you ask... For myself I have lots of different new sensations. Most are pleasant but some aren't and other times it took changing my habits for it to be pleasant. If a meal goes really well and I feel like I can eat easily I can down a plate with child sized portions on it. I can't rush the meal but can eat it in that 20 minute timeframe and I feel comfortably full but not too stuffed. When a meal is being stubborn I might be able to get 3-4 bites down and now I've gotten better about realizing its not going down easily. If I stop then I'm ussually fine and it will go down okay without a PB episode. If I take just another bite or two I'm ussually sorry. I don't know if that situation occurs because I didn't chew well enough or ate too fast but I have gotten better about catching it at the right time. It is definitely a barrage of new sensations but nothing that would make me lose my happiness with the band. There are times when it is being difficult and I feel really frustrated and downright mad if its not going easily. I'll never forget an incident I had last month. My hubby and I went out for Breakfast and within two bites my band played stubborn. I was so cotton picking mad because I so wanted to eat all of my yummy breakfast. I was having hashbrowns, eggs and sausage at the time and it was the hashbrowns that gave me such a problem. Any sort of fried potato doesn't typically work well for me. Other things will go easily one time and more difficult later. I had steak at my father in laws house last weekend and I was able to eat 2-3 oz of the steak, 1/2 baked potato and a few tablespoons of vegetables and salad but later that evening I tried a piece of leftover steak at home and it wouldn't work at all. My band is a fickled thing. Anyway, there is a learning curve but it doesn't take rocket science to figure it out. You'll learn what all the new sensations are like. Best of luck, Teresa

It looks like the whole troop has tried to reassure you but I wanted to add my hugs and advice. I felt TOTALLY like you do and was a nervous wreck. It all went fine and I'm beyond thrilled I had it done. You too will feel the same way later on. Best wishes and good luck, Teresa

Trust me, I want to get as much as I can. This has been a major inconvenience for me. I am truly lucky I wasn't more injured out of it but like Sue says about her daughter, I am totally a nervous wreck whenever a big vehicle is behind me now. I've even pulled over to let them pass just to get them off of my butt. I drive the speed limit and maybe go a few mph more but I hate it when vehicles try to push me along at faster speeds. I am built pretty sturdy and heal pretty easily so if the doc tells me I won't have any future problems its pretty likely he is correct. I'm not going to jump on the first offer they give me, thats for sure. I'll definitely go chat with the attorney some more too. Thanks for all the advice, Teresa