Penni60

THE MOMENT for me was when I was seeing my Cardiologist for a check up and stepped on those scales and it hit 298 lbs. I just started bawling right there. I stopped long enough to talk to my doctor about the check up and change some blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds. Then I got home and collapsed and cried all day and all night. I just couldn't face the fact that I was nearly 300 lbs. It still shocks me to say that now. I couldn't walk across the floor to the bathroom without getting out of breath. I couldn't climb stairs without stopping midway and getting my breath. SAD SAD. I immediately got on the internet and researched this procedure and found what I was looking for. A close friend of mine told me about the clinic where I had the procedure done. I got on the phone and called them and set it up within about a month. THen I was banded. WHOO HOO!! I have never ever looked back and thought OH SHIT I made a mistake. This saved my life. I have energy now to get in the floor and play with Chloe at the Vegas Bash. I can play with my grandson when I come to visit. I can walk 3 miles and NOT get winded. FAN -- TAB -- ULOUS!!!!!

Thank the good LORD that is over and done. I could NOT have handled it one more day. My poor dear sweet cousins are so distraught over losing their mom. Lots of wailing and pulling out hair and laying over the coffin and collapsing today. And that was just the preachers. LOL!! Ok I gotta through some laughter your way so I can smile. LOL!! It was really hard on my cousins though. The funeral started out very respectful and quiet. Then the music began to play. "Will the circle be unbroken" came on and I lost it the cousins lost it Mom lost it. The pastor spoke, we prayed, and then more music, more crying and wailing. Too stressful for me. I just wanna be cremated and everyone have a party. OK?!!! My cousins have all lost their best friend, confidant, shopping buddy, smoking buddy, and above all those their MOTHER. My mom has lost her oldest sister and it is like losing her MOTHER all over again. My Mom was exhausted today and it showed. At one point I got scared for her cause it looked like the left side of her face was drooping. I asked my daughter if she noticed it and she said yes. So I watched her closely but it never got any worse than it was and then it seemed to disappear. I called her doctor after we got home from the burial but his office was closed. So I will call them myself tomorrow after I get home. I want some answers to what is going on with her regarding her colon issues. I fear she might have something worse going on that what we know at this point. Not sure what is gonna come of all this but something is gonna be done cause I don't like her being in pain and it WILL stop. You guys are the greatest and I so appreciate your support.

Rica: I was a Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse for 8 years. I was one at Vanderbilt for 4 and helped establish the BMT Unit at the Nashville VA hospital and worked there for an additional 4 years. I have seen many success stories with Leukemias, Lymphomas, Hodkins Disease treated with Bone Marrow Transplants. I won't lie to you either. I have seen just as many failures as well. At the most, you put the treatment in the hands of the doctors and nurses and place faith in Heaven to do what HE wills. Since I stopped being a cancer nurse there has been great leaps and hurdles jumped in the treatment of All forms of cancer. They are not only revising the Bone Marrow Transplant process for Allogeneic patients (people that get marrow from unrelated donors) but for Autologous patients (people that get their own marrow). THey are now doing Stem Cell Transplants. The type of treatments depends on the stage of Leukemia and the particular type of leukemia. There are several kinds. Here are just a few. ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia) AML (Acute Myelogonous Leukemia) CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia CML or CGL (Chronic Myelogonous or Granulocytic Leukemia) Hodgkins Disease Non-Hodgkins Disease Aplastic Anemia There are more but they elude me for now. Happy to try to answer any questions but the one that you should be asking is his doctor. My prayers and thoughts and support are going out to you and your family. {{{{{{{{{{RICA & FAMILY}}}}}}}}}}}

Just as soon as I get home a picture will be posted.

Teresa: First of all where have you been? Second I want that pattern for the hat you crocheted for me. I love it and wear it all the time. I mostly wear it when I walk at the park now because it is chillie willie out now. So either PM or email me the pattern. You can also mail it to me if you need to. HI to K.C.

You know all I wanna do is go get on a plane and head home. I haven't even hit Princeton yet and already I am not looking forward to this event. This will hit me hard when I see Mom today. Betty Sue, my aunt, was a good woman. I never ever heard her say a bad word about anyone. She was one of those women that always looked on the bright side of things and always had a smile for everyone. She never charged me more than 30 bucks a month not week month to watch the kids cause she knew I didn't have the money. And there were times I didn't have that and she just said "that is OK Penni I don't need the money anyway I just love having your kids around." She was a precious woman. She was 73 years young.

Thanks Michelle: Good luck with the insurance issues. Keep us posted.

Thanks Alexandra, I will go get some Melatonin. Have been meaning to pick some up before now. I finally was able to get some sleep. Two hours to be exact. SIGH!! It is gonna be a LONG LONG day for me and the family. Not looking forward to it at all. Decided to skip workout this morning and go get Breakfast. So off to the nearest breakfast joint. That would be either, Waffle House, Cracker Barrel, McDonalds, Burger King, Krystal, White Castle, etc you get the picture. I will probably elect Cracker Barrel since I can at least do moderately healthy there. LOL!! What am I thinking I am in the South where Fried Foods is considered a staple. LOL!! Hey I was born and raised here so I can make fun. Ok Off I go. Back later for an update on things.

I have been watching this darn flipping TV all night. The problem is I always find something I am really interested in and never fall asleep. LOL!! SIGH!! The jacuzzi usually relaxes me enough to get drowsy and then I fall asleep. Tonight it had the opposite effect or is it affect? I am getting silly now. I won't be worth chit tomorrow. OK gonna go and try it one more time. Wish me luck. If I don't fall asleep then I will be back. LOL!!

:tired So, has anyone ever had a night of insomnia? I haven't had one since being banded till tonight. You see I really really need to sleep. I gotta get up at 7a and do my exercise routine then take shower then get dressed then drive 45 min to Nashville pick up sister then drive 45 min back to Clarksville to pick up daughter then drive 60 min to Princeton, KY to Mom's spend time with her then go to Funeral home from 4p to 8p then take Mom home then drive 60 min to Clarksville drop off daughter then drive 45 min to Nashville to drop off sister then drive 45 min back to Clarksville and collapse in hotel room for the night. Then next morning get up at 7a do exercise routine then drive to pick up daughter then drive 60 min to Princeton, Ky pick up Mom then go to funeral which starts at 11a then drop off Mom at home then drive 60 min back to Clarksville drop off daughter then drive 45 min to Nashville drop off car then check in at airport then run to catch plane to fly home. WHEW!! Makes me tired just thinking of all that and yet here I am wide awake and can't seem to go to sleep. Any great remedies you guys can share. I have tried the following tonight. Benadryl 50 mg (only made me yawn nothing more) Unisom 2 tablets (no results) Chamomile tea (nothing) Meditation (nothing) Jacuzzi, which is in room (nothing but skin is nice and soft) Nothing seems to be working tonight. I can't quite figure it out. SIGH!! Well just needed to vent. Gonna go try to get some sleep one more time. If I can't go to sleep this time I am gonna get up and do some exercising. That will keep me from hitting the vending machines. LOL!!

To change or add your CUSTOM AVATAR: Click on the USER CP located at the top of page. Then click on the Edit Avatar link located on the LEFT side of page Under the SETTINGS & OPTIONS box. Scroll down the page past the cartoon avatars and you should see CUSTOM AVATARS. In the box that says CUSTOM AVATARS FROM YOUR COMPUTER click on the browse box and find the pic you want to use for your new Avatar. Then click Save changes.

Yes, I laughed so hard when I opened that box. I saw the feather and the damn candy. LOL!! Thanks just what I needed. LOL!!!

1. when you drink first thing in the am is it more like: b. i cant drink anything cold or even luke warm but i can get down coffe and other hot drinks 2. for breakfast i eat: PLEASE also list the time of breakfast! Time usually around 8a sometimes 9a a. protien shake...keeps pouch full for hours b. mushies- oatmeal, cream of wheat, scram eggs, yogurt keeps pouch full for hours c. solids keeps pouch full for hours 3. do you ever have acid reflux, indigestion? c. never 4. how much can you eat of the following (round-a-bout): protien shake: 20 oz *chicken (prepared any way BUT not real saucy- just meat!): 1/4 breast *salad: Can't do salads well the lettuce that is. *sandwich (made of reg. size sandwich bread) CAN'T DO BREADS only eat the cheese one slice or piece of meat *chicken, soft veggie, carb or another veggie (i know this varies with the order you eat in BUT please go buy how you typically eat?): Has to be really mushie for me to eat it. About a half cup 5. are you happy with your restriction? a. yeah! sweet spot baby b. no but i have good restriction c. no i have some but not much restriction d. hell no!! SOMEBODY fill me!!!! 6. when you pb why is it: choose all that apply a. because i ate to fast b. because i tried to eat solids c. because i wasnt paying attention to eating d. tried to chase food with with liquids e. pb??? whats that i am perfect 7. how often do you pb? a. never!!! well less than 3 times b. daily c. few times a week d. once a week e. 1-2 times a month f. its pretty darn rare but sometimes! 8. how much liquids do you get in in a day? a. i struggle to get in 64 oz. (because of restriction) b. i struggle to get in 64 oz. (because i'm lazy) c. 64 + ounces a day no problem d. 100 oz a day 9. do you eat in the correct order (protien first, veggies, then carb): a. all the time... well 90% b. ummm no i eat however i want c. 50/50 d. most of the time i eat in the correct order (70%) but its a struggle e. less than 50% of the time (you need to pick b.!!!!) 10. do you drink with meals: a. yeah b. nope c. 50/50 d. most of the time no (70%) but its a struggle e. less than 50% of the time (you need to pick A.!!!!)

All these feathers being found is like some kind of omen or something don't ya think?

You guys are so supportive and caring. I take a little of each of you in my heart every day. I am here in the hotel room just about ready to collapse. I had a bumpy flight from Los Angeles here, took forever for my luggage to come around, got the rental car, called my Mom, called my daughter, called my sister, called my other daughters, called and let John know I made it here without a problem, meet up with my Jamaica friend Ann (she is leaving tomorrow cause her grandma is on the verge of passing), got some food, PB'd three times UGH!!, now I am online chatting with you guys. Every time I travel I end up with more restriction. Anyone else experience that? It lasts for about two days then disappears till I travel home, then it comes back for a couple of days and then disappears again. TOO WEIRD? I found out what happened to my aunt. She was sitting in her living room talking on the phone to her daughter and then said, "OH MY GOD! There is a lot of blood." Her nose was bleeding. Her blood pressure sky rocketed and she stroked out right there. She never had a chance once they got her to the ER. IT was fast and painless and she never knew anything. My mom is pretty tore up right now. She is exhausted and can hardly carry on a conversation. I am REALLY concerned about her right now. The viewing is Sunday and the funeral is Monday. So, I will go to a funeral then book back to Nashville and catch my 5pm flight home. SIGH!! The funeral is at 11am. So it is doable but it will be tight. I can always stay another day if I have to. Just play it by ear for now. Thank you guys for listening to me rant and rave here. This was cathartic for me. I am kinda on autopilot right now. You know "no feelings allowed".

Pam: Thanks for the compliments. I am so happy to be at the 50 mark. That was a goal for myself before Christmas. SO I meet it with room to spare. Now my next goal is to get under 200 by March just before I do the 5K walk here in Los Angeles.

MIchelle who did you go see for the plastics consult? I might want to store that info away for future reference. Thanks.

There ya go Leatha! This thread is stuck. LOL!!

I love that teddy bear too. His name is BONGO by the way. He certainly is huggable. I pat him on the head before I go to bed at night. I swear I hear him do a purring grumbling sound when I do that. Yes, I am nutz. LOL!!! My whole house is invaded with stuffed animals. Just ask Lisa/DeLarla.

You all make me cry. I have felt so much love coming through sometimes it is hard to handle. LOL!! I catch my plane at 11 this morning heading to Nashville then off to Princeton which is another almost two hours. I might not make it to Princeton tonight and my Mom knows this and understands. I will take Greg's analogy with me and keep it safe. Love you all

OK when will this end?!!! I just got a call from my mom. My aunt, her sister, just passed away. I am frantically making flight arrangements, hotel arrangements, and car rentals arrangements. SIGH!! Seems I just got back from a trip for a funeral in September when my step-father's dad passed away. Now, my aunt died. It was unexpected and rather shocking to hear. She was in her late 70's and in poor health but she passed away in the ER tonight. It was not expected. I already said that didn't I? SIGH!! So if you don't hear from me for a day or two that is why. I am taking my laptop but not sure how much I will be using it. I can already feel the love coming through this connection we all have. THank you guys in advance for the support and love. I will update you as soon as I can. On a plane in the morning heading to Nashville then driving to Princeton, KY about a hour and a half drive for the viewing, if I can make it in time. Otherwise the funeral will be Saturday or Sunday. This woman used to babysit my kids when I worked. She was a pleasure and she will be missed. Love you all.

No such thing as too much fun. LOL!!!

Donali: You will be happy to learn the precious BOA has a new home. The recipient is quite pleased and cherishs the gift as much as I did. Also, the recipient is quite protective of the boa. You have to ask permission to even touch the thing much less wear it. See picture. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEE!!!

I am just so thrilled beyond words. My regular weigh in is typically on Wednesdays. I forgot to weigh in yesterday. So I weighed myself just now and I am down 50 lbs. WHOO HOO!!! Finally hit that 50 mark. I am tickled to death. I walked this morning as well for 60 min (almost 3 miles). I also did some toning when I got him on the weight machine. Forgot to post my NSV the other day. Or did I? I can't remember now. Anyway, I have a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring I bought in Jamaica two years ago. I have not been able to wear it for about a year and a half cause my fingers were so swollen. The ring was almost too small when I bought it but I was sure I would be able to wear it sooner or later. Well guess what? I got it on and it fits. WHOO HOO!! But not only did I get that ring on but I was able to wear my other rings as well. The Sapphire is on my ring finger. THe others are tanzanite and diamonds. See picture.

HECK YEAH!!! LOLOLOL