Penni60

You can't touch me!! I am too far away!! NEENER NEENER!!!! So there!

Tricia I do still have your number and email so I will be contacting you soon so we can meet up somewhere. I picked the restaurant last time so you pick this time. I will be in Nashville tomorrow and Sunday most of the day. There is a bead show in Smyrna I wanna go to. So you can call my cell or email me. I will pm my cell to you.

Just wanted to let you guys know that Mom went home today and is feeling much better. She has color in her cheeks and her lips are pink instead of white. She is also sassy again which means she is MUCH better. LOL!!! I got her some Boost, Slim Fast, Pears, Apples, Bananas, Whole Wheat cereal, and some Yogurt to last for at least 5 days. My stepfather is a huge help to her but neither like to cook much. So she has been living off KFC mashed potatoes since her surgery. (two weeks ago). No wonder she got dehydrated. She is all better now. Thank you for all your prayers and support. IT meant alot to me and to my mom. I will keep you updated as needed.

Some come here to vent about several topics. Some of those topics can be "triggers" for how we deal with the head demons. I for one try to post those types of topics in the appropriate forums. If I find one that doesn't appeal to me then I skip over it and don't read it. As you so frequently like to say Dawg, "if it doesn't apply then so be it."

This is the best book I have ever read. When John and I were having issues I got this book and read it. My love language is QUALITY TIME & WORDS OF AFFIRMATION. Everyones is different. John's is WORDS OF AFFIRMATION & PHYSICAL TOUCH. I highly recommend this book. The kids one is great as well. I bought all my married kids the first book. I gave my daughters with kids the one for Kids. It has helped so much. When you set your expectations HIGH for people expect to get them shattered. No one can live up to what we expect from each other. My first marriage ended because we did not communicate EVER. He cheated. I never once asked him why? It takes two people to make a successful marriage or relationship work or to end it. John and I communicate all the time what we want. Makes things much eaiser when you know what the other wants out of the relationship. After all we are NOT mind readers.

Well I did get to do that today for about an hour. I got there just in time to finish feeding him and rock him to sleep and then held him for awhile. Felt devine. Christina I will call you in a day or two. THanks for the offer. You guys are the greatest. I am overwhelmed by all the prayers, white lights and etc being sent our way. I have to admit I am being very bad with my diet and exercise. But I can't do much about it right now. I am just so tired.

Dr. Helmuth BIlly in Ventura, CA will take Mexico patients. He is/was my band doctor. He removed my band due to erosion. I go see him for support now. He is wonderful.

Mom is back in the hospital here in KY. I flew here on the 12th I took her to her doc appt on the 13th and he admitted her to the hospital that day. She is extremely dehydrated and looked awful. Sunken eyes and so weak. She had not had anything to eat or drink for 24 hours. Not because it wasn't offered or available but because she just didn't want anything. I had been up since 5:30am yesterday morning till around 10p last night. I was driving back to the hotel from the hospital (2 hr trip) and I almost went to sleep at the wheel. I usually can do that with no problems but this time I was just so exhausted. I still am. Keep her in your prayers. I know she will most likely go home tomorrow. She was just being admitted for fluids and for observation. She was throwing up alot and couldn't keep anything down. She had a bowel resection two weeks ago yesterday. So they did some xrays to see if anything is wrong there. I am assuming all is fine since I did not get a phone call last night. I just talked with her and she is doing much better but still unable to keep anything on her stomach. They are giving her Plasma today to help build her up faster. I am VERY concerned that her bladder is not emptying like it should. She has gotten several bags of fluid and hasn't emptied her bladder enough. We know her bladder was bruised from the bowel resection and that could possible be the culprit but still. SIGH!! Did I mention I am exhausted?

WITCH!!! I am so jealous!!

Can we say spent too much money on the shiny beads. LOL!!!!! I managed to only gain 2 lbs while gone for 8 days. I was off Nutrisystem and Sonic and Bad food choices helped me gain the weight. Sucks to not be banded. Since I got home I have gone walking with John (WHOO HOO!!), back on Nutrisystem, and have managed to lose those 2 lbs. I am now at 244 as of this morning. The sad thing is I leave again this Sunday for Nashville to visit new grandbaby and check on Mom after her surgery. I am planning on taking my supper Nutrisystem meals as that is the hardest time to eat right for me. So hopefully this trip won't be so bad. The hotel has a gym complete with treadmill, weights and an indoor pool. So no reason I can't exercise. I might just get some exercise just walking (er, slipping and sliding that is) to and from the car. LOLOL!!! I don't like cold weather. I hate it. My bones can't stand it. BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! Anyway, I am maintaining after being disbanded. LOL!! This is a good thing.

I ordered mine from www.vitaminlife.com The link was on a post by Paula. I too take less than recommended dosage. Thank you for the insight. I have heard that unless you get the pure hoodia then it won't do you much good. I will look at my bottle and see what the ingredients are. Then I will update this post. Here is the ingredients from the one I am taking. Supplement Facts Servings Size: Two (2) Capsules Servings Per Container: 30 Amount Per Serving: Hoodia gordonii (fresh stem) 400 mg ††Daily Value not established. Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose (Plant Fiber), Rice Flour, Magnesium Stearate, and Silica.

I just got mine in the mail two days ago. I took the first dose and it did in fact curb my appetite but was a bit shaky. That only lasted for an hour though and went away. I think I am going to take my once a day dose at supper though. THat seems to be my worse time for eating meals. WIll keep you guys updated as I progress. I am back on Nutrisystem for now. I have another trip coming up and will just have to take some meals with me. SIGH!! Good luck Michelle.

Yup! Same here two nights in the hospital. And nothing about my surgery was considered outpatient. I was pretty much bounced back quicker from this surgery than I did the initial band placement.

You just demonstrated my point of agreeing to disagree. You did not see it as funny someone else did. Agree to disagree on that point. It was truly not meant to hurt your feelings Sammee.

DITTO!! Well said Butch

SIGH!! Can't we all just get along and agree to disagree?

hey PHOTONUT: I think they are doing this (my best guess and personal experience) because we haven't relearned how to eat yet. We still have the old habits. We didn't learn these habits overnight and we certainly won't unlearn them overnight. Unless you are a fast learner you will continue to eat the same way you did before banding after banding. You just will. I was a good bandster for the first 8 to 12 months then something snapped and I wanted to try a burger. I fooled myself into thinking that the meat was the healthiest part so I didn't eat the bun. Red meat has the highest fat content of all the meats. It isn't even about the cheese either. Just the meat is bad. LOL!! So it is all about educating ourselves about what we put into our mouths and stomachs. How many calories, fat, carbs, sodium, protein, etc! Until we all learn that lesson people will continue to test the waters so to speak. SIGH!! Sad but true. I am re-educating myself on all this right now. And I am a work in progress.

Nykee: This post is sent with all the love and support I can give you. Please don't take offense to anything I am saying here but honey you are definetly taking in way too many calories and certainly WAY too much sugar. If I were to eat like you are I would not be losing weight. I too have lived on $300 in food stamps for myself and 4 small children so I know how difficult it can be. IT SUCKS!! But if I remember your children are teenagers and more specifically they are 18 and 19 is that correct? If that is accurate then they can certainly fend for themselves for meals. It is TIME to start taking care of NYKEE. Find a Farmer's Market that accepts Food Stamps. They are out there. Find a Co-op that you can barter with for fresh veggies. They are out there. You say you are bored. I have been there as well. IT TOO SUCKS!! But find something you LIKE to do. Get up and do it. Stop finding excuses to NOT do things. No one can fix your issues but you. We here can offer all the support and encouragement there can be and it does no good if it falls on deaf ears. I respect your situation cause I have been there. I know what it is like to want a better life for your children and the frustration because it seems hopeless. IT ISN'T hopeless unless you let it be. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE IT. And when you realize that the possibilities are endless. OK if I haven't succeeded in pissing you off then know that I have the utmost respect for you and believe that you can succeed in whatever you want out of life.

If you can't regift the goodies left at your house then take them to a homeless shelter. Or give them to the church food closet. GET them outta the house. Simply throw them out. Yes, we see it as wasting food, and we all hear out mothers saying, "Starving children in (fill in the blank)." THROW IT OUT!!! Or if they just feel compeled to bring something give them a list of acceptible items ( like fruit, fresh veggies, etc ).

I have learned that if I deviate the least little bit from my plan I am screwed. I keep telling myself that just this once won't hurt. If you can deviate and then get back on track then I applaud you. I simply can't deviate at all. But think about it this way, would you tell an alcoholic or a drug addict that it is ok to give themselves permission to drink or do that drug because it is not in a huge portion?

This is another point to consider as well. Not only do we have to rethink how we eat and relearn and retrain our minds but we have to do the same for our family and friends. For years we have been conditioning ourselves and our family and friends that we eat a certain way. It takes us a long time to recondition ourselves to not eat that way anymore. So it stands to reason that we would have to retrain our friends and family as well. Gentle and persistent persuasion is what it takes.

I am thankful that Dr. Pleatman apologized. I am heading home tomorrow from the Tucson Bead Show. I am tired, bloated, and know for a fact that I gained at least 10 lbs. I just simply ate the WRONG foods while gone. The funny thing is as I was eating the wrong foods I knew I shouldn't have been eating it but I could NOT stop myself. Bizarre!! I am cutting my trip short a few days so I can get back on track with the Nutrisystem. I have learned a valuable lesson on this trip. I cannot deviate even the slightest from my plan or I will end up back at the beginning. This is simply a way of life for us all. Banded or unbanded we have to watch what we put into our bodies. Preservatives, salt, sugar, carbs, fats, etc are NOT good for us. I have NOT been drinking my water and being in the desert that is NOT a good thing. I am very dehydrated and my skin is pissed at me. Very dry and flaky. Too much sodas and not enough water makes Penni an irritable person. It seems that I am forever quoting Miss Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day." SIGH!! LOL!!! Hugs to all and to all a good night.

Kathy: I am so floored by your post. I will be keeping you in my prayers and know that you are going to get through this no matter what happens. You are a strong person and there is a reason for everything. I truly believe that. I am sure I gave you my numbers but if I didn't I will PM them to you now. I get home tomorrow morning so call me anytime after that if you wanna talk. HUGS darlin

The date you were banded.---------April 6, 2004 Where you were banded (Country)----Rosarito, Mexico Surgeon's Name------------------Dr. Juan Carlos Lopez Whether your band has Eroded or not.---Eroded - removed Dec 6, 2005 I added the surgeon's name -- thought this would also be a good way to see how many erosions are per surgeon as well, whether US or MX or wherever.

My understanding of a Fluroscopy is to be used to determine how the stomach empties after a fill. Please explain how this can show "any" sign of an erosion. And please correct me if I am wrong but if a Fill with Fluro only shows how the stomach empties then how is that different from an Upper GI which doesn't always show erosion either. By the way I had an UPPER GI prior to my Endo and the upper GI was clean as a whistle. So the only true way to diagnose an Erosion is by an ENDO. I didn't have ANY symptoms either prior to my diagnosis of erosion. I just "felt" off.