Zoe

I don't know about that! However, women are used to being the object of the male (and female) gaze. Not long ago the Guerrilla Girls activist group pointed out that only 5% of the art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art was created by women, but nearly 90% of the nudes depicted were female bodies. Not to dismiss male sensitivity about the body -- but I think if you ask most of the women here on LBT you'll find that we're very sensitive indeed about our body shape, naked or clothed. OK, off soapbox. You're a brave guy. How excellent that you might get some voice-over work out of this -- and you can wear clothes for that job (if you want). One Too Many, are you an Aussie? And have you ever had a group of white-coated medical residents stare at you while you're naked in a hospital room? "Thrilling" isn't the word that comes to mind!

Well, all my brothers are obnoxious, and there's not an Aries in the bunch! (Except for me, that is.) Love 'em anyway, but some days . . .

Was today the day? Are you now in Bandland? Please let us know how you're doing. Rest up and let someone else walk that lovely Boxer for a few days!

Headstrong and obnoxious! Or, if you want to put a more positive spin on it, independent and pioneering. So says this April 5 baby. BTW, I think Jan. 14 is Capricorn. Aquarius starts around Jan. 21.

This stinks! Is there any way your surgery can be moved up? Since the delay was the fault of the medical center and not due to anything you did, maybe the staff could squeeze your band into the June schedule. If not, well, you probably don't have much choice but to hang tough and wait for July/August to roll around. Don't worry, those calendar pages will fly.

A divorce, the end of one job, the beginning of a true calling -- and graduate school on top of it. I hope you don't have to move house on top of everything! How wonderful that your "waist is down and chin up." You will get through what is certain to be a crazy summer, and you'll probably kick butt in the upcoming summer weight-loss challenge. We're all rooting for you. It sounds as if you're beginning a new, exciting part of your life.

Yeah, naan can be a problem! I had a piece of wonderful garlic naan at one of our neighborhood Indian restaurants last week, and -- yikes! I should mention that it usually goes down OK when soaked in yummy sauces. Since we're talking gross PBs, I have to mention my worst one two weeks ago: salad. I barely made it into the office bathroom when I slimed down the front of my shirt (white, of course), and didn't quite make it to the toilet . . . so this icky green stuff pooled on the floor. Someone was in the stall next to me. Either she didn't notice or she was so grossed out that she got the hell out before I saw her. Luckily I had a blazer, which I kept buttoned all afternoon!

Cool! Please let us know how the photo shoot went, and how you felt about the experience.

Brava, Crystal! Well, M's Mom, you've received some great responses here. Much as I'd like to kick your hubby's ass (and I can do it virtually by posting my giant foot photo), I have to admit that he said what a lot of people think: That the band is cheating, a crutch, the easy way out. . . you get the picture. There's a recent LBT thread on exactly this subject. Sure, you can tell him to pound nails with his forehead -- but I bet if you ask him to start watching how you cook and eat, he'll realize exactly how much work the band requires. Especially if you're cooking big meals for him but only able to eat small portions yourself! You've lost 35 pounds (and still counting). You took the steps you needed to make that possible. So I think you deserve plenty of credit -- and if your husband uses his bean, he'll realize it too. BTW, do y'all think I could get one of those electric dog polishers on eBay? The pup could use a little buffing.

Yes, yes, yes! You're stranded in what I call "Bandster No-Man's Land": you've got your nifty little silicone implant, you've finished the restrictive liquid/mushy phase, your body is healing nicely. . . and you think you've got a magic cure for the food demon. Nope. In fact, you're in one of the hardest phases of banding, because your band is just a flaccid little place-holder offering you no restriction. No wonder you're frustrated! Talk to your doctor about when you can get a fill. Dr. Rumbaut has his patients wait at least six weeks; some docs wait eight weeks; but here's poor Lisa (chatrooper) only five weeks postop and on her second fill. Bear in mind that the first (and second, and sometimes later) fill may not give you the right amount of restriction, but at least it will be a start. Meanwhile, try not to beat yourself up. OK, you ate a lot. If you're like most of us, that's just a return to an old habit, nothing more. You are NOT a failure. You're just normal. And you probably were expecting your band to help you, but it's not pumped up yet, so it's of no assistance. But it will be. Lisa, I know it's frustrating to stay on liquids for 48 hours after a fill. So you ate a fish sandwich. That doesn't sound so bad. This comment is coming from someone who is far from perfect when it comes to following the bandster rules, but (despite current bloating thanks to cortisone) is still very happy with the results so far. Both of you might want to check out the "fills" forum. I think you'll find lots of posts that will show you that you're not at all alone.

Thanks for the encouragement, Jonathan. I got an epidural steroid injection on Friday which is adding to my Water retention; on the plus side, I'm in no danger of collapsing from overly thin ankles. Congratulations on crossing into Twonesia! That's a great milestone. I may have beat you across the '99 line, but I've moved back to my old homeland, so you are the official '99 winner! As for the Labor Day photographic challenge, I'm in, as long as I don't have to show my legs. Or belly. Or. . . Say, can I just wear a burka for the picture?

Great jokes, ladies! Thanks.

Hi Mistic -- Most of us miss just a week or so of work/school. Some people are feeling frisky after just a day or two, some need two weeks or more, but one week seems to be about average. So if you could time your surgery between quarters or semesters, you wouldn't have to miss a single class! While it must have been awful getting that e-mail from your mother, she might have inadvertently have done you a favor since her message led you to research the band. Check out the coverage on your parents' policies; you just might qualify for full payment of the surgery in the US. Good luck, and welcome to LBT from someone who went to Mexico and had a great surgeon.

Hi Aussiegirl! About those tests: A lot of them are for the benefit of our insane private insurance system rather than the patient. They seem designed specifically to discourage people from proceeding with the surgery -- in order to save the insurers money. Mind you, some US doctors demand a lot of tests even for self-pay patients where no insurance is involved, but in general the tests are done for the insurance companies. Those of us who travel to Mexico (including those who were denied coverage by our insurance) usually don't have many tests. My pre-op tests were similar to yours: height, weight, blood pressure, blood sample, EKG, brief medical history, and I was good to go.

Christina, the day is almost here! I'm so happy for you. I hope your back is better. Make sure you have some Vicodin left for post-surgery. One of the drug's side effects (for me, anyway) is loss of appetite, so that's another bonus. Just think, tomorrow you'll be a bandster. Congratulations, sistah -- this was a long time coming, and you deserve that band!

I can't believe the cop didn't ticket her for running the stop sign. Is this a desert-driving thing? News flash: You're not a 300-pound woman anymore, hon!

What fantastic news! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. Tomorrow, Mt. Everest?

[mini-hijack] I want to design a bra that lets customers mix and match the back elastic section and the cups. So you could buy, say, a 42 bra band and just velcro in the cups of your choice! 54AAA? No problem. 32DDD? Easy. Cambron, to get back to your original question, how about asking your ob/gyn for suggestions? It would be good if you could find out if wearing a bra at night would actually help you. If it's not going to make a difference, it seems like a lot of trouble.

I've got a big old ribcage (thanks, Dad) but no girls to back it up (thanks, Mom), so I'm thinking about visiting a lingerie shop for drag queens. It's nearly impossible to find small-cup bras in big chest sizes. I've started wearing a padded push-up underwire, so it's up, up, and away, even though the B-cup is too big! Mind you, at 48 I need all the help and hydraulics I can get.

OK, here's my super-cheap alternative: Go to Petsmart/Petco and make your own charms, suitable for a necklace or bracelet, for $4! Most of the charms can hold 3-4 lines, and the engraving is free. Of course, you might have to wear a metallic bone or fire hydrant, but at least they come in a lot of different colors.

This is a great thread. It lends another meaning to mind-body conversation.

Congratulations, and welcome to bandland! The dizziness could be low blood sugar; protein drinks are a good idea. Who and where is your doctor? Same-day surgery sounds great.

I'm with you, Julie (and Alex)! Check out the parallel thread on body dysmorphic disorder: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4736. I won't repeat my rantings from that thread... but I had the same experience as Alex yesterday when I hung up a new size L blouse and thought I must have grabbed the wrong hanger. I'm hoping when I lose another 20 lbs. or so that I won't be so confused.

Check out the parallel thread, "Impostor's Syndrome": http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7244

Most of us get very impatient during those difficult weeks between the time we finally decide to have surgery and the day we actually get banded. What you're going through is normal. Hang in there and keep filling out the effing forms. You're getting a band!