lapbander081004

THE 4TH OF JULY Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free! It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.

Awhile back threre was a thread where we all posted why we used the screen names we do. This is part of the post by NancySmiles: I chose it mainly because my Dad always called me "Nancy with the Laughing Face"....after the Sinatra song...and because I am ALWAYS smiling....at least most of the time anyway.....When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's almost 10 years ago, he used to remember my name that way....and when I would come to visit I would say, "it's me, Dad, Nancy with the Laughing Face." And he woudl say, oh yeah...I knew that.... Well, as the years went on and his disease progressed, even more quickly after my Mom passed away 5 yrs ago, he would say it less and less....I knew I had lost him (mentally) forever when he stopped knowing who I am. So when I chose my name for ANY websites having to do with Lap Band surgery, I started using the name NancySmiles....as a personal tribute to my Dad (who is still living, but in very late stages now), and also because I do smile...all the time, thinking of the good memories I have of my Dad and also because of the new healthy life I have now.....with my band and all the friends I have made because of it....especially all of you! Sadly I report that Nancy's dad Died in his sleep lastnite and no longer is fighting the dreaded desease. While we spend the Holiday weekend enjoying the fellowships of family and friends please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you

Can't offer more sound advise then what you have already gotten. Just wanted to tell you to hang in. Things will change. We all are pulling for you to get over this hump.

In Faith, You look great. keep up the good work. Makes my heart fill with joy to see you all doing so well.

Thank you everyone. This makes turning 55 worth it having friends lilke you. Maybe I'll stick around for another 55....NOT Love ya all Greg

My liquid phase was two danon low fat yogurts, 5 high Protein drinks and one slim fast a day. I drank Ensure High Protein and fell in love with the banana flavored one. The others were very good too. Try to use the Slim Fast powered before the ready to drink ones in the cans. read the labels. there is a difference in what you get and the cans if I remember have more sodium then you want.

I don't know if anyone has figured it out or not but I find no matter how I feel after eating if I drive within 30 minuts to an hour after I get the restriction kick-in. I think it has to do with motion. We got the food sitting in small pouch and then the motion moves it around a bit and then its hurt city. Normally if I can get home within 15 -30 minutes I don't seem to have a problem. I don't PB have only done that once since banding BUT I do get the tight feeling and the pain. Since the government spent milliions of dollars on the sex habits of the fly maybe we can get them to pop for a few million for some of us to volunteer to check the motion vs just eating problem.

Kbel, The reason you don't drink liquids are three fold. 1st you shouldn't drink one hour before meal so your not filling up the pouch with liquids when you need the food to go in. 2nd You don't drink during meals because it fills up the pouch with liquid when you need the solid foods in there. And the one hour after is so you don't flush the food thru too soon and get the hungry pains to start to early. Some people can tolerate carbonated beverages after surgery. My Dr said to try it if I wanted and I did and will not do it again. The carbonation goes thru to lower stoamch and makes it uncomfortable. I have found many not carb/bever to replace the carbonated ones and they also are much healthier for you.

Just call your Dr Office they will know if the fills are covered. Will be thinking about you on your surgery date. Will be my 55th birthday. So here's to celabrating 55yrs and a successful surgery for you

Lisa, When we had lunch in Vegas I don't remember your knees being dirty...LOL

Keep up the good work Christina, Wish you the best in your journey

Patty... Remember right after yoiur surgery you really only have the band on the stomach. Without a fill most have no restriction. Dr don't fill at the surgery date due to swelling of the stamch area where the band is. If you had swelling you would have had restriction and it would have gone away as the swelling goes down. If you had no or very little swelling then your wide open just like before the surgery. Wait till you get into a few fills and see if you are still discopuraged. I'll put my money on the fact you'll be happy

Christina, Feel bad your suffering so much. I'm like Big T. First nite home I was sleeping on my stomach with no pain. I never took a single pain pill for anything from my surgery. Day after I was home I was back at work. Hope your healing starts to kick in real soon and you can ghet over this hump and feel better

Welcome to band land Lady. The music is great and you'll be dancing in no time. Glad all went well for you.

Christina, Best wishes from my family. Praying your surgery is quick and the recovcery twice as fast.

No Speaka de English A bus stops, and 2 Italian men get on. They sit down and engage in an animated conversation. The lady sitting next to them ignores them at first, but her attention is galvanized when she hears one of them say the following: "Emma comefirst. Den I come. Den two asses come together. I come once-a-more. Two asses, they come together again. I come again and pee twice. Then I come one lasta time." "You foul-mouthed, sex-obsessed swine," retorted the lady indignantly. "In this country....we don't speak aloud in public places about our sex lives." "Hey, coola down lady," said the man. "Who talkin' abou ta sex? I'm a jus! ta tellin' my frienda how to spell Mississippi'." I BET YOU READ THIS AGAIN!!!

Nita, Congradulations. The time will go bye quick. Hope you have a painless surgery... it is possible I had one.

Because of my Midnite job my breakfast is at different time then most. But When I first wake up I cannot eat or drink anything for approx an hour. When I get to work first thing I do is eat my breakfast.(normally a yougurt with corn flakes or shreadded Wheat, a small banana and a portion of protein). I eat the banans last in-case I am feeling to full I will save it for a snack a few hours later. Most times I do not feel hungry when I eat this meal. Keep in mind when I eat this meal I have been up an hour, been sleeping 7 hours and not eaten for 1 -2 hours before going to bed. But if I don't eat then I get to hungry and when I decide to eat I tend to eat to fast and then I'm uncomfortable. If I eat the breakfast (normally its 11pm when I do) I don't eat again until 4 or 5 am When I eat my lunch. I get off work at 7 am and then when I get home I eat my dinner around noon-1pm.

Our prayers and thoughts are with you. Hope you have a swift surgery and an even swifter recovery.

Many more to you Jenna

Denise, I sure hope no one knocks being a stay at home mom(or dad). Between all the work I do I also do all the house work...inside and out. My wife works very hard and her hours are so off norm that it doens't give her the chance on weekdays to do the house cleaning and cooking. SO I do... and because of this I know for a fact it is the hardest of all jobs and the pays sucks big time. Only benifit is the satisfaction of caring for the needs of the family. Wife handles it all on weekends which gives me a break.

I retired in June of 2000 after 26 years as a Police Officer. I also am an associate Professor at the Local college where I now teach in three areas of the college. I teach Motor Vehicle Laws to recruits in the Police Academy, Standardize Field Sobreity Training to certified Police Officer and I do the Motor Vehicle Laws for officers who are being recertified after being out of Law Enforcement for more then two years and for officers from other states who seek employement here in Michigan. I worked for a year after I retired as a communication officer for Greektown Casino here in Detroit and I just started my 4th year as a 911 operator on midnights for a local police department.(not the one I retired from). I July I will be adding babysitter to my jobs for my granddaughter Maddy who is scheduled to make her appearance her on earth July 25th. This I am really looking forward to.

Medical Alert bands or neckless should be worn. It is very important that in the case of an emergency they don't try shoving a tube down us and that can damage the band and casue severe trouble for us. Cards in the wallet are ok. But the bracelt or neckless is better. Directing them to a wallet or purse that may not have made the trip to the hospital is usless. I am purchasing mine from http://www.laurenshope.com Just another site you can go to. As a suggestion. Get your Dr to provide you with his 24 hour emergency number to put on the band so he can be reached from anywhere.

Lyle as this was your idea and I want to thank you, from my heart, for allowing me to help you in the attempt to put this function on. We have become friends out of this and that I will cheerish this till my end days. And I'd like to say thank you to Nancy also. We never realized how much effort she put into this with her job and the other functions she was involved in. Like you Lyle I hope to be able to meet fellow bandsters thru functions that I will be looking into making. Will still look forward to many more Friday lunches with you and Nancy.

Three pieces of rope are walking down the street and as they pass the local bar they decide they needed a beer. AS they were about to walk in there was a sign on the door that said. "We don't serve ropes here" One piece of rope said "this isn't right. I'm going in there to tell him what I think." as he entered the bar the bartender said hey aren't you a rope and the rope said yes and I demand a beer. Two seconds later the rope comes flying out of the bar and lands on the sidewalk next to his two other rope friends. The seocnd piece of rope got really mad and goes storming into the bar and a few secnds later he comes flying out. The third piece of rope says. You got it all wrong guys I'll show you how to get that drink. He then bends himself into a pretzel style and gets out a comb and fluffs the ends of his rope. Walks into the bar and jumps up on bar stool and the bartender says.. "Hey aren't you a piece of rope????" and the rope say... Nope I'm a FRAID KNOW