newat52

I was wondering too, if you used the knives on the ex!

Wow! Pricy compared to my area but I am willing to bet when all is said and done and you are a year out and so much lighter, you will think it was a bargain at twice the price! I know I do! Good luck!

To add, I do think restaurants are more used to sharing. If it's someplace you frequent often, order whatever you would but tip as though you ordered two Entrees. It's easy in local places, they seem used to it.

I order what ever I want. I can take it home and eat off it for days, or freeze some. Going out to eat is a treat so I don't worry about wasting. I order as smart as I can and sometimes hubby and I share a dish. I don't like wasting but we go out to eat for enjoyment and do enjoy. Having a grown son helps a great deal. Those dudes will eat anything!

My insurance excluded WLS of any sort. I was self pay in the Dallas area. I chose my surgeon on several criteria. I wanted a surgeon that had thousands under his belt. I wanted a surgeon that believes in the surgeries he does. Other folks have other criteria. You will know when you find he one that is right for you. Any surgeon you throw out there, you will get folks thinking he is amazing and some folks thinking he does way to many in one day or not enough. A very personal choice, indeed. Congrats on taking this ned step. You will be so happy you did!

I am not a fan. Our insurance premiums are costing almost 6K per year more! For less coverage. I don't mind paying a bit more to help cover costs but this is insane. I do not like the fact that so many people were dumped from their plans and are now forced to purchase plans they don't like or need. The whole "if you like your plan, you can keep your plan" thing still makes me angry. He knew that people would get kicked off their plans because they don't meet the requirements under Obamacare and he kept saying it anyway. We won't know for some time if this will work, not many young, healthy people are buying the higher plans. That is what needs to happen to succeed. Health insurance companies have been raising rates at nightmarish pace to try and recoup some of the start up costs associated with Obamacare.

NMJG is absolutely correct. 15 pounds in a month is great! And I second the motion, STOP COMPARING! You will come out on the losing end of that every time. You didn't put the weight on over night and it won't come off over night. Continue to stick with your plan and it will come off. Congrats on your your loss so far! Merry Christmas!

Have a few sips and wait a bit. That will give you time to adjust and know it won't go right though you. I am 9 months out and enjoy wine. You should be fine. Enjoy. Merry Christmas!

I'll be over at 2!

I don't feel a void where my stomach was. I just feel great. I am one that has a sleeve of steel. Nothing my little tummy doesn't like. Thats a blessing and a curse. I have to be responsible for everything I put in it. I can't depend on oh, my sleeve doesn't like this or that. Nope, it all goes down just fine. Only difference besides of course, not being able to eat mass quantities of food is that I make the most amazing noises. I burp in techno noises and my stomach plays punk rock! Last week I made some repeated noises with my burps and stomach, my husband turns to me and asks, "did your surgeon lose a cell phone in you?" We about died laughing! You will love your sleeve and you won't notice that something is missing.

How about some oven roasted brussal spouts?

Not a thing my sleeve of steel doesn't like. I'm 9 months out and i've not vomited, slimed or had any ill effects whatsoever. Scares me a bit because it's all up to me now.

I need a cigarette! You go ladies! That is awesome Indigo, CGJ and everyone!

This site is always a safe place to vent. I forgot to add earlier though, how awesome that you have reached your goal and able to do plastics! Go farmgirl04! I'm getting closer but still have a bit to go, it's coming of slooowwwwlllly but it IS coming off!

Ditto! Bargain at twice the price!

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Losing someone you love is very hard anytime of the year but this time of year is especially hard. You have so much on your plate right now. Perhaps just explain to your family that you just need to simplify this Christmas. They are all adults and will understand. Sometimes, if you just let people know, they will jump in. I have two adult sons and they are great boys but like most men, clueless. I have found if I say hey, I need this or that, they will jump in but they just need to have it explained. Your daughter gets a pass, where she is in her pregnancy of course, the only thing on her mind is getting this baby here. May I suggest you order Christmas dinner from a local grocery store or restaurant just for this year? Let everyone know that you just are not up to cooking and wrapping gifts. Let them know the best gift they can give you is to be with you, Celebrate the life that your mom was and look forward to the newest member of your growing family. Wishing you the very best this Holiday season. I'm so sorry for the loss of your mom and may I say congrats on your soon to be new little one. Bittersweet, indeed.

Hang in there, to be honest it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Days 3-6 are not fun….BUT….then it starts to get SOOO much better. You need to give yourself time to heal and get used to things. You had major surgery. Just keep sipping and do your best to sip your Protein drinks. Isopure is the best Protein Drink, its on the clear liquid part of post op and the more protein you can get the soon you will feel stronger and you will heal faster. Can't say it enough, hang in there. It will be so worth it. I promise, in 3 months time, you won't even remember this part because you will feel so good, look so good and have bounds of energy!

How have things gone with co-worker? Give us an update!

Not a thing to feel bad or guilty about. When you work in a retail store, you get a discount. When you work for the airline, you get free flights. You wouldn't feel guilty about that. You have a perk at your job and it was offered to you. It's the long and short of it. So what? Sorry, but your friend is way out of line on this. If she is that upset about this, I would be rethinking how good of a friend this person really is. If this person is really your friend, she would be happy that you are on your way. You will be able to support her as her journey progresses. Why on earth should she be pissed that you are sleeved first? WLS is not, I repeat, NOT a competition and should not be treated as such. I would just tell your friend that you should both be happy and supportive of one another. Don't feel guilty. It should be a non issue. Good luck, you will love your sleeve!

Congrats! You deserve to do the happy dance!!! I know exactly how that feels. I was stuck for several months and then finally one day it happened. I think the only thing that saved my sanity was during that time I went from a tight 12 to a loose 10. Keep up the great work. This journey is not for sissies!

ALL about you PdxMan! LOL! If you don't have us to give you a hard time, who will?

Glad you got my hug. We still have drifts as high as 2 feet in some parts our yard from an ice storm 2 weeks ago. Its going to be 70 here today and by Saturday back to arctic temps! This is Texas, the weather changes as fast as a text exchange between teen girls! Going to enjoy the weather while I can! Feel better, I'm following you saga posts.

Lordy! Deep thoughts for a hump day! As I sit here taking in my 2nd cup of real coffee and drinking my chocolate Peanut Butter (and espresso spiked) Protein shake I can't help but wonder of those are just not normal thoughts by normal people everyday? The last couple days have been terrible for me. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't have simple carbs and sugars till the end of the year. Day before yesterday, I had a piece of cashew, dark chocolate topped peanut brittle. Thats all she wrote….things went to hell in a hand basket fast! Have been beating myself up one side and down the other since as I stuffed my face with the poison. I finally, yesterday afternoon took it out to the trash can out side and then beat myself up some for having to take that step. I was damned if I kept it and damned if I tossed it. Either way, I lose. After reading your post, it made me realize that we do this in more aspects of our lives than just as it relates to our weight loss journey. Maybe we have just conditioned ourselves to be our own worst enemy and critic? Yes? Whoever said this journey is every bit as much mental and emotional is absolutely correct. As most of us know, the actual part of losing the weight is not as hard as keeping it off. Keeping it off is where the head comes into play. If we don't fix that we will never succeed. We have heard them all, "We have to keep our head in the game", "We have to deal with what's eating us", We have to……the list goes on and on. Perhaps we need to redefine "success." We are constantly evolving and growing and changing and taking steps forward and backward and this and that….. Maybe the best gift we can give ourselves this Holiday season is try and see truly how far we have come and try not to look at how far we need to go. When we look at how far we need to go, the finish line is never in sight. Interesting topic, RJ. You really have expressed what I have been feeling the last few days. This should be a time of joy and gratitude and I have found myself blue and self loathing. I thought for sure I had this and the holidays would be a piece of cake. Not so much. Will I ever "have it"? Probably not. Will I ever give up striving to "have it"? I can only pray not. I do think today though, I am going to skip the gym and go outside in the beautiful sunshine and garden. It makes me happy. Just for today, I'm not going to work on my physical body. I'm going to work on my heart and my head. Thanks RJ, for helping me make the best decision that I can make for me as a person today. I wish the same for you. ((((big hugs)))) I'm a hugger!

Most all surgeons have a cash price. If there is a surgeon you are interested in, go to their website it and will usually tell you. In Texas, the range seems to be $10-13k all inclusive. Lots of well respected bariatric surgeons in Texas. Good luck!

Hang in there. You are in the worst of it. I promise you, in 3 months when you have lost a ton of weight and are enjoying a normal diet (new normal, that is) you won't even remember this! You are on your way. Listen to your body and rest. It will be worth it!