phyllser

Definitely can relate to the toothpaste. We each have our own separate tube!! LOL Last few spats have had to do with weighing and measuring my food. But, as I said in another post, I think I figured out what that is all about. He is denying himself smokes. So he's dealing with nicotine withdrawl. Plus, if he's suffering, he wants me to suffer!

That's a wonderful story! God is faithful. Our youngest daughter went through many years of infertility treatments also. Then two failed adoptions... first one, the mother changed her mind the night before they were supposed to take the baby home because she decided she lived too close to where they lived. Second one, they had the baby home for several days when the mom (16 yr old with a seizure disorder) persuaded her parents to let her keep her baby. That was a real heartbreaker. The next month... back to the fertility specialist. My daughter said they would give it three more months and then go back to the adoption efforts. (they had one of those books with their life story and pictures, etc. at their adoption agency). The third month... she got pregnant. That was Johannah. With no further treatments, 16 months later, Charly, and two years after that, Thomas! We are Snowbirds, so we haven't seen them since Oct. Thomas wasn't talking much yet when we left. Nothing intelligible anyway! But yesterday on the phone we heard, "Hi, Grandma! Hi, Grandpa!" The most beautiful words in the world!! Well, I better stop my Grandma rambling. I still get choked up telling this story!! God is good!!

No, he wasn't a drill sergant... maintenance officer. But, yes, the military background is definitely part of his "issues"!! And I'll tell you something else I forgot about... he ran out of cigarettes several days ago! He says he's not going to buy any more. But he also says he's miserable and it seems like a month since his last one. I forgot that I was dealing with a little nicotine withdrawl and he can get pretty cranky when he's trying to quit. So I guess I better cut him a little slack. :rose:

I was touched by the post about little Brian's nighttime prayers. It's so important to teach our little ones to pray. Our three youngest grandchildren love to say prayers and often fight over who is going to say grace! And if Johannah, who turned 6 this week, wins, you know your food is going to get cold before we can eat!! LOL

Good questions. I was a skinny little toddler. Apparently, my German paternal grandmother kind of intimidated my parents about that, so they would go to all kinds of extremes to try to get me to eat. I am assuming that my little toddler brain figured out that eating was a way of getting approval. I started getting "chubby" about the age of 8 or 9. So, though not obese at that point, weight became an issue at an early age. Then about the age of 40 I really began to pack on the pounds. Second question: I have a long way to go, so can't really answer that. But I can tell you that back in the 70's I went to Weight Watcher's and got down to 118. Whenever I would see myself in a mirror, my reaction was always.... who is that? Then I'd realize it was me. And I remember shopping for uniforms for work once. Clerk helped me find one I really liked. But then I saw it was a size 10 and told her that would never fit me. Well, she told me to try it on and it did fit me, quite nicely. So... body image... a strange thing to understand. I was pretty slim at that point but I still saw myself as fat.

Good for you!! Congrats! That's a great accomplishment.

One big problem... my DH has NO hobbies.. he doesn't go fishing any more, doesn't read, quit flying, nothing. And he's a control freak! So we clash from time to time. You each have to have some personal space and some personal TIME!

I think it changed somewhere around 6pm. Looks good, loads a little slower though.

Night time weights don't count!! They're always higher. The spats.... don't happen too often.. but we are such opposites.. He is a nit-picking, anal perfectionist and I'm NOT! Causes problems sometimes. LOL :tt1::tt1::tt1: Yeah, I really like this new look! It happened all of a sudden within the last hour I think! Takes a little longer to load, but a much nicer look.

Yeah, you missed a BIG one... it was all over a couple of extra tablespoons of cottage cheese! DH gets a little anal over weighing and measuring my food sometimes! So I got mad and he didn't speak to me for about 3 days. THEN he wanted me to apologize!! We did finally call a truce. It was great fun. I did enjoy going to the mall by myself even if all I bought was socks!

That's a very good idea. I usually use a saucer or luncheon plate. We were visiting friends on Thanksgiving and when I saw the table all set, I told my friend, "It's been a long time since I used a big people plate!" So she put a smaller plate on top of the dinner plate for me! I was much more comfortable with that and didn't overeat! Cocktail fork and small spoon, good ideas, too. We're living in our RV for the winter and forgot to bring my little utensils with us. I do have to be careful because I have a tendency to take bites that are too big. I have to really work on that. My surgery was july 20, 2007 - a few days away from 6 month "bandiversary"!

Duh!! Why didn't I think of that??? You are exactly right!! I just found 138 email notifications in my gmail spam folder not to mention other things that shouldn't have been there! Thanks for that revelation! Maybe the problem will be fixed now. But I wonder why I always got them up to a certain date and then they all started going to the spam folder??

I couldn't agree with you more, Randy. It's easy to get impatient... my weight loss for this week 6/10 of a pound... but, we didn't gain it overnight and we won't lose it overnight. I chose the band over bypass because I thought it was a healthier option and with that comes slower weight loss, but healthier, in my opinion. I'm 5 days away from my 6 month "bandiversary" and 6/10 of a pound away from a total of 60 pounds gone so far. I still have a long way to go, but baby steps are okay as long as it's a steady downward trend. We can't get discouraged. We're in this for the long haul! You're right... first priority... healing. Then, we do have to watch our calories, we do have to watch the quality of food we are eating... we all know this... protein first, then veggies, keep carbs to a minimum, watch liquid calories (I'm enjoying a small glass of wine at the moment... SMALL), and... a biggie.... EXERCISE!! That's important. Those of us with extra weight often have joint problems and mobility issues, arthritis, etc. My exercise is water aerobics and I LOVE it!! But, find an exercise you can do and be consistent with it and it will help the weight to come off. Hang in there gang!! We're going to do this!! :smile::cool::eek::Banane30::Banane28:

Hmm.... hubby retiring... you HAVE TO establish some routines that are yours alone... have some personal time and some personal SPACE. Too much togetherness is NOT a good thing! Mine seems to think we should do EVERYTHING together. We now only have one car and I don't like that at all. I thought we were going to by a 2nd when we got settled in WA last spring but apparently I was mistaken!! :Banane28: At least I have my scooter and can take off around the neighborhood (at home-- and unless he decides he should go with me!!) and in the RV park. Don't forget.. those people on BIGGEST LOSER... that's their FULL TIME JOB for now. Losing weight. They have nothing else to do 24/7 but work on that and their goal... win the money. And they have personal trainers around the clock. We all know that we did NOT chose the EASY WAY OUT!! This is hard work!! :smile::Banane28::eek::cool::blush2::blush2::Banane28:

Let me know if it works!!!

Well, this is really exciting.... I bought 5 prs of ankle length socks!! Woo Hoo!! Almost bought a robe at Sears... been looking for a real TERRY CLOTH robe... all you can find anymore is that synthetic stuff that is non-absorbant. I want terry cloth. I tried on an XL at Sears and it fit great, but only to the waist! Waist down was not good. I almost bought it anyways because it was 1/2 price, so only $30 and I really liked the color.. kind of bright cranberry color. But then I thought about where I'd store it until it fit better. I could wear it over my bathing suit but I'd probably be too self conscious about it not closing at the hips. But I was pretty impressed that the shoulders, chest & waist actually fit!

Hi, I heated up some leftover ham and frozen mixed veggies. I didn't give him a choice about going shopping with me. He left on his bike, didn't take his cell phone, didn't say where he was going. So when he wasn't back in an hour and a half, I loaded my scooter on the back of the car and took off for the mall. When I came back 2 1/2 hours later, he was washing dishes... was all finished eating (4:45pm). Whatever! Then he wanted to call a truce, but I was too mad. Guess we'll have a new start this morning! It's our TOPS day, then out to breakfast and then go to Wal-Mart probably, so I guess I'll have to talk to him! :eek::tt1::tt1: The joys of living in an RV.... no personal space!!

There's going to be a bandster bash in Seattle next month. The website is: / Here's a letter from the coordinator: Letter from our Coordinator My name is Joanne Godmintz and I've been the Coordinator of the Seattle Splash Bandster Bash and Conference for the last six years. (This year's is set for February 15th-17th at the Seattle Airport Marriott Hotel ). Over ten years ago this event started out as a party celebrating Lap Band weight-loss surgery in someone's home in Seattle. It's hard to believe it's been that long. This initial group were really the pioneers of U.S. banding. The largest group of Bandsters come from the Pacific Northwest because this is where the FDA trials occurred. These patients were sent to Dr. Rumbaut in Mexico who was the surgeon for the FDA trials. This first group (I was not one of them) are why many of us are here today. The The Lap Band was new, not only to doctors but also to patients. These original patients had to create a game plan with dietary rules, working by trial and error to determine what worked best for the banding weight loss. This first group helped start the Yahoo Bandster groups, networked, and gathered from all over the country here once a year to network and celebrate. The event outgrew a house six years ago, and became a larger conference to celebrate banding and to share information from doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, endocrinologists, dieticians, diabetic educators, fellow and prospective Bandsters and many others to help make our weight loss surgery successful. It looks like there are many new faces this year, so let me tell you what typically occurs at the Bash. It opens Friday, February 15th with registration between 4-6 PM. Each registrant is provided name tags, agendas and session maps, and that first night we have a no-host dinner in the hotel restaurant. Last year, we had over 250 people registered for the Splash and 70 signed up for the no-host dinner. Then more than 125 people showed up and overwhelmed the restaurant. So please, if you're coming to the no-host dinner, sign up on the Seattle Splash Yahoo group, then add yourself to the Friday Night Dinner Setup database. Friday's dinner is always a blast because, besides sitting beside speakers and vendors, you are meeting new and old friends. At 7:30 P.M. Friday night, after a free hor d'oeurve party, we have a surgeons' panel for questions and answers. Often informative and occasionally very funny, it's a place for everyone to let their hair down and ask those questions you always wanted answered. After the panel, join others at the hotel's tropical pool for hot-tubing and maybe a splash in the warm pool (bring your suit!) Saturday 7:30 A.M., hopefully you got enough sleep because this a jam-packed day of dozens of speaker sessions, vendors tables, a catered lunch and banquet dinner, fashion show with before and after clothes, raffle, auction, a Before and After Banding slide show (a real tear jerker) and entertainment and dancing. It's all included in your registration fee. Sunday morning's agenda is still in the works, but Bandster discussion groups, Plastic Surgeon Presentations and maybe some fun exercise sessions are planned. Many hours of planning and preparation have gone into the Splash This is an entirely volunteer-run, non-profit event. Now your job is to get registered and join us. Joanne Godmintz

1) Married, 43+ years, four grown kids, ten grandkids plus two step grandkids and several step-GREAT grandkids!! Oh, my! I'm not old enough for great grandkids, am I??? 2) We're cooking for two. 3) DH prepares most of the meals except when he is pouting about some stupid thing... which is the case tonight, so I'm on my own. He ate without me .........while I was at the mall without him! I do recognize an opportunity when I see one!! LOL Shopping... BY MYSELF!! YES!! And I CAN take care of myself. 4) No special meals.... we usually eat the same thing... when we eat together, that is! Hee Hee! .

There is a "Bandster Bash" in Seattle next month. Sounds fun. It's called "Seattle Splash". Here is a letter from the coordinator off their website. If you want more info, let me know. I'll try to paste the website url. http://barbooch2.homestead.com/SeattleBandsterSplash2008.html Letter from our Coordinator My name is Joanne Godmintz and I've been the Coordinator of the Seattle Splash Bandster Bash and Conference for the last six years. (This year's is set for February 15th-17th at the Seattle Airport Marriott Hotel ). Over ten years ago this event started out as a party celebrating Lap Band weight-loss surgery in someone's home in Seattle. It's hard to believe it's been that long. This initial group were really the pioneers of U.S. banding. The largest group of Bandsters come from the Pacific Northwest because this is where the FDA trials occurred. These patients were sent to Dr. Rumbaut in Mexico who was the surgeon for the FDA trials. This first group (I was not one of them) are why many of us are here today. The The Lap Band was new, not only to doctors but also to patients. These original patients had to create a game plan with dietary rules, working by trial and error to determine what worked best for the banding weight loss. This first group helped start the Yahoo Bandster groups, networked, and gathered from all over the country here once a year to network and Celebrate. The event outgrew a house six years ago, and became a larger conference to celebrate banding and to share information from doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, endocrinologists, dieticians, diabetic educators, fellow and prospective Bandsters and many others to help make our weight loss surgery successful. It looks like there are many new faces this year, so let me tell you what typically occurs at the Bash. It opens Friday, February 15th with registration between 4-6 PM. Each registrant is provided name tags, agendas and session maps, and that first night we have a no-host dinner in the hotel restaurant. Last year, we had over 250 people registered for the Splash and 70 signed up for the no-host dinner. Then more than 125 people showed up and overwhelmed the restaurant. So please, if you're coming to the no-host dinner, sign up on the Seattle Splash Yahoo group, then add yourself to the Friday Night Dinner Setup database. Friday's dinner is always a blast because, besides sitting beside speakers and vendors, you are meeting new and old friends. At 7:30 P.M. Friday night, after a free hor d'oeurve party, we have a surgeons' panel for questions and answers. Often informative and occasionally very funny, it's a place for everyone to let their hair down and ask those questions you always wanted answered. After the panel, join others at the hotel's tropical pool for hot-tubing and maybe a splash in the warm pool (bring your suit!) Saturday 7:30 A.M., hopefully you got enough sleep because this a jam-packed day of dozens of speaker sessions, vendors tables, a catered lunch and banquet dinner, fashion show with before and after clothes, raffle, auction, a Before and After Banding slide show (a real tear jerker) and entertainment and dancing. It's all included in your registration fee. Sunday morning's agenda is still in the works, but Bandster discussion groups, Plastic Surgeon Presentations and maybe some fun exercise sessions are planned. Many hours of planning and preparation have gone into the Splash This is an entirely volunteer-run, non-profit event. Now your job is to get registered and join us. Joanne Godmintz

Dini, You look FANTASTIC!! What a difference! Thanks for posting those before and after pics!! You must be at goal now, huh??

I think the system is broken. Ever since the threads were altered, etc., no emails of new posts. I think that's why it's been so quiet here... on all the threads I'm subscribed to.. it's like nobody is home!

I found it somewhere on that ticker site. Keep looking. It's there somewhere.

Definitely have a decrease in knee pain and able to walk more. People here at the RV park have been commenting on that because they're used to seeing me on my scooter. I park it and walk whenever possible. I've had three fills, the last 10/29, just before we headed south for the winter. I have pretty good restriction and still losing, though slowly. So I'm not in a hurry for another fill right now.

Congrats, Linda!! Hope your party was fun and you did okay with food. Our Seahawks apparently just couldn't deal with Brett and the snow. Oh, well. There's always next year.