phyllser

HI, Its Norwegian Cruise Line.. with taxes, plus I bought the trip insurance ($164) ... total for two of us was $1318. Leaves out of Seattle. Stops at Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Prince Rupert, and cruises to Sawyer Glacier.

I was thinking the same thing.. sounds to me like something else is going on! Seems like too much pain to be caused by the band.

PURSES!! Tell me more!!! That store here that sells QVC stuff... I went to two of her "truck load" sales this past week & got some amazing outfits for $11 each!

We'll all be waiting to hear how it all went!

Just listened to Adam... you're right... he's going to win!! Tracy is here... she says they're going to go see him one day! I wanna go too!! And I hope he keeps the hair out of his face! He is so much better looking when you can actually see his face! Blonde chick has GOT TO GO!! I like the blind guy... he did a lot better tonight, too. But he probably won't make it too many more weeks. I like Matt, but he didn't do well tonight! WE are sick puppies, aren't we!! American Idol junkies at our age!! :seeya: Forgot to tell you... we booked a cruise to Alaska while you were gone. May 16, 7 days, $399!! Talked four people from our church in WA in to going with us!! :thumbdown::biggrin::seeya::biggrin: Too funny, chick! You're drugged out!! My post op diet was actually very similar to what you described! But I think I had 2 weeks clear liquids, then two weeks full liquids, then 2 weeks mushy and then on to the more normal stuff.

You probably need another fill, first of all. I had three in the first couple of months. Proper restriction is very important. Second, forget about those stats! Poppycock!! You can do whatever you set your mind to do. Stick with us here... follow the bandster rules, make healthy food choices and keep up your exercise and you WILL make it to your goal! You're right... exercise is very important. And journaling is important, too... keep a food diary! You are absolutely right... not a quick fix, but a lifestyle change! Follow all the rules. And don't get discouraged at those times when the weight loss stalls a little. Keep on keepin' on and the pounds will continue to come off!

OH! So it WAS you!! I thought you were talking about Steph's little "talk" with Kari about the pancakes, etc! Sorry! My mistake! For some reason I have REALLY been craving pop... anything, but especially my dear, dear Diet Coke that I had to give up! Why would that bother me after almost TWO YEARS without it! I think it was sipping on DH's diet Pepsi at that appreciation lunch they had here two weeks ago. I was really, really thirst and there it was sitting in front of him and I had a few small sips, which led to a few more, and now I want a DIET COKE!! Really, I was addicted to the carbonation. And this stupid cough won't go away and the carbonation would feel so GOOD on my throat. I just want some!! Can you believe I said all that after just chewing out people on the "BMI higher than 50" thread because too many are slacking off. Oh... I gave them a GOOD JANET TALK! You know the kind... small plates, small utensils, small portions, chew, chew, chew, protein first, etc., etc., etc. And then I came over here and started whining about how I want a Diet Coke! Oh, Janet... did you notice we upped the size on our fonts a few times to fill more pages???? :mad2::biggrin::tt2::cool2::tt2: It was just a gesture of love, really!!

Some of you seem to be struggling! C'mon, gang! We've GOTTA stick with it! We have more of a challenge than most, but we can't get discouraged, lose heart, and run out of steam! It's a long haul, but WE CAN DO THIS!! Small portions, healthy choices, follow the bandster rules! Are you using small plates??? .... I use a saucer for breakfast, luncheon plate for dinner, small glass pyrex bowl for lunch salad. Use small utensils... I bought toddler forks/spoons in the baby department at Wal-Mart. That will slow you down and force you to take smaller bites. And CHEW, CHEW, CHEW!! Eat slowly... put your fork down between bites. NO DRINKING with meals. PROTEIN FIRST, then veggies, avoid starches... only occasionally. I only allow myself pasta, rice or potatoes maybe twice a week and in very small amounts. My doctor says 1/2 cup servings... okay, I probably eat a cup at lunch and dinner. I eat a lot of fish, sometimes even three times a day. We buy artificial crab and it goes in my morning eggbeaters omelet and in my salad at lunchtime. Meat/fish potions should be no more than 4 oz. Size of a deck of cards. Our lives literally depend on our success! Get back on track! YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Janet's been an a cruise... Mexico... with her grandson & his cousin.. celebrating grandson's 18th birthday. She just got back.

GREAT pictures! Nice one of you and Andrew, and I LOVE the zipline pictures! Looks like you had a wonderful time! Sorry you came home with a cold, though!

Steph meant Kari, not you, Denise.... About your Mom.. isn't she on Medicare? If you're on Medicare and the doc orders rehab following a hospital stay then Medicare pays. They wouldn't pay from home to rehab, but will from hosp to rehab. And following that... if the doctor orders "physical therapy" at home, then I think Medicare will pay for home nursing visits... talk to someone at the hospital about how all that works. I remember some from my work as precert nurse, but more from when my Dad was sick and my Mom had to deal with all that. Also, when she had heart bypass 5 yrs or so ago.. same thing.... doctor didn't want her to go straight home, but Medicare would pay if he sent her to a rehab facility.

Even better... you can buy fat free refried beans in a can that are way lower in calories.. then melt some skim mozarella on top. Just from reading your posts, you are a GREAT writer. You need to write it yourself!

Yeah, Chick better be back on LBT soon!! We're all waiting to hear how her week went!! How much dancing she did?? How many "drinks of the day" she did? How much chasing teenagers!! Good Grief!! Praying that weather clears NOW so you can get off the ground and down here to the WARM place!! YIKES!! Surgery in the morning, right??!! HOLY SMOKES!!

Welcome, and tell us how we can help. Best advice... follow the rules your doctor and dietitian gave you. Walk to alleviate gas pain.

Seven day cruise. They're surely already in port and getting ready to disembark. She should be checking in this afternoon or evening.

I forget... is anyone going with you?? We're so close... I"d come and hold your hand if DH wasn't so afraid of going to TJ!! Well, on second thought, you probably wouldn't want me!! Running a temp tonight, aches and pains... flu, I think.

Boobie Bandits... that's perfect! Love it! Sorry you're having such trouble with food, Karri! You know you need a fill, but I certainly understand the hesitation! When is school out? Steph, you are too much!! :biggrin: Have I mentioned lately what a GREAT GROUP this is??!! Sure love you all A LOT!! :wink::tt1::wink::tt1::tt1::tt1:

My input :wink::wink::wink::wink:

It's that munching and crunching and rattling of the bags that gets to you, isn't it?! DH eats stuff like that constantly and it drives me nuts, even though he's eating stuff I really don't want! He makes me crazy sometimes. Yesterday we had to go to the marine base to pick up Rx refills. Drive takes maybe 1 1/4 hr and we're no sooner on the road when he pulls out a bag of cheetos from between his feet and the crunching starts! We ate lunch just before we left!! He eats stuff like that constantly and it's NOT because he's hungry! Steph knows you better than I, but... I'd cut you a little slack on the 50th birthday dinner! Wonder how many of us had a "last supper"?? We went out for spaghetti & meatballs the night before my surgery! I lost about the same as you on my pre-op diet and lived on 1000 calories or less for two months prior to surgery, to the point that when the dietician saw my food diary she told me I needed to crank up my calories as I was consistently well under 1000. Wow!! You ARE channeling Janet!! I was thinking the same things, though, when I read Kari's post! Especially the two pops with her meal!! I very carefully drank my very first soft drink last week, since surgery 20 months ago, and only because it was a HOT day and my crystal lite was warm. I took very tiny, slow sips..and I never did finish it. I was too scared. We go out to Breakfast every now and then. I order a seafood omelet and I eat it for FIVE more days! And pancakes.... they get stuck pretty easy! Once a month they have a pancake breakfast here. DH helps with it, so I always go. But I wait while they make me one very small pancake.. (they're always ready to slap two huge pancakes on your plate!), then I have a spoonful of scrambled eggs and a sausage with it. But pancakes scare me, too. You don't know why you're not feeling great??? HELLO??? Didn't you just have MAJOR surgery?? Take it easy!!

Steph.... you don't know what you did yesterday... how about taking down the Christmas decorations! That might qualify as overdoing! And, yes, I think I'm responsible for starting the FB addiction. Someone in my family got me started! Sibs, and their kids! Karla... welcome! Will be waiting to hear more about your Mexican adventure! I think it was Ortiz' office that referred me to the plastic surgeon in TJ, Dr. Quiroz. BTW, ladies, Quiroz called me yesterday. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of the PX at 29 Palms Marine base, with poor cell service, so I couldn't hear too well or ask many questions. The gist of what he said was that he thinks my insurance might cover the surgery on my legs so I should contact my bariatric surgeon about it before pursuing surgery in Mexico. I think the photos scared him away!! I emailed them last night and asked if I could have more details to support the "medical necessity" angle. Certainly, impedes my mobility. I'm sure that's what he was getting at. He is really nice. Someone on the NW thread gave me the name of a PS fairly close to home, so maybe I'll go see him. How many pages have we accumulated for Janet to read when she gets back??? :crying::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: Gotta go... time to get ready for the pool & water aerobics.

Welcome, Niecey! It does sound like you need a fill. As for eating 100-2000 calories, there's a moderator on another board who likes to say, "Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD!" :crying: Very good that you're tracking your calories closely, though. And picking up the exercise. Can you find something that isn't too hard on your knees?? I need double knee replacement.. I do Water aerobics. Keep on reading... there's lots of good stuff in those 170 pages!

So glad you are on the mend!

WELCOME!! I grew up in a suburb of Buffalo. I've heard that, too, because it absorbs more effectively. However, it's really hard to find, especially in chewable form. There was one that was very similar to the costco chewables that I was taking for a while... I could only get it at RiteAid or Albertson's and I don't think either one is carrying it anymore. I gave up and started buying the Costco Kirkland brand JoannMarie is talking about. I just can't swallow those big pills, esp. calcium... they always seem to have rough edges. Coromega makes an Omega-3 that comes in little individual squeeze packets.. I bought mine at Costco, orange flavored, and I squeeze a packet out on to my Jello 70 cal rice pudding each day. You can just squeeze it onto a spoon, or right in to your mouth, but I like it better on the pudding. BTW, Riteaid has all their Pharmasure brand on 2 for 1 sale this week... they do that about once a month, so that's when I stock up on my Papaya tablets.

Gee... you guys are all having BAD weather!! We have high winds here again tonight and supposedly until about sunset tomorrow night... gusting pretty high right now.. Makes the RV rock and roll! And nearby ... earthquakes near the Salton Sea... over 200 since last weekend. I keep my sleep number bed between 45 and 55. Dh likes 75 but that's TOO hard for me. I like fairly soft. You all know about Papaya tablets, right?? They help me a lot when I have a little indigestion/heartburn.. feeling a little "burpy". Just be careful.... they're kinda like my candy some times! I take a few because I need them and pretty soon I'm reaching for more because they taste good! MY BAD!! Anyway, 2nd line of defense.... small can of pineapple juice. It lubricates and helps the digestion. That's my "big guns" approach. BTW.... RiteAid has all their "Pharmasure" supplements on 2 for 1 sale this week. I always stock up on my Papaya when they do that! I got 4 bottles yesterday! It's on sale until Sunday.

Thanks, Britt! That's the kind of information I was looking for. I can relate to your elephant skin legs! My thighs are so grotesque! Interesting development: I emailed photos to the surgeon in Mexico that I was considering going to. He called me today after looking at the photos and it almost sounds like they scared him away! He highly recommended that I speak to my bariatric surgeon about this because he thinks my legs are so bad that PS could be considered medically necessary and might be covered by my insurance. But I will certainly make a note of this Dr. Dry and consider going to see him. How much more do you have to lose to et to gaol?? I would be so much more able to exercise effectively if I could be rid of all the excess tissue in my thighs... and I worry about how it will impact the outcome of my knee surgery as I need a double total knee replacement.