phyllser

About my friend, I think her doctors were trying to talk her in to bypass for a long time and she wouldn't consider it. After I had my surgery, apparently she started thinking about lapband as an alternative. I was concerned from the get-go because it didn't sound to me like she was getting appropriate pre-op counselling, instructions, etc as well as post-op. The surgeon was a general surgeon who had operated on her for other things so she was adamant about wanting him to do it... that's why I said yesterday, the support system just wasn't there because that is NOT his specialty! I could kick myself for not staying on top of it. I believe it was early Sept when she had the surgery, and we were getting ready to leave... then sons visited that month, too.. first the younger one, then the older one.. and I just got too wrapped up in my little world. I called her a couple of times shortly after the surgery, and asked a mutual friend that I play Scrabble with on the internet how she was doing, but should have called her. At any rate, she didn't follow through either, and I so believe that if she had just lost some weight..... Apparently, her blood sugar dipped very low on Tuesday night... this other gal in our little "group" said she had her on the phone that night and blood sugar was 30 so she made her stay on the phone while she ate something and brought it up. Then I heard tonight that she'd told her husband before he went to work in the morning that it was low again. My daughter (also an RN) says very possibly it went so low that she slipped in to a coma and died. Don't know if family is having an autopsy done or not, but that's probably a good guess.

One egg omelet for BF w/small amt of art. crab and moz cheese. That was owver three hours ago and having trouble drinking. Have to have a bit of lunch soon because taking little guy with me to go visit a friend while others are at a movie. I wanted to be tighter! Got what i wished for. Haven't heard anything more about my friend. Just think her lung problems caught up with her. Wish she'd worked with her band... might have had a chance at a few more years... or even a lung transplant.. drs had talked about that. Well, gotta go check in for tomorrow's flight back to the sun. Although, I must say, lots of sun here this week... just too cold!

Good Morning! Karri, so sorry to hear you're having all this trouble. Doesn't make sense, does it??! Hope things get resolved soon. Last paragraph of my post yesterday.... about my friend who wasn't at Primetimers yesterday.... this is so sad.. last night I got an urgent prayer request from church. Her husband came home from work at 4pm and found her dead. I still can't believe it! There are four ladies in that group that I always sit with and she's one of them. Haven't had too much contact with two of them all winter, so I wanted to show up yesterday to have a short visit. Was disappointed when she wasn't there. Others said she hadn't been feeling good on Sunday and wasn't at church, but she HAD been at Bible study on Tuesday. Apparently her husband called her around lunch time and no answer so he assumed she was at Primetimers. She was only about 55 yrs old, just had her first grandchild. Had a very serious lung condition... was told many years ago that she only had 5 yrs to live. She had to lug her oxygen around with her everywhere. And she was diabetic.. but she probably weighed in excess of 400 lb and I hoped if she lost some weight those things would all improve. But she didn't do her part and wasn't losing. :eek::frown:

Hi, All! Been up to other DD for a day, so didn't get on the internet for very long yesterday.... trip to airport to pick up GD who had been home for the weekend... took her out to breakfast with other DD & the three little ones. Then we took her back to her dorm and went to the science center.. about 4 hours of science center including Imax movie, "Under the Sea" which was FANTASTIC!! Loved it.. but Thomas was freaking out... 3D.. fish were right in our faces and I think he thought he was going to be lunch because he started pleading loudly with his MOm that he wanted to go home! Struggles... yeah, I'm pretty tight, but probably ate too much last night and I exceeded the b____'s 1/2 cup rule again at lunch... maybe a WHOLE cup.. spoonful of refried beans, spoonful of Spanish rice, spoonful of lettuce, sprinkled a little grated cheese on top and a dab of sour cream. Breakfast... 7 oz FF yogurt/Smoothie from Albertson s-- think it said 110 calories, 7 protein. Had a SF, FF latte mid-morning... only have to count the FF milk calories... maybe 8 oz. Now I'm hungry... but I guess it's almost 4pm. May have a bit of cheese and a couple of my veggie toasted wheat thins. According to DD scale, was down 2 lb yesterday morning... from the day before. Too much chocoloate around here... I sneaked a small Dove mint patty a couple of days ago. No wine at all this week. Ignored the FOUR boxes of GS cookies on the kitchen shelf, too. So, I guess I'm doing okay! Think DD is making tacos for dinner. Don't know if I"ll have that or Lean Cuisine I have in the freezer. I spent $35 on food for me the day after I got here... way more than I can possibly eat... Hummus that I haven't even opened yet, for instance! Stopped by church Primetimers for an hour or so today.. that's where I had lunch.. oh, yeah, forgot to report I had a very tiny little square of orange cake! Anyway, one of my friends there had LB sugery before we left.. like early Sept. She's quite large. Talked to two friends to try to find out how she was doing because she wasn't there today and both told me they don't think she's lost anything and is probably not eating right. I was afraid that the doctor she went to did not give her enough preparation or have an adequate support system for her!

Janet, your pictures look GREAT! Aunt looks like a doll! And so glad you got to see PJ. Okay, my DD said the reason Charly said that is he is always hearing his father say that he can't find any clothes to fit! In the past, he's told me numerous times, "Grandma, you have big legs!" Then there's the time we were at the zoo... he was not quite 4yrs old at the time, and he's riding in the wagon, Grandpa pulling him, and I'm riding on my scooter right next to him. He says, "Grandma, you're not getting ANY exercise!" He's RIDING IN THE WAGON while his brother and sister are running around! So I said, "Charly, YOU'RE not either!" So, Charly and I sort of have this running thing going on! So, today we're all sitting at the kitchen table having lunch. This time he says, "Mommy, why does Grandma always eat something different from what we're eating??" DD tells him it's because I'm trying to lose some weight, so I can get my knees fixed. So, Johannah says, "Oh, is that why she waddles!???" Then I went to get my fill and the PA is in one heck of a b_____ mood! First she lit in to her assistant, who'd taken all my updated info... changed meds, etc., and then brought the papers down to radiology where they do the fills. She was all ticked off because it wasn't down at her office so she could read it before she came over to radiology. So after she chewed her out... in her very special way that sounds oh so polite but cuts like a knife... then she's reading over my "stuff" and starts chewing me out because I'd said that I ate 1 1/2 - 2 cups of food (sometimes, at dinner only). Tells me that's WAY too much and I"m going to stretch out my pouch, etc! Then she asks me if my muscles get sore after I do water aerobics!?? I said, "Why would I get sore muscles if I"m doing it EVERY DAY???" I was getting a little testy myself by then. So she sort of chuckled and said, "that's the answer I was looking for." All in all, it was not a good visit! She told me that she didn't even know if she could put any more fluid in my band, maybe just 1/2 cc! She told me last year it was an 11 cc band, and according to my calculations, there should be about 5.5 cc in it now. WHATEVER!! She had a little trouble finding the port, put in 1/2 cc, had me drink my 6 oz of water and we were done! Oh, after the lecture about how many calories I should be eating and what my basal metabolic rate is, etc, etc, etc.! When she left I said to the asst., "CHEEZ! I was going down to the coffee bar on my way out to get a SF, FF latte, but she'll probably see me there and chew me out again!" She smiled and said, "She WON'T see you!" So I did! Gotta go play with the grandkids before they go to bed. I bought them an Elmo book today that has this little thing that plays 20 songs that go along with the stories. Do you know I've never really outgrown toys????

So, I was sitting at the kitchen table with my 5 yr old grandson, who is not fat, but not skinny either, and he tells me, "You're kind of FAT, Grandma!" And I said, "Gee, thanks, Charly!" And then he says, "Do you have any trouble finding clothes that fit???!" Didn't exactly make my day! :crying::scared2::smile: :eek::eek::eek:

Morning, gang! It's cold here, but I'm enjoying morning hugs from the little guys. Have to find the coffee pot soon, and go to grocery store for some food for me so I won't be grazing on things I shouldn't be eating. Had a good trip here yesterday... smooth flights. No problems.

Very good points, Long! Having felt some of those same fears, I can attest to the fact that my whole way of thinking about food has changed since banding. My comfort foods were things like... mashed potatoes & gravy, Pasta, etc. I now very seldom eat carbs, but I don't completely deprive myself either, and it works for me. On occasion.. like today... went out for "Valentine's Lunch" and I had some pasta and chicken parmigian. No where close to what I used to do as far as amounts! First of all, I cut off 1/3 of the chicken breast and gave it to DH. In exchange, he gave me about a 1/4 piece of his lasagna. I ate that and about another 1/3 of the chicken and some of the pasta. The rest I brought home. Garlic bread... they gave us two narrow strips of toasted garlic bread. I broke off a small piece of the end of one and DH got the rest. So... I can still enjoy those things that were always my favoites, in much smaller amounts, and only on special occasions. That works for me.

Yeah, it's so tragic! Hard to watch the news reports, yet can't tear myself away.... hearing familiar names... of streets, etc., and seeing familiar sights. Grew up probably not 10 miles from the crash site. BIL was not at the crash scene. Guess they heard the call come over his radio (vol. fireman), but said a small plane had gone down... no one understood the magnitude of the situation at that point. Plus, he's been sick, so they went to bed. One of my cousins is a jazz musician... probably knew the two guys from the Chuck Mangione band. This is kind of cute... my Mom told my youngest sister not to tell me about the plane crash because she knew I am flying to Seattle this weekend and didn't want me to be scared! Uh... I probably knew about it soon after they did because I saw the "breaking news" thing flash on my computer screen.

I haven't had any trouble swallowing pills, but I don't try the really big ones. Calcium, Vit C and Omega 3s tend to be big. I use the chewable Calcium from Costco, too. For a while they had some "easy swallow" Vit C, but now it's out, so I bought some chewables. I also use Centrum Silver Chewable Multi. Omega 3s can be found in little squeeze packages.. orange flavored, and I have one a day over the top of some SF 60-70 calorie Jello pudding. There is an easy swallow Calcium... Citracal, I think, but it's SQUARE!! That's just SO WRONG!! I still had trouble swallowing them because of that, so I just stick to the chewable Calcium. But it's Calcium Carbonate, and some doctors want you to take calcium citrate.... supposed to absorb better or something.

Katy, I add my "AMEN" to that!! As a retired RN, I understand most of that gibberish. And it sounds to me like a situation that needs fairly immediate attention.... not TWO WEEKS from now, but NOW! Any way you can go to another surgeon???? Two weeks is unacceptable, in my opinion!

Oh, yeah! I liked my sweets... ice cream, cookies, cake, etc. I rarely kept them around in recent years, even before surgery, because if it was in the house, I'd be eating it. Pray for the families of the plane crash victims... Buffalo, my home. Wondering if my BIL was at the scene... volunteer fireman in a nearby community.

UGH!! I thought I was going to get my teeth cleaned and xrays to see why I could feel a hole in the side of my tooth. $538 later.... or something like that, AFTER my insurance pays, the only thing that got cleaned was my wallet! Little hole was a small filling that fell out... no problem. Cleaned it out, stuck another filling in there and that was done in 5 minutes. Problem: tooth next to it had decay all around the filling. He said my options were either a crown or a porcelain "inlay", whatever that is. He said it HAD to be porcelain or it wouldn't last.... and ins only pays $125 for a "filling", and their charge for the porcelain "inlay".... $625! So I feel cleaned out, alright! So now I have a temporary filling & have to go back March 2. Besides that, he's telling me that TWO of my crowns need to be replaced... after insurance... another $700! So I came home in a not very good mood! More than the blahs.... sort of just plain MAD! And I'm still goig to try to have my filet tonight... my once a week beef treat, even though I still can't feel the right side of my face! Heck, my ear is even numb and that was 2 1/2 hrs ago now! Not a happy camper! So, Steph, hope your dental appt went a lot better than mine! I guess I should be grateful.... two teeth fixed and i HAVE dental insurance! Gals, I think part of your blahs is the awful winter you're having up there. Hopefully it will get better soon! I was sharing with the TOPS gals this morning... not to brag or anything, but I don't crave sweets like I used to. Not that I don't want to graze, and sometimes do... but I crave.. or just plain WANT... salty stuff... even losing my taste for cottage cheese w/fruit... which used to be my snack every night. I look for crackers, I like the cucumber/garlic Greek yogurt that Wal-Mart sells... I think it's 2 Tbsp 35 calories.. use it as dip for the crackers. I do enjoy a once a day 60 calorie Jello pudding... the rice/cinnamons are my new favorite. Next week will be a TEST.... my daughter has all kinds of bad stuff in her house! There is always chocolate, cookies, etc. Will have to make sure I make a grocery run shortly after I get there so I have healthy stuff that I can eat. I am not staying in our condo because I can't see stocking groceries, turning on the hot water heater, etc, and too far from the daughter who needs my help/company next week. (SIL going to be out of the country). Having a fill next Monday will restrict what I can eat, too!!

Site was down when I tried to get on .. I think it was last night .. maybe afternoon. Weigh in day! TOPS scale is screwed up. Last week as a group we had a 19 lb loss, today.... 17 lb gain! Wi Fit said I was down about a lb, TOPS scale... up 1/2 lb! Wi Fit said Earl was down a lb, TOPS scale said he was up 2 1/2 lb!! So, we're talking about getting a new, expensive digital scale. So, as far as I'm concerned, I'm down, but not changing my ticker until it's official. And I won't be here next week! Steph, sure hope you shake the blahs soon! Not fun!! It must be dentist day... I'm going too.... in a few minutes. So I better sign off!

Well, it's still cold... 45 degrees now, colder earlier, but it's sunny. Snow low on the mountains and view out the RV window is stunning! Palm Springs backdrop... snow covered mountains this morning. Absolutey beautiful!! Going to the pool in about 3/4 hr... wearing my "swim sweater" over my suit and hoping the water is really warm this morning! Not going to make my exercise goal this month... short month, missed yesterday and flying to Seattle on Saturday. So happy stomach cramps are gone. My youngest sis tells me irritable bowel "runs in the family", no pun intended! :thumbdown::biggrin::thumbup: I hadn't been bothered with it in a while... but Tues-Fri last week, and she said she had an episode on Sat.! :frown::party::frown: Have a GREAT day, my friends. CBL

I don't get Mob Wars, but I joined.... again... because Donna was nagging me. I told her she owed me then... either Pathwords or Sudoku! Discovered Pathwords today and now it's my new addiction!! Rainy day magic. Told Earl I'd go to the pool with him tonight. I lied! It's about 45 degrees and still raining! I'm not going to the pool in that!!! He's NUTS!

Yeah, not going to the pool this morning! Earl keeps trying to convince me that it will quit soon and we can go to the 10a.m. class, but doesn't look like it to me! I think we're going to a movie instead. He's doing laundry. Says there was one guy at the pool swimming laps.. our across the street neighbor.. the only one down there. Not surprised you're going to see Trace, Janet! I saw that billboard last week and figured you'd be going.

Shoulder pain still comes and goes.... probably weather related arthritis. Not much cartilage in that joint. Don't remember the name of the street. It was a short sale, though.. recently reduced to $165K. Lived in for a while... 4 kids. Nice tile floors throughout except for bedrooms. All that carpet needs to be replaced!! Four kids! And whole place needs paint and landscaping needs to be completely redone if not just ripped out and put in some stones and cactus!! That's what I would do! It's all grass and weeds now. Has a big yard with extended patio in back and on side. Did I mention I'm freezing!!?? 100# of insulation gone! It rained during church and I didn't know it... scooter was parked outside on the patio & it got wet. Heck, there were people sitting out there, too---overflow crowd! They must have gotten wet, too! I sat out there last week after the choir sang... by choice, though! It was beautiful last Sunday! It was really crowded this morning. Had to ride home in the rain. But, not raining now so think I'll bundle up and go for a scooter ride so I stop thinking about what I can snack on! Had Safeway/Von's Minestrone soup for lunch... the stuff they sell hot in the store... It was on sale the other day.. container said 120 calories for a cup! Pretty good! Fresh stuff so sodium probably not too bad, either. BYE BYE!!

Good Morning! Quiet here this weekend! NO stomach cramps last two mornings!! HOORAY! Wonder if it was the flu, or just my weird body!? Just happy it seems to be over. Spent 1/2 day with a real estate agent yesterday looking at condos all over the valley! We're screening for DD & SIL. I guess they're serious about buying down here. Saw some pretty awful old places! DD will be back at the end of next month to look some more. Janet, ended up looking at a house not far from you. Earl had me plug your address in to the TomTom to see how far away we were. We might even have been in your development. I thought I saw that police car I saw when we went to your place! But then they all look alike, don't they! Didn't see your street and forget what is the name of your development. Anyway, we were right near Winco, so know we were close. Thought I saw your car at WInco, but didn't see you inside and figured you were still out and about. I think it was around 2pm. I'm flying to Seattle the end of this week for a few days. Mixed feelings about going. It'll be cold. I really don't want to go, but will be an opportunity to check on the condo, get a few things we forgot, see the DDs & grandkids, etc. and I will get a fill a week from tomorrow. Hope I'm not sorry! Some days seem to be fairly tight and others I don't think I have enough restriction. I'll be there for several days after that so plenty of time to undo it if it's too much.

Hi, Kari, Gee.... quiet around here today!! Where's Janet, I wonder??? Yeah, the morning routine is getting old! Cramps got better earlier today! Didn't have to exit the pool! But then the shoulder pain came back!! :thumbup::confused::sleep::thumbup::mad2: Could be all the weather changes.... cloudy, cool, and a little more rain today. I whined all day about the shoulder... barely got through choir practice. So when I got back, DH insisted I take some hydocodone. Tylenol didn't even take the edge off! So he gave me TWO of those and a 3 oz glass of wine. I'm still breathing, so that's good! And shoulder feels much better.. or maybe I just don't care now!! :patriot::tt1::patriot: DH BBQed some lamb chops on the grill, and fixed some broccoli to go with it. Nice dinner. And he made a big crock pot of chili while I was gone. He is not allowed to season it though, so I did that when I got home. He over seasons!!! Chili will be for tomorrow. I tasted it and this time I might have over seasoned it!! Not too much chili powder or curry powder left, so I just dumped in what was left. (And that was BEFORE the drugs and wine!) It's a little spicy, but very good! Does need to be thickened up a bit though! He put in only stewed or chopped tomatoes... I like to use puree, tomato sauce or tomato paste. He added one small can of paste when I complained, but not sure it's enough. How about this chick with the 14 kids??? Oh my!! Dr. should be sued!! Or at least have his head examined!

Good Morning, All!! I am feeling miserable again this morning. This makes the 4th consecutive morning with these stomach cramps. I don't know what's going on. I'm blaming it on irritable bowel, but it's sure getting old. Seems like as soon as I start in the morning... first a little crystal lite and my vitamins/Rx, then a cup of coffee, and eventually small omelet, all between 7 - 7:30 a.m. Same routine just about EVERY morning. So, why all of a sudden, stomach cramps start as soon as something hits my stomach I do NOT understand. Have had occasional episodes like this for years... but never last this long and never day after day like this. Running to the BR every 10-20 minutes until noon time. Gradually subsides, but have even had to get out of the pool during water aerobics. And this morning, not tolerating my little tiny omelet very well either. Feels like it wants to come up. :confused::frown::thumbup: Okay, all done whining! Sorry! Steph, sure hope that tooth gets better FAST!!

Oh, my YES!! We were visiting my sister, in your area, a couple of years ago and they took us sightseeing, etc around the Bandon area. We stopped at a park along a river and these folks had an RV in the parking lot. They'd been crabbing and had a BIG haul. They were cooking them right there in the parking lot and offered us some. It was WONDERFUL!! No butter or anything! Scrumptious!

Heard several with really good voices. Sort of remember the guy you're talking about. Hospital show night... Earl hates it!! Grey's Anatomay, Private Practice, ER! He'll be going to bed early!! Already been snoring, but now he's eating a big bowl of popcorn.

Yep, just started raining a few minutes ago. Raining pretty hard, too. I went in the back to put on my night shirt. Good thing I did. It's hanging on the inside of the bathroom door and it's raining in there! It was beginning to get wet! Earl has the vent wide open and I can't reach the little winder thing to close it! There's a little stool outside somewhere but I don't know where! He has volunteer guard duty at the gate tonight until 7 p.m. It could be pretty wet in there by then! OH, well! He knew it might rain because he talked about taking a rain coat down there. Glad he didn't ride my scooter down! I checked because I wanted to make sure the cover was over it... it's sitting by the door. He put the awning in when the wind came up this afternoon, so it's not under cover. My 2 year goals.... to have BMI 40 or less, and under 200 lb. Then I think I can persuade ortho guy to do my knees this summer. Would sure like to do thighplasty before knee replacement! Don't know that I could talk any plastic surgeon into doing that before I reach goal.

Forgot to moan and complain.... shoulder pain still bugging me! This is the 3rd day! Two nights ago, DH found me in bed sound asleep when he came back from the pool at 8p.m.... this is NOT me at all! He talked me in to two tylenol and I got up again. But continues to bug me off and on for the last 48 hours. I have to keep my mouth shut because he keeps threatening to take me to the doctor. Afraid I'm having a heart problem. But it sure feels like the old post-op shoulder pain so I'm not concerned, just miserable. And cramping about the first 3 hrs of the day last two mornings.... I assume my irritable bowel, which hasn't given me trouble for quite some time. Very miserable! And very out of the ordinary food day today. TOPS is early in the morning... no time for breakfast, so I take a Nature Valley granola bar with me. Well, leader is still having me conduct the meetings... so how can I eat my granola bar?? Last week I ate it on my way across the courtyard to the pool... on my way to water aerobics. This week our meeting went alitle late, then I was back in the BR with the cramping, and I was afraid the granola bar would aggravate that, so I decided not to eat it. Then we were meeting friends for lunch at noon, so I didn't eat anything until we got there. Had my usual seafood omelet.... enough leftover for four more mornings! Then DH had guard duty at 4pm, so I ate dinner alone... leftover spaghetti sauce... since it is my weigh in day, I had 2 oz of angel hair instead of my usual fr style green beans. Had a little gorgonzola cheese and a few crackers with a glass of wine mid-afternoon. Probably will snack on a 60 cal SF rice pudding tonight. I didn't do that!! I ate SLOW & ladylike! Hope you all had a GREAT day!