DivaStyleCoach

Seven years...that is persistence personified! Congrats to your SIL - I'm definately not gonna quit now. I have to set the example for my DD - and I'll be the first one in my family with a Bachelor's degree as well...:thumbsup:

Originally Posted by Kat817 I plan on being astraddle as much of the weekend as possible, if not the motorcycle or horse, maybe even the DH!!!!!! Must be something in the air, Kat - I'm feelin' the same way! I wish I had a motorcycle to ride, but my first choice is ALWAYS my DH for a good ride! :thumbup: *stamping foot* I WANT A MOTORCYCLE! Unfortunately, with DD going off to college in the fall, and the recent hit to my pocketbook, it will probably have to wait, but... What I REALLY want is a Terminator-edition Harley FatBoy...*sigh*

PJTP... Had a good lap band support group meeting in New Haven last night - all girls, lots of questions from noobs, three vets there to help answer everything, and all is right with the world. Lots of compliments on my weight loss so far - and I'm looking forward to clothes shopping this weekend! Just a little though - college bills coming! I'm one class away from getting my Associates degree and planning to continue - should have done it YEARS ago, but kids and then work interrupted me...yep, it's late, but I'm going to finish! Goal is to have my Bachelor's before I turn 50 (I've got a little over 3 years)... Got some really good answers to questions about plastic surgery and prepping for it (yep, I'm thinking long term). Dr. Schulman's thread is wonderful - he has a lot of wisdom and is sharing it freely. I see a trip to New York to get him to do my surgery when I get there. Long range goal is to reach my goal weight by Christmas (yep, ambitious, but that's me) and then stabilize by summer so I can have the surgery next summer (6 months at goal before I do the surgery). Happy to be going to Arkansas at the end of the month for the annual Black Pilots Association get-together / fly-in called Skyhook. Lots of good people - good food too, but since I'm banded now, I won't have to worry about overeating! YAY! I can have a taste of this and a taste of that and not worry, because "Jillian" will keep me on track! Babygrl - congrats on the scale moving in the right direction! Yay for you!:idea: Plain applying anything to any part of his body - nightmare inducing! (just kidding, Plain) :grouphug: Tapshoes - yep, unmatched greed (along with a few other terms not nearly so nice) come to mind...why oh why do they feel the need to put the ENTIRE burden on out-of-state students? A moderate difference between in-state and out-of-state I can understand, even a moderate tuition increase I can understand, but damn! G4E - prayers for your family...I HATE tornadoes...they scare me no end. Living in Michigan, we didn't see many, but heard a lot about the bad ones in "Tornado Alley" in the midwest and the heartland of the country. Always sending up prayers for those who live in the path of danger, and the emergency responders who risk everything to go and help. Slim - I agree with answering the phone "Hell - NO!" when MIL calls...she's a real piece of sh*t, I mean a piece of work :thumbsup: If I missed anybody (or any subject), sorry 'bout that!:thumbup:

Right about now, Beth, "devil is sweating" hot sounds really good...my office is FREEZING!!!!!

Watched the show with interest last night...I'm amazed that they all finished a marathon! I don't know if I'd be ready to do that...that was awesome! Jillian is hot - no matter what her orientation. :wub: I'd love to have her arms. :wub::wub: Even my DH who usually says women her size "need a sandwich" doesn't have ANYTHING bad to say about Jillian... Love Tara - I hope she wins it all.:thumbup: Helen whines too much for me - grow a set, already!:thumbup: Mike finishing the marathon with a semi-injured hip was cool to watch - very inspirational. Ron finishing the marathon was amazing - pure grit. He just refused to give up and it was very cool to see all the past participants come and walk with him. Yep, I still dislike him overall, but last night was a redeeming moment for him. Feeling sorry for Max - he's got three people in his house that have lost the weight and he's still big. To his credit, he really seems to be working on it - I hope he makes it. Can't wait for the live finale!:thumbup:

What a tiny world we live in! I've run into people in Virginia who are from CT, and others in various places who used to live in MI, or who went to the same high school I did (Cass Tech). I'm with ya on that one, Lulu - the past few mornings the seat heaters in my DeVille have been very, very nice! My DH teases me that I'm always wanting the house "Africa Hot"...well, since I was banded, "Africa Hot" feels pretty good! I've been known to take my lunchtime walks with a sweatshirt jacket on and gloves because it's fairly warm out, but my hands are still cold, so...

PJTP... I lived in Michigan for the first part of my life too - I'm a native Detroiter (if I hadn't already said that). I am getting less and less tolerant of cold. Something about being banded - I am cold all the time now. Add to that the fact that I'm anemic, and well, you've got a gal over here that is anxiously awaiting summer! Usually I like it around 75, but I'm hoping for comfort at 80-plus this summer! :laugh: Drama at home - DD's college raised tuition prices steeply this year. Out of state tuition went from 10K to 24K, so we are scrambling to find money.:smile2: So far, the hunt is going well, so keep your fingers (and toes) crossed that we'll be able to bridge the gap and send her to the school she loves.:laugh: Too bad I don't have relatives in VA to send her to...but then getting residency for college tuition purposes is harder than he** in VA. Methinks they've been burned on that a few times... Work is going ok...not great, just okay.:cool2: I'm not getting hammered every day for little mistakes any more, but I'm just not really comfortable right now. It's partly the economy, I think, and partly just that I'm still feeling blindsided. Gotta find a way to let that go so I can get some mental peace. :w00t: So how's everyone else's day going?

Thank you for your wonderful reply, Dr. Schulman...I will be sure to let you know when I'm ready to talk surgery. I have signed up for your newsletter and will be following this thread as well. You mentioned in another response that some people are not necessarily able to wait a year after reaching their goal weight to have the surgery - I have had that thought as well...what has been the experience with your patients? Do most of them wait 3 - 6 months, 6 - 9 months, or 9 - 12 months before having surgery? I'm planning (thinking positively here) to be at my goal by the fall of this year, and planning for surgery in the spring of 2010. I want to have this done before I turn 50 - I think it'll be my 47th birthday present to myself! With the timetable I'm planning, I would be at goal for 6 months before planning the surgery. My understanding is that I will need approx 2 months for all the pre-op work - does that sound right? Thanks again for sharing your experience, wisdom and kind spirit with us here on LBT!:thumbdown:

Octomom has created a circus...it's of her OWN making! She has shown not an ounce of responsibility or common sense - not in anything she's uttered out of her OWN MOUTH. Actions speak a lot louder than words, and what her actions say is that she is a needy, misinformed, overwhelmed, didn't-think-about-it-first, selfish woman who wants fame and fortune and is willing to use her children to get it. The simple fact that she continues to get fake nails when she has EIGHT premature babies with delicate skin at her home says to me that she values her own appearance more than the babies' comfort. Even if I made the same decision that she did - to implant all of the embryos - I would be trying to AVOID the media in order to make as normal a life for the babies and my other children as possible. That does NOT seem to be on her radar...anytime the media furor starts to die down, something else happens to start it up again. Just a difficult situation all around, and her actions are not making it any easier!

PJTP... It's been an up-and-down weekend... People have been noticing my weight loss - went to a wonderful concert on Friday night with DH (group was called Conga Bop - very danceable) and many people there knew me pre-band, so I got lots of compliments. Very good for the ego! Found out tuition at VA State (where DD wants to go to college) has more than doubled for out-of-state students from just about $10K to $24K...now we've got to scramble to try and figure out how we're going to pay for it so she doesn't have to give up her dream...she's been crying all weekend and I feel just terrible for her! I've got to find a way - I'm NOT going to let her dream die! Got another wonderful compliment from a fellow church member who asked me again what I'm doing...since I know him really well, I told him about the band. He has been up and down with his weight as well, and his wife is a peach and a good friend, so I didn't mind telling him. It's nice when people notice... I'm in determined mode today - going to find out more about financial aid and *shudder* student loans for DD's college...

Come on down, Beth...it's a great place to be! Thanks everyone for all the good wishes and congrats - I :thumbup: you guys!

Mornin' Warriors! Been walking regularly - a mile in the morning with DDog and DD (DH is on midnight shift), 1.6 miles at work during lunch, and more at night if I can get it in. Since it's been so nice out, I've started walking to the train station in the evening - I leave my office at 4:45, walk to the train station (a little over a mile) and make it there to catch the 5:30 train. It comes in at 5:15 or so, and I'm usually there before it comes in or just after. Considering the traffic dodging, people dodging and having to stop for traffic lights, I think it's a pretty good walk. I just posted in PJTP that I'm below 230 for the first time in at least 10 years, and I'm so happy I could scream! :ohmy: Who's gonna start the May Exercise thread?:thumbup:

PJTP... I'm so glad it's Friday! :ohmy::w00t::w00t: Was blessed to hear Tony Brown speak last night (remember him from Tony Brown's Journal on PBS, or am I dating myself?) and bought his new book "What Mama Taught Me". Wonderful speaker, brilliant mind. Much shorter in person than I thought...:thumbup: Got on the scale this morning, and I'm below 230 for the first time in at LEAST 10 years! :w00t::w00t::w00t::w00t: Can ya tell I'm happy 'bout that? Looking forward to seeing X-Men Chronicles this weekend with DH and DD, working in my garden and doing some housecleaning and closet cleaning...gotta get rid of all the stuff that doesn't fit any more! :w00t:

***TMI Alert*** Last night I went to hear a wonderful speaker, of course there was food at the end. I got over-enthusiastic about a couple of bacon-wrapped scallops (I would have eaten a dozen or more pre-band) and ate them too fast. Well you know what that means... I had to leave early (had a hour drive home) and spent the entire hour on the freeway sliming and PB'ing...at 65 mph! :thumbup::ohmy::ohmy:

...you start looking at the websites that offer designer clothes at cut-rate prices because NOW you can see yourself fitting into them someday, or for those veteran bandsters, you actually CAN fit into them! :thumbup:

Hi all! I'm only down about 35 pounds and I can see the "apron" forming already. I'll be working out and eating right, but at 46 I'm under very few illusions about the elasticity of my skin. I do have a tendency to develop keloids, though (raised, puffy scars) so I will do whatever I can to exercise and tighten up the tummy. Vitamins daily, lots of lotion, etc. Hopefully it will have a beneficial effect...if not, I'll be looking for a specialist to do the surgery - I don't want a big, thick ropy scar across my abdomen! :thumbup:

I can ABSOLUTELY see your weight loss - and I agree with the others - purchasing a few new clothes at your new (temporary) size will make a world of difference! You are really making good progress - don't stop now!:thumbup:

The drama continues... Heard on the radio this morning that police and child welfare were called because one of Octomom's older children (I think they said the child was autistic) arrived at school with bruises and bite marks. What on earth is going on in that house?

Hi Dr. Schulman, I have read through this entire thread and am very impressed with your level of knowledge and willingness to help so many of us make informed and good decisions regarding PS. I live in CT, so you are certainly on my list to see when I'm ready for PS - which won't be for a while yet, because I'm fairly new to the band (only since Nov 08). My first question is regarding keloids - I am African-American, and have had previous abdominal surgery (straight up the middle, around my belly button) which has a pretty well-defined keloid. I am using scar gel on it, and it's improved somewhat, but it made me think what might happen after PS. I saw a couple of pictures of AA clients on your website and am wondering if your practice has had any challenges with patients developing keloids. Second - I am planning to lose nearly 100 pounds, and feel certain I will need a TT or at least a panni to remove excess skin. I don't have a big abdomen right now, nor do I have a lot of hanging skin, but I understand that may change. Right now "pulling in" my abs makes most of the 'hang' go away - is there any way to minimize the need for surgery by working the abs specially hard or increasing Protein content to help the skin and muscles build optimally? I should mention that I'm 46, and have been overweight for over 30 years. The band is the best thing I've ever done for myself! I am fairly active - walking 5 - 7 days per week, and about to add weight training back into my routine. I am thinking that I'm at least a year away from surgery, but now is the time, I think, to do as much prep work as possible. I would be considering a TT and breast lift / possible reduction at the same time. I am currently a 40H, and am not sure what size I would go "down" to, only that I want the girls to be MUCH perkier than they currently are. Thanks in advance - I know this is a LOT to include in a single posting!

Hi! I'm tight in the mornings, too - sometimes even oatmeal won't go down... I've resorted to cream of wheat and grits (luckily I LOVE those) and occasionally a Protein shake. Sometimes mid-morning I'll have something more solid with some protein in it, but not too often. Yogurt (I love Greek yogurt) goes down pretty easily, but I'm wary of having too many potential "sliders"... Other ideas? I'm hoping to hear more, too...

Window licking moron...ROFLMBO! :w00t::lol: I love your wit, Beth!

KeepingFaith, You've gotten some great advice here, and I just want to add my point of view... What he said was rude and uncalled for - and you should definately bring it to his attention. Now that you've calmed down a bit, ask him if he really intended to hurt your feelings. Sometimes people think they are "helping" when all they are doing is hurting us. If he understands that his off-hand comment hurt you and doesn't apologize for it, then he may be one of those people you can't share every aspect of this journey with. You should also take pride in what you've accomplished so far - you are doing well and don't let ANYONE take that away from you. We all were banded because we knew we needed to make a change - and you are DOING IT! Because it doesn't happen at his speed, or overnight, should make absolutely NO difference. You are doing this for YOU and you've done well so far. Hold your head up high, and next time - let him get his OWN Snacks / drinks / stuff from the kitchen! And he can get yours while he's up!:w00t:

Hi Kimmy, Have you talked to your doctor? Does he know of your panic attacks? It would be good to notify him of your concerns and of the attacks. You are under stress, and it is pretty normal to be concerned / upset before surgery. I know you are trying to be calm - maybe other activities can help you get your mind off of the surgery for a while and help you to calm down. You also MUST eat something - going into surgery with nothing for sustenance is NOT good - you will be on liquids for a while after surgery, and you don't want to be too weak. Try to eat small amounts of a good-for-you food that you also love. Maybe something you haven't treated yourself to in a while. Try fresh fruit, yogurt, or something light. You do have to follow doc's orders for the day before surgery - they differ, so review those to be sure you are doing what you need to before surgery. Good luck, and let me know how you're doing! You are on the threshold of a wonderful journey - I wish you all the best!

Just had to chime in on this one... I was riding the shuttle to my train station yesterday and heard a young man and woman conversing. Every other word out of his mouth was "like..." OMG! "So like, you know, like, I was like, going down the street, like really fast, and like nearly had an accident..." I could have just strangled him! Gosh, is it really necessary to put "like" in the sentence, like, so many times? (sarcasm) And this young man said he was a medical school graduate from Johns Hopkins! If I like, had him for a doctor, I'd like, want to like strangle him and ask him, like, what was his dysfunction? (sarcasm again) :w00t: And may I add, "youse" is not a word! Those of you who use that term, I'm sorry, but it's just NOT a proper word! Okay, I feel better now!

Mornin' Ready! I'm on my third fill, so I think I may be able to help you...you should be on liquids for the first 24 hours after a fill - sometimes there's a bit of swelling, which can make the band feel tighter. After the first 24, test a mushie food - something soft. If it goes down okay, you may be able to go to mushies for another 24 hours. Sometimes you'll need an extra day depending on how sensitive your body is to fills. Once mushies stay down okay, then you can ease back into solid food. Realize, though, that after a fill, you have MORE restriction, so a solid food that went down easily pre-fill may NOT go down at all after a fill. Take it easy, refresh yourself on the bandster rules (no drinking with meals, chew everything very, very, very thoroughly, and stop when you feel full), and you should be fine. If, however, you are having trouble with liquids after 24 - 48 hours, call your doctor - it's NOT normal to be having trouble with liquids and it could mean you are TOO full. Since this is your first fill, it's better to call your doctor TOO much than too little until you get used to the feeling. Good luck - come back and let me know how you're doing!