stI24nger

Holy Moly--the expert level eludes me. I was through the medium career on the PS2, but it's a little harder on the 360...plus I just got it 2 days ago! We'll see how it goes. I need to get a long tutorial from my boyfriend on how to use XBOX Live, plus I really think I want to change my gamer tag.....but what's yours? I'll add you when I figure out how!!!!!

Hey, is it true that WOW is going to cost like $25 a month in '08? I heard that. I've wondered this for a long time now----what the H3LL does "DH" mean? Regarding my man--I walked in the house after work yesterday and said, "I'm going to the gym to run unless you want to come with me." He said, "I'm not going to the gym just to get on the treadmill." So I said, "fine. Let's go outside. Get your shoes on!" After that, there was a couple minutes of whining and making excuses (I won't bore you with the details). Finally, I said, "Okay. I'm going to play Guitar Hero III for 10 minutes and then we're going." (Guitar Hero III is my new obsession. I had GHII for the PS2, and on Sunday, I sold my PS2 with GHII and DDR so that I could go buy GHIII for the 360. It's SUPER AWESOME and FUN!!!! So that was that. He got his lazy butt up, put his lazy feet in his lazy shoes and we went running around the neighborhood. It was actually kinda romantic. He was blabbing about nonsense, I was listening to my podcast and occasionally blurting out, "Okay, Go!"

I finished week one last night!!! Thanks, Mindy for turning me on to this--I love it, and I've gotten my nerdy boyfriend off the computer to join me! Sweet! I, unlike some others of you, have kind of had a hard time with this so far. I have NEVER been a runner, even when I was on drill team in high school working out 30 hours a week! The most I've run at one time in my WHOLE LIFE is one mile. I'm nervous about the 90 seconds for week two, but I'm just going to keep pushing and see what happens! Good news----I weighed myself this morning and I'm BACK down to 209! Horray! I think a week of running has something to do with it! I have a fill on Friday--if I can keep running, Onederland will be here sooner than later!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8 McNuggets? Holy moly. I just ate a Wendy's Single with cheese AND small fries. I have yet to get stuck, PB, or feel like I'm even getting close. I feel "full" right now after my FULL MEAL from Wendy's....something tells me I'm a ways off from my sweet spot. I WAS able to successfully move my next fill up to 1/11, so that's good. Another question I have: what has been ya'lls experience with carbonated beverages? I have been avoiding them all together for almost 2 months now, but have taken sips here and there just to see what it feels like. Now, I'm sitting here sipping on a diet coke and it feels just fine....what's up with that?

Thank goodness I found this thread! I was starting to think things weren't working right! I know my signature said "I love my fill" because "pounds are falling off," BUT.... I don't know if it's my "time of the month" or the holidays or what, but I seemed to have gone back up to 215 (where I've been for the LONGEST now) from 209, where I was right after my fill on 12/14. I got 3cc in my 10cc AP regular band and I feel NOTHING! I, unlike some of the others on here, AM SO HUNGRY! I can eat whatever and however much I want. I am limiting myself in comparison to what I ate "BEFORE", but it's still TOO MUCH. My next fill is scheduled already for 1/18, but I think I'm going to call this afternoon and try to move it to 1/11. I want to start knowing/seeing/feeling what it's like to ACTUALLY be banded!

Holy Moly, I'm SOOOOOO jealous! I'm getting my first fill on Friday, and it couldn't come any sooner! I'm so ready for it....and soooooo hungry! One funny thing...I feel like I'm sooooo hungry, but then I sit down to eat and I can't eat near as much as I used to. However, I have only lost 2 or 3 pounds since my after surgery consultation on 11/16. Ugh. I really wanted to be in Onederland myself by the end of the year, but it's not looking good unless this fill on Friday kicks me into gear. Any comments from those of you who've had a fill already????? Any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated....

I'm back too! For the 10 or so days that I was off of work, I didn't get on the computer or worry about anything but chillin' out and relaxin'!!!! It was Awesome! I came back to work yesterday...things are going well for me so far. I started eating "mushies" last night--the refried beans with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and some melted cheese REALLY did wonders for me! I felt like a million bucks, even after only eating about 2-3 golf ball sized chunks of this concoction. Oh happy day! Now I can eat mashed potatoes and pudding and....yum yum yum! I'm so excited! So, my incision site is still pretty sore. Especially when I push myself a little too much (like coming to work for the whole day yesterday!). I got a little freaked when i read Longhorn's stuff about the infection, so I peaked down at mine and everything's still looking great for me. I still have one last "steri-strip" over my large incision, even though it's been almost 2 weeks. I'm pretty sure that the soreness will continue to get better with every passing day. So now, besides being totally excited about being able to eat REAL things (and hopefully maintaining a little higher energy level), I'm super-pumped about getting into "ONEderland." I want so badly to lose this next 14 pounds before the new year....but if it doesn't happen, I just need to keep reminding myself to be patient and know that this is NOT a DIET like I've done in the past....this is my NEW LIFE and it WILL happen with TIME.

3 1/2 years on Atkins??!?!?!?!? Surely you cheated a little bit! HEHEHE. But, that's the thing about that diet. It's all fine and good while you're staving off carbs, but the second you bite into that bread, BAM! the pounds come pouring on. Plus, it just CAN'T be good for your heart and arteries!!! Didn't Dr Atkins die of a heart attack? I LOVE Your dancing banana, by the way!!!! I just have one thing to say to nessa---I definitely like the sounds of vicodin a LOT more than tylenol! I hope I get the V's too!!!!!

So, I went to my meeting with the anesthesiologist today. It was crazy! I was in the surgery center (for the first time in my life) and everything totally became real for me. I was nervous as heck sitting in there, and when the doctor asked me how I was feeling, I said, "Well, I'm nervous and scared because I know this is a very serious deal, but it calms me to know that a) I am secure and comfortable with my decision and you all are professionals and will take good care of me." Based on Longhorn's experience, I'm thinking things will go just fine! Longhorn, at which hospital was your surgery? I'm at St. David's and they seem really great so far. So, I'm officially ready. After today, I have just 5 days to get through until the big day. The weekend should go by fast (don't they always?) and then 3 work-days, which I'm sure will be torturous. My surgery is at 5:30 am; I'm excited to be first thing in the morning, but feel bad for my mom and my man! They have to wake up so early just to be my support staff! "Oh, goodie. Let's wake up at 4:30 in the morning so we can go sit in a hospital waiting room all day! Awesome!" Have I mentioned I HATE this low carb diet???? It just seems to be sooooooo wrong for me to eat a double meat, double cheese burger with extra lettuce, onion, and tomato, and no bun. I just don't understand how that can be a DIET!!!!!!!

I like the banana too! It really makes me smile and reminds me how happy I am. You can have one too if you want! When you go to edit your signature, you see the link for the smilies. There is a link next to that one that says more. Click that and there's a TOOOOOOOONNNNNN of choices--there are even about 50-100 dancing bananas!!!!!! Have fun!

"Thin little ol me" ......Woweee.....that'll be the day!

I clicked on this link because MY surgery is in one week and I'm NOT nervous!!! I'm excited and READY!!!!! 11/8/07! My birthday is on the 7th and I don't even care about that because I'm so excited for surgery!! The closer I've gotten to surgery, the more content I am with my decision and the more I'm sure I'm doing the right thing. I never have looked at myself and thought I was "that fat." That is, until, I saw pictures of myself and thought, "whoa." When I realized that I was "that fat" and that I was actually eligible for the surgery (eligible AND a great candidate, with a BMI of 40!), it opened up a world of possibilities. But still, I maintained doubt, never thinking it would actually happen for me until I got the insurance approval. NOW I'm ONE WEEK AWAY! So, my boyfriend's little sister is getting married this Saturday, and although I have NOTHING to wear, I really wasn't all that worried about it because I know that if I bought something new, I would never be able to wear it again. Well, my boyfriend pointed out the fact that if I didn't look good, I wouldn't feel good so we should probably just go shopping. WELLLLLL....apparently, that was really just what the doctor ordered. I did spent $80 on a super-cute outfit at Lane Bryant that hopefully I will wear twice, but the good part was the reminder. As we were walking down the mall, and had already been to several stores, I got "the feeling." You know the one. The feeling that you don't WANT to be shopping at the "big girl" store/section, that the clothes are all frumpy and ugly (why the HELL do they always put those obnoxious FLOWERS on everything?!?!?!), and that you just really wish that you didn't have to go in those HOT dressing rooms with the bad lighting and the (surely distorted) mirrors and squeeze into things. And let's not even mention the times when we have to get a different size because SURELY the clothes are "cut small." So, I had the feeling. My boyfriend said, "why are you so sad? Don't women LOVE shopping?" And I said, "You know what? This moment; This second RIGHT HERE is EXACTLY why I'm having surgery next week." And all of the doubt just vanished. So, if you're having second thoughts for ANY reason, just think about that.

sweet! I love it! Thanks for putting a smile on my face!!!!!

It is so amazing to read about the very DIFFERENT pre-op diets everyone is going through! Mine: 2 weeks pre-op of low carb (70+ grams protein, < 30 grams carbs). Day before, clear liquids. I thought I was about to DIE without bread (and candy on Halloween!), but now that I read about others on a 2 week liquid pre-op diet, I don't feel so bad!!!! You guys are tough! I have something I just HAVE to say. I CANNOT believe some of ya'lls doctors are so strict about you losing weight AND keeping it off before the surgery! And, cancelling the surgery if you gain?!?!?!? That's just crazy! If it was that easy (or even that POSSIBLE for that matter), we wouldn't be getting surgery, now would we?!?!?!? I just think that's totally weird. Now, I have not weighed myself, but I'm super nervous that I haven't lost anything--even after a week on "atkins." I did have a HUGE slip-up last weekend when I BLASTED my shrunken liver with alcohol at a Halloween party last weekend and then followed it up on Sunday with pancakes and pizza to get over the pain. Other than that, I've really been an angel. I think I will weigh myself tomorrow morning and see how things are looking. I wouldn't be surprised if I only lost 2-3 pounds pre-op. At least my liver will be small!

JUST FOUND OUT!!! Horray! I'm being banded on 11/8!

Hi there...I think I'm going to end up being a November bandster....I won't be getting my surgery date until this Friday, so I doubt it will happen in Oct. You can take me off this list and I'll get myself on another!

Hey October Bandsters! I'm super-excited to be a part of the group, and lucky enough to have a July '07 bandster as a friend and mentor. She forwarded me some key info on "shopping list" items to have BEFORE you go in for surgery. Some of these items seem a little excessive to me, but a lot of it is extremely helpful. So, to each his/her own, and have at it: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f84/pre-op-lap-band-shopping-list-41927/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/post-op-checklists-things-have-before-surgery-14814/

Hi EVERYONE! My name is Tina and I just got the greatest news EVER!!! I heard TODAY that I've been approved for my Lap Band through Humana!!!! I am SOOOOO excited! I don't have a date YET, but I'm pretty sure it will be in OCTOBER!!! What a great B-Day present (I hope to be all banded on my new road of life by 11/7--my birthday!)!! So, I would be HONORED to be added to the TENacious TENS Roll Call!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!

I am currently trying to get approved by UHC Choice Plus. My BMI is 40, I've had my psych eval, and I'm going through the process. I just need one more thing....a letter from my PCP saying that I have documented failure at weight loss under 6 months of medical supervision. I have LOTS of weight loss failure, but never medically supervised. My bariatric facility is saying that my PCP should/can use the experiences I have had to draw up a letter. I'm nervous about that.... Has anyone gone through this, and if so, what was the outcome?