steph_co

I eat these: Adult'S Chewable pineapple by Nature's Plus - VitaminShoppe.com Only one per day necessary. Pineapple flavor. They're not like candy or anything, but they aren't bad. I don't mind chewing them up and then just washing my mouth out with Water. No terrible aftertaste. Pretty good price for the quantity. I like them.

I used to love sleeping on my tummy. Not as much anymore. I do it sometimes when I just can't fall asleep, but I feel like I'm sleeping on a big marble if I'm positioned just so.

Dave, the AP band is "installed" with saline in it already. I think 3 ccs is the exact number, actually.

Tish! Yay! So good to see you! I'm glad to see things went well. I first saw you post in another thread, so I had to run out to this forum to see if you posted. Thank you so much for the update. Hope the healing goes speedily and smoothly. It's great to see you here.

Tish! How did it go yesterday?! I'm going to have to go look now to see if you made a post about it.

Great ideas, everybody! I'll have to head over to Walmart with DH this week and load up! Telecia - you gave me a FABULOUS idea! Last year for a group activity, we had them decorate gingerbread houses and I guess they got a little ill off of it (their dad was alone with them and apparently let themselves gorge on it...ugh). This year, I think they'd LOVE to make their own ornament! How fun. I would LOVE to do that with them and then you're right - it gets to be a part of the tree so they'll get to see it every year and feel like we are a family. I love it! Thank you so much. I am also going to do a SMALL batch of sugar Cookies for them to cut up and decorate. But I want to make sure it yields no more than like 2 cookies per person. I love the ideas, you guys! Thank you so much. I was at a loss - I've never had kids of my own and I've only done stockings once, and that was last year. Looking back on my stockings, all I remember is candy, so that's what they got. LOL But I think my mom did do the whole coloring book and crayons thing. I don't remember what else, but I love the ideas, here. I have some shopping to do!

Yeah...all that matters is that you can REACH it. Even then, sometimes that doesn't matter. LMAO

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/

I think I know the segment you are talking about! Isn't it the "Joy Fit Club," or something? With the requirement that people in it cannot have had surgery. That made me so mad. I'm working my rear off to lose the weight that I have lost. I could easily do so many things to gain weight right now rather than losing it. I don't see why they see it necessary to discriminate against people that have had surgery. :huytsao

Hrmm. A teacher that doesn't know how to spell sarcasm, but is better than me because she has no problem with a block wall of text with no paragraph breaks. Hmmm. I'm going to have to ponder that one for awhile. I agree, Denise - those are VERY hard to read and I tend to overlook them, too, after a few lines. If it's an interesting story, then I may buckle down and really try. But I lose my way sometimes on my way through the paragraph from hell. I also <3 ellipses. Just remember:

I forgot to update after I weighed...I was down an additional 2.5 lbs on Saturday. So a total of 21 lbs since surgery and I'm 4.5 weeks out from surgery, now. Everybody is doing fantastic! I love reading about the losses. LOL...I don't think mztrniceguy wants to be referred to as a nymph. I could just see the guys at work. hahahaha I think Satyrs is excellent. It would probably be a good idea that posts addressed to our group say "November Nymphs/Satyrs."

There are 4 of them. Boy - 12, Boy - 10, Girl - 7, Boy - 5. I think I did okay with their gifts...it's the stockings I'm having issues with. Great ideas, so far.

Any ideas? I really don't want to load the step-kids up with sugar. I might get them a thing or two, but they will have already had Christmas with their mom and step-dad, so they'll probably have gotten a bunch with them. In years past, we've done the candy and then a little toy or two. I have no clue what to do, now. Do you think SF candy is okay for kids? Do you think they'd notice it was SF? I'd really like to get moving towards something healthy because I know for me, the holidays are tied up in food and candy especially and I'd rather not pass on that legacy. Before anyone suggests fruit...it won't be happening with these kids. LOL They'll eat fruit out of the fridge, but if it was in their stocking, they'd probably say, "What is this??" LOL

Which Slim-Fast are you using? Slim-Fast Optima...yes, too many carbs. The Low-Carb Slim-Fast, however, only has 2 "net" carbs meaning only 2 carbs that actually have an effect on your blood sugar. 5 carbs total. Good luck with your pre-op diet.

I am confused. You mean the BAND, or your PORT. The band is around your stomach, as Grace put it, several inches in. I'd have to press pretty dang hard to feel it. But my PORT, yes, I can feel it. Everyday when I get up and get ready for work, it's comforting to me to feel my port and see how much it's sticking out that day. I have no idea why. But it is kind of cool and it reaffirms that they really DID put something in there. LOL

Fully clothed for the weigh-ins and for my "before" pic. Thank goodness. That WOULD have been a deal-breaker for me. Yikes.

Jack, you are my hero. I love your posts. The things you say just make so much SENSE. It helps me to keep going in the right direction!

I didn't have any insurance advice, Bente, but wanted to wish you well with Tricare. I have heard one too many stories with them from friends still in the military (DH was HD'd in 2005 after 17 years). The surgeon I went to did not have a problem with banding me. I thought for sure I would be scoffed at, too. My BMI was around 37 and yes, I had co-morbidities of varicose veins, joint pain, unexplained infertility, family history of diabetes and obesity on my paternal side. I only had to deal with my surgeon. No PCP and no insurance...I was self-pay. You might get better information if you post a Tricare-specific question in the Insurance forum further down in the main forum list. Like asking people with Tricare to give their experience. Good luck! I hope you get it! Plain old diet and exercise never worked long for me, either...I need help with the maintenance part!

Heck, yes! Are you kidding? LOL I couldn't get on the computer the other night (way too busy at work) and I had a lower number to report and was having withdrawal. I LOVE clicking on it and updating it. Tazz - Click on your ticker. Put in your password. Click the edit/update button. On the next screen, make sure you put in your password again. Input your new info, submit. Click on your ticker on the next screen to see what your new ticker looks like. GL

What do you love about your band surgeon and their practice? My doctor was very friendly, excellent bed-side manner. The FNP that assists him with surgery seems to genuinely care about people. The social worker that did the psych-eval gave me great suggestions for dealing with life after the band and openly welcomes emails and contact with her for support. She spoke quite thoroughly about the possible danger of addiction transfer and how to avoid it. The surgery center that he is in partnership with was excellent! I LOVED it. Clean, new, state-of-the-art. The staff was very caring, very kind and helpful. Excellent follow-up from the surgical center staff after my op. What do you hate? His receptionist is a little short on the phone. She seems okay in person, her phone manners just aren't very good. What do we do well? Genuinely caring while I'm in the office. What could we do better? I'm not sure...I just kind of feel a little alone out here with this band. Of course, I live 3 hours from my doctor's office, so maybe that makes a difference? What more could we do to help you succeed? Hmmmm. I think talking more to patients about the pains or possible problems after the surgery. A lot of that I have read on these boards, so I was prepared...but not everybody comes to boards like these. Also talking about under which circumstances it would be absolutely necessary for the patient to call the band doctor (possible signs of erosion or slippage, for instance). How could we improve your customer experience with our practices? The only thing I can think of is because of my own experience - make sure that your receptionist knows how to sound welcoming on the phone. She/he is the gateway to your office. You don't want it to sound like you're ALL like that...but that's what it would seem like if I didn't know the whole staff.

Awwwww! Cute! Both of your boys are adorable. Congratulations!!

GL, my fellow Nymph!! You can so do this. I have 10 more lbs to lose to be in Onederland. I'd love to be there by the New Year. We'll see. I won't beat myself up if I don't make it because even the amount I have lost since my surgery is fan-freakin-tastic. GL to everyone on their way there, and GREAT JOB to everyone that has made it...don't forget us little people (or should I say heavier people?).

I love the snow. I feel sad for you that you don't have any, Wasa. LOL I'm not kidding. I work in a ski town. There are easily 2 feet of snow sitting around that built up over several days. I think this is the same storm that headed east. But I do wish we had more snow down by our house. Sadly it's only a couple inches. I didn't shovel it - I still don't know who did because I don't think it was DH.

Absolutely, LH! That IS a great victory!

Huh. Wow. I wasn't around for this post, but it's very interesting. Thanks, faithmd.