ReneBean

I have to say that you should go for it. The actual surgery was very easy - the complications? Nil. None. Zip. Now, some folks have had some complications - but they are usually not severe. Life with the band is pretty much the same as life before the band - except that you have to eat slower and chew your food. Just that is enough to make you lose weight - slowly - and if you follow the rules and exercise - dramatic results can occur. If you really want control - this surgery is the one. You will get to decide when to make the band tighter. You will get to decide whether you have a donut or not - without fear of physical repercussions like Dumping Syndrome. Plus - even after you have made your goal - you will have the band to keep you in line so you don't just gain it all back. I vote yes. Good luck in your decision.

So - who here can tell that I was not into the whole "work" concept today. *sigh*. I am bad. I kept LBT up in the background all darn day. :] So - Cindy - what is Chess Pie? I am not familiar with this delicacy.... Oh and the menu is pretty simple at my house Turkey Stuffing/dressing Gravy Mashed Potatoes Green Beans Peas Cranberry sauce (ehem - out of a can) Too many relish items to list including cheese, pickled veggies, dip, crackers, etc. A variety of pies courtesy of DS Mary A cheesecake courtesy of SIL Carolyn. Cranberry punch with Glogg. Experimental. Glogg is a non-alcoholic spicy substance from Ikea. It is intended to be served warm - like mulled wine or spiced cider. DH likes the idea of serving cold - and I think it will lend itself to Cranberry. So we are mixing Cranberry, CranApple, Glogg and Sprite in the Punchbowl. It will seem pretty exotic to my family.... Only you will know how non-exotic it really is. :]

Oh Laurend... I feel for you. All I can tell you is that it is worth the hassle, worth the wait, worth a fight. Hugs. Buck up Lil' Buckaroo. This too shall pass. Let your anger motivate you to be persistent. :]

I have found that my rate of loss increases with exercise and slows to almost a halt when I get off track and miss my sessions at the gym. As much work as it is - exercise is a neccessary evil.

hey ThickChick - I haven't lost that much weight yet - but my cup size is unchanged. One thing I am doing (42/44 DDD) to keep from dragging on the floor is sleeping in a sports bra. I really think it is helping. Your skin shrinks gradually - and gravity is not our friend. I got my bras at Walmart - they have some spandex ones with the x back on them that work great - or if you want more comfort - Bestform (i think) has one there that is mostly cotton and quite comfy. I don't think they actually say they are for DDD cups - but they work. I wish I had started wearing them when I was 15. Good luck!

All advise given so far has had merit - I just want to add another dimension of thought... Body chemistry affects everything. 1) check blood levels for diabetes 2) check for food alergies. I was always the fattest girl in school so I can relate. I think you have lots of work to do on self esteem and diet - but you might want to check out the chemical things, too. I almost divorced my husband before he was diagnosed with diabetes. He had the most godawful mood swings and depression.... Just a thought. Hugs and all the best possible thoughts for you and your daughter.

LOVE IT. No question.

I go to a fill center in Richardson, TX. Fluro every time.

Hey Y'All Just stopping in - I spent all my time on a post for the newbies. Jules - we are not November Bandsters, either - we change the title of the thread every month. We are just a wild conglomerate of people that ended up congregating in the New Jersey thread. Lots of us are from Texas, too. I live in Allen. :] Cass - you call that doctor any time you feel the need. God knows he's getting paid enough - so he might as well earn his keep. Seepage is normal - but maybe not actual Blood. My scars oozed for several days. Yes - up and down is the hardest bit. The rest is easy. Try sleeping in a recliner or something. I used the couch and lots of pillows for the first few days. The place where your port is attached will hurt the longest. Hugs and good luck!! Everybody else - Love you guys!! I will check in again before the big T-Day. xo

Hi. This is a message for all the newbies and want-to-be-newbies out there. Just a little message from a 9.5 month Bandster. I won't say I am a veteran - I am still a relative newbie myself. It's a long term process - learning how to eat like a normie. I wanted to make sure that everyone is aware that living with the band is a unique process - different for each individual. Some people drop huge amounts of pounds right off the bat and then slow down. That has not been the case for me. Here is my tale.... After a long and arduous battle with my insurance company - during which I was a model citizen, eating better, exercising and spending countless hours on LBT, I finally got the Golden Ticket - Insurance approval. I had my consult with my surgeon and started the pre-op diet. I had been and continued to be "Gung Ho" for the lap band. In the first week of February, I lost 16 lbs prior to and I had my surgery on the 6th. I gained the usual water/surgery weight - and I was not distressed because I was well prepared by my surgeon and my Band Buddies for this temporary gain. The Water weight dropped off, I healed up and I was on my way. For me, the liquids in the first week were easy... for about 4 days. After that, I was hungry. I went to mushies at the earliest possible moment and that was better. I could eat a lot of mushies. But I was told that solids would be better - that I would start to feel the effects of having the band. I found that once I started eating solid foods I was able to eat anything and everything. I had none of this "restriction" you hear people talk about. I had to eat more slowly and chew my food - but everything passed right through the band. I was told by one and all that it was ok - I just had to heal up and that restriction could not be expected until after the first fill. I accepted this with as much patience as I could muster and proceeded to eat everything in sight - just because I could, and because I thought that after that magical fill, I would not be able to do that any more. I relaxed and enjoyed every bite. After the 6 weeks of healing time, I scurried off to the fill center to get my first fill. I found that I had actually gained a half pound since the surgery - but being a philosophical and somewhat realistic person, I knew that based on my eating behaviors for the last 2-3 weeks, it was a miracle I hadn't gained back the entire 16 lbs I lost prior to surgery. Apparently - (and thank God) slowing down was helpful in and of itself. The fill process was expertly done under the fluoroscope - and I made sure not to freak myself out by looking at the needle (to this day, I have never looked at the needle. I don't want to know). I trundled along home and did liquids for 1 day, mushies for 1 and then soft foods. For the first day or so, I had a glimpse of what restriction could be. It was glorious - after only a small portion, I was quite happy to stop eating. This was what it was all about. Of course, once the swelling went down - I was back to what seemed to be no restriction. I was careful about chewing - but I could still eat anything. I continued to relax and enjoy. I did get back to the gym - and frankly, that was the only thing I did right for the first several months. I found that, since I was eating more slowly, I did fill up faster. I did eat less. This didn't help me make any better choices about what I ate - but it kept me from eating as I had before. I found that, while eating pretty much anything I wanted, I was losing weight. Slowly losing - but losing. I had lost all traces of my prior "Gung Ho" attitude. I was just living my life and eating what I wanted - which was less than I had wanted before the surgery. A while down the road, I had another fill - with much the same results - a couple of days of restriction and then the swelling went down. With continued exercise and some sporadic motivation to eat properly, I lost a few more pounds. Needless to say - my Surgeon was less than ecstatic about my progress. With a starting BMI of nearly 60, I was expected to lose many many pounds right away. I was screwing up his curve. So, off to the fill center I went to get yet another fill. With much the same results as before. Now, each fill was making me a little more restricted - just a little - and each fill made me slow down a little bit more. Over the first 9 mos I got 4 fills and lost 27 lbs on my doctor's scale in addition to the 16 lbs I had lost prior to the surgery for a total of 43 lbs. It was very gradual, very comfortable. People were starting to notice that I had lost weight. (when you start near 350 - it takes folks a while to notice). My clothes all fit again and I was starting to be able to walk without any knee pain. I was happy with the overall result. I figured it would take me about 3 yrs to get where I want to be - but that would be ok. I thought maybe I just didn't understand the concept of restriction and that maybe this slowing down and chewing was going to be all that I got. It was working - slowly - so I was ok with that. Even on days when I didn't care and ate everything, I didn't gain weight. It was ok. My life was not dramatically changed - nobody thought I was eating strangely or asked me anything other than the standard "what are you doing" type of questions. I had no side effects - I have had a total of one PB - and that because I was eating very dense bread, walking, talking and not chewing first thing in the AM when I had the best restriction. So, basically, except for the fact that I was losing a few pounds a month, my life was the same as it ever had been. And that was good. I thought I had pretty good restriction and that I was making some important strides in getting my eyes and my mind to adjust to what my pouch could now hold. But my surgeon (bless him!) knew that I still didn't have restriction and basically insisted that I go in for yet another fill. I resisted a little - cause I worry about erosion and - on some level - I don't want my life to change,... despite knowing that it must if I am ever to lose the weight and keep it off. But, in the end, I went in for the fill. Per my doc's instructions, I went in the late afternoon - since I have restriction in the morning - but none at night. Now - after 9.5 mos and 8.2 cc's in my Vanguard band - I have the restriction you hear folks talking about... even now after the swelling is down. I eat much less than I did at the beginning of this month. Even at dinner, I eat and I fill up quickly - in fact, I have to stop and I am uncomfortable if I take one bite too many. So now, after 9.5 mos - I have to start following the rules... Protein first, sip water all day except during meals, test each bite and keep on exercising. Does perfect restriction help me choose to eat the correct healthy foods? Nope. I still have to do that part myself. But, I broke the 300 pound barrier on my scale at home yesterday and I am still dancing around like a maniac in my mind after 24 hours. What I have now is renewed hope and motivation to eat better. It was no problem to get my protein in when I could eat anything I wanted. Now, I have to pay attention - and I couldn't be happier about it. Now, some folks might say that I had endured a trial - had a less than satisfactory Band experience - and I am finally going to get what I paid for. I don't feel that way at all. For me, I think this was the best possible way it could have come down. I don't adjust quickly - I don't like drama - I like change to come at me slowly. So the fact that I had 9.5 mos of gradually increasing restriction was perfect - for me. For you, it might be different. The Point of this very long post is to let all of you know that at some point, restriction comes to us all. Even if it takes 5 fills - or 6 or 7 - someday it will come. Do not despair. Most of all, don't give up. I was lucky - because in my dark moments when I felt despair I could console myself with the fact that my insurance company had made the biggest financial investment. Even if I never lost any more weight, I wasn't out too much. For those who have spent the thousands out of pocket - it would be much more distressing to think that maybe it was just another diet con. So, don't think that. Because it isn't. It isn't a Quick Fix, either. It is a long-term investment in our personal health. We still have to decide to eat lean chicken instead of cheese sauce. We still have to drag our butts up off the couch and move. But, the hardest part, the eating less part, gets easier with every fill. So, if you are considering this surgery, or have recently had it - GO FOR IT. I believe it to be the best decision I have ever made. Has it been all rosy and perfect? Well, yes, at least from my point of view. Has it been Instant Gratification? Not so much. But that isn't why I got this particular surgery. Just a thought to keep in mind as we travel down the path of life with the band. Every body is different. Every experience is different. You are a unique individual with unique talents and beauty. Try not to judge your progress on the progress of others. In this case, it really IS all about you. Hugs and Love

Mandy - your pics can go anywhere... they are adorable in either thread! :] I think this one was just started for random pictures - like vacation shots and stuff. :] What a cute Granny. And Lucy & friends are pretty cute, too!

Hey All; Fills are fantastic!! So - I get on my scale this morning - hoping to break that 300 pound barrier - thinking maybe I will have edged down to 399.6 or something.... and what to my wondering eyes does appear?? 298.00 flat. No ".6" not even 299. Wow. I got on the scale twice - I couldn't beleive it the first time!! I FINALLY broke my first mini goal. (well - my second, really. my first was to weigh less than DH - but that one was over about 2 weeks after surgery) AND - the best part of all - with this fill, I seem to finally have some restriction. Even at dinner, I have to stop - I can't pig out anymore. (I could before the fill.) I can't even begin to express how excited I am. Not only have I hit the first of my mini goals - but I have hope that I will make my second one a WHOLE lot faster than the first. Of course, now that I have a limited ability to eat - I am going to have to start paying attention to the rules.... the only downside, I guess. I will have to be sure to get enough protein and stuff - but I suppose I will manage that ok. It's not like I don't know what they are.... :] Other than that - the weekend has been uneventful. We replaced the dead garbage disposal and did a little pre-holiday shopping and cleaning. I love the lazy weekends. They are all that keep me sane! Mandy - that Abi sure is a cutie - and what a great shot of everybody on the couch. Hugs to you in waiving goodbye to the Baby days. Cassandra - I expect by now you are already in recovery from the big surgery. Hugs!! I know you are going to do great. Betty - don't feel alone on that working Friday thing. I will be here.... slaving away. Hope your finger is better. I tried to chop mine off the other day too. I think I am lucky the knife was dull - but then, if it had been sharp - it might not have slipped! Hugs! Darcy - what a beautiful quilt! I used to dabble in the quilting when I lived in a small town where the ladies used to get together for quilting bees. It was cool - but my thoughts these days are "so many crafts - so little time". I have beading and cross stitch supplies littering my office at home. Buy I seldom get into doing those. I guess I will have to carve out some time for that kind of stuff after I finish making RenFaire costumes for me and my DH! Jules - HI!! Welcome. Pull up a screen and tell us about you. :] Kat - let me add my thanks to the list for getting all the address stuff together. I am such a flake about cards - but I will try to send them out for my LBT pals! Mamen - how cute is that?!? Sherry - sounds like you had an eventful weekend.... Hope BIL is ok. It is very hard to be the only breadwinner and be out of work. So, you don't see the joy in fishing? I haven't been in a while - but DH and I love that chit. :] Chris - Ah yes. The appetite returns to taunt you with it's insidious power.... All I can say is - it has taken 9.5 mos to reach my first mini goal... Don't panic if the fill doesn't give you perfect restriction. It took me five fills to get to where I really feel like I have restriction. It got better with every one. I had to eat slower and slower - but the food never STOPPED in the pouch until now - it just trickled through. Hugs and try to remain patient. Good luck on your search for a groom! :] Dianne - treasure every minute with DGM. She reminds me of my Great Aunt Irene - the coolest little old lady to every walk the earth (my personal bias, I am sure). My Auntie graced us with her presence until she was 102. I hope you are as blessed. Jan - great to see you back here. Isn't it great to be able to walk without knee-pain?? Every once in a while I am walking down the hall and it hits me - I have an actual "spring" in my step and there is no pain.... wow. Yep definitely something to be Thankful for. Glad to hear you are recovered enough to be able to exercise again. Don't be a stranger. Hugs! Patty - Hugs!! xo. Hope all is well with you and the boys. Cindy - Love me, love my cats! Oh - and Quilts aren't supposed to be perfect. If they are perfect you know that some impersonal machine made it. Perfect things are seldom made with love. Hope you got all the furniture back in place. There is nothing quite like that "new house" feeling you get with new floors - or new furniture - or even new paint. Mary - Honey, you probably gave that repairman the best day in months - men love that black lace.... :] Hope the repairs don't set you back too badly. I hate car repairs. Pat - I thought of you when I went out this weekend. I went to Lowes and they had cheap faux trees - nothing as exotic as the one you are pondering I am sure - but I have no tree at all. I decided to get one - so I can decorate for Christmas whenever the mood strikes me. By the time I get done throwing stuff on it - you can hardly see the tree anyhow.... :] So, what did you decide? Did you have them ship the tree overnight? I can't wait to see the pictures of your house this year. Last year's were so beautiful!! Eileenie - I hope the Divine Miss G is doing better today. Fevers are scary. Hugs!! See you sometime between Dec. 5th and 8th!! Well - over my lunch hour again... Hope I don't get fired. xo

Hey y'all Just wanted to check in and let you know that I am still breathing and I still love all of you. I have just been a little busy. Monday it took my whole lunch hour to sort thru the pictures and save them to my computer here at work so I could upload them. Since then, I have been a little busy. Tuesday I had a hot lunch date with DH and my BIL/SIL. It was fun - but no time to stop in here... Wednesday I was swamped and yesterday I went for a fill. Today - it took me my whole lunch hour to catch up on the reading! So, I am running over - and I won't have time for personals. For those that are keeping track of such things - I now have 8.2 cc in my Vanguard Band. Hopefully the restriction will be good - cause I need some help to get to my goal by my Bandiversary Date. Today, the scale said I was back to Pre-NYC weight - which is good. Now I can get on with the business of losing. Everybody think good thoughts. **am I nuts for getting a fill the week before Thanksgiving? Maybe..... Cass - a special wish for you - since I probably won't get back here until after your surgery. Hugs!! I will be thinking good thoughts for an easy surgery and a speedy recovery. You will do great! Oh - and my kitties did miss me and lavished me with attention when I got home. The very relaxed grey striped cat is my Gracie and the Orange cat with the fabulous whiskers is Rusty's YaYa. We have his and her cats at my house - but they both do their share of slutting around. To everybody else - Love you guys. I will check in again as soon as I can. xo

Chrispy - what a doll!! How cute is she?!? Eileenie - Hugs!! You will have to give me all your clothes as they get too big for you. I am just a few sizes bigger than you - and unless something weird happens - I am likely to stay a few sizes bigger as we both get smaller. :]

Hey Audrey I missed this the first time around - but WOW! Hugs and much love. Keep up the good fight. You'll be back under 200 in no time. Irene

I had to appeal to the California State Board of Insurance - but I got approved. I have letters if you want them. Just send me an e-mail with your address to ismith@wmcdirect.com Good luck!!

Hey Guys I took some pictures when we went to the Chart House. Thought I would share.... We played with the camera settings and got some really cool shots....

I don't know for sure what my real size was - I was in denial once I got to a size 34... I just wore tight clothes, people. Now, I am fitting into 28 or 30 depending on the brand and the type of clothing. My goal is a 14. My fantasy goal is a size 12. I can't even visualize it... I certainly can't remember ever being that thin as an adult. Good luck to all.

Well - another visit to the great state of NY is coming to an end and it is back to my DH and my beautiful cats. You know - I kinda miss the cats more than the spouse when I am here... I mean - I can talk to the spouse on the phone - but that doesn't work so well with the cats. My relationship with them is purely physical. :] I will be glad to be able to snuggle them again - DH too. I expect I am never going to hear the end of the whole fender bender episode. *sigh* 10 yrs of safe driving out the window. Geez. I haven't even gotten a speeding ticket in 2 yrs! But now I will be branded as the wild woman on the roads. Half the office is already aware of the little fiasco - and I expect the other half will be shortly after I get back. Greeeeaaaat. Other than that - this trip has been quite placid and uneventful. Rhonda has been a charming companion and an effective co-worker. (and from me that is high praise, indeed). We went to dinner at the Chart House tonight. We decided to not go all the way into town because I refuse to drive in Manhattan and it is too far to take a cab all the way from Orangeburg. I did drive us over to Weekhaugen though. Well worth the trip for the view of the skyline alone. I will download some pics when I get home so you can see what I mean. I succumbed to my chocolate demons tonight, too. I am evil. The Chart House does a lovely lava cake... which Rhonda and I shared. Sharing was my big concession to guilt. I really wanted to try the Pumkin Creme Brulee... but one desert was enough...I suppose. Guess that fill is going to be mandatory when I get home. I need a wee bit more restriction to get where I want to be before my birthday. Well really by my anniversary date - which is only 11 days after my B-Day. I want to be over 50 lbs down from my surgery date - which means I would be at or below 280. Is 21-22 lbs between now and Feb 6 unreasonable? Not if I have restriction, I think. I am going to really try to focus on doing the right things - eating better foods and eating less calories, exercising several times a week - you know - the basics. I know that if I do those things the weight will slip away... never to be seen again. I think I just need lots of time to adjust to stuff. I am getting more used to ordering the correct amount of food - rather than pre-band portions - and I am getting used to being able to fit into most of my clothes, except for the ones that are (get this) too big. Yes - I have finally acknowledged the fact that a couple of items of my clothing are simply too big to wear anymore. I am giving them away - well most of them. I have a couple of things that I am going to try and take in. It is hard to give up some old favorites that I really like - and why should I when a couple of well placed seams and darts can make them fit appropriately again... I have also gotten to the point that enough clothes fit me that I can get rid of those few ugly things that I bought in desperation because they were the only things on the rack that fit me. I never wore them much anyway - and now that I have all these great clothes that fit - why would I wear some drab boxy ugly shirt?? So - I am sort of in a transition phase. Sometimes I can imagine how great it will be to be fit - sometimes I can't imagine myself thin at all. And sometimes, like tonight, I see pictures of myself and realize how much work I have to do, yet. Damn. The camera doesn't lie. Not like my mind lies to me. I should take pictures of myself every week as a motivation tool. ****SHUDDER**** It is just not pretty folks. I am so NOT photogenic. Some people look better in pictures than they do in real life. NOT ME. Somehow every shot is from a bad angle and the camera adds pounds that are not visible in person - at least not to me. So - maybe that is what I will do to stay on track. My own eyes in the mirror manage some sort of selective vision of how I look - but the damned camera is brutally honest. Well, enough meandering for one night, I think. It is well past time for me to be sleeping. I am just happy that I am able to sleep on the plane. It makes it a lot easier to survive these little jaunts across time zones. I love you guys - I really appreciate the fact that I can come here and blather and nobody is going to give me any guff - and that some of you might even understand what I am blathering about. Hugs all round. TTL Irene

Hi Guys Computers are messed up so I thought I would stop in and see what's shakin' with my peeps. Dianne - so did you survive TOM with no munchie attacks? How are you doing? Did your financial client purchase adverts? Mary - Never? I guess it isn't unheard of that you have never been on a plane. I would hardly ever have been except for this business travel. It doesn't matter so long as you drive up to TX every so often so we can lay eyes on you and the boys. How are you doing? What is the deal with your band? I would hate to think of you losing it - you are doing so well! The Barretts is not band related, right? Oh and I hope you and the boys beat that virus thing quick! Hugs! Kat - Alas - the stairs just give me knee pain... I really expect to have puffed up some while I am here. I always do. I think my liquid levels get all messed up because I am missing my regular Water routine - and then there is the swelling from the flight. It all goes away after about a week of being home - but it's a little depressing right after I get back. Too Funny about the "Busty" typo. We ARE a busty bunch, aren't we? I feel almost inadequate at 42DDD. :] I hope your DH and your DD are both well. I was so glad to hear that DH came thru that last bit of nastiness. Eileenie - smack that boss around! We need you, here. Geez. These guys expect you to actually WORK to get paid? What's THAT all about?? :] Mandy - Guests - love to see them come, love to see them go. I really don't know how you Mom types deal with all the fluster of going to and fro and such. My life is very placid in comparison - except when work gets busy, I am pretty relaxed. I couldn't handle the drama - really. I stand amazed at all of y'all who can do the Mom, Work and Life thing all at once. If it was on me to have kids - I would either have to live in a cardboard box or the species would die out from lack of children! Hugs and Kudos to you. Abi is a doll. Oh - and thanks for the well wishes on the train. Either I was so exausted I slept through it - or it was a drunk in the hall - cause I didn't wake up. And yeah - call me Vinnie. Of course, it's like reverse Vinnie - cause instead of the city slicker in hicksville, I am the hick in the big city. :] Patty - Double for you on the Mom/kids thing. All those boys. I would just drop from exaustion. HUGS! Don't cut that teacher any slack. I know she has a lot on her plate - but your kids should not have to suffer because of it. If she can't do it alone - demand that the district get her some help. That's why we have teacher's aids... Cassandra - HI!!! I haven't really had a chance to welcome you to our cozy little thread. There is only one rule - keep love in your heart and respond with care. We don't always agree on everything here - but we do always show the proper respect for the opinions of others. I think you will be happy here, as we all are. We like just hanging out and supporting one another thru the little trials of life - whether they are band related, or not. Best wishes for your upcoming surgery! I lost 16 lbs in the week prior by eating low carb - mostly raw vegetables and Protein shakes. I treated myself with a no sugar added fudgecicle pretty much every day and I used a low fat/moderately low carb dip with the veggies. I was shocked at the 16 lbs - but it went and it never came back. Yee Haw! I know you will do great. Oh - and by day four, I felt ready to return to my desk job. I did sleep sitting up for the first couple of days - dang I wished I had a recliner - but after that it was all fine. If you BF can hang with you for a day or two - you should be ok after that. Cindy - do tell about your substitute experience. How is that going? What is happening with your class? You aren't retired, yet, right? And what prompted the whole remodel thing? Are you just fixing up so you can enjoy your upcoming retirement? Or are you going to downsize to a smaller pad? Chris - you wild dancing chick, you! I have been thinking of signing up for some kind of dancing class - since it is great exercise and lots more fun than walking the treadmill... but my work is so erratic. I don't know if I could get out of my office early enough on a regular basis... *sigh* Betty - yep. I am a danger to myself and society. Today I am leaning toward checking myself into the psych ward. I could due with being sedated for a few weeks. Really. Sounds like I am missing all the warm weather while I am here. bummer. I like that warm stuff. I have gotten spoiled by living in TX. How's your foot doing? Well - I have been working the slow trickle of files while I was typing this up - but I have to run, now. Tomorrow we head for home - so I have to wrap up what we are doing here by about 11. Since I had the fender bender - I have to factor in at least an hour of paperwork at Hertz before I can get on the plane. Oh Joy. Oh Rapture. Love you guys. I will try to check in tonight before bed. Hugs!

Howdy! It is looking like Eileenie and I might miss each other AGAIN. Our Eileen is in high demand at her office - she has hot dates lined up all week! I guess I should have given a little more advanced notice. Miss Eileen - put me down for December 5th thru the 8th. I am already on the calendar for the first week in December. :] Well - today was somewhat exciting because I started out the day with a little fender bender... just what every girl needs to make her confident and positive for the rest of the week!! I was making a left turn where there was no light - some guy was barrelling pretty fast and I didn't see him til he was almost on me - I stopped and he didn't QUITE swerve all the way around me. He slid the side of his car across the front of my bumper. It was SPECIAL. I guess it's good that nobody was hurt and the damage is minimal - but it was a sucky way to start the day. I am going to have to find a better way to get out of this stupid hotel. Otherwise the day was uneventful. I got a little over-excited when Eileen started flaunting the food porn in the e-mail - so much so that I had to share a piece of homemade Italian cheesecake with my co-worker at dinner tonight. It was sort of like a cross between cheesecake and bread pudding - it was hard to describe - but very, very good. Dang it~! Now I am getting myself all excited again. Is this obsession with desert foods wrong? I may need counselling. Of course - my co-worker is one of those women who is too thin and has trouble gaining weight. If she wasn't so nice I might have to hate her. I guess that means MORE counselling. *sigh* I guess I am a hopeless case. They will be locking me up in the psych ward across from my office in no time - if I don't go nuts and break into the armory next door first and knock over a Sara Lee store.... yeah - that's the kind of mood I am in. Scary, ain't it? Seriously, I find it appropriate that we have a psych ward and an armory within a mile of my office - one never knows if a mortgage professional is going to go postal or go wacko. ... I am trying for a middle ground, here. Well - I am off to bed. I don't know if it was a train going by at four am this morning or a drunk in the hallway - but I am so hoping that I get to sleep thru the night tonight. If I don't snuggle down and sleep soon, I will be forced to order cake from room service or something! Love you guys. Irene

I have BCBS of California. They sent me a letter saying that the Lap Band is considered experimental for people with BMI over 50 - yes - they told me I was too fat to get the Band. Uh huh. But they would be more than thrilled to put me thru the whole gastric by-pass Frankenstein on your insides deal. OK. yeah. Not so much. So, I appealed the first decision - and lost. and I appealed again - to the State of California. Thankfully - 2/3 independent docs recommended the band. In the final analysis - the whole thing has cost me less than $2000 - including co-pays for Dr visits and fills. It was worth fighting them. My life has not drastically changed - I don't have any side effects (other than a slow & steady weightloss) and if I don't want to let the world know, I don't have to. Surgery was easy, recovery was quick - I just can't say enough about how cool this surgery is. AND - when I do what I am supposed to - eat sensibly and drag my butt to the gym - I lose weight pretty fast. It's a good thing. Take it from the original couch potato. The Band ROCKS. Once I healed up from the initial surgery and my mom figured out that (insert all of the above re: side effects, etc) she is fine with the whole thing. She was only feeling residual fear from hearing the horror stories about Bypass patients dying and stuff. I hope your family comes around - but keep in mind that even if they don't - you can always come here for love. :]

Just one more thought - check out your doc with previous patients. I understand about self pay - but seriously - the difference between $12,800 and $15k is really vary small in comparison to the difference between a competent surgeon and a not so competent one. The skill of your surgeon could save your life - and money pales in comparison to a happy successful future. If you find at least 3-5 patients who tell you that your doc is the best thing since sliced bread - then go for the cheap one - but don't base your decision on price alone. Surgery is no place to shop for "factory seconds". Best of luck!! I love my band. I love it, I love it, I love it. :]

Liquids are a lot easier AFTER the surgery than before... Good luck!! If you take prescription meds - see if your pharmacy has liquid or chewable versions. Meds in the morning are tough. Oh - and screw that "stiff upper lip" crap. Take your pain meds - PAIN IS BAD. Hugs!

I think you have to put the best spin on that. I struggle with not eating that cookie if it walks right up to me. But if it doens't land on my desk - it is so much easier to say no. I would be happy that my boss made the extra effort to get an appropriate snack just for me. And the fact that the cookie was clearly available if you wanted it was good, too. :]