Apples2

Needed some surgery so had to see my gen practitioner for the final OK. He ordered a battery of tests. I was surprised to see that my liver function numbers were still high after losing almost 100lbs. I understand why they were high b/4 (fatty liver) but not now. They went ahead with surgery but said I needed to retest.:biggrin: I never over do on alcohol...maybe one drink about once a month. Anyone else experience this?

I kind of went through that phase. I have always enjoyed food and after being banded I would just make convenient meals for myself. i.e.: cold chicken, cold tuna, etc. Well, it didn't take me long to miss my good cooking. I started mixing up certain recipes (all healthy and what I should have for protein content) and I started to enjoy meals again. Yes, sometimes meals seem like work, especially when it gets cold b/4 I can get it eaten. But, so much better than filling my face till I'm stuffed and then regretting it, feeling bad about myself for the way I look and feel. It's been a great trade off.

Scary thing is...sounds like his behavior is ingrained in him by his father. I would insist he see someone or the two of you go to a counselor together. No one deserves to be abased. He should be your best support system. It sounds like he has accomplished the job he set out to do. He has you beat down into doubting yourself. Dig your heals in, go after your weight loss with all you have and try to make him see what his comments have done to you. If he does not want to go to counseling and change the way he treats you...I guess that would be your answer. There are some people that you can never please. Take care.

Oprah struggles just like the rest of us. She has repeatedly admitted that she has a difficult time when it comes to food. Watched her today and she brought the subject up about how overweight she is right now. She has worked with Bob Greene for years. Around the time of her 50th bday she was so in shape. She's a real person and staying so much on task every day of your life just does not work with most of us and she has proven the same. She has the resources in her life; trainer, chef, etc. and she still struggles. I feel for her as I feel for the rest of us that have struggled.

Hey Becky, sounds like you are getting some exercise in. I was really crabby on Tuesday (usually not like me) and just couldn't put my finger on why. I usually try to walk away b/4 I bite. I got over it. Think just too much stress lately. Happy Thursday to everyone else. Think I need a fill. I am so wishy-washy from day to day. I am really good to never go over my 1/2 cup, 3 x a day rule but some days I am hungry most of the day. No...it's more like 1 day a week I am hungry and the rest of the days are pretty good. I thought I might be at the spot I should be at with my fills but think I will get one with my Nov 4 appt. Would be .5 filll. That would give me a total of 6.5cc in a large band. I guess that's what we have the band for...to feel that restriction. I am sooooooo afraid of being too full but can have an unfill by just making a call day or night. Worth a try, right? What I love about this band is that even when I am hungry, I do not crave the foods I just cannot have. For instance; I have pork loin and stuffing roasting in the oven, frozen sweet corn from our field, baked potatoes, homemade multi grain bread and pumpkin pie for my guys when they come in for supper. It doesn't make me drool. If I have eaten b/4 them, I just drink my coffee or Water and visit. Not even tempted. I guess a lot of it is mind set. Hope everyone had a good day. Long...happy to hear that your mother did not have a dramatic reaction when she heard about your band. Whew, huh?

Yesterday: B - 5oz Greek yogurt with SF Caramel Syrup, 3 TBLS soynuts L - 1/2 cup tuna with 1 TBLS FF mayo D - 1/2 c. Boca chili...so good Today: B - 5 oz Greek yogurt with banana SF syrup and 3 tbls soynuts L - 1/2 cup Boca chili Again, yum D - Will be eating 4 oz grilled chicken with 2 tbls black bean salsa

Hey Gorgia...(wrong thread, I know) Your new photo is incredible that you posted on b/4 and after. I couldn't have picked your other photo as being you. You must feel fabulous. Congrats:thumbup:

Renewed....I second what you DH said:wink_smile:

My positive is that I have been 4# from goal for a loooooooong time now BUT I am not freaking about it. Had surgery a week ago and came home with 12# to lose instead. I am back to 4# and plan on being patient. Not changing anything. Will just let it be a surprise when I step on the scale next week or the week after or the week after that. This band has taught me not to obsess about my weight.

Charlene....What a LOSER you are!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on reaching the 40# milestone!

Janet... we own a 2000 acre grain farm. Corn and soybeans. I sold my business in 1997. Too stressful for my husband not to have me around. We also own a business together on the side which my son is involved in also. Son is also employed by the farm. I cook every day for a number of help. I do the books for farm and business also. Love my job but feel the need to be out in public also. DH would never say I could not work outside the home but I just know this is what works for us. My oldest son that works for us is now done with the guards. He will not go back with his unit. He will be involved in the group that I am heading up. He saw a lot of action in his year over there. Lost three of his good buddies. He was a gunner. Basically a sitting duck on top of the Humvee. He is doing well but will forever have the after affects of what he saw. My youngest son (25) is in the FL Airguard. He has 4 yrs remaining. He is a commercial pilot and his full time job is as a chief flight instructor. Now you know!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So sorry about the loss of your mom, Gail. Will be thinking of you and your family. Take care

Hey Cathy, nice to hear from you again. I am sure the beginning of your fall semesters are crazy. Just don't forget about us though. Sorry to hear you have to have surgery. I have had friends that have had the same and they said it wasn't bad at all. I hope it's the same for you. I am going nuts not being able to do much. At least I can cook for the farmers. That gives me SOMETHING to do. I just make sure that if there is any lifting to do, the guys do it b/4 they leave in the morning. Even when I was at my heaviest, I was a very active person. Never one to sit in one place too long. So, looking at things that I can't do are killing me. Our guards unit (the one my sons were in) got called up to go back to Iraq and will leave in April. I will be heading up the Family Readiness Group along with another person. I was the secretary for the group when my son was in Iraq. This time my son is not going because he is done with his 8yrs and I feel like I need to do more. We got the ball rolling a couple of months ago and cannot wait to get some fund raising things underway. This will be a huge part of my life for the next couple of years. I certainly do not want to see these men leave again but at least we will be able to have our group functioning long b/4 they need to leave. I was pretty much frozen in time the last time around. Now I feel like I will have the capacity to actually function within the group. You guys don't mind hearing all this, do you? Another thing I will be busy with is a volunteer job at our local hospital. About 15-20 hours a week. (You get calls when people hear that you do not draw a paycheck). I have always volunteered but only a few hours a week. Looking forward to this venture also. Being as I work for the farm, I do not see people on a daily basis and it drives me nuts. Volunteering is good for the soul and good for my sanity. I had my own business for years and when I sold to come home and work with my husband, I missed my clients so much I thought I would die. Now I just do things to get me off the farm and I get to see people again. I don't know where this long story came from or why I felt I needed to share it but now you all know me a little better. OK?

That sounds a bit better!

Long...I have PM'd her and notice that she has not been active since just two weeks after her LB surgery. Was just curious. We stayed in touch for quite awhile.

Strike...good so see you back and that you are somewhat settled in your new place. A big life change along with the lap band life change. Yahoo...the scale is moving for you too. Best of luck in your new city and new life.

Cher...already looking forward to next year's conference. Wanted to make it to the one last weekend but had some surgery on Tuesday of last week and that would have been pushing it. From the sounds of the reviews, most people walked away with it being a positive conference. Trial and error...it can only get better. Would be nice if you could put a definite time and place out to us...sooner the better so that we can all make plans.

I have two "bibles" that I keep on my reading table at all times. I bought them b/4 surgery, read them from front to back and still pick them up at least once daily for ideas and to recheck on lap band methods, etc. Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies and Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery. I just ordered these off of Amazon.com.

UMMMMMMMMMMMM..yeh, nice boss to give $500 for new pants but toooooo NICE....would freak me out if my boss tugged at the seat of my pants.

I noticed that the brand of coffee I had drank for years tasted different after LB surgery. It took me awhile to find one that did not have an off taste. But, found it. Texas Pecan using no tap Water, only bottled. Now I'm hooked on it. I also notice that I only crave food that I CAN have. Weird, huh? I used to love, love, love popcorn. Well, tried one of the 100 cal bags awhile ago and got stuck. Nope, not eating popcorn anymore....it doesn't even sound good to me. Part of my job is to cook for our hired men. I bake and cook ALOT every day. I think I love cooking and baking more now than I did when I used to taste everything. I have no desire to have anything that I shouldn't.

So happy for you, Kat. Sounds like your PS did a great job. Relief for you not to have to have too much lipo. Lipo scares me. I think I am going to come out of this weight loss without having to do any cosmetic surgery. I am now in a size 6 jeans and don't need to "tuck" any extra skin in to zip them up. I don't have a muffin top or the back fat thing going on (where the fat sticks out where the bra lays). 6 months ago I was almost sure that I would need to go under the knife. Why go to all this work just to be disgusted with the belly? I admire you for going the extra mile and for sharing it with the rest of us.

Oh...the mom friends. Aren't they cute? They are usually on a "need to know basis". I just have to toughen up and learn to not be so sensitive. I am almost wishing people would have said something when I was struggling and really heavy. Maybe it would have pushed me into doing the LB earlier. All I know is I am very happy to be where I am at and where my doc wants me to be. I just have to have some "canned" responses ready where I hear certain comments about not losing too much. Kat, are you satisfied with your TT?

Good Monday morning everyone....Ellen...hope you find the right machine for you. I just do the treadmill. Had to quit for awhile because of my knees but now good to go again after the weight came off. I do walk outside when I can but with our cold and snowy (and icy) winters, I love having the treadmill to fall back on. I did a lot of walking this past week. Was absolutely full of gas after my surgery. Had 7 incisions in the belly and was really swollen. Never laid down once during the day last week. Only at night. Just walked as much as I could. Figured it would help me heal faster. Still have a ways to go. See the doc for my post-op tomorrow. My belly is still quite swollen and is really stiff and sore. I don't give into it though. Just have to be careful not to lift anything. Can be a challenge around here with harvest going on and all these farmers to feel. I have a question for all of you. Did any of you ever talk with Kerry Conner? She used to PM me once in awhile and posted a lot for awhile. I PM'd her awhile ago and have not heard a thing for a few months. Does anyone know why she dropped off? Anxious to hear how she is doing. Better go see to lunch for the guys. They'll be in b/4 I know it!

Ellen...you have earned the right to be proud of yourself. You've done quite well so far. We all need to learn that taking care of ourselves is not a selfish thing. If we are happy it will rub off on those around us. I don't think I have been this happy in years. Yes, sometimes I feel a little guilty for some of the "selfish" things I have done for myself lately (i.e: permanent eyeliner, eyelash extensions, new wardrobe, etc.). But, I keep coming up with the same answer in the end. I deserve all those things. I hid from the mirror and everyone else for 13 years. I'm done hiding and done not taking care of me. I have "served" everyone else in this family for years and years. Time for me now!!!!!!!!!!!

If you get really miserable, try Glycerin suppositories. I've only had to use them twice but worked for me.