Dody

When I saw chew and spit I immediately thought of my Dad who passed away at the age of 100. He chewed and spit tobacco all his life (from the time he was 9, would you believe that)? It is completely off topic, but just brought back some wonderful memories of Dad who constantly was drooling tobacco juice on his clothes in later years.:spider: and back to a serious topic.

I still get a nursing newsletter every mo., but I haven't read about this one, although I've been following one that is far from approved by the FDA and it will be several years maybe. It involves stapling through endoscopy, and I'm not at all sure how that would work. I haven't heard of a band that doesn't need adjusted and is permanent. Sorry.

The thread caught my eye. What a beautiful daughter you have. My daughter's nickname is Babygirl and that is what I call her most of the time....she is 12 years younger than any of her other siblings and is truly the baby even in her 20's. I'm so glad your daughter is able to get this procedure done when she is young and healthy and fit. God speed.

Jack, I enjoy your posts immensely. I hope you use your power of poetry often on your DW. I imagine you light up her day. You gift for prose amazes and delights me. Don't ever stop posting here...promise!! You are a diamond in the rough, and a very intelligent one too. You have a way with words that no one can compare to.:update: You are the BOMB.

I had my first child at 19 and my 5 child (all girls) at age 40. Wouldn't trade a minute of it.

I'm looking forward to leaving Idaho and going to Tennessee for a few mo. or more. I despise this place and have ever since I ended up here years ago in the Air Force. I've been stuck in one spot and when my son-in-law finishes up college (he designs video games) and also works as a nurse, and they move probably to Seattle I'm right with them. What I'm sorry about is that you are giving up school, but I know you haven't been feeling well. I hope things get better for you, but leaving Idaho can't be a bad thing. It is nothing but desert except for the northern part and Pokey town isn't in the north. I like it better up around Moscow and places like that. Good luck to you and I hope things turn out well for you. Wish I was waving goodbye permanently to Idaho...it so sucks, and Tennessee is so gorgeous. My daughters house is in the middle of tall pine trees and deer come right up in the back yard to the salt lick. The mountains they rave about in Idaho are a 40 mi. drive and I don't find them spectacular at all.....Take care.

Personally I would never consider gastric bypass, because of the dumping syndrome and malabsorbtion issues, but it has to be your choice what you want. I don't want my intestines re-routed and the band gives me that option. This is a very personal decision you have to make for yourself. No one else can do it for you. Read all you can on both procedures, but I think in the long run you will choose the safest one which is the band. Everyone doesn't have more than one surgery. A lot of people never come to the forum and are out there very contently living life with their bands. Others like to keep in touch with one another how they are doing, and yes those that have problems come here to ask questions and get answers. It is a support forum as well as just general talk about the band. There are issues with the band of course. There is always port infection, slippage, or erosion, but I think the majority of people would tell you if they had to do it again they would choose the band. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think most people would....anyway best of luck to you whatever you choose.

WHAT IS A JOURNAL? :guess :eek:

Clinical depression is very real, and often there isn't a magic pill to pull you out of it. If you are depressed for no reason that you can think of, and your life is going well, but you are still depressed you probably can be helped a great deal by medication. With me....well it's a long story starting with the loss of my Mom who was my best friend, followed by a tragic car accident that took my husband's life at the age of 49, and the following year a horrible car accident that killed my daughter's boyfriend and left her in intensive care. I was in the deepest, darkest pit that existed. A pill just wouldn't help....and then I lost my Dad. I didn't think I could go on any longer, but the Lord had more in store for me, which involved a heart attack (I can't even imagine what kind of stress I had to cause that). I was living on cigarettes, coffee and working around the clock to try and keep my mind on everything but me. During my open heart surgery I literally died on the table for about 10 minutes during which time I actually saw the other side. I saw and touched the hand of God and it's something I will never forget. I saw my Mom and husband just as happy as they could be. My Mom who suffered from and died from congestive heart failure looked well and happy. I guess that is when I woke up and really, really let my faith in God take over. I always believed in a higher power, but I guess I had a few doubts. I have no doubts anymore. I am positive of what I saw and what lays ahead and from that day on I've done wonderfully controlling my depression. In that depressed state I had gained close to 100 pounds (how could I not notice) and now it's time to turn that around too. Hey I just wrote you guys a book didn't I??? Sorry I got carried away. God does that to me sometimes. I figure God had other plans for me when he allowed me to live and witness the birth of 3 more wonderful grandchildren. I still experience some days when I'm a little down and lonely, but that's when I have private conversations with God and the answers always come to me and I'm fine again.

It was slooooooooooooooooooow before DeCarla even posted the pictures. I wonder how long it took her to get them on here.

You are beautiful DeCarla. You have a lot going for you. I'm so glad you had a great time and won that award. What an awesome feeling that must have been.

I've never heard of non-adjustable banding. The purpose of the band is to get fills put in it to decrease the size of the pouch. Usually when the lap band is put on it isn't filled until a few weeks later (depends on the doctors). Where did you hear about a band that didn't have to be adjusted? I've heard of people that didn't require fills, but never a band that wasn't adjustable. I don't think there is any such animal yet designed....what was your source. I'm sorry I don't know this doctor but perhaps someone else on here knows something about him. I'm on the other side of the country. Best wishes and place let me know where you heard about this band?

I have cable too and the same thing is happening. Glad I'm not alone. Frustrating to say the least.

Leener, so sorry you are having these problems. I have had to wait 3 mo to clear up an ulcer before they would even consider surgery. Did you have an upper GI before banding? You poor thing. I didn't even know you could swallow Prevecid capsules this soon after banding. I have a lot to learn. Sure hope you feel better soon. Is someone with you? I sure hope so. It's hard to be alone and hurting. Get better soon.

God Bless and Good Vibes going your way for Emily. I hope everything will be just fine for you and your family. I know what it's like to have someone in the hospital like that. When my daughter was 15 she was in a horrible automobile accident in which her boyfriend was killed and she was in intensive care for 2 mo. It is exhausting for everyone involved. God will watch over you all.

I had a major heart attack and bypass surgery. That is the only response I'm giving. It is pure, unadulterated speed and I'm glad they took it off the market. I should have known better than to have taken the risk.

If you were banded in Alabama and live there, doesn't the dr. who banded you take care of fills as well as surgery? I'm just curious why you are looking for a fill dr. Wow, that is one thing you should have lined up before your surgery I would think. I would run a google check on lap band doctors in that area and see what you come up with, call them, and see if they will do fills for another dr. Some will and a lot won't. Good luck.

Welcome to LBT. What part of Tennessee are you from. I'm going to have my surgery done in Tennessee within a couple of months (I hope). I'm going there pretty soon to stay with my daughter and son-in-law.

New Balance probably makes the best walking shoe on the market. It was highly recommended to me by 3 different doctors who deal with foot problems. It definitely gives you more toe room, which I need. I also love my Crocs (and they were defined as butt ugly by one poster, and they are) but they are comfort to the max. A lot of nurses and professionals that are on their feet all day are wearing crocs...and talk about toe room. You look a little like Sasquatch with the shape of the shoes, but who cares if you are comfortable. They are really becoming a big thing, but beware of immitations. They are just not comfortable. You can order Crocs or take a look at them at Zappos.com. I have just about every color in both metros and sandals. You might want to give them a try. They are just a little like walking on a pillow..........ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I have sore feet anyway and nothing will prevent that if I have to be on them for any length of time, but the Crocs sure help to some extent. Yesterday was a bad day for the old "dogs". I had to do Walmart and nothing prepares me for that. Worse yet I wore a pair of Ryka's, which are also excellent, but were new. Not a good time to try out a new shoe. Still shuffling around today with pain.

I imagine you are having those dreaded gas pains you have to just walk off. I've heard they go away pretty quickly. Thanks for clearing up the Christophen Walken story. Everytime I see your post I think...I know that guy, and then I remembered where I knew the name from. I remember it even more clearly now.

I don't have an answer to your question (wish I did), but rather a question of my own. Isn't Christopher Walken the actor that was on board the boat with Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood the night she drowned? Wasn't he her co-star at that time in something? Poor Natalie, there was so much more to that story than will ever be known of that I'm sure. Hope you do well in your recovery.

On a trip home from seeing my daughter (and I was much thinner 4 years ago) I sat next to a man that probably weighed a good 375 lbs. I have to admit I was crowded, but would hate to see anyone have to buy two seats. They gave this man 2 seat belt extenders and it worked. The airline may work with you on this. At the time I wasn't real happy because my fast was crushed against the window a good bit of the time, but I also understood his circumstances and how much seating costs in the first place. I have no experience with a scooter, but because of my feet I always have a wheelchair waiting everywhere I have a stopover and at my destination. The airline does this free of charge if you ask. You probably would have to store the scooter underneath in an aircraft anyway, as I think it would be much too big for carry on and overhead storage. Were you actually planning on taking the scooter on the plane in the overhead storage? It seems impossible. Why not just order a wheelchair for your trip and store your scooter till you arrive at your destination. Airlines go out of their way to meet travelers wishes and needs. Good luck to you.

Archermom, I've tried having my feet taped, also paid a fortune for orthodic inserts, nothing has helped. I'm wearing New Balance shoes which were recommended by my dr. I do have plantar faschiitis for sure and I know it, but it seems incurable. I also have a neuroma in the ball of my foot and my heels are killing me. I've had a number of injections that only work for a few days. I've tried everything possible, but just wanted to see if anyone else suffered with sore feet. I'm convinced with some weight off I'll feel better. I also might not be so short of breath if I take some weight off. I was worried it was my heart, but it isn't. I think my cardiologist was just too kind to say "you're too chubby". He is so thrilled I don't smoke anymore that he would prefer I be fat...what a trade-off.

Welcome to the forum with the coolest and nicest people anywhere around. Sounds like you are doing great and 20 lbs. seems awesome to me. I hope to get to join the banded bunch in a mo. or so, but meanwhile I just kind of hang around and take it all in and let it all out.

Not that I would ever wish anyone this horrible foot pain, but I can see I'm not alone and that in itself is one of the reasons I come here....so I can learn and ask. I guess I knew it was the weight I had gained, but just didn't want to face up to it. I've been checked out for other problems, but my foot dr. has never kindly said "it is the weight". I'm so sorry for all of you that go through this. I can't wait to be on the way to a healthier life and these feet are one of the major reasons I wanted the lap banding. Apparently I sure can't do it on my own because at Walmart these darned Peanut Butter eggs kept trying to find their way into my cart....had to beat them off My weakness is chocolate. It will always make me feel better, but I think in this case it has added to my pain. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with me. I didn't want to take one of those cart things because I always feel that really, really handicapped people should be in them....like people on walkers and amputees. Besides I would get no excercise if I give in to these demons and stay off my feet. I may never get up again. Thanks all.