serenity55

BodaciousBev, Briefs199? Sorry if I got that wrong—RogerL—not even going to try to remember sbrown, buddhaBlair, I wish all of you the very best of luck. You have every reason to be excited, and scared. I remember my pre op days, and how terrified I was. I’ll be watching for all of your posts, and I wish you a speedy, uneventful recovery. Getting my band was the best thing I could have done!

Like you, I didn't want anything done to my insides. One of the great things about the band is that it is adjustable. Another is that it can be removed if necessary. I have had my band for 5 years and I would do it all over again.

JustWatchMe, I like your goal of getting in to shirts? Worn by your daughters. I have a pair of jeans that I haven’t been able to wear for years, and I’m determined to get back in to them. Thank you all for your encouragement. I really do appreciate it. I think that’s another thing that keeps me going, knowing there are bandsters doing the same thing I am.

I have asked myself in the past just why I’m doing this, because I just knew I wasn’t going to lose the weight. Today, I asked myself the same question and when I started to think the same way, I was able to stop myself. Let’s hear it for reprogramming!

I tried posting this in my blog, but am not sure it worked. I have been walking for the past month, I guess, walking every day, either on the track at work, or on the treadmill at home. It would be an understatement to say I dislike exercise, because I was disappointed so many times when I’d get on the scale and it didn’t move. I would also be lying if I said that weight loss wasn’t important to me. Maybe this is one of those aha! Moments, although I’m sure all this stuff was in the back of my mind. I am not walking just to lose weight. I am walking to have a healthier heart. I am walking to lessen the pain in my knees from arthritis. I am walking because less pain means going up and down stairs with ease. I am walking because I feel good after I do it. And you know what? It has kept me going. Know what else? The scale is moving in the right direction. My band works when I do my part. I will always love sweets, that’s what got me to my highest weight of 338 pounds. I am allowing myself to eat them, though not in the huge quantities I have before. Just for today, it is working for me. There may come a time when I know longer desire them, though I can’t see that. (LOL) I do eat fruit; I eat salads and veggies. I’m making a conscious effort to make better choices, and though I don’t always do that, I feel like my refocusing has helped me immensely. I have lost 11 pounds Saturday was the first time I weighed myself. That also works for me, otherwise I know I'd be nuts. :-).

Congratulations, Tom! Support groups have always been helpful for me; unfortunately, my surgeon's lap band group no longer exists. I have bandster friends, and I'll have to use this site group. Keep up the good work!

Thank you, 2muchfun. I can exercise; as a matter of fact, I was for quite a while. I have been walking, we have a track where I work, as well as a work-out room, and I have a treadmill at home. I do eat healthy, but I need to "get back to basics". Make better choices. My band is fine. I can go without being hungry from the time I have lunch until I get home and have dinner. If I snack, I have fruit, but there have been lots of times when I eat sweets, and there's my problem. I know better. I know what I have to do. I just need to come here, the way I used to. Thanks again.

I was banded almost five and a half years ago. My story is similar to so many I have read. I started out well, lost 60 pounds, but have gained almost all of it back I am totally blind. I mention this only so as to not have anyone surprised when or if they should contact me. I'm open about blindness, and it's my hope that I can make friends as well as getting support. . I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and although I am taking medication, it simply takes the edge off . I love my band, and I know that it works. I’m looking for a buddy who has struggled, and has had at least 150 pounds to lose . I don’t need to be told to get rid of all the crap in my house. I don’t need to be made to feel more ashamed than I already am. I guess I just want someone who will be supportive and encouraging, someone to whom I must be responsible for getting back on track, someone who won’t mind sending or receiving emails a few times a week. I wouldn’t even mind forming a group of bandsters who feel the same way as I do .

I feel like I've come home. On February 10, I will have been banded 6 years. I have had no trouble with my band, but like others, I am not where I had hoped to be, due to emotional eating. I got back on the treadmill today, and that felt good. My band works, I haven't been. That's going to change, because I still believe it's the best thing I could have done for myself.

Hi, The pre op diet isn't an easy one. Mine was all liquids and I didn't think I would make it. In fact, I'd decided that if I felt the same way one morning, (might have been fourth or fifth) I was just going to give up. When I got on the scale, I found I'd lost weight. That was one motivater for me. Another is coming here and talking, talking, talking. Maybe you can call your surgeon's office and ask if there isn't something you can do, add something that will help you feel full. Liquids sort of helped me, and also finding something to distract you from thinking about how hungry you are. Also, knowing that you will get your band soon, and te reason you're on this diet is to shrink your liver so your surgeon can place the band easily are other things you might hold on to. those are some of the things I did. If I can help in any way, please feel free to pm me. Hang in there! You can do this! Debbie

Hi all, Here I go again! I'm trying to post. I'll be glad to go to the other site where it's easier to navigate and post--not that I've been able to do that yet. Michelle, when are you going to Disneyland? I thought you'd already gone! Show's what I know! Suzie, hope work was good. Seems like you recovered fast from surgery. That's fantastic! Tracy, thank you for the offer to help. I went on the other site and tried again to register, and this time it didn't say anything about having to match anything. Does anyone remember anything like that when you registered? And good for you with your positive attitude! You go sista girl! I did go on the other site, and I saw a thread with your name in it, Kat, and I think I saw Cindy's too. I started telling y'all a funny story about me falling in to a planter, losing the battery from my Walkman, knocking over my orange juice and my Water all in the same morning, but it didn't post. I have lots of funny stories about me and my blind friends and I plan to tell them all, at some point. Everybody stay warm, safe and dry. Deb

Evening everyone, I'm going to try to send this post, although I'm not sure what I did before. I haven't even read anything today, just came to where it says add reply, so I'm giving it a try. Tracy, I wanted to say that I'm glad your mother admitted that you were right about your sister. How many times have I heard people say they just ignore the elephant in the room. Your mom shouldn't even have had to witness one of her children having a meltdown. I hope everybody's doing well. I'm gonna try this again. Wish me luck! Deb

I give up! What do I have to do to send my damn reply I've been trying to post all day, and I guess this site doesn't like me any more, because it doesn't accept anything I write! GRRR!!! Anyway, thanks to everybody for support and concern. Not only did that guy say I played like a dream, but he gave me several long hugs. That was nice. I gave him my business card. You never know. I tried to register on the other site, and I guess you have to match characters or something? It said that the "string" I'd entered didn't match, so I'm going to have someone help me figure it out. *sigh* My Thanksgiving was nice. I went to my sister's. We had dinner, then went to a friend's house and she gave us food to take home. I had a spoonful of nasty banana pudding, and I thought of you, Cindy, because one of your first posts that I read was about making some. I'm going to try this again. Maybe it doesn't like long posts? I don't know!! Deb?

Hi! Good grief! I hope I'm doing this right! I hope everybody is doing all right, though it seems like you all are. Tracy, thank you so much for the emails. I'm going to check out the other site, because this is really frustrating, not blind friendly--or sighted either for that matter--at all. And what's with this "pip" thing? I have to down arrow to get to the actual posts, I can't just click on stuff. All right, enough bitching. I'm not even sure if I've read everybody's posts. I played for a fundraiser last night. A friend of mine sang, and I played for another guy who has the most beautiful voice! He told me I was a dream! Michelle, I wanted to pm you but since Kat didn't get Suzie's pm, I'm afraid now. I'm sorry to hear about your DD. Tracy I read that horrible letter from your sister, and there really aren't words to describe someone who could be that mean spirited. She really must be a very unhappy person, and your response to her makes you truly wonderful, even though that has to hurt. Kat did you get to see the movie? Suzie, only two days to be lazy? Hey Jenn, Angela, Shar, Ashley, Plain and Terri. Thank you all for the understanding about navigating this site. You really all an awesome group! Debbie