Lydiafree

Lydiafree - we used to have a group walk in Delaware Park on Saturday mornings but it kept dwindling. When do you walk?

I'm there from 8 a.m. to about 9:30 a.m. Like to get there early so there's parking and it's not too crowded.

When are the support group meetings at BGH? I think that's something I should be getting into. Going this alone is not easy.

Good Morning

There is a 50million lb walk off challange in Buffalo in Sept, thinking about going. Where is Deleware Park? Is it right in the city

Right in the middle of the city, really. It's about two blocks from Sister's Hospital. In the same area as the Zoo on Parkside Ave. I'm there every Saturday morning for a few trips around the track. I love Delaware Park.

For those that have "hidden" the LapBand from others. For me, the idea of that was more work than it was worth.

By telling everyone, I received much more good sentiment than not.

I recommend being open about it, it has worked very well for me and I'm a man. I even post progress on Facebook.< /p>

Let go. That's what I say.

See, now, most people I see regularly DO know. And I specifically didn't hide it because I didn't want to feel strange about it afterwards - but its happening anyway.

I was thinking about counseling, because this is clearly not a *new* problem, just one that's become apparent because I can't lean on my food crutch to get me through anymore. I'm just not sure.

I was banded 6.29. I'm not having trouble with exercising or eating right, or any of the normal things I thought might give me problems. Losing a good amount of weight; have already dropped a few clothing sizes.

Instead, I'm having emotional (or possibly psychological) side effects I didn't foresee. For example, my brother threw my SIL a birthday party and when it came time to eat dinner, I got seriously uncomfortable, nervous and eventually left the party early. I have a family wedding and a bachelorette party coming up that I'm worried about attending.

I find myself not wanting to go to events where I know there will be lots of food or drinking. Partly because feeling uncomfortable is one of my food triggers and partly because I don't want to deal with questions about the changes in my eating habits (spefically, how much less I'm eating).

Initially I thought it was just me getting used to the band and the new lifestyle it results in, but now I'm six weeks out and it doesn't seem to be getting better.

Has anyone else experienced this sort of "hermit" urge?

For the record, withdrawing from all this isn't helping either, it's simply making me feel lonely and isolated. My own doing, but still. :w00t:

This past weekend was my first real test. We were hosting a large group of guests, big BBQ. I was hungry, I put one (pork) rib on my plate, a few pieces of Pasta from the Pasta salad, a tiny piece of garlic bread. It seemed like such a reasonable amount. I had one or two bites of each and that was it. (I had earlier had hummus and pita chips, so that's probably why.)

It's really weird. I mean, it seems so surreal. I'm still adjusting to it all.

:scared2: I totally agree on the surrealism of it. I make up a plate now and it looks like something one would give to a toddler - tiny piles of soft, mushy food. And yet, I'm *full* afterwards. It's mindboggling.

I am feeling depressed....I have only lost 14 lbs since surgery on 6/26/09. I haven't lost anything in almost a week. I am feeling discouraged. I know I shouldn't compare myself to others weight loss but I feel I should be consistantly losing....anyone else feel the smae as me?

Right there with you. I was banded 6/29 and have lost about the same amount of weight. other people are telling me they can see it; I can't. I don't know what I was expecting, but I do feel like it's not going fast enough.

Of course, that could just be excitement as well. I waited a long time for the band and now that I have it, I'm impatient!!

I'm actually surprised to hear other people have had trouble with his staff - aside from one less then pleasant woman in the sign-in office, I've never encountered this bully.

It's good to hear you are reconsidering though! Don't let a miserable bully derail what you want!

Post surgery they gave me liquid Lortab. it worked, but made me veeeerrrrrryyyy sleepy.

Had surgery on 6/69/09, performed by Dr. Aaron Hoffman in Buffalo, New York.

I was a little nervous heading into surgery day because the previous Friday, Dr. Hoffman's office called to push my surgery into the early afternoon on the 29th, but did not allow me to change the surgery prep schedule. That meant that I would have nothing to eat for 24 hrs before surgery and nothing to drink for 13!!!

Luckily though, just as we departed for the hospital, they called and moved my surgery up a few hours.

Got there at 10, prepped and in surgery by 11:30. Went pretty quick. hugged the fam and off we went.

The only thing I remember about that is the OR nurse asking me what I do for a living. I don't know if I answered her before blacking out.

Cut to the recovery room. Apparently, i slept for quite a while. it was nearly 4:00 p.m. before I got back to my room. Family was happy - Hoffman apparently told them things went very well and he was pleased. My parents loved him.

The nurses at Buffalo General cannot be praised enough. They were wonderful!!!! They appeared the moment you needed them - so understanding and helpful. They were amazing.

Lots of pain those first few days, but kept controlled by pain meds. Couldn't do anything but lay on my back and sleep a lot. Luckily, my bed was right next to the bathroom, so getting there was easy.

Went home early afternoon the next day. I live on the second floor of an apartment building, so going up the stairs was laborious and painful. but, according to the Dr. and team, not a bad thing - since it got me up and moving.

Once I got in the apartment though, I didn't leave for SEVERAL days. The liquid diet was perfectly fine by me because food was the least appetizing thing in the world that first week. (Now, however, if I never see a Protein Shake again, it will be too soon )

Dr. told me that "most people don't make it to the refill of pain meds". I call baloney on that one. I can't see how anyone wouldn't - I was still in pain bad enough to warrant liquid Lortab. that was gone though, by the middle of the second week.

Up and taking short walks by day 5. Regular daily 1/2 hours walks everday since then. I feel freaking WONDERFUL.

Lost 11 lbs that first week. Four more since then. On soft foods now - and frantically trying to gather recipes in preparation of returning to regular food.

Excited! Very happy with the way everything went. I feel great. It was a wonderful decision.

I have been using vanilla Matrix because I can add things to it to change the flavor.

OMG. that is a great idea. Thank you!!

Surgery on Monday!! Back on phase 1 of SB. Getting nervous.

Any suggestions on whey Protein flavors to try?

Surgery on Monday. getting nervous!

It's funny how some people think that to lock a man into a cage and subject him to physical and sexual abuse on a daily basis by other men is a humane thing to do to criminals who commit murder, yet simply injecting them and ridding them from society is far more cruel. Back in the olden days, there was very little crime because if you were caught stealing, you were publicly hung for all to view. Even the children. Believe me, they grew up and didn't even want to go there. They stayed away from crime because they knew what was in store for them. Today, the death penalty takes a criminal 20 or more years with the appeals process before it ever is applied. Criminals know this. We have no more room for these murderewrs. We also have DNA today to 'prove' who did what. Which makes the argument for capital punishment even better.

So, now we have Ms. Green telling us that hanging people for stealing - apparently regardless of the reason - was a good thing because, sans any proof whatsoever, she claims the "olden" days were less crime-laden. (Oh boy, is that entirely wrong)

And that we should apparently be exactly like the most violent criminals when its convenient for us. You know, if Ms. Pro-Life deems them to deserve death.

Too bad there isn't a puking emoticon.

. So, they weren't being raped, they were fulfilling their marital duty and did not see it as a person today who is raped views unwanted sex.

This is downright disturbing. "Fulfilling their marital duty" to be raped and bear the rapist children. And they were thankful for it to. Which, there's no evidence of, but it must be true because rape isn't rape when god commands rape.

I am seriously starting to feel sick to my stomach. These conversations have been enlightening. Bigotry, lying, justifying rape, torture, murder – even genocide. There is no a single ounce of positive in religion.

.

No. It was recorded by God. Everything written in the bible is exactly as God wanted it written.

Wow. Just wow. I'm in awe of the mind-destroying power of religion.

God isn't cruel. He is very loving. But, He is also very just. If you refuse to acknowledge him, he will refuse to acknowledge you. Why isn't that fair?

If, as you say, he controls everything, my not acknowledging him is his plan, something he knew I would do, and something I couldn't chose not to do owing to his controlling everything and planning it.

He therefore first created me to be an atheist and then punishes me for it.

That's the very definition of "unfair".

First of all, that was not his plan for you. His plan was for you to believe in Him. "It is not God's will that any should perish."(2Peter3:9)

So you don't feel he's omnipotent and omniscient then? Not much of a supreme diety, then.

BTW, hell is a place of torment because the people living there know that they could be some place far better if they had not rejected their creator.

Which he created, and then placed there all the people he created and created to reject him.

You make your god out to be like a kid holding a magnifying glass burning insects.

Yes, all who believed in him are in Heaven with Him.

Then hell is fine with me.

Who says it's a lie? Your own dearly departed believed it. Were they duped, too?

Yes, they were. I will continue to be convinced it’s a lie until I see proof otherwise.

It's a self-serving lie as well. You've said, multiple times now, that being obedient to your imaginary master means YOU get rewarded for it. So, are you only doing it to be rewarded? How is that moral?

But why settle on Hell when you can have Heaven?

Why does your god first create atheists (and Muslims, Buddhists, etc etc) and then punish them for it?

What does it matter to such a powerful being that I (and billions upon billions of others) don't believe in him? If we're good people, why does it matter? Why is he so selfish and vain?

They weren't raped, either. They were married and then cared for.

Against their will. That. Is. Rape.

They were also given a time to mourn their losses before being entered into the new married union.

Oh how nice. They were allowed to mourn their slaughtered families before being raped for the rest of their lives.

They were thankful for the men who took them.

And you know this how? Assuming this "thankfulness" is even mentioned, it was reported and recorded BY THE RAPISTS.

The truth is smacking you in the face here, Ms. Green.

All I'm saying is you don't see the full picture. You read the story, yet didn't go back in time to their predicament. Also, the bible needs to be read in its full context to understand what God is doing and saying and all of his purposes.

All I'm saying is you don't see the full picture. You read the story, you will do backflips to manufacture excuses for calling rape something else so you can continue to lie to yourself about how wonderful your imaginary master is. Also, the bible needs to be read in its full context - which includes the perspectives of OTHER people aside from the victors and rapists. History recorded by the winners is never an honest, accurate portrait of events.

ThI can honestly say that I don’t think their sexual preference affected crew moral at all. This was almost 20 years ago and it didn’t affect crew moral then and I can’t for the life of me see why people that have never even served in the military think that openly gay people can’t serve in the armed forces today. I was and am totally straight and I think if either of them was kicked out for their sexual preference it would have been a huge disservice to our country.

There's never a logical reason for bigotry. Bigots only ever use the same three excuses for their ignorance and bigotry: "it's not natural" (the entire animal kingdom feels differently); "god hates "fags"" (which is just another way to say that the speaker hates them, but isn't brave enough to own it); and "I don't want to have to worry about the guy behind me" (which is a homophobic compiling of the other two)

I spent 6 years in uniform

That is impressive. I always feel somewhat silly "thanking" soldiers for their service - its not mine to "thank" for. But, I do find it admirable and impressive.

“The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.” Benjamin Franklin Poor Richard's Almanack, 1758

I notice that Ms. Green's "expanded" version lacks source info. Where did she get it?

Which is why it is next to impossible to have logical disagreements on subjects like this. I admire those who try. There is an awesome book by Susan Jacoby named 'Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism.'

There is no "logical" disagreement because only one side is using logic. "True" believers simply regurgitate whatever someone else told them to say, however mindbogglingly illlogical, nonsensical or outright stupid it is.

She also wrote: The Age of American Unreason. It's frankly chilling how this convo alone has proven so much of her book correct.

the girls were to be used as brides (thus the virgin stipulation)

BTW, romantic love wasn't considered an important part of marriage until the Victorian era

My goodness this is chilling misogyny. USED as brides - with not even a moment's thought to what the "bride" wanted. That's rape.

And if she was married, and therefore dirty, she should be killed.

Extra disgusting points for pretending that rape has anything to do with "victorian era" marriage.

So, this wonderful loving god in one passage advocates rape and murder. how uplifting.

Because, unless we're reading different Bibles, I can't for the life of me remember the passage indicating rape is a-ok. Perhaps you can un-sugarcoat my memory?

Then you're either reading the Children's Bible or you're feigning confusing. Either way, one who's actually read it and not trying to pretend it's a pretty, flowerly moral story would easily recognize:

Judges 21:10-24

Numbers 31:7-18

Zechariah 14:1-2

Deuteronomy 20:10-14

Deuteronomy 21:10-14

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (my personal "favorite" - force a rape victim to marry the pig that attacked her)

Deuteronomy 22:23-24 (or your stone HER to death)

And, before anyone tries to claim that Jesus changed everything:

Matthew 5:17-19

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

But oh no, the bible never advocates rape. Nosiree.

I am sorry about calling you a murderer. It was directed in general for all women who kill their unborn babies. Sorry, but this is what I feel they are doing when they abort. Whether they think they are or not.

If you have children and are raising them to buy into this delusion of yours, you are committing unpardonable child abuse. Sorry, but that is what I feel you are doing. Whether you think you are or not.

(not quite as fun on the receiving end, is it.)

God controls everything but mans free will to choose whom he will serve. Would you want robots or puppets for children who are programmed to love you and obey you? This is why he gives us free will.

Which, of course, is just more nonsense, since he also planned everything and knows what will happen.

What does it matter if we have "free will" if we have no ability to make a choice that he didn't plan for and didn't know we would chose.

This is nonsense, Ms. Green. Silly, useless nonsense.

It is true that America is still predominately Christian. But what is sad is that the christians have allowed, by their silence, for their faith of the one true God whom the founding Fathers professed, to be pushed out of government and law making. I can see how wonderful America could be if they would live according to the way that God has planned for them and if they made their decisions concerning the laws of this land based on his word. I can see how there would be no controversy over what is right and wrong and what we should accept, tolerate or deny.

I am in disbelief how you can, while lying and pretending to love American values, immediately disprove that and argue against them.

And as for your repeated lie that the founding fathers were christians intending that the country be an exclusively christian country:

“The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.” Benjamin Franklin Poor Richard's Almanack, 1758

"Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.” Franklin again (and wonderfully quotable)

"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind." - Thomas Paine (The Age of Reason, 1794-1795.)

"Question with boldness even the existence of a god." - Thomas Jefferson (letter to Peter Carr, 10 August 1787)

"During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - James Madison (Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments, 1785.)

“The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity.” John Adams

Just as a few examples. :ihih:

It will matter to you a great deal after you leave this earth.

You know what? For all you say about loving this imaginary friend of yours, you make him out to be the worst kind of sick bastard there is.

However, let's think this through a bit. If your hateful, psychotic version of god does exist and I, despite my efforts to be a good person, are sent to be tortured forever in hell because I did not believe - exactly as your god planned for me to do and knew I would do - so be it.

Because, this would also mean that heaven exists and my dearly departed, who did believe and presumably then would have been admitted into heaven for the everlasting beach party with jesus. I'm cool with that.

I'm not going to live a lie now in a self-serving, selfish ploy to maybe get rewarded for it by this looney god you worship.

If he exists and it means my loved ones are happy for eternity, hell is fine with me.

Oh, right. Maybe I should read the Bible......heh.....

Or perhaps, stop simply assuming that others haven't read it because they don't sugarcoat what it contains. Either way is fine.