argon

That's a really good idea... I bet they would go for it if you did that. Really, it's maybe a couple hours work at the most, for several hundred dollars! (which I don't see actually being 'declared' to the province or whatever, especially after hours!)

Good idea, Mookie! Dr. Beausoleil (Maritimes)... ha! I don't think he'll ever be 'available'. That makes it sound like there's a chance, which isn't what I was told! GRR!

Holy moly! What kind of dogs do you have?! I wouldn't have thought about dogs getting to it either! But yeah, that sounds good. Is that a Hidden Valley ranch dip package?

well yes, I suppose... a doctor can be as goofy looking as he wants, as long as he doesn't kill me!

Yeah, you guys are weird, Dr. Mumford looks like a goof! LOL

Hi Edith! I'm just moved to New Brunswick, and only been to PEI once, but I loved it!

I had Dr. Cobourn do my fill once, my first one. After that, it was Marie (if you know who she is, cause she's gone now) and a nurse she was training... Tammy. Tammy was pretty young, maybe mid-late 20's, brownish hair, kind of a bob-type haircut. He's so busy now, but I'm sure he does still do fills when he's available. I'm sure if you were to request him to do it, they'd arrange it. You could say you just wanted to see him, and check-in or whatever. When I called, I would ask for Marie, but I haven't called since she's left. I would just ask to speak to one of Dr. Cobourn's nurses (or Dr. Mumfords).. until you finally get a name. Oh.. I emailed the clinic to update them with my weight last week, and the lady who responded was named Sue. So there's a couple names you could drop, Tammy and Sue. Here's a copy of a section of an update email I got from the clinic: Rose was also very nice everytime I talked to her on the phone. Isn't that weird, the 'unmarked door' down the hall that you have to be escorted to?! I can't wait til they move to their new place. It's gonna be SO much better for them, and their 'appearance'.

I kind of agree with you Lila. I have SO many things I wish hadn't happened.... but they all got me where I am and who I am today, which I'm pretty much ok with. Oh yeah, me too... I wish I'd been more of a slut. LOL

Yeah, yeah.. that's a better fund to donate to! My tickets covered, I just need to help him pay for the rest of his. Good idea. Sheesh... I'm selfish. LOL There were no 'stipulations' or rules or anything... and true, someone could easily be doing other things too.... and probably able to lose more than me! So yeah, apparently not looking at the scale is the key, and of course your spell! It was 4.2 lbs ! Holy cow. I've got exactly 10lbs (preferably 11, so I can be in the 100's) to go before Xmas. As of today, it's 9 weeks and 2 days before I go home. I love having these (really) good weeks, cause it makes it a less and less I have to hit each week before Xmas, just in case this crazy streak ends. I'm finding that mini-goals really ARE good! The fact that I'm really shooting for 200/199 by Christmas makes me not think about how much more I have to go after that. I called my mom and told her about the gym... and told her I'm not telling her how much I've lost anymore. (might sound mean, but I really didn't make it sound like that) She always has it set in her mind that its more... she almost seems disappointed that its only, say, 68 lbs, when she thought I was already at 70. (then she tells other people that I'm already at a higher loss that I really am) I'll wait for the big landmarks, like making it to the 100's, or finally 100lbs lost, but no more weekly updates!

Maria, I did do the chicken! I took the chicken out last night like you said... even though it was partially frozen when I put it in. Cooked it on low for like... 11 hours! It was cooked really well. So low is definitely do-able. It wasn't exactly good... pretty boring. But at least I found out that it does cook ok on low. I have some stuff for beef stroganoff, so I'm gonna cook that in the slow cooker tomorrow! Woooo!

Awesome NSV Neenagh!! I've seen the 'thins', but haven't tried them yet. I really should.

You guys are too funny. How come I've never seen this guy!? Anyone got pictures?

Day One at the gym. I had to listen to the woman tell me how I better watch my diet, because 95% of losing weight is your diet... and people get all huffy cause they think coming to the gym should be good enough. I kinda chortled at that. I probably will mention later on that I've lost ___ so far, so I know about that, thanks. *smack* She kicked my ass. Did 15 minutes on the treadmill, then 3 sets of 12 of each of the weight machine thingys... then some free weights, then freakin' crunches, other crunches, and something kind of like holding a push-up for as long as possible. I have to do that for about a week, then I'll move on to another program, or do whatever I want... I'm not sure. I'm thinking I AM going to get in on this challenge. I REALLY could use the money, and how else am I gonna be able to benefit financially from losing weight!? That is... until I start stripping. (i'll make a donation to the Mandi's Going Home for Christmas Fund!) We'll see... I still have a few days to decide. And I shouldn't be so cocky thinking I'm gonna win anyways. (although apparently, the winner last time lost 14lbs in 6 weeks. Hmmmm.....)

p.s. guys, I made it to my half way point, plus a little more!

Oh yeah... something else. I have a dilema. The gym I'll be going to... well, apparently they'll be starting a 'challenge' in November. Everyone who wants to be in it contributes $20, and the top 3 'losers' for the 7 weeks of the challenge will spilt the money some how. So far, I think there's about $400 in the pot. Is it fair for ME to be in this challenge? I would not have told anyone at the gym that I had gotten the lapband, even if there wasn't a challenge, so do I have to if I want to be in the challenge? Should I feel obligated to? Isn't it still hard work for me? I'm SURE I won't be winning, cause there's gotta be some maniacs who'll be workin' there butts off there everyday, and dieting like crazy... but it's some incentive. What if I keep doing what I'm doing right now... work out 3 times a week, and still beat everyone? I think I would feel bad, like I had an unfair advantage. Actually, maybe I'd only feel bad if my friend who I'll be going with, comes close to winning, but I surpass her. I think if that happened, I'd split the money with her. What do you guys think? I don't want to tell people there about it, so... should I say 'screw 'em", this is still hard work" and still participate, or stay out of the competition?

Oh Maria, I love you! :hug: Thank you! This is SO weird, cause I was JUST lying in bed, unable to sleep, thinking of what I could throw in the slow cooker tomorrow for dinner tomorrow night!! Creepy! I don't have alot of the stuff to make pretty much anything in your recipes (but I'll be getting that stuff!), so I was thinking of taking a couple chicken breasts, some canned mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, (Water?) and throwing that in for the day. Then making some noodles or something when I get home to go along with it (even though I know *I* won't eat the noodles, probably)... think that would be ok? Or gross/boring? I have a couple questions though. Is it bad to put frozen meat in the slow cooker? Cause my chicken breasts are frozen (if I weren't so lazy, i'd go take them out right now). Also, my slow cooker is weird. It says that if you're actually cooking stuff for 7-8 hours, to turn it on high for that time. And that only to use 'low' to warm things up. My stew that I cooked on the weekend, I did on high for 7-8 hours, and it turned out really good. Should I listen to the instructions, and do that again, or cook my stuff on low? I'm actually going to be away for almost 10 hours tomorrow. Would that be pushing it? (I think if I get hooked on this slowcooking stuff, I will go out and get an actual REAL CrockPot, so I can actually follow all the recipes I find! You don't even want to know how much I paid for the one I just got!)

Thanks green Dawn, I'm not too worried about Halloween. I'm actually realized that I'm losing interest in the stuff that used to make me ooohhhh so happy. My favorite was going to the grocery stores AFTER Halloween (and easter, and christmas) and buy the super cheap candy/chocolate! I think chocolate is now causing me the odd heartburn, and I'm trying to avoid that as much as possible. It's weird. It's a hugely amazing thing for me to not want to grab a choc. bar at the checkout of the grocery store... or a bag of halloween smarties, or whatever. I'm freakin' myself out typing this! LOL The thought still crosses my mind when I see them, but I brush it off with a "Nah!".

Wheezy... apparently mine is super deep too. Don't worry, when we're skinny ass super models, we won't need to switch our ports to the low-profile ones.

I did it, I did it! I went to the gym and bought a punch pass. Then I went to Walmart and found some sweat pants that aren't as hideous as my only other pants (huge)... which are coincidently my surgery pants! What the heck is up with sizes? I bought 3X pants, after I just bought 18 jeans? Anyways, I got the shoes, and a buddy to go with, and its a ladies gym, so I'm happy. Hopefully tomorrow I can say "I'm half way there." And I can kick the other half off with starting to do some actual exercise... maybe tone up a bit?

Hey Michelle, in case you wanna see my sexy belly, go here, and you can see what my incisions looked like at about 6 weeks after. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=21061 I really need to take some updates pictures of them... and maybe show a little less boob next time.

Hi Michelle... I'm sure lots of people looking in to going with either Dr. Cobourn or Dr. Mumford will find that helpful. (there's lots of us here who already made that decision!) Welcome, and feel free to post and ask away!! Mandi

good job, and congrats, green!!

You can't find a restaurant in my little town that doesn't serve fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas or tacos of some kind... which is weird for the Maritimes, I think. It's more common than fish and chips!

Yahoo (like www.yahoo.ca) or Yoohoo? Isn't Yoohoo a drink? Ok, you're all confusing me now. grrrrrreeeeeen! Miss Vickies SEA salt and vinegar chips?! Me too... I love 'em. I bought a bag of salt and vinegar chips a few months ago, that were SO flavourful that it pained me to eat them... but I couldn't stop. It ravaged my mouth, but it was sooo worth it!

(umm... nevermind, you're all gonna think I'm nuts... it's just showing up as a "?" now. I swear it was another symbol before I hit the 'post' button! )