dj_bryan

Where is he located in Montana? We will be moving to Flathead county in June and I will need to find a fill doctor.

Hey Diane, I'm glad you enjoyed your trip to Cozumel. I've only been once and would love to go back. Yes, I understand about the cup... I used my hand once when I was alone and driving and not thinking about my munching... GROSS!! I can tell I haven't been on in awhile since the site format has changed some since my last sign on. I hope you, Pat and the girls are all doing well. Take care, Donna

Hey ladies, I have not been getting any e mail notifications either. I'm not sure what's up. Somedays I'll get a few and other times I get nothing for a couple of weeks. Sherry I'm sorry about your husband's layoff. My DH is worried too since they keep threatening cutbacks and layoffs at his job as well. They were going to try and cutback though attrition, but very few people are retiring right now since the economy is so awful. Kat, how is the new grandbaby? Pat, I hope you had a great time in sunny Florida. Looks like we may be getting some snow overnight. I sure hope so. I would love a snow day! Diane, I started my class on the 8th. I was off work today for the King holiday and got most of my first paper done for this semester which is due Thursday. If I get a snow day tomorrow I'll finish it up.. if not that's how I'll be spending the next two evenings after work :scared2: I need to go on the exercise site.. I've been doing well with my walking, even in this cold weather. The Ipod keeps me from tearing my hair out in boredom. Well, take care ladies, and stay warm. Donna

Thanks, I will check it out. I have Direct TV, but they do have an on demand feature. I'm doing decently well with my exercise, aeroblically speaking. I now need something for rainy days and some strength training. Thanks for the tip. :cool: Donna

Congratulatons, Kat on your new grandson. Newborns are so sweet and good smelling. And they are caught in those helpless little bodies and can't get anywhere! I love that stage! Hey Diane, Pat,Trish, Sherry, Betty, Theresa! It sounds like everyone is doing well. I'll see some of you on the exercise link! :cool: Donna

You guys are doing such a great job! I'm pretty good about walking 25 minutes each morning, and another 10-15 with my kids at recess. The biggest problem is when the weather is bad. This morning it is pouring, so I didn't walk. I need suggestions for working out inside. I do not have any equipment or a wii, but I am very open to other suggestions. I seem to have more energy when I get my exercise in each morning. Keep up the good work. :tongue2: Donna

Hey Diane, It's good to see you too. I start another grad class this Thursday, so I'm trying to be better about posting before I get wildly busy again. I'll see you on the exercise thread!

Hey ladies, Happy New Year! I've been taking down decorations as well. The inside is pretty much done, but we still have lights and figures outside. DH is like Mr. Christmas and always seems a bit depressed when the decorations come down. I'll have to check out the sugar free syrup sites. I normally just put a capful of an extract in my shakes and it seems to satisfy my taste buds, but varieties are limited. I start back to work tomorrow and because of how busy the holiday was, I barely feel like I had a break. Having so many people staying at my house was fun but exhausting. Also, like Betty, I've been drinking too many of my calories which has put my weight at a standstill. I should be lucky I haven't gained. I'm going to try and limit the liquor for a time and see if I can start losing again. I'm also trying to resolve to be better about my posting. I wish I wasn't blocked at work. Take care everyone, Donna

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I finally got a break from school and have had company staying at my house for a week! I'm cooking and entertaining constantly, which has put my weight at a standstill. I can't wait to get back on track. Please know that I think about all of you often, even when I don't have a chance to post. I should have a lull the next few days. :party: Donna

Good Morning, ladies. I hope you all had a happy Halloween. My DH and I usually just sit on the porch, drink and scare the little kids. It's quite fun.. we decorate and play scary music. This year we didn't have many kids though.. maybe about 30. I'm not sure if this is a trend or just my area of the neighborhood. Pat- I'm sorry but I didn't see your e mail about Wednesday night. An e mail may work better for me during the week, because I don't always get on the site until the weekends. I hope you and Diane were able to meet. Diane - thanks for your insights. I appreciate it. I'm doing pretty well overall with my weight so far. It's been 4 months and I just hit 40lbs. I'm okay with that .. being in my 50's I know my metabolism isn't as fast as it used to be. I am aiming for 50 lbs by Christmas, and I'm going to try and stay away from the sweet stuff. I hope it is not a too lofty goal! :cursing: Sherry - thanks for giving me info about the Witches ride -- you ladies are giving me bike envy. LOL Jessica - your pics look wonderful and I know I have read the same things the trainer is telling you. You have done so well and will continue to do so... muscle not only weighs more than fat, but is more desirable for overall health. It also looks a helluva lot better. Kat - thanks for the weather update.. it sounds beautiful. It's been colder in this area of Virginia than it usually is this time of year. But I can't complain... my homestate of NJ had snow this past week! Betty - keep the faith - 92lbs is no small feat! Take care everyone, Donna

Good morning, ladies! You all look and sound wonderful! Betty, I sure wish we could see pics of that fabulous new body! I just know you look beautiful. Sherry- I'm intrigued with the witch ride... what exactly is it? It sounds like fun and cold as a witches' tit! Jessica, I love your beach picture... you must be getting so close to goal. That is wonderful and you look great! Kat- are you feeling back to normal yet? You've been through so much I know it must take awhile. Diane - I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. I've been to Nassau and wasn't so impressed either. Did you stay at the Atlantis? I noticed you're about a year from your surgery. Any regrets or observations? Pat- were the pics from Ft. Lauderdale from your condo? It looks beautiful. There is so much to do in that area of Florida. I hope you'll invite me when you and Diane have your next cocktail hour. I usually get home from work between 5:30 and 6, except for Thursday nights when I have class. I'm envious of all of you that get to check your e mail and the site at work. I am totally blocked! I can only check my work e mail and approved sites from the school district. :thumbup: Have a great weekend! Donna

Sherry that soup sounds delicious and I just love the name! I am definitely going to give it a try. I think it would go down easily.. now that I finally have restriction it's like learning to eat all over again. (I'm not complaining!) Kat, I'm glad you're starting to feel normal again. I am picturing all the hot air balloons... it must be breathtaking. I hope everyone else is doing well. Have a great day. Donna

Good evening, Ladies. I hope everyone is well. I did just fine with my second fill. I am down 32 lbs which isn't bad considering I haven't had much or any restriction until now. I can really tell the difference with this fill. I get food stuck easily if I eat too big a piece or too quickly. I get full a lot more quickly as well. I hope to see bigger drops in my weight now. We'll see. I only weigh once a week so I can see a difference and not drive myself nuts with the scale. As far as clothing.. at this point I'm still shopping in my closet and wearing things that have been too small for quite a while. I don't want to invest any money in clothing until I have to. Good for Diane being in the Bahamas! I hope she is having a blast. Take care everyone. Donna

Thanks for starting a new thread, Pat. Our house is financed through Washington Mutual as well. We have it automatically deducted the first of the month. I'm going to check at the end of the day and see if they took it out! Maybe they'll call it even. LOL Michaele- Happy Anniversary! I'm sorry your DH is not here to share it with you. When is he expected home? My nephew is in Baghdad now a year and won't get home until sometime in January. The army is not family friendly. My next door neighbor is in Iraq, too, with five kids and his wife here. We help her out all we can, but I know it has to be so hard for her. Kat - you just can't get a break! Thanks for warning us about the credit card scam in restaurants. Although we don't eat out much, when we do we almost always use our debit. I'm steering clear of places with crayons. With this economy we may have to go back to using cash anyway! As far as the scale, I weigh myself once a week before jumping into the shower. I used to do it every day, but the variations drove me crazy. When I do it once a week, I will usually see a lb or so gone... worse case is I stay the same. I go today and have to get weighed with clothes on, so I hope I'm not disappointed. Well ladies, have a great day. I'll let you know how my fill goes. :cursing: Donna

Hey ladies, I think about you guys each day. I used to be able to get on the site at work when I had a few extra minutes. Now the site is blocked! Working late and taking class at night has left me relegated to the weekends. I will try and be more consistent with my postings. Kat, you have been through so much. I'm very glad you got through all of this and are doing well. Sherry the Crock Pot Queen, don't forget to share some of those recipes. I use the crock pot a couple of times a week during the school year. It's terrific to come home and smell dinner. Jaculin, I see you're from the Long Branch area. Do they still have Max's hot dogs? About the only time I eat hot dogs is when I go there... it's been several years though. Betty- Happy Birthday! I'm so glad you had a wonderful day. You certainly do deserve it. I know the girls are looking great in that new jacket! Where are you Diane? I hope you're doing well. Jessica, are you still keeping up your tan? :cool2: Pat - I see people are starting to post more consistently on the Hampton Roads site. That's terrific. I'll have to start poking my head in more often. I'm glad you didn't get blown away by the storm. I was hoping for a 2 hour delay. lol I am looking forward to my second fill on Wednesday. I'm hoping to have more restriction. I am still losing about a pound a week, but I'd love to see a bit more of a jump. Of course if I cut out the wine I'd probably lose more quickly too! Take care ladies, Donna

Hey everyone, I've been thinking about all of you. Pat, of course I wouldn't forget any of you! I'd love to have a drink sometime and don't mind driving to meet Diane. School is still going well. I am also taking a class on Thursday nights from 4 to 7, so I've been pretty busy. I'm settling into my new school. I hope I can start cutting down on all the hours I've been working. After a lazy summer I'm struggling with these 55 hour weeks. lol I'm due for a fill on Oct 1st. I'm thinking about calling in sick, since I'm taking off to go to UVA medical center for my husband on the 23rd of this month. Let me know if you'll be around that day. I'd love to celebrate! Eileen- those puppies are adorable! They all look so different too! Sherry - I'm definitely going to try that crock pot recipe. It looks delicious! Betty- I'm glad you are healing well! Send some pics when the swelling goes down. Michaele- good luck with your new band; I know you'll be glad you made the decision. If I missed you, it doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you. Take care.:smile: Donna

Hey everyone, Happy Labor Day! Thanks for starting the new thread Sherry. Pat, dogs on the grill and a warm pool sound like a perfect holiday. The weather here is beautiful today. I have been wildly busy getting my classroom ready for the darlings. I know I've been mia since I've been working late every night and went to the mountains this weekend. Everything is going well, it is just hectic like most of our lives. :smile: The kids start school tomorrow so I have to put on my serious face for the week until they realize I don't play. lol I haven 't seen Diane post lately. I hope she is well. Betty, I'm so glad your recuperation is going well. Will you post a pic of the girls for us!!? LOL Kat, I hope you are through with that nasty virus. Maybe you're just sore from the vomiting. I sure hope your band didn't slip. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Well, ladies, have a great day. I'll let you know how the first days of school go. I hope I can sleep tonight. I still get excited before the first day of school! Donna

Hello wonderful women! I hope you are all doing well. Betty, you are in my prayers and thoughts. You will do well and look terrific! We are all here to cheer you on! I think I PB'd last night. I was at an all day pool party and decided to drink my calories. When I got home last night, my husband had made pork chops. Of course I was starving and started to eat one...I guess too fast! It got stuck. I ran to the bathroom thinking I would puke, but instead my mouth kept filling with saliva and it eventually went down. I guess I do have some restriction after all. Only two more days until I return to work. I am hanging on every last minute of my summer. LOL It's all good. Take care everyone. Donna

I don't know how, but I lost my whole damn post! I hope everyone is well... waiting to hear how Betty's test went. I'll write again tomorrow when I'm less aggravated!

Have you had other surgeries or childbirth before this? I thought it was much easier than previous surgeries. All people experience pain differently. Not having an experience with which to compare it may make it seem worse. HANG IN THERE! Like all surgeries, this gets better with time. :thumbup:

I lost 15 lbs the first two weeks after being banded. When the dr told me to go on solid foods, I was also told that I probably won't lose any more weight until I had a fill. I did lose 2 more lbs, and was told that was very good any many people gain a few after going on solid food. You are meant to lose slowly. Don't worry, be happy!

Gall stones are associated with fast weight loss. I had it after losing weight several years ago. They do it laproscopically as they do the lap band surgery.

My doctor professes the same thing HeatherO. However, he says after the protein should be veggies and then fruits and then carbs. The rationale is that fruits have more sugar, so try and limit fruit to one serving per day.

Hey ladies! I go to the beach for three days and I miss everything! Betty- I'm so glad you're ok. It must be a big relief. Kat - In what town was the Connie Mack tournament? I always associate Connie Mack with Philly. I remember when my old hometown (Ewng) hosted the world series for 13-15 years olds. They got that honor for having won the tournament themselves years before; actually, when I was that age! It was so enjoyable, and fascinating to see the level of play at such young ages. Trish - I'm so glad your mom is doing better. I know you treasure each day with her. Sherry - I can't wait to hear how those bread n butter pickles turn out. My SIL makes them every year and gives us some. They make my DH's mouth water! Jessica- I'm happy you survived your first PB. I haven't had one yet. Did you know what it was right away? Eileen- glad you made it through the big IL visit! Do you feel better about it in retrospect? Pat- Thanks for inviting me to the pool party. I was at OBX all weekend and didn't get your message until later last night when we got home. Friends of ours met us at the house and we partied as well. I"m glad you had such a great time. I would have enjoyed picking through those burnt popcorn crabs! Diane- I felt like I was on that liquid diet myself this past weekend. I'm doing really well with my eating, but all this partying is making me (!) consume too many liquid calories. Oh well, I'll be back at school soon so I'll have much too little time to drink then. LOL Where are the new girls? Have a wonderful day everyone. Donna