Constance

I totally agree with the thought of some of the "fun" of eating slipping away because of all the chewing. I actually started to feel a little bummed about it last night at dinner. The small bites and chewing was getting so tedious and I was really hungry! I wanted to shovel it in like ol' times! It's wierd right? If you are getting to eat tasty food, and your stomach is satisfied, why is it such a loss to have to take small bites and chew? Confession: Do you guys find yourselves wanting to push it at all? I don't have much restriction and I have this disturbing urge to try to eat more or chew less...to see if I can do it. Isn't that awful?! Bad girl! I don't want to have the golfball or PB ever! But some twisted part of me wonders if I can tolerate less chewing and more food. Why do I have to battle this "cheater" mentality? I'm not even supposed to be on solids yet...not until Friday. I'm such a rule-breaker. But seriously, I couldn't do the soups anymore. I was weak (and weak-willed) and I'm sticking with easliy chewed and mushy stuff. Ok, and one more thing. I have growing stretch marks and I hate it. I have lost 15lbs, why are they still reaching out across my belly? Should I try the Strivectin stuff? I realize there is NO evidence to suggest it works. I don't know why I'm obsessed with the stretchies. Lord knows I have enough cellulite to pave my driveway. But I'm 30, no pregnancies. and hoped maybe someday I could wear a tankini and show a wee bit o' belly. I guess I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed by my body and things changing (for better and worse) and kind of vain today...thanks for letting me vent.

Hey guys, I just read this...(yes I'm a dork and obssessed with this case) But, after forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht declared Monday that Daniel was taking prescription anti-depression medication when he died, the young man's movie partner has revealed he had been very ill. David Giancola, the director of Smith's new movie 'Illegal Aliens' - which was produced by her son - tells In Touch magazine that Smith had been in intensive care for an elevated heart rate. He says, "He was in the hospital for two or three days. He was really sick. He lost something like 28 pounds and had a constant stomach ache." According to Giancola, Daniel seemed to have recovered but was still not fully fit when he flew to the Bahamas to be with his mother after she gave birth on September 7. It has been suggested that Smith had been prescribed anti-depression medication after splitting up with his girlfriend.

20-year-old men don't just drop dead! This is so wierd! Was he poisoned? Is that rulled out?

Sorry if this has already been discussed...but where are the journals? Gone forever?

Not positive about the specifics, but I think if you live in the Bahamas your child can not be removed from your care for custody reasons. Even if the father was legally awarded custody, it wouldn't be enforced while mom & daughter where in the Bahamas.

I know she had the child in the Bahamas to avoid a custody battle over her newborn. It is tragic -- but also so intriguing. Could it have been the father of her child?

I agree that the majority of the "parties" are really lame. However, I think your product is different. You could have a really fun interactive experience with parents and kids! My personal opinions on the sales parties: 1) Have a defined start and end time. 2) Be honest an open right away - you are there to sell something. But the audience benefits by getting a trial run of the products. 3) Encourage the trial run. Let everyone play with and/or experience the product on their own without the boring "demonstration" 4) Have a group play or child play option so parents can join in if they wish -- or just leave the tykes to entertaining themsleves (that can be a great selling point!) Let us know how it works out for you! I think it is a great idea with an untapped market.

Aw Nancy, I'm sorry. I know how that feels. I was a size 20 and only 5'3" and I have struggled for so long with trying to find big clothes that fit but didn't make me look like my head was sticking out of the top of a tent! I think Old Navy has a good selection of plus size stuff. If you have a store near you you'll find lots in the clearance section -- one advantage of being larger, they seem to have many clearance items left over! I also sort of threw in the towel pre-op. I knew I would be gaining some weight (as part of the terrible Last Supper mentaility I had) and I just wanted to feel conmfortable. I bought elastic waistband yoga pants -- just far enough away from sweats that I felt presentable. Then I bought some cute button-up shirts. Together it looks pulled together enough but still comfy.

HopeW, that is totally the standard feeling for being only a few days post-op. Don't worry! You'll find as your swelling subsides you'll be able to have more and more. Make sure you get enough water right now. Trust me,s oon you'll be ready for food again -- probably in a few weeks.

I know of some docs in Canon City Colorado...that's the closest I can think of, but perhaps others know of more.

Hey Cheri. I'm sorry about the denial. I was denied too. Check out the Insurance forum here. You will find many others going through the same thing. The doctro in Colorado is Dr. Kirshenbaum. He does not work with insurance typically. That rate is self-pay. You shoudl consider contacting ObesityLaw.com. Walter and Kelly Lindstrom are the lawyers and they have a great success rate. It is cheaper than you would think to retain their services. I decided to go self pay -- but if I couldn't have, I would have used Walter and Kelly. Best of luck!

Trizzy I just PM'd you about the fill with Ortiz.

Telly, thanks for sharing those quotes - I have been curious.

So Faybie, you do mushies with nothing to drink. Maybe I should try that until I move to solids. I haven't been avoiding drinking since, well, all I do is drink my food.

Um, confession. In the spirit of moving into mushies. I just had a small dairy queen cocoa fudge sundae. oops. It was, quite seriously, the most AMAZING thing ever!!

I guess it is inevitable. I'm at day 12 and suddenly feel so hungry. I'm on liquids for 9 more days (the straight to solids) and I think I may need to cheat and add some mushies. I still feel like I fill up easier. But the hunger comes back so much sooner. Like after an hour I'm ready to eat again. I hoped I'd be a no-fill type. Although, how can you really judge restriction until you've had solid food, right?

T O M, so true! I can't resist...here is my little dog. I love her so much. Small dogs have a bad rep. She loves people and is so easy going adn she gets plenty of exercise in our yard. AND her poops are the size of tootsie rolls! Less yard clean-up.

Linzee, the only doctor I could think you might mean is Dr. Covarrubias?

Libra, sorry hear about your slimeing the sandwich. Hey if you did eat it. at least it would be pre-lubricated! ha..sorry. I feel like a giant Snoopy balloon at the Macy's Parade. I am so bloated and gas-filled I can hardly see straight. I have the shoulder pain, the diaphram/back pain, I can't bend over or get comfortable and I can't burp! Faybie, I was going to ask the SAME thing. I was driving home thinking "what if I am terribly constipated and I just keep getting more gas in my body until I actually pop?!" Like my incisons are just going to give way and my guts will spill out. Actually, at this point, that might feel good. I know everything going on is normal -- but can I still whine? Did I mention I *miss* wearing a bra? Having my yams pressed against me all day from the zero support tank top I wear is lame.

Smitty, you and I were banded the same day and I feel the same thing. I adjusted my chair to lean back more. But still, after about 6 hours I so sore. I know it will get better, but right now it really bugs me.

Analoren, it is ok to go to a different doctor. The doctor may use flouroscopy to find your port -- or myabe not. But yes, it is ok. You can tell him your fill history.

Yes! I have found brushing my tongue seems to help. There is some normal scrping of the tongue that happens when you eat real food. And with all these liquids we just get more and more layers of gunk. That, and probably ketosis. Although I feel like I am drinking tons of carbs so I don't know. I knew it was bad when my husband was DEMANDING I find the mints in the bottom of my purse. I said "geez, what is the problem" and he said "You're killing me! Have a mint!"

Kate don't be too hard on yourself! It's only been a few weeks and I agree with AndyLiz. Our metabolisms have been ALL over the place! Liquids, clears, anethesia, that's a huge shift for our bodies. Also, about a year ago I worked with a personal trainer. Right away she had me start eating way more food. I went from 1200 to 1600 calories. I was like "Are you crazy?!" But she insisted I had to fuel my metabolism, not starve myself. When you are overweight, you need way more calories than a woman who weights 120lbs. Just your resting metabolic needs can be 1400 calories. That's just to sleep and breathe and blink - not counting any activity. So while we are on these wacky eating regimes with liquids or mushies and so few calories -- or a bunch of smooth carb calories, just rest assured that the weight loss WILL come for all of us! We are so new at this still and it will take awhile for the metabolism to 'catch up'. I am totally impatient too! I have decided I will only weigh myself every 2 weeks. Really what difference does 3 or 4 lbs make? When we know that after we get the right restriction and physically heal we can lose weight and start getting more exercise. Hang in there Kate. We will all be losing steadily in time!