TheGh0st

HOORAY!!!! I don't know what I'd do without this board. It has been my lifeline through this journey. It appears one of the servers at the company that hosts the site crashed over the weekend. I was so worried something had happened and I lost lapbandtalk for good.

I think this is the link you are looking for. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f109/exce...estions-39989/ Just please, Please, PLEASE tell me if you try it, whether it works for you or not. I don't like posting about this when I only know of one other person that has tried it. And that was my mom, she claims it has been working but who knows if she is just being polite.

Have you checked the size of the picture file? I always forget to do that myself. LBT only allows pics up to certain file sizes.

OMG - If Hoehn took a few pointers on his hair from McKidd they could practically be twins. Too Funny!

No problem, I thought I remembered that Olathe was too far. Legends wouldn't be too bad if you were interested but now that winter is rapidly approaching that's not a great option either. I am toying with the idea of telling my DH I'm going to stay in KS that weekend while he goes to Nebraska with his aunt. If so I'll come to the meeting. Otherwise hope to see you in December.

Uhghh!!! My DH this morning saw my morning Protein shake (approx 16 oz) and asked "Shouldn't that be too much for you to drink if you are properly adjusted?" Come on the band is suppose to slow solids from going through not liquids. Does he think I'm suppose to starve myself? OK yes I'm just coming off a long period of being filled too tight where I'd get heartburn and reflux just from taking a small drink but that was NOT normal.

Hey there Tracy. I was just thinking about you myself. I was wondering if you were going to be at Malley's group meeting this month. I was hoping to get a chance to meet you in person but then I'm not going to be able to make it this month due to company coming in. Can't remember if I've asked this before but are you anywhere close to Olathe? Me and another band-girl are meeting up at the Mall of the Plains to walk tonight. If it gets too much for me I was going to sit and let her walk a lap without me. Would be great if you could come.

Thanks, each day is getting a little bit better. Today I was only 5 minutes late. Sad considering I live only 10 minutes from work and got up nearly 2 hours before I needed to be there. But between needing to wash my hair, massage my scar line, clean out my belly button scar, wrestle my spanx back on, etc. next thing I knew I was running late yet again. Last night I was probably my most active after work I picked up my 4 year old from pre-school took him home to change for Halloween, drove him to a nearby outdoor shopping area for some trick-or-treating then off to a church sponsored party where we he played, had a hay ride and got more candy that he could carry (literally - it was ridiculous how much he got!) We didn't get home until nearly 10pm. I was probably pushing myself a bit far but I sat down as often as I could. But when I got home and laid down on the couch I found I needed my DH to help me back up. I just couldn't figure out how to get rolled over to get up and I can't just sit-up using my stomach muscles. I felt so silly calling him to come in from the other room to pick me up. Thankfully he was a good sport about it, gave me a little look of "Come on do you really need help?" but he did it.

Oh, and I really did start seeing results within one week. Try just the one arm for the first week and see if you can tell that is starting to look better than the other. Then if it is you can start rubbing them both. I'd still like an arm lift but the way my left arm looks after rubbing it just isn't bad enough to justify the expense. If only I could win the lottery or talk my doc into putting me on TV like Enterprise. Oh well back to reallity.

Ha!!! I've been trying to convince my husband to help work on my thighs as they aren't exactly easy to massage by myself. A little easier to reach without the pannis in the way but still VERY akward. But, so far he hasn't warmed up to the idea. I've been trying to convince him it might be considered foreplay but he's not convinced. But honestly, the arms really only take a couple minutes a day. Usually I would do it while stuck at a red light in traffic or while watching TV at night. The key to not getting the sore shoulders though is not to hyper extend the arm you are rubbing with, and to only rub for a minute or two at a time (as little as 30 second bursts works as well). But rub fairly hard, I compare it to giving your little brother a knuckle rub on the head.

And your pics as well I am so sorry you decided it was necessary. Hopefully things will change down the road so that you can bring them back. You and the other successful "old-timers' here have been a priceless inspiration for me. If it weren't for my seeing your's and the others success here on lapbandtalk I may have never made it as far as I have towards my own goals so far. You show us that we do not need to accept the statistics and doctors low expectations for us. Thank you so much for everything you have done and meant to me even if you never knew it. And I wish you and your family nothing but the best.

I hate the whole clock changing thing each fall as well. I believe the "real" time is the winter time and the "daylight savings" is in the summer. Personally I'd like to switch the clocks over to the summer time (whichever that is) and just leave it. My problem with the time change is two fold. First off I absolutely hate that when the clocks go back each winter it means I'm leaving for work in the dark and coming home in the dark. If it stayed the same as summer it would mean I could at least drive home with some light left. Secondly, the way the roads are laid out on my route to/from work there are a couple of weeks as the sunrise/sunset changes that I'm driving with the sun right in my eyes (Very Dangerous) but just as the sun starts to shift enough that it isn't bothering me anymore they go and change the clocks putting me back on the road at a time the sun is in my eyes again. Personally, though I agree with the idea behind what the other poster said about less accidents and such I would think that doubling the length of time people are having to drive with the rising/settning sun glaring in their eyes as well as making it so many commuters are driving both to and from work in the dark during winter is also creating additional road hazards.

Enterprise - 10 pounds for $2,000? You can do it!!! We're all routing for you!

Yup, back to work full time, Pretty much at least. Yesterday & today I was 15-30 min late getting in but everyone is being good about it. Joking that they are just glad I'm not in my PJ's anymore. I could probably stop the pain pills altogether but have been taking 2-3 pills a day. The pain has never been more than a mild sit-up cramp pain since the drains came out last Wednesday. Even then its only when I first try to get up after sitting a while, or if I push myself and am up for too long (over 1 hour doing VERY light housework or walking I'd guess). Yes Mazziemommy, I am the one that was working my left arm with massage that I saw on TV a couple months ago. I've only done it a handful of times in the last 3 weeks and then for less than a minute. I was a bit curious if stopping the massage would cause my arm to "re-sag" but it actually seems to be another 1/4" smaller. I never really started in on my right arm with any earnest effort. And have massaged it only a handful of times in total. I've also "brushed" it with a boar's bristle hairbrush several times per some other hairbrained report I saw on the internet. Surprisingly it has gone down about 1/2" since I started any effort on it last month. The down side to the whole massage thing has been that I put too much effort in it at the beginning and did something to my right shoulder. I'm not sure if I just pinched a nerve or actually damaged the rotator cuff by hyper extending my right shoulder to massage my left arm. Either way it hurts most days. Sometimes bad enough it effects my sleep, sending shooting pains all the way down my arm. Needless to say this has kind of scared me about doing similar damage to my other shoulder. Though I will say the Physical Therapy that my doc ordered on my shoulder will be covered by insurance unlike an arm lift. Now if I could only find the time to fit than in with everything else. I don't really think that massaging your arms should cause shoulder pain for others. I think I just pushed it too hard at the start and I've also got fairly short arms compared to even others my height (so I'm told) so just reaching the other arm properly was a bit difficult. My other issue with the whole massage thing is that I've had several people express interest but so far only one has reported back that they've tried it and seen any results so far. No one else has said it didn't work either but still hardly enough evidence to make a judgement on whether it really works or was some strange fluke. I can try to post pics of my arms as well if you want. But it looks like you guys might have to wait until next week for them. My neighbor who took the first pics left her camera at her parents last weekend and my follow up with the doc isn't until next Wednesday. Unless ofcourse someone here is desperate enough and close enough to consider helping me take the pics.

I know what you mean about the clothes. I hate the idea that I'm looking at buying a whole new wardrobe just to have it replaced again after my Breast Reduction next year. I'm sure you can get him to come round in time for the surgery. I don't know what your clothing budget is like but you could alway argue that is an added cost he hasn't considered. Good Luck

Great Link Mrs Husker. Thanks for the info.

I absolutely LOVE my electric throw blanket but for the bed my suggestio is to get a heated mattress pad instead of the blanket. We've had that for years now. It has dual controls for either side of the bed and is designed to get warmer from around your knees down. DH & I have just switched rolls on who turns it on the higher setting and at what times of year. It's hard for me to believe when we were first married we actually managed to have a window freeze open because I needed some "fresh air" at night to breathe.

Paulax - Congrats on breaking into the 80's!!!

NO KIDDING!!! What about the good old "If you only did a few sit-ups"? If I hear that one more time I feel I could go "POSTAL" - You know in some small part that may be why I've been willing to show my PS pics online, even e-mailing them to a few family members and family. As some sort of "proof" to others that I really did need it. NOT THAT IT WAS ANY OF THERE BUSINESS TO BEGIN WITH OFCOURSE!

Yeah, Some of my family and friends are starting to treat me like I'm being selfish for wanting to actually get down to a healthy BMI range. Unfortunately, I have to admit I buy into this one from time to time (feeling personally selfish, NOT thinking others are selfish) I start doubting whether I should continue to work as hard to lose or just "be happy" with where I'm at now and focus on maintaining. Ultimately I think the real answer for me is to learn to accept and love myself for who/what I am NOW, WHILE I continue to strive towards that ultimate healthy BMI target. I'm not as messed up as this post may imply, every day the head issues do get better and better but they are still there for now.

Great thread. Thought it ought to be in RNR at first but after reading it through I think this is the perfect place for it! 2+ years out and my MIL still keeps asking when I'm going to have it removed so I can start eating healthy again (like her). This coming from a woman I always thought was thin in her size 12 jeans (me in size 24-26). Now I'm a size 10 and still shrinking she's still a 12 (which btw I'm not insulting that size, I still think she looks thin) but she has high BP and her Cholesterol is over 300! Can anyone tell me why she honestly thinks she is the one eating more healthy?

Thanks for the info. I like TheGh0st most days but sometimes seeing other peoples interesting names I'm tempted to change mine to something more interesting.

and why am I responding to posts that had nothing to do with me to start with? But then if I can't do it in RNR where can I, right?

OK all you Perv's :heh:! I'll do my best to get you some updated pics this week instead of waiting until after Nov. 7th. And wish me luck all. I've told work I intend on trying to be back to full time starting tomorrow.

OK All I'm sorry for quoting so many people and editing so much of there original posts. But just to be a Devil's Advocate here on the Rants and Rave board, I thought I'd post that even though I CAN see how some here have might read phyllisc's post negatively. I chose to read it as simply trying to be supportive of SSDiva's personal positive self esteem at her current weight when some (I repeat SOME) people aren't lucky enough to have as good a self esteem no matter what weight they are. Though I have to add I can't say I've met a single person here on LBT that I would ever point to as "proof" of someone with an unhealthy self-esteem, DEFINITELY NOT any one of the posters I have seen here so far, with the possible exception of myself. I know I struggle daily with the "where am I?", "where am I going", "where do I need to be" and worst of all the "how will I recognize it if I ever get there?"'s I pray everyday to find the strength to be happy where I'm at while I continue to decide where I need/want to be. I worry that I may never be satisfied with who I am no matter how matter how far the scale moves. I don't find Jachut or Chickie TOO Thin nor have I read anyone here's post as intentionally trying to say that. Even though I know some cruel people have done this to them in PM's and elsewhere. NOR do I consider anyone who chooses to remain at a higher BMI as failures and again I don't believe Chickie, Jachut or anyone else here has intentionally tried to say that either. OK - I'll duck now while everyone takes there shots at me. (Why, oh why, do I like these Rants and Raves areas when they are so much trouble?:drama::biggrin1:)