riley4183

Heather the last few times I have been out walking I have been thinking about you for some reason . . either we are walking together soon, or ?? I dunno it's kinda weird!!!

OK so where IS everybody???

Good food day today, 785 calories and within my limits for fat and carbs, and 77 grams of protein. 140 oz of water or herbal iced tea, so far - up to 10 pees! I sure hope it helps! I only have 6 miles in so I'm headed out - I refuse to let this weight gain stick on me!!!

Tina, I hear ya babe. That is awful!!! those poor, poor children. I read about another death just last week . . . . yucko girlfriend. I would tell ya to harden your heart but we all know that you can't do that when it comes to the children! Thats what makes you soooo good. Welcome Wantshealth! Yes you weigh at orientation, remember to wear your very heaviest clothes and keep a couple of rolls of nice heavy quarters in your pockets for the bridge toll on the way home, LOL - it is a nice short trip for you, just over the Richmond San Rafael bridge. Bad traffic through Marin County that time of day though! You are very much encouraged to bring a support person to orientation, and to all of your appointments. Support is one of the biggest indicators of success! There is a HUGE Sonoma County Weight Loss Surgery support group that meets at Wells Frago Center the 2nd Saturday of every month, September is out HUGE annual picnic I will send you more info :-) We also have a smaller Kaiser group that meets weekly to walk. WELCOME!!

OMG Tina, I think you SO need to be a foster mom! Put some prayer into this one - sounds like you are already feeling some peace about it - the right thing will happen :-) I'm not talking about a 2-lb. gain here, I am talking about 6+ LBS!!! Way too much too be just water - I think. Although I did just pee for the 6th time this morning, TMI and LOL at the same time - so a lot of it is water and a lot of it is fatty liver from my carb-fest that started in oregon over a week ago, but some of it is also the fact that I am still doing what worked for me 80 lbs. ago, and my body is much much smaller and I need to do different stuff (like eat less, and change my exercise, and add in weights . . . ) now to keep moving forward. One thing that I CAN say is that since I have gained this, I do feel my band now! It will not let me gain back past a certain amount, and I am SO grateful for that! And also my clothes are not any tighter, and people keep commenting that I am still losing . . . so I am trying not to get disouraged and just pour in the water (already on 50+ this morning, hence the TMI above!) and walk a lot more! I did 11 miles yesterday and only 800 calories and still somehow managed to gain - probably because I have 4 servings of super-salty soup, calories count said I was over 5000 mg of sodium yesterday and if any of that had iodone in it, that is what the gain is from - I am allergic and swell like heck. But anyways!!!

Tina, Liz told me that Kaiser Richmoind provides your after-care at the Richmond facility for the rest of your life, even if you no longer have Kaiser. The only thing that they do NOT cover she said is the labs, and they can be very expensive - upwards of $200 for some of the tests. So get all of your 6 month labs done now! Also, your new insurance - if that happens - may cover part of your labs . . kaiser is probably not one of their preferred providers but I betcha they cover at least some of it! Or go to abother lab for that stuff and bring the printed results in to Kaiser, they will enter them into the system for you . . . I think any lab is required to do the work-up as long as it is directed by a physician, their plan or not. More later - got to go walk - I have gained a crapload of weight back :-(

Girls I think we will be glad we had to cancel, it is the same temp now as it was yestrday! Like it never even cooled off last night . . . . UGH

CRAP! It sure looks like construction will be going on and the parking lot, restrooms etc. will be closed! I'm glad you found this, I had not heard anything!!! RATS! You guys want to go somewhere else??? Looks like Shollengerger construction won't be done until November . . . .

Ha! No NASCAR events this weekend, Indy was last weekend and the bir NASCAR race was Father's Day weekend. I am a HUGE NASCAR fan so I know!! As to other crazy events, none that I know about. I will PM you my cell in case I didn't before!! I'm really looking forward to it :-)

Christine I am SO HAPPY for you! Sitting here tearing up at my computer . . .sniffle, sniffle . . . :w00t: Who is coming to Schollenberger Park tomorrow, meet at 9:30 in the parking area? PM me please so I can give you my cell etc.!! Anyone need disrections???

My goodness April! Yikes, ouch and . . congratulations!! It seems weird to say all that in the same post to the same person, but I guess that's just the way life is sometimes! Your attitude of gratitude is refreshing & a blessing in itself :thumbup: OK not back pon track YET, too much really good dark chocolate in here . . . yes Candra you are right, I need to up my water I will go get some right now! I have been WAY lax on that. Tina what do you hear girl? We just voted on a contract that, if ratified, would actually give a few county positions a 2.21% equity increase - and mine is one of them! I had no idea. Lay some off and pay others more??? It makes no ssense to me - I would rather NOT get more and save jobs, and I told them that too. Back to the grind . . .take care my dearies

Christine tell us how it goes! Did you call Liz yet? I want her to be happy for you!!!!! She loves babies :-)

Good morning my ladies! Christine I am having sympathy pregnancy, I have been eating for 2 just for you! LOL, I have gained 5 lbs since the day before I left for Oregon, hopefully most of that is water from eating carbs & getting the fat ol' liver again . . I mean, I have been horrible with what I have been eating, but seriously I have not been eating the 6000 calories a day it would have taken me to REALLY gain that much weight in that short of a time. So back on track today - even though it is another birthday and there is good food all over this office, LOL! And NO good food at home, I am going to drive across town to Whole Foods at lunchtime today - instead of getting in 2 miles - don't know if that's a good trade-off or not. I can spend $15 but then I have zero $ to buy food before payday 6 days from now!! Grrrrr . . . . I HATE the budget, furloughs, health care costs taking $1300 a month - that's almost $400 per paycheck more than it was a couple of months ago! - and another mandatory 10% pending - union vote today. I HATE THIS STATE

I'm here . . still at work, eating a bean burrito OOPS. Stayed too late to decorate for a co-worker's 30th birthday 2morrow, won't get home before my self-imposed 6:30 dinner deadline so I am eating now - lame excuse huh? OK reporting in: flying did not bother my band at all, and I flew early and ate (peanuts) and drank (decaf) on the plane with no issues. Also being at altitude (over 5000 ft) did nothing either. In fact the only time I had ANY issues was when I stupidly tried to eat part of the bun on my son's chicken sandwich at 8 am at the Portland airport - I spend the next 20 minutes going from the boarding gate to the ladies' room and back - no PB, just sliming. Still . . all in all no issues, much less than I was having with travel before my last fill.

I am 6 months out and I LOVE LOVE LIOVE my band! I would not change a single thing. For me, it was EXACTLY what I needed :-)

CONGRATS Chris!!! WOO-WEE! I know it is not ideal, but it IS really REALLY common to get preggers so soon after surgery! Count your blessings that you had Lap-band, it would be BAD news if you had had RNY! No they will not be happy but these things happen! I think yes you have to have an unfill tho :thumbdown:

Tina check with your HR - new legislation - part of the economic recovery stuff - is that COBRA costs you only 35% of the cost for the first 9 months - so as loing as you are in a Kaiser area ou will be OK - google it, here is the info from our HR: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides a COBRA premium reduction for Assistance Eligible Individuals (AEI’s). The premium reduction is available to certain individuals who experience a qualifying event that is an involuntary termination of employment during the period beginning with September 1, 2008 and ending with December 31, 2009. These individuals may be eligible for the temporary premium reduction for up to nine months. However, if a qualified beneficiary is eligible for other group health coverage (such as through a new employer’s plan or a spouse’s plan) or Medicare, he or she is not eligible for the premium reduction. If you qualify for the premium reduction, you need only pay 35 percent of the COBRA premium otherwise due to the plan. The premium reduction is not available for periods of coverage prior to March 2009. Complete details will be included in the COBRA notice sent to each terminating employee. At the end of the 18-month COBRA continuation period, you may be able to convert your medical coverage to an individual insurance policy. Contact the medical plan directly if interested.

OK ladies that just took me 2 solid hours to read & I am not kidding! And of course now I can't remember any of it, LOL!! Tina I hope it's all good . . . . I have convinced myself that I would happily move to Bend with my family if I got laid off . . . . but I would NOT be happy, I would be freaked! My job is too much of my self-identity now that my kids are grown . . . I think I only gained 1 lb. in Oregon, which is amazing because I was chowing big-time on Chinese food, homemeade chocolate chop cookies with walnuts, etc. on Sunday and Monday. But I was super active too, Monday I did Tumalo Falls (the whole hike with the 7 waterfalls, not just the first one!) at 5,000-6,000 feet elevation *THAT WAS HARD!! Minday I did the Deschutes River Trail, both BEAUTIFUL I can totally see why everyone in Bend is so fit & active!! But I tell you, I am with my brother's family who are die-hard climbers, and I was SCRAMBLIN' big-time to keep up! The elevation really got to me on the hills too, at least the first day - need to remember that for the Lake Tahow Marathon next month! Will post a pic or two later if my son remembers to download and email them to me . . . . Yee gads too much to do! Did anyone call Liz about the walk Saturday? Who all is going? Looks like it is going to be hot! And yes we should picnic :-)

Purdy new ticker too Candra! OKI I REALLY have to go pack now . . . . ttyl

Nicole that IS cool!!!! I wish it meant size 10 for me tho, LOL. Some mof my 12s are still too tight at the end of the day . . . I wear em tho! I want to be a 7/8

Dudette! Nicole - the only part that makes sense is when you said, "you have lost 68% of your excess body fat." I suffered through algebra, give me good ol' statistics anytime . . . When (not IF, but WHEN) I get to 154 I will have lost 100% of my excess body fat - right? My dinner was yummy! I had seconds. I can eat a full cup, no problem. No BP, no stuck - I actually do not "feel" my band anymore . . . . don't feel "tight" at all since the last fill . . . . just don't feel hungry! I know I keep saying it but its just totally freaking me out!! Will someone call and leave Liz a message about when and where the Petaluma walk is? I will have no phone service in Oregon . . . and not back till Wednesday, which does not give her enough lead time

Nicole or Tina, can you do my "math"? I was 242 at surgery and my <25 BMI goal is 154 lbs. is that all you need? Dr. Baggs emailed me that they count our losses since orientation so ?? not sure of he was just being nice about me hitting the century mark or what!

Here are the directions for Shollenberger Park, from 37 or from 101 after Richmond/San Rafael bridge: Directions to Schollenberger Park PM me if you can go so we can exchange cell numbers & make sure we all meet up! I know Liz said she wanted to go; does anyone have an email for her? Or maybe a direct line?

Oh! Before I forget! PETALUMA WALK - SATURDAY AUGUST 29 MEET 9:30 AM SHOLLENBERGER PARK

OK my dinner is simmering, and I licked the spoon and it was YUMMY so now I want to eat it! But I am STILL not hungry, this is insane . . . . well I did have a soy sleder decaf latter about 4, that's probably what is making me go 6 hours without getting hungry. It's just weird. . . .oh and I thre a bunch of fresh spinach in the curry too, got to use everything in my fridge that would go bad while we are gone! Any ideas for breakfast tomorrow, that I can bring through airport security?? My DS will be able to bring SOME food because of the diabetes, and he is . . . probably they will not go for a canned protein shake for him, but maybe!