anonemouse

It really pisses me off when people say or imply that only Christians are moral people. If the only thing keeping you from raping, killing, and stealing is the fear of going to hell, then you are not a good person, even if you are a Christian. People have morals because they are good people, not because of religion. Personally, I don't lie, steal, rape, or murder because I don't want to be that kind of person. Am I a Christian? No, I am an atheist. In fact, I am a little more moral than many Christians; I don't want to keep two people who love each other apart.

Personally, I think polygamy if completely fine if all people involved are unrelated, consenting adults. Forcing young girls to marry old men, though? Not cool.

Yeah, I'd rather drink unsweetened iced tea or water than a diet soda. They taste horrible to me. And to honest, if I am taking the effort to eat or drink something, I want it to actually taste decent. I have a hard time finding decaf soda, though. Usually all I can find in stores is decaf diet soda, which isn't going anywhere near my mouth. I went off sodas and sugar-sweetened tea for a while several months ago and didn't really miss them, so I think I am going to try it again.

Anyone know of a good decaf hot tea (or cold, for that matter)? I want to try to get used to it before surgery. Wanting just a good, black tea, maybe flavored. Not Earl Grey or citrus blends, though.

I think what T.O.M. is saying is that only the original Bible was instructed by God. If it has been translated, transcribed, shortened, or lengthened in any way, that Bible was not instructed by God. Words change over time. What may have meant one thing when it was first written down in the original language may have meant something entirely different when it was translated into another, and it may have been translated to show that difference. To use modern language, for example, the word "fag" when used in American English is a derogatory word for "homosexual," but in British English, it means "ciggarette." Same word, different meaning depending on who is talking and who is listening (or reading, in the case of the Bible).

I think my insurance will cover the surgery, but it has a history of not covering stuff 100%. For my mom's knee replacement surgery, for example, it only covered around 80%, and she had to have the surgery or be put in a wheelchair. Of course, I don't know if that was their usual practice for every surgery, or if it was just because the doctor wasn't a participator in their insurance program (don't know if he was or not). I have found several bariatric surgeons that do participate in my insurance program, so I am hoping to get it covered 100%. I am just hoping they consider my health conditions that are caused by my weight to be severe enough to cover it.

I am 23, so I can make the decision without their input. The problem is that I am covered under their insurance until next August. I think I could arrange to have all bills for anything the insurance doesn't cover sent to me, though. I hadn't thought of that. Now the only thing I am worried about is whether or not I will be able to get insurance of my own in August if I go ahead and have this surgery. My brother's girlfriend has said that she has patients who couldn't get insurance once they had weight-loss surgery.

To be honest, I am not sure what my brother's girlfriend knows about the surgery. She works for a bariatric surgeon, but I believe he only does gastric bypasses. I think she would try to talk me out of it, also. I like her, but even though she is a nutritionist, she is one of the super-thin nutritionists who has never been fat in her life. Even though she works with fat people every day, she still doesn't fully understand what they go through.

I told my mom I wanted her to go to a surgery seminar with me. When she found out that the seminar was for weight-loss surgery, she freaked out. I kept trying to tell her that it was just a seminar, that there wasn't any requirement to go through with the surgery after the seminar. She thinks it is too expensive, too drastic, etc. I wish she would realize that I AM FAT. I have BEEN FAT for years and years. Every time I diet, I wind up weighing more than when I started the diet. I am already having health issues. I really hate to say this, because she is my mom and I love her, but I really think she tries to sabotage me whenever I do go on a diet. When I am not on a diet, she tells me that I can't go on eating like this, that I need to lose weight. But whenever I am on a diet, she is all, "Come try this [insert fattening food], it is really good." I keep telling her, "No, I don't want any, I'm not hungry." She keeps saying, "C'mon, just try it!" Sometimes, I think she subconciously doesn't want to be the fattest person in the family, which she would be if I lost weight. I really want to do this, but I am still dependent on my parents because I am a full-time grad student. I think I have enough money saved up to pay for any costs the insurance company won't cover (as long as they cover the majority of the surgery), but I really need their support. My mom wants me to talk to my brother's girldfriend, who is a nutritionist for a bariatric surgeon. I don't want to talk to her, I know it would probably get back to my brother, and therefore the entire family. I am a very private person, and I seem to only be able to talk about things like this with people I don't know.

I don't even know what to say to this. To me, it is along the lines of being concerned for the children of a straight couple who had to go to a sperm bank or adopt. Yes, a man is needed to contribute sperm for a woman to get pregnant. That's a fact of life. But he isn't needed to complete a family. Neither is a woman. A family is a unit of people that share love and responsibility. Having a man (or a woman) around doesn't make one group of people more of a family than another. To put it simply, they explain that there was a wonderful man out there that knew people like Mom and Mommy wanted a child and decided to donate sperm so that they could be a family.

I finally decided to bite the bullet and get things started. On Saturday, I will be going to a surgical seminar at the Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity in Nashville, TN. I will be getting paperwork to fill out to get the insurance thing started while I am there, also. I called my insurance today, and they do cover Lap-Band surgery, but I have to meet certain conditions. I have high cholesterol, prediabetes, asthma, and PCOS due to obesity, plus like I said in another post: I am hoping that they look at my family history and decide that it would be cheaper to pay for surgery now than pay for all the things that are pretty much guaranteed to go wrong if I stay fat. My mom had to have both knees replaced ($$$) due to the joint being destroyed from excess weight and has been diagnosed with high cholesterol and diabetes. My dad has been diagnosed with high cholesterol and was diagnosed with diabetes (and then told he didn't have it, so who knows). My mom's father had diabetes and died of a heart attack at a relatively young age. Her mother had diabetes and may have died of heart failure. My dad's father had a triple bypass and I am pretty sure he died of heart failure (I think he also had diabetes). His brother also had a triple bypass a couple of years ago. His mother had diabetes and several other things wrong. I am also certain that there is diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol among other family members. So when you look at that, I would think they would decide that me getting a lap-band before something really bad happens would be a good idea. But you never know with insurance companies. Anyway, I have asked my mom to go with me to the seminar, but all I told her is that it was a seminar about surgery. I didn't tell her that I am thinking about having bariatric surgery. I need to, but I will discuss it with her when I see her in person.

Does he have a website?

I am a student. I completed my Bachelor's degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science in May 2005. I am currently working on my Master's degree in Biology. I will hopefully be graduating in May or July 2007 and then going on to get my PhD in wildlife biology or some associated field. I am also teaching, as part of a graduate assistantship scholarship. I teach two biology labs a week for non-majors, and I assist in two biology classes a week for education majors. What do you guys (and girls) do?

I would go with the elliptical, but like everyone says, don't get the cheap ones. I found that out the hard way. With the exception of the balance balls, you generally get what you pay for with exercise machines. That said, there comes a point where they are all the same and you are just paying for extras or the name. I would expect to spent at least $400-$500 on a decent machine, even if you go with something other than an elliptical. I would wait for a good sale somewhere, so that you can get a good one at the price of a not-so-good one.

If you have any outlet stores near you, I would try there. I usually have good luck at my local Liz Claiborne outlet. Sometimes, anyway. Either I can find several items that fit, or no items that fit. They do make some good petite-length pants, though, and you can get them in a variety of styles. Shirts depend on the season and the style, though. Sometimes they have some good ones, sometimes they don't. I can occasionally find something that will fit at the Vanity Fair outlet store, also.

Any tips on where to find them? Right now, I get most of my tops from Target (I buy one style of shirt in different colors and sleeve lengths) and my pants from Liz Claiborne. I used to be able to wear one style of jeans from Tommy Hilfiger Woman, but they apparently don't make them any more. I am short enough (5'3") that it is difficult to find pants that are both in a style that is at least semi-flattering and short enough. A lot of plus-size shops, like Lane Bryant, don't carry much (if any) of either.:help: Most stores apparently think that as you get wider, you also get taller. At Lane Bryant, for example, even the petites are several inches too long. And if they are short enough, they are either super-baggy in the butt and thighs or a really unattractive style for short folks (you know, the boot-cut that either makes your legs look like short hour-glasses or look like bell-bottoms). Shirts are not much easier to find. I can't wear anything with 3/4 sleeves, because they look like long-sleeved shirts that are too short for me. I can rarely wear long-sleeved shirts because the sleeves are too long and the cuffs are around my knuckles. :angry So, does anyone know where to find half-way attractive clothing in women's petite sizes? Or should I just wait to look for anything until I have had surgery and am a smaller size?

I gues it is not so much about getting to eat over the holidays as it is that I don't want to have to sit with my family at the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and watching them get to eat all the food I cooked and me not getting to eat any of it. I actually tend to not gain very much (if any) during the holidays, simply because I work so hard on the cooking (I cook about 95% of the meal, my mom does the rest) and then only eat a little of it (very, very picky eater). It isn't that I love the food, it is more that I think it would be very difficult to watch other people eat what I couldn't.

I am hoping that they look at my family history and decide that it would be cheaper to pay for surgery now than pay for all the things that are pretty much guaranteed to go wrong if I stay fat. My mom had to have both knees replaced ($$$) due to the joint being destroyed from excess weight and has been diagnosed with high cholesterol and diabetes. My dad has been diagnosed with high cholesterol and was diagnosed with diabetes (and then told he didn't have it, so who knows). My mom's father had diabetes and died of a heart attack at a relatively young age. Her mother had diabetes and may have died of heart failure. My dad's father had a triple bypass and I am pretty sure he died of heart failure (I think he also had diabetes). His brother also had a triple bypass a couple of years ago. His mother had diabetes and several other things wrong. I am also certain that there is diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol among other family members. So when you look at that, I would think they would decide that me getting a lap-band before something really bad happens would be a good idea. But you never know with insurance companies.

I was thinking about asking my endocrinologist for a referral when I see him on Nov 9, ut now I am thinking about calling the doctor that I did my medical weight-loss program through (phentermine) and seeing if she will set one up. I have been seeing her longer than I have been seeing the endocrinologist, and she knows that I have been trying to lose weight unsuccessfully. What do you guys think? Should I call her on Monday or wait until the 9th and see the endocrinologist for a referral?

Thanks, guys!

That's what I am hoping the surgeon will say when I get to talk to him. Right now, I have an appointment with my endocrinologist Nov 9, and I will ask him for a referral then.

What do you guys think my chances are of having surgery by the end of the year? I haven't even gotten a referral to a surgeon yet, but I think I will be able to. If I do go through with this, and I am able to get it covered by insurance, I'd like to have it done by the end of the year, mostly because my family has met our deductible for this year. I am still covered under my parent's insurance, at least until next August. Ideally, I would prefer to wait until January for surgery, just so that I can actually eat over the holidays, but that means having to pay a deductible.:straight

Has anyone tried to get their lab-band covered by First Health insurance?

I have been thinking about talking to my doctor about being referred to lapband surgery. My fear is that he will say, "You aren't big enough." It's true that I only weigh around 210. But I am also only 5'3". My BMI is 37 and I am starting to develop health problems. I have PCOS, high cholesterol and triglycerides, exercise-induced asthma, and prediabetes. I have made numerous attempts to lose weight, all with no lasting success. I see all these posts from people that weighed 300+ pounds when they had surgery, and I really wonder if I am making too much of my weight. And then I think that if I take care of it now, I won't get to that point. I won't have full-blown diabetes or heart disease (both of which are very prominent in my family). I won't have to have a double knee replacement like my mom did. Or triple/quadruple bypasses like my uncle and one of my grandfathers. Or die of a heart attack like my other grandfather. So yeah, I have no idea what to think. I am caught between thinking this is the best thing that I can do and thinking that I should wait until I weigh more and have worse problems.

Does anyone know anything about some of the doctors in Tennessee? I am wanting to stay around Nashville, Knoxville, or Chattanooga, if possible. I know there is a really good one in Memphis, but I don't want to go there for personal reasons.