Band_Groupie

Whew!!! I was so hoping it was just thrush from the antibiotics (my kids got that all the time from being on the antibiotics for ear infections)...YAY THRUSH!!! Glad to hear you're turning the corner...all of this will soon be a blurrrrrrr... Say it with me...'I AM A BANDER!!!!' :-) -BG

Hey, if I say you're an inspiration, then you are!!! Especially for continuing to face the issues and work on this with the 'rough times'. The old me would have used all that as an excuse not to get back on the wagon...EVER...so you're an inspiration for the tough times we'll ALL face sooner or later as well. We'll all need to face those food demons (like stress eating) that got us here in the first place and it's helpful to me seeing you work through it. Thank you! -BG

I took some pics of the back garden today and thought I'd share them (didn't seem appropriate to put them under the before/after albums). Looking these over, I'm proud of all the work we've done. I love gardening. Enjoy my slice of heaven and where I love to spend time… Pic 1.5- My little herb garden that sits just out the kitchen door. DS1 helped me put in the brick paths. Lavender section is on the left, Thymes in front, my poor spindly Basils on the right (with a few parsley and dill) and everything else in the back. You can see DS2's raised big veggie garden just beyond. Pic 2.5- Is the same garden from the sidewalk by the lavender looking across to a small bubble fountain. Pic 4.5- Is the little pond and waterfall we built into the curve of the patio. I did all the stone work and everything else but the digging. Lots of fish, frogs, and tadpoles. Pic 6.5- Looking across the herb garden to the rest of the patio/gazebo. I put clumping bamboo all along that side of the patio to block the wind from the West. The "big hill" I've been complaining here about mulching forever is just behind the bamboo and drops down. That's where the steps/path goes down to the basement walk-out. Pic 13.5- A view from the French doors across the gazebo and into the yard and our woods. Ooops, should have put the cushions out on the chairs, oh well. On the edge is the kids clubhouse I designed and we built with the kids help as a family project (looks like a dollhouse in the pic, but that's a full sized door on it). I acid stained the patio.

I'm back from my long weekend with DS2. We had a great time with my family. We left early on Friday and arrived in Columbus for an early lunch (white-knuckled trip with pouring rain until we were almost there). I was supposed to be on mushies the whole day and then start solids Saturday (post-fill), so I chose some cottage cheese for lunch. I brought flowers from my garden and between those and Mom's we made about 8 arrangements and took them over to my Middle Sister's to start prep for the party. We worked until dinnertime and I was able to get down a little thin crust pizza and mixed fruit salad back at Mom's. Saturday found Mom and I (and two of her Herb Society friends) on a two hour trip down to a lavender farm for a festival (sorry, I forgot my camera but found these pics of the farm online-no, I don't know that cute little boy). It smelled like heaven as we pulled into the lavender field to park. She'd signed us up for two classes so we went off to the 'Mediterranean Cooking with Herbs' class. As I've said before, I'm not the chef in our family, but I was excited for this class. I have a nice herb garden (most cooks would kill for…my neighbors do come to take snippings occasionally at my urgings) and I'd like to learn to use more of them. I always dry some herbs each year (mainly for show in my kitchen and basement rack), but the only things I really use fresh are the basil to mainly make pesto or my mozzarella/tomato Italian flag salad, the tarragon for a chicken bake dish DH makes, and occasionally some chives, dill, or oregano for an occasional recipe. The teacher is the regional cooking expert for Macy's department stores (I think she works a lot with brides, etc.) and she was very knowledgeable. I'm inspired to try to incorporate the fresh herbs more now while they're in season. We had a meal of bread, salad, chicken, pancetta, and cookies all incorporating the herbs at the end of the demo. I almost had a stuck moment as I was carefully eating the herb salad (I thought I chewed very carefully). I was trapped at an inside table with people all around or I would have gotten up as I could feel the sliming about to start. I was panicking and I'm sure the folks across from me saw my eyes watering…but then it passed in a few minutes. I quickly gave Mom the rest of my salad saying I'd taken too much…whew…that was a close one! The Lavender Festival was wonderful, but small (about 20 vendors and the classes), so then we found ourselves with about 3 hours to kill before our next class. It was almost 90 degrees out so after the 'cut your own lavender' trip to the field and shopping the vendors (I bought; 5 plants, a pair of beaded earrings for DD's birthday in August, and 20 wooden garden markers for DS2's vegetable garden that he can decorate) we looked for a shady spot and bought some lavender ice cream from the Mennonites who had an ice cream and baked goods booth (they had a small John Deere engine attached to the ice cream maker…cool to watch). I asked for only one scoop…OMG that ice cream was wonderful…fresh cream from the cow…a scoopful of heaven! Our last class was making a framed picture from pressed flowers and Mom is going to be doing this at one of their Festival's at the herb garden she volunteers with weekly, so she was very excited. We were done in record time (the heat made us work fast) and we were back in the car for our trip home. Then off to Middle-Sister's for my nephew's HS graduation party (he's in a college program now to become a police officer). It went perfectly; no rain and lots of fun. We collapsed after pitching or bagging up the extra food around midnight. Sunday we stayed until late morning so I could spend some more time with Dad for Father's Day. I gave him a nice box of smoked salmon, which he loved. Unusual gift, I know. DH and I (and the kids) twice visited DH's sister and her family when they lived in Alaska for 2 years. We took my only brother on the second trip. He loved it so much that he and DH arranged a fishing trip there (in a motor home for a week traveling the area) a few years later and they took my Dad. He loved getting the salmon they caught smoked and so the salmon I bought him was labeled as being from one of the rivers in Alaska that they fished…he noticed right away. We got in the car for our 3 ½ hour ride home and DS2 said 'It was a great weekend!' and high-fived me as he said 'It was a nice trip with just you and I!' I forget that the baby of the family, even at 13 yrs. old can still need some quality one on one time. We played Mad Libs most of the way home and stopped at McDonalds for lunch (I ate ½ a grilled chicken club sandwich…went down fine). Had a nice evening of playing Frisbee in the backyard and grilling out for Father's Day back home with the family (Happy belated Father's Day all you Dad's). Tomorrow is the Jimmy Buffet concert with 2 neighbor couples (can't wait) and Thursday morning we leave for PennState with DS1 for our orientation (staying at the old colonial Nittany Lion Inn on campus overnight-run by the PennState hospitality program, so it should be fun). DH took off the rest of the week for all this, but I'll try to post some updates when we have some down time. I'm off to the Drs. (routine) with the boys and then on to DS2's guitar lesson (he AMAZES me with his talent...no idea where it comes from, but it's great for each kid to find something they're good at). Today is my two-month bandiversary and I'm down 19 pounds since surgery (most of that, just post-op though). I'm just hoping to keep losing or at least not gain during this 6 week wait for the next fill. Sorry I went on and on as usual, just catching up. Have a great week all!!! I'll post some pics I just took of my garden later.

Sounds like you both had a wonderful holiday. DH was just in Palm Springs on business...he loved seeing the area that all the old Westerns were filmed in. That's great that you didn't gain with all those lovely Pina Colada's!! Bribery will get you everywhere (bowtie). -BG

You two are SHOOTING STARS! Great blog!!! Counting down with you...BG

You sure sound like you're doing well! Keep up the good work! -BG

Sounds like you're doing all the right things to get back on track. There's a mentoring group here on LBT that matches you up with a 'buddy', and it sounds to me like they are people that are successful...I don't know much, but it might be what you're looking for. Best Wishes.

Congratulations Bander! Just caught up on your progress. I'm sorry you've had other illnesses going on...getting pnemonia in the hospital is always a worry and more common than you'd think (I finally got the vaccine after having it too many times). Hopefully the throat thing turns out to be thrush after all...I'm guessing the antibiotics for the pnemonia would have wiped out strep if you have it, but maybe not (sure sounds like strep)...might need a different one. I'm sure they caught the pnemonia early so hopefully you'll be feeling better soon. You've got a great attitude...the up side is you're a bander now!!! WOOT! Keep us posted and best wishes! -BG

That's what Victoria's Secret is for! You're going to do great!

WELCOME!! You're so smart! Wish this was around when I was 22...I've got a DD turning 22 in two months! Congratulations on your decision and the start of your journey. The best thing about your age is that the collagen (?) in your skin is still working...so no sagging leftover skin for you. You'll be in a bikini by the end of this! I had 100#, now 60 left to lose (now 2 mo. post-op), so you CAN do this!! Keep me posted! -BG

208.5 this week, didn't lose all I gained last week. Got a second fill Tues., so here's hoping!

Just Tired- You've got NOTHING to be ashamed of. Be happy for every week that you're NOT gaining at this point, because the band isn't doing anything for you yet. 1.5 in an LB APS (10cc) isn't enough to fill the port and tubing even. We'll all be on the other side of Bandster Hell eventually and enjoying our lovely restriction and weight loss!!!

hmmm...'No, I was smart enough to get the help I needed to get the weight off and keep it off.' or 'I don't want to have to fight to keep my weight off for the rest of my life.' (she'll be mulling that one over) or 'Actually, this is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I'm smart enough to do it.' or 'This isn't Gastric Bypass, every calorie I put in my mouth still counts.' I'm sure you can come up with better ones...just take the high road and when she's gaining it all back you can bask in it.

11 pounds, excuse me, 11.1 pounds is awesome in 14 days! Try to start moving to at least caffeine free DC or taper off (mix 1/2 and 1/2 or every other one and then taper down). The caffeine cold-tukey will give you major headaches (and some have other withdrawl symptoms)and you don't need that in the hospital. My doc lets us have carbonation starting 12 weeks post-op (although he said most people don't like the pain of belching drinking it), so you may want to ask if you haven't already if you'll be allowed to have it again.

Glad you're home now and hope the new meds work, keep ahead with them on the pain. I hope your Mom is out and feeling better soon. You'll find yourself suddenly starting to turn the corner soon, so hang in there. -BG

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

Congratulations Bander. Keep sipping and stay ahead on the pain meds. Feel better soon. -BG

Sounds like great class topics! My 20 min. psych visit was just a bunch of questions...not even that many really. Whatever you can do to prepare is all good! -BG

Congrats Aluv & Maddison! Angie- Hang in there girl...I gained last week! BANDSTER HELL...WE WILL DEFEAT YOU!!! Hi Liz!:wink:

Beth- Just wanted to say that you're not crazy or alone. If you do a search you'll find polls and threads where people asked about where folks 'sweet spot' was. I remember most people were between 5-7 (10cc band), but several didn't get to their sweet spot until around 8 or 9. Hope this last fill works for you!

As soon as you get back on solids you'll be able to up the calories some and then it will start coming off again. Your body is in starvation mode and it's trying to hang on to every calorie you put in it, so it slows your metabolism down. Post-surgery blues is really common so don't feel alone. Oh, and the full amount of water is key for weight loss too. Hang in there! -BG

...or they mean oww, and oww oww oww! What they said.

Why are you disappointed in yourself? Almost everyone goes through Bandster Hell before they get restriction, so this isn't your fault, just part of the process. And yes, it's very discouraging!! Hang in there, and I hope this fill works, if not, just keep going back.

Congratulations on getting a date! It's starting to feel real now isn't it! -BG