BJean

Dr. Phil can be pretty abrasive sometimes, but when I watch him I always learn something. Besides I generally like his very direct approach. Makes people have to face what they're dishing out without all that pussy-footing around.

Bitter: Oh I'm still nuts all right... I've just lived out of Oklahoma for so long I've learned how to hide it like people from other states do. I used to have a very good Shrimp Creole dish that I served at luncheons because it was very mild. But to have Brennan's recipe!!! That is truly special. One of my memorable moments - my first ever PB - was after going to PF Chang's. I quickly learned that rice is not my friend. I can't eat sushi anymore and I really miss it. I'm afraid of ingesting any kind of raw food that is normally cooked because of a possible microbe infestation of my band. That would not be pretty! I'm with you on heating up those pre-cooked chickens. You never know where they've been.:sick I did manage to eat a little chicken and even a dumpling the other night. Think I need a fill? If you ever want to share that Shrimp Creole recipe, I'm all eyes! :eyebrows:

Bitter: "squeezing cream cheese out of a tube"? I guess that means all her kids are little cheesecakes! Aaaaarrrrrgh! The Shrub finally admits there's something to global warming, huh? like Jack (?) used to say... Yar, genius.

The reason I like to discuss things with you L8BloomR is because I think you are very intelligent and you make excellent points without insulting others or becoming rude. As different as we think, you sure come close to winning me over every time.

Funny! I posted before your second post too. One can certainly understand why the Israeli goverment is so strict about incorporating their religion into all of their decisions and into their way of life. All you have to do is look at their history. We, on the other hand, have a history of at least saying that we do not discriminate against different religions and that people of all denominations and beliefs are welcome here. Very different from Israel, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, etc.

I honestly did think that was what you meant. I thought you were seeing it as a reason for keeping the words in our government docs, etc. It isn't the first time that I have misunderstood your posts. You've misunderstood mine a time or two also. It happens. Big deal. I thought we had established earlier that we have a respect for each other even though we don't agree politically. I wouldn't ever put words in your mouth - there is simply no reason to. But I can't help it if I misunderstand your point. I expect you to straighten me out if I do, and I hope that you will, each and every time I take something the wrong way. Peace out.

Indiogirl: You are so right!! As for me, it came as a bit of a surprise because the first few months after surgery were so EASY! I thought it would always be like that. Heaven knows that I was told and read many, many times that the band is only a tool and that we can't rely on it to do the work for us. I am still ahead of the game at 40 lbs lighter. I'm not complaining, I am just hoping that I can get my act together and git 'er done!

Hopw2BHottie: You're just the kind of newbie I love!! Thanks for appreciating the chuckle. I mean afterall, we're STILL hearing Bill Clinton jokes every single day! (And as a card carrying, casserole-eating, born again and then reborn again Christian, anti-war semi-pacifist, they are dang funny!)

P.S. I honestly was not trying to debate or argue. I find it a facinating topic because I see both sides of the issue and agree with both sides in certain ways. I apologize for interpreting your words improperly. When you said, "Those words helped make our nation something unique and special, and the kind of place people wanted to come to", I thought you meant that those words in and of themselves motivated people to want to come here. What you said about your Israeli friend who says that her country does not allow certain Christian symbols, etc., in her country and that many Christians live there without making demands, actually makes a good point for both sides of the discussion. Btw, my cousins were missionaries in Israel for many years. They ran a Baptist sponsored Christian school there. It was against the law for them to accept Jewish children and they were only able to teach the local Arab children there. You do agree that Israelis live in very dangerous times?

Green deserves to be a bit whiney about her recent physical condition! You go right ahead and have a good boo-hoo. If I could, I'd lend you my shoulder. Feeling bad really sucks! :cry

You know what's funny about sagging girls? I remember the day, time and moment that I realized that mine fell. No kidding. A good friend of mine had been complaining about her falling boobs for some time (she's a bit older than I) and although mine weren't as perky as a 18 yr. old's, they were holding their own. That is, I wasn't embarrassed by the amount of sag they exhibited! One day after I had lost about 15 lbs, I saw myself in the mirror and realized that I now had what she was complaining about. The more I lose, the flatter they get, sans bra. Pretty disturbing, and it sure makes me want to get them back in their rightful place - right where the fellas can salute them with respect!

Ooops, sorry, my bad. I did not realize that your comments were only to be answered by Green. I will butt out.

Of all those forbidden items, smoking, drinking and coffee are the hardest to come to terms with. For a long time I would give up alcohol except when we did have company. Unfortunately at those times, I enjoyed myself so much I would pay for it for about 3 days afterwards. I have pretty much given up the fags and only smoke occasionally now. That has helped tremendously. I still wish I could smoke everyday and it has been 15 years since I "quit". I only drink decaf. I've recently discovered Paul Newmans Decaf in the pods that I use with my Keurig machine and am quite content with it. I even have decaf espresso which is sacreligious, I know, but the center of my chest appreciates it. Hang in there. It just takes some time to learn what you can and can't get away with. The most important thing right now is to get that area calmed down and get rid of the cough and reflux. (The cough IS reflux, by the way.) I don't know what I'd do without your wisdom and occasional support here so get your blonde a$$ well, a?

ckpw: Did they repair the hiatal hernia? Or did you just get it calmed down? You're not THAT much older than some of us, and I read at least one other person who was 70 when he had it done. Get your determined cap on. The band is not as risky or life altering as gastric bypass, but it isn't a cure-all either. We still have to use a lot of effort to get the weight off. At least I do and many others whose posts I've read. Most of us who are still struggling to lose weight, post surgery, are not sorry we had the band though. We all lost weight initially and we're thankful for that. We all have high hopes that we will be able to get the rest of the weight off as well. It just does not come off as quickly after the first 30-40 lbs as it did in the beginning. I only tell you this because you should have realistic expectations going in. We're to think of this as a two-year plan, I was told. I thought I could do it in one. I was wrong. Other LB patients might argue with me. There are several people who have breezed through losing 100 lbs. in the first 6-8 months. But I don't think there are any guarantees with this procedure and it is really up to the individual to achieve the desired results. Best wishes for your up coming surgery. My doc repaired my hiatal hernia when I had the LB surgery and it has helped tremendously!:whoo: By the way, the recovery from surgery is pretty much a breeze for most people.

Chick Fil A uses chicken fat to cook their fries in??? Egad! The Chick Fil A's around here are the most popular fast food drive thrus. It got that way when the Adkins diet became the rage again. You can get just chicken and it isn't as breaded as most places. Other fast food joints that serve chicken breasts that aren't fried are just awful. I can't eat those odd tasting things. And if you get the fried ones at other fast food places, they have lots of breading and half the weight of the breast is grease. I was told that Chick Fil A uses peanut oil for cooking their chicken. To me, that is much better than a lot of other things they use in fast food places, but if you don't like peanut oil, forget it. You can definitely tell that it is peanut oil. I cannot eat Chick Fil A anymore. I've tried 4 different times, with lots of time inbetween tries. It's a sure-fire way to a significant PB no matter how small the bite or how thorough the chewing! :help:

Bitter: I always thought you didn't tip a salon owner either. However I used to go to this guy in Orlando who straightened me out one day. After he finished my color, cut and fluff, he said, "Why haven't you been tipping me?" I sputtered that I didn't think that one was supposed to tip the salon owner. He said, "Oh girl, that's old hat and completely wrong! You should always tip at least 20% if you want your hairdresser to continue to do your hair well." I handed him a $20 bill (which wasn't close to 20% of my bill that day) and never went to his salon again. Guess he taught me a lesson!

Mr Gadget: That was terrific. I appreciate very much your taking the time to express your manly thoughts on this. Of course you're right on! However it would be great if you would weigh in with advice on how some of the wives here should help their spouses get their heads (pardon) back in the real game instead of escaping into their fantasy world all the time.

L8BloomR: Well I don't completely agree with your reasoning, but I do believe that it is silly to consider taking the word God off our buildings and our money. It may not bother you, but I think that some people are quite up in arms over the whole issue. I believe that our country was predominately Christian when the word God was used on our public buildings and our currency, so I do believe that the intent was to imply Christian in that usage. As free thinking people, we can all define the word God however we choose, but do you really think that Buddists or Muslims, for instance, believe that our government uses that word to mean any God, or their God? I believe that people wanted to come to and continue to want to come to this country because of the freedom we have to practice any religion or no religion as well as for all of the other reasons that have made this country great. I don't think that they come here because we use the term "creator" or "God" in our documents. I think those words were used to show the world and to convince ourselves that we are good people, who have a conscience and that we are people who believe that everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Statue of Liberty puts out that message in an even more profound way. As for me, I don't think there is any harm done when we use the terms, "creator" and "God" in our public documents. I chose to address the issue the way I did, in an effort to get a discussion going because it is a relevant subject today. But I do think that the argument that our government means for it to be interpreted as any God, is transparent and bogus. As for the Pledge of Allegience, I believe the words, "under God" should be removed. I am a Christian and I have never felt comfortable with it. I believe I explained why in an earlier thread so I won't bore you with it again. Btw, do you believe that having a manger in front of the court house is meant to depict anything but a Christian based scene? Not that I think there is anything wrong with having a Manger scene in the town quare at Christmas, but I can certainly understand the opposition to it, can't you? Btw, in Great Britian, they say and use the phrase "God Save The Queen" quite often.

For a while when I posted something after you, I finished my sentences occasionally with an "a" but you never got the joke. At least you never mentioned it. Know what I mean, a? Like that. Pronounced similarly, eh? I am very sorry to hear that you're ailing. I can tell that you are not following Dr. BJean's orders. Do not make me have to come up there! Have you been to the health foods store? Have you purchased the refrigerated acidolphilous? Have you taken it, as prescribed? Have you taken Prevacid? (I don't know anything about that stuff your other doctors have given you.) Have you raised the head of your bed? Have you stopped drinking coffee and alcoholic beverages? Have you stopped smoking? Have you given up chocolate? If your answer to the above questions is "no" then I'm beginning to think that Green is reveling in her agony. Please say it isn't so. Remember that at least one other health professional here, other than myself, has told you that these things are a must if your health and comfort are to improve. I don't like having to lecture like this, but I'll do what I have to do to help you get on the road to recovery. :sick Green wasn't meant to be green, you know.

Hey Green, how're you doing? Getting better I hope.

I'm curious. When they do a breast lift, do they put in implants? Someone told me they did, and I can see how it might be necessary, but it sure would discourage me from getting a lift. What about with a reduction? How do they re-shape the girls so that they look normal? Once I learned about Betty Paige, I wished I were more like her instead of being the incredibly modest me. Sigh, youth really is wasted on the young.

Darragha: For the record, I agree with you about porn and the weed. However if you love someone and have pledged your life to them, you really should try to help them if there is any reasonable way to do it. If you honestly do your best to help them through it, and they resist kicking the habit, then fine, grab your walking boots.

"not freedom from religion" but "...freedom of religion" - a very fine distinction! And that goes for all religious choices, right? If we are meant to be able to practice any religion we choose, why should we be offended that the word God be taken off our money or anywhere else? Not all religions worship the Christian "God" whose name you want on our money, on our public buildings and everywhere else. I am a Christian but I do not feel threatened by the suggestion of the words, "under God" being taken out of the Pledge of Allegience. During the Eisenhower administration, the phrase "under God" was added to our Pledge. It wasn't put there by our framers of the Constitution, but by our contempories. I don't think it reflects the "freedom of religion" choice that we are promised. We are pledging our allegience to the flag of our country as a patriotic act, not pledging our allegience to God, otherwise how are people who do not believe in our God supposed to make that pledge? Why does it bother people so much that God be placed on our money and on our buildings and in our songs and pledge and all the rest? In Great Britain, the Queen in on their money. References to the monarchy are everywhere. Does that make them a country free of religion? No, it does not.

Sunta that's one thing I've learned reading threads here. Scarcasm seems so much more harsh when you read it in a post, than when you are hearing it and reading someone's body language. Many times I've tried to be humorous and no one gets it, and in fact they think I am being mean. What'r ya gonna do?

You were talking about approaching the subject again this weekend with your husband. I have a suggestion. Instead of going into it all wounded and feeling rejected by his "hobby", why don't you consider trying to find out what really makes porn surfing be so much fun for him? Why not try to get him to really open up to you and explain why it is so important to him? I mean have a dialogue with him as if you were a good buddy, instead of his wife. And reserve judgement. Don't pout or squirm or accuse him of anything untoward. Try, just one time, to be his friend on the subject of this "thing" that is so important to him. Stop thinking about how YOU feel about it and try to learn exactly what HE thinks about it. Stop thinking about how it is impacting YOU and think about WHY the time he spends with porn is an integral part of his life. You could learn a lot about what you're up against. You might be able to determine if this is something that, given the right circumstances, he can give up. On the other hand, if it really is an addiction that is nearly impossible for him to give up, you need to know that too. If it is the latter, then you will know for sure that nothing you say or do will change his behavior. You will know for sure that you need professional help in knowing how to save your marriage and your husband. Hypothetically take the actual word pornography out of the equation and substitute it for almost any other word that describes destructive and addictive behavior and I think you can understand better what you are probably up against. Look at it like this: what if you had a gambling addiction? What if your gambling addiction was causing you to neglect your husband and children? What if your gambling addiction caused you to adversly impact the family because of the money you lost? What if your husband was at the end of his rope and was depressed and accused you of not loving him and of ignoring his needs? But you couldn't help yourself... you just HAD to gamble. In that case, would you want your husband to give up on you or would you hope that he loved you enough to help you beat it - for your own good as well as that of your family?