green

The arrangements that loving couples who find themselves in these dreadful situations set up with each other are very complex. While I was a single woman I had a woman who was dying of breast cancer send her grieving husband over to my house and my bed. (That I wasn't interested in the latter was my issue. I understood where she was coming from.) My father had a friend whose wife was bed ridden for years before she finally died. She wanted to know that her husband's needs were being taken care of. Though these are only two examples I suspect that this happens a lot. Certainly the ailing spouse may wish to continue to exert control over the surviving mate by choosing his or her sexual partner but there may also be a strong element of love involved in this transfer. Let us look at it this way: the caretaker has proved her mettle by giving good care to the ailing spouse, and she has come to be well known by the spousal pair. It is likely that the mate who is dying will have concerns about the one who will survive and will want to ensure that he is in good hands. (It is my hunch that these feelings are more important to dying women than to dying men, by the way. It's a question of hardwiring. Women are more nurturing.) Anyhow, all of the above is Green's long-winded way of saying that you might consider investigating a little further before deciding to excommunicate this couple. The future pair-bond of the caregiver and the husband might be the dying wife's deepest wish.

Yah! I think it was that great big buxom liver!:kiss2: LOL Never under estimate the power of fois gras (fat livers).:clap2:

I think I am kinda stuck with my girl gastro doc. She's got a couple of things going for her. She and her hospital are in the neighbourhood. She's a chick, and she puts up with my sense of humour. But I did mention to her that Americans enjoy their colonoscopies, not suffer through them, and that her pain management skills left a lot to be desired. I explained to her that this is why I had gone AWOL for a coupla years after the last failed colonoscopy. I suggested that she give me a morphine patch or maybe even a T-shirt made out of morphine patches! She claims that she gave me Demerol the last time but has since switched to something more effective. We'll see, eh.....(sez Green).

Thanks for your (always) most knowledgeable answers. This would indicate that should I wish to make a closer examination of the Bible, I would well be advised to get my paws on a Catholic edition, right? As a sidebar, I also note that Catholic and Orthodox (Byzantine) Christianity are the two oldest/original forms of Christianity extant.

Neither Joffe nor Yau mentioned my giant liver. I saw Yau 10 minutes before I went in for surgery and I met Joffe during my preliminary assessment visit. Though my gastric specialist knew nothing about the lapband, in fact she researched this on her computer while I was there, she did know both Dr. Joffe and Dr.Yau by reputation. She told me that Dr. Joffe is working hard to have lapband surgery covered by OHIP. This makes sense to me. The operation is much less invasive than the gastric by-pass which is approved by OHIP. She also thought that the price that I paid was fair. I agree. It seems to line up with American prices. It is only when you go to Mexico that you begin to save and then there is the problem of aftercare - the fills, etc. As for having a colonoscopy, Yoda, it is probably best that you talk to your GP about this. I am under the impression that most docs start wanting their patients to have 'em after they turn 50. Mind you, my kid brother died of colon cancer when he was 48. He had also refused to see a doctor for at least 10 years before he was diagnosed. He died a week and a half later. Well, Green is happy that she has got the lapband even though the gastric doc did mention that there could be erosion or slippage and even though she is looking at another colonoscopy appointment sometime soon. And there is the issue of further investigations to be made into the giant liver, eh. Yep, I am happy that I got the band because my boobs stick out further than my waist these days and today I got eyeballed by a good-looking man while I was waiting for the subway. I guess this counts as an NSV, huh?

Ugh! I don't blame you for being pi$$ed off. This is totally unfair and unjust. I also think that there ought to be laws against cell phone use while operating a vehicle.

While it may be unpleasant to the viewer to be forced to see more of someone's butt than one might like to, isn't this kind of a waste of police manpower? Shouldn't they be chasing after those who are abusing the other kind of crack?

Leatha g, I believe that there has always been homosexuals. It is just that most of them hid themselves; homosexuality wasn't socially accepted by most people and there were laws against the sexual practice of homosexuality.

Carlene, would the Apocrypha be in the King James' Version of the Bible?

If God is distressed by same sex unions then let Him deal with this issue. It is not up to us to judge nor to meddle in others' lives. I must stress that I find this issue particularly poignant since I am aware that all the latest research indicates that homosexuality is not a lifestyle choice. One doesn't choose the colour of one's skin or one's sex, and similarly one doesn't choose one's sexual orientation. I have a number of friends who are gay. They would have preferred to have been straight. Life is easier when you are straight.

Which version of God? There are Jews and Muslims whose belief in God and their own holy texts are just as powerful as any Christian's belief in God and the Bible. Moreover, there are deep divisions in beliefs among the Christians themselves. It is for this reason that it is important that the state remain entirely divorced from religion.

The state and the church are separated. When the state performs a marriage this is a civil contract. When a church performs the marriage this contract is both civil (because the state recognizes the validity of the marriage) and religious. I see nothing wrong with the state agreeing to same sex marriages since this does not infringe upon religious law. In fact I think that this is a humane response on the part of the state; we now know that homosexuality is not merely a lifestyle choice. The latest scientific evidence indicates that homosexuals are born that way. Why deny this group the same rights that the rest of us have? In Canada same sex marriages are legal. Most churches will not marry same sex couples nor are they required to. There are a few who will, however. You might be interested to know that the state of France does not recognize religious marriages. Couples there have to get married twice, once in a church and again in the town hall.

Nisrine is very beautiful. Did she ever show you her before picture?

Those are good words, Cloe. Thanx.

I don't know how it is south of the border but up here in Canada it is the middle-aged and seniors who regularly vote. Our youth view all politicians as corrupt and liars - or simply ineffectual at best - when it comes to fulfilling promises made on the campaign trail. They are alienated from the process and tend not to vote. I can't say that I blame them even though I always vote.

I have never watched Rush Limbaugh but I have heard for years now that he is a serious a$$hole. Then after his own drug abuse hit the news it was revealed that he was also a hypocrite. Does anyone actually take him seriously anymore? As for Michael J. Fox, he is a fine human being and a gifted comic actor whose illness has cut short his career. As far as I am aware there has been no scandal to taint his name. So when push comes to shove, who is the public gonna believe? Michael J. Fox or Rush Limbaugh? Let's hope that it's Michael J. Fox.

"Say no to crack."

Same sex marriage is legal up here in Canada. This right was made law by our previous government. We are used to gay couples getting wed. Now our new Conservative government is threatening to open this up to another vote. It seems that a lot of those guys don't approve. Congratulations to New Jersey, eh.

I think that Oprah cherrypicked her guests. Introducing formerly fat people who had had weight loss surgery and then replaced their addictions with healthy habits like scrapbooking, gardening, or returning to university would do less for her ratings. At the same time she has made an interesting point: food is an addiction for most of us and there is the possibility that some of us may replace this with another unhealthy addiction. I have heard that she herself is very much a workoholic. This is an addiction but one that society approves of.

I think change can be initially scary and threatening to those around you whatever that change may be, and here I am thinking of such things as marriage, a promotion or loss of a job, coming into money, buying a house, or having a child. Two of the people who are closest to me, the friend who told me about lapband surgery and my husband, were initially supportive but began to get antsy as the day for my surgery approached. Another one of my friends and my doc were completely disapproving. Now that it is done and I have begun to lose weight everyone is cool. In fact I've been getting a lot of compliments. I would suggest that you reassure your husband about your feelings for him. Explain to him how living as a fat person feels and why you want the band. He will likely calm down a bit though he will worry about the surgery itself as the day approaches. This is normal. My husband coped with it by drinking too much beer while I was under the knife. We had to go home by cab. LOL

Your house is so cool. You are a lucky woman! I really enjoyed looking at all the pics. Thanx for posting 'em.

I've known a few reformed alcoholics who have told me that everyone at the AA meetings chainsmokes and guzzles tons of coffee. These people were all heavy coffee drinkers and smokers.

That sandwich is called a Croque Monsieur. I've never had one dipped in maple syrup. sounds good.

mookie1, I can so relate! Your last paragraph was positively cheese porn! LOL! And I don't like smoked cheese, either.

Yah, S&V will ruin the inside of your mouth but it's a good kind of damage.:hungry: Mmmm......... Salt and vinegar chips!:girl_hug: