It's June ... Woo Hoo! 4 more days, and I'll join the land of the banded! :clap2:

Role call! Where is everyone, and how are you doing?

My back/leg is doing better, and I'm excited about my surgery! :)

WOW! Just one pound? cool!

So how were the girls on the trip?

Uh, probally better not to ask that! lol, Kristen is the only one that didn't break the rules. I had the two 18 year olds in my room....and guess what? It's legal for them to drink in the Bahamas...need I say more? They also met two guys their first night on board....I don't even want to know what went on when I didn't see. Everyone came back in one piece, with approxiamitly the same number of brain cells they left with...so guess the trip was a sucess in that aspect?

OK, I'm jealous. I haven't seen the beach in years and have never been on a cruise. I need a vacation!

I do need some help from you more seasoned bandsters. I need tips on the best and/or easiest ways to slow down my eating. :hungry: I thought I ate slow before the band, but I've found it's not slow enough. I haven't PB'd, but I've felt kind of stuck a couple of times.

Always put your fork down, and don't do anything else while eating. Someone once told me to sing my abc's between bites (not out loud lol). I still tend to eat too fast, it is my biggest promblem I think.

I don't know if I told you all, but when I awoke from my lap-band surgery, I was told that I had allergic reactions to 2 antibiotics they tried to give me. These were two medications I had not had reactions to in the past. They also told me to get a medic alert bracelet, because my antibiotic allergies are so many. At my post op visit Dr. V told me to get to an allergist to find out what else I can take. :phanvan I'm not ignoring all of this, I just figured I'd bring it up again when I planned on seeing my PCP in August for my next recheck.

I believe the good Lord decided to nudge me into taking care of this sooner rather than later. I now have an itchy rash down the inside of both forearms and the back of my right leg. I think it may be poison ivy or oak that my dog brought in on his fur? ... if that's possible? I don't know what else it can be? Anyway, I think it's time for comprehensive allergy tests? I see my PCP later this morning.

Karen, take smaller bites...get you a shrimp fork. That helps with slowing down. I'm a big-bite-eater. It's hard.

Let us know what happens at the allergist!.

Ugh Allergery tests! I broke out in big ole huge hives for Christmas one year. I had to get two big shots in the bum!

I was supposed to be tested to see what may have caused it, but I never went.

Oh well. If I do it again, I will.

I hope you find out it was something like poison ivy and not like dust or something common.

My known allergies are dust, cats, grass, garden mold, Tapazole, Welbutrin, Zoloft, Sulfa, Keflex, Cipro, & Vancomycin. The doctor said it's not poison ivy or the like, and I'm going to a specialist in August to undergo comprehensive allergy testing. Not only to find out if I'm allergic to other things, but find out what antibiotics I can still take ... if any. My options keep dwindling.

Melissa - sounds like you had fun. Mike and I said we were going on a cruise for our 10 year anni. That is in 3 years...hopefully I can wait that long and hopefully I will be where I want to be with my weight loss.

Karen - Hope you are feeling better. Good Luck.

Ok so we are leaving for the beach tomorrow and I am so excited to get away. We will be there til Wed sometime...not sure yet what time we will be home. My best friend from Ohio is coming down on Wed and I am off the whole week. YEAH me...I so need a break. How bad is that I have been there just over 3 months and I need a week off. I am so busy I feel like I don't get out here to chat with ya'll much anymore. I miss you all...of course I think there are some that have fallen off the face of the earth...haha

Ok so I need to get off here and finish packing and cleaning the kitchen then go to bed to be @ work in the morning.

Ya'll have a great weekend and a very Happy Fourth!!! Be Careful and I will check in next week.

You guys would not believe what happen to me yesterday. My credit/atm card and drivers liscense were stolen. I had it yesterday morning but when I went to buy something at like 2 it wasn't there. After we got home about 4:30 I'm looking all over and Paul checks the bank balance. They had already charged almost 1000 dollars at 4 different drug stores. Now we have to go on vacation (going to alabama on Sunday) and I have no drivers liscense, no credit/atm card and most likely these holds will hit this weekend. Our case worker said it would be credited back once it hit...but still, It is scarey being on the road and not knowin if when we stop for gas if the money will still be in the account or not. I think I'm going to use Paul's card and withdraw a crap load just for safety. Then to top it all off, took Paul for his medical proceedure and they lost his appointment. They hadn't even got insurance coverage verified yet! So at least Paul who had already had his valium was calm during all of this. LOL We go back today for his procedure. I was suppouse to work today, couldn't get anyone to work for me, but then my boss told me not to worry about it....she would have one of the new hires she just got come work the shift with her. Anyway, thats my horror story...oh and I've gaine 3lbs this week. What the crap? I'm working out like 2 hours a day again for this thing at work, I'm sore all over. I really hope this is a temporary gain...I like muscle and all, but no one ever believes ya when you say it is muscle gain.

OH MY GOD!!!!

I know that sucks out the wazoo!

They should have been able to kill the holds and refund the $.. Fed policy.

Id go a head and do a lost/stolen acct process. (which invovleds killing your acct and opening a new one) just in case they did manage to get ahold of the checking acct number and get fake checks made.

Sucks but can happen.

I'd hate to scare you but... just to be safe.

P.S. Those 3lbs.... Its muscle.. lots of muscle.. and water gain. You ate too much salt and didnt realise it. And you havent "gone potty" enough.

wow melissa I am sorry to hear this. I wish people could act civil and just leave other's alone. Why do they feel the need to act this way is beyond me. You will be fine and everything will work out it is just feeling violated. I had mine stolen a couple months back, thank goodness nothing was done to my accounts yet and I caught it in time. Have fun on your trip girl and dont think about this. I know it will be hard to not too but try. Hang in there!

Angie

Today is the last day of June, one half of 2006 has passed us by.

My year so far has been great. The gift of WLS has made such a huge difference with my life. Currently, I'm struggling. I am speaking with a therapist whose very intune with eating disorders and emotional eating.

I've been seeing this person since my mom died in 2003. It's really amazing what we can do when we reach out. I have trouble reaching out.

I miss my mom everyday. Somedays, I'm so envious when I see people out with their moms. My dad is passed to (didn't know him too well), I get upset inside when people are mean to their mom's and when I see older mom's who need extra help. I just smile and say hello, it hurts me inside though.

Karen - I don't know what i'd do without you. YOu are so awsome to me and i'm so glad our lives have crossed. Along with all my other wls buddies.

Now, one more thing, whose up for carowinds? I know it's hot as a cooks oven, but I haven't hit the water park except 1 time this year so far.

I love wearing my croc shoes there, they are so comfy. I got the real ones now and wouldn't trade them for much.

My other task for the rest of the year is to begin journaling and tracking my protein intake and how i'm feeling. I'll let you know how this goes.

I might treat myself to a palm pilot, especially since i'm taking on that massive, MBA program. I wish I was more excited.

Take Care and Stay Cool.

Jen