I'm starting this again. Hope it sticks this time. And here is the picture of Abi that I promised yesterday. ~Mandy

Cindy, you are shopping for puters at just the right time. The day after thanksgiving sales are great this year. I don't want to make the task more complicated but here are some of the sale ads. http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/ There is also a forum that discusses the best deals. Also check out www.tigerdirect.com they are great and the prices are really good too. ~Mandy

Hey y'all

Just wanted to check in and let you know that I am still breathing and I still love all of you. I have just been a little busy.

Monday it took my whole lunch hour to sort thru the pictures and save them to my computer here at work so I could upload them. Since then, I have been a little busy.

Tuesday I had a hot lunch date with DH and my BIL/SIL. It was fun - but no time to stop in here... Wednesday I was swamped and yesterday I went for a fill.

Today - it took me my whole lunch hour to catch up on the reading! So, I am running over - and I won't have time for personals.

For those that are keeping track of such things - I now have 8.2 cc in my Vanguard Band. Hopefully the restriction will be good - cause I need some help to get to my goal by my Bandiversary Date.

Today, the scale said I was back to Pre-NYC weight - which is good. Now I can get on with the business of losing. Everybody think good thoughts.

**am I nuts for getting a fill the week before Thanksgiving? Maybe.....

Cass - a special wish for you - since I probably won't get back here until after your surgery. Hugs!! I will be thinking good thoughts for an easy surgery and a speedy recovery. You will do great!

Oh - and my kitties did miss me and lavished me with attention when I got home. The very relaxed grey striped cat is my Gracie and the Orange cat with the fabulous whiskers is Rusty's YaYa. We have his and her cats at my house - but they both do their share of slutting around.

To everybody else - Love you guys. I will check in again as soon as I can.

xo

Cute kittie picture, Beanie! Good luck with that fill! The amount needed is different for each person, and I hope this is the "just right" amount for you!

Mandy, that's one cool website, and I looked it over really well. If I get a computer this weekend, I think I can "price match" for the sales on Friday, and have them refund the difference, if it's significant. The actual bundles I was looking at weren't listed as being on sale, but you never know! Makes me wish I knew how to build my own...wait...nevermind! LOL!

Gotta run, we get to leave a little early today, TGIF!

Cindy

I am justed stopped in to post this.. caught a glimpse of some pretty kittie cats..

went to lunch to day and my car broke down. I was lucky I pulled into someones dirt driveway. Anyway the water pump broke. I called the ex and he sent the mechanic to look at it. Anyway the top button on my blouse opened showing cleavage and my black bra. Ok I was trying to find a way to get it buttoned with out making it look obvious. Well it did not happen.

To add to the situation he looks at the jug of anti freeze I had just put in the radiator and says did you put that in? Well of course I did I say!! Well the radiator should be de iced he tells me. OMG I could have died.. Good thing the freaken De Icer for the windows leaked out the flippen water pump.. That my freinds is my blond Moment for the day... anyway I am in a rental and still looking for someone to repair the damm thing.. Please Pray that I get a good someone and inexpensive...

Beanie, I've got my fingers crossed for ya to meet "your" goal. Good Luck!

Cass, I like the new avatar. Hang in there you'll be fine.

Mary, not sure about all the de-icing, are you sure he wasn't referring to the black bra, ha!

Cindy, I got a few coupons from Dell, really good deals, flat screen monitor and all.

Still don't know what to do about the tree, they're offering me $100 off the 9.5 footer, my DNL said to tell them to ship it overnight for my inconvenience and having to spend more money. I think that's a good suggestion, plus I had to reschedule my tree putter upper. I got a guy coming today to get all the boxes out of the attic. I may just say the hell with it and put up my old tree.

Betty, Eileenie, Sherry, Diane, ANNE, Pogo Darcy, and all of our other wonderful people, have a great day.

Only two days to go...I woke up rather early this Sat. morning and have had trouble relaxing. I am starting to feel really nervous. Thoughts are running through my mind such as: what if this is a mistake? Maybe being overweight isnt soooo bad...(um..no) what if something goes terribly wrong? what if i cant handle the emotional changes as well as the physical? I am sure that this is "normal?" I am just doubting my decision for some reason---i dont have a lot of support with my family...any advice...words of wisdom?

Here is a very recent picture of me from around late September when I am at my heighest weight- around 280. Yet, even at this high weight, this picture was taken at the Torrid Model search. I thought, hell, why not! I didnt make it, but it was a great experience! You should check out their website www.torrid.com

Good Morning All---

Not a lot of time, I am off to a craft show this morning...just not too early!!! I actually helped set it up yesterday, which is what I agreed to do. If I show up early today they will find something for me to do...and I was not real thrilled with some of the attitudes yesterday, so going to lay low, and take my Mom and go shopping a little later.

Cassie--words of wisdom???? me??? surely you jest!!! Nerves are normal, I researched til my head was spinning and still wondered if it was the right decision. WHY could other people do it without drastic WLS and not me? I do not know the answer to that. I do know that more people are like us...if most people could do it themselves, I am sure the vast majority would. But walk in any store and look around, we can't do it!!! I have never regretted doing it. Well there were a couple of times during the post op diet, that I felt deprived as hell!! But then the scale began moving, and excitement set in, and it has been one heck of a ride ever since!!! I now feel empowered, and hopeful in ways I never did before. This has not impacted my life in ways I worried about, like how will I eat out in restaurants, what if I PB...those things, not a big deal at all. It has impacted my life in good ways! I can eat a cookie, and not finish off the bag. I can eat at a restaurant, and not feel like everyone is looking at me like "why is she eating all that!", I can move...I am working out daily!!! That for me is a HUGE thing. I have gone from a size 22/24 to a very loose 16. I can shop in most stores now. It is such a feeling of freedom to not be trapped by my own body, and the things I did to it over and over and over. The band helps me not to do those things. I knew about good nutrition, and I knew good dieting plans. But when I always felt hungry, I would just lose it and eat everything in sight. I ate huge portions, and not of good for me food. Now, the band has curbed the hunger, and when I need to eat, I can make a clam rational decision about what I want to eat, or what I should eat. I still enjoy food, but it has lost the control over me--I now control it.

Now words of wisdom those are not, but I hope you have the same feelings of freedom that this band has helped me attain. I would suggest going to the Before and After Forum, and looking through the pages of hope. And as you look through them, envision yourself there...because you will be. With that in mind, before you go, take some pictures. Find a wall or door, and take full body shots. You will HATE them!!! But as that weight drops you will see it with a clarity you would not have otherwise.

Know as you go off to surgery, we are all here, waiting to hear how you are doing...and here to offer support as you heal. When you need to vent, we're here. When you need food ideas, we're here. When you hop on the scale and want to share your success, we're here. Oh and while we are at it...if you should win the lottery....don't forget, we're here!!!

You will be fine hon---go look at the Before and After pics and remind yourself why you are doing this!!!

((((BIG BIG HUGS))))

Kat

Will catch up with the rest of you after my daily hair shedding experience(aka...shower) or after I get back from the craft show.

Wow--I just saw your pic Cassie--you are beautiful!!! Watch out world here she comes!!!

Kat

Kat such great advice. Cassie, Kat took the words right out of my mouth, it's such a rewarding feeling. Also, you're so fortunate to have this opportunity at such a young age. That's my only regret about the band is that it was not available to me when I was younger, so I could have enjoyed my life more as a thinner person.

The picture is adorable too.

Hugs

Good Morning,

Cassandra we have all thought the same thing "what? are we crazy" but in all honesty if there was a lap band when I was in my 20's I would have had it done instead of spending all these years feeling so miserable about myself, I wouldn't have wasted all that precious time... Plus.... all the damage the weight has done to my body all these years. Keep thinking positive and think about where you'll be a year from now..... yep, keep that smile on your face.

Beanie I don't think your nuts at all, I had a fill this month as well and shoot, why go thru another holiday only to gain..... If your nuts honey well than so am I for wanting to lose weight. You and I must learn that holidays are not about food.... its about family and friends.. we can do it.

Kat enjoy the craft show :eek:

Mary good luck with the car.

Cindy your DD's recital sounds so cute !!!! Have fun today :rofl:

Pat..... I always say if it was meant to be then it was meant to be..... screw the tree and put up the old one. Bet next year or maybe after Christmas you'll get a better bargin and a better tree

Well back to cleaning for me... joy joy happy happy.

Only two days to go...I woke up rather early this Sat. morning and have had trouble relaxing. I am starting to feel really nervous. Thoughts are running through my mind such as: what if this is a mistake? Maybe being overweight isnt soooo bad...(um..no) what if something goes terribly wrong? what if i cant handle the emotional changes as well as the physical? I am sure that this is "normal?" I am just doubting my decision for some reason---i dont have a lot of support with my family...any advice...words of wisdom?

Let's just say it's a good thing they gave me the versed when they did. I was ready to jump off the table and run, gown open my ass shining to the world. My advice? try to go under laughing, I was told the thoughts as you go to sleep are the same as when you wake up. I made a joke with the guy counting instruments in the OR and I went out laughing, the OR staff was laughing too. Guess what? I woke up asking my hubby if I looked like CIndy Crawford.....not just thin but I wanted to wake up beautiful too. LOL He is an angel and said I made her look bad. That's why I love him so much. Try to keep a light heart, you will be fine, we will all say a prayer for you and be here when you get back. (((HUGS))) ~Mandy

Mandy don't tell me you were one of my pre op Nurses?? I actually had a panic attack and clutched my overnight bag.. I was leaving. Who cared if I was taking the saline drip with me.

Cassie - Kat and everyone said it very well.. Good Luck you will get through this..

Well I am here at work so I best catch up with everyone a little later..

They took my car this morning so hopefully it is gonna be able to get repaired. I just cannot help but laugh about every little thing that happend yesterday.

Hello Y'all!

Just making a quick stop by, in the middle of doing housework and laundry. DH had to go to work today, so I am taking advantage of his being gone to get some work done! They are working today instead of next Friday, but I have to work Friday and it burns my butt!

I got up Friday morning and was making my lunch, cut my finger and had a heck of a time getting it to stop bleeding. I finally got it banaged up, it didn't look bad either, nice and clean looking, until I got to work and spilled hot coffee all over it! Yup, the same hand now is not only cut, but burned!

It alright though, just hard to type when it is banaged up.

I went grocery shopping this morning, and then came home and started cleaning. I want to get it all done before he gets home and messes it up again!:eek: :rofl:

Well, I am going to go finish up before I get too tired to do it.

I'll check later!

Have a great one!

Good evening, everyone! I spent the day working on getting all the furniture back in the right places...is it every gonna end??? it gets better each day, that's all I can say right now.

Took DD to the Girl Scout meeting; they are making a quilt for a children's hospital. It might not be perfect, but it's made with love.

Cassandra, Kat said everything perfectly, but since you are looking for support, I'll throw in a little extra. Everything she said is true, true, true. See, it's not going to do any good to beat yourself up (figuratively, of course) about lack of will power, or discipline...for whatever reason (theories abound), us bandsters just never succeeded LONG TERM with diets. All of us were able to lose weight, but we couldn't keep it off. The yo-yo effect only made matters worse. And here we are. Go for it, girl! I have NEVER regretted it, not one minute. It's obvious that we all look better, but the REAL benefits are inside. I feel so much better about myself. I can bend over and pick up stuff, and still breathe! I can cross my legs. I can buckle a seat belt on an airplane, and have extra room! I can walk without hurting as much (you're young, so this might not be a problem). My daughter can put her arms all the way around me! Also, my cholesterol has gone down over 50 points! My blood pressure is normal, not high. I wear an XL, not a 3XL. I wear a loose 18 (almost a 16!), and started at size 26. My energy level is higher than it's been in 10 years, and I'm 50...no one really guesses my age, and I honestly feel more like I'm 40 than 50. One of the worries I had was that I would have loose skin, but that hasn't happened; I don't know if it's good genes, or just that I love lost weight so slowly that it has just adjusted with the rate of loss. I keep thinking of things to say, because I just wish for you the positive experience this has been for me. Don't be trapped by fear...Kat is right, we'll be here for you. No question is too "dumb" to ask, and we'll kick you in the patootie when you need it, too! We'll do it nicely, okay?

Good luck, Cass. Get ready to fly!

Hugs to all, Cindy