Hey some of us are challenging each other to eat better, drink our Water, and get in our exercise. This is somewhat like Ediets.com challenges with some variations. Below are the guidelines. NOT RULES!!! There is an added challenge to do a random act of kindness at least once a week but as many as you can get in would be awesome.

1. Log-in daily and give a brief update of your day--meals, water intake, helping others, feelings, etc. Anything you want to share.

2. This Challenge will run Monday through Monday.

3. Weigh in once a week ONLY! Typically on Mondays but only once a week.

The challenge will start tomorrow August 16th and run till the October Bash in Vegas.

Wanna have prizes?

1. Most weight lost

2. Stayed as close to eating properly

3. Most Exercise minutes

4. Most creative with exercise routines

5. Motivation Queen

If you guys think of others then chime in.

By the way, all this is just a suggestion. So, give us some input on the challenges.

YES, NO, YOU ARE NUTS!

Best of luck to all participants!

Okay guys... *rubbing my head cause it hurts from all of the bonking!*

I talked to Dr. CHua's new associate... Dr. Valledares... he was AWESOME. He explained every test he was ordering and why he was ordering... he asked a bazillion questions and ordered all of the tests at my local hospital. He also offered for me to come down to Milwaukee if I preferred and he would admit me for a 23 hour hold (I'm assuming this would not be on the psych ward...lol). So... I went in for the abdominal x-ray this afternoon and blood testing and going in the AM for an upper GI and abdominal ultrasound. My stomach hurts so bad right now that I am wishing I had taken him up on the Milwaukee trip. If it gets worse yet during the night... my hubby may have to haul me down there in the middle of the night.

Betty... I know that it was a bit frightening to hear of others complications before my surgery... but in a way... I felt more informed and felt I went into it without rose colored glasses on. I hope I haven't scared ya... cause we are going to be the banded sistas in leather!

Gotta get up and walk around...

Darcy

Darcy, Darcy, Darcy, why didn't you just do the 23 hour thingy? But at least you're on your way to knowledge, and finally some doctor took the time to listen to you.

Geeze, I'm so not into this biker thing that I actually forgot to wear my leather jacket this morning. Rode the motorcycle and was kinda cold. Mental note - put on some leather.

Contrary to popular belief, bikers don't wear leather just to look cool. The wind chill factor on a bike could kill. Put on your cool leather jacket whenever the air is lukewarm. You'll need it. Did your boss notice your bike, yet?

Darcy, when will someone look at the xrays? I'm so glad your doctor is responding so quickly. We are all very worried about you. :sick

Seriously, I think my boss is jealous. I told him about it and he just grunted. He's a big fat partner of a law group, but he swooned over the first bike and said, "we must be paying you too much cause I can't even afford a Harley." I didn't feel like waiting for him to say anything, so I buzzed his line & told him. He grunted. He hasn't even looked at it, and it's right outside the window. Poor guy just got married to a young thang that wants babies. I think he's pretty jelly in his belly.

Darcy - I am so happy to hear you went for tests, I kinda wish you had went for the 23 hour thing, you would have been right there for them to do anything they had to. Please don't worry about scaring me or making me change my mind. I am not afraid of the surgery, or the pain. My Mom was so scared of hospital and of dying some of it just rubbed off on me. I am like her, afraid of not waking up. Other than that, I am not afraid of anything else. My Mom just said it enough to me to stick with me for life. It doesn't matter how much I tell myself that it will be fine, the thought is always there, haunting me. I want to read about all the good and the bad, at least that way if something does happen to me after I get banded, I will know how to handle it.

Please, please, if you get any worse, get in the car and go see that doctor. I don't want you hurting or taking any chances that aren't necessary. Besides, we have a date to wear those leathers!

Darcy..atealst you spoke to a doctor today and you got the ball rollin'

I sure hope everything turns out ok for you. Could it be gallbladder related and maybe not band related? I know you will keep us posted. You wont keep anything from us ever again right?

I get sharp pains all the time on my left side like a side ached when you run too hard..sometimes it is unbearable but usually turns out to be trapped gas. Hang in there Darcy..we are hoping and praying everything will be OK

(((hugs)))

Lisa - Becky is right, leathers are for protection! When it is cool, you definately need them. Of course when it is hot you will wish you had them off. Usually mid to lower 70's you will wish you had it on, or with you. We carry ours in our bags sometimes if we aren't sure.

When we got our Harley's two other people on our street just had to have one. Now, two more of our neighbors are wanting one! Watch out, your boss might just drive up on one himself one of these days. It just kinda gets in a persons blood.

Darcy,

I am thinking about you, sweetie. We are hopping off to San Fran again tomorrow. I will check before I leave in the wee hours, but probably won't hear how you are until late (Pacific Late) at night.

Hope you are feeling better. Remember that it always seems worse at night when we are tired and it is dark. Hugs to you.

Well... it's 3am... I've been up since 2 and figured I might as well get on the put to distract myself.

You guys really are great... I think I'd be losing my mind if you weren't here to listen to me whine! I sure will be glad the tests over with and hopefully find out what is causing this.

Becky... have a safe trip! You're right... the night is the worst especially when one is sitting up alone I bet you know exactly what it's like! Well... I do have three kitties jumping on me... so that helps! I don't think anybody was going to report on the x-ray until tomorrow... but I would hope they would call the doc if something freaky showed up!

Betty... I know what you mean about the fear of hospitals... I went into nursing after my Dad died of cancer... my brother had a motorcycle crash and fractured skull (why I will never have an orange Harley) and my step-father had a stroke... all within a very short time of each other. I spent A LOT of time in the hospital and decided working in one might get me past all of the fears I was developing... dingy girl... just made them worse...lol. You are going to come through your surgery with flying colors!

Michelle... No moooore gallbladder... all gone. I hear ya on the trapped gas thing... not at all pleasant!

Thanks everyone... you've helped me so much! ((((hugs))))

Darcy

Darcy - We are all here, holding your hand, whine all you want to, that is what this board is for. If you don't hear anything this morning, call them or call the doctor back and he will probably have the results already. Don't sit there and worry yourself sick. Doctors use to call right away, now it usually is the patient that has to call the doctor. Please keep us posted.

A great BIG hug to you from Texas (and you know everything is bigger in Texas)

Leather is for posers. Bikes are for posers. Leather is for posers on bikes. I was actually so embarrassed at the attention I got on my bike yesterday that today I'm driving my truck to work. I know all about protective clothing, but it's all so damn silly that I gotta leave the bike home today. Maybe tomorrow I'll wear my Halloween costume and drive my Halloween bike to work. I watched this great new show about this female professor. She's so anti-religious that a student approached her after class who felt the professor was bleeding her negative views on religious beliefs into her teaching. The student was this little Middle Eastern girl with the traditional scarf covering her entire head, and the professor became defensive and basically told the student that she needed to be educated and liberated instead of continuing to base her beliefs on tradition and what others raised her to believe. The girl's response was so moving; she said American girls are judged by their figures, faces, breasts; we're obsessed with perfect skin, teeth, anorexia, and plastic surgery (and BMWs & Harleys is what I wanted to add.) She explained she IS liberated, which is why it's her choice to cover her female attributes so that she's seen as a person, not an object. That little actress said exactly how my mind feels, so I'm shopping for shrouds, and I'm going to paint my bike Amish Brown, shave the fringe off my jacket, wear a shroud, and eat only potatoes and goat cheese. Then maybe I can come to terms with the whole Harley label and all that comes with it. Makes me feel damn silly, but I’ll probably get over it.

Hey Lisa I see that you have lost 5 lbs since last month great job!!! You must be very proud of yourself.

Michelle, I'm extremely pleased. I was actually down 2 pounds lower, but I'm still struggling with eating at night... last night I shoulda called you... I shoulda, I shoulda, I shoulda!

Hey everyone, Michelle sent me tons of her clothes, and she must be damn skinny cuz they're pretty tiny. But I'm squeezing into some of them anyway. When I wear tight jeans, I can't eat much. Spray that denim right on me!

Damn, are you guys here yet?

Well...so far... all of these exciting tests... and nuttin... notta darn thing. My band is right wear it is supposed to be... Fluid goes through it with some delay... but it goes through... nothing twisted or flipped... nuttin... I tell ya nuttin! So why am I up all night with pain... why?????? I'll be waiting for the doc to call... I'm sure he will have another exciting test in line. Yay. Now I can't eat anything that has any consistancy... PB hell if I do. Something isn't right... my stomach is pissy about something and hopefully I won't have to have many more tests cause those gowns look like crapola on me. NSV... I can wear a hopital gown and it now closes all of the way so that my hinder doesn't stick out.

Okay... going to go lay down and take a nap as big as they take in Texas Betty... it'll probably turn out to be more of a Rhode Island nap... but hey... it's worth a try!

Congrats on the weight-loss Lisa! Look at you closing in on the 60 lb lost mark!

Darcy

Darcy - I am so happy that so far it is good news! I am keeping my toes, legs, and fingers crossed for all good news. Let me know as soon as you hear anything. Have a good nap!