Merry Meet,

My name is Tracy nickname Gretchen Noel and I am a very spritual pagan. I am 37 years old and the daughter of a Southern Baptist Minister. I live in a different state and my parents, though they know I'm different, do not know of my spiritual beliefs. I have been kitchen/nature witch since I was 25 and do not follow any certain path in particular, but gather differnt things from all faiths and make them my own. I and my husband, for the most part, are solitary (he follows the budda yogi path) but we do have a small 'family' that gathers 8 times a year for holidays.

I think all of our prayers,energies and spells all go to the same place and that no one religion or denomination is the 'correct' one, just that it takes different things for different people and situations.

I am being banded on Tuesday Feb 27th and I am both excited and anxious. I was a size 12 in jr. high and a size 14-18 through high school. I went through a date rape situation when I was 19 and ballooned up to 240. I have been over 200 since I was 19, over 250 for about 12 yrs and over 300 for about 6 years.

I 1st attempted to have this very procedure four years ago but I had health spring and was denied without any hope of an appeal. Last year my company started offering BCBS along with health spring. I didn't change anything, then I found out last fall that there were 6 other people in the company that had switched to BCBS and sucessfully had the procedure SO, I switched this year and as you will see in my signature.. was approved!:clap2:

I am so excited about what lays ahead for myself and my husband. I LOVE to be outdoors and being my size is REALLY a hinderance.

I look forward to hearing from others of alternative faiths or, No faith in particular.

I have created a poll, thought it would be fun. I know there is NO WAY I have remembered all of the different paths so if yours isn't listed..VERY SORRY. Example.. right after I created the poll, I realised I left of NORSE. ANYwho, I'll add it if you ask me to assuming I can figure out how to make changes to the poll. I'm kind of technically challenged.

Blessed Be,

Tracy/Gretchen Noel

DH also said our plants outside are doing well. Last year I planted a ton of stuff and we put in bulbs, etc. Between my black thumb and the rabbits just about all of it died. But the onions I planted were always strong and still are. And the rhubard I thought wouldn't come back, but it did. Maybe now that there is a direct comparison I can finally convince DH that the burdock type stuff he planted a couple of years ago really isn't rhubarb and will never turn red

Sounds like my type of gardening. I live in an apartment, so I can only do contianer gardening. Last year, I tried clematis, and actually got some blooms, but I never could get it to attach to my deck railing, so it eventually died. The only plants I have been completely unable to kill have been bamboo, some sort of vine, and a christmas cactus. Everything else? Dead in a week, it seems.

Normally this would go in my journal, but it would seem that they have dissapeared...

Ok.. Fill number two was pretty uneventful.. They are v. happy with my progress and say that I am right on track. I'm losing 3.5 per week and they really prefer I don't lose faster than that. I am no longer a BMI of 50+ HOORAH!! I was a 49.8 this a.m. The day of surgery I weighed in at 331.5 and I know in Jan I was around 336+. Today I was 308 so Total weight lost is 32. Total lost from day of surgery 23.5.

My band holds 4cc's, last time they put in 2.2, today they made me an even 3. Again, this fill made a diff. I was REALLY hungry when I went in. You can't have anything in your tummy so I hadn't eaten yet but when I left I was FULL.

I have an appointment in three weeks with Morton again and also a nutritionalist. chicken & Tuna don't always go down well (feels like I'm swallowing a v. dry golf ball) & steak is a big pain in the butt to chew. I get really tired of chewing it so I end up spitting it out. This pretty much leaves.. well,, cheese, Beans, hummus, eggs.. you get the pic. SO this makes getting in all my Protein somewhat of a challenge. Well of course I could live on CHEESE but that would probably impede the whole weight loss goal...

I'm on liquids again for two days then work my way up to real food. I went to the pick yer own strawberry farm on Saturday and bought a gallon of THE MOST deeelish berries EVER. Well Todd's out of town and I can't have any until Wednesday and they were picked Saturday so I'll have to bring 'em to work so they don't go bad. I'll get some more this Saturday. I like to eat them on my salads.

One of the main differences this time from last time is when the numbing shot started wearing off at work, it started STINGING. I'm still stinging but I guess it will fade. I just put a new Garfield band-aid over the spot and it already feels better. Now if I could just find band-aids with a moose on it....

I'm going to start tracking my protein grams every day. I need to get in 60-80. This should be fun.

T

now, what is the difference between those medieval Christian superstitions, and the new modern alternate superstitions? It hard to tell from my part of the universe....

A few thoughts, please don't hold them against me if you are reading this, please?

Medieval Christians had faith to gain (or retain) security, the church WAS the government. Illiteracy guaranteed that the spiritual information remained relatively untainted and flowed in one direction only. The message was essentially -"Your suffering is very important to us, God sees everything, will vanquish our enemies, smite those that hurt you, and reward you for your faithful labors in Heaven. Please do not take actions of retribution on your own behalf. Get back to work now gentle taxpayer."

The literate, liberated Christians have a much more 'do-it-yourself' approach to religion. Everyone has 'personal Savior', and faith is more to distinguish the superior, "Saved" individuals. The Old Testament has been disregarded by the newer Christians as outmoded and violent. I do not disagree, but to just set it aside because it calls for a stoning or two kind of leaches some of the credibility from the church. Sorry, that was a little facetious.

A friend of mine called the modern Christian churches 'the modern day Pharisees' (NOT ME, never me) because faith has become so commercialized, so mainstream, that belonging to a church is more about social climbing than personal faith. Ideas that are different are immediately shunned, labeled sin, or tagged as having come from a 'false prophet'.

That.. and what WASaBubble Butt said, Pascal's Wager.

I am an Atheist. I wish I had the ability to believe in Deit/y/ies. I'd find myself a nice, nature-based faith in three seconds flat.

HEY LUCY!! HEY YOU ALL!!

now, what is the difference between those medieval Christian superstitions, and the new modern alternate superstitions? It hard to tell from my part of the universe....

I'm sure there are lots of differences within how the religion is perhaps practiced, but the main simiarity I see is the very idea of some "hero savior" born of a virgin, in other words, the mythology that permeated in the middle ages is still the same today. In the Cloisters, there were many statues of the mother and child, and they look very much the same as modern day statues of Mary and Jesus. It's like gazing into the future while looking at the ancient past, and it's disturbing to me. It would be as if we still relied on archaic methods and superstitions to cure diseases instead of modern medicine.

Basically the people then were fed a detailed story of a hero who would solve all of their problems, and they bought into it due to ignorance and fear. But instead of progressing, religion has stagnated and become mired in an ancient story/belief.

As I looked at the statues, I could easily see elements of other myths abounding. There is one where Jesus is killing a dragon!!! It's all the same story of earlier religions, repackaged into one superhero.

I find the whole thing to be incredibly bizarre. And "converting" children into it is just plain wrong.

One thing that I found interesting was that when ancient Christians were thrown to the lions back in Rome, the Romans really didn't like having to do that. For them it was a government thing, sort of like how the church could be in more modern times. Governerors were minor dieties and of course the emporer was one. They would try to plea bargain with the christians-- they would say, why don't you think about it for a couple of months, then we'll come back and talk. How about you say a prayer for the emporer and burn a stick of incense and this never happened, etc. That sort of thing. They really didn't like having to take them in. And they weren't out hunting them down either but if someone was going to be obvious about it they felt it was against government policy and so they would have a chat. But the christians felt proud to be martyrs.

Now fast forward to modern day... Sure we could put up a fuss about separation of church and state (yeah right). But its really a lot easier to just along with 'in god we trust". I don't plan to stop using money any time soon! I don't believe in being a martyr. Maybe someday there will be a cause where I feel strongly enough in it to do that. I definitely cannot think of it now.

I like it when kids have choices. When I was a teen I "church hopped". Went to a different denomination every sunday for a while. It was interesting. At that point I wasn't a Christian, but I wan't to learn more about the culture around me. Thats the sort of thing I would do as a parent, I think. Or the local unitarian church is decent too because it presents alternative viewpoints and things-- it teaches sex ed to junior highers for one thing, and has pagan celebrations and talks and stuff sometimes, for another.

I like picking and choosing what I want to believe. What set of things will or will not work for me. Or chooseing nothing if thats what I decide. I like choices in general. I've never been the sort of person who is easily content with whatever is handed to me. I'm picky. I'm glad I live in a time and place where I am able to be picky.

i'm bummed out. :cry

i don't have any restriction after my 2nd fill. i have 3ccs in my 4cc band.

now, i know many people have to get multiple fills before gaining proper restriction. i've been paying close attention to their fill history (if they have it posted in their sig, of course) and i keep seeing people with my size band perfectly restricted at less ccs then i currently have! it makes me want to pull my hair out and scream.

mostly i just feel very... alone. absolutely no one understands what i am going through. what i am feeling. if i hear "oh, give it some time" one more time... i swear... i'll :censored: . i'm also just loving all the "helpful" advice people are pushing on me. like, "drink lots of water with your meals to help fill you up!" uh, doesn't work like that now folks! i also like "just eat more bread", "add another meal during the day" (WTF?!).

eh. i don't want to continually whine. i'm just feeling frustrated and alone.

i need another fill, but we went 2x last month and i can't afford it again. not with gas prices being this high! we had planned for these trips, but months apart, not WEEKS apart!

but i'm not just bitchin' without any extra effort being put forth. i am abiding by the bandster rules, i rejoined weight watchers, i signed hubby and i up for water aerobics, we've increased our dogs walkie times and i've cut out liquid calories (ie juice, flavored coffee drinks).

so i'm making an effort. and so far, i'm up an lb. (but i do feel better having now vented!)

anyhow, i haven't seen this thead active for a few days and wanted to get it moving again! this is a great group of people and i'd hate to see it fade into the archives, or where ever unloved threads wander off to die.

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time of it. When can you go in for another fill? I am fortunately to be in Nashville w/ my doc I reckon, my fills are covered for a year too.

I finally busted 300 and now weigh 299.. BOOOOYAH!

Please hang in there and don't give up. It will work. Just curious.. are you sure you have the 4cc band and not the larger one? Can you call your doc and express your concern over lack of restriction and that you are tight on funds and you don't know what to do?

Hang in there & kiss your furkids for me!

T

i'm bummed out. :cry

i don't have any restriction after my 2nd fill. i have 3ccs in my 4cc band.

now, i know many people have to get multiple fills before gaining proper restriction. i've been paying close attention to their fill history (if they have it posted in their sig, of course) and i keep seeing people with my size band perfectly restricted at less ccs then i currently have! it makes me want to pull my hair out and scream.

mostly i just feel very... alone. absolutely no one understands what i am going through. what i am feeling. if i hear "oh, give it some time" one more time... i swear... i'll :censored: . i'm also just loving all the "helpful" advice people are pushing on me. like, "drink lots of Water with your meals to help fill you up!" uh, doesn't work like that now folks! i also like "just eat more bread", "add another meal during the day" (WTF?!).

eh. i don't want to continually whine. i'm just feeling frustrated and alone.

i need another fill, but we went 2x last month and i can't afford it again. not with gas prices being this high! we had planned for these trips, but months apart, not WEEKS apart!

but i'm not just bitchin' without any extra effort being put forth. i am abiding by the bandster rules, i rejoined weight watchers, i signed hubby and i up for water aerobics, we've increased our dogs walkie times and i've cut out liquid calories (ie juice, flavored coffee drinks).

so i'm making an effort. and so far, i'm up an lb. (but i do feel better having now vented!)

anyhow, i haven't seen this thead active for a few days and wanted to get it moving again! this is a great group of people and i'd hate to see it fade into the archives, or where ever unloved threads wander off to die.

I am fortunately to be in Nashville w/ my doc I reckon, my fills are covered for a year too.

Hey, we'll have to get together sometime! I am originally from Crossville, which is about two hours east of Nashville. I am living in Kentucky right now, but I do go back to the Nashville area every so often.

<p>HELLO,</p> <p>I'M RHONDA. I WAS BANDED 12/16/05. I HAVEN'T POSTED IN FOREVER UNTIL TODAY. I KIND OF JUST FELL OFF THE OLD LAPBANDTALK SITE. I PROBABLY DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES TO THE "T", BUT JUST LOVE YOUR LADIES POSTINGS AND HOPEFULLY CAN OFFER UP SOME ADVISE. I AM JUST SO THRILLED TO HAVE FOUND THIS THREAD. HERE'S A LITTLE ABOUT MYSELF. I'M NOT A PAGAN OR FOLLOW ANY PARTICULAR THING. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE ROSECRUCIAN ORDER. I BELIEVE IN GOD. I HAVE BEEN TO SO MANY CHURCHES WHEN LOOKING FOR THE "TRUE PATH TO FOLLOW" (WHATEVER). I'VE FOUND OUT THRU MY SEARCHES THAT EVERY CHURCH HAS THEIR OWN "RULES OF CONDUCT" TO SUIT THEMSELVES AND I'VE NEVER QUITE BEEN ABLE TO BEND MY BELIEFS ON THINGS TO FIT ANY OF THEM. I DON'T THINK GOD WANTED US TO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT EVERY SINGLE THING WE DO. I ALSO BELIEVE THE BIBLE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH WHOMEVER WAS RULING AT THE TIME AND POLITICS. I DO THINK THERE IS TRUTH TO IT, BUT THE WHOLE TITHING THING KIND OF WREAKS OF KINGS WANTING MORE MONEY AND WHAT NOT. I'VE NOT RAN ACROSS REALLY ANY ONE THAT FEELS THE SAME WAY AND USUALLY END UP IN A LOSE/LOSE CONVERSATION WHEN I TRY TO GET MY FEELINGS ACROSS. I HAVEN'T ALWAYS BEEN OPEN MINDED TO ANY OTHER BELIEFS OTHER THAN CHRISTIANITY. I REALLY DO BELIEVE THEY BRAINWASH YOU AND GET YOU SO AFRAID TO BELIEVE ANY THING OTHER THAN WHAT THE "WORD OF GOD IS WRITTEN". ONE DAY I JUST WOKE UP AND ASKED MYSELF "WHY IS EVERYONE ELSES WAYS SO WRONG?", BUT I'M THE ONE MISERABLE HERE TRYING TO FIT THE MOLD. DID A LITTLE SELF SEARCHING AND HAVE TO SAY I AM HAPPIER AND SO,SO MUCH LESS GUDGMENTAL ABOUT PEOPLE THAN I EVER HAVE BEEN IN MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE. ENOUGH ABOUT THAT RANTING. I AM AN ADMIN. ASSIST. TO A CARDIOLOGY GROUP IN CINCINNATI. I HAVE THREE WONDERFUL CHILDREN THAT I ABSOLUTELY ADORE (TWINS,11 & A 7YR OLD). I'M REMARRIED. I GO TO COLLEGE PART TIME AND IN MY SPARE TIME TRY TO LOSE WEIGHT. <img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)" smilieid="8" class="inlineimg" /> I'VE LOST 83LBS AND WOULD LIKE TO LOSE 33 MORE BY 7/7/08 (MY B-DAY). I LOVE TO LAUGH AND JOKE WITH PEOPLE. I TRY MY BEST TO NOT BE MEAN (SOMETIMES, NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE). I LOOK FORWARD TO CHATTING WITH YOU ALL. </p> <p

I Bought Some Organic Coconut Oil And Was Using It By Itself And Ended Up With A Horrible Patchy,itchy Rash. It Cleared Up A Few Days After I Quit Using It. My Stupid Self Just Kept Putting On More When I First Broke Out Thinking I Just Had Really Dry Skin. One Of My Sisters Had Me Talked Into Eating The Stuff Because They Say It Helps With Weight Loss. Made Me Gag.

Awesome! We are moving to the outskirts of Scottville Ky. Do you know where that is?

T

Hey, we'll have to get together sometime! I am originally from Crossville, which is about two hours east of Nashville. I am living in Kentucky right now, but I do go back to the Nashville area every so often.

Nope, Never Heard Of It. Is That North/south?

Awesome! We are moving to the outskirts of Scottville Ky. Do you know where that is?

T

Not a clue.

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time of it. When can you go in for another fill? I am fortunately to be in Nashville w/ my doc I reckon, my fills are covered for a year too.

I finally busted 300 and now weigh 299.. BOOOOYAH!

Please hang in there and don't give up. It will work. Just curious.. are you sure you have the 4cc band and not the larger one? Can you call your doc and express your concern over lack of restriction and that you are tight on funds and you don't know what to do?

Hang in there & kiss your furkids for me!

T

CONGRATS! breaking that had to feel amazing!!!

that little card they give you after surgery says i have a 4cc band. my fill doc was astounded that i didn't have any restriction after my first fill. when he filled me the second time he said there was no way i wouldn't have restriction. LOL. leave it to me to be exceptional!

and, once again CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Ok. today @ 2:45 was my post op appointment and 1st fill. I walked in, & they weighed me. I was kind of dreading this because 1. It's that 'special' time of the month 2. I've been hungry 3. this weekend, though I still didn't eat volume wise what I normally do, ate things I shouldn't have, like bread and brownies 4. last but not least, I weigh about 4 lbs heavier in the afternoon than I do in the a.m. water retention I guess.

Much to my delight I have maintained myself at 318.. I was 331.5 on the day of surgery, which means I weighed even more than that before surgery and lost some before because of the hellacious pre-op 'all food is evil so you must drink your meals' diet. So I lost around 20 lbs and have kept it off without gaining any before my fill. From what I've been reading on the forums, some people gain before their 1st fill so HOOfreakinRAH for me!:clap2:

They had a "basket 'o Needles sitting on the desk.. boy that cheered me up and fast.:faint: Todd was like... well look honey.. they aren't THAT big...

Dr. Morton thought my incisions sites looked great and where healing V well. They also thought my matching tie dyed undies/sports bra and socks were a hoot, I informed them that of course, I wore them for this ever so special of occasions. At this point, they had me laying down on the table in my colorful skivies and it occurred to me that this bragging on my homemade undies was a clever ploy for them to distract me from the bee sting of a numbing shot they administered to the incision on my sternum. I think Todd's fingers may still be tingling...:rolleyes but I have to admit.. it was like a baby bee sting and not one of those big A$$ scary bees....

So.. after this he sticks in the saline needle and all I feel is pressure, I was like.. wow, that's kind of weird, he then informed me that he was going to help me SIT UP with said needle protruding from my sternum. uh....:guess

He gave me his hand and helped me sit up.. I didn't pass out or anything! In fact at this point, I didn't feel a thing but I guess my eyes were still bugged out like a fly in a frog pit cause he commented on my expression..

It was kind of weird to look down and see a needle sticking out of me but, it didn't hurt:)

They then gave me a cup holding 9 ounces of water and asked me to sip on it. Apparently the band I have holds 4 thingies of saline (cc's maybe?) and while I sat there drank water and burped profusely he put in 2.2 thingies of fluid. He seemed pretty happy with how it was sounding and he pulled out the needle and slapped on a bandaid. I was like... 'THAT's IT?" As I predicted, I felt silly for being to worked up over this. It all took about 10 minutes from weigh in/strip down to fill up.

I was grinning like a cat in the fish market on the way up front because my stomach had been growling like crazy when I got there and all the sudden.. I was FULL. HOLY CRAP>>>> I went from ravenous beast to pleasantly just ate full.... on 9 ounces of water. NICE. I scheduled my next appointment for 3 weeks from now to weigh in and see if I need more fluid in my band. I am on liquids until wednesday afternoon then I can switch to soft stuff like cottage cheese/apple sauce then gradually at my own pace, work up to real food again.

I am ever so slightly sore now where my port is and he said I might bruise a little. I got a protein drink and some veggie juice for supper and right now I'm full as a tick.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW DIFFERENT DR'S DO THEIR FILLS COULD BE. MINE USES A FREEZE SPRAY. THE FIRST TIME I WENT IN I WAS LIKE "THERE IS NOW WAY THIS IS GOING TO STOP THE PAIN FROM THIS FOOT LONG NEEDLE DRIVING INTO MY STOMACH". IT WORKS GREAT THOUGH. HE SPRAYS FOR A FEW SECONDS AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE STOPS, HE STABS AND I REALLY DON'T FEEL ANYTHING BUT THE COLD AND PRESSURE.