Hi all, it's almost midnight and I thought I would start the new thread before I went to bed. I'm posting a link to it in the March thread. ~Mandy

Wow! Thanks so much for the list! I've been working on finding a good protein shake mix and when I do, I'll stock up! I'll have to find the liquid tylenol and the gas-x, and I'll pretty much be good to go! Dr. Bertha said we'd be on a liquid diet for 4 weeks after surgery! What, exactly, does that mean? Clear liquids for 4 weeks or does that include cream soups and/or mushie foods????? Anyone know?

I was on clear liquids for a few days (if you have a trader joes near you they have the best veggie broth in a carton), then whole liquids (milk, cream soup strained and yogurt or fruit smoothies, again trader joes has squash soup also a sweet potato soup, I love the tomato but the acid isn't recomended right after surgery) for a few more days then mushies for a week (guac, apple sauce, egg salad) then soft foods (fish, over cooked veggies, mashed potatos, fine ground meat) then regular foods. I was bended almost 2 years ago and I know most doctors have more strict rules post-op. It will probably be 1 week clear liquids (popsicles, jello, all the water you can drink I lived on Propel) then whole liquids for the other 3 weeks. But double check with the doctors office. I forgot to add to my list, shoes that slip on. I tried to tie my shoes the day after surgery and it was painful. I wore slip on for about a week. My local walgreens was able to get adult liquid and chewable tylenol for me, also the walgeens band gas-x chewables are great. If you have any questions feel free to ask here, the jersey girls are a great source of info. Most of us have had our bands for a while so ask away. ~Mandy

I found the medifast "ready to go" dutch chocolate protein drinks the best. My doctor recommended them. I have one every morning on the way to work. 6 times LESS fat then slimfast; 1/2 the calories of slimfast with more then double the protein. tastes beter too. You ordeer htem on line and they come to your door. I keep mine in the fridge so they are nice and cold.

thery are chuck full of vitamins too.

Congrats on your date Jenny and welcome to bandland!

Morning Girls,

Sherry:I got ya on my prayer list. You really gave me a scare. Cars and kids are such a dangerous mix. Please keep us posted on recovery. Hugs.

Dianne:I have been Sooooo totally missing you. I hate that you have been in so much pain with your plastic surgery. Your photos are beautiful. Please, Please take it down a couple of notches and give your body a chance to heal. Bubble baths, foot rubs, a neck massage, pretty earrings, chick flicks..... whatever floats your boat, do it! You can even shop via electric wheelchair in some grocery stores, targets and walmarts -- wouldn't that be fun?! Gentle cyber hugs for you my dear and if you want to really talk I will PM you my cel phone number if you want it. Be a good girl. Hugs.

Morning All

It's a glorious day to be laid off... *sigh*

Everyone is packing up their desks and handing out personal contact info. It's a very sad day. We are all waiting for the big announcement, so we can go out and start looking for new jobs.

We weren't supposed to know - but it was the worst kept secret in mortgage lending that our office is closing today. I have only one little box of stuff left... I have been taking stuff home for weeks, now.

We have just been waiting for the California people to all arrive - cause they always make these announcements companywide at the same time.

*sigh* By now, we are all just ready for this to be over. We have had so many months of uncertainty and the slim hope that our office might survive... we were touted as the "model" office for the company. The most efficient, the most compliant - just the best all around. But, in the end, geography took us down. Our corporate office is in CA and the parent company's corporate office is in NY - so guess which two offices will remain? *sigh*

Well, I have to go get laid off now... I will check in later.

xo

Oh Sherry... I am so glad your son is okay.... (((Hugs))) I just don't ever want my daughter to drive... I am going to lock her in her closet as soon as she gets home. Yikes!

Irene... I am sorry Hon... gosh... I do relate... when they canned all three of the midwives I worked for I just stood there in shock... it is a terrible feeling to wait for the axe to fall! (((Hugs))) HOWEVER... I know that something better and more fitting to your talents awaits... you need to know this too!

Kat... OMIGOSH... the story about the little girl... left me just so sick... bless her sweet heart and her parents. Leaving my daughter was always such a big deal to me... the safest place is with Mom... well... in most cases anyway! Pictures of the baby horse please... we could probably all use a little colt pic to cheer us up!

CIndy... I know... those videos are very disturbing... obviously he has been a very mentally ill young man for some time. We are in a society that seems to be afraid to take a stand... for fear of upsetting one group or another. Of course... removing him from the campus would not have stopped him from doing what he did... but at least the attempt would have been made.

Dianne... You look mAVelouS darlinK!

Jenny... Woo Hoo on getting your date! How exciting for you!!!!!

Eileenie... So sorry about the storms and such for you! Remember... Hope floats!

(((hugs)))

Grab a tissue and be pepared for a very touching reunion. ~Mandy

http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/99588/Father_Surprises_Son.html

Hi everyone!

Dianne you look GREAT! I know you're still in pain - take it easy. It takes a long time to heal. But don't you feel like a huge weight ws lifted off your chest - literally. lol

Beanie so sorry about the job! That really stinks. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed for you with your interviews.

Mandy - there is another bandster from B2G that is going to be in Disney the same week as we are. We may have a little reunion on our hands. lol

Sherry hon, I'm still amazed by those pics. I'm so thankful that Greg is ok.

Hi to Cindy, Eileen, Betty, Pat, Darcy, and everyone else I've missed too! :eek:

So the latest with me is that I've dumped tattoo boy. Yep, he started playing games - hot one week, cold another - and I just had enough so I told him it wasn't working out. The best part of the story - I "unhid" my profile from Match and within 2 hours I had a date lined up for this Sat night with Nick, the other guy I met the same time as Andy. lol. Since then I've booked another for Sunday night and Monday night. So how do you like them apples tattoo boy?! lol. I'm a little sad, but at the same time I'm looking forward to having some fun and feel like I have a world of possibilities before me. :eek:

I'm in the middle of cooking supper so I can't stay. I thought with all the bad news on here I would post some pretties for y'all to see. This is the rose tree I planted in Blossom's memory.

These are some flowers in my back yard:

These are some bushes that are by the pool that get grapes on them and the birds eat them. They are almost ready!

These are some of the roses in my yard, but some of them are beginning to die off already.

Here are a few more: