I realize it's Holiday Season, and some are on Vacation, I've just noticed that many of the Long Term Band Vets are noticebly gone.

There have been MANY threads that seemed to have gone down a slippery slope of bashing individuals who apparently have had crossed paths in cyberworld before. Quite frankly I don't care the reason, I just miss the advise & knowlege that I got the first few weeks when I joined. I enjoy reading the threads regarding religion / politics / etc, knowing my opionions and feelings are just that, and any chance of "converting" others is not likely - but having a forum to learn others experiences you may not ever have the chance of learning about is quite entertaining/enlightening to me.

With that said, I sure hope vacation ends for some soon I think some valuble individuals are sorely miss - whether I've agreed / liked what they've said in every post. Hope I don't get slammed now for mentioning this, but I'm a big girl (no pun intended). Merry NYR all!

My honest opinion, and it's just that, my opinion, is that they are taking a break from this site due to the turn in atmosphere here.:think

Yep - That's what I thought. Disappointing nonetheless.

I miss Laurend. I got a beautiful Christmas card from her. I assume she is at her parents' home for the holidays. Hopefully, folks are just super busy this time of year!

I got a beautiful card from her as well.

Wish things would get back to normal around here. Maybe things will get more relaxed now that the holdays are almost passed.

Yah, I miss her and Wasa, too. And I received a splendid card from Laurend also.

I got a really cute card from laurend as well. She told me that she would be visiting her parents and would not have internet access. I hope she comes back soon.

I hope all the others come back as well. It's not the same without them.

Now I am hurt. I didnt get a card from laurend!! I have noticed that from when I first started coming here the vets from then are no longer active as well.

I doubt seriously that WasA would leave this board completely and not tell me. I just sent her a pm. A newbie asked me where to get Isopure. she always knows the cheapest place to get stuff. She may have gone to Mexico. She goes there a lot.

I saw on another thread that the last time she posted was yesterday. She is not gone.

What are the crtiteria for being a "vet"?

What are the crtiteria for being a "vet"?

I think to "quantify" that would be impossible. For me anyone here longer than I would fit the bill to be honest. I don't have much of a support system other than my husband who was banded with me. We have not told anyone (his preference not mine - I'd tell everyone)..so I come here. I didn't find this forum till After I was banded and it was a lifesave the first month or two. As of late threads seem to have been hijacked with personal attacks & insults - that the good content discussed is lost. Quite frankly it's annoying.

I'm a pretty forward speaking/thinking person, and when I asked questions - I wanted the honest truth. If a reply I got back was not sugar coated, I was glad (believe you've answered one or two of mine quite frank w/your response. ). I'm not going to get offended nor hurt if brutal honest answers come my way from someone who's been there done that. My motivation comes from that & hope those that gave me courage not to cheat early on & get off my A$$ & go to the gym come back to encourage me on the next phases of this process.

Happy NYR All!!

I believe that Wasa is having her TT surgery around now. If this is the case she will be in one of two states: in bad pain or drifting in a narcotic haze. I hope and trust that she is spending most of her time in the latter state.

What are the crtiteria for being a "vet"?

This is a good question. :mad: Do you qualify as a vet according to the length of your membership on LBT, or the date when you were banded, or according to the number of posts which you have made on this site? :scared: Let's hear some input. eh! :ranger:

This is a good question. :mad: Do you qualify as a vet according to the length of your membership on LBT, or the date when you were banded, or according to the number of posts which you have made on this site? :scared: Let's hear some input. eh! :ranger:

I haven't been on this forum long, but I have been banded for over two years and would prefer to be considered a "vet" rather than one of those OH people. :whoo:

I certainly don't think of myself as a vet, even though I seem to spend the majority of my life on this board. I love this board.

Even if there are people that disagree with each other, it's still the best board around. Most of the disagreements are in rants and raves, and I still think people are supportive everywhere else on the board. That is unless someone is asking if it's okay to do

something that is highly not recommended for bandsters, like eating too soon after surgery.

I tend to think of the vets as people who have been on the board a long time. I can think of one gal, in particular, who has only been banded a short time but is an old-timer here on the board. I consider her a vet even though I have been banded longer. I think she had insurance issues that prevented her from having her surgery for a long time.

I think others consider a vet someone who has been banded a year or two. I guess it is one of those situations where there is no right or wrong answer.......maybe some other folks can give us a better idea of the definition of a vet. Let's hear it !