I'm here to help...

[IndioGirl55 32]

Laura - Beautiful - my back yard faces west - so I rarely catch the sunrise - but get the sunsets..

Glad you are w/your family - enjoy...

Apples - Hugs on the stones - it seems like there should be some kind of meds you could take to prevent them..

Well off to play bingo - cbl

[Apples2 19]

I was banded on 3/29/10 and have not been able to get in the amount of liquid I am supposed to. I am supposed to get in 2 ounces every 15 minutes. I got in 6 ounces in about 45 mins this morning, and another 4 ounces this afternoon. I am also sipping on Water, the gas pains are awful, and I am not really hungry. Is this normal?

It is a little difficult at first to get the required fluids in. I know that I had difficulty when it came to cold liquids. Warm seemed to work for me and I was able to build up to where I should be. If you are not into tea, low sodium broth, etc., try drinking your water at room temp. I put peach tea Crystal Lite in my room temp water and that seemed to help.

Try to be patient with the non-hunger issues. Things usually level out about a week out of surgery.

I feel for you with the gas pains. I don't think there are too many new bandsters that do not suffer with it. Try to walk as much as you can. Get some Gas X and see if that helps.

Wishing you luck. And, if you have further questions let us know.

[phyllser 3]

It is a little difficult at first to get the required fluids in. I know that I had difficulty when it came to cold liquids. Warm seemed to work for me and I was able to build up to where I should be. If you are not into tea, low sodium broth, etc., try drinking your Water at room temp. I put peach tea Crystal Lite in my room temp water and that seemed to help.

Try to be patient with the non-hunger issues. Things usually level out about a week out of surgery.

I feel for you with the gas pains. I don't think there are too many new bandsters that do not suffer with it. Try to walk as much as you can. Get some Gas X and see if that helps. Wishing you luck. And, if you have further questions let us know.

I knew if I just waited a few minutes you'd jump in with a good answer!! All that seems so long ago, I can barely remember! So.... still on Clear Liquids, or including some Protein Drinks? ?? I didn't have that requirement to get in that many liquids. Warm beverages do help. I remember Janet making all that homemade broth during that phase.

[Apples2 19]

I knew if I just waited a few minutes you'd jump in with a good answer!! All that seems so long ago, I can barely remember! So.... still on clear liquids, or including some Protein drinks? ?? I didn't have that requirement to get in that many liquids. Warm beverages do help. I remember Janet making all that homemade broth during that phase.

See, Clagamdj...(and hopefully this is reassuring)...we get so used to being bandsters that we forget some of those struggles we went through. :thumbup:

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Good evening girlies~

Happy Early Easter to everyone! Hope the Easter bunny is NOT good to you guys! No jelly Beans or chocolate. : )

Apples~Glad your appt is overwith. Stones suck. You have a positive way of looking at it though. And hey- maybe you passed on stones to your kids but you are the best mom EVER! Your sons are so blessed that they have a mom that cared- and not to mention how they got your beautiful eyes and knock out smile! : )

Jewel~WTG on 40 lbs!!! Have a great trip. Don't stress too much about the move- just think of all the new found freedom! Good luck on exams and papers. Ketones are from the higher Protein diet. It's ok short term. It's also from losing muscle- as we lose we lose both muscle and fat. That's why it is so important to exercise, so you don't lose mostly muscle. Really important to drink a lot of Water to flush that protein out of your kidneys.

Melissa~ Yeah, you can fall in love without meeting before. I knew before I met these guys that I loved them. I love you too and haven't met ya. : )

Phyl~ You crack me up- waiting for Apples to give you the answer! You have me craving chili for some reason this week.

Janet~ Thanks for the sweet comments. SMOOCH.

ok guys, I think I am off to bed early. My folks like me up and adam in the morning to have Breakfast with them. Gotta get my beauty sleep ya know. I am missing my DH something awful tonight. POUT.

peasout... Laura

[Great2BThin 5]

Good evening! What a busy day, I left at 9am to help fold Easter bulletins for church, then on to Grandma's. She was being a little difficult today so it exuded lots of patience on my part. Whenever my mom comes she gets so unsure of herself and into this 'I don't want to be a bother' way of thinking that it takes a few weeks after mom leaves to get her back to normal. My mom is so difficult and Grandma lets mom push her around sortta. We had lunch at Golden Corral. Can't remember who mentioned not going to a buffet anymore as they don't get their money's worth. I go weekly with Grandma. She doesn't eat much and when we go there she has to 'get her money's worth' so she eats more. But I have discovered from going that I do really well there. It costs no more than any other restaurant no matter how much I eat and I can load up on my Protein etc. and leave the fries and other sides alone. And I think because we go so often that all the 'goodies' aren't that tempting to me. After lunch we stopped by Goodwill so I could donate another trash bag full of too big clothes. It's fun now donating clothes my too big clothes are now clothes that I bought after I started losing weight and was so excited to fit in at one point. Of course, we had to go inside and see what they had. I am the proud owner of some new khaki capris by Ann Taylor half off so they were $2.50. Love me a good bargain! Then she wanted me to stay at her place for an appt with a social worker so was gone all day. I had such plans to do so much around the house and start packing for Hawaii.

Speaking of Hawaii it's so liberating to think of what to pack etc. I am used to going to the beach and looking to see if I am the fattest one there.

Apples, I admire how positive you stay over your whole kidney stone situation, proof of how staying positive can really improve one's outlook no matter how painful.

Phyl, great chatting with you on Facebook earlier! I am taking a Suduko break and checking in here.

Melissa, I have only met apples, but love everyone here as well. wish you could all move to UT with me!

Laura, beautiful sunrise, I don't see many of those myself.

[Apples2 19]

OK...crooked bunny cake is made. One ear is larger than the other. I didn't want him to feel bad so I told him the story of my one boob being bigger than the other. Now he has the smile back on his face. See?

[Great2BThin 5]

Apples, that cake is adorable!!

[Apples2 19]

Apples, that cake is adorable!!

Thank you. But as I stated in an earlier post, I am not a decorator. And the more I look at him (yes, it's a he), he looks like he is a little unsure of his own gender with those red lips, eyelashes and rouged cheeks.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::ohmy::thumbup:

[ladykcusa 1]

Jewell - congrats on 40 lb loss. Your brother will be so proud and surprised. Way to go.

Joyce

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Melissa. Abuse is a huge piece of why many of us eat. We layer fat around ourselves to protect us. We eat our emotions. Stuff your feelings, stuff your face.

Taking control of your food is a way of taking your life back from the abuser and saying you will not control me or my emotions or my life anymore.

I suggest you tell your son what happened to you. Keep it simple. Don't go into all the gory details. Tell him it's OK for him to contact his father but you can't be involved in it. Don't take it personally. His father may be a different person for him than he was for you. If not, your son will find out for himself. It is not a betrayal of you.

You can do this. Many of us have various forms of abuse in our background. I found myself only able to lose up to a certain point also, before the band. It was almost as if being thin would make me too attractive and might attract an abuser into my life. ALthough my second husband is not an abuser, there are difficuloties in our marriage where I did not take care of myself and let him do things that left me carrying debt and being the main financial support. I had to stand up for myself and retake control of my life. There are a lot of things I know I can't rely on him for, and I had to once again accept total responsibility for my own life like I did after my first husband left. As much as he loves me, and he does, he cannot be the source of my emotional well-being. As I've taken charge of my own physical, spiritual, mental, financial, emotional and sexual well-being, my ability to deal with my food has also improved.

As I've let go of trying to fix and heal all the people in my life (particularly relatives) and put them in God's hands, I've gotten healthier. That's a process that takes time and years. You can't control your son's relationship with his father. Let go and let God.

Everybody's giving you great food advice. All I have to add is, go back and read what I wrote about reflux, if you need a slight refill and you don't want the pbing and reflux back. It might make a difference.

Cheri

[llkb4me 1]

Jessica, have a great time with you bro. Way to go on the 40lbs.

Apples, wonderful cake, my mom used to make us a bunny cake too. We used to make marshmellow bunnys, lots of them.

Laura beautiful pic of the sunset.

Everyone have a great Easter.

Laura K

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

OMG what a day...... I've been trying to get on here all day... no luck till now and then I'm not sure I'll make it... The power has been going in and out all afternoon.... As it turns out we had some very.... and I mean VERY wet snow this morning... Stopped traffic dead for a while even... then about 1:30 the power went out and stayed out.... A big power line came down over the main 4 lane highway between here and Bismarck.... took out a semi on it's way down.. haven't heard of the driver was hurt... Traffic jammed up for miles.... Have to wait for the news to know anything much... Anyway..... ours came back on about 4 but has been flickering on and off numerouse times since then... Friends who live out of town had to come in as they are on a rural electic plan and they still had no power... and a second tower came down.... He has to have his nebulizer so they came in to have supper and for him to stay... But now have left as power was restored.... So confusing... Anyway.... I have just had a crazy day.....

AND......................... DD called to say BF asked her to marry him last night and she said yes.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG........ October 23rd wedding..... I'm all confused... Have to be happy for her but have so many questions.... I did ask that they promise to go to pre marraige counseling with our pastor and she said yes... His father will marry them..... In answer to some of the questions Jodi asked.... I do know some of the answers.... He was not married and divorced... He was going with a gal for ony 2 months when she got pregnant... They did not stay together, but he did take his father responsiblities very seriously... My DD had been going with this guy only 1 month when she got pregnant... He was a scuz bag.... abused her and lived off of her and us.........a very big liar........ When Mimi was 3 months old he tried to choke DD.... Let's just make a long story short and say that he has not and will not ever see this child again... We had him arrested and charged... But only got a fine and a restraining order... Anyway, I think both DD and "finacee" have been through some rough times and are so releived to have found someone who understands and relates to what they have been through.... They seem very happy... He comes from a good family and although he doesn't get along with the child's mother, he has joint custody and does more than his share with her... His parents, too.... I've heard nothing to make me think he is bad news, just need more time to get to know him... At least she said wedding in October and not May or June!!!!

Laura, so glad you are with your folks and that dad is doing better... What a gift... love the pics

Apples, bunny cake is delightful... Will make children smile for sure.... Just a check-up now, not more stones, right??? You take care and have a great time with the Welcome Home... It's an emotional time as you well know.. I remember like it was yesterday... so exciting, too.... God bless them all.....

Melissa, you're in good hands with Janet and the others.. You are going to be fine.... Yeah, and Eva, I'm right there with you with the good days and then a bad one... Seems like I never learn......

Jodi, so glad your passover time and such was so good for you... Your choice of discussion topic was great... Good to learn things we didn't know.... Your daughter is lucky to have you.......

Jessica, just have a wonderful time and deal with the rest when you get home... Enjoy yourself...

Janet, you are such a good leader.... Thank you.....

Great, you must have the patience of a saint with your GM.... My mother drives me crazy sometimes and I lose my cool...... Wish I didn't, but I do.....

Hope all you others are doing well.... I'm running out of brain power..... Take care and good luck with all your Easter preparations.. I have a few things to do tomorrow... quite a few... Had hope to more today, but can't do much with no electricty....right Jodi????

good night... have sweet dreams .........hugs to all.... Julie

[Great2BThin 5]

Congrats to your DD, Julie. Will you be giving her a big wedding since this is her 2nd marriage? I actually enjoyed planning DD's wedding but it was lots of work. The counselling is good! DD and her new DH went to pre marital counselling with our pastor as well. Sounds like quite the storm you had. We just had a cold wind today, the snow stayed in the mountains where it should! LOL though DH and DS are up there now.

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Great, my DD has not been married before... Neither has the finacee....... Just both are unwed parents....with unfortunate stories to tell about how horrible people can be t each other... I think that's why they are going so fast.. They are both starved for the affection they didn't get with the other parent of their child....

DD is not a fancy girl.... wants something quite simple... She is a very big heavy metal music fan and loves Metallica.... Wouldn't put it past her to have attendants wear Metallica t-shirts.....LOL...... Actually she wants her attendants to wear nice black coctail length dresses that they can wear again... Nothing frilly or fancy.... No tuxes for the guys.... She's debating about her own dress.... Not sure if she wants a traditional wedding gown.... I'm hoping to convince her to take mine and have it made into something she would like... It's enough to big that there is lots of material to work with.... We'll see what happens.... I'm just glad we have 6 months and not 2... I really want them to do the counseling with Pastor.... I have to be so careful about what I say... She feels my criticism so easily... And I'm know for giving my opinions freely with her..... gotta watch that and not steal her happiness from her........