Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

What are you doing to exercise? I honestly haven't done any exercise at all. I just wasn't in the mindset to do it the first couple months I was banded.

I was exercising and then when I started the couch to 5 K challenge, the arthritis in my knee flared up and the doctor said no more jogging and to lay off completely for a couple of weeks and start back to the walking and pool exercise. That was back in October and I haven't started back yet. I really do need to do it. I was walking up to 4 1/2 - 5 miles a day. At this point, I think I really need to do the exercise to kick the weight loss into gear.

I'm on facebook!

PM me your facebook name and I'll friend you.

OK, I'm a dummy and I can't figure out how to pm

OK, I found you Orea and found Donna on your friend list so I sent you both a friend request. And man Orea you have alot of friends on facebook. I have like 2. There is a couple of not so nice words on my wall hope it doesn't upset anyone. but I was a little depressed over the weekend but I've gotten past it.

It's great we can friend on facebook. WARNING: I'm a Mob Wars addict and I've invited my facebook friends to join my mob. You don't have to do anything, you can just accept my request and be a member of my mob but you don't actually have to play. I really need you guys to accept because I need the bodies in my mob to have additional strength.

p.s. My band status is a secret on facebook.

Hello fellow butterflies! I have experienced hell all day... yes, I was car shopping. I would rather sit in the dentist's chair for a root canal than car shop. Just having to go to the dealerships and look for a new car made me angry at that woman who caused the accident all over again. Jeez.

Orea, I will be praying for you regarding your procedure.

Good night butterflies, I need to take the muscle relaxer and go to bed.:w00t:

It sounds lik you need to good hug. {{{{crzytchr}}}} Too bad you aren't a local friend. I actually enjoy going to dealerships and shopping for cars. I've gotten pretty good at playing the game, too. One thing I learned the hard way: Don't just test drive the model, insit on testing the exact car you are buying. In one instance, the car I drove was fine, but the car I got never accelerated smoothly. In another, the used car we drove was fine, but the one they brought over from another dealership had a serious problem with the driver's side window. It wouldn't roll back up!

Remember, the power is yours, especially once you walk off of the lot and they want you back. Don't let them steamroll you. A couple times when I really did have last minute cold feet, they sweetened the deal and/or improved the loan percentage to complete the sale.

Good luck!

Good morning butterflies. I have a fill scheduled for today but I'm going to cancel because now that my monster period is gone, I don't feel as loose as I did. I'm probably still a bit looser than I should be but depending on the time or type of day, the tightness fluctuates so I think I'll ride it out for a little longer just to be on the safe side. I definitely don't ever want to get too tight again.

Interesting. Most people get tighter during TOM. Just goes to show how different we really are.

Thank Orea, I needed that hug. We don't have it yet. If we return today and don't like the terms, we will leave it there. Fortunately I have two older, but paid for vehicles I can alternate driving and just save the money if I don't like the financing terms. I need to pay it off in 16 months for my daughter's graduation so, I don't want to pay a lot of interest.

Donna, I also hated being tight. The hysterectomy left me a little too tight for a month and I stopped losing weight. Now, the wreck/stress has me a little tight, but it is only bad in the mornings. I REALLY don't like it. Good luck with the restriction.

100 pounds gone today! :thumbup:

100 pounds gone today! :thumbup:

WOOHOO! YOU GO GIRL! CONGRATS!

100 pounds gone today! :thumbup::thumbup:

WOW! WTG! I'm so happy for you!

100 pounds gone today! :thumbup::thumbup:

What a great accomplishment. Congratulations.

Hey folks. I got a fill on Thursday. I lost 10lbs in the course of about 3 months. My appointment had been canceled twice. What I have learned from all of this is that if you aren't losing and can eat inordinate amouts of food get a fill! I almost feel a bit foolish that I didn't just get one. I'm not beating myself up about it, but I certainly had an a-ha moment. It's just funny how common sense flies out the window sometimes.

YAY OREA!!!!!