Okay so we have been having a hard time and the thought has crossed many minds wondering if we are a dying breed. I say no way! I need you all, and I need to keep chatting away if I'm going to get anywhere near that finish line.

In one of the threads here it was suggested by another that we just create one master thread where we can communicate. Make it easier to stay in touch, and is something many of the other monthly groups do to stay in touch.

I know for me that is really important, and something we have never done before.

Please don't leave guys... check in! It doesn't even always have to be about losing weight or whatever. Just tell us all what's going on, whatever it is.

Morning guys. Sounds like it's gonna be a crazy couple of weeks for the VVs. I'm wishing you guys lots of luck and speedy recoveries. I'm really, really jealous of the weight loss you guys are having but would not want to be in your shoes with the band problems. Sorry you're having trouble and feeling lousy.

I've been trying to be consistant with the exercise and eating but this week has not gone as planned. Between real estate stuff, a broken mailbox, broken garage door opener and then the cat had to have surgery on her tail. You'd think that would keep me plenty busy but I'm feeling the need to flee. I'm kinda stuck at home more because of the cat and needing to be here for repairs. So I've been eating a bit more. I guess it's good to be facing my feelings but it's so much more comfortable to just keep running around, keeping my mind busy. Oh well, things could be so much worse and I do have lots of things that need tending around the house.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Step by step, day by day. We can do it.

Ezma--with everything you have gone through...I think you're doing fantastic! Go easy on yourself, sweetie! You've come so far amidst grief and adversity and I truly don't think you've given yourself enough credit for being so strong and remaining committed to the band. We have ALL had challenges..sometimes for a few days, weeks or months! This is for a lifetime, so please don't beat yourself up if you hit a hiccup in your weight loss. You've lost again and are maintaing...that's what it's all about. Sorry about your little kitty..I hope he/she is ok! Have a great weekend and just remember you are fabulous!!!:laugh:

Thanks be this day is almost over!!!

When I woke up today my eye was red and slightly swollen - no itching or pain though. But, I went to the clinic - and after a wait in a room filled with coughing, snorting, sniffling, crying, moaning people (was there a special deal on that I didn't know?) I see the doc who says 'WOW. You don't often find someone who has 2 different issues in one eye at the same time" Great, just great. I have both a stye and pink eye. So I am told to bathe the eye with hot compresses (I can do that) and drop in antibiotics 4X day. OH NO!! I DON"T DO EYES!!! Eyes are icky! (So since 10 am I have tried 3 X and about the only thing I have done is washed my face with antibiotics...ain't nothing going in!

My toilet is blocked, so I had to go to the mall to use the BR until DH arrived home.:laugh::scared2:

And for several hours my email wasn't working.:cursing:

NOT a great day for food and exercise either.

It is time to go to bed and hope for a better tomorrow. ARGHH!!!

Tapshoes, I hope you feel better soon. Nothing feels worse than something wrong with your face. Take care!

Morning. It seems like it's going to be a good day. And I'm crossing my fingers for a good week. Will wish one for all of you too.

marathinner - Thank you so much. I really, really needed to hear that right now.

Tap - Sorry to hear you are feeling cruddy (lol - no pun) in the eye. Did you ever get the drops figured out. I don't know if you know the corner of the eye trick or not but if you tip your head back and drop it right by your tear duct, then blink, it usually runs right in. I can't do them straight in my eye. <shivers> Hope you got the toilet fixed. I busted out laughing when I read you had to go to the mall to go.

Gonna do something to work out here since I'm gonna miss my walking today and tomorrow. And I missed a bunch of it last week due to the cat and my broken garage door. The door should be fixed, finally after 9 days of waiting, in just a few minutes. Waiting for the guy now. Cat's tail is healing nicely and she'll be very happy to get that victorian collar off and when she gets to go back outside when she wants again. Friday she gets her stitches out so should be all good again then. Wish me luck finding a rental property to buy. I'm about to pull my hair out from the search. I think I've put bids in on about 7 or 8 of them now. Come pretty close a few times and then it fell apart last minute. I have 3 bids in now. One of them I won the bid but it's a short sale so I have about 2 months before we hear if the bank appoved it or not. Other two are repos and we're waiting to hear which of the multiple bids they chose. Grrrr. This used to be fun but right now I just want to get it done so I can get the repairs done and get er rented. Wow, didn't know I was gonna be venting this morning. LOL

Have a great day guys.

I feel very much like I did 19 months ago when I was waiting for my first surgery. So far I haven't heard if the insurance has approved it yet but the hospital called to get me pre-register so I am assuming it's a go. I think in many ways I am more nervous this time, I know where the pains are going to be.

ckkjteawallace, wish you well Wednesday. I'll be thinking about you while I'm sipping isopure and walking around the nurses station waiting to go home.

Hope everyone else is having a splendid week.

Hi everyone Sorry to hear about what's going on with some of you.

Tapshoes, hope you're feeling better. Pink eye and a stye my goodness! Enough to drive you crazy huh?

Ezma, has your search resolved? Glad to hear your cat is doing better. Do you like using work out DVD's? They're a good alternative when you can't leave the house. Although I use them all the time. It's just my preference.

St Louis Gal, hang in there. I know it's terrible anticipating a surgery, but I'm sure things will turn out great. :sad: Did you decide to replace the band or just have it taken out?

Lil'miss Diva, How's the WW world? How's the lapband treating you these days?

I'm doing ok. No new lows as I did pretty bad eating wise last week. And only worked out 3 days. :thumbdown: Today I kind of made up for it, I worked out almost 2 hours this morning. I've done well eating today. I guess the worst thing last week was I drank sodas. I hate to admit that, they have been my biggest weakness ever and the most difficult thing for me to give up. I'm not sure what to do about that. From the research I've done some surgeons think it's okay to drink soda without hurting the band or pouch, but some think it's just terrible. I mean I know they're not healthy, but I wonder if they are really something to worry about band wise. Meanwhile, I keep doing the best I can to give them up.

Well we'll see how things go this week. Everyone hang in there. We'll be the little trains that could, I think I can, I think I can. :thumbdown:

I hope they are going to be able to replace the band. As of noon today the insurance hadn't signed off on the surgery so I'm not at all sure. I certainly want them to replace it. I don't want to think about living without it.

Thanks for all your support. It helps a lot. I should be back online in a day or two.

Hi All

Thanks SLG I'm so jealous you get to be rebanded. Goodluck.

I have my band removed tomorrow and then My battle will begin.Aslong as I follow bandster rules I'm sure I'll be fine. Just healthier.

Everyone else have a great week.

I really hate this laptop. The mouse is constantly placing my cursor somewhere I don't want it. So I end up erasing things I wrote. So I"m not gonna retype everything I just erased. LOL

Short Version -

Good luck guys, I'm sure you'll be fine.

Tap - How's the eye doing? How are you doing?

Jul - Use DVDs sometimes and love em. Soda = OK if you can burp fine and no pain. <my opinion> Think docs use it to scare us into quitting. House = not yet, still plugging away.

Have a great one guys. I'm off to the docs this morning, think I gained a pound but I'm okay with it. I did really, really well yesterday with my eating and I hope it's enough to get me back on track. Yay! Bad carbs and sugars were real low.

Ezma- Good deal. Glad to hear your on track and feeling ok where you're at. That is what is most important. Are you getting a fill today? Thanks for what you said about the soda. I tend to think it's ok as long as it's not an everyday thing. I was so afraid to confess, I was sure to get a lecture from someone. I'm like I'm already kicking myself!

As for everyone else, hope you're doing ok. Have a great day!:mad2:

No fill for me yesterday. And that was a very good thing. I'm at a good spot right now I think. I didn't throw up at all yesterday because I did what I was supposed to do. Chew, chew, chew - eat slowly - no drinking with meal. LOL I'm like a new bandster here, learning all the rules again. Good news is that I've done really, really well the last two days. I feel like my sugar addiction is under control but not gone yet. And best of all, I've lost 4 pounds - yay!!!! I really feel like I've finally got my head back around this. The 11 month funk is gone? Crossing my fingers and recommitting every minute. We really can beat this beast. I'm swimming, I'm swimming.

How's the week going for the rest of you? If you're stuggling we need to hear from you too so we can support you. Love to ya all.

. Nothing feels worse than something wrong with your face. Take care!

Thanks SLG. My eyes are starting to feel better but it took doubling the antibiotic and I've gone through a mountain of facecloths (used as compresses) and hand sanitizer.

Ezma "Did you ever get the drops figured out. Hope you got the toilet fixed. I busted out laughing when I read you had to go to the mall to go. I have 3 bids in now. One of them I won the bid but it's a short sale so I have about 2 months before we hear if the bank appoved it or not. Other two are repos and we're waiting to hear which of the multiple bids they chose. Grrrr. This used to be fun but right now I just want to get it done so I can get the repairs done and get er rented. "

Yes the toilet is fixed; DH fixed it that night - I wouldn't let him do anything else until that was addressed. It is an ESSENTIAL!.

Glad to know the cat is improving.

WOW - the search for rentals - you wouldn't think in this economy it would be that difficult, would you? Hope you end up with one. (What happens if you end up with 3)

I'm doing ok. No new lows as I did pretty bad eating wise last week. And only worked out 3 days. :cool: Today I kind of made up for it, I worked out almost 2 hours this morning. I've done well eating today. I guess the worst thing last week was I drank sodas. :tt1:

Everyone hang in there. We'll be the little trains that could, I think I can, I think I can. :smile:

Hi Jul! Hey you worked out 3 days more than I did! I just cannot get back into the groove for some reason. Slacker!

Sodas-I gave them up cold turkey pre-surgery and haven't looked back. I don't even miss them now.

I hope they are going to be able to replace the band. As of noon today the insurance hadn't signed off on the surgery so I'm not at all sure. I certainly want them to replace it. I don't want to think about living without it.

Thanks for all your support. It helps a lot. I should be back online in a day or two. :thumbup:

Keep us posted.

Hi All

Aslong as I follow bandster rules I'm sure I'll be fine. Just healthier.

Everyone else have a great week.

That's the attitude, CKK. I really hope that all your issues are resolved.

Have a great one guys. I'm off to the docs this morning, think I gained a pound but I'm okay with it. I did really, really well yesterday with my eating and I hope it's enough to get me back on track. Yay! Bad carbs and sugars were real low.

YAY Ezma! My next fill isn't until mid-October and without exercising and my limited willpower, I'm afraid I will balloon. Time will tell.

No fill for me yesterday. I've lost 4 pounds - yay!!!! I really feel like I've finally got my head back around this. The 11 month funk is gone? Crossing my fingers and recommitting every minute. We really can beat this beast. I'm swimming, I'm swimming.

That's it, Ezma. I wonder when my head will 'get back into the game'...

Marathinner, RSG, Mom of 2, Shiny - where are you??

I'm home with a brand new lapband. I'm not sure I'm happy with where he put the new port but very thankful I have one so I won't complain. :tt1:

So far the recovery has been very smooth. I walked and walked around the hospital. Coming home pretty much wore me out.

Thanks for your good wishes and prayers.:thumbup:

Hi SLG!

Glad your surgery went well. You know the routine for care, so at least that will be a little easier - although I doubt I could do the liquids only phase again!

Where did he put your port? Why did he move that?

Morning all. Hope everyone is doing well.

SLG - Yay! Glad everything went well for you and you're doing great post-op.

Tap - Your funk will lift too. If I could get mine to after 11 months, I have to believe it can happen for everyone. Just keep fighting with it each day and one day it will just kick back in.

Gonna be a shorty today since I'm running a bit late. Have a great one guys.