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.

I'm going on Wednesday. I'm so excited! I told my hubby to give me a few days to eat some actual food, and then we would get on a really healthy couple of weeks before Christmas.

Hey all! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Ours was ok. It was somber, due to it being the 1 year anniversary of my father-in-laws death. He passed away Thanksgiving night last year. But we had eachother, and a nice dinner. I put on 4 pounds too! But I've taken a couple off already. Yesterday I worked out for an hour, gave 3 dogs baths, and went shopping, so the scale was better today.

Thank you Ezma for your kind words. I am so proud of you losing 12 pounds! I know you said you gained a few back over TG but still that is awesome. I'm sure they'll come off quickly.

LilMissDiva, Thank you for your support also. It sounds like you are making great progress. That is wonderful! I guess we all go through our slumps, and it looks impossible. But somehow, someday it seems to work out. Thank God!

Wow! I envy lil miss, and ezma for being able to go back to the pre op diet. Maybe someday I could convince myself to do it. But right now I don't thinks so. I've slacked some on the work outs, I'm trying to get back into it. It's so hard when inside I feel so sad.

Sorry Shiny happy Mommy about your problems and pain. Hope it gets better soon.

Talk to everyone soon.

Morning guys. Hope you all are hanging in there. I'm trying to get back on track here but it's been tough. Between Thanksgiving and my birthday yesterday, there's been too much eating going on. I have started losing again though and need to take off 2 more to get back to where I was befoe Thanksgiving.

I'm excited this morning because I have my monthly doctor's appointment and I should be down about 7 pounds since my last visit. This will be the first real loss I've had in a year. I should be smiling when I leave the office for a change. Yay!

Where is everyone? I think there's only been about 4 of us posting at all. Tap? RSG? Amy? Everyone? Come on, VV roll call.

Hey hey! Good morning!

My Thanksgiving was pretty much the same as everyone else… too much eating which meant the scale is not my friend right now. I gained 5 pounds!! Ugh! But I’ve lost 2 so far which is great. I also have a Dr. Appt this Friday for a small fill. I’m hoping to get this weight off before seeing him. I will have lost a few pounds as well and I’m sure he’ll be really happy for me.

Hey Jul, I understand the losing a family member on a Holiday. I lost my most favorite Auntie on Easter many years ago. It just has never been the same. In fact it’s been so long now that Easter is just another day to me. I never celebrated it again, and I’m Christian. I just focus on the true meaning of the Holiday rather than all the Hallmark extras.

Okay everyone; hope everyone has a successful week! Christmas is just around the corner and that means more eating… ack! I’m glad I’m getting a fill…

:tongue:EZMA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :tongue: Hope you had a wonderful birthday. You are doing so awesome with the band too. Did your appt go as well as you hoped? Keep up the impressive work!

LilMissDiva, Sorry about your aunt. I guess it really does change things to lose someone. Makes you think. Sometimes you wonder how much of a difference you make in peoples lives, more than you think I'm sure. That's cool you're getting another adjustment. Just in case i don't check in before then I hope it goes well for you.

I'm back down to pre Thanksgiving weight. :smile:

Hope I can keep it off. Other than that work and life is STRESSFUL! I'm just trying to hang in.

Jul - That's fantastic! You did really, really well over Thanksgiving. I'm still struggling to get all the way back on track. I got two pounds off but still have two to go.

I totally understand what you guys are talking about concerning death and holidays. My husband passed away the night before Easter. The last 8 months have been filled with holiday memories and we just started the worst part of the year. His birthday is two weeks after mine and then we have Christmas 11 days after that. He always made things so special and loved to Celebrate everything. And he did the Christmas decorating so this year it's up to me. If it weren't for our 14 year old son I'd just hide away until after New Years and forget all about it.

OKay, enough for me. Time to put on the happy face and go walk the mall. Blah!!!!! Have a great day guys.

Hugs, you Guys. The holidays can be hard all the way around. Hopefully the memories will comfort you rather than cause you pain.

My mom was big into Christmas traditions. She died in 1998 and I faithfully carry most of those traditions on with my own family. I feel that it's a tribute to her.

I got my band unfilled today. :sad: I had 7.8 ccs in there. It felt so good to eat dinner and stop because I was full, not because I was in pain. And I can drink Water freely again. Oh yay!

Hey Everyone. These are very trying times for me. Between all the stuff I'm dealing with at home, the new computer system/elctronic health records at work, and the holidays I feel frazzled! :w00t:

EZMA, You totally broke my heart. I wish I could give you a hug. What ShinyHappy said was good advice. We should embrace and take joy in our good memories of our lost loved ones. Easier said than done, I know. What someone told us is to celebrate and do what you normally do on the holidays, and just know that he will be there in spirit. You will be in my thoughts and in my prayers. I do admire how strong you are in carring on the way you have.

LilMissDiva, What's up on your side of the world? Are you still on the pre op diet? How did your fill go.

Glad to hear you're feeling good shiny happy mommy.

Hope everyone else is well.

Jul - Thanks. Hugs right back at ya. And I agree, I'm going to do my best to enjoy the memories instead of focusing on the loss.

Shiny - Feeling better? I'm sure you're enjoying eating again. Don't stress about gaining, just be healthy and you and the baby will be just fine.

I had a bad eating day yesterday. I decided I was just going to do a shake for Breakfast now and eat good food the rest of the time. Well, looks like I'm still having a bit of trouble with the carbs. So gonna crack the whip today. Have a great one guys.

Let me know if any of you guys are on Facebook and would like me as a friend. Can't believe I'm actually using it. I can be found by searching for Jodie and Ezma together. Only one that has both in the name. Bubble girl picture.

Ezma,

Just requested you as a friend. My name is Melissa and my last name also starts with M. :wink2:

I am really enjoying eating again. It's amazing. I can eat breakfast which is so cool. I had french toast the other morning before 8 a.m.! That's unheard of for me for at least the last year.

I'm happy to find that I do get full after not huge amounts of food. I'm not eating plateful after plateful of food in order to get full. Maybe about twice what I was eating before, but still, I'm okay with it.

I'm really enjoying eating grapes which I couldn't do before. They taste really good and I don't have to chew super slow and then spit the skins back out. :biggrin:

My heartburn seems to be doing better, but then I have still been taking my medication. I will stop for a few days and see what happens.

I've started wearing maternity pants. They are just what I need. Instead of going up and up in pant size, I just need to get some that stretch over my midsection.

Hey everyone,

Melissa good idea with the pants. I don't know why more pregnant ladies don't do that. They just go up in size and end up not losing the weight after. I wonder if that might help to make sure you do lose the baby weight. I'm sure you don't want to wear maternity pants long after!

As for me well, my fill still feels non-existent. That's ok though. Me and my Surgeon are taking it really slow. He's only putting in the smallest amounts. Each one I can feel a miniscule difference but still not enough to where I'm comfortable with it.

It's been almost 2 years now since I've been banded and I have yet to find good restriction. I don't know how I keep staying positive really about this whole thing. I'm either too tight or I can eat a whole side of beef. I just don't get it! Every day that goes by the more I keep thinking about running off to MX and getting the VSG or something. I really wish my insurance covered this stuff! That's the only thing that really keeps me from actually doing that, if something goes wrong I have to pay out of pocket for all of it.

Sux.

Jul and Ezma, hang in there ladies. I think this time of year can lead to a little bit of down time for many, for lots of different reasons. Just know all of us here (whatever few of us are left) are in it for the long haul.

Ezma, you can find me on facebook under Irene Avila. If you cant find me, let me know.

Have a lovely day ladies!!!

Hey guys. Popping in to say a quick good morning. Also wanted to make sure you all know that there's been a recall on all ready to drink Slim Fast. I'm not sure of the details but I knew some of you guys use it. Might want to google it or something. I found out from the Hungry Girl newsletter.

Have a good one.

Lil - I think I found you since Shiny was a mutual friend. Let me know if you don't get my friend request.

Hey Ezma! Good morning!

I did see the Slim Fast recall, they’re plastering it all over the news. Lots of us dieters in CA or something!

I just bought a whole new stash not too long ago and have already drank half of them. I haven’t felt sick at all, I’m sure I’ll be ok. I could also just call Walgreen’s where I got it and exchange them for some new ones too.

I don’t get Facebook at work and I’ll lookout for you when I get home.

Hope everyone’s day is going good!!

Hey everyone. Just a quick hello. I think I've decided I'll just be happy if I don't gain over the holiday. So I'm trying not to go too crazy with the goodies. However I did reach a new low of 192.

LIL missdiva sorry your so unhappy withthe band, with good reason. I admit I haven't lost as much as I expected when I first got it. Are you losing at all? gaining? or just staying the same? How's working out going?

Well anyone who wants to look me up on facebook my name is Julie Polak. I haven't done much with it as far as pictures etc. I can't get it at work either, so I don't check it often. But I will eventually check it.

All take care. Hang in there everyone!