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About this blog

THE SWEET SPOT My journal on my expedition to Bandlandia and my adventures there. I plan to stay forever (been to Onederland many times, but I never stayed long). Join me!:see

Entries in this blog

 

3/10/09 My Story and My ?Moment?

I have NO doubts about the LB, but some days I'm still amazed that I'm doing this. I think back to almost a year ago and where my head was at that point...I would never have even considered WLS (WAY too drastic…only people that are dying from obesity do that!). So here’s my story and my ‘moment’ of what brought me to the LB.   I don’t have any fat child stories to tell, because I wasn’t…fat. I did have two of my sisters who struggled with weight in childhood, and I saw their pain and sometimes felt it when I defended them against other kids teasing. I was rail thin up until the time I stopped growing in high school. I gained about 25 pounds one year, but by living on TAB and lettuce I lost it all before college. After college, I worked and also taught Aerobics classes, at one point I was teaching 8 classes a week. I tell you that because I want you to know that I really understood the importance of health, diet, and exercise. I knew what it felt like to be thin and fit.   I started gaining weight after my first child was born. We moved 10 days after she was born, I was away from my extended family for the first time and I suddenly wasn’t exercising. There wasn’t time or money to join a gym. DH worked shift work then so I didn't have a sitter at night. I soon started the cycle of gain and loss, even lost 50 pounds at a time several times, but I never lost as much as I’d gained each time…I was always either gaining or losing. Sure I, like most of you, have plenty of embarrassing weight-related stories I can tell and plenty of specific depressing moments...those moments usually spurred me into yet another diet. I gained a lot more with two more children and about 7 years ago I found myself over that dreaded number of 200. My age started making it harder to take off weight as easily and my weight started making it harder to exercise. I was circling the drain. I have 4 siblings and they are all obese, some morbidly obese. I watched as they started to have health problems…my younger sister had 2 strokes and was diagnosed with diabetes. My father has had 2 heart attacks and 3 stents. It scared me, but I’d pretty much given up.   That takes me to last year. With kids heading to college we don’t have a lot of extra cash flow, but it’s important to us that we do a family vacation each year, even if it was camping, and we save for a bigger vacation every 5 years, the kids always picked Disney. Last year was one of those 5 year vacation years. Our DD was a junior in college and suddenly we were helping her to plan a semester abroad studying in France. We decided that this was our last chance to take a really great trip before the kids get old enough to go off and have their own lives, so we changed our travel plans to take our family to France for a week. DH and I had been lucky enough get to go to Paris on one of DH's business trips years before and we knew it was the perfect trip. We scrimped and saved and I spent lots of time figuring out the best deals, and we were set to take our “Trip of a Lifetime”.   I was worried about my weight, since I knew how much walking we’d have to do. It spurred me to diet and I used the treadmill every day in preparation. I lost 20 pounds, and I was lighter than now- but still 208# then. Our first day in Paris was May 12, 2008; we climbed the very steep staircase up the hill to Montmarte-village (235 steps) as the funicular was broken. It was a killer, but I made it after a few rests. Then we climbed the narrow spiral staircase to the top dome of Sacre-Coeur-church which sits at the top of the hill (about 300 more steps). There's no turning around (you come down a different staircase)...my legs were shaking and I rested in the few tiny alcoves on the way up and flattened myself (yeah, right) to let people pass...I seriously thought I was going to lose a lung or have a heart attack. My family was waiting and wondering what happened to me at the top. My feet which never swell at home, looked like someone had pumped them up with a bicycle pump…luckily, I was afraid enough of blisters that I had splurged on some expensive stylish walking shoes that had an adjustable strap in the back or I would have been buying shoes.   These don't look so bad...from the top. Sacre Coure and the Dome   The next morning we visited Notre Dame cathedral (402 spiral steps to the very top)...I was sitting on the plaza while the rest of my family waved to me from the bell tower...my "Moment". I was on our ‘Trip of a Lifetime’ and I was missing a major moment with my family...it wasn't the view, because I'd seen that before...it was missing the view with my family. I was so upset and angry with myself at that moment. That week I also didn’t climb the steps with my family to the top of the Arch de Triomphe or to the next level of the Eiffel Tower (luckily that one has an elevator). I have plenty of wonderful memories from our trip, but I came home and started ‘just looking’ into the Lap Band. I find it fitting that I’ll probably be getting my LB within a week or so of my one year anniversary of my ‘Moment’.   Notre Dame from the Plaza View from the Bell Tower
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1/6/10 Hysterical

I just had to share…I’m an idiot…OK, you knew that. For those that read yesterday’s blog, a quick update. I was trying on some pants and decided to see how my new body shaper worked under my new too snug size 12 pants (see pics, helps the muffin-top, but I can't tell the difference on the thighs...sigh). So I’m doing my aerobics and working up my usual sweat getting the shaper on…a tug here, a jump there…my crotch is still hanging low, so I go to tug it up…   GUESS WHAT?!!! My finger happens to find a hole in the freakin’ crotch!!! I’m serious!!! I’m still in hysterics laughing. OK, I’m not sure how you would manage this hole in the bathroom, or whether they intended it for that use. I looked online, as their tags on it don’t mention this, but online it says a ‘split crotch’…no details on it‘s purpose (I‘m sure they‘re not going to make any promises on use for liability/embarrassment reasons). OK, it’s really not a hole as much as it is two pieces of overlapping fabric…and they overlap more than 2”…you know me, I’m a tester…   Yes, I did…well….not really. I got so far as to take off my panties (which raises the question…are you still supposed to wear your panties under these contraptions?) and put the d*rn shaper back on and I sat on the pot. I could use my fingers to get the hole to be pretty big, but not big enough for me to even…ehemmm…risk trying.   *Warning TMI (OK, I‘m a little late with that one, sorry)* I’m a ‘dribbler’…after that bladder sling surgery it takes me FOREVER to pee…and after I started the Vesicare pills it now takes an act of God, some serious meditation and prayer, and at least 10 min. So not only would I have to start doing aerobic workouts with my fingers daily to work up to the point where I could sit there for 15 minutes holding this open with them, but I’d have to pee so badly that I’d have a ‘normal stream’.   So here’s what I need for my ‘study’….I need a 20 year old, who hasn’t had any children to give this a try and report back to us (I‘m sure I would have figured out a way to do this when I was in my 20‘s…and out to the bars drinking). In fact I’m sure one of you reading my blog had done this, but prefers to remain anonymous…feel free to PM me and share your experience/technique (I can then post for you anonymously).   You know me though…if it’s stupid, I’ll be doing it at least once…let‘s just hope it‘s not like my ‘Horrific PB Event‘ when I‘m out to dinner (and decided I could PB between my legs while sitting on the pot)…I know, you‘re all placing your big money bets now…especially after you have that ’Ah-Ha’ moment when you remember I said ’I’m only going to wear the shaper for special events.’
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4/15/09 Off with her head!

I’ve been working on getting down another 10 lbs. before banding. I actually went down 1 ½ lbs. below the 10 lbs. last Thursday, but I knew I’d have to face a weekend of big meals and Easter candy with my family back home so I didn’t want to celebrate my goal too early. As I told you yesterday, I ate pretty healthy and had NO candy (very hard for a chocoholic), but I still gained a pound with all those family (high calorie) meals. There were many temptations ‘Drink Me!’ ‘Eat Me!’ and I only faltered once. I ate a sliver of the ‘Tart’ and I paid for it with a one pound gain. I’ve been back on my pre-op plan and after three mornings back home I feel confident that I can report I’ve officially lost my second ten pounds. So, I’m screaming ‘Off with her head!’ and knocking another Ten Pound Head off my Ticker.     Go to the Head of the Class-Trivia Question: What movie is coming out March 2010 that relates to my post?   Tim Burton is making Alice in Wonderland with live action and animation mixed. Stars: Johnny Depp plays the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway plays the White Queen, Helena Bonham Carter plays the Red Queen, Alan Rickman plays the Caterpillar, Crispin Glover plays the The Knave of Hearts, Stephen Fry plays the Cheshire Cat, and even Christopher Lee is in it, too. Let’s hope it’s better than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (not my favorite version).    
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11/2/09 It's Calling My Name...

I jinxed myself...we each carved a pumpkin for Halloween and I did the PBing Pumpkin as planned (pic attached & my front door/porch). Yesterday I had my first PB in a long time (peanuts got me).   I made DH buy all the candy...guess I should have been more specific to buy things I don't like, because he bought lots of chocolate (I'm a chocoholic). I haven't eaten one...yet. I put all my favorites in the bowl to give out first on Halloween, but there's still a whole bowl left. ...it's sitting in the kitchen... ...and I swear... ...it's calling my name!
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3/12/09 The Buzz about Coffee

I love my morning cuppa (and it loves me…see?)…so much so that I drink it up until 2pm (my cutoff for being able to function, yet also sleep at night). This week I started to cut back my caffeine consumption in preparation for surgery. I don’t drink any pop (or in other parts of the country, soda), so that’s not an issue. Coffee is the first of my ‘food friends’ (translation ‘evil food addictions’) I will be saying goodbye to, probably not permanently (I’ll confirm that at my pre-op class), but at least for now and a while to come.   I’ve seen ‘facts’ about caffeine effecting the LB here on LBT including; causing band slippage, causing ulcers, changing the lining of your stomach, appetite stimulant, appetite suppressant (it’s in many diet pills), and diuretic. I don't know what's true, the only one I believe right now is the diuretic (and some here on LBT say that’s not true), so I'll follow my docs orders. Post-band until I can get all my water in daily (and some say you have to drink extra water if you drink coffee), I’ll be forgoing coffee. I’ve had to give this friend up several times before; once as a test to see if my migraines improved (nope), and once before another double surgery as I was afraid going off ‘cold turkey’ at the hospital would give me migraines. So I’m being smart and stepping this down gradually (and I’m on Migraine meds now). Week 1 and I’m surviving on less. Are you aware of this, or perhaps you haven’t had your coffee yet? March is…drumroll please…National Caffeine Awareness Month (sponsored by the Caffeine Awareness Alliance…yes, there is such a thing…who knew?!). They want you to know that…with as little as 200 mg of caffeine, you can experience typical addictive symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, tension, insomnia, excitement, and gastrointestinal disturbance. So pretty much they want you to JUST SAY NO!   Now where’s the closest Coffee Rehab Center, because I’m going to be in withdrawl and pretty irritable by next week?! Hello, my name is BG, and I'm a coffee addict.
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7/31/09 SWA Notice

-------------------------- SAVE THE DATE! -------------------------- SWA (Scale Whores Anonymous) -------------------------- Semi Annual Meeting -------------------------- When: Friday, August 21st Where: Right Here at LBT Bring: Your Scale, Your Spreadsheets or your mirror (Lena), and your adventures/tips to share   Alright all you SWA Members (and those that need to join), I’m getting ready for our semi-annual SWA Meeting. What? You don’t know if you qualify? Well, here are the qualifications for becoming a member. You only need to say ‘Yes’ to last one* and ‘Yes’ to any one other item listed below, and you’re in:   - Do you get on your scale often? This can be anywhere between every hour to more than once a week (I’m a daily girl myself). More often than that and you just need help and you’re too afflicted even for us (Don’t worry Spud.mama, getting on and off 3 times in a row to average doesn’t count as too much…hope that new scale solved this horrific problem).   - Do you find yourself trying to wear (or naked) basically the same thing every time you weigh yourself (Julie.Ann…I’ve been wondering when you wash that one workout outfit for your Wii weigh-ins)?   - Do you weigh yourself, or your clothing/shoes (You know who you are weighing those shoes and it doesn't matter if you don't weigh at home!) before you go to the doctor so you can figure your exact weight (I’ve found myself going to the garage to get my shoes and weigh in with everything before leaving…and I’ll even admit I won’t go to the bathroom until they weigh me)?   - Do you somehow chart or spreadsheet your weight (Julie.ann & Sunshine2), or track it on your bathroom mirror (Lena)?   - Do you try to somehow predict what your weight will be in the future? Those with magic crystal balls need not apply (that’s cheating and considered an unfair advantage…the rest of us are at the mercy of the Weight Loss Gods who take great pleasure in messing with our predictions daily). - *Do you NOT want help for any of the above? Meaning you’re secretly OK with the fact that you’re a Scale Whore?   Then come out of the closet (or bathroom) and sign up to join us!   Can you believe our first meeting was way back in February (time flies when you’re busy weighing yourself)? Meet me right here on LBT for our 2nd meeting. So shine up those scales and get your spreadsheets, charts, and mirrors (Lena) in order. Bring your tips to share (Julie.ann, please bring your three different spreadsheets to share as you’ll be covering the OCD portion of the meeting along with Sunshine2) and be ready to commiserate with other SWA members! Oh, and Lena requests that you bring a yardstick for an extra fun chair rail craft project (photos afterwards, optional).   *Suggestions and Volunteers for agenda topics now being taken (you suggest it, you've volunteered)*   See you here! Have a great weekend all!   Here’s a recap of our first meeting for those who missed it (let me tell you, it went on and on through other’s blogs too…) 2/22/09 Scale Whore - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum
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12/8/09 Deck the Halls...

We got our live tree for the foyer (I think it's 12' this year), as usual, the weekend after Thanksgiving. The boys got all my outside decorations up that weekend as well (Attached Pic 1- Front porch/door). I made the lighted garland, decorations and the Williamsburg arch over the door. Everything is now on the tree (Attached Pic 2- This year's tree), and all the decorations are finally up around the house, except my kids displays which they will do (Christmas dollhouse, train set, and monorail). Lest I repeat myself, If you want, you can read more about my Christmas obsession at last years blogs here on LBT: 12/4/08 Fa la-la-la-la... - LAP-BAND®®®®® The tree/ornaments: 12/29/08 It looks like someone threw up ornaments on our tree! - LAP-BAND®®®®®   Oh, and if you're wondering why my mantle has a nativity with a pink light in it that makes it look more like a brothel than a crèche (Attached Pic 3), then you must read my last year's blog with my very favorite family Christmas read: 12/17/08 I Believe in Santa! - LAP-BAND®®®®® In this pic you can also see 2 of the 3 cradles my kids made on the hearth...read: 12/6/08 Traditions...What's in Your Shoes? - LAP-BAND®®®®®   I love setting the Dining Room table for Christmas (Attached Pic 4 & 5- Dining Room). I made the decorations and fruit cone on the table. My MIL gave me a few pieces of Lenox Holiday Christmas china that someone had given her and that got me started on setting up service for the holidays. I didn't select a china when we got married as our everyday setting was expensive, so it's fun for me to set out this china once a year.   So get going folks and Deck the Halls!!
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10/12/09 I?m Seeing Red

To finish my vacation adventures (sorry for my acrophobic ‘safety’ issues in the last blog LOL)….   After driving out the East gate of the Grand Canyon, we stopped in Cameron for lunch. We headed down to Sedona with side trips to the Wupatki Indian ruins (we decided we’re not ‘ruins’ people after stopping at several as we thought they all looked the same) and then to Sunset Crater; an old volcano (we both loved the lava fields…my geologist DH was in heaven). We also stopped at the overlook in Oak Creek Canyon to get a great view of the switchback road we’d be driving down and the cliffs.   We checked into our hotel, grabbed a glass of wine and walked to the edge of the mesa the hotel is on where we sat on a rock to watch the sunset overlooking the red rocks of West Sedona and then to dinner.   We were up at dawn to watch the sunrise and hiked around the base of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. Got some breakfast and then we decided (well, I picked two and let DH chose) to do a harder hike (labeled ‘Moderate’ instead of ‘Easy’); and he picked Doe Mountain. I thought it would be OK, since the hike was only a mile and a half up about 500’ to the top of a mesa and then several miles around the mesa top…and heck, I’d just done so great hiking into the Grand Canyon and all (what I didn’t know then…). We arrived at the trailhead and signed in (in case you disappear from the face of the Earth they know where to start looking for your body). We saw some others on their way up and passed a few on their way down. The trail was steep switchbacks on one side of the mesa and was a pretty good, but skinny path. I was doing OK until about 1/3 of the way up and then as I followed DH the trail seemed to deteriorate. We were suddenly on a VERY narrow path, but we could still follow it, with the cliff on the side and then it got even worse…we were ducking under bushes and near the top we were climbing straight up rock faces and trying to wedge our fingers and toes into the crevices so we could climb. About this time I’m cursing the Red Rock Ranger station for labeling this a ‘Moderate’ hike…and screaming ‘If they call this ‘Moderate’ what the heck do they call ‘Hard’? I about need some ropes and carabineers to get up these rocks as it is! This is supposed to be HIKING! NOT rock climbing!!!’ Well, I made it up the last steep section with DH bracing me at points and then up the last rock ‘chute’ to the top of the mesa. The plants here were very spaced out with wide areas between them. We followed the ‘trail’, which quickly disappeared, but it was no problem as the instructions said it circled the edge of the mesa, so we just stayed near the edge. We got to the edge overlooking Sedona and sat for a snack/water and to take some photos. About that time I had to ‘go’, badly…so I found the tallest ‘bush’ I could to crawl under (about 4’ tall) and had DH be the lookout…we hadn’t seen anybody since the beginning of the trail. Sure enough here comes a helicopter! I scrambled to finish as DH said he was told to lookout for hikers, not helicopters…smarta$$. Off we went to circle the edge back to the trailhead. There was no path to be found, but we knew we’d find the trailhead down if we just stayed on the edge. After another hour and it looked like only ½ the mesa circled to us, we ran into the lady we had seen going up the trail before we’d started. She was completely lost and had been circling the mesa for a long time. After some discussion on not being able to see our parking lot/cars from where we were and our experience from where we’d just been, we decided to forgo the other ½ of the mesa’s edge and cut across it to take a peek on the other side (she was an experienced hiker from Colorado).   We were joking along to each other about how we were glad we’d signed in below…perhaps a helicopter would come by before dark…could we spell ‘HELP’ with rocks…etc, etc. Another ½ hour picking through some thicker brush and getting stabbed by cactus plants and we came to the other side. We saw the cars far below and set out along the edge to where we thought the trailhead would be. I swallowed my pride and discussed how much more difficult I’d thought the trail up was (wondering how I was going to get down all those rock faces) and to my surprise she complained as well and described the same problems coming up. Soon we saw another couple and after calling to them, to our relief they were at the top of the trailhead (they had just gone a short way onto the mesa and returned the same way…thank goodness someone had some sense). DH and I then realized it would have taken us several hours more to get here if we had circled the entire mesa…it was MUCH larger than we thought and the top loop could not have included the entire mesa.   We started down the path with our new group and we weren’t 2 minutes down the second switchback when I knew we were walking much further West than we’d been on the way up (I could tell from looking at our cars far below). Just as I thought that the lost Coloradoan said the same thing! Suddenly, we were all describing our rock climbing on the way up and the other couple was laughing at us…apparently, the three of us had gotten off the normal trail! They thought they’d seen the point where we’d made a wrong turn on the way up because they’d almost done the same thing. Well let me tell you, we were laughing the whole way down…it was a much longer trip on the way down then the route we’d taken, but at least I was walking and not climbing! I should have known better than to let DH lead…he’s got a terrible sense of direction, and like any man, he’d never admit he was lost or ask for directions. We were happy to cross our names off the sign-in as we returned and I parted from our company with ‘Thank-you.’ and ‘Happy Trails!’ as they laughed. We cleaned up back at the hotel where DH and I used tweezers to get out the small cactus needles and he even had one huge one that was about 4” into his thigh…that’ll teach him not to ask for a women’s help!   We drove up to Oak Creek Canyon for our last trail that afternoon. It’s its own microclimate of lush foliage and tall pines along a creek in the middle of that desert. It was a cool, tranquil FLAT hike…just what we needed. We said goodbye to the red rocks of Sedona and to Arizona as we woke to our first rain (made it easier to part) the next morning for our flight home. It’s a beautiful place. Pics 1- Sunset Crater lava field 2- Bell Rock 3- On top of Doe Mountain Mesa 4- Oak Creek Canyon 5- " " "
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11/17/09 Doing A 180

What a difference a day makes! See that grin on my face?!! I woke up to a loss this morning...180 lbs. for the first time in a long time! Yeah baby...I'm headed back to the 70's (let's hope soon!)! I had a follow up with the Urology Specialist today downtown at Magee Hospital (the one who put me on Vesicare...working great still BTW!). I first saw a nurse who I'd not met before. After 'suiting up' and leaving my sample, the doc finally came in. She started with 'I saw you walk by my office and didn't even recognize you!! I had to ask the girls if I had a new patient today they forgot to tell me about!!' Then she went on and on about how great I looked and asked me all kinds of questions. The best part was when she must have looked up my age. She explained to me that they just had a group of medical school students in yesterday and in medical school they teach the students to describe the patient's (I think she called it) apparent age...do they look older, younger or about their actual age. She went on and on about how much younger I look than my actual age (just the thing that someone who just went through the trauma of turning 50 needs to hear). OK, I'm gloating here and she was probably laying it on thick as she complimented me at least a dozen times...I was embarressed actually, but it made my day, make that my week. I can count the number of NSV's I've gotten from people outside my family on one hand (sad, but I expected that as people generally see you lose slowly and I've lost weight before), so I'm allowed to revel in this a moment. OK, gloating over...but I've still got that stupid grin on my face! I had a little bit of a down day yesterday, but today turned me around...I'm Doing A 180!!!
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4/8/11 Friday Facts (Food Pusher, Land of Oz)

It's in the 40's now and we had hail and snow this week, but we're supposed to see 80 degrees on Sunday for the first time this year...com'on spring! -Had a great visit with my middle sis, her DH, and her youngest (of four boys). Here are some pics from downtown one day; visited DD's apartment, ate, and took a trip up one of the inclines (steel mill workers used to ride these down the hills to work at the mills on the rivers).
[/url]           'Martha Moment' of the week: helped my Sis sew four new pillows for her Living Room (and she helped me pick fabrics for DD's old room).
 
*Portion of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book Weight: 154, down 2. Even though I was in line with meals, no, I don't deserve a good weight loss this week...did I mention that I bought the Costco 'big chocolate cake' and the 'cheesecake medley/variety pack' (and had a slice of both)? I sent the rest of the giant cake out the door with DD's BF and my nephew (chocolate = trigger food...and I don't even like cake).   I'm going to send my daily meal list/amounts (OK, not this past week) in to Dr. Oz (*Note: Sent the show an email with specifics that they got wrong.). If you didn't see his show on LB (mainly regarding the new ruling for lower BMIers), videos are on his site HERE ...the LBers they had on were either lying or malnourished; 5 teaspoons of yogurt OR a cup of broth is a meal?!...and aren't both those sliders (this gal is a full 6 months out from surgery)? I was mostly angry with the bariatric Doc who didn't point out that their meals shown are NOT what is recommended and that none of them had enough protein. Thank G*d I didn't see this before my LB or that would have scared me off.
Off to find my meds...head thumping, shaky, nauseous...I feel a migraine coming on...or maybe it's a sugar detox?
Happy Weekend All!
 
Come visit my blog and help me with the Lap Band book you talked me into writing
 
http://bandgroupieth...t.blogspot.com/
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11/29/09 So Much To Be Thankful For!

I hope you all had a great long Holiday weekend (or week)! We sure did! It was great having DS1 home for a week. DH just left to take the PSU boys back to college so it was a wild morning today getting things together. DD just took DS2 out for lunch, a movie ('Planet 51'), and some Christmas shopping…as the youngest, he loves having any kind of private time with any of us, so I was really happy that they wanted to spend time together. I'm left to unwind here and get out some decorations for Christmas, but that's another story.     We enjoyed each others company and time together this week…played lots of games, went shopping on Black Friday (OMG the crowds this year!), etc. I'll have to say it was wonderful being home. We had some great moments together.           DH wanted to pick out the turkey, so I asked him to get a small one since it would only be the five of us. DS2 went with him and they picked out a 22 lb. turkey…ummm….what didn't they understand about the word 'small'?!!! Here's the rational I was given 'The deal was on the turkey's that were 18 lbs. or over and there weren't any that were 18-20 lbs…..Why pay more for a 16 lb. turkey when we can get a bigger one for less?!!!' Can you tell he's not the turkey chef?     Ah well…I had to increase the amount of stuffing so it wouldn't be lost in the turkey and get dried out, but other than that it wasn't a problem. I had DD help me 'dress' the turkey so she could learn how and there was lots of squealing 'Ooooo gross!!!!' as we removed the giblets to make the stock for the gravy, put butter between the skin and the meat, stuffed the cavities, sewed it closed, and bent the wings backwards (it took us at least 5 min. to ram that giant bird into my huge roasting pan). The meal turned out perfectly thanks to everyone pitching in at the end and everything came out at the same time as planned.           I asked all the kids to tell me their 'Thanksgiving favorites' as I was planning the menu. I noticed as I was bringing everything in to the buffet that, other than the turkey, there was nothing low cal or healthy about the meal…turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole w/fried onions, yam casserole in brown sugar, cranberry sauce, assorted olives, crescent rolls and butter, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. OK, I guess it's not supposed to be a healthy meal, but next year I might add something healthy to the list…maybe some pumpkin soup or something with fruit?           *Portion of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book     I'm so thankful that I had my whole family together and that we were able to stay home and really just enjoy each other…it was a wonderful Thanksgiving week!    
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7/6/09 4th and 4

No, it's not a football stat… We had a great long weekend back home with my family. We left Thursday night (DD had to work until 7pm) in the sedan rental car (my car still getting fixed from the accident) and it was tight quarters. We upgraded to a somewhat bigger car, but they had no vans/large cars available (we thought about taking 2 cars, but didn't want DD driving in the horrible holiday traffic; especially on the return Sunday). Three tall teenagers/21 year old cheek to cheek in the back seat did not make for the most pleasant ride. They're spoiled with riding in my minivan where they each get their own seat and a built in screen to watch videos or play games. We gave them DH's laptop and an earphone splitter so they could still watch movies, but DS2 in the middle had to hold it as still as he could and it gets hot on the bottom. DD kept saying "Kill me now!" every time one of the boys would whine. I tried to entertain them with stories of how my Mom wrecked our station-wagon the morning we were leaving for a camping vacation and after a family vote, we squeezed the whole family of seven and the bare essentials of our week long camping trip (with a huge canvas tent) into a Dodge Dart and rode for 8 hours each way (3 in the front bench and 4 of us in the back seat). They weren't sympathetic. Then I tried to enlighten them on their comfy quarters with the tale of how when we drove to NY to visit my uncle's family once my parents caught the antiquing bug from them and bought a grandmother clock, several chairs and other assorted antiques. Yeah, we had the station wagon with the third flip up bench in the rear, but I still had to ride home 9 hours with my head through the rungs/seat of a chair…still, no sympathy (OK, suck it up…it's a 3.5 hour ride…they settled into the movie and all was quiet again).   We stopped at Phantom Fireworks once we got inside Ohio at about 11pm (along with half the state) and loaded up. We arrived around midnight and started dropping kids at different sister's homes and then we went on to stay at Mom and Dad's with my older sister and her two boys.   Friday we slept in and then I got to see all 4 siblings, two of whom I haven't seen in about a year (we went to lunch with them). We helped Mom and Dad get ready for the 4th and shopped a little and then we had a big family rib dinner.       *Portion of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book     We got ready on the 4th with finishing decorating the roofed golf cart my parents were riding through the parade with 3 of the grandchildren (as past parade chairmen – first ones). Then we were off to watch the parade at noon. DS1 carried the banner with his cousin for the street float. It was the nicest parade weather in years (it's usually fry-an-egg-on-the-pavement-hot). I got choked up as usual as we all stood and clapped for the flag and the old veterans marching by. We all went to the street picnic for dinner and then lots of backyard fireworks before walking up to the golf course for the big show. Sunday was just as busy as we ran to pick up food orders at several places for the 80th surprise birthday party my Mom was hosting for Dad at my youngest sister's home. We told him we were having brunch there before my sister from Chicago and my family departed for home (a normal thing we would do). There was a great turn out of about 75 people and he was so surprised…even their best friends surprised us all by coming from Indiana driving out and back Sunday for the event. He got all teared up, so I know he was happy. We arrived back home after a harrowing drive on packed roads last night.          
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4/2/09 The Nitty Gritty

Well, as you know, yesterday was one awesome day! I want to capture the details of what happened here (and there are some ‘points for learning’ for you newbies…if I didn’t scare you off yesterday). Let me unravel my story...(K)nitty gritty...unravel....moving right along.... First, my ‘many messages’ I left at the surgeon’s got through finally and I received a call Tuesday from Marlene (saying Patti was in clinicals all day). We went through my papers again and I asked again if the Pulmonary paper (from my visit in FEB.!) showed up and it had (take matters into your own hands…I’m glad I called them directly). Suddenly, the Sleep Lab results weren’t in my file (I faxed these myself in March and I had already confirmed they were in my file). So it pays to go through the whole file more than once, as this was the third time. We hung up and I got a call back from her saying Patti had just dropped in and she was to tell me if I got all my papers in tomorrow, then she’d call me with a date (so she got that phone message too…I’m probably on the ‘favorite patients’ list by this point).   So on to yesterday. I was at the PCP office a little after 8am and was taken in. I had a new smiling nurse! She weighed me and I’d lost 3# since the last visit for a total loss of 9 pounds over the 6 months, which was perfect (aiming for 5-10#).   Then something amazing happened! The nurse turned to me and said “Are you getting excited for your surgery…do you have a date yet?” I told her I’d get my date today and she said “You know I had the same thing done?” Holy Cow…not a big deal for most of you I’m sure, but it dawned on me that she was the very first person I’d met in person who has the LB! I was SO excited! She told me her experiences and must have said 10 times “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done!” Without asking, she lifted her shirt and showed me her tiny scars (the only one that you’d even notice is the port one). She was babbling on and I was lapping it up when another nurse knocked for some help from her and she left me with well wishes, an offer to call her if I had any questions or needed help, and a big hug! Those few minutes made my day! …and what a difference from my Nazi Nurse friend LOL. My usual CRNP I’ve been seeing for the weigh in’s was next and she was over-the-moon excited for me! She had one piece of bad news…the Letter of Medical Clearance and Necessity wasn’t ready. Yes, the letter that I’d given a sample of with my information already filled in to the other CRNP at my 5th visit…then called 2 weeks later to make sure this CRNP knew about it and would have it ready for me at this visit (and she said it was already in my file). Well, the letter had been done, but they used their own form letter for this and my name was at the top, but they’d left another ladies name in the body. She was so apologetic as she told me there weren’t any doctors in until 9am to sign it. No biggie, I’ll wait the 40min. (NO WAY was I not getting my date today!). Well, 9 came and went (I tried not to pace in my head) and about 9:30 she brought it out whispering apologies and that the doc was late…I didn’t care, I was so happy! Newbies…I should have had her fax me a copy when she told me it was in the file. Oh, and anyone who gets migraines, I got a non NSAID prescription just in case.   I flew home and sent my fax to the surgeon with the three last attachments (monthly form, the PCP letter, and the sleep study-again). I called Marlene as she told me to just to make sure it came through, and she told me that Patti just came in to get my file so she must have it. A torturous hour later I finally got the call from the elusive Patti….my heart was beating SO FAST…and then it happened….. We were a few words into the call and….SCREEEEEECH! HUMMMMMM! I’m thinking ‘What’s that sound?!!....a fax machine?!...Why won’t it stop?!’ She tries to talk SCREEEEECH! HUMMMMMMM! Oh, Dear Lord! I LEFT THE FAX MACHINE PLUGGED IN!!!! As I’m running upstairs and down the long hall I’m trying to yell ‘HOLDON!’ between all the screeches. I hear little words from the other side that make me think she’s getting irritated when I yank the plug. I tried to make a small joke…something about not obviously not using the fax machine often…nothing, not even a peep (I’m thinking now I’ve made it to the ‘Patients Hall of Shame’ bulletin board in her office). After a pause she goes into her schpeel as I’m frantically running back down the hall and back downstairs (trying not to pant too loudly…didn’t know I could still run that fast) where I’d lain out my calendar with all the events and dates DH is traveling (I was wondering why the fax machine didn’t go off when Marlene called back that second time…probably because it was only a few seconds call…and why did I forget to unplug that stupid thing for an important phone call….then I slapped myself back to focus on her words). She asked “When do you want to get this done?” I wasn’t prepared for that (I thought she’d just give me a date and I’d say whether it worked or not). So I stammered something about “How long is the pre-op diet?”…pause, she must be so done with me…“or isn’t there one?” “No, there’s no pre-op diet.” “OK, why don’t I give you the dates that don’t work and we can start there.” I mentioned the bad dates the next two weeks (which left me with 4 dates) and she came back with a date in the third week ...well it worked, so I’m thrilled! She told me she’d send to the insurance today and told me the nurse would call me to set-up a physical. She was about to hang up when I asked about the pre-op class. “You haven’t taken that yet?” “Well, no.”…they told me I couldn’t until you set my date…no, I didn’t say it…didn’t want to press my luck. So she told me when/where to come next week and I didn’t let her get away without profusely thanking her…probably a little over the top, but…my approval is still in her hands.     So the rest you can guess…there was dancing and merry-making involved on my part! I called the only person I’m telling, DH who was so thrilled, but also told me he’s not really celebrating until the insurance approval…party pooper (he just doesn't want me to get dissapointed)…God love him, he’s a worrier. So I called my LBT friends right here! Party at my house!!!!
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2/7/09 They're Back!

Dear Gawd help me! I knew it was inevitable. It comes this time every year, so why wasn’t I prepared? I have no excuse…my DD was a GS, and I was even a leader for a few years…and here’s the kicker…I was the ‘Cookie Mom’ for several years. So why didn’t I see this coming? The doorbell rang and then I heard it from downstairs…”MOM! It’s the Girl Scouts selling cookies!!!” I froze! I’m a sucker for those GS Cookies and those little cute neighbor Girl Scouts! I always buy several boxes of each person’s favorites, and I’ve got the huge list down pat by now. This year was different though…my heart started palpitating and all I could think of was…Those d*@n cookies are going to arrive right about the time I start my pre-op diet!!! I could barely breath as I pictured those Tag-a-longs and frozen Thin Mints (best served frozen and dipped in milk…and come to think of it THIN MINT? Who ever got Thin eating those??)…AAAHHHH! “MOM!!! I’m picking out my favorites…HURRY UP!!!” Then, I heard it…the garage door going up….deep sigh of relief…breath slowly coming back…I yell down “I’m busy, Dad’s home now, so get him to finish the order please.” I don’t even want to know what they ordered…I’ve just got to focus now and get myself prepared for the smell of Thin Mints while I’m on the pre-op diet…maybe if I start wearing Vicks-Vapo-Rub every day until then I’ll be repulsed by the smell? You see, they say on the pre-op diet that I’ll be so hungry I’ll probably eat my youngest…wait, maybe after he eats a bunch of those cookies he’ll taste like a Thin Mint?!!!
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6/29/09 Dorm Decor

As planned, we spent the weekend finalizing DS1’s packing/buying list for college and we started our shopping. It was fun doing this with DD when she went. It was almost like a treasure hunt. She found a reversible comforter she loved on sale and that started the whole summer hunt. We took those two colors (turquoise and lime green) and hunted all summer for everything she needed. It was fun to find perfectly coordinating things at all kinds of different stores. We found all kinds of cool things; rugs, towels, chair pad, baskets with colored liners, bedding and body pillows/extra pillows to transform the bed to a couch, bed risers so big bins would fit underneath and coordinating beach towels to use as a makeshift bed skirt since we didn’t know how tall the bed would be, butterfly chair, tons of desk accessories, wrapping paper and ribbon and colored push pins to transform her bulletin board, curtains, dragonfly lights to hang over the bed, etc. We’d find the best deals and made some returns when we’d find a better deal on something…I’m sure we spent less than most kids rooms. I even surprised her with a little art project and bought 3 large poster papers and large tissue paper in every shade of her colors…we spent a day tearing tissue, decoupaging strips down and making a triptych for her bed wall.   We got the room/furniture dimensions online and I drew it all up on my architect computer program and we figured out the best layout and viewed it 3-D. I may have told you this story, but I don’t think so…she had such an enormous pile of stuff when we unloaded the van on the curb on move in day…We left DH with the pile (and snickers from all the dad’s unpacking their much smaller piles around him) while we went to find a cart…when we came back he said he got so many question he lied and told people he was ‘moving in the twins’ LOL. DH swore as he filled the center of the shared room with her stuff that it wasn’t all going to fit and he kept offering to put the 3 stackable cabinets we bought back in the van…DD and I knew better…we knew it would fit…we’d seen it. We sent the boys off to the bookstore to pick up her order while we moved everything into place. She was so proud of her room when we got it all done and decorations up. Girls kept coming in to see it and asking her where she got things (I heard the local Wal-Mart had a couple-hour wait to check out that day…yikes). Yes, she also had the bin of every kind of medicine (and soon became the local ‘drug dealer’ LOL on her floor when friends got sick). It certainly made it easier for me to leave her knowing she was happy and had everything she needed…I was ‘nesting’ and Mama bird let her first baby go.   OK, I had to wait until I had DS1 trapped in the car ride to PSU to have him answer me yes/no on the packing/room list I had kept from DD…DH was happy to hear the pile is going to be MUCH smaller this time (we girls come with lots of accessories). It was like pulling-teeth to get DS1 to go with us to pick out his comforter, sheets and towels to set the beginnings of his room. He picked a reversible plain black and gray comforter, black sheets and plain gray towels…his ‘bachelor’ days have begun I guess…BLACK? GRAY?...I can do black, but plain...how boring...and would a punch of color kill him?!   DH let DS1 go and we went on to Bed, Bath & Beyond to continue the hunt on our own…WHAT? NO treasure hunt with my boy?!!! OK, I can deal…I found a young manager at the store to bond with…she printed me packing lists from PSU to compare to my lists and took me around the store to find my listed items…she was as excited as I was to find things…she even called the store near PSU for me and is having 2 camp style folding chairs with the ‘Nittany Lion’ emblem on them shipped out here...we bonded (I’m buying an extra one to give to his best friend and roommate...apparently a little PSU stuff is OK, matching bedding isn't...'looks like you're 10') ...Oh, and tip in case you have a BB&B store near you…they take expired coupons and you can use one coupon for each item you buy even on the same order…Yes, I forked over 13 coupons I’d been saving for my purchases and got 20% off each item. I found 2 bed pillows (for the couch look) with black pillowcases (I may have to find some fabric and make something a little more exciting than plain black). DH was a trooper shopping for hours, but a Debbie-Downer as he usually is when it comes to shopping or anything to do with decorating… ‘You can NOT buy him towels for a bed skirt!...So WHAT if the bins under his bed show!!…He will not let you put a bed skirt on his bed!!!’ I may have to sneak in a bed skirt…maybe I can make it to match the body pillow covers I’ll make…hey, it’s not like I’m going to use black and white toile, zebra print or anything floral… Would a straight piece of black/white maybe striped fabric hanging down from the bed spring frame get him teased for life?! Seriously, I’m asking!!! I did walk away from the cute pillows and throws. I was happy to see that DS1 was interested when we got home and came over to see all the things we bought in the ever growing pile in our great room, but he was most interested in the electronics…4-cup coffee maker, alarm clock, etc. Oh well. I did talk him into doing an art project for his wall…amazed, aren’t you?!! You SHOULD be! He never would have agreed if it was with me (ex-art teacher…he likes to do his own thing and is so over me teaching him) and he would have thought I’d make something too sissy. I got sneaky (I know, ‘as usual’ LOL)…DH can’t draw a straight line to save his life and hates even playing ‘Pictionary’ because our kids (all got my art talent gene) love to laugh at him. I remembered though that in HS DH had to take art and got into making batiks for a few months. I ‘suggested’ that DH show DS1 how to make a batik and they could do one for his wall…well, that went over so well that before I knew it they’d planned doing a giant ‘Lion Paw’ print (one of PSU’s trademarks, apparently it recently went from 5 to 4 toes) and I was tasked with getting the supplies…if it looks ‘cool enough’ he’s going to hang it….sneaky works!   Tonight we’re off to buy all the toiletries, cleaning/laundry, and the obligatory bin full of medicines. Yes, I’m ‘nesting’ again. Maybe I can talk them into going to the fabric/craft store with me for the batik supplies?!! I might be able to get some fabric opinions while we’re there…hey playing cards are mostly black and white...maybe a poker theme...he loves poker...sneaky, sneaky, sneaky.   Playing Cards Fabric
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3/13/09 Spring Fever

I'm the grumpy one in front.   I’m feeling blah today. I’m not sure what it is…the ‘Spring Ahead’ clock change this week, the lack of enough coffee (I’m sipping my last cup right now to make it last…it’s cold now), or maybe that it’s Friday the 13th. I do know I’m sick of Winter. Mother Nature was teasing me last weekend with that 70° high (mean woman!). It’s 23° right now and we might hit 50° this weekend…weeee. I feel like a hibernating bear right now. I’m a person who is affected by the weather…I think I was meant to live in the South, although I do enjoy watching the season’s change. I enjoy sunlight. I put 32 windows and four glass doors in our house, and no it’s not that big…I just love natural light. Spring is my favorite season, but the past few years here in Pittsburgh we really haven’t had one. Last year ‘Spring’ was cold and raining everyday, then it went straight to a blazing hot Summer (so no Spring) and unfortunately my Asthma doesn’t enjoy extreme heat of summer. OK, winter is on it’s way out…whinefest over. I think all of us getting bands this time of year are extremely lucky. I’ve said before that I felt sorry for those getting their bands right before the holidays; especially those in my climate. They must be extremely dedicated…make it through the holidays with no restriction yet and then sit there in the snow all winter. There will be no excuses for me not to be getting enough exercise…I’ll be banded right as Spring begins and will have the nice weather and all the outside activities it brings to look forward to. One more week until the Equinox/first day of Spring (March 20) and I'm hoping it actually arrives and is on time this year. I can’t wait!  
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10/21/09 Feel the Burn

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book                 Bet you didn't know you have another 'sphincter' hee-hee                                        
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