BlueEyedBaby

I would love to see a thread with all of our progress pictures on it so I will be the first. DH gave me the idea. I was on Lucky #7's reading and he asked me where everyone's progress pics were and I said, "Well, you have to scroll through the posts to find them" Which is kinda hard to do so I decided to start a new thread for progress pics and here it is. I will start with mine. Pic on left is 072608, just before surgery...............................................Pic on right is 012708, 6 mos. later

Stoichiometry- I faintly remember this from chemistry 20 yrs ago but don't exactly remember what it is. Has something to do with calculating the equations?? :w00t:

Hey guys:wink_smile: Just lurking by...Been sick this week and takes all my energy just to show up at work every day. Forget exercise, I can't even keep my eyes open by the time I get off. Just wanted ya'll to know, I'm still here and reading nightly.

Ever wanna just sit back and lurk? I have worked so hard this week that I just could not muster up the energy to do any more than work, lurk and sleep. Yes, I am a nurse but not in the traditional sense of the word. I am a corporate educator for a local hospital, so I guess you could say that I am also a teacher. And I have taught, trained and lectured so much this week that I had literally lost my voice by yesterday. And my throat still hurts. I have gone through a whole box of Sucrets (sp?) and whole pack of cough drops. Karri-I posted a very much used "remedy" that we use in the hospital frequently for constipation. I used to fix it for my friend who had gastric bypass and she swears that when nothing else works, this does. It is a very simple remedy. Mix approx 2oz of Milk of Magnesia and approx 4oz of Prune juice and heat in the microwave to a very warm temp (not hot) and drink it. Doesn't tast as bad as it sounds but it works great. Ok..I am now out of energy..TTYL

Hey guys...just lurking. Not much going on... Ruby-So sorry you've been sick. Sounds like that flu that has been going around. It's bad here. They closed our church school down for a few days because of it. Holiday? What holiday? You mean ppl actually get President's day off? I just thought that was an excuse for the furniture stores and car dealerships to have sales. I have never gotten this holiday off. Even the city goverments here still worked. Interesting... Well, the only news I have on my end is I lost 1 lb as of this morning...and AF is visiting so it is probably even more (positive thinking here). Yay!! One more plateau defeated. Janet, do I remember you saying that you had hit your first plateau recently? Man, that must be nice. I hit a plateau every time I loose. I loose a pound or 2 then plateau, then loose 3 then plateau, then...well, you get the idea. My 2 cents on housekeeping. I HATE IT!! That's why I have a couple housekeepers routinely. But I have always hated housekeeping. And even before I could afford housekeepers and had to do my own, I was still fat. I used to have such a complex about hating to clean house. I mean, what kind of woman was I? I was a true failure because I could not keep my house clean. But then one day I asked myself, where is it written that I have to enjoy cleaning just because I was a female? And why should I be wasting my time on something I truely hated? That's the day I picked up the phone and called a housekeeper and have had one since. Now, I do a bit of straightening up, and a few loads of dishes and I enjoy doing laundry, and I will clean out closets etc from time to time, but they do the majority of the heavy cleaning. For instance, I have a brand new Rainbow vacuum cleaner that I have never tried to use myself. But I do have a few rooms that I clean. My house is too big for the ladies to be able to clean every room but they do clean the rooms that are in use daily. And it's all ok. Cool thing is, my little sister is exactly like me. She would rather spend the day playing with and teaching her kids, so as soon as the housekeepers finish with my house they go to hers:biggrin: Ok for someone who had nothing to say, I have said a whole lot. Oh, before I forget, Lynette, I have missed you. It was great to hear from you!!! I sure hope you drop in from time to time. And I do hate to hear about your troubles. Problems seem to be multiplying for everyone lately. But we have missed and care about you! Nite ya'll~~~~~~

Phyl, Tell me about these papaya tablets.....?

Hey Janet, are there not email's attached to the posts of the MIA's? Anyone ever thought of emailing these guys? I remember Lynnette well and really wander what happened to her.... Steph hon, this is just the nurse in me with some major concern about your fall and continued pain, esp. when you talk about pain in your neck. Don't mean to scare you but there are certain types of vertebral (spine bone) fractures of the neck that cause just a minor amt of pain but can even be fatal with just one wrong move. I have seen it happen. If I were you, I believe I would rather be safe than sorry and go have that neck and head x-rayed. And if your doc seems to be blowing you off, go to the ER. Like I have said, it is hard to even make any recommendations over this computer medium but I am concerned and don't usually mess with a fall that involves the head and neck. Better safe than sorry, dear. I like your attitude, girl :Dancing_wub::thumbup: I may just have to borrow some of that spunk the next time I get a hankering to put a pool in. :Dancing_wub: Ok, I had an interesting, (would you call it a NSV?), today. I was driving home from work today when I remembered that I had not eaten lunch and I didn't even realize it, and I was not really hungry either. First time I have ever missed lunch and did not know it. I think I will consider that a step in the right direction, mentally. What do you all think? :cool2: Of course, the missed lunch could be contributed to some major stress today. And not just at work. My DH called me at work to inform me that he was just laid off from work. :biggrin: :thumbup: I knew there was a chance of downsizing but was not totally expecting this. And money is tight enough as it is.... Ok, deep breath...:hurt:

Hey guys...just popping in to lurk and say "Hey" before hitting the hay. Long days and even longer evenings. Work all day then straight to church for the evening (having special youth services and I do multi-media), then home and to bed. So much for exercise this week:frown:. Kinda hard to find time to exercise when one is running from 6am till 10pm. Glad every week is not like this. I am already whooped....:thumbup: OK, truely did not mean for this to turn into a whine... Bedtime for this little gray duck...

Wow...Everyone is looking awesome!!!! :thumbup:

OK, CeCe, being a nurse I have to put a disclaimer on this and say that this is what we give patients in the hospital with that problem, and this is what I gave my BFF when she had her GBP and got impacted, and IT WORKS WELL!! Since I am not a doctor I can not prescribe. That being said, you have to make your own decision on what to take. So... this is a very easy mixture that is not bad tasting and usually works well. We mix about 4oz of very WARM prune juice and 8oz of MOM liquid. Something about this mixture really works. Please note that the prune juice has to be very warm (don't burn your tongue, not hot) And, I would never give this to anyone unless they are VERY constipated.... Sorry guys...just the nurse in me....and I don't even see that as TMI. Us nurses are so jaded to these type conversations. LOL, we really do sit and and talk about BM's and Blood while we eat. I am a program director for a huge Nursing Convention we put on every year here and all the directors meet at different restraunts around the area every month to plan out what we are going to do. I don't remember the exact gist of the conversation but it had to do with blood gushing. I just happened to look up at the table next to us and the ppl there were staring at us with gaping mouths and turning green. OMG, we didn't even think anything about it. :wink2::eek:

:Dancing_chief::lol:ROFL, Well, I'm no contortionist but I have never put my bra on any way but to hook it from behind. I have never hooked it in the front and turned it around. Put arms in first, bend forward and settle "the girls" in and reach behind and hook. Simple :Dancing_wub: AGREED!!!:biggrin: Steph, Here is a wonderfully sinful desert made with cottage cheese: 1-Lg. Box Fat-free Cottage Cheese 1-Reg. size Container Sugar-free Cool Whip 1-Reg. size box sugar-free orange jello (or other fruity flavor) 1-Lg can Mandrin oranges drained (or fruit cocktail or other favorite fruit) Mix Cottage Cheese and thawed Cool Whip, pour in powder Jello (do not "fix" jello just pour the powder in), and mix. Last drain fruit well (squish the liquid out well) and mix in. Put in refrig for a couple hours to let the jello melt and mix the flavor. Mmmmmm....this stuff is wonderful. This is one of my favorite desserts of all times. That's it for me guys. It's 11:30 here and past my bedtime...see ya'll tomorrow :wink2:

Cool Peaches, I've been to Lake Huron. My "X" was from Huron/Sandusky Ohio area. It's about 8 hrs north from here. So I guess I was standing across the lake from you.:smile2:

Just REAL high winds (70mph gusts) all day.

:eek: Gosh Kari, Your DH sounds like mine...Sure they aint brothers? I'm so sorry you had such a crummy birthday. So... :glare::cake:HAPPY BIRTHDAY:cake::present: anyway from another band sister :thumbup:

Janet, That is totally awesome!!!!

OMG guys...anyone else having problem with the site? I like to have never got that to post. Kept getting that "....more than 10 characters" error. Does it look like I typed less than 10 characters?

Hey Peaches, Not Steph, but I can tell you how I do it. I use MS Powerpoint. You can put all your pics where you want and add any titles or captions where you want them. Hey all of the rest of you LOSERS Hope everyone is having a WONDERFUL weekend. I have done absolutely nothing this weekend at all and it has actually been kinda nice to just hang around the house here. Started to get on the treadmill earlier today but after less than 1 minute, I was very abruptly reminded that I had not taken my heart medicine yet and by the time I got around to taking it and giving it time to kick in, I had talked myself out of treadmilling. I know, I know, shamey, shamey. But I needed a "mental day off" To just relax and not worry about anything. Interestingly, as tight as my band was last fill (and I do mean TIGHT), I am nowhere near as restricted as I was. I still have enough restriction to remind me the band is there but I have really been able to get food and Water down well lately. Kinda scarry....:thumbdown:

Nichole-You look awesome!!!!! Don't forget to post those great pictures on the Picture Brag Thread :eek: Peaches-:eek: That was hilarious. And just my kind of joke. I loved it. Speaking of bra's. Now ladies, I would give anything in the world to be back in a D. Try finding 38DDD bra's. How in the world can a person loose 60+ lbs and NOT LOOSE AN INCH at the top? And I am not bragging. I am quite frustrated about that. Although hubbie is tickled pink, I am ready to get rid of these things. I have gotten to the point where I really envy the flat women. I would give anything in the world to trade these saggy things for some flatness. Ok, sorry...probably TMI but just a rant....please forgive:rolleyes: And you guys are right...THIS IS THE BEST SUPPORT GROUP, BAR NONE.

Well, since I am "allergic" to caffeine, it's really not a problem for me. Do you know how few diet, caffeine free sodas there are out there? Got to the point that I just quit drinking soda altogether cause I was tired of drinking the same things. So I was off sodas long before surgery. But I am the daring one and just had to try a sip a while back. Blew my belly up till I thought it was gonna pop and made me sick as a dog. Don't have to worry about me cheating on that one. My doc is one that says no more soda...ever again.

Ruby, That sounds exactly like what I went through with my last fill. And I mean exactly. I lost 6 lbs in 5 days and by day 5 I was starting to worry about dehydration. I told myself that if something didn't change over the weekend I was going to swallow my pride and call for an unfill. I got .6ml in my band and that was the largest fill I had had at one time. But on Sat (day 6) I had loosened up enough to get a good amount of soup in and then by a few days later I was getting food down, although in small amts. I still have problems with the burps and nearly aspirating at night but if I dont eat so close to bedtime it isn't too bad. I also have a wedge that I sleep on if I am having problems. I would recommend buying a bed wedge for anyone who has problems choking at night. Hang in there for a few days and see if you don't loosen up. But the again, I am still very tight and some ppl don't like to be this tight. I kinda like it. Really keeps me in check. Kira, Sounds like your settings need adjusting. Just like medications, as we loose weight all of these medical crutches that we have depended upon for so long either become obsolete or need to be decreased. I have came off of all my medications except for 2 and those 2 I will never be able to stop. I am on a thyroid med and a heart (not bp) pill. The last time I went to my PCP, he said "just out of curiosity, lets do a TSH (thyroid test). Well, mine was so low it nearly did not register at all. The office called me in a panic saying to not take anymore of my present dose, that they had called me in a lower dose and to go pick it up immediately. And I caught my cardiologist in the hallway the other day and told her that I could not take my night pill because it slowed my heart down too much at night and dropped my BP out the bottom. So she actually changed my type of med altogether. So I would recommend calling your PCP and ask them what the process is for you to get your settings adjusted. You know, it is a possibility that you may actually come off of that C-PAP machine. :confused: Hey guys, I just checked out the Progress Pic site and you all are looking "MOVALUS". Ok the rest of you slackers, lets see some before and after pics :tt1: Chicago huh? Hubby has a new job and won't get to take vacation till sometime in September so I am afraid I may not make it. But then again...I could come without him, huh? :wink2:

Oh but how I do remember...:frown: Katrina hit us pretty hard in Pensacola too. Still did not have my house fixed from Ivan. Ceilings were falling in around us and boy was I praying that we wouldn't get a direct hit from Katrina. It would have finished destroying our house. Went for days afterwards not hearing from hubby's uncle and aunt. They lived only blocks from the gulf and it totally destroyed their house and then when they got it built back, finally, within just a couple months it burned to the ground. When we went for a visit in Dec., they took us over to see the progress on their new house. Ppl forget so quickly but don't realize that there are people that are still living in small campers down there... Sorry guys...don't mean to be a downer. These storms just did something to me and I will never be the same again. I mean, how can you truely describe the devistation. No matter what they show on TV, they can never really show even close to how bad it really is. Wow, I'm gonna stop there because I could really get going on this :frown: WTG Karri...That is awesome:biggrin: Stephanie, Now this is probably gonna sound crazy. Even I thought it was until I tried it and it REALLY WORKS. So now when I get stuck for at least a week on a certain weight, I do this. INCREASE YOUR CALORIES Don't dig in and try to decrease any more than you are. Eat as much as you can tolerate for a day or 2 (now, I did not say over do it. Don't ever push your band to the limit, just eat to a tolerable level) I know it sounds nuts but when I got to thinking about it, it really made sense. See, I am a nurse and I just can't settle for doing something, I have to know why. So I will pass on this bit of wisdom. When we decrease our calories too much our bodies start thinking that we are starving so they go into starvation mode. The good Lord made our bodies to survive no matter what. So when they think we are starving, then they go into the starvation mode. In otherwords, they shut our metabolism down totally. So the less you eat, the less your metabolism and when you try to decrease calories even more, your body shuts down more. The only way to boost it out of that mode is to trick it into thinking that you are no longer going to starve to death and it will restart our metabolisms. Try it. I have hit this plateau thing at least 3 times lately and sure enough, when I start thinking about it, I am no where near to getting enough calories in so I increase my calories for a couple days and "boom" there goes 3 lbs instantly. It's kinda funny, I sometimes think "I just know I have gained as much as I have eaten lately" but sure enough I am very surprised to find that I have lost every time. I guess I am a bit different in how I eat. I do not measure, count calories or anything like that. I eat when I am hungry and only until I feel full. Whether that be a cup or a couple bites. I do make healthy choices and to be honest, I prefer the healthier foods. (Except chocolate is my downfall...and boy does that go down good) Well, it's off to bed for me...you guys have a great one..

Hi nayray Dr Hodge is totally awesome!! Of the 2 in that office, you have chosen the right one. Wouldn't give you a plug nickle for the other one. I am an RN and work with these guys so not only am I a patient, but I am also a co-worker of them. Needless to say, I get the inside scoop for sure:biggrin: Good luck and email me or pm me if you need to. I would be glad to talk to you more.

Hi Bullpen!!! As you can probably see from my siggy below, I also go to Dr. Michael Hodge. Isn't he awesome? I am from Kingsport and have now had 3 fills and boy am I tight But the weight loss is great and I wouldn't complain for nothing. I LOVE MY BAND!!!!

Ok, DH gave me this idea. He asked me how to find everyones progress pics and were they all in one place. I told him that you had to scroll through everyone's post to find them here and there. I kinda figured that we are now getting to the "bragging point" with our weight loss and will be seeing many "Then and Now" pics. So I decided to start a thread so everyone could post their pics and we could see them easily all at once. You can always come in here and announce that you have posted new pictures to the thread. So what do you all think? Do you think we will use it? I know Phyl and Janet have posted pics recently. Would you all mind reposting in that thread? If no one thinks it's a good idea or it doesn't get used, I could always delete it. The thread is called Progress Picture Brag Thread if you want to check it out.