wretched_hyena

Denton, Texas bandsters will meet for the second monthly dinner at Jason's Deli this Thursday, March 1, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jason's is in the shopping center, across from the mall, on the northeast corner of Loop 288 and I-35e. Spouses and friends are welcome as well as those who are not banded but curious or planning to. Last month, we had a great time. Hope to see you there!

Denton, Texas bandsters will meet for the second monthly dinner at Jason's Deli this Thursday, March 1, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jason's is in the shopping center, across from the mall, on the northeast corner of Loop 288 and I-35e. Spouses and friends are welcome as well as those who are not banded but curious or planning to. Last month, we had a great time. Hope to see you there!

Hello? Anyone there?

Actually, Wretched Hyena is how yankees say my name, Richard Hayner. But what you didn't know is that my middle name is Cornelius, so I guess you could say middle name is Corny!

Dr. Barker? Yeah, I went to see him, but he tried to bite me and took off to chase a car. :biggrin1:

Guys don't have hernias. We have himnias.

The band is a great tool to do it. It isn't a cure for obesity. You still do the work, but it makes it possible where diets don't. I think it's the best option for a good percentage of overweight people. If you think it is right for you, GO FOR IT! Good luck, and keep us posted. Oh, and I would recommend going to a support group dinner in your area. It's great to talk to bandsters.

Daniel, There are a number of things that would disqualify you. A heart problem tops the list. As for mental health, they let me do it, didn't they? Many doctors say you need to be 100 lbs. overweight. More commonly, many more require that the BMI be 40 or over. Still, many people get the band without meeting those criteria. I don't know how the V.A. is, but most insurance companies (or policies) that do cover it, want you to have tried a number of diets, exercise programs, etc. as well as being under a doctor's care for obesity for six months to a year. Documentation is usually required. Hope that helps. Richard

Dieta, The Plano group has been posting on DFW Bandsters, a Yahoo group. I knew I had seen them somewhere. Peace, Richard

Welcome to the forum, Dieta. Okay, I'm sorry, but I've got to say something. Is that your real name? I mean, with a name like that, how could you go wrong? Okay, I said it. Are you already banded? Planning to? By whom? When? I think there's a group meeting in Plano, but you're certainly invited to join our new group in Denton. We'll be meeting from 6:30-8:30 Thursday, March 1, at Jason's Deli at I-35e and Loop 288 (northeast corner shopping center, across from the mall). Good luck. Richard

I think the second Texas Jam had, among others, Blue Oyster Cult. I have forgotten who else. I remember being disgusted because there was a banner with a cartoon of the KZEW elephant riding an armadillo. The old armadillo cartoons, originaled by Franklin of Austin, portrayed the armadillo as being very zen and always on top of everything. So, why would an elephant, much larger than an armadillo, be riding him. Hmph! Thanks for the compliment on my website. I've put a lot of time in it. There are lots of hidden things that you don't find the first time you get on it.

You didn't offend. Fact is, I was concerned that I might be offending. It is Dr. Rodriguez that is my source, but I've read from him that it is not only his experience but studies that have determined that people who do a pre-op diet do better. After I made my post, I checked with Barbara, his patient advocate. She qualified what I had said. The diet helps reduce the liver. That makes the surgery less traumatic and, therefore, the recovery less difficult. American doctors have less experience in doing the band and, in my humble oppinion, in most cases, less time to consider such things as they roller skate from one patient to the next. I'm just concerned that it could be easier for someone to recover and they might not get that advantage.

Er... Valentine's Day, that is! :rolleyes

It's not the doctor's comfort we're concerned with here. It's the patient's. That's what the diet is for, not the doctor.

I hate to be negative, but I don't think the doctor's failure to have you on a pre-op diet is a plus. The diet, as I understand, is mostly to help shrink your liver, making it easier on you. I guess that doesn't matter to some surgeons.

Big Brother is watching you. Especially if you start using that perverted hippie stuff.

Hey, Julie, I like that peace symbol!

I may be the same way once I have more restriction.

My port is about four inches above my navel, which keeps it from being a navel port.

Okie doke, next meeting gets a tour of Futhermore, my hippie bus. For those of you who are wondering, let me explain. In 1969, I went to the Texas International Pop Festival, held in Lewisville, just two weeks after Woodstock. It was sort of overshadowed by Woodstock, but there were some big acts there including Janis Joplin, Santana, Chicago, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk, etc. Camping, skinny-dipping and a free stage were all at Lake Lewisville. That portion was handled by Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters who traveled there from Woodstock in their famous bus, Further. A few years ago, I decided to write a book about it. I have a website at www.texaspopfestival.com and I bought a school bus on eBay for a steal, a mere $920. I just happened to catch it when there were few bidders. It had a newly rebuilt engine and was in excellent shape. My wife and I flew to Baltimore to pick it up and made a great vacation of it. I painted the outside and converted it into an RV with toilet, refrigerator, sinks, TV, stove, the works. My plan is to use it to promote the book. Meanwhile, I'm planning to drive it to Acuna for the fill on March 10. If anyone needs a ride, let me know. We'll be leaving on Friday, driving from Denton, so we will pass through Ft. Worth, or Dallas if we need to pick someone up there. We may not get back until Sunday. If anyone needs to be picked up or dropped off at the San Antonio Airport, we can do that. We plan to follow Barbara's van from San Antonio to Acuna.

My wife, Rebecca, and I had dinner with Mary and her husband, Rob, tonight. It was fun. She's not nearly as bad as you guys make out.

You got it wrong. It's sip, walk, sip sip, walk walk walk...pee...pee....nap....sip sip....walk...sip...pee...pee sip......pee...pee...pee...pee

But you posted right behind the photo of six of us, two being guys. I mean, you must have thought I was one ugly woman.

Now, wait a minute. I don't think I'll welcome anyone from Green Bay. Well, maybe if they promise not to wear a Packers shirt or start talking about Brett Favre...and none of those stupid little cheese-head hats!

Is this something that is just for women? Because there are men in this forum, too.