donali

Ewwwww... Darcy! lol Your nickname is well-earned! Kelly - yep.

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/hortiscope/fruitveg/tomato.htm Q: Can you give me any information on tomatillos? How do they produce in North Dakota? When do they ripen ? (Bismarck, N.D.) A: Tomatillos and tomatoes are both in the nightshade family, but different genera. The tomatillo is the genus Physalis while tomato is the Lycoperscion genera. Tomatillos grow fruit from large marble to golf ball size in a papery husk and are often called "husk tomatoes." There are several indicators of ripeness: the husk gets papery and straw-colored; or it opens; or, the fruit inside changes color from a green to a pale yellow. The tomatillo is used in Mexican cuisine to make a "genuine" salsa. They are generally simmered in Water for five to10 minutes or roasted in a broiler until the skin blackens slightly to bring out the flavor before adding to salsa or other recipes. Leave the husks on when harvesting and storing. They will store longer. They often self-seed, so the following season will have some volunteers if they are not completely harvested in the fall. http://homeharvestseeds.com/lillymillervegetablestomato.htm Tomatillos Green Husk 100MG Physalis ixocarpa. Salsa's just not salsa unless it's got the tangy sweetness of homegrown tomatillos. The golf-ball-size fruits of this variety are green when ripe, wrapped in papery husks. Bushy plants produce heavy yields for use in southwestern dishes and sauces. May also be canned. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before planting outdoors. Harden off seedlings by putting them outside during the day for 1 week before transplanting. Transplant seedlings to the garden when nighttime temperatures remain above 55 degrees Farenheit. Enrich the soil before planting. Use landscape fabric to retain heat in the soil. To avoid diseases, don't plant where tomatoes or peppers have grown in the last two years. Water regularly to keep soil evenly moist. Tomatillos do not have to be staked or caged. Pick when papery husks turn from green to tan. Ripe tomatillo fruits are light green. 60 days to harvest after transplanting.

Sounds like you're in too good of aerobic shape if you're having troubles getting your heart rate up!! I don't know what kind of aerobic activity you're doing when you're taking your measurements, but pick something that you have trouble doing for long. For me that would be the stair master - I'm sure that after about 5 steps I'd be at 200 or some heart attack type range... lol Maybe try some ankle weights to increase the intensity of the workout?

Darcy - What are the staples made out of, and how do you get them out??? Sounds too heavy duty to me... lol The incisions don't look quite so red today, and I'm sure you're right - as the swelling goes down, things will look better. And the sutures did seem really tight - as soon as I cut the string you could see how far apart the ends wanted to be! And the irritation from the embedding made the swelling worse, which made the stitches embed further... vicious circle.

Kelly, it's the "Flaunt" (of course! lol) http://lanebryant.charmingshoppes.com/Shopping/product.asp?product_id=L1002370 For once a product that is aptly named... I have no good recs on the swimsuit front - anyone else?

Leatha, I am NOT just some woman... lol I've been really frustrated with my cleavage - I spent a LOT of money in January on new bras, trying to get one that would give me cleavage. I mean, I'm a 42DD, and I see gals that are only a B cup walking around with serious cleavage, and I was jealous! I could not for the life of me understand why I couldn't get a similar look. Finally in May or June (NOT in time for my April fling! ) I found these bras at Lane Bryants - brand is Cacique, and they have air filled removeable inserts that go down the outside and underneath the bust that help push them together to finally get cleavage. lol But the bra is so substantial, it really makes me look massive. Like I need a padded bra?!?!?! lol I guess they were worth $35... I never spend that kind of money on clothes. But I really wanted something pretty for my guy. Hopefully they'll still be doing the job in September when he gets here! lol True Confessions over for now... Thanks for the reassurance, Penni. I know things are still swollen a bit, so hopefully it will smooth out over the next few weeks.

Close-up of the "dog ear". That should fill your need for pics for awhile! lol

"Dog ear" and drain incision....

Oh, BRIGHT!! Thank you - that was my first OUT LOUD BELLY LAUGH of the day! Teresa, I think Bright's idea is a famous one - maybe a foam rubber suit? lol I can't even IMAGINE the pain from a broken bone. Lordy, I better not think on it too much or I'll faint here at the computer. lol Okay, brazen hussy that I am, and since I missed out posting on all the nudist threads, and because I have been insanely jealous of DeLarla's purple bra... Here's a pic that includes all the scars, and the "girls" as well... lol

lol... This is just MY guess. I could be wrong, you know...

Hey Lady!!! Nice to see you here, even if it's because you're in pain... Shoulder pain is generally a symptom of referred pain from the diaphragm. My guess is that since you're experiencing the pain after you eat, your full pouch is pressing up against your diaphragm, and causing referred pain in your shoulder. Try stopping a bite or two earlier and see if the pain doesn't reappear? Since you say it appears about an hour after you eat, I'm assuming that means the pain also goes away. About 2-3 hours after you eat? Once your pouch empties again? This is my suspicion...

Well, I bit the bullet and am now stitchless. Yes, folks - I pulled them out myself, and didn't feel sick/nauseous/faint even once, which is pretty amazing for me. Particularly since I had to dig around for a couple of them, deep in the trench they created. So - all the incisions look great except for the biggest one, which was not sewn flat edge to edge. The bottom edge comes up above the top edge, and the left side has excess tissue on the bottom, creating a little puppy-dog ear flap. Does that get cut off? Will it eventually re-align properly? I know my bikini days are long over (actually, never HAD bikini days... lol) but all the other inicisions are going to be barely noticeable. This bigger one, though.... ick I'll take a pic when I get home tonight, and you all can ooooh and aaaaah and give me your best guesses.

Darcy - Did you flush the meds through with lots of Water last night? Sounds like when you took your liquid pain killer that there was a pill still in the pouch that blocked the stoma, and therefore your liquid meds backed up on you. The pouch is really only a swallow or two big - so if the stoma is blocked it's easy to get backed-up really fast. Sticking to liquids is a good idea for today. And unless you have been vomiting, it is unlikely that your band has slipped. Feel better!

Hi Penni - It's been just 10 days... I wonder if there is any reason I need to go back to TJ? I suppose I should, just to make sure all is alright. Sigh. Plus Dr. Carmen promised to get me some affordable Ectiva (Mexican equivalent of Meridia) to help me manage my hunger once it kicks back in. But it does creep me out watching the black threads disappear into never never land... lol

Hi Penni - Yes, I know Diane. No, she is NOT the American liason for Dr. Lopez's office, although I told her at the meeting yesterday that I wished she were. She does work for Dr. Lopez in that she refers patients to him for a commission, but she is not affiliated with BeLighter. I don't suppose I can take the stitches out myself before they really disappear and therefore hurt when removed? I'm not scheduled to have them removed until Saturday. Okay, I'll be honest - they're creeping me out. lol I've never had topical stitches before, and it's freaking me out seeing them disappear below the skin. See, my body's even trying to absorb my stitches!!! It does not want ANY foreign objects in it! lol

Hi Birdee! Thanks for the message - I sent Sherry an email and responded to her posts. I'm doing well - about 99%. My stitches look like they're being absorbed by the surrounding skin - is that normal? Anyone? lol I can still see the knots... Went to the San Diego bandster meeting yesterday - it was bittersweet... I didn't cry, though - you all should be proud.

At 205, I score "You're a social menace." Of course, there WERE a couple of questions they didn't ask... lol

My youngest sis swears by the NoAd brand self-tanner. You can get it at WalMart. I bought a couple of bottles, but haven't used it yet!

YAY!!!! Congrats, Teresa!!! Whoo hooo!

Hi Kyleigh!! Welcome!! Good luck with your search!

Darcy - what everyone else says is sooooo true! Anesthesia and crying often go hand-in-hand. I was all weepy on Saturday, but couldn't even cry 'cause it hurt to bad... lol Sue's advice is right on - once the anesthesia is out of your system, and you're feeling more like yourself, get that doctor off to the side... Even if you have to make up a fictitious friend who was turned off by the office staff. Hey, you know what? YOU'RE BANDED!!!! Whoo hooo!!! :D

Hi Cindy - I really feel for you. The good news is, YOU ARE BANDED!!! The bad news is, you ARE going to have to do some headwork about your eating. You should still be able to eat the things you like, but in moderation. The sad reality is, you are going to have to find a way to choose more nutritious things about 70% of the time. Do artificially sweetened things satisfy your cravings? Lots of time substituting a similar tasting but fake sugar item can satisfy the cravings. The problem with the high glycemic items like sugars and white flours are that they spike your blood sugar, which raises your insulin, which stores fat, and puts you in a continual cycle when your insulin crashes back down again. You sound as though you could use some emotional help (counseling/therapy) to learn to deal with some of the non-physical aspects of obesity. You ARE going through many changes all at one time, which is VERY VERY stressful - even when the changes are good, like a new marriage. It is still very stressful. And when your coping mechanism is food, and you're trying to deal with that as well, things get really complicated. You need to acknowledge the "head" part of your journey, and be willing to solve some of those problems. Having an adequate fill will make that a whole lot easier. Here are some tools I learned when I went through compulive overeating therapy: http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=434 Hopefully they can help somewhat. Most of all, you need to be gentle with yourself, and KNOW that you ARE going to solve this problem. It will take time, and requires ACTION on your part, but you WILL do it! Hang in there! We're here for you! Please do not give up or feel hopeless. This is just a down phase, and you have the power to turn your life around, and your band will help you do that.

Oh, Marie!!! What a heartbreaking weekend, I am SO sorry!!! First I would advise giving yourself a little time to adjust to your new status. But once you are emotionally ready, there are lots of possible ways to meet new people. One of the best suggestions I've heard has been to join groups that do the things YOU have a personal interest in - even if you don't meet a partner, you're bound to make some friends that have something in common with you. Another popular (these days) way is the online thing - Yahoo! personals has an overwhelming number of singles in every area. Check it out! There's also match.com and eharmony.com - I think there's a friends.com, too... I remember seeing something about a friend matching service. Best of luck to you, and again, my heartfelt condolences during this sad time of change... (((hugs)))

Wow, Lori - I sure hope you're a writer! What an intro on your web page! Congrats on your success, and welcome!!

Count me in! Alexandra, it's about a 5 hour drive from SD to Vegas. You may want to check out flights from here, though - I think you can find some pretty cheap. It's a boring and tedious drive... I'm going to try and fly, but keep me posted in case I drive - you're welcome to tag along with me if I drive. Teresa, here's the link to Jessie's book: http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/...n=0-595-31114-8