Alexandra

:nod: :nod: :nod: Bolding mine, to clarify that BJean is talking about women's reproductive medical decisions. The ones in question in this debate. :nod: :nod: :nod:

This particular doctor may be proud of himself for offering a procedure that pushes the boundaries of legality. Jack Kevorkian found notoriety in the same way. I am not saying that either of them are "right," but that's not the point. The law is a blunt instrument. Outlawing procedures only because they can be abused is going to assure that others' civil rights will be curtailed. The choice, of whether to end one's life or one's fetus' development, must remain in the hands of the full-grown adult in question. Especially in this country, which claims to value self-determination so much. We have not "all" decided it's OK not to give a child a chance to live. Many people feel as you do, as you know. However, that is purely opinion and emotion speaking, and that's not a rational basis for law. While I'd venture to say that the vast majority of people in this country agree with you, there are always going to be those marginal situations that the law will push into an untenable corner. The answers lie in education and medical arts, not laws. Prevent the unwanted pregnancies, have the prenatal tests as early as possible, and allow doctors to do their jobs.

An ethical physician would not do such a thing. If your full-term, fully viable baby is in the process of being born and you are suffering no medical emergency, there is no doctor worthy of the name who would do what you suggest. But if you were absolutely determined to end such a baby's life, and you had a "doctor" to help you do it, no law would stop you.

Where are you getting that anyone is saying it's "better" to have a late-term abortion than whatever alternatives there might be? The point is that no one, NO ONE, except the mother and her doctors are in a position to make the appropriate decision for whatever heinous situation is at hand.

Hi Patti, This is one of the reasons you want to stay in very close touch with your PCP and any other doctors as you proceed with weight loss. Some medications are sensitive to weight and others aren't; also, some might have to be adjusted as your conditions change and your health improves. As for getting them down, that usually isn't a problem until you have really good restriction, and only then is it an issue with larger pills. Check with your doc about alternatives like liquids, chewables, things that can be opened or crushed, or cut in half. Not all medications can safely be altered, so PLEASE as your doctor before making any assumptions.

This pretty much sums up my thoughts on the procedure as well. But there are so many exceptions and extraordinary circumstances that it seems to me it MUST be left up to the medical profession and the patients to decide. Sweeping laws banning procedures in all cases just don't make any sense.

Generally a healthy body weight for insurance standards is whatever weight will get you to a BMI of 23-25. There's no question that every person's healthy body weight is different, but the insurance industry loves standards and statistics. So use whatever figure they want for their purposes, and then think realistically and logically about yourself when calculating goals for you. My point is that what the insurance industry thinks is an ideal body weight may not be, for you.

This is me, too. I had a thread once about how setting goals for myself just turns into setting traps. Dieting has never worked for me and it is the one sure way I could have sabotaged the band.

Karen, thank you. I needed that. I sure don't feel sane, quite.

Wow, that's very interesting. Learn something new every day!

Kacee, that is so interesting; I have the exact same inner demon. There is NEVER enough food to satisfy my eyes. It comes out in other ways, too--I almost always buy two of everything when I'm shopping at the supermarket, for example. WITH my band this was the demon that was tamed. It was easy to realize--not just say, but actually believe--that a small amount is enough, and if I needed more it would always be there. Without my band I have no such ability. There is no such thing as enough.

There isn't anything unconscious about my last hurrah, I'm afraid. There are so many things I've been missing over the last three years--well, it's not the things so much, but the way I ate things that I've missed. So I've been eating raw fruit in huge bites, salads with huge chunks of raw vegetables, pizza, sushi rolls, whole sandwiches of every description, and the things my husband makes with the girls (brownies, cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries). These are all things I did only in tiny nibbles if at all while banded. Of COURSE I know this is what got me to 340, but my primal brain can't put the brakes on. I'm trying to be "good" and all it's getting me is self-loathing. Ugh. I don't actually know if there is a pre-surgery diet; there wasn't the first time I had it done and so far no one has mentioned it to me. Two days before is my anniversary dinner, though, so I sure hope there isn't. See? There I go again. Ugh.

Oh, you poor thing! Car accidents just suck, no matter what the reason. Thank goodness no one was hurt, that's the really important thing. I know how shaken up you must be. Try not to be too hard on yourself; accidents can happen to anyone. :hug:

My first banding surgery was on a Wednesday and I went back to work on the following Monday. This time I'm set for a Monday surgery, and am planning to go back to work on Thursday. I too have a desk job, and if I'm not feeling up to it I will be able to take Thursday and Friday off, too. But I expect to feel fine. :biggrin1:

Really? I have a yellow topaz pendant. That's my birthstone. Why isn't it available? I used to be that way, too. Then I had kids. :what: They're old enough now, though; I should revise my earring wardrobe. Seriously? That's depressing. I hate hate hate makeup. Why oh why does the world want its women to be painted? That's a great idea! My anniversary is next month, the day before my rebanding. I told my husband this must be the silicone anniversary and I was getting a ring!

We saw it yesterday. It was fun! One thing I love about these movies is the way perfect songs pop up, and there was a lot of that. It's a short movie, but really enjoyable!

Good luck with your surgery, Prepster! Come back and let us know how you're doing. :biggrin1:

Hi Leener!! This sort of experience is exactly why I am always preaching that we should never let ourselves get too hungry. It's so important. Just take it real easy today and stick to small amounts of soft food. Maybe even just liquids. You know how your body reacts, so try really hard to be kind to it until it's resolved. Good luck!

They are indeed new, and I'm hoping there will be a primer on them at some point. I think they are a way to reference posts here in other sites on the Web. But I'm not sure why we'd want to or what the ramifications of doing that are. ------------------- OK, I've been doing a little reading and now I understand them to be ways to increase LBT's visibility in search engines. How/if/when we the members of LBT are supposed to use them, though, is still a mystery. Maybe Alex or someone else with the requisite knowledge can chime in?

It can be soooo frustrating to have what look like road blocks thrown in your way when you first hear about the band and are so convinced it's the right step. Believe me, I know. It took me almost a year from the time I went to my seminar to the time I was finally banded. But this can be a very valuable time for us! Bariatric surgery is no small thing, and NOT something to be entered into lightly. When kismet throws up obstacles, we should use the opportunity to take a deep breath and keep examining the situation. Dogged determination is what it takes to be successful with the band, and this is a great way to practice that quality. I personally feel that being close to your doctor is among the most important things when it comes to banded life--you'll need access to support groups and possibly medical care, and you don't want to ever have to say "I can't go because it's too far, too expensive, too..." Don't give up!! The band is spreading across the country and that doctor who has now done only 12 may well have done 50 by the time it's your turn. So don't hesitate to get in line. Keep studying, keep asking questions, and start working on your health. All of these things will stand you in very good stead when it's time to go under the knife.

Hi Ruthie, Sorry to hear about your slippage. I know there have been instances where an unfill resolves the situation, but I don't know how common that is. My band had to be removed a month ago due to slippage, but I'm getting a new one on June 4 so all is not lost. The great thing about the band is that even if the "worst" happens and it has to be removed, our stomachs are still whole and functioning normally. Good luck, and be very gentle with your tummy!

Kimmie, check the Insurance section for sample letters. Look in the thread titled "Just Starting to Explore Options..." The text of your letter depends very much on the specific reasons you're appealing. Or are you just writing something for your first request? What's the subject of your letter?

Yep, Kathy, your specific insurance policy can have all sorts of riders and exclusions if your employer is large enough to negotiate them with the carrier. Call your human resources department and make sure you have the documentation on your policy that lists all the exclusions. If you DON'T see bariatric surgery on that list, then you need to do further exploration. If you DO see it, then you might have a problem. It's very unlikely your employer would be able to modify the contract until the next anniversary date, even if they want to.

I'm not big into jewelry either. The diamond on my engagement ring is from my grandmother's engagement ring that she gave me on the occasion of my first engagement. It's an old-mine stone that I've had reset more than once. Both of my husbands gave me enhancers for the ring when we got engaged, rather than new rings; the one I have now is sapphire and diamond. (I had the diamond enhancer from my first marriage made into earring jackets.) I also wear a necklace with two gold charms; one a seagull my DH gave me on our first Valentine's day, and the other a mother-and-child from my first mother's day. I have other charms for the necklace but I almost never change them. My DH loves to buy me jewelry on the rare occasions when he can, and it's always real and small. I have a great collection of small, dignified earrings that I love--from opals to amethysts to garnets to diamonds to alexandrite to pearls. He's had a couple of pairs designed for me, too. But my ring and necklace are always on me; they don't come off. Our 12th wedding anniversary is next month--there's a little box in his nightstand that he doesn't know I know is there. I haven't looked in it, though. I like surprises. :biggrin1:

Hi Rainer!! I've met your nice hubby in real life, and I can't wait to meet you at a support meeting. You and I can be baby bandsters together, since my re-banding is scheduled for June 4 and it feels like I'll be starting from scratch. Welcome to LBT, and I'm sure I'll see you around!!