CHEZNOEL

I do believe that LBT installed a block button if you care not to read peoples post that bother you. The last I checked we all have our own mothers and no one here can tell anyone that they are sick of reading their post. If you are then block them that way you will NEVER HAVE TO SEE WHAT THEY POST AGAIN. Frankly Im sick of people telling people what they can and can't post. Who cares its a forum its public and the last time I checked we can disagree, debate, argue etc as long as it is in the forum rules. There is no name calling so why does it bother some so much. If you spend that much time on lap band talk then maybe you should find something else to do. Do I like everything that everyone post? NO if I don't care to read it I move on or block them. It really is a simple task and only takes five minutes or less to find that block button. If you don't know how to do it then find someone who does. First of all if it bothers you so much what people post then you have an issue. I don't believe that every single person in the world will ever agree on the same issues. If you have a political thread is will get uglier then any that are on here. So block those that irritate you and move on.

My body has a rule, when ever I have a cheat day, my body uses that as the new minimum for food intake.
 
Had a couple of slices of pizza last night, starving this morning even though I have eaten my normal breakfast

After 2 bites, I decided it just wasn't going to work. I started dinner prep way too hungry, testing this, tasting that, drinking something else. By the time the steak came off of the grill I had already eaten my cup, and Mistress Band told me there wasn't a steak on the planet worth what she would put me through if I ate any more.
 
Sigh...6 months is not enough time to undo 50 years of bad eating habits.

That awesome moment when your ex is getting fatter and you are getting hotter!!
 
Love this. I don't have an ex but I have many ex friends and saw one the other day and she couldn't believe how great my hub and I look.

Spent a week here http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm. Truly an amazing place and one that I would recommend to anyone visiting this part of our nation. I gave up logging after the first day, tried to make good choices and stay active, but found this little Mexican restaurant and the food was amazing, including something new to me that the owner called "Mexican Coleslaw", I am going to have to work on re-creating his version of it. Got on the scale for the first time in a week and the verdict is, up 5 pounds. Not a big deal, since I know I didn't eat 21K extra calories, I know that the weight is water and will soon go away now that I am back on my regular eating schedule.
 
A couple of NSV's:
 
1. Despite the altitude (7-8K), I never ran out of breath on our hikes.
2. One tour through a cliff dwelling required that we crawl out a tunnel with an 18" opening and I doubt that I would have fit 6 months ago.

Yup I cheeked it on 4 different scales okay who wants to Zumba with me now

Many of you know my story, banded February 2012, reached my goal weight in December 2012 and have been trying to maintain that weight since. Many of you say I’m a success and look to me for advice & guidance.
 
My biggest fear with this journey has been gaining my weight back once I reached my goal. I never feared the surgery or the weight loss; I knew I could do it. But, could I handle maintaining this weight for the rest of my life?
 
Tonight, I failed. I failed myself, I failed my band and I failed my family. I am so disgusted with myself that I want to hide in a corner so no one will know…..
 
But, I must face it and confess.
 
I had purchased a box of chocolate drumstick ice cream cones for my step daughter this weekend. She ate 1; tonight I ate the other 9. YES 9! At 170 calories that is 1, 530 calories in less than 1 hour. One right after the other, big bites shoving them down as fast as I wanted. The band didn’t stop me, in fact it didn't make a sound, let me gobble away a lot of hard work.
 
I write this confession with tears running down my face. I feel like a complete and utter failure. I knew I would f** it up and I did. I can’t even tell you why I ate them. My evening routine was no different than any other night, wasn’t bored or depressed or stressed. I saw the box, opened one knowing darn well I shouldn’t and then the only thing that stopped me was getting to the bottom of the box. I honestly wished to get sick so I would stop.
 
It was complete sabotage. I was trying to failure. I have to face this and stop it. I do not want to gain weight, I do not want to binge eat like this and have this sick feeling.
 
I had to make myself write this blog, I had to face up to it. This is the only way to grow and learn. I am only human doing the best I can. I will put this behind me and move on.

When people fall in love they are head over heels with each other. They can't get enough of each other and decide we are in this for the long haul. As time goes on life changes and that in love feeling changes to a new love. People have to work at it because if it goes stale then the only thing that happens is either divorce or break up. People don't stay married for 50 or 60 years because it was always easy. Work, children, stress and everything in between come in to play and if you give up then you are giving in.
 
When you choose to have weight loss surgery you are entering in a new relationship. In the beginning you are all gung ho over the band, bypass, or sleeve because you are getting results. Then your weight loss starts to deminish, it goes slow and that feeling of giving up plagues many. That in love feeling with your band becomes stale and sometimes obsolete.
 
To keep your love alive with your band you must make an effort to have a healthy relationship with it, not give in because the going gets rough or you're not losing as fast as you want too. You have to change up your diet and not give in to eating the same old boring foods day in and day out. If you don't work with it or for it, it won't work for you. We had a good relationship with food before the surgery so you now have to have a good relationship with food now that you have the band.
 
The only way that you are going to let this make you or break you, is your determination that your relationship with the band is going to be ever lasting. We don't give up on our children because they don't behave well, we don't give up on our jobs because they stress us, we don't give up on our loved ones because they are ill and we can't give up on our bands just because at the moment the scale won't move or we are having a hard time in life, stressed, dealing with things that we don't want too that would make us eat before.
 
Our relationship now is different. It will in time give you life, health and happiness if you are willing to stay married to it for the long haul. If you want the band to work, then develop a loving healthy relationship with it. Don't let it get stale. Keep your momentum alive and think about why you did this.
 
It is only up to you and you alone to make this relationship work. If you don't then you will be right back where you started. It's not always easy to have a new relationship but it's not impossible to have a healthy relationship with food.
 
Love yourself enough to make this work because the benefits are priceless. If you ever doubt that you can't or won't succeed then its up to you to know that you are worth more then that.

This article went out to all 3,000 employees at my state agency. Guess everyone knows now.
 
 
Surgical maneuver: Amanda changes course with weight loss surgery
 
Weight loss surgery is simply a cosmetic issue; it’s taking the easy way out. Amanda is witness to the fallacy of these notions. Candidates for surgery have exhausted other means of weight loss and are at risk of illnesses that can be life threatening. And treatment does not end with surgery. Success demands from patients a long-term commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
 
For Amanda, weight loss surgery afforded her the opportunity to make the necessary and permanent change in her life that other methods had failed to do. Her body mass index was in the severe range. The three medicines she was taking were not stabilizing her high blood pressure. And Amanda’s doctor had diagnosed her as prediabetic.
 
Amanda recalls, “I couldn’t even walk up five stairs to get into the building without [being winded]. Medically, I was completely unhealthy. And I had to do something to change that.”
 
Choosing the right course
 
Of the three main types of weight loss surgery, Amanda opted for the least invasive: laparoscopic gastric banding. She was concerned that sleeve gastrectomy, which involves removing about 75 percent of the stomach, is too new a procedure and is irreversible. And gastric bypass surgery, although more common, is also considered to be irreversible and has a higher risk of nutritional deficiency. Gastric bypass surgery involves sealing off the upper part of the stomach and connecting it to the lower part of the small intestine. Thus food skips part of the digestive tract, and the body absorbs fewer calories.
 
Amanda chose laparoscopic gastric banding (lap bad surgery) not only because it is the least invasive but also because it is reversible and involves routine checkups. A band is placed near the top of the stomach and is inflated with a saline solution to create a pouch, or kind of funnel. When a patient eats, the pouch fills up with food much sooner than the entire stomach would. As a result, the patient feels full sooner. The food also takes longer to pass into the lower part of the stomach, which increases the amount of time that the patient feels satisfied between meals.
 
The band is adjustable, allowing doctors to routinely evaluate and optimize its effectiveness. A tube runs from the band to an access port — a small, discreet incision under the skin on the patient’s stomach. The doctor inserts a needle into the port to add saline solution to the band. The solution tightens the band, which shrinks the size of the opening from the upper stomach to the lower stomach and so reduces the patient’s food consumption. The port can also be used to remove solution from the band if the band is too tight to allow food to move through the digestive tract or is causing problems, such as pain or vomiting. Regular checkups enable the doctor to find and maintain the “green zone,” the most effective opening size for the patient.
 
The journey has just begun
Amanda’s surgery was successful, but it was just the beginning. For the first two weeks after the operation, she could consume only clear liquids. She graduated to full liquids for the following two weeks. Only then could she move on to the luxury of mushy foods.
 
Recalling her trial by diet, she says, “The first two weeks, [you’re not so hungry] because your stomach is full, and you don’t have an appetite. But once the swelling went down, the hunger returned with a vengeance.”
 
Amanda did eventually get to move on to solid foods, but in order to avoid discomfort or potential problems, such as band slippage, she has had to adopt strict eating habits. She eats only about a cup of food per meal, which she serves on a side dish to appear more abundant. She chews her food very well, about 20 or 30 chews, before swallowing, and she must wait at least a minute between bites. She downloaded an app to help her time her bites.
 
“The idea is that it takes you about 20 or 30 minutes to eat your meal. And then you’re full. If you follow those protocols, nine times out of ten you have no problem. Most complications are from patients’ not following the guidelines and not changing their eating habits.”
 
Band or no band, most anyone would likely benefit from those eating practices.
 
Steady as she goes
Referencing Leslie Mitchell’s comment in a recent article about the Calorie Counter app, Amanda notes that surgery, like the app or any weight loss tool, is not a magic wand. The surgery helped Amanda lose 80 pounds in a year, but its success depended on her discipline to consistently make healthy choices, a discipline that
she must enforce for the rest of her life.
 
Amanda now exercises daily. Not only did she overcome those five steps that used to wind her entering the building, but she now climbs the stairs to her office each morning…on the eighth floor! And sometimes, she makes the trip more than once a day.
“My exercise is walking. I don’t do gyms,” she laughs.
 
Once a month, Amanda meets with a support group. Fellow members, who have all had lap band surgery, offer emotional and moral support as well as exchange recipes and ideas.
 
Amanda also strictly monitors the food she eats. Since she is eating less food, she must ensure that every bite packs a nutritional punch.
“I eat high protein — three to four ounces of protein per meal; then, veggies. Then if I’m still hungry, I add the carbohydrates. But most carbohydrates give you energy but don’t fill you. They make you hungry, especially…non-complex carbohydrates….If I’m going to eat something, I’m going to make sure it’s worth my while.”
She’s even been known to turn down a piece of chocolate these days. Her rationale: A piece of chocolate may be only 45 calories, but that’s 45 calories of mostly empty nutritional value.
 
The surgery, she explains, “doesn’t change the type of food you put in your mouth. You have to control that. Ice cream will go straight down — [the band] is a funnel. For a lot of the people who aren’t successful, it’s because they don’t change their eating habits. It’s the same with any of the surgeries. Like with the bypass — some people lose all this weight and then just gain it right back.”
 
Although her new diet is strict, Amanda can still enjoy the occasional treat. “It all boils down to calories in versus calories out. It depends on how physical I am,” she explains. Eloquently articulating her new outlook, she says, “Now I eat to fuel the body and not the obsession.”
 
Balancing the costs
Unfortunately, costs for lap band surgery can be prohibitive. The procedure is expensive, and the amount of insurance coverage depends on the plan. To qualify under many plans, an individual must have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater and two comorbid conditions, such as high blood pressure and prediabetes. Currently, the state of Texas plan uses a higher BMI minimum and includes some additional requirements. Naturally, other costs can include deductibles and copays. Individuals interested in weight loss surgery should consult their provider for details.
 
The initial expense may be high, but the investment is sound. Weight loss surgery can be a valuable tool in promoting healthy lifestyles and likely reducing the high costs of long-term medical care. In addition, investing in healthy individuals can, as this agency has recognized with its successful wellness program, yield solid returns for all.

Just have to put down in print a NSV I had today
 
Yesterday I got myself down because my day started just like every other day
for lunch I wanted soup and decided to have a bowl of onion soup...then another...
and in each bowl I put oyster crackers in them...My down fall is pretzles and saltie crackers are
trigger foods for me... so from there on it was a eatting frenzi for me...Thank goodness I dont have any junk food in the house...so I over did with good things...
 
I woke up this morning with a fear OMYGOODNESS please let me get ahold of this eatting and not have a day like yesterday...( I swear I even dreamed of food)
 
So breakfast I had my usual yogurt...ok....lunch time I had a bowl of salad with a C of cottage cheese garnished with some slivered almonds....4 bites in and I was wow...Im full !!! But I was scared not to get my protein in so it took me a hr to get it all down....
 
Then I started watching TV as I folded laundry....The Cake Boss....and they were baking with Choc...and OREOs....and OO WOW I wanted choc !!! SO I got myself a small SF jello cup....took 2 bites and really enjoyed and thought about the taste...I satified my craving and folded the foil lid back over the cup put it back in the fridge and I was happy...
This may all sound like such a small thing to some of you...but for me its a HUGE NSV....
A year ago I would of had one cup cuz I wanted one....the second cup to taste it...and a third cup cuz I didnt even taste the first 2......Food controled my every min of my days...to be in control of food is the best......

I would really hate to think I was being paid a service and the person paying me did not take my knowledge that I went to medical school for 12 years enough that they would have to get help on a website for medical issues.
 
I can not believe that people really refuse to call their doctors after surgery. They are getting paid to take care of you and a pretty penny I might add. Issues regarding pain, swelling, chest pain, can't eat or drink, throwing up, leg pain, what you should be eating are all questions that your surgeon should be answering. They are getting paid 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If you are having chest pain dont post it here, get your butt to the er. If you are vomiting and cant stop, feel dehydrated, cant keep food down, have leg pain or any kind of unnormal pain then call your doctors.
 
I dont know why you all are scared of them. I have my doctors personal cell phone that I can call anytime I am having an issue and he will answer every single time. We are not medical professionals and posting here when you are having chest pain you could have been to the ER or dead by the time you"re done typing it.
 
Stop playing with your lives and your bands. Call your surgeons if you are having these issues. What really are you afraid of? That you're bothering them? Well bother them they make 4 times the amount that most of us make a year for a service. A service they chose to have.

Previously I cut all ties with my publisher for personal reasons. So I decided to submit my manuscript to one of the hardest to get published, publishing companies in the United States. I did this about six weeks ago and figured well they said I would hear something in two weeks. So I gave up. I continue to write everyday because I love to do it and well..... I think I am pretty good at it.
 
So today came the email and I didn't want to open it because I knew it was a rejection email. After all this time it had to be right? WRONG WRONG WRONG!
 
Not only did they accept my manuscript but said this:
 
Congratulations Cheryl! Tate Publishing has accepted your book,"The Prevalence of Love" for publication. This email is to inform you that we would love to move you to the next step in this process and get you a contract to look over. I have been reading through your submission and I am certainly impressed. This is a project that we are really interested in taking on. I just want you to know upfront that I really enjoyed your work and we are excited about this opportunity. Please take some time to read through the material and let me know if you have any questions.
 
It is important that you know what it is about your book that caught our eye and you need to realize that a lot of time and effort goes in to each review of every submission that comes to us. Your book has been chosen on the basis of writing ability, concept and most importantly- marketability. It is with great pleasure that we welcome you as one of the 4% chosen out of tens of thousands each year to become a published author with us. Congratulations![/font]
 
I was moved by your short stories and the encouragement that radiates in your writing. We are very honored to have you come our way and look forward to working with you on this project. [/font]
 
Yes they read every single submission they get and my book was picked! Over the years my writing has improved drastically. I not only just produce books but I write for Yahoo Voices, The Examiner, Angies Diaries and many other websites. With perserverence I have been given an opportunity that most authors never have the chance to get. It is hard to get published and while I have been publshed for quite some time by another publishing company that is being sued by many authors for their lies and deciet, I have broken through to a publisher that is by far hard as hell to get published by. So today I do my happy dance and now you all know what I do instead of thinking of food. I write.[/font]
TIME FOR A BIG HAPPY DANCE

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

As many of you know I have a special needs son....who is in and out of the hospitals .
 
Well he just came home from his latest stay and this was the first time I wasnt the fat mom
 
It made such a differance...so many things I never realized...
 
I was so much more of a advacate this time...I was not afraid to go ask for a nurses help...or any thing that I thought would make him more comfortable or even for myself....When it was time for his meds and they were not there...I didnt feel like Oh gawd...what should I do...I knew what to do and I did it...and to my surprise I think I was treated with more respect...or at least its how I felt on the inside and that all showed on the out side...
 
And any one who has ever slept on a hospital cot over night knows how that feels when your 100 lbs over weight.....and this stay it still wasnt comfy but it wasnt uncomfy with the added OMG blankets dont move and uncover my big O butt while I sleep...
 
After some stays I can remember being so hungry but I wouldnt dare ask for anything from the nurses.....what would they think the fat lady wants more food !!!
This time...I asked if I could get some SF jello...or some crackers and peanut butter...
and I was proud of that....simple pleasures being with in a normal weight ...
 
I can not thank my Drs and Nut for the new life they gave this lady !!!

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

I think I have a clot in my nose... if I take a picture can you tell me what you think I should do?
 
Also, I ate chips and salsa in my post-op phase, do you think I hurt my band?
 
Can you tell me what to eat?
 
Why is my cat losing more weight than me... We eat the same diet?
 
OMG PEOPLE... GET SERIOUS. This is not a game. I get so depressed reading this crap! I think I will take a mini vacation. I need a tranquilizer to keep this crap from driving me insane.
 
Do these people think we are not working our butts off to do this? Who the F U C K told them it would be easy?
 
Rant off... sorry having a bad morning... hope yours is better!

I can’t exercise at work.
I can park in a parking structure that is a block from my building
I can give the elevators the day off and climb the stairs (my office building has 11 floors, my office is on the 8th floor)
I can go to the bathroom on the 11th floor instead of my floor (& take the stairs, of course)
I can take a break & go for a walk (it’s amazing how refreshing it is to get away from my desk for 10 minutes)
 
I can’t drink that much water in a day.
I can add lemon/lime wedges or crystal light mixes to the water for variety.
I can carry a bottle of water with me everywhere I go.
I can take a drink of water every 5 minutes.
 
I can’t stop snacking.
I can stock my pantry with healthy snacks
I can pre-portion my health snacks.
I can drink 8 ozs of water before having the snack I think I want.
I can go for a walk instead of having the snack I think I want.
 
As long as “I can” I will maintain my weight and I know I CAN!

These questions come up very frequently and they are all normal things that occur after weight loss surgery.
 
Hair loss: Normal! There is really not many products that really work. It will end eventually. If you are having excessive hair loss then consult your doctor.
 
Constipation: Constipation is normal when you are on a high protein diet. Again if you are having extreme issues and a little stool softener is not helping consult your doctor.
 
Weight loss stalling: Normal! No diet in the world will not come with weight loss stalls. You just have to bear with it.
 
Pain after surgery: Now I am not being rude but who has ever had surgery and not had any pain? I haven't. The severity depends on your ability to deal with pain. Some can and some can't.
 
Gas: Normal. Any abdominal surgery you will have gas because your belly is filled with gas during surgery so they can see what they are doing. How long it stays is also indvidual. No one can tell you how long it is going to last.
 
Diarrhea: Normal! Liquids in liquids out.
 
No restriction: Normal! People get restriction confused as anything. Its not about keeping you from eating food its about keeping you satisfied for 3 to 4 hours or longer on small amounts of food. Until you reach your green zone you have to do some or not all of the work. Yeah it sucks but its the truth.
 
Did I hurt my band: Probably not but if you continue to eat large amounts of food, drink and puke, get food constantly stuck because you are eating the wrong things then yes eventually you will hurt your band by causing erosion. Then your band will come out.
 
Port Pain: Normal. The port area can hurt up to three months.
 
Not normal things:
 
Chest pain: this should never be posted in the forum unless you really are seeking attention. Go to the emergency room then tell us how you are doing. The time you spent posting in the forum you could have been on your way to the hospital.
 
 
Leg Pain: Not normal. Could be a blood clot. Again do not post this in the forum go to the emergency room you could have a stroke in the time you posted this.
 
Constant Vomiting: Not normal. Something is wrong and again call your doctor and or go to the emergency room. Throwing up with the band can cause slippage.
 
Any kind of pain that you did not have post surgery is not normal.
 
Constant heart burn: Not normal
 
Not being able to keep any food or fluids down: Not normal. Seek medical attention.
 
 
If you are having medical issues then call your doctor. Care enough about yourself to do that. We are not medical professionals to give you medical advice. Your surgeons are on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week if you are having medical issues. They are getting paid to take your call. Call them, they don't mind after all that is why they chose to be a surgeon and knew what came with the job when they took it. Why fear calling them and distubing them. To this day I still have my surgeons cell phone number and can call him day or night and he will always answer any questions I have if I am having an issue.

OK... so most of you know me as a member of the Banded b*****s. I have been called RUDE, SNARKY, UNHELPFUL. WONDERFUL, A LIFESAVER, all in the same day. Such is life. Maybe, it would help if some of you knew more about me. I am currently 63 years old, banded at 62 on October 31, 2011. I am 8 pounds from my personal goal, but have achieved my GP, WL Surgeon, NP and Nutritionists goal of 175. I moved my own goal down to remind me that this is a life style not a short term diet. I will always keep working. I am 5'9" tall and no wear size 8 jeans, down from 20/22's My highest weight was 263,
 
On the personal side, I am a wife (29 years with hubby # 2, # 1 and I parted ways.) I am a mother of two girls one 40 and the other 37. I am a grandmother to two gorgeous ladies, Morgan soon to be 13 and Grace 9 1/2. They belong to the older daughter. I have 2 great son-in-laws as well. I am the Godmother of two other young girls, Grace and Eva. I have been retired for almost 10 years. My hobbies are quilting, golf and traveling. My husband and I have been to all 7 continents and over 50 countries. We actually lived in Brussels, Belgium for 2 years, and still miss our favorite Neuhaus Chocolate. Good thing we are not there now, or I might have even more problems maintaining weight loss! LOL
 
I have been an active member of LBT and really like helping newbies. My less than polite side come out when people ask what I consider stupid questions.... Like "gee do my scars look infected to you" or I went out drinking and threw op for 36 hours do you think I damaged my band." If you want positive help from me stay away from asking medical questions. We all have surgeons, nutritionists and other medical professionals for that. If you hurt take a pain pill or call your doctor.
 
I love my LAP BAND and all the members of my private social group the Banded b*****s, so don'; pick on them either. We are all here to learn and help. I learn new things every day, and I hope a help a few other along the way. That's it for my first ever blog. I planning to go in for a fill next week, let you know how that goes. It will be my third.
 
CHEZNOEL, AKA Princess Grammy.

A few weeks ago I had a coupon from BJ's for jeans so i bought a size 16. They went on but did not zip. Well today they are on the body! I can not believe it. I am happy today. In a short time the hub and I are joining the gym, About time!!!!!!!!!!
Now to put on the Ugg boots to go out in the nasty weather we are having all week.
Enjoy your day everyone.
'eye candy' aka Arlene