Daisalana

Tastefully Simple is awesome, a friend from another forum introduced me to them 2 years ago..I was looking for a good beer bread mix (to make to take to in-laws for xmas).. she told me to try theirs, I ordered it, and it was amazing. I bought several boxes, I make it for every holiday..in fact I still have a couple boxes. You just mix in a bottle of beer, and optionally add butter to the top. voila! This year I also ordered a couple of their pumpkin bread mixes, but I haven't tried them yet. mmmmmmmmmmmmm Another day of working from bed, and taking meds. The pain is extremely slow and going away, but I am noticing more and more progress. I can do more with mild pain instead of the excruciating pain..still can't bend or reach though. I am going to try to only take muscle relaxers tomorrow instead of them & pain meds. I am also reading one of the books Russell brought home for me "The Glass Castle".. very sad, very good.. I am 3/4 through, going to try to finish before passing out... I recommend this book though! So glad you're healing well Kat!! Oh and for what it's worth, Judy I don't know how ANYONE could think you wear a 2x. You look like a size small quite frankly, you're very petite!!

I'm dyin to know too! I have 10 more weeks :thumbup:

If you have 4.5cc in your band, sounds like you probably have a 10cc band.. if so, it can take 7-8cc to get good restriction. Hang in there, 17lb loss is still a great achievement, you're not gaining! 17/4= roughly 5lb a month.. not bad at all.

I think you went about it the wrong way, and I agree with another poster, she doesn't even qualify. Luckily with YOU being banded, if she decides she wants it, you'd inspire her. You wouldn't have to say it, she'd see it. Also, my husband--by proxy-- was losing weight with me. I cooked healthier, we stopped going to fast food because I couldn't eat it, we stopped keeping sodas in the house, so these things affected his eating. You'll likely see this change in your household too.

I just recently started going to Dr. Calderwood.. he's in the blackwell medical tower.. Most of my co-workers go to him and gave him good merits, I've gone to him several times and I like them. They do the voicemail stuff (where you have to leave a message to get in touch with anyone) which I despise, but they do get back to me promptly. I would be interested in the support group at the wellness center, that's the one in Madison on Balch/72, right? It's a mile from my house, if other bandsters want to go, I'm in :thumbup:) Mornings wouldn't work for me, but thursday evening would.

I'm only 2 months preg, you would have no idea just looking at me.. and my gma already tried to rub my belly :thumbup: Are you guys all going to the b'ham support group?

Like I said, Dr. Mailapur is not my doc, but he was at HH ER when I went in for a possible appendectomy.. they wanted a band doctor there in case there were complications. He asked how much I had lost, when I was banded, etc.. he didn't react.. I guess because I blew out whatever stigmas he had in his mind about the band. My doctor preferred RnY too (Dr. Freeman), but he is super nice, and after talking with him..he said he thinks I have what it takes to do well with either one.. might just be smoke up my butt, but I've done great and I love my doc.. and they always answer the phone, answer my questions, never make me feel like a money cow. I needed an emergency unfill, since my doc is 3 hours away I called Malipur's office.. it's all voicemail there.. I said I had an emergency and needed an unfill. They called me THREE DAYS LATER. They said I needed to do a psych eval with THEIR psych people, even though I've been banded over a year.. for $250. Of course, more ways to rip people off.. an eval I don't need, so they make some money. Before I could see him for an unfill. I told her quite rudely, I'm not interested in a doc's office that takes 3 days to respond to an EMERGENCY, and hung up. Any thoughts I had about going to him for fills, have been erased. I wouldn't recommend anyone to them, they care so much about money, and patient care is an afterthought. That's how I felt about Fucundus too. I can't explain how wonderful Freeman is, he is always smiling, he's very huggy, and he actually remembers his patients and their history. He remembers when I got married, he remembers my husband and sister, even though he's only met them once.. and his whole staff is welcoming.

Don't go over 2 minutes past the hour! (like you can control it) Insurance really does get weird rates, i've had something if I self pay is $80 and when insurance covers, it is $800. (hospital bills). They filed wrong, charged me 80, I made them re-do my insurance claim and suddenly it was 800.. its ridiculous.

I was going to, I am self pay and when they thought I had a leak in my tube, I was livid. I emailed allergan from their website, how upset I was and how I felt they should pay it. Within 24 hours a guy called, gave me his direct number and they were sending a packet to my doc for them to send it back. They were really nice and attentive, I was very impressed.. I ended up just having a flipped port, so no replacement was needed.

I think that's the best I could hope for, to be same weight where I left off. That's a great accomplishment!

I was self-pay $15,000..I was told itemized, the band is $1,200.. And when they thought they were going to have to replace it, they told me it would be $1,200.. This is for the Inamed/Allergan 4cc 9.75" The biggest rip off for me, it was $500 pre-paid to anesthesiologist.. their rate is $500 per 30 minutes.. Well my surgery ended up being 32 minutes long, and I got a bill after the fact for ANOTHER $500 for those 2 minutes. I remember bein livid and fighting it, I don't remember if I won or not.

Yup, being bed ridden is so boring.

Whether you gained weight or not, life after high school is ALWAYS a change. You realize what was once important-isn't anymore. Those you were compatible with, well, sometimes you drift apart. So don't think it was gaining weight that brought these changes. That could be the cause for you not moving onto the next phase of life, but that's easy to fix. Get out there, build your confidence back up, and enjoy yourself. Your life is going to keep changing a lot in the next few years, believe me.. I'm only 24 and I already can't believe how I thought at 19 hehe.

Hey V's, was so busy with work today I didn't have time to post, I just popped in to read. Michelle I'm so excited about you GYAIG!! I live vicariously through you, wish I had guts to do dancing. Today I finally had an ounce of relief. I have started healing, thank goodness.. thanks for all the prayers, I need it!! I can sit on the toilet and wipe again--hooraaaaay. I still have pain in my butt and can't bend over, but I can change positions without excruciating pain and am able to move around more. I planned to go back to work tomorrow, but Russ had a fit telling me if it's starting to heal I need to not push myself.. so we'll see what happens in the morning. Mentally I am a lot better because I know it's finally turning around. YAY Kat!! I was so worried you may have to lose it, was glad to hear you got to keep it.. plus, remember, we won't be friends with you if you don't have a band!! :thumbup:

Ok I admit, I'm only having a kid so I have someone to do the dishes and mow the lawn. :thumbup: Glad to hear it fixed it self Susan!!

Yeah I like Target's maternity, I made the mistake of accidentally buying a maternity shirt from there, thought it was a regular one..was months after wearing it that I finally realized lol. We don't have kmart, it went out of business years ago..pants is going to be my biggest concern. I have bought my pants at one place since I was 15.. the 35" inseams.. my friend.. they don't sell maternity unfortunately, so I bought a belly band which boasts you can wear your normal clothes for longer (you dont button/zip and this covers it up). Once I get to the point they don't fit, I'm really not sure what I'll do.

I guess this is more of a vent than anything..I've googled myself to death on it, and I get all kinds of answers. Saturday evening I was cleaning and my lower back started to hurt a little. It got to be pretty bad, so I figured I pulled something..went to sleep early, thinking it would be better in the morning. Dead wrong, lost all range of motion, can't bend to save my life.. it's my butt and my tailbone though, not normal lumbar pain. Monday first thing in the morning I went to my chiro. Getting in and out of my car is enough to make me scream it is so painful! Chiro did an adjustment, told me to ice it and lay down all day. Done. Tuesday morning, no change. Went back to him in tears, and he sent me to my GP. They all think I twisted a muscle, since I didn't fall.. but I swear it feels like I broke my butt bone. He wanted to do an injection, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxer, and pain meds.. they both wanted to do an xray but due to being pregnant, they can't. GP calledmy obgyn to see how she felt comfortable with me being treated. She said no injection, no anti-inflammatories.. so they gave me muscle relaxers and pain killers she approved of. I'm on bed rest all week. I started the meds yesterday around noon, and today at 9pm..still no change. I am so miserable, it's making me depressed.. I don't think it's related to the pregnancy, and I really hope it's not. I am not even showing yet and can't move.. If it were related, it's going to be a long 7 months. I can't find any relief in any position.. I am sick of laying in bed all day. Only pregnancy related things I have read is about your muscles loosening up.. I feel the opposite.... I realize how much I take being able to move like a normal person for granted. I am dying to finish cleaning my house, I can't sit on a toilet, putting my pants on is a big ordeal.. :crying:

But if someone EARNS..key word...1m a year, why should they have to give up half of that money? THEY made it.

Oh really? I've always used Unisom maximum strength, which is diphenhydramine HCI..my benadryl packet says the same thing.

Wish you guys lived nearby, sure could use some V company!!!!!!!

I couldn't take that taste, it was so bizarre. And plain, yeah they said I can take benadryl or unisom..which I found out recently is THE EXACT SAME THING. How interesting is that.. Unisom is 2x dose than benadryl..and they recommend unisom for nausea with pregnancy.. Oddly enough,my insomnia is actually curing itself with pregnancy heh. I'm so tired all the time.. With my back out right now, I do 'try' to toss and turn all night.. lot of moaning and inching my way around. Due to the meds they have me on though, I am able to sleep through the pain for hours at a time. I did just get my pregnancy bed pillow today (curled up in it now).. it's verra verra nice.

Honestly, it all depends on the man. My husband would be mortified (for whatever reason) if he had one of these.. But I do know some men who would have loved it. My friend had a baby not too long ago, during her shower, her husband just went out with a few guys for lunch ..then they met back at the shower post-games & food.. and opened presents with her. Oh and never heard of gma to be party..if my brother didn't already have a kid, I'd totally do that after hearing you mention it. Again, depends on the gma's personality

Ambien doesn't work for me, it barely puts me to sleep and within 2 hours I am up again-wide awake. I have trouble staying asleep. We tried lunesta, but it left a horrible medicine taste in my mouth that lingered well into the next day-but it did work. I was going to ask about ambien cr, then found out I was pregnant. My sister said her rehab sprinkled the sleep time baby powder on their sheets at night, she said it really helps. I keep meaning to get some. One thing that doesn't help is being at a computer screen.. the emissions from computers trigger your brain to be awake.

America is not a socialist country, and I for one don't want it to be. Why should someone you consider wealthy be OBLIGATED to pay for someone who isn't? Why should anyone be able to decide what is 'wealthy'. I don't qualify for government programs, yet I live worse off than the people who have free housing, and paid weekly for their kids, while they sit on their ass at home all day. If I quit my job tomorrow, there are so many ways for me to make money, I'd likely be better off than I am as a working citizen. This is backwards, and all I hear from Obama is that he wants to INCREASE the laziness in this country, and further promote people crutching on the productive of America.