wrk-n-prgrss

I have been a Mexico advocate since my experience there. I am amazed at the prejudice I sometimes see from people who have never been or done research on this option. Dr. Rumbaut was amazing ..it was so wonderful to be banded by someone who has a band. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Neal: Tonya told me you are getting close to your plastics..How exciting! I know it will all go smoothly and you will be the envy of the rest of us!:whoo:

I can agree to disagree about Wendell. I wont be changing my mind about him anytime soon. I dont have any problem believing he was wronged at one time or another by Sandy. But I do feel his campaign against Sandy on OH (more than just protein shakes of course) did affect others. I am not sticking up for Sandy..I am sticking up for the others. I know it affected me, I couldnt log on to the damn board without their hostilities in my face all the time. I am somewhat impressed by your restraint in your reply. There may be more to you than meets the eye. (you dont have to care..but thats my way of saying Hmmmmm? gotta think on some of the stuff she said) The jeering and mocking comment wasnt meant for you..if you go back you might figure it out...it doesnt matter I was hoping that person would get it. I will say this one more time if Sandy did what you guys are saying she did its wrong, immoral, and a crime. I dont like any of it. Sandy and I have disagreed a few times..even publicly. But I wont commit to saying she did these things because I havent done the research. Thats fair isnt it? OH is where I learned how to live with my band...I will always be grateful to have had the support that many many have given there. I hate the moderators..I hate the drama (most of it anyway)..and I hate trolls. But..it is what it is. I would like to bury the hatchet.

Michelle: Thats pretty much how I feel in a nutshell. Is exactly how you dont want me to feel. I dont feel I am a Sandy groupie..I certainly wont advocate anything to anybody but to listen to their own doctor at this point. I dont feel responsible for her or her behaviors on OH. I dont feel if I ever said a positive thing on her threads that I am responsible for or party to her alleged crimes. I hadnt ever even seen what the "Sandy issues" were til last night. I think if even half of these issues are true then I can understand why some of you have the strong feelings that you do. But I am not going to go onto OH and start bashing her...Wendell did that for months and nothing good whatsoever came of it. It divided the board and lowered morale. And even by my own humble estimation Wendell at the time was quite a bit more popular at OH then any of the rest of us...so he did not accomplish anything and I wouldnt either. I am glad I have been given the chance to at least understand what the issues are. But if to be accepted here is to say OH sucks, Wendell is a victim, and Sandy is the Devil...thats not going to happen (only can speak for myself). And I will also admit that OH has its problems...who could deny that? But imperfect as it is...I have a loyalty to it. I would like to become more familiar with LBT...that just remains to be seen. I didnt come here expecting to be instant friends with anyone..nor do I want to be...maybe that would come with time.

It doesnt matter what anyone writes because you continue to say the same things over and over again. 1.I have written I do believe Sandy is responsible for her side of things. 2.I have never said nor do I believe Wendell forced Sandy to do anything...I do believe he egged her on ...on purpose, which he told me. 3.Several of you brought up the protein shake debate....I posted clearly on that subject. You want to blame the whole OH board for that and say, 'so what that Wendell posted daily on the subject". That wont work as his actions affected the entire board, not just Sandy who he was aiming at. It does matter what he did and as Sandy has responsibility so does Wendell. 4. You admit Laurend that you dont care what way you say things on the internet or give a damn about others. So why should I try to reason with you? Or even say what I am feeling? R&R is only a good thing when both parties can converse and expect to at least be heard and treated with some respect (if that respect is only in acknowledging what the other person said). You by your own admission dont feel this responsibility toward others. You are not listening either...you are truly a ranter and raver...which you were on OH, without the section. 5. You all keep denying the pack mentality...its really a denial that runs deep isnt it? I havent seen anything different in several of yours and others actions that you all are claiming you hate to see on OH. 6. I dont like Wendell, so what? I have my reasons because of direct contact with him. If I were to tell you them you would just defend him like you say I blindly defend Sandy. So we are at an impass are we not? I thought for a moment we were making progress in explaining why we feel the way that we do..and at least agree to disagree. Boy am I naive. Thats not the purpose here is it? Especially by you. 7. On OH I only saw you respond to the "controversial" threads or say something to complain about others. Thats o.k. if that works for you. But in my mind it also hurts your credibility on any subject. 8. Now I know you can dish it out, and because of knowing your history and by your own comments..I dont expect you to be able to take it. Isnt it amazing that these two individuals and how others feel about them or are perceived to feel about them is causing all these rifts? There are a couple of you that I would like to get to know better, probably not in R&R, (is that only where most of you hang out?..that would be very telling to me). I dont mind a good blunt tour de force converstation, but I also would want to build a friendship. (why else invest time?) I dont believe constantly being on a negative subject and using that as the glue..really is the basis for any friendship, a pack yes, but not a friendship. There are a few that just have posted mockingly and on a 8th grade jeering level on this topic. Well, o.k. then.....

I remember you...you should come back! I have had my own run ins with the moderators so trust me I know the frustration and I dont think you will find many OH regulars who havent.

Isnt it funny how you can type and type and actually agree on certain things..but not get that across? The reason I believe that Wendell has more responsibility in the protein shake debate is because he posted often if not daily telling people that it works wonders for him, and then saying dont follow my advice..what the hell is that about? You are right that it takes two people to have this argument go on and on..so Sandy has some responsibility too. No question of that. But I didnt see her post daily...she didnt even answer his stuff most of the time..I believe Wendell told me that she couldnt because he got the moderators involved and they authorized her to stay away from him and his threads. I also absolutely agree that anyone who disagrees with somone elses doctor is wrong. That is a boundry that should not be crossed. If something goes wrong then there is culpability on that person. I personally couldnt live with myself....but thats me.

No problems..I actually apologize if I jumped in defensively. I like people to speak their minds...When I read your post...I did assume you tone was a negative one..(the disadvantage of a written medium). Your view of the situation is based on your history with Sandy and my view is of my history of Wendell....good point. I didnt have to take a psych eval to get my band....wonder if I would have passed?

I noticed you dropped 1 or 2lbs from yesterday....WEIGH TO GO!!...and when the size 12 comes ...leave the credit cards at home...lol.

My kohl's credit card is always maxed out. I never use my other department store cards..lol...Now with Vera Wang coming it will get worse.

Susan I didnt realize we started at the same weight and are very close in our weights now...good job! I cant wait for goal. I am not answering for Chelle..I just wanted to give my opinion...I never knew Caeli..she left the board before I was on..and when she came back I didnt read a lot of her stuff...just because there isnt enough time in the day to read everything. The protein shake debate in my mind (I am the only one I can speak for) wasnt about protein shakes..it was about Wendell vs Sandy. I even told Sandy this on a thread before... Wendell posted almost daily about protein shakes..he brought it up over and over. Even if people posted that their docs disagreed with that...he just kept posting on and on. It was all about egging on Sandy...(he told me this in a pm) and she would usually take the bait. The rest of the board was stuck in the middle and thats the one true time I saw cliques..the stupid protein shake issue that was really between two people. Wendell did not care one bit if his protein shake posts continued to lower morale...he was interested in getting his point across that Sandy is not qualified. He took no prisoners in this debate...ever. I drink protein shakes at times and couldnt care less if others do so or dont do so..although I think they should listen to their doctors. Doctors disagree on this issue so its only logical that their patients on OH would disagree too. Why post it daily to just stir the pot??? There was only one person who did that...then Brock did it knowing full well everyone was so tired of the fight..and thats when Ron took him on...(and I believe when some thought that Brock was Wendell..because its something Wendell had been doing for a long time) I dont think Brock is Wendell, I think he is someone who thinks he is funny and isnt. Ron had a right to voice his opinion after months of this ridiculous pissing contest. Does anyone really care if you or I or Ron or Wendell or anyone drinks protein shakes?...I dont think so.

You have a right to your opinion...I would post all that stuff again. The thread about asking where certain ones are and starting drama was in specific reference to many "new" people who would just become members or who had never been seen before and they would pop up and ask about Wendell or Dee. I thought that was a set up for more drama and was tired of it. (I didnt explain all that because many people knew...if you look at the responses you can see that) I dont agree with you about Wendell and have a very different perspective of his personality from talking to him on the phone (only one time for about 2 hours) and pm's that he sent me. So if saying how I feel makes me a *&_( stirrer so be it. I guess that could be said of anyone who speaks up. As far as the friendship post...I wanted to newbies to know not to feel left out and to jump in...it was also in response to others who have posted the board was cliqueish and if you werent in the clique you didnt belong. Again if you read the thread it was a positive one and everyone had positive things to say. I am not sure why that would bother anyone..but that o.k. if it bothered you....You could always block me there if my posts annoy you.

Yep..she said in her six days post op with the band she was cured of obesity and it didnt matter if she followed the instructions or if her band came out because she had a handle on it now. Weirdness. I am a self pay and my husband would divorce me if I had that attitude.

Nope...he said that I should get to goal on what I got..lol. For 4 weeks I have felt restriction, but not what I had before. Then this last week I pb'd once and felt like it tightened up. He said it probably did tighten up. So I tried to be as honest as possible and thus no fill. (which is fine...I dont want an unfill or problems later) I think I will follow my very wise friends advice (my quality friend..lol.)that told me I couldnt just run down to see our doc McDreamy and to seriously analyze where I am at.

Yes I saw that thread. I made sure and stayed far away from it. She was actually advocating breaking your doctors rules and saying how wonderful it was going for her. What do you say to someone like that? (except wonder if they are for real)

That is very true. I sit in the waiting room at my docs office and am shocked but what other band patients dont know and dont care to know. But my experience with my surgeon is that he is very informative and caring even when busy he takes the time to answer all questions and give out information as to where I am at in my band journey. So I believe he is that way with them....but they are not tuned in..

Its not in the number its in the quality....

Well..I am responding to two of you back and forth. I will not try and straighten it out...I wasnt saying you were passive aggressive.I was saying the pack mentality comment was...sheesh..I dont even care that much... Here is the honesty you wanted...Ms prutte..or whatever I am done with..I dont know her and am not going to go round with her on her doublespeak..huge waste of energy. I like OH and have good friends there. I am glad you are happy on LBT good for you. There is no use arguing which one is better to who..that would be like arguing because my favorite color is yellow and yours is blue. Sandy is not OH to me. She is a member and the fact that I dont bash her doesnt make me a groupie. She is a member whose posts I dont even see that often because she responds to newbies and I am not new. There are negative sides to all internet forums..including this one. I see that too. First and foremost I am a banded individual and take away from OH what I can and leave the rest. It was hugely beneficial for the entire forum (in my opinion) when Wendell left..and many felt that way, not just "friends" of Sandy (whoever they all may be) I wouldnt know all of Sandy's friends as it doesnt interest me in the slightest..It would be like checking my neighboors phone bill to see who he talks to..who cares???? I dont like how Dee was treated on a thread that I started to out her as a troll. (sound familiar Michelle) I tried to reason with her and did not attack her...but because of her own lies and threats others are scared of her as they have a right to be. I believe she was banned from LBT too..so thats good..she needs to be off the internet..even though she wont stay off. I am here because I was asked to read this thread. I defended myself against Wendell's negative remarks (which if that is the worst that is ever said about me I can live with it). There is some hypocrisy here...in all honesty...not one of you has said anything negative about Wendell and its all about Sandy. The funny thing is ..I dont care if you bash Sandy...I dont even know her. You have all made an olympic sport out of it. Wendell has made his bed on other forums and can lie in it...no need to be harsh with the rest of us that dont call him friend. His name never even comes up because no one cares where he went....and why waste negative comments on someone whose moved on?.... I have feeling that you and I would have had similiar thinking in other areas of life...I would have liked to have gotten to know you better. Susan has told me what a wonderful friend to her you were. But alas..my whole person is judged by what team I am on...which I am not even sure what team that would be...I guess the pro-OH-not-a-Sandy-groupie-dont-care-what-Wendell-is-doing-as-long-as-he-leaves-my-name-out-of-it-team.

The post above is saying that I have a pack mentality, is it not? or is it passive agressive? I dont have to change anything ...when I hit on a certain point..then so far its just denied.

I was mentioned...read again..in Wendells post in a derogatory way for having Sandy on my friends list. If you do not recognize his intent then we do not need to discuss it further. No use in trying to persuade me that he had positive intentions with his comments. I am quickly learning what LBT is to me and do not need to chill. thank you.

I believe currently I am defending myself, which by supposed LBT standards I shouldnt have to do.

So if I have someone on my friends list..I am a groupie of that person? I am a groupie of 234 people? And that doesnt address the fact that Wendell directly contradicted what LBT is supposed to be about. I am supposed to by your admission have the freedom to be friends with someone without be attacked or ridiculed for that. So far that hasnt happened here at LBT.

Here is a previous comment on how LBT is very different from OH in that there is no prejudice shown to who one is friends with. "I'm telling you, things are different here. People (except Sandy, most here don't like her) are not attacked for who they are or what their opinions are. We disagree, but we don't attack. We attack the ideas but not typically the people. You have to work pretty hard at being attacked around here. We have friends around here but not cliques. Lauren and I happen to not care for Dee but if Dee would have been a friend of mine Lauren might look at me with a raised eyebrow but she wouldn't give a rip who my friends are. The cliques just don't exist. Friendships do, but not groupies." Here is Wendells take on it: "My Mom taught me that you can tell a lot about people by the friends they keep: I think that pretty much says it all." So he is... according to others here at LBT in line with the OH mentality, which they all dislike intensely.

According to what others on this thread have said..LBT is different in that you can be friends with someone your friends are not friends with. But obviously they were'nt speaking for you. You do not agree. When someone asks to be put on my friends list..I never deny them. There are people on that list that I dont even know personally, but would'nt dream of saying no to someone who took the time to ask.

I have opinions, (and I cant imagine they matter to anyone but me) as I've read through this thread and have digested what several on here specifically say LBT is about and stands for...I feel comfortable on this (liberal forum in rants and raves) ...just saying thank you for the information.