nightingale2u

You look pretty flamming hot there Miss Betty! Too hot for chaps??? Dang... why do I live in Wisconsin again???? You should be so proud of yourself girl... you look fantastic! Darcy

I did the double turn fork lift at least 500 times daily during the holidays... dang... my arm sure is sore! My butt is sore too from all of the sitting exercises I did as well... whew... glad the holidays are over... I don't think I could have taken the pace from all of my exercise much longer! Seriously... I spent this last week detoxing from carbs and was a reeeeeaaaalllly good girl! Now... I promised I would add exercise to the mix this week and tomorrow's the magic day. *yikes* Weigh-in day tomorrow... this is the first weigh-in for many moons that I haven't dreaded stepping on. Darcy

70 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's it Betty... I'm definitely movin in! It just plain cold here and I'm ready for spring! I miss taking evening walks with my hubby. I saw the pics of the snow in Vegas on the news... First thing I thought of was... Lisa loves snow... YAY... glad she's getting some!

Hi Tammy... It can be a slow process... especially when you are the waiting side. Just hang in there and jump through all of the hoops your surgeon may require. It was also my surgeon that required all of the hoop jumping... not my insurance... it was very frustrating. However... here I am... banded! I feel very lucky that my insurance did approve and that I didn't have to seek other avenues... it was worth the wait! Darcy

Awesome!!! Wishing you a speedy recovery and please post and let us know how you are doing. Wow... you must be pretty excited... that date it just around the corner! Darcy

I'm sorry to hear that life is continuing to hand you these heartbreaks... please know that you are loved here Penni and I am sending a bucket full of hope, determination and strength for you to use as you need them. (((hugs))) Darcy

I bet they'll look great in your bikini clad "after" picture.

Oh Dear... Jonathan... it looks like you've got all of the single gals a waggin their tails! I think most of us have been there... done that... and we are all hoping that the band will be the end of that rollar coaster! Good luck! Darcy

Yep... we miss you around LBT town! What a beautiful sunset... WOW!

Heck... I'm just know reaching a point that I'm willing to wear short sleeves! I still feel more comfortable when my clothing starts at my chin and coveres every part of my body including my toes! Somethin tells me that will never a pose I will be comfortable with! I'm often jealous of those that say ta hell with what others think... but I'm never going to be a member of that club.

Welcome back Janie! I had started to think you ran off to Paris to paint your beautiful murals! Glad to see you're back! Darcy

Lisa... remember how you felt prior to being banded??? Perhaps your hubby just hasn't arrived at that "place" that we all reached prior to being banded. I still remember what it was like pre-op... I felt awful and unmotivated and went further into my shell whenever anyone pushed me to make changes. You are setting an awesome example... perhaps just let your hubby know that you love him and perhaps he will find the strength on his own. In the meantime... do you have any girlfriends that you can do some of the activities you enjoy with? I don't think that WLS and the changes that it brings has to divorce... good communication helps and acceptance that just because we are changing doesn't mean our partners will. My husband loved me and married me when I was heavy... he saw the person that is emerging with every lost pound. We have talked about his fears... my fears... and still do... maybe that's the key?

Wowza... you look fantabulous! WTG! Darcy

Hi Marie... you have done a fantastic job so far and I bet you look fantastic! I know that my surgeon sugests that it may be time for a fill if a bandster has zero weight-loss or a gain for anything longer than a month ... do you feel like you have enough restriction??? I've been have some of the same issues... and had to force myself to return to some of the most basic bandster rules. I told myself to at least follow two of the rules... 1. chew...chew...chew 2. no Water with or after meals. Just going back to those simple rules has helped beyond what I would have imagined. (((hugs))) Darcy

WOO HOO Leatha! WTG girl! Darcy

Welcome Lauren and congratulations! I recall feeling many of the same fears pre-op... I even did the "last meal" pigout! Honestly... I can eat almost everything I ate before ... just smaller quantities. I actually enjoy the food I eat now more than I did before as I have to slow down and chew it well! I do try and avoid some of the things I used to treat myself to... such as ice cream... candy... etc but I find it is easier to say no to those things now? This will be a tool to help you and the hardest time will be the post-op healing period... I am betting you will love your band as much as most bandsters do! Darcy

That's awesome Vera... money very well spent! Life is WAY too short... spending that dough on something that will add so much to your enjoyment of life is a wonderful investment! You look fantastic! Darcy

Congrats Sammy! Welcome to Bandland and hope you are able to post soon to let us know how you are doing! Darcy

Lucky ...Lucky... as Miss Becky said... to be learning this before your first fill and to only be getting the warning pain. I went from warning such as you are having before my first fill and after my first fill I was totally shocked at how the warning signs changed and how I KNEW I better pay attention to them! It is not fun when your one bite too many or one not chewed well makes the journey back out into the world in a coating of slime. Welcome to banding 101a.

Staci... are you restricted at all with eating? Have you had a fill yet? You may find that when you have restriction... drinking while eating may lead to the problems discussed above... at the very least you will find that you eat bigger quantities and are hungry sooner than you would have been without drinking with or after your meal. I have been breaking the drinking with meals rule... and I paid the price with a whomping 6 lb gain... so... I'm back to following the rules. Darcy

Welcome! THe best advice I can think of is to come here when you need support or even need to vent... everyone at LBT will be there for ya! Darcy

Nope... not a one... I needed a tool that would be with me longterm and so I have my little band wrapped snuggly around my tummy saving me from myself! Darcy

I so agree Leatha... my surgeon gave us his exact numbers for complications and or death with the gastric bypass and for the Lapband and also discussed what happened with each case. This infomation was provided at his seminar and without questions prompting him to do so. He was extremely direct and didn't sugar coat the risks for either procedure.

Oh dear... the bikini top just won't do... this banana is pretty thick in the middle... besides... it's pretty hard to find coconut halves this time of year. Good afternoon from Wisconsin!

My surgeon does them without flouro in the office for $200.00. The bariatric team local to me charges 75.00 per fill which seems more appropriate for a simple office procedure IMHO.