DeLarla

Here's a beat up, sunburned, tired & most likely drunk me and Chris. I'm wearing my favorite Tink shirt. I got one for Penni but she only sleeps in hers. She must have seen the same shirt at Target in the Jammies department. Hey, if Madona can wear bras to go out, then I can wear my jammies.

Here's another of Penelope & John and some little Indian dude.

This is long and boring so nobody has to read it but I have to write it for my own therapy. I've had TWO good days! And I couldn't do it without all you guys, that's for sure. I learned a valuable lesson that we've all heard over and over again regarding sugar crashes and carb highs 'n lows. I told you that I started this Coke (a Cola) habit a couple months ago? Addictions are tricky cause I never drank the crap pre-bad but became quickly hooked recently. Not having a Coke in the morning was really hard the other day. Somehow I managed to get through the whole day without one. I was my own living science experiment as I quickly recognized that one Coke isn't doable if you have it in the morn. As soon as you crash, you have to drink another. Not an option, the body craves it. I'd have one in the morn and would fight the noon craving, but there was no way to fight the 3:00 p.m. craving. The day I gave up Coke (couple days ago) was the day I was able to avoid binge eating at night, and to have fruit instead of crap. I said in another post that I'd never have Splenda, but I realize I need something sweet and am taking the risk of eating poison since I don't have Splenda crashes. I bougth 1/2 gallon sugar free lowfat ice cream, and that's what I have at night before bed, otherwise I go insane wanting something worse. The crazy thing about SF ice cream is that one bowl satisfies me, whereas I'd need the whole carton of regular. Point is - Sugar is more powerful than Cocaine when it comes to addictions; in my book anyway. I've been doing the dairy thing, too. Karen H (band removed due to erosion and looking fabulous and tiny) drinks latte every day, so that's what I do now. 1% milk mixed with some strong coffee, I add cinammon and a pinch of fake sugar. I eat a yogurt when I get to work, then a fruit based lunch. dinner is whatever hubby is having, back to a small bowl or plate. Fruit at 7pm, then SF ice cream later. I noticed that fruit and yogurt for lunch doesn't fill me up, so that's probably not a smart choice for me since I'm hungry too fast. Today I brought some cheese and chicken salad with flat crackers and a bunch of grapes. I was up 9 pounds. Now I'm up only 4 pounds. This morning I felt like eating and almost gave in to it, but I keep having to tell myself that "this is the way I eat for life." I can't go back or I'll hate living.

Crossing my toes & fingers too, and I have huge hands and feet for extra, extra pull.

I nominate you for woman of the year. You are a miracle, do you realize that? Smoking increases your metabolism, but I can't offer any other explanation. However, I can offer hope. I know people that have quit smoking, and the general consensus is that yes, they all gained weight at first, but eventually the weight came back off naturally and they stabilized. It's only temporary, believe in that.

Excuse me??? Does anyone realize THAT is the Karen that had her band removed due to erosion months ago and still looks this faboulous? THERE IS LIVE AFTER EROSION. Karen, you look fabulous!

Don't get your panties in a bunch! I can only post one at a time!!! Okay, I did the dead. YOUR TURN... EVERY one of you! (walks away flapping wings)

By the way, the only makeup I'm wearing is a tiny foundation, lips and bronze powder. The eyes are my new permanent makeup! I've had the lowers done twice and the uppers once. It's the best girly investment I've ever made.

And here's the Olt Woman, as Chris calls her. I like the blonde/brunette thing - 2 chicks in one! Notice how I wore the old shredded Walmart bra this time as to not incite riot like the purple one did? Anyone want this one?

Objection. Unreasonable and burdensome, furthermore, will not lead to admissible discovery. Nothwithstanding said objection but in light of it, here's the back of my head!

Heck no, I'm not posting a big picture that shows the real me! Keep the compliments coming based on this tiny picture that doesn't even look like the flawed old woman that I really am! It's a sham! This girl that owns the Fantastic Sams did her training out of New York. I never realized there was a difference, but she rocks!

I'd like to thank the Academy of hair Design.... Dang, I'm gonna have to get my hair done more often than my usual once a year! Thanks girls, I'll pass on the compliments to the fabulous MaryAnne. She was trained in New York and owns a Fantastic Sam's by my house. I also got my eyebrows waxed because someone around here (not mentioning names) told me to!

Most doctors say to wait before and after you eat. I personally can't eat much food if I drink right up to the time I eat. I get full really fast, which is good, but then I'm hungry in an hour. I was told to wait 1/2 hour afterwards, but I try to hold out for 1-2 hours before drinking because I stay full all day that way.

Sure you can. You have to eat an extra 3500 calories to gain a pound. It all depends on the type of food. A pound of carrots doesn't have many calories compared to a pound of butter.

Katerzz, is there a thread somewhere about why you were re-banded?

What program do you use to shrink the avatar to 50x50 pixels? I just brought a brand new & fairly advanced puter. But 50x50 isn't an option for me. I can only shrink to 67x50 or 50x37 with my picture software.

Damn, I thought I had yoons fooled! Thank you, Birthday Girl!

I read an article last year of a woman that died. The article was vague, but to me it appeared she should have gone to the doctor sooner. She didn't want anyone to know she had the Band, so she kept it a secret. By the time she got medical help it was too late. She would probably be alive and well today if she saw her doctor. I don't know what the cause of death was, but I assume it was erosion or infection.

I think you should get madder and madder till you spit silver dollars! That will take care of any co-payments. Sorry that insurance companies are famous for giving the run-around. Sucks.

Before I lost some weight, I always thought the "leggins and huge shirt" were the way to go. But then I saw pictures, yikes. Fitted clothes, believe it or not, are much more slimming. Just go for some jeans and a shirt, and tuck it in! So, when are you due? Okay, laugh with me cause the only one that could crack a joke like that is someone that weight over 300 pounds last year! Once a co-worker in a huge call center stood up and asked me across the whole department, "Lisa, are you carrying?" I yelled, "No, I'm FAT!" Let me tell you, it wasn't me that was embarrassed, it was her. Everyone hated HER for that and were super nice to me about it.

THANK YOU! It's easy to get smaller, just take a big picture and shrink it! Sad part is I've actually gained a few plus a few more. I'm a little disapointed that nobody mentioned my nakedness. The funny thing is that I'm really not even naked! Ask Penni, I'm wearing a fawn colored dress that you can see if you look really, really close. I just look nakey!

I edited the original version of this post cause things changed during the day; I originally posted that my wound had finally closed for 2 days, but it opened up again this afternoon. It was a thrilling 2 days while it lasted! So I'm shortening this long post. For newbies, my port site became badly infected so they removed my port in June, and the wound remains open. It's not infected but it leaks every day so I have to keep it clean and bandaged. My second update had me in tears this morning after hubby gave me my one-month-weigh-in-smooch. In November, I gained 6 pounds on vacation. It took me 2 weeks to lose it, but then I went to California and gained it back. Add Thanksgiving, indulging in countless no-nos (food wise) and the fact I work with the Erin, the world's biggest diet saboteur, PLUS, My period will be here in a day or two so I'm probably bloated, PLUS I DON'T EVEN HAVE A PORT, and I managed to lose an additional 2 pounds (crying again) bringing my total loss in 7 months to sniff, 66 pounds. SIXTY-SIX. It's unreal, unbelievable, insane, baffling, cunning, powerful, righteous and indescribably miraculous. And I didn't diet - not one single day. I'm going to copy this part in the weigh-in thread also, cuz I'm on top of the world so duplicity is okay. About my port: I've shared with a few people because I didn't want everyone to know; but now I realize how unfair it is to hold information back since this board is integral to our safety, success, and general band health. We need all the info we can get, right? Here goes: In the past months I've been to Urgent Care 3 times, the veterinarian, my primary doc, my secondary doc, my gastroenterologist, a local surgeon, an official band doctor, two radiologists, and I've shown my open incision to over 25 people including several nurses. Everybody says it looks great (even though it leaks.) 45 days ago, both surgeons agreed it would heal. But I was still lost since none of these doctors are capable of giving me a new port. So I called Inamed last week and gave them an earful and cried and complained and vented my anger. Larry got Lopez to call me. Inamed & Lopez refused to let me bring up the past, and I felt at their mercy, so I talked to Lopez and gave him my history since being banded. His first statement was that he needed to open the wound and let it heal from the inside out. That pleased me greatly since he was in sync with the local surgeon - at least they both had the same opinion. But I told Lopez that the surgeon already did that over a month ago, and it never healed (remember the pics I posted of the hole the surgeon made in my wound?) So Lopez was glad I had it cleaned out, but he said the only other reason it wouldn't heal was infection. I told him all the folks that looked at the goop ensured me it's not infectious fluid, and based on all the information, Lopez was 99% sure the tube is rejecting. He said since the tube and band are made of the same material, that my band would eventually reject as well, and that he needs to remove my band. We went over a lot of details, but he wants me in Mexico ASAP to do an endoscopy to confirm his beliefs. I asked if rejected bands erode, and he said, "most likely." He said a small percentage of people reject the material, and I'm one of them. I told him, "no, you can't have my band" so we started making deals. He said if there's no erosion, we could "milk" my band a little longer. He was extremely impressed with my weight loss - pleasantly shocked. Based on my loss, he agreed to put a new temporary port in to see if I can lose more. But he said that I'd have to come to TJ prepared to have the band removed, cuz they'd do the endoscopy when I was under the anesthesia, which means I'd go to sleep but won't know if I either have a new port or no band at all till I wake up in some Mexico hospital. He said if I'm 100% no erosion, he'd put the port on the opposite side. He said it will most likely react the same way my first did, which is to leak and never heal, but based on my experience dealing with an open wound, if I keep it clean every day, I may be able to get the same mileage out of a 2nd port before needing to have the entire contraption removed, I'm taking everything with a grain of salt till I get the endoscopy results, but I'm not headed to Mexico yet because I don't have the money. Lopez won't charge me surgical fees, but I'd have to pay the hospital and endoscopy, but he said he'd get me discounted rates. I don't have the money now so thank God he said my situation is not an emergency. Meanwhile, I've got my wheels spinning in many different directions checking out other options, other doctors, other prices. I'm extremely grateful this isn't an emergency so I have time to kick it around and get other opinions. I'm preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. I'm handling it super well. And I STILL HAVE RESTRICTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So no hurry. Blessed. Truly blessed. There's something to that "one day at a time" that keeps my spirits rejuvenated. Just for today I have a band. Just for today I can eat one taco and a couple bites of burrito. Just for today I can be free from compulsive binge eating. Just for today I am alive and well and damn it, crying again. I wish I could bottle this feeling and share it with the world. Thank you, every one of you, for being my backbone. Please pass me a tissue – rolling alligator tears – the good ones. Thanks for reading. I love you.

Doot Doot.

The whole hair thing is something anybody can do. Just decide that YOU are fabulous and YOU deserve a fabulous new doo! It's a little scary, a tad pricey, but we aren't getting any younger. And don't we deserve it?

Thanks girlies. Any time Penni and I get together we laugh like crazy even if it's only at each other!