hagerteresa

Well folks, I ended up bringing that Ford Taurus home today. It is a gorgeous gray 2001 model in perfect condition. I had the brakes looked at today before the signing at the bank and they were 75% good in the front and 80% good in the rear and all the tires are brand new with the manufacturer markings still on the tread. It has 79k miles but it all looked good under the hood too. I ran a VIN check and that came out fine as well. It was evidently a fleet car for Chevron Corporation in Washington state. I paid $4900 to someone privately and thought that was a pretty good deal. Thanks for all of your advice. That horrible insurance company is still dilly dallying around with my totalled cars value and my medical claim. They just keep jacking me around. There is no question that they are taking responsiblity for the damages but they are being SLOW, flakey and rude. I had to leave them a message today reminding them that I am the victim here. Oh-well... At least I get 8 massage therapy sessions out of the deal. LOL. My neck is still stiff and sore so those will really be appreciated. Best wishes folks, Teresa

I'm right there with you folks. I wouldn't even go to the doctors this week to weight because I felt certain I had gained 10 lbs since last week. Today I finally mustered up the courage to weight on a customers scale that has always been accurate and I actually did stay the same. Thank GOD!!! I really did not want to have to relose that much extra gainage. I also haven't been to water aerobics for weeks due to one reason or another and I need to rededicate myself to that. I'll be glad when all the boxes of goodies are out of my house too. Its been killer... Best of luck to you all and here's to a NEW YEAR! Teresa

Hi Misty, I have had my band 7 months and like you, felt at the end of my ropes with dieting. I was actually a Mexico patient and don't regret it a bit. I can still take most pills whole but the biggest ones may need to be broken up. I typically eat more like a cup of food at each meal and average 1200-1500 calories a day. I use fitday.com to track my calories and nutrician. I started out 5'4" and 362 lbs and am now at 282 lbs. I also love food and like to snack but the band really helps keep it to a minimum. If I am in a real binging mood now after being banded I still probably only eat 1/2 of what I used to. I get full much sooner or stop if I feel any discomfort. Overall I am very happy with my progress and hope the best for you. Teresa

After researching cars all night, Zoe you should be glad you got the Cruiser instead of the Mini-Cooper. The Consumer Reports gives the Cruiser good ratings for reliability and value but the Cooper got below average scores and overall poor quality. I do not deal with dealerships. Marie, you should check the kelly blue book site for classified listings in your area. I only believe in buying cars used from private people. You get more bang for your buck in most cases. I would like to have my mechanic check it out but he is very biased against fords. I understand the early models did have a lot of problems but evidently they have gotten better with time. I don't know... My mom is going to go look at the Taurus tomorrow. I have been looking at classifieds for other cars but they are a couple of hours away and I haven't gotten to go look at them yet. Anyway got to go. Teresa

Hi Nancy, Sending best wishes and thoughts to you and your brother... Hopefully everything is just fine for him and his family. We are worried to because our church has a family over there doing missionary type work for a couple of weeks and was evidently going to go to the beach for a couple of days last weekend for some sunshine and waves in the affected regions. On Sunday nobody at church knew anything about their condition but hopefully someone has heard something by now. What a terrible disaster that has occurred. I am a science major so it kind of fascinates me too but it is awful how many people have been displaced and have died. Let us know when you hear something. Teresa

Hi Northerner, Its very nice to meet you and welcome to the forum!!! Good luck on your upcoming surgery! We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to find a local aftercare doctor in your area. Please do not wait till after your surgery to do this. You will regret it if you do. Best wishes to you! Teresa

Thanks Whipple!!! I like DEPENDABLE and BORING!!! I am always accused of driving like a grandma. Its because I drove like a crazy woman between the ages of 18 and 21, got many speeding tickets and a few minor fender-benders. My insurance was insanely expensive during those years and I never want to repeat them... Seriously both of those Taurus models were lovely. I cringe at the gas bill compared to my little Nissan but they seem like they are in good shape otherwise. The engine compartments were both very clean, tires were good on both of them, they both drove well, etc. The 2000 model had more bells and whistles and 11,000 fewer miles on it but it also had a couple of minor dings. I just spent the whole evening looking at consumer report books on cars and they all said the taurus was average on dependability, extremely good on safety but also a little boring. I test drove an Olds. Achieva this evening w/ 109,000 miles. It seemed to run really good and was fairly attractive but definitely not on par with the taurus for comfort and newness. Oldsmobiles got below average ratings in the consumer guide's too. All of the Toyotas, Honda's and Subaru's I have seen with under 100,000 miles are all being sold for $6,000 to $11,000. I feel like I will be lucky to get a few extra thousand from my wrecked car after its all paid off. So far they only offered me $2000 so after payoff I would only get $400 to spend on a new car. I'm like a badger though and am not giving up about getting a higher offer. I don't know what I'll get for medical yet. My neck is still swollen and sore. I got a prescription for 8 massage therapy sessions the other day so I am hoping to get in there and get those started. Anyway thanks for the replies! Teresa

Yeah, I know... I need to go check out the consumer guide.... I don't want to buy a full membership so I'll go see what the local bookstore has to offer. Those Taurus's were nice looking. Both looked brand new and drove like champs though it is a bit like driving a tug boat compared to my little Nissan. I used to drive one so I know how to handle them. The 2000 has 68,000 miles and the 2001 has 79,000. The 89' Ford Taurus I used to own had just under 300,000 miles when I sold it for $500 to some Hispanics. It still ran okay too. Never had a new engine, transmission or anything but the dang heater core did go out around 250,000 miles and cost about $500 to replace. Most of it in labor just getting to it. They like to bury the most simple parts way down deep in the car. The computer stuff went out a couple of times too and cost a fortune to replace. Michelle definitely please talk to your husband. A Harley just would not fit my mop, vacuume, rags and dogs. I have looked at the Toyotas and Hondas but either they have a huge amount of miles on them or they are outrageously priced. I got approved for a $6000 loan and that is the highest I want to spend. I just want something that will last 2-4 years until I am teaching. I really did not want another car payment at all but I think I'll have to give that idea up for now. The stinkin insurance (theirs) has only offered me $2000 for my car and I owe $1600 still. I of course refused that offer and went to a local dealership who had the same year, make and model of my car with similar miles and they were asking $5995 and it was in much worst condition both mechanically and interiorly. I took pictures and faxed all that too the "total loss" guy but haven't heard back from him since. Anyway keep the advice coming, Thanks Teresa

Hi Everyone, Thanks for all your well wishes. I agree about the medical stuff. I'm not settling until I make sure I'm not going to have any other problems. I just got a prescription for 8 massage therapy sessions too. Yeah!!! I also agree about the possiblitlities of having my car refixed. I am waiting for my body shop person to get back from holiday travel and get him to look at it. I haven't even been able to talk to an adjuster yet about what they think the car is worth. To me it was very valuable because it was so dependable and I knew the mechanic history of it and kept it up. I had bought it from my grandmother two weeks before she died and I have always tried to take good care of it. I'm still just waiting to hear something... Thanks again, Teresa

Hmmm. I have always been a cold-shivering person. I still am. I asked for an electric throw for christmas so I can lug it all over the house and stay warm. Our apartments only heat source is the most stupid invention in the world---CEILING HEAT!!! How dumb is that!!!! Its not the most insulated place either but I do try to keep it comfortably warm. We don't get the sticking type of snow very often in the valleys of Oregon either. The mountains always get a lot but its a rare treat and a perfect excuse to stay home when the valley's get snow. Best wishes, Teresa

Me neither Betty...LOL. Great seeing you! We're going down to my moms later this morning but its only a 20 minute drive. Hubby is still sleeping... Have a great day! Teresa

Hi Lauri, I'm thinking about you too and hoping your doing better and getting some answers. Best wishes, Teresa

Hi Diana, I would not use Tersigni. I know of two people personally who have had trouble with him. I don't know about the other fellow but Portland has several very good ones. My fill doctor Thomas Eubanks does banding and is an absolute jem of a doctor. Emma Patterson is also supposed to be very good. Jack just got his done by Dr. Hong who also works in Patterson's office. There is also an office in bend but I haven't heard a lot about them and what I did hear wasn't very inviting. Best of luck, Teresa

I've been thinking about you too Donali!! We miss you!!! Teresa

Thanks everybody, Dang Tanya that does look serious... I know, I'm glad I'm okay. I did go to the doctors afterwards yesterday. I could feel things already stiffening up then. At least I didn't get any broken bones or anything. I had plenty of my own MINOR fenderbenders as a young driver but always at low speeds and I rarely caused much damage. This was the most serious one I had been in ever. My trunk ended up crunched to the back seat. I was the only vehicle that had a full emergency kit and flairs in it but I COULDN'T even get to it because they were in the trunk!!! I promise I'll be persistent about getting this all taken care of including the medical, missed work and my vehicle. The problem is my car is only worth $3000-4000 and I owe $1600. I was SO excited to have it almost paid off and have it still running and in such great mechanical shape. In fact it was just in the shop yesterday getting a new thermostat... Oh well.... Thanks again for all the information and support. Be careful on those holiday roads! Teresa

If you immediately begin the appeal process, if it is eventually covered wouldn't it all revert back to the day and time the denial or appeal took place? I have no idea on these things but thought I'd throw that out. I remember something about a bill I had for a broken ankle several years ago and even though I no longer had the same company when I got the bill, I had coverage at the time of the doctor visit. I would be on that phone talking to whoever I had to and doing whatever needed to be done immediately. I didn't bother even trying with my current insurance when I got my band. I just went the self pay route but only because I had someone who could lend me the money. If I had NO other options I would have fought my insurance. Good luck, Teresa

Hi Pat, I think overall we are still only hearing about them from a small percentage of people. When I did my research it said it occurs in 1-3%. If I remember correctly THIS forum has something like 2000 registered members. 1-3% of that is 20 to 60 members of this forum who statistically could get erosion. The odd thing is so many of these erosions are coming from one doctor. Hopefully that is just a fluke of statistics since he does so many banding surgeries. Best wishes, Teresa

Hi Sharon, Nice to meet you. It sounds like you have done a wonderful job with your band. Best wishes, Teresa

Hi Vicki, It is not totally known what causes erosion. There are several theories but the one I think is most believe is the fact that some people's bodies really fight against having a foreign object in it causing it to eventually reject the object. Rejection can happen with any kind of implant. When you also consider that we are putting an increasingly tightening device on a hollow tube, I can also see how it could lead to the possibility of erosion. I think that is one reason we need to work with the restriction we have without continually getting more and more fill. As I said, I have heard different theories so it is hard to determine the main culprit. Best wishes, Teresa

Yes, Darcey!!! Ditto what Marie said. I'll be thinking about you and waiting for word of your recovery, Teresa

Ditto, Jack. I'll be thinking about you as well. Teresa

Hi Sandra, I felt exactly like you do in regards to the band. I was absolutely certain I would be the one who wouldn't lose. I really didn't want my guts rearranged though, and trusted my gut instinct that the band would work. Sure enough it has. I love my band. I have weeks that I don't lose but I don't gain any of it back either. My stats are real similar to yours too. I started at 362 lbs and to be honest I the 300's flew by so fast I was in the high 200's before I even realized it. Best of luck to you and your decision. Teresa

Hi Babs, Cute story. Congratulations on your wonderful success. You made me laugh because just the other day I was cleaning one of my regular customer's houses. I am there every week and have worked for her for 12 years. This week though when I walked in she looked at me and was astounded at how different I looked. She said it was the first time she had seen the huge difference losing 78 lbs. In fact she commented on it about 20 times that day. I thought it was hilarious because she sees me every single week. I don't know what caught her attention this particular week but I just cracked up about it. Funny enough, I met my mom later that day for lunch wearing the same clothes. She glanced at me and told me to pull down my sweater over my gut... LOL... My mom is very supportive and thinks the world of me but she is always a bit of a fashion critic. I'm glad nothing has changed dispite losing weight. Teresa

Hi Chrissy, I'm sure sorry about the loss of your band. You are dealing with something that is a fear for all of us. You didn't go back to Lopez for the removal did you? I'm thinking about you, Teresa

Lauri, I really hope you have been seen by now. Like everyone else said, it is important to stay calm but you absolutely MUST be seen as soon as possible too. If your family practitioner couldn't see you today I think you should go to the emergency room too. Keep in touch and I'll be thinking of you, Teresa