hagerteresa

Okay, I completely redid the really large pic and deleted the old thread for it. So here we go again... We got a new dog a few days ago. He is a 6 month old 1/2 bassett hound, 1/2 beagle (the black and white one). Isn't he a doll??? We just got him fixed yesterday. I forgot how energetic young dogs were and so did poor Baylee (our other dog- a 4 year old pembroke welsh corgi).

Okay here is another try of some other pics resized. This is me and hubby at Crater Lake National Park on 4th of July weekend and the other pic is my very best friend and his companion and their dogs at the same place. My best friend is the one on the right. We have been buddies for the past 13 years.

Probably because there are relatively fewer doctors who do the band. I can look in the yellow pages and find dozens of cosmetic surgeons but there is not a single band doctor in a 100 mile radius. Also the cost of the band itself is kind of expensive. Not sure beyond that reasoning.

Some surgeons and doctor's offices just lack empathy and don't seem to care if you are inconvenienced. I don't understand how they get that attitude considering the price they are getting paid but from what I have seen poor customer service is fairly common with surgeons. Many lack bedside manner as well. I have had wonderful doctors and surgeons and I have had crappy mannered ones. The fill doctor I was seeing (before he lost his bariatric insurance) was a wonderful sweet doctor but I detested his office staff. They were always rude and made it quite clear there only concern was getting paid. If you are confident with your surgeon choice than I suggest you keep him and you may have to change that date and deal with a lot of crap later when you schedule fills. Check to see what their fill scheduling is like and what the process consists of. Will you get free fills for a year? Are they with flouro? Do they do the barium swallow when/if they use flouro? Those are all things to consider. Best of luck and best wishes, Teresa

Hi Dr. Pleatman, It is very nice to meet you. I wish I lived in the Michigan area so I can take you up on the aftercare offer but alas... Oregon is a long ways from Michigan. My planned aftercare doctor recently lost his bariatric insurance and can no longer serve my needs. I am going to have to find a doctor elsewhere in the state or go up to Washington state. Anyway thanks a bunch for introducing yourself and hopefully you will make yourself available to answer the occassional questions. Best wishes, Teresa

Penni, When were you in Oregon? Where did you see the Moose? I've never seen Moose in Oregon.

I'm right there with you Lisa. I enjoy an occassional diet soda too.

Hey Lisa, Glad you got back in to see the doc. I know how frustrating it can be. I have maintained a steady plateau for a few months now. I just try to ignore it and not think about it. You have done a wonderful job and you should feel very proud. Best wishes, Teresa P.S. You still got me beat by weighing a good twenty pounds under me...

Hi Terry, Of course we remember you! I knew who you were the second I saw your user name. Glad to see you back, Teresa

Hi Leatha, I didn't take any offense. It has been the saddest most depressing 3 days since putting Zoey down. All me and hubby do is cry and poor Baylee is so sad and lonely. They did play well together but I never really thought they were that close. She only wanted to play when she wanted to. He just keeps looking for her...I got word from a neighbor that poor Baylee was howling and crying while I was at work for a few hours yesterday. I am already thinking of getting another puppy for him. I really think it would put a smile back on all of our faces and I really don't want to leave him lonely while I am at work. I just would break my heart. He is the sweetest most gentle thing with very sensitive personality. Now would be the best time to get one for us too since I'm out of school for the summer, hubby and I have opposite shifts so one of us is almost always home (hubby sleeps in late so that is why Baylee got lonely). We have tried to take him on LOTS of walks in the last couple of days but he won't play which has felt very odd. He chippers up at meals and on walks but beyond that he acts like his life has been turned upside down. We have loaded him up on toys and a swimming pool (he loves water) but they have made a very small impact. He is 4 yrs old (he normally acts very puppy like still) and I think it would be best to introduce another dog in the family at this age versus waiting till he is any older. We miss Zoey so much and the house feels SO quiet without her but its an amazing experience being able to walk thruout the house without having to know her location and position. I was even able to sit on the floor last night and have a bowl of cereal. It still feels so weird without her though. She went very peacefully. She got a walk earlier that day and we got her a Frosty and a Junior bacon cheeseburger at Wendy's on the way. She thought that was awesome. Anyway its been rough... My best friend is bringing his dogs down for the weekend and I think we are all going down to the grants pass property. Check in in a few days.

I need help and advice regarding one of my dogs. We took her in when she was 10 months old after she had been in an abused situation. She was a rescue dog. She is terrified of belts and any object that seems threatening but she is also very defensive and not trusting. She is also territorial and jealous of everything. We have had her for 4 years and she is one of two welsh corgis. The other we got as a puppy and is as sweet as can be. I get bit all the time by her. Its often just enough to tear a pantleg or bruise and scratch the skin but it hurts and I'm tired of it. It has been going on since we got her. She has more respect for my hubby but even then she still bites him on occassion. He got it two nights in a row when he was trying to come to bed. She has had obedience training, agility training, etc. She is just so independent she refuses to trust and comply with anyone. I asked our vet what she suggests and was hoping for some doggy anti anxiety pills but she thinks I should just have her put to sleep as there are plenty of sweet dogs out there that need love and a home. We have had Zoey so long and she can be really sweet at times that I would feel awful doing that. I am thinking about giving her a portion of my Wellbutrin (I never take it but keep it around in case I decide to quit smoking) and seeing what affect that has on her. I couldn't find any websites about people who have tried giving their dogs that but I did read the drug trials report and dogs were used in the trials. At HIGH doses negative affects were seen (seizures and liver cancer) but humans had the same risks at high doses (greater than 300 mg/day). My pills are 150 mg and if I split it in 3rds or 4ths than it would only be 30-50 mg. I don't know what else to do. I am also bringing back the spray bottle technique. It saved me yesterday (she HATES water). She had already bit me once yesterday in the ankle hard enough to bruise and scratch it and she came at me again. Just as her lips touched my pantleg I nailed her right between the eyes with the spray bottle. She was so surprised she jumped 10 feet back in an instant. She is one reason we don't feel comfortable having children yet, nor having kids around often. We have to be SO cautious when they are around. Ussually she is fine but we always are on edge lest she do something. Anyway any advice would be great, Teresa

Hi Janice, Welcome!!! The more the merrier! You should tell me more about your surgery and how your doing. We can compare stories. Best wishes, Teresa

Gosh Robin, Your situation sounds a lot like mine. Zoey isn't afraid of weather, storms or fireworks but she just constantly paces around and acts nervous. I don't always know why she bites. Its ussually because I'm approaching an area that she is in whether she is under the bed or in the hallway. She also gets REALLy excited by the hose and I've gotten bit even if I just pass by the hose. It is really frustrating especially when you really love them and have given them a wonderful home. She can be really sweet and loving for brief periods of time and then she gets back into that nervous type mode. Our appt is an hour after yours. Christina, I didn't take any offense at your comment and know how sensitive you are about the passing of your dog. Its amazing how much the loss of a well-loved pet affects us. We are going to take her out for a long walk and stop for an ice cream cone on the way. I've tried to spoil her and giver her extra attention for the past couple of days. I'm very lucky we have Baylee our other Corgi to get us thru this. He has the most wonderful personality and has never shown any of Zoey's nervousness about anything. He'll be our saving grace. We are taking a long weekend and taking Baylee down to our Grants Pass property. My best friends are going to meet us down there on Saturday.

Thanks Vine, I am just so terribly sad about it and keep sobbing about it. She's not all bad but has her cute sweet happy moments. Hubby is as sensitive and attached to her as I am so I can tell how tomorrow is going to go. We try not to even talk about it together or we both end up crying. She is just so willing to bite at us whenever she wants and that last time was so nasty I can't risk it anymore. Thanks for understanding. We don't have kids, so the dogs have kind of been our kids and she was our first. I feel like we failed her though we always did our best. I emailed a trainer in town who has a huge reputation for working with unmanageable dogs but he never even got back to me. I really just think that the early abuse she suffered as a very young dog forever formed her personality.

I'll never forget an experience we had with Zoey involving a child. We were on a school field trip with a group of folks and one of them had brought her children. We had only had Zoey maybe 6 months and she was probably about a 1 1/2 at the time. One of her children was about 6 or 7 and was having a real crying temper tantrum. Zoey absolutely wanted to EAT that child and was snarling and snapping at it. We litterally had to drag her away.

EXACTLY Vine, We've thought about finding a new home for her too but I would hate for her to get into a terrible situation. I have to remember that she has had 5 VERY good years with us, always has had a nice warm doggy bed and the absolute best food and scraps. She's always had a nice big fenced yard with plenty of soft green grass to roll in, kitties to chase, etc. She just CAN'T control that temper. I was even nervous coming home after inn-sitting these past several days. I have to trick her to get laundry and yard watering done. It just makes me so sad. She has her happy cute sweet moments but far more often she lays nervously in a corner surveying the room and keeping tabs on everything around her. She likes to guard the hallway and bedroom and has even tried taking bites at my husband and roommate in the past day. We have an appt to have her put to sleep tomorrow morning. I feel like I have been sobbing all week. My bite got infected so now I am on antibiotics. Its just a real bummer situation. Thanks for your support, Teresa

I loved that post too! I try not to let the thought of fills enter my mind too often and would rather stay at a nice consistent fill level than risk the dreaded overfill. My initial reaction to the Peanut Butter chicken thing was a major YUCK but I forgot I LOVE a spicy peanut sauce on chicken. Charlie- I find dark meat much easier to eat and make sure you cut and chew it in tiny pieces. I find its good with a little cottage cheese.

I just had a very good local friend who has the band (Lopez, Oct 03 I believe) and she just gave birth this last week to the most beautiful little girl. I was so proud of mom and baby. The only problems my friend had was the occassional gallbladder irritation but they couldn't surgically do anything about it until after the baby was born. I don't think she has had any recent gall bladder problems so who knows if she'll need to get that taken care of. She did not gain anything during her pregnancy but actually lost a couple of pounds. I am waiting to hear how much she really lost now that the baby and placenta are out of her. She also had to have a C-section and that went perfectly normal. Her doctors were all aware of her band and she stayed nutricianally sound the whole pregnancy. Her baby weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. I'll ask her if I can post pics of the baby because she is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Best wishes, Teresa

Hi Babs!!! Congratulations!!! You have done wonderfully and I'm so proud of you for quiting smoking. My and hubby need to do that next. Best wishes, Teresa

I got to hold baby Emily all evening and they are both wonderful. Tracey had a C-section and one problem she is having relates to that. She got a fluid build up under where the did the section but the fluid also built up under her port. The doc decided to crack that open so it could drain but now 6 weeks later it is still drip, drip, dripping and driving her nuts. She wants to swim with me and use the hottub but knows she can't so far. She has had it tested for infection and none was present. She goes back in tomorrow for a recheck. I'm going to have to bring my camera to our next meeting and get some shots of us together. Kristy met with us tonight too so we all chatted up a storm at our favorite starbucks. Teresa

Update: I'm having more issues with that dog with the attitude. She bit the crap out of me last night and its one of the more nasty wounds she has given me. My vet doesn't think any medication would help her attitude and habits and thinks she needs to be put to sleep (has thought that for a long time) but my mom is going to check with a friend who's husband is a vet. One of my concerns about having children eventually relates to the future of this dog too. I KNOW I would NEVER be able to trust this dog with children. Our roommate recently started to get his 3 year old on weekends again and we have to be absolutely and totally cautious about keeping the dog and child completely seperate. On the other hand our other dog is wonderful with the child and they act like Timmie with Lassie. I hate having to throw one dog out in the yard while letting the other one stay in and play so often they both go out but it is just getting frustrating, dangerous and ridiculous. I am going to be inn-sitting for the next 5 nights but when I get home we are going to have to either have plans for medication (depending on what the fellow my mom knows said) or we are going to HAVE to put her to sleep. I seriously cannot take it anymore and feel like a prisoner in my own house. I never really followed thru with the wellbutrin since I never really got any feedback on it from others. I haven't seen my vet in awhile but wanted to ask her first. This whole situation just makes me sick. We have had her 4 and 1/2 years, spent time in training, treated both of them like kids, etc. Of course I'm very attached to her and she is an absolutely beautiful dog. I've been using a spray bottle (she detests water) as a deterent for the past several weeks and I wasn't getting bitten but last night she was quicker than I was. She just leaped out from under the bed and nailed me before I even had the chance to aim and spray (the bottle was in my hand already). I have gotten to the point that I'm constantly fearful of her.

Miss Lisa, I posted pictures of my friends lovely baby on the thread I started on her experience. I just got to spend the whole evening sipping a wonderful coffee and holding Tracey's sweet baby Emily. AWWW... Dang, if Tracey doesn't have 3 kids already and she was totally unwilling to give up the fourth to me...LOL. I am definitely feeling my motherhood time clock ticking but I really really would like to just get finished with school first and get a job where I would get maternity leave. If I just happened to get pregnant sooner, Oh-well... All of our parents are having fits for grandchildren. I tease my mom that I won't have them till she retires so she can babysit it. She returns the teasing telling me that if neither of her children ever produce real babies she is going to disinherit both of us and leave everything to the step-children (who never actually lived with us nor grew up with us). Best wishes, Teresa P.S. On a side note, I'm having more issues with that dog with the attitude. She bit the crap out of me last night and its one of the more nasty wounds she has given me. My vet doesn't think any medication would help her attitude and habits and thinks she needs to be put to sleep (has thought that for a long time) but my mom is going to check with a friend who's husband is a vet. This is related to this thread because I KNOW I would NEVER be able to trust this dog with children. Our roommate recently started to get his 3 year old on weekends again and we have to be absolutely and totally cautious about keeping the dog and child completely seperate. On the other hand our other dog is wonderful with the child and they act like Timmie with Lassie. I hate having to throw one dog out in the yard while letting the other one stay in and play so often they both go out but it is just getting frustrating, dangerous and ridiculous. I am going to be inn-sitting for the next 5 nights but when I get home we are going to have to either have plans for medication (depending on what the fellow my mom knows said) or we are going to HAVE to put her to sleep. I seriously cannot take it anymore and feel like a prisoner in my own house.

Costco makes their own version of the slim fast drink and I found that pretty good. Good luck, Teresa

Donation!! Did I hear DONATIONS!!! LOL... I have the best wardrobe EVER from all your castoffs. I have NEVER had such a nice selection of clothes. Thank you everybody. You are all looking lovely. I will have to figure out how to add some pics of me in there soon.

I can eat about 1/2 piece as well if I eat slowly.