New Hope

Steve, great weight loss! But I'm so sorry that you're having problems. Are you drinking plenty of water during the day? Like a good amount right before you eat to help get some moisture in. But NOT with your meals. Are you eating moist meats (and using sauces if needed)? Are you eating very, very small bites and chewing it to bits before swallowing? Stress can tense you up. Do you feel "under the gun" when you eat with your family? Those episodes are definitely not good! Thankful your biopsy was good!

Wow! Vera, great loss! You've lost a whole person!

Isn't that when the reality sinks in? And just think, every time you moved, your joints were having to hoist that around!

Theresa Marie, Welcome home, Bandsister! Please give yourself plenty of time to rest and recoup. So glad that all went well and you have a loving family there to take care of you. Please try to walk around as much as you can and hopefully you'll avoid those surgical gas pains. Keep sipping that water. It's very important not to get dehydrated. Congratulations on becoming a Bandster! 2005 is going to be a great year!

Patty, if you already are lucky enough to know how to crochet, you really need to make one of these hats! At least their size won't change as drastically as clothing will. They are so soft and cuddly! They're perfect for jazzing up these blah, cold winter days. I just can't say enough good things about Theresa and Becky's talent.

Thanks Paula! You've done great! I don't think it really matters how much fill we have. Just if it's working for us. Yeah, that band is a tricky little thing. About the time I seem to be able to eat anything (and too much of it), suddenly restriction kicks in. LOL

Patty gives some excellent advise. The long-term aftercare is vital to making your band work. That expense and time must be figured into the equation. Darcey, please contact any fill drs. direct before you are banded. Unfortunately, a lot of bandsters are finding out that the fill drs. names they are being given are invalid.

Patty, what a great post! You sound like an excellent Bandster! 75 pounds gone! That is amazing! And what you said about eating quality - not quantity, not getting attached to clothes, being able to enjoy the little splurges, being "normal, and not a "fat blob" is spoken like a Bandster that has her head on straight. Keep up the great job!

Welcome! You're beginning and current stats are almost identical to mine. How tall are you? Small bone structure, large bone structure? Any co-morbidities preband? How old are you? How much fill do you currently have?

Betty, -42 pounds! That's a whole anorexic person! Seriously, that's a big chunk and I'm glad he noticed. He'll be even more impressed by springtime and you're down another chunk. Congratulations!

Hi, Patty, would you go to the introductions and tell us a little bit about yourself? I see that you've been banded for a while. I'm very interested in how you've done on your banding journey. Like what was your beginning weight, current weight, NSVs, any type of band related problems along the way. How many fills have you had? What is your current fill amount? How has your life changed since you've been banded? What things do you do now that you couldn't do preband? Anything else that you think would be helpful to new bandsters. Thanks so much!

Tellie, wishing you the very same! 2005 is going to be a great "Losing" year for all of us! My wish is that all LBTers will continue to be healthier, happier, have inner peace and greater spirituality, and gain confidence in ourselves. Our special little gift (the Band) will help us succeed far beyond our wildest dreams! We can accomplish anything that we truly desire. Has your husband returned from his long trip yet? What are some of the Christmas customs that you Celebrate in Australia?

I would check with your surgeon, what his post-op exercise rules are. I started riding my bike after my 6 weeks check-up/release. I just wanted to make sure I had full control of everything first. Anything that's pulling or stretching your ab muscles might need a little longer. You don't want to risk unseating your port by pulling too soon. Listen to your body. If something hurts, then don't do it. Right now (preop) would be a great time to do some situps and other exercises to strengthen your ab muscles before your surgery. Anything you can do now will greatly help your recovery and help reduce the pain from surgery. Using those ab muscles getting in and out of bed is very noticeable. Walking is important- preop and post. Please get out of your hospital bed and walk around as much as you comfortably can - as soon as you possibly can. Just little short walks in your room, down the hall, around the nurses' station, etc. Walking will prevent you from getting leg blood clots (a very serious problem after surgery, caused from lying down too long and not using your legs). Walking will prevent you from getting pneumonia ( your lungs, also from lying flat on your back too long). (I've done that from a previous surgery. Believe me, you do not want to be gasping to breathe, chest congested and rattling, hard uncontrollable coughing -after abdominal surgery!) Walking will help you get the surgical gas worked out of your body. The more you can move around, the less trouble you should have with that nasty old gas settling in your upper shoulder, etc. Walking helps you get over the soreness of surgery, from the actual incisions, the prodding from the surgical instruments, and from them positioning you on and off the operating table. Walking will help you regain your energy. Best of luck to you!

My favorite childhood memory is iceskating on my grandmother's pond with my sister. Their horse got so jealous that we weren't playing with him. He sniffed, snorted, and stamped his front hoof on the bank. When that didn't do any good, he ventured out a good way on the frozen pond. Then he promptly locked up all four legs and wouldn't budge. My stepgrandfather, who was pretty chubby, had to get on the ice and push that stiff-legged horse off the pond. Their combined weight was too much! Crazy, jagged, LOUD cracks started running through out the ice all around them. Fortunately, they managed to get off safely.

No gain last week, up 3 pounds this week. Unfill, coughing croup, and zero exercise are a very bad combination. Got meds today and a cough syrup to knock me out tonight. "All I want for Christmas is a good night's sleep."

Best of luck, Phyllis! I know you'll be in great hands!

Too Late, Santa! It's already on my hips!

I've been fighting the coughing croup the last three weeks. Haven't cared what I ate, zero exercise, and just plain crummy all around. So I went to the dr. today, got some meds and bloodwork done. I have to get back on my asthma inhaler regularly. I'd gained 3 pounds. I really can't believe it wasn't more! So what do I do? Buy a frozen blackberry cobbler, bake it, and eat some too easily. Yipes! Between the unfill and being sick, I've been a very, very bad bandster. And I still have to go w/o a fill until February! Hopefully, tonight I'll be able to get a real night's rest so I can think about eating and exercising properly! I hope Santa doesn't read this!

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl. We should've known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit around the world in one night and not get lost!

Thank you, Leatha, for the beautiful story and your thoughtful words. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to meet you. You're such a treasure! Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and keep that "giving" spirit all year long.

Oh, Michelle, that's a rude awakening! But what an NSV! LOL Did you holler?

A gorgeous family! The daughter looks like Vera and the son looks like his dad. Now I want to know how you found long-sleeved clothes that actually fit and aren't "monkey arms"? Really, you are precious and you have a beautiful family.

Congratulations to you, your sister, and your Mother for choosing to take back control of your life! I'm so glad that neither of you have any health problems yet. That is great that you will be each other's support buddy. Do you live near each other? What surgeon is doing your banding? Best of luck to all of you! It looks like 2005 is going to be a great year for your entire family!

I hate to admit it, but I relate food to friendship. If someone comes over, I always want to get them something to eat/drink. If I go visit someone, I want to make something and bring them. I've always done a lot of baking as gifts to friends and neighbors (even in my "skinny" days). I love homemade, handmade things. That's one reason I loved Theresa's and Becky's hats so much!

YES, Michelle!! I have always been so hot-natured. I don't even have a decent heavy coat, never wore one for years. But now I get chilled to the bone. For meanness, I put my cold feet up against my husband in bed and freeze him out. LOL So maybe this means we will be able to tolerate the hot summers ahead of us better too. (Hope! Hope!)