Fluffy

Doddie, My heart goes out to you. I hope your brother doesn't suffer. I don't even know how or why people say that, I guess, because we know that with cancer they do suffer...... but, we wish they didn't. But... Just know that my heart knows how your heart is feeling right now and I am sending you a great big cyber hug!! I have a sister left too. She and I have never been close. The sister we lost was like the glue that held us all together. So it's a tough road right now. I hope things with you and your sister are soon on the mend.

I am in Bismarck (well, in the country about 10 miles out) and I am doctoring with Dr. Schmit at Mid-Dakota. Is that where you're going? I am so excited to hear about your weight loss. I can't wait to say that!! Are you not in Bis.? Where are you may I ask?

I live in the kitchen too! I am just starting this so, at this point, your guess on how it's going to go is as good as mine. So far I have been letting them eat without me. Breakfast is easy, lunch a lot of times my oldest will make sandwiches for them all, and then supper is when we try to sit together as a family everyday........ so that is when I will probably have my one smaller meal per day I guess.... I think we're going to need lots of luck and really supportive kids!!

What kind of drinks are you doing? I have been doing stuff from Walmart, called Body Fortress, and its pretty good and not so sweet. Slim Fast is much sweeter. The clinic also recommended Isopure, I think that is what it's called, but it is much more expensive. I have noticed the higher the protein the more/longer I feel satisfied.

I so totally understand!!!!! My oldest is 10 (going on 16) and she will be so happy when I will take her to the mall and have a girls day out with a little more self esteem (of my own I mean). Not to mention without the aching feet, legs, and back to complain about!!! I can't wait to be able to play with my kids again. They are going to love it and so am I.

Wenjea Also a mom of six here!!!!

Yeah.... that's definitely the farthest thing from anything to do with what I consider to be quiverfull or even religious. I am so far away from anything like that... not racist. Not judgemental. Nothing like that.

Wheetsin I know the movement and groups of people you're referring to. What I am saying is that there are others who consider themselves to be quiverfull but don't all believe in the same things... such as some quiverfull minded people believe they should have LOTS of kids, while others believe they should have however many they can have without the use of birth control OR fertility help which in some cases means NONE, or only few. Some are really really really religious and believe they're raising an army of God-fearing people to make the world a better place. Others are not nearly that religious and just believe they're having however many kids God intends them to have and they're just trying to raise them to be good people and that's the end of it. The spectrum of definitions for today's quiverfull people is really not nearly as cut and dry as many would think. Now, I didn't go into great detail in my post when I said that I used to believe that I was quiverfull minded.... but here is the rest of that story. I have my 6 kids and I believe that my quiver is full. I also needed fertility meds for 5 of my 6 kids. Now I am having a tubal ligation to ensure that I don't have any more. Because I believe I have my quiverfull. I don't believe that I need to physically continue to procreate as long as I physically can, I believe that God lets me know in his own ways that my quiver is full and it's okay for me to stop having children via permanent birth control or whatever. I also refused to believe that God meant for me to have NO children because I had to use fertility drugs to conceive the first 5 of them. I believe that God gave me the tools, the brain, the medical information, the doctors, etc. to make these decisions with his guideance. Keep in mind that the way I believe makes me somewhat of an outcast to other quiverfull minded people who have different definitions for the full quiver and how you get there. I don't think that people can make a judgment based on the term because each and every family is different and each and every couples quiverfull is defined a bit differently. It's sort of like religion in general. Some of us are Christians but really pretty darned normal and then others are Christians who quote the Bible every other sentence, condemn others and cast judgement on others, condemn make-up, hair cutting and pants on women, even the use of cars and modern day technology. There are varying degrees to all of it.

What they told me is that the two weeks of liquid protein for two meals per day and then a third meal of meat and veggies was to SHRINK THE LIVER. This is because the liver can get in the way and get nicked during surgery. It also helps with getting into the new appetite routine. I was not told I had to lose any weight, although I am sure I will lose something. About appts.... I had a whole day of appts so far including surgery information, nutrition information, instructions on all the pre-op stuff, meeting the surgeon (I had actually already met him), and having a psych eval. Then, within 10 days before surgery I have to get a regular physician or PA to do a pre-op screening appt, to make sure that my heart is okay and all that stuff. I have to wait to do that until my ins. approves the surgery or else they won't pay for that appt either. So I am looking at having that appt. sometime around the 30th or the 1st. I also have to pre-pay for the post-op nutrition classes to ensure that I will attend them. They are required.

I would have to completely and fully agree with you Lizrbit. Your genitals, Your business. It's like I tell my husband...... No uterus, no opinion! HA!

CONGRATULATIONS Kevin. Yes, you are worth much more!!!! Don't ever forget that.

yyev How are you doing now?? In Bismarck too!!

I love President Bush. I proudly support him. I am also the state services captain for the Patriot Guard Riders here in ND and very proud to support our troops and vets. I love Rush too!

I love it here in ND. We can afford to live in the country here and have horses and pets and enjoy some peace and quiet, yet drive 10 miles in to town and shop at nearly every major store you can imagine. We have it all. OK so I will admit, winter was a little long and crazy this year.... but... I really like it here in ND. Oh yeah, and my main reason for posting in this thread is to say that I have 6 kids. My husband and I work hard, have good insurance, don't rely on govt anything or welfare of any kind, we feed them well, we take good care of them, we homeschool even though our tax dollars go to the public school system and we have to pay for all our homeschool supplies out of our pockets...... we are not super religious bible thumping freaky people who drink blood or anything else (well, my husband does like his bourbon on occasion but who doesn't??). We are NORMAL people who wanted a big family. We used to believe we were QUIVERFULL minded but, I believe my quiver is FULL and I am done having kids. I associate with a lot of quiverfull folks because they, like me, have larger families and we talk about how to feed and care for our larger families and laundry and all sorts of large family issues. I must say that I don't know hardly any of them who rely on govt. for anything either (welfare or food stamps or anything like that). Anyhoo.... My children are healthy, happy, thriving, they have everything a kid could want including acres and acres of trees to climb, horses to ride, dogs and cats to love..... they have it all. We really do have it all. And we have worked hard for it all and no one has given us anything. So........ that's my thoughts on the topic. From a mom of 6 kids the baby of 6 kids whose mom was one of 13 kids and I love love love the family reunions when we get to see our 200+ cousins, it is such a blast.

The team at Mid-Dakota in Bismarck is WONDERFUL. Dr. Schmit is my surgeon and though I have not yet had my LB I have had other things done by him. LOVE HIM. You could call there and talk to his nurse KAY, and ask about the fill thing. They are such nice nice people I wonder if they wouldn't fill for someone who had the surgery out of state. Of course they have to understand that if your insurance isn't paying and you can save so much money you would go out of state for surgery. You can call KAY at 530-6039. She is incredibly kind and I am sure she would help you.

Hello!! I am in Bismarck, ND. My surgery is on May 10th. I can't wait!!!!!!! They told me that return to work is usually within 3-4 days.

I am in Bismarck ND. My doctor here is really awesome. He has done other things for me (removed lump in breast). He is at Mid-Dakota Clinic, Dr. Schmit. I have BCBS of IL so I am waiting, praying, that they approve and surgery goes fine..... May 10th. If they don't approve then I have to cancel. Praying praying praying!!<br /> <br /> I know there are others here who have said they went to Meritcare in Fargo and had good experiences.

I have a date I have a date I have a date I have a date!!!!!!!!!! WOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! May 10th! Knock on wood that insurance approves and it all goes with ease. Going from 1 liquid meal a day to 2 liquid meals a day immediately in preparation. THANK YOU LORD. *doing the snoopy dance* *it's not pretty, be glad you're not here watching*

Cindy - GOOD LUCK!!!! And thanks for sharing the awesome signature. I had to go make my own!!

OOPS I meant that no one can know what's best for us UNLESS they've walked a mile in our shoes...

Ginger I was told that the first month is not a lot because the band is simply put in place. After 30 days then will be the first fill which is when we will feel appetite differences. The first month, while the band is in place but there is no fill yet, is supposedly very difficult.... JOY!! I learned a lot at my informational appts - a lot to know, a lot to remember! That was on the 16th for me.

Nimblebean, GREAT response to your nutritionist. You sound like you know what you mean and you know what you need, and I too would have an issue with someone who's been 20 pounds overweight telling me that they know what it's like. I can honestly say that I didn't even know what's "it's like" when I was 40-50-60 pounds overweight. But now, with a good 100 or so to lose to get to my "healthy" weight, I will never, ever forget the pain I feel physically not able to run and play with my kids, or just climbing stairs and doing daily chores, and that's not even touching on the emotional part. No sir. No one who has actually walked a mile in our shoes cannot possibly know what we're going through and has no business telling us what is best for us. I think we all hear it though from various people don't we? WELL I should find out by the 30th what my date is, and I am guessing it will be either the 10th or 17th of May. My surgeons day in surgery is Thursday so that's why I am guessing one of those two dates. This is unless my insurance denies me, but I really don't think they will. Best of luck to you all!!!

I thought and hoped I would be an April bandster but I am definitely May. I will get my date in the next couple weeks. First insurance has to approve, then I get the date. For two weeks before the date I do a high protein diet including liquid for two meals and one smaller regular meal per day. So..... that's how that goes. I am SOOOOOO excited to get this done and hoped it would be sooner so that I could enjoy some weight loss for summer. Best of luck to you all!!!

Hello Everyone! My appt for pre-surgery stuff is on the 16th and from what I understand as long as my insurance pays my surgery will be VERY soon after. The nurse said I would have it all done in 5-6 weeks from the day I talked to her last, which was over 4 weeks ago, so I am hoping I will be with you guys in April. I am SO excited to get my life back. I don't think I will have any prob with insurance as I have a 5+ year history of doctoring with weight issues and I have co-morbidities too. (PCOS, HIGH Cholesterol, Thyroid issues, and borderline diabetes, as well as other stuff like a lot of pain and trouble sleeping etc). So, wish me luck. And GOOD LUCK to all of you as well!!

There may be some antibiotics you can take during pregnancy. I got sinus infections almost every pregnancy and took a couple different kinds of antibiotics. Best of luck to you!