LeslieLee

Good morning to me, Busy week here for me, lots of running around and cleaning. I finally decided to clean out my kitchen and do a bit of moving things around. It took me most of the day but I think I am happier now with how my kitchen works. I even moved the flippen fridge. That thing is way to big!! Sure makes a difference having it moved to the other side of the little room...lol I had been wanting to do that for years but just never bothered till this week. It is funny how the layout of a kitchen can really effect a person, at least it really effected me. I hated my kitchen, I have one tiny drawer and very little cupboard space, but a wonderful big window that faces into the backyard! Which apparently sold me when we looked at this house because I never even noticed the down falls of the rest of the kitchen, I was too busy looking out the window to the yard!! I really didn't enjoy cooking in there and so a lot of meals were not well thought out and were fast and easy things. While I was cleaning out the cupboards I found things that were expired for years! 2004 for gosh sakes! Crazy!! There is also no room for a table and chairs so every meal had to be eaten in the dining room or the family room in front of the TV. Not the best at all. Looking back I can see where a few bad habits got their start. I have wanted to remodel the kitchen for years too but it isn't looking all that promising. Very difficult to get anyone what with the housing boom here. So for now changing things around will have to do! I think it will be a bit better at least. I lost 2 pounds this week and that was so nice to see. It is a bit of a slow go for me. I wish I could still lose like I did when I was in my 20's lol afterall I still feel 20, most days .... well in my head I do anyway. I guess my poor old system is all messed up after so many years of yo-yoing. I wish there was no such thing as losing and regaining and adding more and more with each new diet. I think the band is saving my life right now. With all the changes going on, mostly empty nest stuff I could easily be gaining a pound or 5 or 10 a week. So for today I will remind myself that although I am losing slowly I am losing well and that without this little band I would be in a mess again. Eating to fill that empty spot. Eating to feel some kind of comfort because I miss my son. Eating because I have nothing to do, or so I think at the time... Gads I can think of so many reasons I could be eating. -=smiles=- but a few why I am not. The Band and the hope and results it gives me. Have a good day LeslieLee!!

Good mornin! I want to start posting some pictures but I can't find a way to make them a good size. I thought I was pretty good at this computer stuff but apparently not when it comes to making pictures fit..... help...

Hi everybody and thank you for all the great encouragement! It really does make this road we are all on easier and a lot brighter! Sometimes when we are living in our own skin we don't see what others are seeing so it is nice to read that you can see a difference when I am feeling like I am not doing as well as I am wishing I could. I have to admit getting my picture with Dr. C was a very good idea and when I asked if he would mind he was all for it and asked that I kept taking pictures so I could see the changes. Smart man he is. It really does help. -=smiles=- As others like Argon and Andrew I am sure will agree. So does meeting others when you can and sharing banded life, I was so fortunate to meet JLB, Andrew, and Loriely and her sweet Husband. I hope as months go by that I will meet more people who share this banded life. Cindy, Thank you for posting, and you are doing Great too!! Looking forward to watching you shrink!! and you are! Argon, you are an inspiration to so many, and your pictures have been so good for me to see. lol You started this... I will get a body shot for ya!! JLB, if you send me a pic of you I can find a way to cut me out of the one I have with OUR Dr. C and put you in! -=winks=- lol I had tomatoe basil Soup tonight and thought of you! Thank you for being there for me and others! Jacklyn, isn't the clinic great? Thank you for your encouragement and I will be happy to do the same for you! Andrew, Thank you again for being the great guy you are! Putting up with all the girl stuff here... -=winks=- You are doing amazing and I am so happy for you and your family. Life will just keep getting better! I am sure that you will get your back issue dealt with and you will be posting pics and giving encouragement to the new banders. Oh and don't worry about cluttering... When did you start checking into abdominoplasty??

Yeppers, you can find them in Canada. I got mine at a Diabetic type shop in Edmonton. Where are you located Jacklyn?

Hi Lizzie, Who is doing your band?

Welcome to the land of the banded!! you will be feelin great soon and watching the scale go down instead of up!!

Ok here is a more recent picture.

WOOOO HOOOO!! It worked!! thank you Wheetsin!! You are an amazing teacher lol Old dog new trick!!!

Ok !! here is a test to see if it worked... -=crosses everything and dots the i just for luck=- The beginning of my banded life

Right on Jacklyn!! That is awesome I am happy for you!! Best Birthday present ever!! hmmmm I wonder who this pretty woman is..... 225 pounds in two years!!! These Dr.'s are surrounded by Us!!! lol lucky Them...-=winks @ Argon=- lucky Us lol I wanna boob job too!!

You will do great Beau!! I kind of envy you and your drive, I love the fall in Southern Ontario it is so amazing and color rich. Not to mention the peace and quiet of the drive. I have never had problems with doing things on my own as for the most part that is how I have always had to do them. But I do have a lot of support from my family and here. So let everyone here support you in any way we can. This is just the beginning of your amazing journey kiddo!! ps. take lots of good tunes to listen to and enjoy while driving!! See you in Bandland -=winks=-

Hi there and welcome. I am also not in Toronto and did not have to drive as I flew in from Alberta to have my surgery with Dr. Cobourn in Mississauga. I did drive through Toronto many years ago on the 401 and that was enough for me! LOL only smokes can you say traffic!! Although I am sure it is worse at different times of the day and night. I just wanted to say that there are also many of us who had surgery with the Surgical Weight Loss Center. It was minutes from the airport (maybe 20 min. by cab.) There are a couple nice hotels to choose from as well as a place where if you travel alone you can get care from the nursing staff at I think it is called Heritage House. (very reasonable prices) So check them both out for sure. You won't be sorry you did. Good luck on your journey!!

HI there, I didn't have any issues really with the Optifast. I was on it for 2 weeks and had both the vanilla and the chocolate, I perferred the chocolate. What I did was add sugar free Davincy flavourings to the vanilla and a few times fresh strawberries or raspberries.. mmmmm I used a magic bullet which made it like a milkshake when you add lots of ice to it. Also I did ask if I could exchange it if I found that I couldn't drink one kind and I was told then (last April) that I could. So you might still be able to do that. Never hurts to ask!! -=smiles=- you will be fine!! and your going to love Dr. Cobourn, but he is mine!!! LOL I saw him first!

Well I have never been much for writing in a journal but I am going to try to write in this one. It will be nice to look back on it as time goes by. I can't believe it is already almost the end of September which means it will be four months since my surgery.Wow! where did the days go.... -=smiles=- The weight is coming off slowly and I am trying to keep in mind that that is ok and even the better way to do it. Slow and easy wins the race. Can't wait to be out of the 200's and into the 100's it has been so long since I have been there. I want my son to see a difference when I see him in November at his graduation parade.

Well I have never been much for writing in a journal but I am going to try to write in this one. It will be nice to look back on it as time goes by. I can't believe it is already almost the end of September which means it will be four months since my surgery.Wow! where did the days go.... -=smiles=- The weight is coming off slowly and I am trying to keep in mind that that is ok and even the better way to do it. Slow and easy wins the race. Can't wait to be out of the 200's and into the 100's it has been so long since I have been there. I want my son to see a difference when I see him in November at his graduation parade.

Welcome to Bandland!!

Hi Jacklyn, Be prepared to meet one of the nicest men around! He is great and you will get your questions answered. The staff is also terrific all the way down the line!! As Peaches said jot down notes and you will be fine! My consult was done on the phone as I am in Alberta, but it was still a good experience. He never rushed me nor did he make me feel that my questions were odd. He was very reassuring. The clinic is very nice too! You are so lucky to live there!! Tell us all about your consult when you are done!!

Hi there and thanks for giving me a bit of a boost today. I needed one. I have been feeling a bit down lately and not really doing as well as I had planned in the weight loss department. Who knew you could miss a teenage boy so much!! Empty nest sucks! Anyway the up side is that even though I feel I haven't lost much this last while, I am so happy to have not really gained. I know that at times like this before I have really packed on the pounds. Emotional eater for sure. lol pick any emotion and I could eat with it! I know the weight won't come off a pound a day but I still wish it would...lol and even with the band there is a ton of hard work that needs to be done. It really is a tool to help with weight loss, not a magic wand that we can wave and have our weight fall off and live happily ever after. I am thankful and greatful to have such a tool, it really does watch out for me when I am wanting to binge because I miss Matt or I feel some other emotion. Without it I would likely be past my highest ever weight of ...... -=drum roll please=- big confession here..... 267 pounds. That is what I weighed when I decided to try Jenny Craig and I lost about 45 pounds only to regain to 255 and realize that I just could not keep on doing this to myself. I needed to find a way to make this cycle stop. Soooooo, Here I am! Where there is a will there is a way! Long live the Band!! -=jumps off her soapbox and takes a bow=- lol where did all that come from..... thanks for the ear

See you on the banded side Sherrylynn!! You will do great! And ditto to what Lorie said, let us know how it went and how you are doing!

All agreed! You are doing great Andrew and looking awesome too. You are an inspiration to everyone. You have made this band work for you!! Congrats not so big guy! lol

Holy smokes Peaches!! You are on fire! Your weight loss is incredible for the amount of time you have had the band!! Is that loss from the time you were banded or when you started the pre-op diet?? Wow congrats!

Sorry to hear you had troubles with your fill. I am sure the next try will go much better!!

Hi Lorie!! He is doing great! He seems to be very happy and just making the most of his basic training. He says he has lost a few pounds from all the pt and the stairs he has to run every time he turns around...lol He is on the 8th floor apparently and they do a lot of change parades and fun stuff that keep them all running. Maybe I should have joined the army and gone to boot camp to lose weight...lol NAHHHHHHHHHHH no way I gots my band. It works me out just fine! How are you doing? and the DH?

Hi Peaches! I had wondered if I was the only one with this much in their band!! lol Nice to know I am not alone. Actually I just had my fourth fill and that took me to 7.8cc. I was at 7 before. It has been almost a week now and I am doing well I think. Really made a difference in the restriction I had before and now. I am being careful about what I eat, it has been interesting but know pbing with this fill. I wasn't really losing and hadn't for a bit so I called the clinic and they said time for a fill. I was beginning to feel like I was the only one! Hope all goes well for you, just really take your time and as always.... CHEW CHEW CHEW!!

Well I took the plunge too! I really am feeling the need for a good swift kick!! I have not been gaining this summer but I have not been losing either, I am getting a bit concerned as I am not at 7cc in my band and not feeling a lot of restriction yet. am I some kind of freak of nature or what??? Does anyone have this much in their band? I am going to call the clinic and see what they think. My concern is what happens just how much can this band be filled?? So Yes I am taking that challenge and really looking forward to seeing results!