LeslieLee

Have a great flight Cat and I am sure you will do just fine. I hope you get to meet a few of the other May 4th banders too. See you when you get back!!

-=winks=- I will still sing Happy Birthday to you Andrew!! and the little guy too! I hope that you will both have a terrific day and we will all get together soon. Maybe Mrs. Gaffer could come along!

LOL yep it is amazing! I am hopeful and yes I do intend on having a few treats before optifast, but I am not planning on going crazy either. I have been working had to take off what I have and feeling pretty good about it all in all. I have not really felt like I was missing out on anything so far. I have even indulged in a burger with my son. so two weeks of watching and two of optifast I think I should come close to 10, if not oh well I won't be to far off the mark! I hope lol I remember when you started your pre-op early, -=winks=- I know it isn't easy but very worth it!!

mmmm I think my goal will be to just keep on doing what I am doing and not to go too crazy when I go out for dinner before I start my pre-op. I am going to allow myself a few days of the last supper phase, I have to say though I am kinda not all that excited about it right now... lol Am I sick??? Or have I started to think more wisely. lol hmmm guess I will find out soon enough! Would be nice to drop another 10 pounds this month... guess I will try for that! 10 pounds gone before crossing to the banded side. -=crosses fingers, toes, legs, arms, eyes.... =- ^(^)%)HJP)(# tho0**-4)&%$ hmmm apparently I can't type like that!!

Well Susan this is it!! you are just on the edge of the other side! I wish you a good experience and a very quick and pleasant recovery! Can't wait to meet you on the other side -=winks=-

Right on Donna!!! Glad to hear things are going so well for you!!!

mmmmmm Just got in from a nice walk to check on the geese. I didn't get to this morning so I had a chat with Shilo and she said "hey lets do it" and off we went. It was a nice change walking in the evening, no real wind and I think the moon is almost full. The female was nesting and the male was out have a little wander around the pond. I had a pretty good day today and was very happy to see a few more pounds gone when I weighed this afternoon. I have been thinking about my pre-op diet which I will be starting on the 16th. I am wondering how well I will lose... I am thinking it won't be as much as most as I am pretty sure I have lost any extra water since I started cutting back and have already lost 15 pounds. So I will try to remind myself of this if I see slower results. A pound is a pound and as long as they are coming off I will be thankful. I should still lose something! I can't believe that at the end of this month I will be living on the banded side. In some ways it seems like a dream. To be able to lose weight and keep it off, to lose more than I have ever been able to before... WOW!!! That is an amazing thought. I was looking through my closet today and thought, "holy crap, there are a ton of clothes in here and pretty much all of them are going to be to big at the same time!!!" I think I need to have a sale so I can get ones that will fit...lol what an exciting future!

Very nice!!

As for the dinner at your sister's... likely the dental work story would work as my dentist has told me to take it easy on some of the work he has done for a few days maybe saying you have a cracked tooth and so must be careful till you can have it fixed??

-= big smiles=- You are almost there Susan!! I think if and when I am in this situation I will be having soup!! There are many you likely can have, depending on the menu there. Soup is cool!! I like the saying... keep it simple and soup seems pretty simple to me... -=winks=-

Can't wait to see your pictures Argon! Also so glad you had such a good time and so many compliments!! You deserve them!

Count me in. That will be the day before I head off to get my band! It would be great to get together with those who can make it out before I leave. -=crosses fingers and toes.... eyes...legs and arms=- I hope to meet you then! Come on every body before summer hits and we are all to busy getting our new bods out in the sunshine!! I also want to say that Cat and I had a great telephone visit earlier today. It sure felt good to have a voice to chat with and that we both have the band in common. Thank you again Cat for the visit!!

Hi there, I will be having my band May 30th and I booked to stay at the Novotel. I got the best deal there and as Andrew has said it is so close to the Square one mall that I will be able to take advantage of walking of any of the gas pain and shopping too!! My sister in-law is also staying with me part of the time and it was no extra charge. I did like the thought of the Waterside but after already spending so much money on flights and the surgery I wanted something not so high priced because I won't be eating there anyway!! lol I am also there from monday till saturday so that is 5 nights. Best wishes! where ever you decide to stay!

Hi Susan, Yep that does sound great, I am also very pleased with Dr. Cobourn and the office staff there. It is a little different when you are so far away, but to date (and I did talk to them today lol) they are awesome with calls and answering questions. Very patient and happy to be of help. Unfortunately living in Alberta means I can't take advantage of free fills unless I am there, which now and then I just might be. They are also setting up online disscussions kind of like orientation I suppose as well as meetings for those already banded. Live cast is a wonderful thing! I think my Dr as with some others look at private practice as a money grab but as I told him, "When it comes right down to it I am pretty sure that the Dr.'s doing this are in it for way more than the money... They seem to me anyway, that they do really care and in the long run they are doing a service that will take a huge (no pun intended) off the future medical care many like me would end up needing... and as you have shown there is a big junk of $ going to the hospital you will be having your surgery in. Not to your Dr. Does that price include your band or is that also coming out of what you will pay your Dr.? not much $ left over if it does... is there. So much for money grabbing lol I also asked him why there weren't clinics here and he said there could be if a Dr. wanted to open one... -=sighs=- flippen wish there was, but !! I am damn glad I can go to Ontario and have it done. The wait is too damn long the other way and still they could tell me no... you can do this with exercise and diet you don't need surgery. That about finished me with the medical plan route. I am not waiting for years only to be told atta girl you keep dieting and you will get there.... END OF RANT... -=winks=- for now

That would be great Loriely!! Lets make it happen! Can't be missing an opportunity like this! I am pretty sure I will be here I think I will be in Ontario the weekend of the July 6th. But before that I should be good! lol might even be able to eat not sure but I am thinking I can drink for sure ! lol I will be well practiced by then!

Hi Donna! Great to hear you are doing so well! I hope I can follow in your footsteps on May 30th. I am so happy for you. -=sings=- just keep walking walking walking....=-

Anyone up for getting together this Sunday, the 29th?? I know it is short notice but never hurts to ask...

Well as you kinda can see I have figured out how to post pics here so they aren't huge! LOL Look out ... here they come the waddling twosome! The geese of Canada!! Yes yes the dazzling duo... lol Ok ok here is today's scoop At the beginning of the week I started walking out to the pond again to see if the pair were back yet and yes they were. The pond was mostly frozen still that morning but WOW what a difference a day can make! day two was quite different as you can see from this next picture... The ice was almost completely gone and by day three it was all gone. Unfortunately I did not get a picture from day three. Sorry bout that, but it was pretty much the same as the day before except all wet! I am enjoying walking out there and checking the couple. I am excited to see how many little ones there will be. So far mom and dad are just enjoying there time together. They are in and out of the nesting box seen getting the nursery ready, likely painting and puting up new paper I should think... then they are out and about getting exercise which is important when you are expecting. Cant be laying in the nest all day eating cookies and stuff. Dad is quite protective and keeps a very close watch on his Mrs...lol hmmm sound like any couple we all know here??? I am hoping that with time they will allow me to get a little closer to the edge of their pond. I think they are also interviewing baby sitters as I have noticed a couple of young ducks hanging around. Likely learning what it will take to take care of the young Canadians. This is the nesting box...their crib -=winks=- It was a good visit. Later today I went to visit my family Dr. and get some paper work done and arrange for my blood work to be done. I told him I was all booked in for surgery and he was happy to hear I had made my plans. He was kind of set back when I told him the price though. and the chat that followed was a bit odd.. but I am not going to let it get me down. He agrees that this is a good way to do it but like most Dr's he isn't for private clinics and high prices. When you think about it though there is a lot to pay for. 5000.00 for the band alone, then the booking staff, the nurses and the anesthic and the Dr giving it. right down to the clinic I wonder just how much the Dr. actually makes??? Also I got a call from the weight wise people today just before I left for the Dr and after speaking to them I am even more sure I am doing what is best for me. It isn't a short wait to get this done here under capital health. and not a sure thing I would get the ok to actually having the surgery after about a year waiting... very frustrating indeed! Well I hope that you have enjoyed the Goose News !!

Testing testing

Hi Susan! I am not sure what will happen once I start optifast... I just hope that something happens! lol I have likely lost all the water weight that I am going to so it will likely not be too dramatic for me.. but a loss is a loss !! I am going to try to post a link to pictures I am taking. I hope it will work since I am kinda not having fun resizing them for on here. For those of you who enjoy Canada Geese I am going to try to take a couple pictures a day or every second day of the happy couple that are paddling around on the pond I walk to and around each morning. I am thinking it might be fun to get suggestions for names for them...lol any thoughts?? Can't keep calling them the geese... well I guess I could but it is more fun to give them names.. so hopefully this link will work and I can keep everyone posted as to Life at the Pond! wonder how many babies there will be this year and when we will see them for the first time... -=winks=- hope you enjoy the view, I can also upload short videos which I will do now and then. http://s157.photobucket.com/albums/t60/Leslie_Lee_photos/

Hi Janice! sorry to hear about the headache. I hope it goes away soon. Do you drink coffee, and stopped? Or do you think it is just the switch from food to optifast? Which optifast are you using?

Alright!!! it is coming together... How does everyone feel about getting together in Red Deer on a saturday or sunday afternoon. Perhaps a restaurant, anyone know of one there that is easy to find? The only Saturday I can't make it would be the 12th of May.

Hi Susan!! Well, guess it was a night for a little cheating... -=winks=- I did too! Tried and tried to fight it but..... I think I felt I was entitled too. I am kinda sad I did but not so sad that it is going to mess up my day. Having an almost 19 year old son can be a frustrating at times... lol and last night we had a chat him and I about his room...OH MY GOD it is like walking into another world...lol one I am not so fond of!! Well after that chat I decided I wanted some toast! So I had some... with peanut butter. Today I am back on track and I know you are too! Susan you can do this and it won't be long now... Wow the days are going by quickly aren't they!! Less than a week to go now!! Sure wish I was where you are now... It would be neet to be having my band the same day as you. I kind of feel like we got here about the same time. Anyway, hang in there Susan!! I will be wishing you well in a few more days as you head to the other side!!

Hi Donna, As I write this note to you I am thinking you are about 20 mins into your surgery. -=smiles and winks=- you are in my thoughts and prayers as you sleep and journey to the other side... I am so excited for you and can't wait to hear all about this part of your journey. What an incredible day! The first day of so many more!! -=smiles again=- I am a little behind you on the path, but I will be there soon! Meet you at the corner, -=winks=-

Who did your band Puck?