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Ms. Heck, get the HECK outta here!!!!!!! That was a good one! Thanks Ryan, now I feel a little more "sane" - I ALWAYS speak to the "air" whenever I get spooked or something feels weird. (hopefully thats why Ive personally never experienced anything unusual) My in-laws up in N.C. bought a 200 yr old farm house. When they were cleaning it out, they found MANY O L D things, like the very first edition of the National Geographic mag.; just odd things like that. But the MOST interesting thing was a records book when the house was used as a store during the Civil War. (creepy, eh?) So, since we live in Louisiana and they live in N.C., guess where we have to sleep when we go visit???? Yep, in that house!!! And EVERYTIME we go, I walk though that house yelling, "OK, were here again, so please dont let me see you, hear you, smell you, feel you." Never had anything happen.... dont want to have anything happen. That house still gives me the creeps though!

Alex, Im gonna to pm you regarding the thyroid subject... I need help!

Ryan, you (honestly) have a real talent for writing! I even called my hubby to come read this one! You are gonna do GREAT with the band... And just think, men ALWAYS lose faster (and more) then women do.

Michelle, I knew YOU were going to come to the aid of the angel stories. Kids are so pure, and of coarse God would allow the little ones to see, feel, hear much more then us adults because of their innocence - their purity. Debra, who said angels had to look like the ideas Hollywood gives us??? (white wings, white gown etc) Ill believe my Marcus over myths any day! That was just one of many "angel" stories Marcus has shared with us. Betty, I have LOTS of questions about your story.... about the person your father-in-law was talking to. What was his relationship with her and was she deceased? As far as the skeptics go.... actually Im not sure what a "skeptic" is. Ive always been a believer (I guess thats what you call a Christian??)

Hi Lori and WELCOME!!! So your hubby had the GB? How is doing with it?

OK, this stuff is giving me the creeps! I have one to share, but its not about ghost, its an angel story. I certainly hope it doesnt offend anyone, Ive thought about sharing this all afternoon. Two summers ago, Marcus, my son (6 at the time) had an accident. He had to have emergency brain surgery. After he came home from the hospital, my sister would come over every night to sleep with him (I was 5 months preg. and also had a 1yr old.... her help was greatly appreciated) Well, about the 3rd night he was home I woke up around 12:30am and could hear them talking in his room, so I got up to "fuss". When I went in his room, my sister was sitting straight up in bed. Apparently when they were going to sleep, Marcus kept looking at his door and when sister asked him what he kept looking at, he told her that he saw his angel standing there. He was CERTAIN it was his angel... "he has BIG black wings with gold ends, a red "night gown" with a gold belt and he just keeps looking at me smiling," is what he told us! Later he told me that when he went into surgery, he saw 2 angels standing over him and one spoke to him and told him "Dont worry Marcus, your gonna be just fine". I believe him!

ok, I know I have a "thing" about this issue. But its the single concern I had pre AND post surgery. What happens if we get a "bug"???? Any "old timers" ever had this happen??? My 8 year old just came home early from school with a possible stomach virus. So, I called my surgeon's office to get some nausea/vomiting med.'s so I could have them on-hand (incase I started these symptoms at 2am - like most people do). His office advised me to go in and get my fill pulled out and start the med's right now!!!!! (and of coarse I didnt) But again, has anyone experiencd this "thrill"???

NO apology needed... and thanks for your information. I agree with you 100% about his office.

lol....I love it!!! My personal favorites : 1. I CHILDPROOFED MY HOUSE, BUT THEY STILL GET IN 2. BUCKLE UP. IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR THE ALIENS TO SNATCH YOU FROM YOUR CAR. Im going to use #2 on my kids in approximately 1 hour when school lets out. :paranoid (hehehe, Im gonna enjoy this one) Maybe THIS will keep them buckled up!!!!

Well I had MY first margarita this past weekend (6 weeks post op) and everything went down well.... too well!!! Couldve had SEVERAL more!!!!! But stopped at one

Marie... thanks for the tips! Leatha... now THATS what scares me! I cant imagine having to drive an hour to my surgeons office vomiting my guts up (actually) to get my fill removed. And what happens to those whose surgeon is in Mexico???? Lisa.... Spiegel told me the same thing. But when you call his office afterhours, you get this answering machine - and it says if you have an emergency to go to the nearest ER. hmmmm... Back in July, did you have ALL the virus symptoms? (I know this is yucky, but hey, this is real life!) How did your stomach handle it with the band? And (one more) how well/fast did the med's work? :sick

I guess you have to weigh both sides... (this really has nothing to do with the band) My husband started on Paxil 10mg in January after several attempts of other things for anxiety. His DR. said that he MAY gain weight, but since the dose was so low that it wouldnt be much of a gain. We live waaaay down south here in the bayou land - hotter then Hell! And guess what his occupation is??? Mailman! He DID gain about 6-10 pounds in the first 4 or 5 months, but the heat has helped him take it back off. The reason Im responding to this is because regardless of a 10 or even 20 pound gain... he's much better to live with So, I praise God for Paxil..... b/c the other option was DIVORCE court!

Amy, I certainly cant give you any advice on the easing of your pain. But I DID notice we have the same surgeon... and through this entire banding experience I have realized that he has a very incompetent office staff. My question to you is about the slippage. What happened???One of the main reasons I chose Spiegel is his great reputation as a lap-band surgeon. I heard that he double ties the band in place (??? not sure how) to help secure things - so the amount of patients with slippage is greatly reduced. Let us know when you have the scope. Band removal vs pain......... goodness, thats a tough one!

ok, now this one made me laugh out loud..... thanks Leatha! I needed it!

Audrey, What a joyful person you must be.... you have great BIG smiles in ALL of your pic's. Congratulations on your weight loss... you look fantastic! And that smile... well... its worth a million bucks!!!!

And this is one I cant seem to figure out... "NSV" ?????

Leatha, Im gall bladder-less too (since 92') ! And I have this HUGE 10 inch "battle wound" to prove it . Think of the bright side on this.... at least you will meet your maximum out-of-pocket medical expenses for the year!!!! So, if you are poor like me, this may be a good thing happening NOW instead of later!

Penni.... you know you have MY prayers. I have TWC on right now. I very seldom watch tv and was SHOCKED to here that it hit land at a cat. 4! WOW! Thats a powerful storm!

Teresa, (re-hashing what I mentioned earlier) I read LOOOOONG ago that when we hit a month plateau (no weight loss, fat feeling, junk food eating, etc) that we should do a couple of days back on the liquid diet..... adding to what I said earlier, the article stated that it also helps our bodies get back into the weight loss mode again. Not sure if it actually works, but just thought it was worth mentioning. It seems like I read it when i was getting info about WLS. Right now, Ive got FIVE kids at my feet, so Im not gonna even TRY to to find this article.

Lisa, Im another one that throws away food. Years ago someone taught me that if we throw food in the trash or it goes down the toilet - the end result is the same - waist! (if you REALLY think about this, its true) MANY times Ive gone to the grocery store and bought a box of lil' debbie cakes and after getting home and thinking about the toilet/trash thing, Id just chunk the unopened box. But heck, Id rather put those lil Debbie's in the trash then in the toilet...know what I mean??? (I always feel like I share waaaay too much on here)

Hi Sal, Im with Marie on the walking part. I didnt use anything for gas. After I came home and Id feel the gas pains in my shoulder area (this seems to be where most people have the post-op gas pains) Id just get up and take a walk down the street. Not a mile or anything THAT vigorus, but just a few yards from my driveway. Just out of curiosity, I wonder what would happen if we used the tylenol jr. chewables INSTEAD of the liquid... my complaint is the liquid has SO much sugar. YUCK!

I cant imagine why the fetes died at THAT stage of the preg. hmmmm... Im with Alex, a woman of that size is usually "high risk" and gets bunches of medical attention. It seems that the entire report delt with WLS problems in Mass. .... soooooo, lets just advise people NOT to have WLS in Mass.

Hi Ginny! Im Spiegels patient too! I think I tried to "pm" you once, but since I wasnt sure how it worked it may have not gotten to you. If you feel like you need a "fresh" start, why dont you try JUST the liquid stuff for about 2 days. Alot of times this helps rid our bodies of all the cravings the carbs makes us have and truly gives us that "fresh" start feeling we need periodically. oh, another thought.... what about a leak???This would certainly cause you to lose the restriction feeling. New Hope: I LOVE the idea of water/lite cranberry juice.... getting me some tomorrow!!!

On Aug 2, I had my first fill...(non fluro - and have NO idea what that is:) ) My doc gave me a 1.6cc fill.... I expressed some concern of it being too much and he assured me that I would be fine. I guess I AM fine, but Ive done this "PB" thing about 3x's since the fill. I just cant seem to remember to take tiny bites. Neicy..... my goodness, your doc told you to go eat some lunch RIGHT after your fill???? I thought it was a general rule to have only liquids for at least a day after....... hmmmm!

Michelle, Im also so very sorry to hear of your friends death. How horrible :think Fortunately I do not know anyone personally that has died from WLS. When I was thinking about WLS, the GB surgeon said that it WAS permanent and "the band" was only temporary (meaning one day you may have it removed and the weight comes back). Of coarse I know the truth NOW. I vote on what Leatha said, its the instant gratification thing.