Zoe

Jodie, you are definitely taking the right step by contacting a lawyer -- and you do need to talk to someone in your home state, since divorce property laws vary. Legal advice can help you with the messy practical stuff that comes with a breakup, and sometimes just having a way to deal with all that crap -- keeping your family land, working out debt payments -- can help a person get through the emotions. You're smart to recognize that nasty times like this can lead to "sabotage" of self-improvement. That said, if you do find yourself reaching for the chocolate bars (or your comfort food of choice), don't be too hard on yourself. Sometimes a lapse into an old bad habit can offer temporary comfort. I can tell from your posts that you recognize food isn't going to offer real support. You can take more lasting comfort in knowing that you are getting your body and your life back on track -- and if you are headed for divorce and the proceedings drag on, by the time of your final hearing you might be so slender that your (ex-)husband's eyes will bug out in court. I hope your lawyer offers good advice. If you aren't satisfied, try contacting your local legal aid office or, better yet, ask a divorced friend in your state if she (or he) can recommend someone. Good luck with everything.

I can't sleep if my brain is spinning in circles, but single-malt scotch used to work for me. About that Southern cooking -- check out Shoney's or Morrison's (big in Alabama; I don't know about KY-TN). Shoney's has a great breakfast buffet with fresh fruit and grits. Morrison's is cafeteria-style and usually has something kinda nutritious and not loaded with grease.

Just checking in. . . I walked over 10,000 steps today (5+ miles) with the dog; good thing, too, because I'm not feeling much restriction and I want to EAT. Still eating better and much less than pre-band, still feeling great, but I'm waiting for that fill to kick in, since it's been 10 days. More walking tomorrow if the weather stays gorgeous. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Janie, who was banded in Perth, is having trouble; see her thread at http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3418 Any suggestions on someone she could see in W.A. (or elsewhere) for a second opinion?

Marie, W.A. = Western Australia -- imagine everything west of the Mississippi as one giant state. According to Janie's post cited in my first message, her surgeon "filled the band to its maximum during surgery" and she has lost 35 lbs. since Nov. 2003.

Welcome back, Kelly Ann! Now that you mention it, Dr. Rodriguez's (pre-op) office was pretty creaky . . . it didn't bother me, because although not everything was bright shining new, the equipment seemed adequate for the task. Did your experience match your expectations after having read other Rumbaut patients' stories here? My face looked thinner right away too -- also my feet, since I lost a lot of Water during the first few days. Give yourself time to rest and heal. If you have any problems, don't hesitate to call Dr. R's office or cell phone -- he's very accessible. Welcome to Bandland!

Yeah, Marie, since the days of Al Capone are long gone, nobody carries a machine gun in a violin case anymore. . . we haul squirt guns in purses!

About 25 years ago (during the reign of the first Ayatollah) I got stopped by security because I had a squirt gun in my purse, which I admit was a pretty dumb thing to have taken to an airport. I thought the security staff overreacted -- until I read about a guy who carried a loaf of rye bread onto a plane, brought it into the tiny bathroom, and chewed himself a gun-shaped prop which he waved around while demanding to be taken to Cuba. Oops, I've veered off on a tangent. Is this still the whining thread?

Congratulations on the weight loss -- and on your imminent advertising stardom! What is it about Texas? You all seem to do so well with the band. . . and there are so darn many of you! I think there's a Lyle Lovett song waiting to be written.

What sad news, Penni. When my aunt died, someone told me that we might be crying to see her sail over the horizon, but that we couldn't see the joyous reception for her on the other side. I hope you find comfort in your family and friends.

A word of advice, Pam: Don't inhale Hershey's kisses, "foil, flags, and all," before flying; airport security will go batshit when they discover all that metal in your system.

"My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don't love Jesus" -- Jimmy Buffett, of Margaritaville fame. What's with the chocolate thing, everyone? I've had a major jones for days. Silhouettes low-fat chocolate ice cream bars & the Weight Watchers versions help; so do Atkins chocolate-mint candy . . . better for me than Ben & Jerry, I suppose, but I wish I were craving carrot sticks instead!

Mine's a couple inches above my left hipbone (or where my hipbone supposedly is under all this padding). The doc didn't ask -- just gave me the standard placement. Since I'm not wearing low-slung hip-hop pants anytime soon, I don't think I'll have any trouble.

Melissa, it's great to have another Chicago-area bandster around -- we are way outnumbered by Texans! I have the same question as Katie: What did your doctor tell you to eat after surgery? Liquids/2 Mushies/2 is pretty common, but varies between doctors (and their patients); there may be reasons for you to be on another schedule. Don't worry, the gas goes away for most of us within a week. I had similar bathroom trouble, and someone here reminded me: liquids in, liquids out. Good luck, and welcome!

My dog is black and white and would look fabulous in that boa! Guess I'll have to go shopping with her. I'm nowhere near buying new clothes for myself yet, so I might as well indulge the dog.

This is wonderful news! Less than four weeks to go. . . you'll be sipping turkey broth by Thanksgiving, and loving it.

I love it! But I have to confess that the boa looked even better on that picture of DeLarla's dog.

I agree -- my idea of roughing it is spending a month at a luxurious Paris hotel without drinking wine! Still, I've always wanted to raft the Colorado. I spent two days in the Grand Canyon this June (pre-band) and was incredibly winded after a one-mile hike on the flat rim -- one of the reasons I opted for the surgery. I'll check a couple of outfitters, and will start a new thread on the GC for anyone who's interested. I'm thinking mid-September 2005. (I'm in graduate school, and classes start around the 22nd.)

Good answer, Greg! Margie, it makes me nervous to think that your doctor didn't explain exactly how the band works. Did he/she at least give you some literature on it?

Kathy, you'll do fine with the fill. It's hard not to be nervous with any medical procedure -- but the fill itself takes just a few seconds. Most of my time was spent filling out forms, putting on the gown, and waiting. Good luck, and let us know how everything goes.

Becky and Kim (and anyone else), I was thinking of going with OARS. Pretty expensive, as I recall from last year's catalog, but then I was thinking of making it a short trip (not one of the $3000 ones) in case my inner princess comes along and demands air conditioning and fluffy pillows after the first night in a tent!

Nora (and Blossom too), stick around and let us know if you have any questions. As you've already figured out, this board is a great place to get information and share stories. Don't forget to look at some of the older posts (beyond 45 days), where a lot of bandsters tell all about their experiences. Blossom, if your husband is nervous, maybe you should get some details about your surgeon's track record (number of operations, success rate, complications) so he'll have a concrete reference on the surgery.

OK, I'll bite -- what's MAS?

Hi Jodie -- Congrats on both your weight loss and your upcoming move to civilization! All those fresh vegies and fruit sure will taste good after the tinned stuff. I have the same problem that you have with rice, unless it's in a sauce, then it goes down easy. I've only been banded for eight weeks, but I have the same hold-then-drop pattern with my weight, and from what I've read here, a lot of people go through the same thing. My clothes keep getting baggier, though, no matter what the scale says, so I'm not complaining!

Oh, Kim, don't give up on getting the band. We've all goofed up at some point. (I write this just after eating half a caramel apple with chocolate and peanuts, and I keep repeating to myself that it's OK.) It IS hard to find decent-tasting stuff. I liked EAS's Myoplex shakes in the orange and berry flavors; the chocolate flavor was nasty, though. Just do the best you can. "One meal at a time" is a good suggestion, just like AA's "One day at a time." Hang in there. You're going through what's probably the worst part of the process; you're being asked to strictly limit your food intake before you've been given the tool of the band to help. Not fun. If you have serious misgivings about getting banded, that's one thing -- but if you're just having a hard time dealing with the pre-op diet, don't despair; that's perfectly normal. It gets easier. Let us know how you're doing. Good luck!