jackie506

8 days before surgery below (above) March 2009 (I'm in the aqua blue sweat shirt) I have lost another 11 lbs since then

Ok day 2 of liquids with Courtney. I actually made something pretty good. She is supposed to have 2 cups of tomato juice or orange juice (for potassium) each day, beef or chicken broth, water jello, sf popcycles (2 per day). Have to make sure she gets at least 30 grams of protein prior to surgery and 65-70 post op. Anyway, I took 2 cups tomato juice, 1 cup of beef broth, chili powder and black pepper to taste. IT IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!! Chili without the beans and burger. I am really liking this! Have to remember this for the cold winter!

Pregnancy and babies was also a discussion we have had several times with the doctor and she got to meet a women who has had rouxen Y that is now a serogate (sp?) for others and has had 3 children for other couples. I am honestly not saying this is the way to go I am just being supportive of her choice. She knows the expectations and what happens if she doesn't follow them. I like my band because I was starting to eat more again and just got a fill yesterday when we were there. She watched how they do the fill and then we talked about if she does the rouxen Y 2 years from now she will not be able to get 'adjustments' she has to be ready to take accountability for her food choices. You are right there are some people who have failed at rouxen Y but there are as well many who fail at the band. Our surgeons nurse talked with me because a while back I was having problems and gained a few pounds back and I was so upset and crying and etc. She told me of a patient who is bigger now than before she had the band. It is ALL, no matter what surgery you have, accountability. Thank you for your input as well. I am freaking out about her surgery choice and I came back to the lucky 7's for support. The band was the right choice for me but she really feels it is not for her. She is thinking about the cost if she has to go off of my insurance and does not have health insurance for a while. That is a very viable and responsible thought. THat is a concern.

Peaches I am not sure if you remember me. I am a lucky number 7 as well. I had lapband in July of 2007. I was one of the first members of the lucky number 7's and stopped visiting the thread close to a year ago. Before that I was on here faithfully. I have kept in contact with some through email and facebook. I researched rouxen Y and banding before I did surgery for a little over a year before approaching my doctor with it. My I printed so many things on both and made 3 inch binders with all of my information and highlighted and ect. You would have thought I was in school or researching to PERFORM those surgeries. LOL I have been very successful with the band. I have lost 108 lbs and kept it off. During this time we also tried to get my daughter approved for surgery but do to her age she was denied twice. She researched on her own and also went through my binders. She is well informed of BOTH surgeries. After visiting with the surgeon on 4 different occassions and visting with BOTH lapband and rouxen Y patients she really wants the Rouxen Y. I would prefer that she do the band but as the surgeon told me.....it is her choice. I really want her to be banded but I can not make that choice for her so I will support her in whatever she choices. As far as the liquid diet.........she knows very well what that is all about. She watched me and she is currently doing it as well. She knows the reason and importance of it. I remember when I was preparing for surgery and we all discussed pre op requirements from our docs I had the longest liquid diet (as does my daughter). We had/have to do TWO FULL weeks prior to surgery, 2 full weeks after surgery of nothing but liquids and then mushies for 4 weeks. Our surgeon does not do the sleeve. Our insurance will not cover the sleeve. The cover these 2 surgeries. Thank you for all the info you gave as well as the web site. I have showed her the post and she wrote it down.

Peaches I am so in agreeance with you. I am scared as HELL of her doing this. We have been talking alot about all surgeries and I had done mega research on both before I had mine so she is aware of all of this. She is waying her options but still leaning towards rouenY. I want her to do LB but I have to support her with the choice that she makes. Lord help me before I lose my mind with this!!! She is on day 2 of the liquid diet. 13 more days to go with nothing but liquids. So far she has done very well. Cried yesterday and had a melt down. I am doing the liquids with her as support. This is HELL!!! I HATED it when I did it and had no one to do it with me. I am doing this as a support for her. Wish me luck and ALL words of excouragement are welcome and appreciated!

Steph I feel your pain with the teenager I have been called many names , horrible horrible things said to me. I am lucky in the sense they have never done or are doing drugs and the drinking and etc. My issues lie with the attitudes. Court has really started to come out of hers the past couple of months. I believe she is human again! Good luck and I am here for ya. The kids dad is deceaswd and my hubby is in no way a father figure or even another adult figure in the house. Leaves everything to me! I have called the cops to 'set the kids straight' and tell them who the law says is in charge before. I have to say that did have some effect. DD and I went for all testing today. She is totally cleared for surgery. She then starts talking to dr as he is doing my fill about rouxen Y. We had talked about this before due to the fact that I worry when she goes off my insurance if she doesn't have a job that offers ins she will have to pay for fills and etc out of pocket. He gave us a lot of facts and info and told her it has to be her choice. I totally see Y she is thinking the other way because less visits and cost but I am scared shitless. She is approved for either or so she is thinking and researching before making a decision. I told her I will not tell her what to do but gave her my opinion on both. I have several friends who have had it and do wonderful but she is my little girl and I worry about it. I will support the decision that she makes. I just want her to be successful happy and healthy with this surgery. I will keep you all updated. Well time to go read and take my new little yorkie puppy potty. Still miss my little yorkie who passed in March but I am happy to have another little one as well. Seems we were just not complete without 3 yorkies. Goodnight all!

RUN AND RUN FAST!!! What a jerk to suggest something like that. You deserve so much better. Sorry it turned out that way but glad you found out BEFORE meeting him in person!

Wow! I forgot how fast these pages add up! LOL I was just on here last night and needed to read 3 pages to catch up. Sounds like everyone is doing awsome with their weight loss. Hi everyone that wasn't here when I stepped out for a few months that has joined. Well I just needed to pop in. I am trying to stay focused and keep visiting at least once a day. Not a whole lot to say....well the is actually.but like Steph I am really tired tonight. The days getting shorter and dark coming earlier is really making me tired. On the up side though my daughter and I are joining the gym together. Now that she graduated last May and only has college classes Tues and Thurs this semester we will be able to go to the gym pretty much everyday. We are finally getting over that hump of 'teen daughter hates mother'. That was a really long haul and things have been so much better the past 2 months. We have actually became friends! Unbelievable I know when you have a teen daughter. I loved setting and actually just visiting like girlfriends tonight about the surgery and etc. She had lots of questions and I got my big ol binder with all my research I had done before and we were looking through it AGAIN! She has been through it but we sat and did it together tonight! Well off to bed. Early morning tomorrow. I have a fill scheduled and she has all pre op tests. Long day but spent with a very special person! Nite all!:thumbup:

your absolutely right!! Everything is moving so fast! She was approved wednesday and we go tomorrow (friday) already for all pre op labs and then monday to meet with surgeon and pre op counseling. She is still in shock that 2 weeks from today she will be banded. I am soooo happy for her. Besides having her living at home i have to set a great example of what a bandster should/needs to be doing so that along with coming back here will keep me on my toes hopefully!

Thanks Lindaa!!! I have missed you all. I am really glad to be 'home' again!

I FOUND YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Janet send me the link a couple weeks ago and I screwed up and deleted the email. I missed all of you and know that I need to come back for the support. As I told Janet my daughter was approved for the band today and is having surgery Oct 2 already. 2 and 1/2 weeks from approval! I am not sure if you all remember when I told you about Courtney and her weight struggles for the majority of her life. We tried to get her approved before but she was denied. She turned 18 August 29 and I told her we needed to try again if this is what she really wanted. Surgeons office submitted last Friday and I called insurance this morning and was told she is approved. She is in a state of shock! LOL I am so happy. She sees a psychiatrist and counselor on a regular basis for depression and etc and they are both very supportive and think Courtney will benefit emotionally and mentally from this as well as physical health. They both wrote letters of recommendation this time. I have encouraged her to join lbt and reminded her that this was my life line for quite some time before and after my surgery and suggested she join for the benefit. I thought I needed to practice what I preach and get back on here myself as I have been struggling as well. I see many of you on facebook but I do not share about my band there so I really am going to try and be better about visiting here and getting the support I need from by band sisters!!! Wow~so glad to be back!:tt1:

Phyl size 18 is awsome!!! You look so good in the last pictures you posted. Just think of where you will be when you travel home after the winter!! Steph congrats on the new addition to your family. I didn't know about special collars for grey houds. Do you know why? Ruby-thanks so much for the welcome home. I really do feel better the last couple of days after being here. It has been so long! How is your son and hubby doing. Are you still planning to move or did you by now?!?! Kari-I agree with you about the band tightening up. When I am really stressed out or have a lot emotinally going on I can barely get anything down. I haven't had a filled in about 2 1/2-3 months. I do have to say though that I think I am ready for one because I am eating more and hungry a lot more. Luckily I haven't gained anything back knock on wood, but I am scheduled next Thursday for the fill. Now if I missed anyone it DEFINATELY is not purposely. I have been trying to read and catch up but unfortunately it was almost the whole summer and I don't think I will be able to catch up. See look where I am today (in the middle of a workday). I have all these things on my desk but I wanted to check here. I am so glad I am home and I have that feeling of 'completion' again. You know I was feeling more and more alone each day since not being here but I feel ok now. I feel like I can look and say 'hey it is going to be alright. You will get to goal and you will get the rest of your life put together.' Thanks everyone.

Thank you all so much for letting me vent last night. I am feeling better tonight. I am just taking the night off from all work and just going to go relax and watch tv. I haven't done that in over a month. I am always thinking about what has to be done in the office and since my office is in my home it is so convenient to work all night long. Not mentally convenient though. HAHA I didn't realize how much I missed and needed you all. I am so happy that I remembered my roots and came back here. You all have done amazing!!! Steph you are so close!! Peaches thank you so much the information. I used to work with the mentally ill and have had a lot of first hand knowledge do to that. I was paid from my job to actually go to classes and learn about the different illnesses. Well I am off to watch television. I am really tired tonight and going to actually take my meds at a decent hour and go to bed. Have a great night ladies and I will check in tomorrow.:crying:

Hello Ladies!!! Do you remember me. HAHA So sorry that I have not been around. You wouldnt believe my life lately. Oh where to start!!! Ok so remember when I told you guys that they started me on Zolofy, trazadone and other meds for depression and to help me sleep? Well that was the start of it all. I took my meds and I was feeling really good. I mean great!! I was flying on top of the world and kinda living on the edge. Well I had a few people say to me what is going on with you? You are really different. Then I forgot the Zoloft for a few days and I started to think about things I had done and etc. (I jumped off a bridge in total darkness and fell on lots of large bolder rocks, gambling all the time, very impulsive) Anyway after a couple weeks with out the zoloft I started to feel like 'me' again. I was thinking about my actions all summer and thought 'what the hell was I doing?!?! Why didn't someone stop me? I was running around like some maniac.' So anyway, made an appointment with my psch doctor finally because I figured it was time to tell her that I just stopped the zoloft. While we were meeting and I was telling her about it and how I felt now she told me that sometimes bi polar lays under and it is hard to detect but if you increase a persons antidepressants (they maxed me out on zoloft to control my OCD) they go into a state of mania and she thinks that is what was going on. The OCD was very controled but like I said I was acting like a maniac and just didn't have a care in the world. So now she is having me take Lamictal (mood stabablizer) because she thinks I am bi-polar. She told me she is not ready to actually give me that diagnosis yet but she would like to keep evaluating me each month. So now I am on this lamictal. Now it gets great! I am feeling really down again because I just started the lamictal last week and it takes 5 weeks to get the total effect from it so I am emotional, OCD is back, I got a promotion to superviser of 3 counties, my former superviser quit and I took her job but she left it a total fricken mess (paperwork not done for 3-4 years on some clients) and it all has to be brought current. I won't even go into all that because it is such a long drawn out sagga it would take me too long to tell you the mess she left, and I am dealing with my 15 year old son with MAJOR attitude!! I am trying to catch all her work up as well as keeping up with my own and it is really hard because I have to go through stacks and stacks of papers to get them sorted and filed and then do documentation on each file for each month of each year the clients were/are served with us, my son is just being awful and mean mothed and spiteful, and I don't have any damn antidepressants that are doing anything for me right now!!! My family thinks I am a total wack job. Hubby told me tonight just being a jerk that I am really weird now. No he didn't say it in a teasing or joking way. He was mean. My son is the teenager from hell right now who keeps saying 'you a nut job' and my lovely daughter saying 'I can really see the bi-polar now that she talked about it. It all makes sense why you 'fly of the handle and stuff.' I said do any of the three of you ever stop to think I am very stressed out with the job, keeping the house cleaned and then having you all make me feel like I am nothing? Anyway, I am sorry I came here and unloaded. I just felt like I needed to talk to someone and I thought of all of you. You have always been there for me. I will try to get on more often but right now can't promise anything. I miss all of you and how you all make me feel. Like I am someone. The weight loss has been ok. I am 16 lbs from doctors goal but 26 from mine. My last blood check my iron is low, my potassium is low, protein is low, cholesterol is great, and the rest looked ok. I am taking supplements for iron and pottassium pills from the doc and was told to eat more protein. I have slipped on that because I just grab a snack here and there and bring it back to my desk. (I have an in home office for work so it is convenient to just grab a snack when I get a little hungry. They are not bad snacks but just not enough I guess. Well it is 12:16 AM and I have to get to bed. I have a 8am meeting tomorrow morning at the main campus, 1 hour away so I better get some shut eye. Man I feel better after telling you all my drama. Thanks and I hope to be back soon. How is everyone else doing? You all look great in your pics!!

Good evening ladies. Looks like it has been really quiet around here to day. We took our swimming pool down tonight. I hate doing that because it really is a lot of work but I love the pool so I will deal with it. I have things layed out all over the yard to dry and we have washed the pool inside and out so now once everything is dry we will pack it all away in it tubs. Well I think I am going to schedule a fill. Been awhile and I am eating more than I should. I had 2 pieces of chicken for supper tonight. Nothing else but it was from hy-vee with the skin on it. I have rank lots of water and did work alot today mowed the lawn (3 acres on a rider.) then worked on taking the pool down. That was quite a bit of lifting and walking so I am hoping to counter act the effect of the chicken. Guess we'll see tomorrow. Well I am going to get my mom tomorrow. She is really confused it seems and they told me it is because she won't keep her oxygen on her face. She didn't have it before but now they ae sending her home wih oxygen. Finally got the sleep study results for my daughter. She does have sleep apnea. I called the surgeons office to keep her records there up to date. I am certainly hoping with the problems she has already that BCBS of Iowa will approve her even though it will be a few months before she turns 18. She has skin breakdown and has sores in the fold of skin on her stomach. Well it is now 10:30 again and I better get going. Have ANOTHER long day again tomorow. Good nite all

Hello Ladies!! Thanks for all the good lucks with my mom. I am really happy to report that they put her in the hospital and then they really worked on getting the fluids off. Within 2 hours with a catheter she had a liter and a half out. She is feeling better today and she is alert instead of delerious. (sp?) Now doc is looking into WHY did she have that problem and oh yeah........he is really pissed at the providers here and how they are treating his patients. He told us 'I don't miss Charles City at all and I said well we sure miss you. But I guess we will just be driving to you because no one else wanted to help my mom and I have been really worried to the point of checking her throughout the night to make sure she is breathing. He told me don't worry I will take care of her here and get her back on track. I talked to mom today and she is my mom now. She said she doesn't remember coming there or being admitted and her knees are still really hurting when she walks but I told her I am sure they will be sore for a while after all the fluid they had to lug around. My mom is not a small women to begin with (235) and she was at 256 when we went to the office due to the fluid. They have her back down to 238 now. She is able to breath alot easier and feels alot better. We went fishing AGAIN tonight and I just got home and showered and it is now 2:09 am. I bought some Light Mike's Cranberry lemonaid to drink tonight and I have to tell you I really like it and it goes down really well. Doesn't even taste like liquior but don't worry I was careful not to drink to many because of that fact. HAHA Got a tattoo on friday. My friend thinks I am going through a mid life crisis but I told her I have always said I was getting another tattoo and I found the one I wanted. I have one other one on my ankle for the new one is on my left shoulder. My daughter has wanted one for so long and I took her so I could make sure that it was tasteful. She got a VERY small tattoo of a butterfly on the top to the side of her right foot. When she has shoes on you can't see it. I don't like the tattoo's that really stick out so mine is discrete as well. Gosh I love being back to posting. I forgot how much I really needed you all. Missed you all too. Phyl HAPPY BELATED ANNIVERSARY!!!! Kari-your room sounds awsome. Definately post pics when you are done. mango- I don't know what is wrong with you fonts. Mine have been ok. steph-chicken salad sounds good. Maybe I will have to try that one. Janet-hope you are having a wonderful time this weekend Everyone else I didn't mention I hope you are all doing great!! Have we decided when and where we are meeting again (well this will be my first time). I just want to plan so I can figure the amount to save. Well it is now 2:17am and I am still wired so I am going to go watch a little tv. Good night and love ya all

I am up for the Vegas whenever you all decide. I just think July would be sooo hot out there but if that is what everyone decides I will do whatever. I LOVE Vegas. We went 2 1/2 years ago and we were married out there by Elvis. HAHA DH and I have been wanting to go back so he will prob come with me. Steph we are having somewhat similar problems with docs. My PCP of 15 years moved at the end of June. He is still staying the family doc for major things but simple things like colds we will go to someone around here. My mom was also a patient of his. Anyway, this person we are seeing here is not helping her at all. She has taken alot of the diuretics that our pcp had my mom on away and it has messed with her potassium and then she gives a little back and then takes it away again. Now this week my mom has stayed with me all week since last Friday. Last Friday she was told to go to the ER and when we get there the doctor there said go back to Amy (the one we are seeing here) on Monday (she had just been there to see amy that morning. So anyway we go all through the weekend and finally monday gets here and I am sick and hacking and etc so I make an appointment for myself and for mom. I go in and she gives me an antibiotic that I have never taken because I am allergic to penicillin and my regular pcp wanted me to stay away from 'just in case'. I tell her this and she says well let's try it. Then she gives mom 1/2 the dose our pcp was giving her for the water retention and edema in her legs and sends us on our way. This is Monday. By Tuesday my mom can no longer walk and her legs are humungous (sp?). So we kept her down as much as possible with feet elevated. Wednesday I have to go get a wheel chair because she is in so much pain and falling everytime she tries to walk. So when she needed to get around she was crawling on her knees. Today her health care nurse that comes to her home came to my house to see her and said something has to be done that is terrible looking. We call another docs office around here to see if she can go there instead of going to amy and we are told they will give the docs the information I gave them and then they will call back next week to let me know if they will take her on as a patient. I said 'she needs to be seen asap. The health nurse is here and telling me this.' She tells me to take her to the ER. My reply is 'what for we did that last friday and they just told us to go to amy on monday.' I get off the phone and am really pissed by this point and tell my mom I am taking tomorrow off from work to take her to our PCP in Minnesota. I called up there and told him what was going on and I was crying telling him we feel like nobody wants to treat us since he left. He tells me he has had several calls from patients here with the same feeling and they aren't getting the care they need either. Then he said 'I wil make room for your mom and bring DD along so she can have her monthly weigh it (we are working towards the band). We are leaving at 6am and it is about 2 hours or a little over drive. I don't care though. He is really the only one I trust. Sorry this post was so long but I am really po'ed about the whole situation.

Hello everyone!!!!! I know I haven't been on in a while but I wanted to checck in and say hi and everyone is doing so amazing. I am doing fine. Check out my ticker. CAN YOU FRIGGIN BELIEVE IT!?!?!?! I have been so busy with work and outdoors I don't get on much. I do get on to read all the new posts so that I stay up to date though. I am interviewing for a supervisor position at my current employers this week. Not sure what day but they told me they definately wanted me to submit my resume and interview. I have 18 years experience so they are thinking easier than bringing someone in who doesn't have a clue and less training time. I was hacked into my checking account and debit card through paypal this week. WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!! The person put 89 charges for $39.99 through my account. Paypal and my bank are working to recover all the funds and find the person responsible. I was really upset but today I was told by paypal they would be placing all the funds back into my account whether they had to pay it because they couldn't find the person. They want me to get my money ASAP and to them that could mean 30 days. Really stresses me out. We are leaving for my dad's in Missouri on August 28th. He does not know what I had done and I have not seen him since 2 weeks before my surgery. Took my 16 year old to the seminar for the lapband last night. She really wants to start pushing for it. We talked with the surgeon after everyone left and he told us he would work with us to try to get things needed to get her approved. I asked if she was excited and she said not really I am trying not to get my hopes up. That broke my heart. I want her to feel better about herself and more confident and not always 'hide' behind everyone else. For gosh sake all summer EVERYDAY she wears a t-shirt with jeans and a hooded sweatshirt over the t to hide herself. She is such a wonderful person and she has been burdened with this the majorty of her short life. Keep her in your prayers ladies. I sure wish I would have been at the MofA. Are we for sure planning Vegas for next year? I started a saving for our next trip because no way am I missing that one. Thing is are we going in July because Vegas will be miserable hot!!! Don't matter I am not missing the chance to meet all my band sisters again. I am so envious. I had a dream the other night that since I didn't go Phyl and Peaches met me somewhere so we could have a vacation together. Anyway, the whole time neither of them talked to me except hi when we first arrived and they were off doing things together and I was just the odd man out who done things by myself or stayed in my hotel room because they did not want to share with me they shared together. HAHA I know it was a crazy dream. I know none of you would do that to any of us. Well now that I have wrote a long book I better close. People prob stopped reading a while ago. I will try getting on more often and posting. I am here daily but just not posting. Love you all Jackie

My gosh I wish I could have been there. Funny thing was I found out today that I could have been. My girlfriend called and said she just got back from MofA. I said when did you go there. SHE LEFT FRIDAY AND CAME HOME SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told her all about the Lucky number 7's and the weekend and she said I am so sorry I didn't mention it last week you could have gone with me. I am still just reeling from the fact that I could have been there and wasn't. I will DEFINATELY be in Vegas next year. We got married out there 2 and 1/2 yrs ago and we have been talking of going back since before the plane landed back in Iowa. So glad that you all had a great time. I sooooo wish I would have been there. Don't know that I would have shopped ll that much but the convirsations and hanging out would have been great!!! We need pics when you all get some rest and recuperate.

I had to check in and tell you all I am so envious of you for your trip and really wish I could afford it but I just can't swing it right now. I will be thinking of all of you all weekend. Today is my bandiversary and I now down 105 lbs. 30 more pounds to goal. I can't believe it. I am getting worried though because my lower back is hurting terrible lately and I think it is because of the skin in the front. I don't have a lot of hang just skin. I don't know. I am going to go to the doctor and chiropractor and see if that helps. If not I will be checking into PS. Problem is I still have 30 more pounds to go and I dont want any ps done until I am at goal but I don't know how long my back can take this. Well I better get. I have had a very busy day with work and family and I am just wiped out. Good night and sweet dreams everyone. Have a wonderful time and take lots of pictures. Be safe and we will be waiting here for your returns.

Thank you all for all the compliments and I want to say Kudos to each and everyone of you for your accomplishments. I am FINALLY caught up on the posts. I know I have been missing for quite awhile. Life just got busy when summer hit I guess. I really didn't have anything really new to post either. I have not been doing my walking but I am very active outside most of the day and then swimming in our pool outside and REALLY watching what I eat. The food department as been awsome. I got a fill about 2 months ago and it was great but after losing 22 lbs I went back in last week for a tweek because I was feeling the hunger more often. I am trying to stay ahead of the game with my fills and my PA told me that I was doing great and it great that I am staying ahead with them. OK I have to brag about this. Last Friday night we when to the casino (wrong thing to do because we lost AGAIN!!!!) I was setting at a machine and this nice looking man came and sat down next to me and started playing. He wasn't winning but I was and he said 'I am going to get a drink could I buy you a drink pretty lady?" I said no thank you and he said are you sure I don't mind? I again said no. And then he asked me to hold his seat. I held his seat and then got up shortly after he got back because I am married and all so I went looking for DH but I did feel good and told DH all about it. Oh course he stayed RIGHT by my side the rest of the time we were there. HAHA OK I gotta go. I am going to mow the lawn. I will be back on more often. I am always thinking of you all. Sorry I have been gone so long. I am still trying to see if I would be able to just pop up to mofa for just one day during the day to meet everyone. Money is really tight but I am trying to finagle it. I don't want to get my hopes up though. But next year...........Vegas?...............count me in baby!!

I had to take pictures today so that I could show you the difference in these pictures exactly 1 yr later. I am FINALLY down to being just over weight. Can you believe it!?!?!?! Also btw, the jeans I am wearing in todays pictures are LEVI'S 542 SKINNY JEANS SIZE 8! I couldn't believe it when I put them on!!! Now to do something with my arms?

Hey gang. Just thought I would pop in. I am catching up on all the posts. I have 5 more pages to go. I am very happy to tell you my scale has been moving. I am very satisfied with my fill from last month. I never feel hunger but make sure I eat. We are very active in the summer so I am always on the go even after work. Lots of fishing and swimming in our pool and outdoorsy things. Sounds like everyone else is doing so great!!!! I am so proud of all of us. I got lab orders from the surgeon yesterday so that I will get my 1YEAR labs done in mid July before I see him for my one year. You know it felt like time was dragging and the scales weren't moving but hell it has been almost a freakin year already. I have 41 pounds to lose and I am giving myself until Christmas. I am honestly hoping it won't take that long but I have set that time for a goal. Secretly I am thinking by Oct. The medications I am on have finally started to settle in with me. They had to change my Zoloft to liquid because I started to get indigestion and heartburn so bad. I was really worried about an ulcer so when I talked with the pharmacy they told me they could do it in liquid for and I would have to as 7.5ml to 4 oz. of liquid and take it that way. I figure to protect my band and my sanity I can do that. HAHA About the M of A trip. I am so sad to say there is no way I can do it. With the kids trips and drivers ed and prom and life itself I just can not afford it right now. Please everyone that is going take LOTS of pictures and post them for those of us that can't go. I will still try to fanaggle it somehow but I just don't think I can. Well I better get. My son is yelling for me to get in the pool for my water aerobics. Isn't it funny!! The kids keep me in check. My son loves that I am more energetic and do things (moving things) with him now. The other night we were going to go out and after I got ready DH had already gone to the car and when I went to get in he was staring at me and I said 'what do I had something on me or something?' (still self conscious) and he said 'no but you are really fricken hot looking!!! Look at you. I will have to keep an eye on other guys tonight. Blonde hair blue eyes and freakin sexy!' My gosh my confidence just soured.

[/url] Hello everyone. Sorry I have been MIA so long. I am just getting used to the meds they put me on. Wow they knock me for a loop! They make me REALLY tired and 'drunk' feeling. Those side effects are going away some now. The 'drunk' feeling anyway during the day. I have been pretty stressed out and feeling down so I went back to the doc and he put me on antidepressants and antianxiety meds. I do have to say I feel some better but not great. They told me it would take 6 weeks for them to totally be in my system. They put me on zoloft and that treats OCD (not why they put me on it) and low and behold I have been deep cleaning my house 1 TIME A WEEK!!! I have not ever done that. I do my daily dusting sweeping vacuuming and laundry but I don't get so stressed about the house anymore. That I feel so much better about. Well after my last fill my scales have started to move great. Hoping it keep up but I know myself and I will hit a couple more plateaus before I get to goal. But for now I am happy. I really need to get back into exercise but as I mentioned before I have had absolutely no energy for it. I plan to change that this week. We had a bad storm on Thursday night and our yard was a mess with leaves and branches. I went out and cleaned my yard and then I went and cleaned my in laws for the exercise and I tell you my legs are still hurting today. All the bending and lunges. My sound weird but I like it when I have a little pain because I know I have worked those muscles. Well you all sound like you are doing great. I have kept up with the reading so I staying updated. Gotta go. Rainy day hear and I am going to read and nap all day. Missed you all!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phyl yes I got mine and I absolutley love it!!! It is definately a workout. I did it with the kids for almost 3 hours and I can tell you that I am sore. It is so touchy it just amazes me. I absolutely love it. I set weight loss goals and plan to MAKE myelf do this at least every other day and try to get my 6 miles in as well. The scale is moving again FINALLY. Don't want to brag much because I am afraid I will jinx myself. When I got my fill last Wed I told her 'you always give me .2 and I think my band opens up more when I eat so I never feel different.' She looked and sure enough it looked tight but she said your band is different because it shows that it is tight but you are telling me you are more hungry so I am going to give you a fill according to what you are telling me and feeling so she gave me .6 and I have excellent restriction. Not too much and the scale is starting to move. Hoping with the wii fit I will be able to move it a little faster. Phyl can you tell me how to tell from the wii how many calories I have burned during each time> I have my body bugg and that does that but I was just wondering. Evnjoy yours and anyone else considering one GET IT!!!! YOU WILL LOVE IT!!:confused_smile: