vinesqueen

one of my dad's favortie hobbies was doing the laundry. I grew up thinking that it was "man's work" to do the laundry. I don't think my mother ever did a load of laundry when i was a kid. She didn't teach me how to Iron, because she said she had better things to teach me. ... Like how to roll the prefect joint. My mother-in-law bought me an ironing board, and my sister-in-law couldn't believe I don't know where my iron is. I have a vague idea where it might be. Like, I know it's in the house. Probably.

The only part I worry about is the damage it does to the young. My younger sister was a trophy bride until she got too old to be a trophy, and was traded in for a younger model. Her entire sense of self worth was only tied to what she looked like, not what she was or new, or anything else. She's since realized that she has value beyond what her face, body and hair look like, she's realized that she has value simply because she *is*. I worry at the impossible standard of beauty, the foolish trout lips, the boob-jobs, the botox injections and such will continue to even more outlandish actions. I worry that eventually there is no way a young woman will ever feel good about the way she looks. I wonder how many of us on this board are truely happy with how we look now. I know that I've had some plastic surgery to repair the damage from a really bad motorcycle accident. Reconstructive work, but this has also helped me feel better about my body. I know that I'm plannig to have a breast reduction and lift, and I'm going to have a tummy tuck. I don't know that my motives are pure reconstruction, since I know that I will feel better after these procedures. But I will also look better, and clothes will fit me better. That's important because I don't have a team of tailors making me the custom clothing that would fit me. But I suspect that I am very different from most people. I don't give a damn what people think about my appearance. But then again, I don't think they are paying attention to me either. I figure they are all wrapped up in their own thoughts and concerns that someone as boring as myself goes un-noticed

I took about a week off, maybe two weeks, then I was back at my pilaties, walking, abs, and I think week three I started horseback riding.

Ironing is what you do once a year with your antique lace tablecloth that fits your enormous dining room table that is coved with husband junk except when we have parties. My in-laws cannot believe that not only do I not know how to Iron, I don't have the slightest bit of interest in learning how. My ex-husband expected me to iron his Navy uniforms, so I ironed them wrong.:faint: I mean really, who in the world would iron when permanent press was invented?

HU-ray! I have no idea what a VBS is, but HU-ray for both needing a smaller shirt, and recognizing that you need a smaller one!

I do think they are inevitable. But the band is not surgically induced bulimia, no, no, no. I rarely if ever PB, but I do get stuck a lot. I'm putting off going for another unfill because, well, I don't want one, but I've realized that I've been moving to soft foods more and more because they don't get stuck and they dont hurt. Time for an unfill. Anyway. I really think that at some point in time, a Bandster is going to get the slimes and PB. I know that my restriction is not constant, and neither is my husband's. A food that you had no problem with yesterday will decide to turn on you today. It's a fickle practice.

Nykee, your honesty and "realness" never fail to amaze me. 'Sho is right, start documenting, start getting things charted by your docs. What you have said shows medical neccesity, not cosmetic. I think you are sort of stuck in the middle. You've come so far that you cannot see that light where you came from, but you haven't gone far enough to see the light where you are going. And that is a diffiuclt and discouraging place to be. (((((Nykee)))) 'Sho, that is so wonderful about the bathing suit! But I honestly cannot think of an NSV where I have mixed feelings. I will have to do some thinking about that. I cannot offer any thing constructive about your scars. But then again, I don't care if people see my scars, it doesn't have an affect on me what people think about them. It doesn't even occur to me that people might think anything about them for that matter.

47 pounds in 9 months is a great loss. And that would definately remove you as a turtle. (that's a good thing.) However, I think people have not been responding to you on this thread because I know that I, for one, and slightly horrified that you would be doing you own fill/unfill. We do not know if you are a qualified medical person, and we don't know if you have had the proper training for band maintence. This is really scary because we are afraid you are going to seriously damage yourself, your tubing, your port or something. You said that you cannot afford the $100 for fills, but can you afford the cost to replace something should you screw up? We worry, and we are, I think, collectively agast.

Well, the current step is to try to get these headaches under control. I did accupunture last week, but the head aches are no better, but my energy level is higher.

I have a blue 1992 Saturn S, with 170,000 miles on it. DH has a green '99 Ford F-150 with the extended cab, and the Spudboy drives a '96 Toyota. We also have a pair of Kowi motorcycles, but mine is still broken. No car payments! Huzzah! The main reason I haven't bought a new car, besides being a full time student, is that even though my car is a '92, I consistantly get great gas milage, almost never less than 30MPG, and that was only because I got stuck in the traffic jam from hell. (3 hours to go what should have taken 30 minutes.) If I'm going on a long freeway trip, I get about 38-40 MPG.

no, no news yet. I have been concentrating on my mother for the last month or so. Physically she's doing really well, her surgeon is pleased with her progress. Mentally she's still a head-case. But she's been a head case all my life. Since she's on here way to being better, now it's time to concentrate on me. I have a new PCP and am using a new health clinic, and they are taking me seriously.

Odd, I've never experienced this. Or at least, not that I can remember. Certianly not since banded. food smells have triggered desire to eat, but not hunger. As in, mmmmn, Cinnabons! But I know it would take me about an hour to eat a small one, and I have no desire to spend my time that way.

I've never, ever had a problems with a straw while banded. Personally, I get *less* air with a straw that just drinking out of a glass. Silly straws for everyone!

Hippo birdies! Two Ewes!

My husband has lost more than 200 pounds. I'm not sure what he's at right now because he hasn't been in to weigh. He started at 600 pounds, and I swear that he's about 385 now.

Sweetie, the band isn't about "restriction" it is about losing weight. And you are definately restricted, if you are having that much trouble. What are you expecting restriction to feel like? Perhaps that will help us guide you better, knowing what your expectations are. And like Kathy says, you really can't go by the number. I'm sitting at 1.25cc and I need an unfill. Please be kind to yourself

YOU ARE NORMAL!!! There, feel better? ((((hugs)))) The band is not designed to work without a fill, and you seem to be a great healer! Yes, some people need 2 or 3 fills before they find their "sweet spot" but others find the first fill does the trick. Because you are not filled, it is just like you were not banded. Of course you will be hungry. That's normal and to be expected. Please hang in there, this pre-fill stage has got to be the hardest because you want it to work, you don't want to be hungry, and you want to lose weight. So, this will probably be the last time you will be able to enjoy baked goods :girl_hug: Excellent work on the 10 pounds, btw. But jus so you know, you are going to be hungry even after you are filled. You will, because you are HUMAN. I'm sitting here, feeling hungry, but that's because I ate something like 4 hours ago. And that too is to be expected. A lot of people think that once they are banded, (and filled) that they will never, ever be hungry ever again. And that is simply not true. But maybe for the first time, you will feel physically hungry, instead of 'munchy' or 'nibbly' or something similar. Part of the key is to lean to manage your hunger, so you don't get too hungry. If I'm not careful, my hunger will sneak up on me, and suddenly I'll be ravenously hungry. And that is a danger point. If I wait until I am too hungry, I get into trouble. I'll eat too fast, or take too big of a bite and then WHAMP!!!! Stuck, or worse. Cheers and welcome to Bandlandia

Aveno baths, basically powedered oat meal. you want to dry up the blisters, so use witchhazle, or some thing similar. Calamine lotion. I used to get it so badc my face would litterally melt, and I would have to go on steroids for weeks. Pretty bad when the only thing that would fit me would be my dad's undershirts. They would be the only things with a large enough neck-hole for my poor swolen face. I was not a happy child.

Congrats Christina! It sure has been a wild year!

You should also find out what your real body mass is. This should give you a better idea of what you actually need to lose. I've highlighted the fact that you have been excersizing more, and this is very important. You may have pulled a Pat and actually put on a lot of muscle. It is very imprtant to understand that the BMI scale is USLESS for athelete. I think to start the pannel you would either see an internist, or an Endo.

If you are doing all this work, and yet you are gaining weight, have you considered a metabolic panel? You've had quite a struggle, but you've also had some good success. I don't know why this is such a hard slog for some of us. I don't know why some people get to live life as a "normal" size, why they get to eat what they want, and not gain weight. I don't know why some of us gain weight on bread and Water. I cannot offer any real suggestions of concequent about revisions, since no weightloss surgery will help me lose weight.

<3 Kare, how could anyone think of you as insufferable??? But too funny about the food

Kare, I just bumped the thread, or one of them. I also whine about it in my journal too. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18328&page=3 LMAO "Tumasaurus"!

Bumping for Kare and DeLara, and some others

I'm about 16 months out, and I don't regret the band. I'm sitting here today with a net loss of 25 pounds, a brain tumor and I can't find an inhaler. So I'm mixed. I'm passed being pissed about not being lose weight. Or at least for today I'm passed it. Incredibly disapointed, but for now I'm at peace. If not for the band, the pit tumor wouldn't have been found. I wasn't loseing weight, and I DEMANDED answers as to why. I don't know where the inhaler is because I don't need one anymore. Before I was banded I was at the very real possibility of death from resperatory failure.