the best me

Wow, that's just so cool. Some people just don't do the computer thang much, and if a family member can sign in and stay in touch with others, research, ask questions, I think that is just great! Youare doing a fine thing, Fireman! Good to have you here!

Okay, I have some perspective here that might help you, Becky, and I'd like some feedback from others as well... I have been banded 6 weeks now, so I am off full muchies and on to regular food. For the past several weeks I had been sticking to "full mushies" which was pretty much anything with small bites, chewed to bits, and eaten slowly. I ate guacamole and tostitos, Soups, well chewed, oatmeal, Beans, chili, very mushy chicken salad, mushy mexican (beans, guac, salsa, w/ fajita juice and chopped chicken/onion/pepper) and the like. I had been doing fine, even added in salads (which take forEVER to eat) but tolerated all this well. Just like you have. Well, these past two days I have been experimenting with heavier foods, eating the hard protiens first, etc. Boy, do I feel my restriction now!!! The difference is, I am no longer eating to get past the band because of healing. I am eating to fill the pouch, right? Still chewing like mad, small bites, slow. But the hard protiens are killing me! Last night I had a yummy dinner, 6 small nasty little meatballs in mushroom gravy, maybe 1/3 cup green beans and 1/4 cup corn. No rice, no dessert, nothing else, but I did drink coffee after dinner and I didn't wait 2 hours. Okay, maybe an hour tops. Later that evening, I hopped on the computer and brought with me some chicken salad my sister made. Not the mushy stuff, this was the chunky, large pieces of white meat ckn with grapes, walnuts, apples and not much mayo, just enough to coat. YUMMY!!!! So I had maybe 3 bites and started sliming. Not the golf ball stuck, but the "I ate one bite too many" slime. And I spit up that last bite of slimed up well chewd chicken salad. EW. Now THAT, is restriction, right? Tell me folks...do I have this right? Do I have the difference between eating to go through the band and eating to stay above in the pouch? I have to say, eating to go through the band is really easy to do, as you can attest, Becky. I'm pretty sure you were banded just a few weeks after me, so maybe this will help you.

Port area puffiness will stick around for a while. Just look for signs of infection, and as long as it's fine, the swelling will go down. Battle wounds!!!! yeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Oh my gosh, how do I get this on my sig?????? You are so sweet, can't wait to figure this out!!! I'll PM you if I can't do it... I did it!!! It is lovely. You are such a dear! thank you

Okay, I'm really glad you got your own screen name, and cool avatar and sig. What a great supporter! Be sure to support US, too! Hook us up with links to other related threads of you notice them, give us a big thumbs up if we need it, all that stuff. You can be ALL our sister supporters! hehe. Glad you are here!

Yippeee!!! Way to go, Blonde! Glad to hear you made it back for payroll, LOL! And to hear that everything went fine. It helps to know when you are going alone that you will at least meet some folks there. Glad you are fine and thanks for checking in! Congratulations!

Yesterday was my daughter's Kindergarten graduation, and today is her last (1/2 day) of school. As a teary-eyed sentimental mom, I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to all you teachers. You are awesome, and your skills for loving, caring, and nurturing the little minds of your students are so appreciated, even on the bad days when you patience is thin. You have an awesome job and responsibility, and I am so grateful for you!!!! Thanks!

Stay-at-home mom here. My daughter is 5 and just graduated Kindergarten. My son is 2. My hubby is a Lisenced General Contractor and is self-employed. He does all kinds of remodeling work. He also built our house. wow! In my former life, pre-kids, I was a Program Manager for Group Homes for a private Non-Profit agency that provides services for adults with developmental disabilities. I supervised 6 group homes which house 5-6 adults whose primary diagnoses were Mild to Moderate Mental Retardation. I LOVED the work, even tried to go back between kids but it wasn't working. I never realized how much of my job I took home with me when it was just me and hubby. Can't have that with kids, so when it was time for baby #2, I quit. Never looked back. Much. I'll have to go back to work one of these days, so I hope to get a job in the brand new hospital that opened last fall just up the road. Don't know what I'll do there? Something entry-level, see what happens. It will be a pay cut, but I just need to make enough, not alot. We have 208,000 miles on our minivan, scary!!!! New van? Get job!!!

Yay Nikkee!!! Thanks for the scoop, girl! So glad it went well and I am LOVING your positive attitude and enthusiasm! Well done! Yep, pics are great. Go ahead and post your "Before" pics on the Before and After thread. We want to see you! Oh, and your scar pics on the scar thread, too. What size band did you get? congratulations! say hi to your sister!

That's a GREAT NSV! More to come for you, I'll bet! Congrats!

I always knew you were smart.

Okay, I have noticed that every once in a while this gets bumped to the New Post list, but there is nothing new!!! What's up with that?

Thanks for the kind words, trying2live. I'm sorry you will have to leave us for a while, but I hope you will be back soon. Don't forget us!

Oh my gosh, there is a name for what I've got!!! Which is why I like Zoe's quote so much (see sig). It isn't meaness, and it isn't even stupidity, really, it's CRS! I can feel my port. I check to make sure it's still round and smooth under the skin, yep, it is.

Oh my gosh, I'm not the only one who says "trashy"!!! My 5yo daughter will see a magazine cover in the grocery store and say "mom, is that trashy?" YEP! I'll be saying this one all day now..."I personally think that is very trashy!" Keep your thong to yourself! Anyway, don't you wear one so folks don't see your panty lines through your pants? So why do you let it stick out above your waistband? What's up with that? Crystal: "I have cleavage when I wear a turtle neck..." Ha! You go girl!

I must be PMSing cuz this made me tear up! Thanks for the encouragement. You are doing SO well! Don't be dissappointed if the scale sneaks back up to a "2" every few days until you get well below the 200 mark...You saw a... 1! Well done and well deserved.

here's a related thread that might be helpful. maybe you could PM some of the folks there? Good luck! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6880&highlight=hypothyroid

wow! good job! I can't wait to break 200. I'm stuck at 208. Maybe I should put myself back on the liquid phase! (hmmmm, thinking about this...lol!) congrats!

I'm sure it will be fine, Tanya. Don't flip out yet!!! When do you go for your flouro fill? People with flipped ports get fills all the time. No biggie, it just takes a very skilled fill person, I'd guess. They will be able to do something with the flouro, I'm sure. Please don't panic! (((((((hugs))))))))

1. How long were you out of work? I'm a stay at home mom. I'm never off. I had a rough start though...surgery Friday, tried to stay home w/ my 2yo all day on Monday and couldn't handle it. I was exhausted and miserable. He weighs 38 pounds so I taught him to climb onto the chaging table, which helped. But my sis ended up hanging out w/ me for the next two days. I might have been fine after that but began having swelling/PB problems, yada yada. The following Monday is when I was able to get back on Mom duty. I was also able to go without driving for over a week. I might have been able to drive sooner, but got willied about putting my children into a 4 ton minivan with me at the wheel going 50+mph. Just couldn't do it! Worked out fine though. 2. Explain to me what getting "stuck" feels like. Oh my gosh it hurts! Golf ball in chest, yes. You can still breath, although you think you can't, but it takes your breath away for a sec. Then very uncomfortable until is passes. if you PB it, which is NOT good, the relief is instant. whew! Avoid getting stuck. It causes swelling and more getting stuck, and PBs. small bites, chew chew chew. 3. How soon after surgery can you begin to excercise? Walking immediately. This Friday is 6 weeks and I feel fine to get back to aerobics classs and do some light weights. Okay, so I'll go now, OKAY?!!!! 4. Were you afraid to eat after the surgery? Nope. Just afraid to swallow. 5. If you have a spouse/significant other.. How did they handle your weight loss? DH is very supportive, hopeful that this will really help me get my wieght off. He knows how hard it is for me and just lets me do my thing. We have had a few conversations about "No food Police". He doesn't need to watch and comment and worry...just let me handle it. He's great so far!

Looks like this is the unofficial June 2005 Bandsters list? Maybe one of you could start a new thread for all you June Bandsters to sign up on. It's nice to be able to keep up with everyone and know who got banded when you did. We did it in April and May. Others before us have done it as well. Whoever starts the thread needs to take the responsibility of maintaining the list with the handy-dandy Edit button. I did April, Debbydo did May. I put April under Support, Debbydo put May in the Lounge. Wherever is fine. I nominate sallykotz...maybe a moderator can change your thread title to June 2005 Bandsters or something? Then you can just leave it here... Congrats everyone! Your list will grow by leaps and bounds! Just watch. I'll be watching!

I have heard of that...my doc just said he gets less problems with the port on the left side below the ribcage. Mine is just above my waist band...no problmes so far. I'm not sure what problems ARE caused by having it below the sternum in the middle. If I run across something I'll post a link, but others are sure to post soon...

Angiebell, i found liquid Tylenol in adult strength at the grocery store...it's labeled as Tylenol Sore Throat. One tablespoon (15ml) is 500mg of Tylenol, which is equivalent to one extra strength tylenol. 30ml, of course, is like taking 2 extra strenght tylenol. Taste okay but it's easy going down, and works well. Good luck!

jennani, Aleve is an NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug) as are Advil and Motrin, among others. Be very careful taking them, if at all. NSAIDs are very hard on the stomach lining and could cause erosion of your band. Check with a pharmacist about whether an over the counter pain reliever is an NSAID before taking it. At the very least, be sure to wash that pill through with plenty of Water so it doesn't rest on or in the stoma and irritate. Tylenol is safe to take, just wash it, and ALL meds, through the band. It sure worked to ease your pain, though huh? Glad you are better.

AW-RIGHT!!!!!!!!! Way to go, girl! I wouldn't have done this without my LBT family either. It makes a huge difference. Congratulations! I'm so proud and happy for you!