the best me

Yes, go liquids, drink Protein shakes (not Slimfast) and get to your doc ASAP. You need a small unfill. Screw the weight loss, you aren't healthy and won't lose until you are! Keep us posted.

Okay Diane, I am forced to weigh in on your situation because 1)you like to hear the opinions of others and have solicited them here...handing out your situation with enough detail that we have a clear picture of the dynamics (in other words...you asked for it) and 2)I am a stay-at-home Mom of 2 and totally support, encourage, understand, relate to, blah blah blah the "traditional" role of Mom in the family. So, here are my opinions. ~In my eyes, you are "doing" all the right things a Mom "does", but it isn't holding the place of Honor it should in your family. This starts with Dad. You are correct that he sets the tone. In that sense, you role is actually NOT very traditional. If it were, you would be content in your heart and held up and admired and feel entrusted and empowered and respected and revered. What YOU are doing is traditional. How it is esteemed by your husband is NOT. You, my dear, are in a pickle, for sure. ~I take issue with your statement that your family is exceptional and you are not, you are the "normal" one. Girl, you are exceptional. I see a well-written woman of conviction with a wonderful sense of humor. You have a special gift for intuitiveness. You understand what is happening, how things "are" with the family dynamics. You are adaptive, hard-working, patient, tenacious, and to have done this for so long...full of perseverence. You are more exceptional than most of us, that I can see. So, quit beating yourself up and see you for who you are...an exceptional woman. It's TRUE!!! ~ Whew...and now I have to go and don't have time to finish. I haven't even gotten to the weight part yet!! Let me just say that my weight was something I needed to take hold of before I was in a position to take care of the other issues. Like growing a child, it's a daily chore to deal with the heart issues. And I like the plant analogy, your weight may be the weeds that need to be yanked before you can get to the soil of your self-esteem and more personal issues. For me, my weight is a symptom. I'm thinking this may be true for you as well. And I'm still learning about me, but I'm able to grow as the weight comes off...just as I suspected. Hang in there...I'm keeping an eye on you!!! Great advice all...love the fish dinner and rice cakes idea, DeLarla. LOL

Egads, that's worse than fearing erosion. I hate feeling like that...I can't stop the "tape" in my head sometimes, especially when what I see confirms what I feel. Fat and Ugly. Maybe it's time I waxed my eyebrows. That always makes me feel Neat and Clean, rather than fat and gross. Geez, I can't wait till I get to a weight when I don't feel so gross anymore. 10 more pounds? 20 more pounds? What's it gonna take? I just cringed when I read those words. I can so relate.

Onderland is Onederful!!! Congrats! You are doing great!!!!

Me, too. Dr Kuri used pars flaccida on me, as well. The erosion stuff gets to me, too, especially being banded in MX. You can tell me all day long how low my chances are of eroding, and I'll still wonder! Here are the things I have in my favor...I was banded about a year after these girls who recently eroded. I was banded by Kuri, not Ortiz or Lopez. I have had no port problems. I have had no band problems. None of this is a guarantee, I know. It's just as silly for me to let these things make me feel better as it is to let the erosion stories make me worry. So I'm always back to square one. Be aware, be educated, be proactive regarding my band health. Concern myself with weight loss...not what MIGHT happen. I know, I know. It's still hard!!!

Hi T, welcome to LBT and congrats! I started at 223 last April and I'm currently around 188 or so. My goal is 145, but 150 would be more than fine...just don't think I'll hit that in a year, seeing as April is just around the corner. It's work. Real work. The band doesn't do it all for you, but the band can't take the credit for your success either. So, good luck! If you can get your head around proper eating and exercise, you'll lose faster than I have. I'm fine with being a slow loser, even if it wasn't really planned, but YOU don't HAVE to be. I'll see you at 150!!!!

I just blew my coffee out of my nose, all over the keyboard. :spit: Where the hell do you come up with this stuff?! You crack me up. Thanks for the laugh. Now...back to the thread.

Banded 4-8-05 Dr Kuri Tiajuana, MX No problems to date

Something happened in the Spring of 04? Geez, I thought the Spring of 05 was going to do me in! Remember all THAT?!!! Hang on, TommyO, it comes around and goes around again. Just ride the wave, we are all friends in the end. Promise!!! And that's we, the general we, not we, the clique, whoever "we" is...but I gotcha and it will settle. Here's my message baord peeve... u try 2 read this msg n tell me u dont hv 2 stop n think no punctuation and txt msg spelling no caps either ARRRGGHH!!!

Nope...didn't work. Sigh. Thanks for trying. Keep at it with the exercise...those pesky pounds will fall off...and yes, you DO Rock! I rock! :whoo:

I regularly jog up and down the aisle at the grocery store carrying the biggest bag of dogfood I can find...usually 38 pounds, which is roughly what I have lost with the band. No wonder I felt like crap!!! My 2yo wonders what's going on, since I never buy any of the bags I pick up, I just heft to one shoulder, the other, on a hip, on my head, walk, jog, heave and ho. I just make sure the aisle is empty, but then I don't care if I get caught. It's a great idea! Especially since the frozen food aisle is next over...easier to pass on by the evil ice cream.

186.8 this morning. I'm well on my way in our little mini-challenge. That's less than 3 pounds to go and today's the 4th? Yipppee!! I gave up on the sig. The girl who made it for me posted it onto a thread, and I did a copy/paste onto my sig. Melissa, you are having trouble getting things to post on the board, too? If you could get mine to post, I could copy/paste...I just don't know. I may need to go find her old post and copy/paste again to get it back. I kind of miss it. I just want it to be a bit smaller. If needed, I'll PM that girl and see what she can do? anyhow. Happy rainy Saturday everyone!

Okay, maybe I need to check his message board but I always get so lost on Yahoo groups! So, I HEAR Kuri is working out of a new hospital, has new labs and flouro machines, and he has added referrals for plactic surgeons, and his patient reps are now assisting these plastic surgeons. I also e-mailed JoAnne a few weeks ago and I haven't heard back. Odd. So, what's up with the Kuri team, anyone know the scoop? Somethings brewing in TJ...is it good? Or is this old news and I'm just now getting a clue?

Susan, are you talking about the Pars Flaccida Approach? Dr Pleatman (I know, your fave) explained that on a thread somewhere. I gotta get to bed so if you want to, do a search on Pars Flaccida. It's the technique my doc used on me. Got it in writing on his surgery notes!

Congrats Janet! Welcome to Bandland! Hey Lisa! Eliza lives in Summerville. She hasn't posted in so long, I forgot her screen name! Anyway, there is at least one other bandster in your city! Welcome to LBT!

Cool! I looked up my Dad, who is an Amateur Astronomer. It will be fun to tell him the moon was a waning crescent on the day he was born!

Yup, slow down the drinking. No chug-a-lugging. I swell with a fill and need a full day plus some to get a good feel for the restricition I have. You probably just have stoma swelling, so take it easy and as you move on to real foods...be careful! Test the waters and avoid the famous PB. If you still experience discomfort, call your doc. I know you hate needles but a small unfill may be in order. Time will tell, unless, of course, it's miserable. Then call your doc right away. Oh, another thought...you are very recently banded, so it seems as if the pain could be referred from the banding area. I know folks say it's the gas but it felt to me (post-op) like my insides hurt...and it showed up in my back. So, now you have a fill, and you have disturbed that healing area and made it sore. Conjecture on my part...take it for what's it's worth. But it still doesn't change the advice I gave above. So... Here you go! Yippeee! Restriction! It's a GOOD thing!

Ahhh, geez, what a mess. I'm so sorry Mary. Sending good vibes your way, and you hang in there, 'kay? Keep us posted? Take care of those boys.

Oysters. I'm just afraid to try them. I don't like them unless they are steamed and on a saltine with cocktail sauce. I just can't bring myself to risk it, and the thought of chewing it for more than 4-5 chews...nah. Oh well. I can do bread. I avoid tortillas for the most part though, and I LOVE tortillas. If I couldn't substitute chips I'd be sunk. Tuna salad is difficult, I haven't eaten it in a while. Know what's hard lately? Cottage cheese. That makes no sense to me but if I have a bite bigger than a toddler spoon it hurts. So, oh well. I avoid that, too.

Does this mean we are "going to war"??? Hardly! You know I luv ya. I started to write my own disagreement with your opinion, but realized Alexandra said it lots better than I could have come up with...so let me just quote her for my reply. I agree totally!!! Please don't kick my butt! :nervous

Congrats Nana!!!! We knew you were cruisin' and wouldn't be coming, but I'm gald to hear your new grandbaby is here!!! Shucks about Feb...maybe March will be your month! Can't wait to meet you in person. Thanks for checking in!!!

((((((HUGS))))) Penni. We love you!!! And we are here for you! Thanks for being here for us, too.

Melissa, is it that time of the month? I got stuck and PB'd lunch and dinner yesterday, and dinner was a sweet potato! (soft because of my lunch PB)...anyhow, Aunt Flo is here this morning. Right on time. I'm going slow on food today. CIB for Breakfast...easy lunch. Anyhow, that may contribute. Stick to liquids and easy foods today, let your band heal and rest. Then see. You don't want to be too tight! It's miserable. Karen, hang in there. WTG on choosing positive and happy. Some days, you gotta go with what you KNOW, (read that Bible) and not with what you FEEL. It's hard though. Wait it out. We are here for you!

Elisa, check the Stickies at the tops of the Forum lists...I'll keep searching and let you know if I find something.

This is part of my concern as well. Doctors are a huge resource.