the best me

Me! Me, me, me!!! I even have my ornament for the exchange. Wow! Can't wait to see everyone. I hope Pavarathi can come!!! Jennifer, too. And there's another of you out there, not yet banded, aw shucks...who am thinking of? Don't worry, I'll track you down! See you all Saturday!!!

Maybe I'm wrong, but is the Midband fillable? I remember seeing a band at my doc's office...I think it was the Midband...that looked like a white rubber strap. I didn't really understand it, but it didn't look like something you could fill. I don't know how it would be adjusted, but maybe it isn't adjustable? I'm anxious for the Midbanders to show up here!

Wait, Nevada or Texas? Either way, you are too funny!

Also, check out this link. Very helpful info...good luck!!! http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Santa Clause North Pole, Earth Dear Santa, I have been a good girl. It really wasn't my fault what happened at ReneBean's Office party. It was CandySmooch who spiked the punch with too much Cold Beer. I can't help it if I drank 87 glasses. It was so good---smelled and tasted just like Pine Air Freshener. I thought it was funny when I put Penni's BAD's (big-ass drawers) on my head and danced the Jenna's Booty-Shakin' Dance on the coffee Table while singing `Grandma Got Runover by a Riendeer'. I didn't mean to break ReneBean's 'puter and don't know why ReneBean would accuse me of Money Laundering. I don't remember calling Jack's wife a sizable duck---even though she looked like one with Red eye shadow and Green lipstick! And when I threw up on Paula's husband's Big Toe, it was only because I ate too much of that Marshmallows. After all that fun, I admit I was a little tired. So I fell asleep on my way home and drove my Minivan through my neighbor's Linen Closet. I don't think that was any reason for my neighbor to call me a enviable puppy dog and have me arrested for non-registered voting! So, Santa...here I sit in my jail cell on Christmas Eve, all great and miniscule. And I'm really not to blame for any of this difficult stuff. Please bring me what I want the most---bail money! Sincerely and quickly yours, Kathy (Really a nice girl!) P.S. It's only 54 bucks!</B>

Okay, so your boss is a hottie, but look at you! You look fantastic! I thought, as the pic was slowly loading onto the screen thanks to dial-up, that the flower was on your shirt. It matches your lipstick perfectly! Great pic. So, since I'm a stay-at-home Mom, does that make my hubby my boss? hmmm...

Prayers for a safe and successful surgery, Joe! Let us know how it goes. Congrats!!!

Okay, forgive me if this is long, you really don't have to read it, this is just a good place for me to journal so here goes. Okay, so today was a really busy day for us at church. We had our Christmas Cantata tonight and it was a sort of family affair. Hubby and I are both in the Handbell Choir and we rang 2 pieces before the Cantata began, then I was a Reader in the Cantata (no singing for me ) but I apparently have pretty nice reading voice over the microphone since I get asked to read several times a year at church...the scripture text for the sermon on occasion, etc. Anyhow, I was a reader with a guy named Trent, who has a Mr. Radio announcer voice and it was great. We did a good job reading text between Cantata songs that gave transistions between the songs to tell the story of Christmas. It was lovely! [One regret, though...I forgot to enunciate my "Love" at the beginning of the sentence one time. I should have marked it to remember not to say "Luv" and instead say it proper-like "Lahve" I AM Southern, you know. So I heard myself say "Luuuve" instead of "Lahve" and cringed...eek! The country bumpkin in me came out!!!!!] Anyhow, I wore my choir robe to play the bells, and while we were waiting to file in, Trent (Mr Radio announcer) is standing there in his nice suit hanging out til the bells finished and we could go in. He and my friend Laura (in the choir) were discussing whether or not Trent and I were to wear our robes to match the choir while we were doing our readings. It was my understanding we were to wear our robes, so I dressed accordingly. Black pants (as always) and a red, short-sleeved thin ribbed sweater, tucked in, that I don't particularly mind wearing without a sweater over it (to cover my butt/belly) but there is NO WAY I would have worn that 1)knowing I'd be standing up in front of a crowd of 150 or so people 2)without the sweater I had to cover my butt/belly 3)the sweater I had is a coral color...a bit out of place at a Christmas Cantata and it's too hot! 4)with Trent standing opposite me in a very nice suit, not a coat and pants...a dark suit with a nice tie!!!!!!!! so I was totally underdressed. And I was totally self-conscious. Many folks know of my surgery. I have done a pretty good job so far, but not good enough yet to get up there in front of God and everyone in anything but a great huge billowy long matching-everyone-else choir robe. Trent obviously wasn't thrilled about wearing a robe. His suit looked so nice and I hated for him to wear a robe. My friend Laura was reassuring me that I looked great and should get up there and feel as great as I looked but I knew better and stood there wide-eyed and panicked. Poor Trent, God Bless HIM!!! said, "No problem, I'll just go put on a robe, sure, I'll go put on a robe" and he did. I could have kissed him. I don't think he knows how much I appreciate that. I just hate the feelings that caused the panic. I'm underdressed, I just don't have the wardrobe to pull it off. I'm not confident enough yet in my appearance, particularly the belly/butt areas. And I really really really didn't want to be "naked" up there and distracted by my appearance, wondering how I looked, wondering who is looking at me, what they may be thinking...spending time doing all the nonsense mental gymnastics it would take to get through standing up there in a fairly snug sweater, tucked in to comfy but not so nice pants standing next to Trent, Mr Radio Announcer Suit Guy...SIGH. Other than that, the Cantata went nicely and I'm very proud of the job we did! The choir sang beautifully, the bells rang pretty good (a few of us stumbled but it was good, all in all) and the Cantata was a wonderful time of Worship, which was the whole idea...and I was able to wear my choir robe!!! Is any of that an NSV? LOL

Chichigirl, if Jonathan can "unslip", so can you. Get that fill out. If you ever get attacked by the killer kidney stones again, get to the doc quick for a complete unfill. Stay on the liquids!!! Get unfilled tomorrow, maybe your band will settle back into place. Don't give up yet!!! You may not need surgery to fix it!! Hang in there. Yes, I understand totally how you must be feeling. I would hate hate hate to lose my band. Just don't give up yet, okay? Keep us posted. Are the stones passed? Yuck and double yuck. Worst pain ever. Sorry.

Aw, Carrie and Lovecats, I been rootin' for ya but Smooch has some good points. VQ and Kim are the final say-so-ers so I'll have to go with them. However, just let me state the case for lovecats, she is down 17 pounds, but lost that within the first 2 weeks, so that's zero weight loss in 8 weeks. That's a pretty pitiful plateau. I haven't run any numbers on Carrie. I will support our fearless leaders in whatever decisions they make in the best interest of the Slow Losers Club.

I lost my first 15 pounds the first 12 days, and didn't lose another ounce till just before my first fill, at 3 months out! Yep. Check with Live2Canoe but I'm pretty sure you officailly qualify. Welcome to the club. Now you have to start your very own NSV thread, and post those babies! Sometimes it's all that will get you through. We are here for you!!!

Alex, I think you are one of the most non-judegemental on the whole board...really!!! Eating around the band and eating soft-foods are sometimes good and sometimes bad...only we ourselves know which is the case for us at any given time. So, perhaps a definitions update is in order? How 'bout this: Soft-Foods Syndrome: poor food choice habits aimed at being able to eat food for reasons other than nutrition Eating Around the Band: see above. Soft-Foods Technique: willfully and knowingly eating foods that are easy on the band for whatever reason the bandster finds it necessary to do so for any length of time. How's that? So if you are being good...it's a technique. If you are not being so good, as all of us do on occasion or more often! then you know it and shouldn't do it. If it's because you are too tight, you should get an unfill. How's that? Help me out here...if you have a definition suggestion, please post and we can make it "official"

I agree with Geezer! For me, it does take some measure of introspection. And I have been much kinder to myself of late for eating soft foods. Last night I ate guacamole with tostitos and a fairly large bowl of chili with Beans and cornbread. yummy! That's ALL I had, and I had eaten healthily all day long. So I made room for those soft calories! Admittedly, with the erosions going on lately, I am motivated to NOT lean too hard on my band and give it easy foods, then use my head to check my intake. I sort of force myself to use the self-control my band allows me to exhibit. On this board, the term "soft-foods syndrome" indicates some laziness, some lack of self-control, some measure of not using your band the way is was designed, not making good use of your handy-dandy band...you get the picture. It isn't a far leap from going easy on your band for a spell to getting out of hand. However, if you are doing soft foods because "real" healthy foods cause PBs and other problems, you are too tight!!!!!!

I agree. Lauren you are too tight. Get a small unfill.

Oh My Garsh!!!! Is it a real live post from the famous Vinesqueen's other half?! For REAL?!!! well, we are very honored and you should know the high esteem in which your wife is held on this board. We think she ROCKS, too!!!

I am so so so proud of you!! You look fabulous, and you know what makes it even better? You look so flippin' happy! Bravo!!!!!

Great info. Here's a link to another thread that lists all the WL surgeries and gives an explanation. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6935

Yes! That's a very real and emotional side to this type of decision...something not often found on this board. All of us can relate though, or we wouldn't be here. Thanks for re-posting that. There are other threads if anyone wants to look up the different bypass options. It really is worth serious consideration if you are pre-band, or if your band is giving you problems. At the very least, our decisions are more informed, which is the point, right? LBT is great.

I can "test" my restriction by eating a large spoonful of yogurt, not a tablespoon...but heaping, and I'll swallow it with very little squishing in my mouth. If I "feel" it kind of stop at the band before it goes down, I know I'm restricted. If it hurts, I'm too tight. If it just goes on down and I feel nothing, I'm too loose. Restriction has to do with how much pressure it takes your stomach to push the food past the band. If your stomach has to work so hard it pushes the food back up into the esophogus, it hurts! and it's not healthy. Eating shouldn't hurt. But good restriction will keep you not too hungry, able to make it to the next meal or healthy snack without grazing, and unable to eat tons at a sitting. I get a little burp during a meal, it's time to slow down and wrap it up. My meal is done! And I feel satisfied. Wow!

Katie, do you replace a meal with a protien drink, or are you supplementing? Your weight loss is wonderful! Well done!

Rachele, I think your list of reasons is on another thread. I have read it but it isn't above? Could you maybe do a cut/paste? That might help. Most insurance policies cover RNY, so that's what most of us are thinking of when we post "Gastric Bypass". It's true, though, that there are several different bypass surgeries. I'm glad there are other options, especially post-band. I just don't know what I'd do if I lost my band or had problems and ended up where I was. Maybe I would do the DS. But I'd choose the DS over RNY because the pyloric valve is still in place and...no dumping! Anyhow, it's less a matter of your opinion being popular. On the one hand, who cares what people think! It's just a banding message board. On the other hand, we like accurate info here! (I do, anyhow) so I really really appreciate what you and GeezerSue have gone through, and your experience is so valuable on this board. So thank you. How are you, anyway? Feeling good? Are you eating normally now? How do you feel with your new "plumbing"? I can't imagine that it's all that different with the DS, just wondering what it's like for you.

Yeah, I heard on another thread there was a leather bustierre with a matching whip involved? For HIM, not her, and there's a link to some company in San Francisco who makes them for big guys. Yeah, when you don't have the whole truth...those rumors run rampant...I can't keep up!! LOL

Wowza, 40 staples?! I'm assuming you didn't have this band removal done laporoscopically, right? Your hubby posted that there was alot of infection, so that makes sense, yes? Girl, so glad to see you posting and on the mend. Hang in there. Keep us updated, too. All the best to you!

Oh fiveholts, you can do this...no problem! At 5'11", 335 isn't so bad. REALLY!!! You being so tall makes you conspicuous, anyway, then the way you feel and the way you feel about yourself...I totally understand! Think how statuesque you will be at under 200 pounds! Wow! And if you are banded in Jan, you could easily lose to below 250 by the Fall. More if you are very strict with yourself...and what great motivation! I am 40, too. That was a big motivator for me. I really didn't want this decade to be full of discouragement. My kids are young (6 and 2) and I wasn't going to live like this anymore!! Ashamed is a terrible word. Chin up. It can happen. Research your MX doc really really well. Know all there is to know before you go. It's not the right route for everyone but I had a good experience there. Just be sure, too, you have good aftercare lined up close to home, unless you are close to the border? Otherwise, a US doc is a must before you go. Reasearch well. I'm excited for you!!!

On your other thread, you said "How did I get like this?" and I know too well how you are feeling. I got so tired of being tired. So tired of not being my best (hence, the screen name...the best me...because I wasn't and I want to be) and so tired of wanting to try and being forever discouraged. ENOUGH!!! Somewhere, I got some gumption. I joined Curves, then switched to a gym with childcare and exercised faithfully for a year. I lost and kept off about 20 pounds of my 240+. I wanted more and couldn't find it. Then I found LBT. Hope began. YES!!! Never apologize here for whining. This is the BEST place for it. Whine and whine all you need to! It's so hard to whine elsewhere when you feel noone else understands. Certainly not the manicured size 4's. Find your gumption. Go get 'em, girl!!! Sounds like hubby is a wonderful person. You will need his support. It helps alot. How much weight are you trying to lose? Hang in there. Don't go far because this is the BEST support group available. (((hugs)))