phyllser

Thanks, Steph!! I like my 6 mos picture better... it's in the desert,.... and I've lost another 15 lb since then!!

Sounds like you are doing just great! Keep up the good work.

I wouldn't be concerned. Hiatal hernia and reflux are very common. I had a mild one and reflux, too. It is quite common for Lapband surgeon to repair a hiatal hernia at the time of Lapband surgery. My surgeon did a barium swallow at my pre-op appt and told me I had some weird swallowing action going on, too. I'm sure it'll all be fine! Don't worry!

This is my 9 mos. photo. Not great... I see some differences, but I should have chosen other clothes for this picture... these are big, baggy, bulky sweater because it was so cold here and snowing on Sunday!! 75# down!! Woo hoo!!

Hi, Jazz!! Why would you think you're too old to join??? No way!! Jump in!! The more the merrier!! So are you saying you have to lose some weight before you can get the band?? My doc said he wanted me to lose 10% of my weight before he would do it, but he backed down on that. I did lose almost 20# prior to surgery, but a little short of the 10% goal, but he was very pleased about that. My BMI was 60+ and he really wanted to see it below that.. which I did accomplish prior to surgery. It's now been 9 months and TWO DAYS and I am down 75#, feeling great, cholesterol doing pretty good (168), BP down, and so HAPPY that I did this!! It was a wonderful decision and I only wish this surgery had been available to me a LONG time ago!! Wasted years being morbidly obese!! But, things are looking up and I want to live a long time at a healthy weight!! I've had 4 band adjustments, the last one last week.. after six months away from home.. snowbirding in the desert in southern CA! Weight loss was slow the past couple of months, but on the move again since my fill last week!!

Gen, You certainly have my prayers! Sorry to hear you are feeling so down. Do you have a doc/counsellor who you can go to for help?

We knew you had it in you!! Well done!!

Hope you can still make the M of A trip. We're going whatever happens with everyone else.... reservations made for train and hotel and already paid for, so we're committed!! So if Linda can't come, you'll need a roommate?? Maybe Chim. We haven't heard from her in a while, but she was the first to make her hotel reservation. Did you have a chance to look up that Aragain Lodge site and see where it is? It's further northeast than I remembered. Don't give up yet.... hoping it will still work out for everyone.

Thanks, Karri!

Thanks, Gang!! I appreciate the kudos!!

Can you get one of those neck thingys and clip it on there and wear it around your neck??? We'll enjoy following your blog!

Candice, Do you believe this???? I tried googling Ontario lakes, etc., and then I tried "Aragain Lodge" and it's STILL THERE!!! It was the summer of 1961 that I worked there!! Doesn't look like too much has changed!! Check it out! Aragain Lodge I'm really excited.. I'd love to go back there sometime! Apparently it's not close to Peterborough at all!! What can I say... it was 47 years ago!!! Distances to Aragain Lodge from: Thousand Islands (Ivy Lea Bridge)98 miles 157.7 km Toronto 177 miles 284.8 km Buffalo, N.Y. 289 miles 465.1 km Harrisburg, PA 440 miles 708 km Cleveland, Ohio 480 miles 772.4 km Sorry..... I think I just blew up the page!!!

Hi! Welcome! So, two weeks out and doc still wants you on liquids.. I had to do two weeks Clear Liquids, two weeks full liquids, two weeks "mushies" and then transition to normal. The liquid stages are the hardest. It starts to get easier after that. And once you have a couple of fills you'll feel better... restriction helps immensely when it comes to not feeling hungry. You will feel "normal" again before long, I promise!! Sounds like you're off to a great start! Congratulations! Keep us posted!

Thanks for the compliment. Not crazy about the photo, but it's okay. Clothes are so big and baggy. I think that lake might have been named Long Lake... I remember it was fairly narrow and very long. Occasionally they'd let us take one of the motor boats out and we never made it even 1/2 way down the lake because it was huge. We had a canoe we used all the time, and sometimes we could take row boats out. But we didn't have very much free time. Usually an hour or so after lunch... if we finished all our cleaning in the morning, and a few hours at night. It was a beautiful spot.. quiet and isolated. People would come and spend a week at a time at the lodge. There were about 10-12 cabins and 5 motel units and we had to serve all the meals and clean the cabins in between every day and change all the sheets in every cabin and motel unit on Saturdays to get ready for the new crowd coming in. And I think we got paid something like $50 a MONTH plus tips for July and August. I think I ended up with something like $350 for the whole summer!! I remember that I lost 15-20 lb because we worked VERY hard!! Kids these days would die before they'd take a job like that!! Well, enough of this off-topic reminiscing!! We'll be in Buffalo from July 29 until I think Aug. 10.

Thanks, Candice!! You're a SWEETIE!! I DO have a passport, BTW, and definitely will be in Canada this summer, at least for a few hours. DH & I never miss going to Niagara Falls... where we spent our honeymoon night, and my sisters and I LOVE the Seneca Niagara Casino!!

Yes, I remember how excited I was when I got my date, too. I was out riding around the neighborhood on my scooter when the doctor's office called with the date. My DD & SIL had stopped by the condo. When I got back, they were all sitting there waiting to see my reaction to the big note DH had taped to the screen door with my surgery date on it!! I think I almost cried!! Congratulations!!! We all can relate to your excitement!!

Well, I think I'm just going to stay inside the condo because it seems like every time I stick my nose out the door it starts snowing again!! I took my ride over to Rite Aid and Albertson's and it started snowing as soon as I got outside! I came back in and now the sky is all nice and blue and the sun is shining.. it's still only 49 degrees though! Do you know where Peterboro is?? I guess that's a dumb question... you're a Canadian living in Ontario. The summer after I graduated HS, I spent the summer at a fishing lodge north of there... I don't know if it is even still there and I don't remember the name of the lake or anything, but it was Aragain Lodge (Niagara spelled backwards!). It was a lovely spot, we had a great summer... all teenagers, we worked our butts off 24/7 just about, but we had a blast. Don't know how my friend and I lost touch with the Canadian kids we worked with.. they were great. I was 17 & this French kid named Pierre (of course) who was only 14 yrs old had this huge crush on my chubby self. He was a kick, but I found him a little annoying because he was wanting to hang on me all the time! He actually showed up at my door looking for me about a year after I got married!! Now I can't remember his last name or I'd look him up just for the heck of it!! :tongue_smilie::tt1::thumbup:

We're definitely on the same train then... ours gets in early Friday morning, too. Maybe we can get share a van/cab from the Amtrak station to the motel. I figured we wouldn't need a rental car once we get to the motel. I'm bringing my scooter... getting a new light weight one that disassembles easily... and motel is close enough to the mall to get back and forth. We leave early Monday morning headed for Chicago and then on to Buffalo.

9 Mos Post-Op as of yesterday, 75 lb. down. Not the best picture in the world, but okay. Pants too big, baggy, bulky sweater & turtle neck because it was so COLD outside!! Not a very complimentary photo, but I think I see a difference from 6 Mos photo.

If you're arriving on the 25th, we'll be on the same train!! That'd be great!!

You just have to stay up a little longer! It was really quiet here all weekend. I have a good swimsuit poem... I'll have to find it so I can post it. That's a good idea... wonder if I can find some big enough!? Yeah... that's what I was thinking..... CANADA... 78-80!! We just saw snow for the 4th day in a row and it's up to 49 degrees at 1pm.. 15 degrees below normal for this time of year! My youngest sister was complaining because it was 89 degrees in BUFFALO on Saturday!! So, your weather down there is still not the greatest, huh? I still think I'd rather be down there in the wind than freezing up here!! I want to ride my scooter over to Rite Aid to get a couple of things, and I know I'm going to have to bundle up! Did I mention we saw snow flakes again today?????? Gimmee a break!! This has got to stop!! Haven't turned on my Wii yet today... TOPS this morning... ooh, yes, check out my ticker.... I finally got past the 75 lb mark! I thought our scale would be more reliable when we got home and it was on more solid and level floor but it's still 4-5 lb heavy. So I guess my official weigh ins will be Monday mornings at TOPS. The Wii is definitely a lot of fun. I really like the bowling. I need to get better at tennis & baseball. Those are the only three I've tried so far. My DIL says the boxing is a good workout, but she was sore for three days after the first time she did it! DH tried the Golf last night... I want to try that one, too. I checked out the Wii Fit online last night and you can pre-oder it online at either Amazon or Wal-Mart, so I may do that. Trying to decide if I can actually do all that stuff, though. Balance seems key for that one and my balance sucks! I'm seeing an orthopedic surgeon next week and hoping maybe he'll do surgery on the left one. That would help a lot! Steph, is your DH serious about coming to the m of a?? Did someone else say theirs was coming??

Too bad you can't talk her in to doing it at the same time. Seems like it'd be easier to do together.

Thanks, Gen! Many BLESSINGS to you, too! It has been quiet here lately.

Congratulations, Chuck! Glad it all finally worked out for you! You're on your way now!!

Is that the new fitness thing that's coming out?? When is it supposed to be on sale?? Didn't know I could reserve one. How do you do that??