piercedqt78

I have seen the entire series of videos from this doctor. They are a joke. I know of tons of people with the band and none of us have those problems. Why in God's name was she having milk shakes when she PB'd???? I drink iced tea, cold protien shakes, and propel. She was eating the same CRAP as before being banded and blaming it on the band. In her case it's not the band, it's the foods she is consuming. ~Mandy

I don't do bread, pasta or rice well now. I just had an adjustment, so while I was still pretty open I had a magical grilled cheese sandwich.....OMG I forgot how much I love that. I am now adjusted and back on track. I should add that I can have rice, in soup, but no other way. ~Mandy

I have kakhi overalls, several companies make them. Look on Ebay, also look for a big roomy mens dress shirt, toss that over a regular shirt and paint away, when you are finished toss the shirt in the wash or trash depending on the amount of paint on it. Check goodwill or local resale shops for the shirts, you could have several for probably a few dollars. ~Mandy

Hi guys. I am offically too tight, I must go in for a partial unfill....damn flouro....damn band....damn chicken that is so painfully stuck right now. BBL~Mandy PS we also have the train sound center piece for mexican train dominos, but ours seems to have "lost" the batteries....wonder where they could be ~Mandy

Mexican train dominos is played with up to double 15 dominos. It plays differently than other games, it's fun. I got mine at Walmart for about $15. We play all the time. It takes up to 2 hours, but the time flies. You should check it out. Even the kids play. ~Mandy

The game sucked....I wanted the bears to win and they blew it, almost looked like they were trying to throw the game....that was sad and I am ashamed of them. My foot is killing me, the cold is sooo hard, I can't bundle it up, it's still swollen so extra thick socks are out of the question. I went to a superbowl party yesterday at my sisters house and we had fun, also played mexican train dominoes, that's addicive. Then we watched the game. I left at the end of the 3rd quarter, I knew there would be tons of drunk football fans on the road after the game and the roads were already icy. I got pulled over for a soberiety check, and the very cute officer asked me a few questions and then wished me a safe drive home. We have no school today, it was too cold to get the buses started. Maybe tomorrow, maybe not. The windchill is -20 today, and will get colder as the day goes on. I am going to brave the cold and run to the store and to pick up lunch, the local Breakfast place has the best chicken salad, and Abi loves the chicken soup that they have on Monday. I will check back in later. ~Mandy

Chris, you look great. I don't think the picture makes you nose look big at all. You are very pretty. ~Mandy

Sunday the 25th around 3pm? Where in the naperville area do we want to go? ~Mandy

I did get my adjustment yesterday and my DH got to watch. The doc had me swallow barium so DH could see how open the band was, then he filled it, and had me swallow, told hubby that the barium would flow through much slower, and it didn't go at all, I told him I was toooo tight, it was sitting in my throat. He took some out and the contrast started to flow a bit, I drank my 16 oz of water and I was on my way. Hubby, thought it was cool bat doesn't want to go and watch again. I have a layer of scar tissue over my port so it took some wiggling to get the needle in, but it finally popped into the port, I am a bit sore and have a nasty bruise today, but it will fade. At least if I wear a half shirt and sandels my bruises with match. LOL. I am going to make pasketti for dinner, anyone want to join me? ~Mandy

Ann, I use the big block of velveeta (the geneic actually) rotels are chopped tomatos with rotel peppers in them, they come in mild and hot. I use the mild, when the kids are going to eat the dip, the hot when it's just the adults. Cindy, I am going to try the bbq sauce with the cranberries, that sounds yummy. ~Mandy

Cindy, I make a very similar dip, it's a block of velveeta, a cup of cream or milk, 1/2 packet of taco seasoning, a can of rotels, 1/2 pound of ground beef and I top it with cilantro and fresh onions...yum! It's a huge hit with my family, we call it cheese burger con queso. (stole the idea from Red Robin) You can also add more ground beef and balck beans and then wrap it in tortillas, drizzle the cheese mixture over the top and bake, make really great queso roll-ups. Another crock pot recipie I make is a jr of chili sauce (find it by the ketchup) and equal amounts of grape jelly, mix until melted and add meatballs, or coctail weenies. Also good to serve the sauce with chicken, it's like a sweet and sour bbq. Those are my superbowl foods for this year, we are going to my sisters house and that's what I am bringing. ~Mandy

Cass, Happy early b-day. My big day is the 8th. Next year is the big 30 for me....UGH!!! This year we are going to Celebrate valentines and my b-day at the same time. I am getting shoes for my b-day from my hubby. I always get cash from my MIL and my mom, that's going towards new stuff for my kitchen. I need new silverware and a new coffee maker. That's where the b-day money is going this year. Last year it was converted into Disney dollars and used in March for fun stuff at Walt Disney World. This year we have postponed our trip until Sept. We usually do the family trip in the spring and just Hubby and I go in the fall. This year we are doing the family thing in the fall and Abi and I are going to WV for spring break (my sister lives there and I spent a few years there growing up). We are not doing Disney twice this year, the house needs a new roof so that's where the vacation fund is going. I did about 10 miles this month, before surgery. My goal for next month is 25 miles. I was down 2 weeks with my foot, so that seems like a reasonable goal to me. I walk Abi to the bus stop and then walk down to pick her up each day, that is almost 6 blocks right there, 5 days a week. Then I walk on the weekend to check the mail and when it's dry I walk the dogs everyday. That's a huge benefit of having high energy dogs, they LOVE to walk. I am off to bed, I need rest. I have a fill schedualed at 1 tomorrow. I'll check in tomorrow. ~Mandy

We don't have a time set for the lunch yet, can we make it around 3 so that Chris (inner Me) can join us? Let me know if that works for everyone...~Mandy

Mary, it's great that you are able to help others in the same situation that you have been in. I am working with special needs kids a few days a week and feel great when those days are here. I love working with them and know how much of a difference it makes. Good for you, you will be rewarded 10 fold. Cindy, I wanted to post, I really did. I just didn't have it in me, between the pain and the sadness I just couldn't do it. I have gained a few pounds and that's not helping me at all. I am going for a fill tomorrow, it will be under flouro so they can check out my band and make sure all is ok while I'm there. I'll post more later.~Mandy

Hi all, 1 week til my b-day. I am up and walking today, slowly, but walking. I have to take the dog to the vet for a follow-up, her hair is growing back in finally. I will check in later tonight. ~Mandy

Hi all! I know I have been a non-presence here lately. My foot surgery took way more out of me than expected. I am still very swollen and sore. I had the stitches removed today, that was an experience. The doc did "plastic surgery" stitches and the scar is tiny, just a faint line, but the brusies are HUGE. I am still very black and blue, and the whole top of my foot is an odd green and let me tell you Kermit was right, it ain't easy being green. I am still on pain meds, today was day 12. I thought I would be up and running by now, but I am still hobbleing. I have been reading, and keeping good thoughts for you all, just haven't had much to say, I've been a bit down, but now am hoping to start recovering. I will check in again tomorrow. ~Mandy

Nana, just wanted to check in and see how your brother is doing. My uncle had 80% of his body badly burned with 600 degree roofing tar, he was involved in a huge blast, thrown 15-20 feet in the air and was covered in tar from the explosion. He recovered fully, full range of motion and his vision and hearing are fine. I am sure that your brother will do the same. I know that he has great support from you and that you will stand by him while he heals. Send him positive thoughts and let him know that we are LBT are doing the same. Update us when you can. ~Mandy

Inner Me, you are welcome to any of the lunches, we were there 3 hours last time. If we make the lunch later or on Sunday next month can you make it? I just moved from Chicago Ridge in June. Hope to meet you soon, ~Mandy

I am different than the others, I can't eat eggs unless it's egg salad. I also can't do Pasta or rice. I can eat ny kind of meat, and most veggies are fine. I usully order grilled fish or shrimp and mshed potatos or sub a fruit cup and my daughter eats it later or I make a smoothie with it for a snack. I don't eat pork at all, and I also don't eat mushrooms so I have no experience on those. I am 18 months post-op and eat very well I think. Most places will allow you to sub something for rice or pasta. My favorite thing right now is chicken salad, or crab salad. Tonight for dinner I had grilled shimp ( I did them in the toaster oven) and my family had pizza. I don't do Breakfast unless it's a smoothie or oatmeal. And I try to keep lunch light and small, usually my DD and I split a weight watcher meal or have lunch meat with sliced cheese. If we go to a sandwich place I just order no bread or I order my stuff in a wrap. Eating out is not only possible but I have found that I enjoy food soooo much better now, I actually taste what I order and I order what I want not the biggest thing on the menu now. ~Mandy PS I have a theory, I can only eat a small portion each day, and I'm not going to waste that on crap, it's going to be a good qulity 24oz for the day, not the huge quantity of crap like before. ~Mandy

My daughter has a mild case of AS, and she talks to strangers, tells anyone personal things, and I mean anyone. She once told the cashier at the grocery store that I had weightloss surgery and need to have my stomach lifted. Talking to her about it doesn't help and probably never will. She sees a counselor and gets some OT at school but it's not making a huge difference. There are several websites that have more information about AS with signs and symptoms, maybe checking out those sites would help guide you in the best path to help her. I know that things need to be presented a certain way for my daughter to grasp it. ~Mandy

I joke that my dog loves the kitty box crunchies. When she chases the cats I say she is treating them like Pez dispensers, going straight to the source. My DH is grosses out by my joke. Actually the dog no longer eats out of the cat pan, I broke her of that with cat box freshener from tidy cat (it smells really strong and burns her nose). We don't have any critters in the back yard, we have a privacy fence around the whole yard so no worries there. My sisters rottie got into some mushrooms last fall, you would know if that's what they ate, it would be lethargic, foaming at the mouth and have severe diarrhea. ~Mandy

We have Verizon and have replaced our phones with phones bought on Ebay with no problem. I like Verizon, my whole family is on it, and we have free in-network calling. Free nights, weekends. We've been happy with them for just over 3 years. ~Mandy

Also if you are going to be on liquid pain meds after surgery, you might want to call the pharmacy to make sure they have it. My local walgeens had to order mine and it took 3 days to get it. ~Mandy

I was told that anything smaller than an M&M would be ok. I am currently on pain meds, I ask for liquids when the doc wrote the script. The only medicine I have had a problem with was a nyquil gel cap. I took it in the middle of the night when I was soooo sick with the flu just before the holidays. I guess I didn't think about my band or the size of the gel cap when I took it. It took a really long time for it to disolve and I was miserable, and sick to boot, not a good combo. I tried hot tea thinking it would disolve faster, but that just made it swell more. I won't do that again. Regular pills go down ok as long as they are smaller than an M&M. I too break tylenol in half, same with my vitamins. I know that most meds are avilable in liquid, just ask. ~Mandy

I am going through it with my niece. She lives with us as much as her parents will let her. She had graduated from High School (she's 17 and an early grad) she has decided to join the Navy. I am worried sick about it, but that's what she wants. I am proud of her for wanting to protect our nation and freedom but am scared for her safety. Gotta run, she is back from running to the store for me and I need to help her with dinner. ~Mandy