ShelbiCallie

That is so cool, Mini!!! The U freakin' N!!!! How can I get a copy of the video?? I am so proud of you and your son!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sorry about the glucose result. Maybe the GTT will show that you're still just on the boderline. And the weight loss you are experiencing will remedy that. Hugs to you, friend! I wish we'd hear from Brandy!!

Welcome, Julie.ann! Welcome, NFaith! Hey Marie, I had severe sleep apnea pre-op and had one of the CPAP contraptions. Since I've lost some weight, I no longer snore and the house has stop complaining so I've been doing fine without the machine lately. I think there is a connection between the lack of sleep and oxygen deprivation from sleep apnea and weight loss, though. Welcome, Cassy! Welcome, Lowbmier! She is stunning! Love it!! Welcome allymb! I have the APS band. I don't think the Realize band was available when I was banded, so I can't speak to that. Eggs, cheese and bbq hamburger -- works for me! In my next life I am coming back as one of your dogs. Way to go, Marcy! Way to go, Ador! I got a good butt kickin' today, too -- feels good! (Of course, I mean that in a totally non-S&M way. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Oh, I better stop here.) Hey Greenie, Congrats! Good to hear from you! Keep us posted on those results, Mini. How's the swelling today? When you say autoimmune and vascular, I get worried. Shit elves -- love it! We used to call a Code Brown. Sung to the Village People Tune, right? LOL Way to go Mini!Time to move on down the clothesline to the thong! I'm feeling a special vibe with Mille -- she's chubby and mean and makes Charlie cry. I like her. When will you hear results? Keep us posted! Tally, I love your grandbabies' names! Please tell your daughter thanks for what she's doing for those old dogs -- that is wonderful!! I can't keep up with you guys anymore, but I still love you all!

I hear ya. If you can work it out to go to Dr. K for the first few fills or more, I say go for it! I use Dr. Ahigian in Denver, NC and I like him. If I remember correctly, I pay $165 - $175. But he's through Fill Centers USA, so I had to pay an outrageous start up fee of between $350 - $400. He's always hit my port painlessly and on the first try. (But he says Dr. K really made my port easy to find. He was very impressed by Dr. K's program. Wanted some of his business cards, because I was his first non-Mexico aftercare and he was glad to hear that a US surgeon was being proactive about helping folks stateside.) I've never actually seen the needle. He has a table that moves you to a standing position, then you drink the water while he adjusts. He'll do it under fluro at the hospital for extra. He's about an hour away from me so it works out ok. But you've got to be VERY careful with Fill Centers providers-- I've heard horror stories. I think I lucked out. If you can get a $200 flight from RDU to Dr. K. that'd be my first choice. But I have to fly out of Greensboro (with a stop in Charlotte or Atlanta or both) for about twice that, so it's just more practical for me to stay in NC. I want to get back to Denver CO at some point in my life to meet up with these banditos and to let Dr. K really check my band out. I'm saving my pennies for that.

Hey girl! I haven't heard/read anything about waiting 3-4 months between fills. But since it typically takes several fills to get to a sweet spot, wouldn't that mean no real weight loss until about 9 months to a year after surgery?

Praying for you and your family, Brandy!!!!!!!!! Please, please keep us posted if you get the chance. You will be in all of my thoughts and prayers!!!!!

Hey Lifesaver, Thanks for heading this up! I'm psyched! I finished reading the BFL book and have reviewed the website. I think I'm going to switch from the BFL online tracker to the printed journal pages. Makes me feel more accountable to be doing what you guys are doing.(I'm wierd that way.) Today I went to the Y, took a printed copy of the Daily Fitness Assessment from the BFL book, and one of Wellness Center Instructors went through each of the magnum machines with me to make sure that I can hit on everything that the BFL program stresses. The Instructor was big on BFL. Did both upper and lower today so I'd know how to do everything independently when I go back. Might I add my butt has been thoroughly kicked already today?! I am heading to the grocery store with my list to stock up! Question -- do you really do your cardio on an empty stomach (just water) as Bill Phillips describes in the book? Then eat protein/carb within an hour? I haven't done any pictures yet, guess I'll do that today too! I think Sunday will be my free day and Monday check ins are good for me. Or every day check ins. Whatever you think will be most helpful.

You will always have my best thoughts, prayers and concern. You are one of the most self-aware people here; you always seem to know when to say enough, time to regroup, listen to my body and heal. We'll be waiting for your return, Patty. Thanks for touching base now and letting us know.

Hey Munchk, I'm sending my mega big positive thoughts your way! Maybe it's nothing at all and your neighbor just wants to see your 80 boobs again. I'm usually right on these things, you know. Thanks for the strong wishes, Tally! (Well, you know what I mean.) I have done so much better today! ooh! ooh! ooh! What'd they say, Brandy? You bad, bad girl! Glad the med change is helping! Dee doesn't have gas, by the way. I was just teasing. Now, she actually does have a smilie fetish. Just sayin'. That's great on the 4 pounds, Marcy! Great on your losses Marie and Hotmomma! Gainers and stay-the-samers: We'll get 'em next week!

Presidential campaign! I've fallen prey to the "back and forth" -- watching the various cable new networks and reading the news online. I've got to reel myself in and turn the TV off! Too much of my attention has gone to the talking heads. It's no wonder I'm not getting any pounds off! Time for me to step away from the news.

Bad day or not, what an incompetent jerk!! I'm sorry that you had to go through that! Way to go, Brandy! I hear ya, Dee! TOM is giving me MAJOR zits -- never had them as a teen! What's up with that? I think my acne is weighing the scales down. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Can I still do BFL with you guys? ZERO for me too, Mini. :smile: Welcome aboard new people! Everybody, I'll catch up with you later. I'm sending positive thoughts out to everyone. Between obsessing about politics and sraping wallpaper, I feel like I've missed out on a bunch here. I still love you all and will catch up this weekend!

I thought that slippage was always accompanied by vomiting? But the fact that you have pain and something that feels like a port, but is not your port would make me call Dr. K! Let us know what he says. Thinking of you, friend!

Deb! I wish I was in CO! I would meet you for adult beverages for sure!!!!!!!!! Come to NC and see my doc!! We'll have BBQ! (ok, maybe not the best choice after a fill, but I'm trying to be hospitable) Bring Tucker!

How frightening! Isn't the husband a suspect in the Cooper case too? Hey, I see your 'pack won yesterday!! I'm a Tarheel fan (don't throw anything) now, but was a 'pack fan when I was a kid. Have had family at both schools. At least we're not Dookies, right? Glad to hear he's home! Labs will eats ANYTHING handfed, I'm convinced, just to please their people. Such a good boy!! Bwhahahahahahaha!!! Love it! I love the new glasses!! So very cute!! Congrats on your NSVs! Nothing makes me happier that a good deal~ you hit the motherload!! Congrats on your NSVs! It's the little things that make it all worthwhile! I would be all over that!! That is a dream of mine! Somebody on this thread alreay does that, but they haven't posted in awhile. Help me remember who it is folks! Back to my scraping and then mowing the yard. More later.

Hey Denver, we're posting at the same time. Sorry you're still feeling poorly. I hope the warmth of the grits will help. Rest this weekend; your energy will come back. Keep us posted on the mild heartburn feeling; I don't remember having that -- maybe someone else will have a suggestion.

Hello my friends and welcome to the new friends! Yeah, baby, on the steel oats! Can't live without 'em! I am IN on the BFL!! Just hope I can complete the whole 12 weeks~~ still reading the book. What type of tracking system do you personally use? I'm getting my plan together now! When is our start date? Who all is down for the BFL? Mini & Marcy-- Confession time: Hello, my name is ShelbiCallie and I get yeast in my belly button. It is stinky and gross. There I said it for all of the interwebs. I put alcohol in there, but I'm going to try Marcy's suggestion! Hey homey, I saw on the news where your area had 5" of rain and some power outages. Hope you're ok. We only got some minor wind and rain -- nothing major. Looks like Ike is taking the Andrew route this time, lucky us, but I'm worried for our FL peeps. Were you around for the Floyd/Fran double whammy a few years back? My Barkley became homeless (we think) during that time and was a stray for about a year in the Rocky Mount area that was hit so hard with floods. He was rescued and then fostered by the NC Lab Rescue until we were approved for his adoption. I wish he could tell me what happened to him. The only mental scar I can see is that he is afraid of riding in a boat. Strange for a lab, eh? my fellow lab folks?? Hope you're feeling better, Denver! I thought I had a 10cc band, too! What's up with that? Mini & Hotmomma -- I'm there with ya. The bad stuff is so easy. The "good for ya" stuff is time consuming! Hotmomma, keep working on those protein shakes ~~ sounds like you need the protein AND the fluids if you're thirsty. Joining in on the crushing meds discussion -- I crush everything that's not chewable, except my Pristiq because it's an extended release and small. Dr. K never told me to, but I learned from Dee and she's my hero, so I follow her advice. (I am serious about this Dee!) Need a Munchkin update! Need a Deb/Tucker update! Happy Saturday peeps, I'm scraping 3 layers of wallpaper today! (I removed crappy paneling and a dropped ceiling yesterday)Care to join me?? My motivation is the beautiful original wood I found underneath!!

Cool! I'm glad to hear you're rewarding yourself!! How'd it go? Blueberry Heaven! Love it! The tubes and panting would get me too, Deb. Hang in there. You're doing everything you can for Tucker and it sounds like he is getting the best care possible. Continuing to keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. YAY Devner!!!!!!!!! A TENS unit is da bomb!!! Glad to hear you got some relief. Way to stand up to that doc, Munchk! Ouch on that cut, but isn't glue wonderful stuff?-- I loved it when we could use it in the Peds practice where I used to work. Kids do much better with that than the sutures. Come to think of it-- everybody does better with the glue! Called the library and put the BFL book on reserve. I'll pick it up today on my lunch hour. I'm very much interested in doing this. I'm thinking I can continue to eat my steel cut oats if I do this, right? Rene/Dee???

Ditto what Mal said! GOOD LUCK DENVER!!!!!!!!! Post an update when you can! More later, peeps.

Mal, you did great on your selections! I especially love the collage. I know it's emotionally devastating to see one of your kids (I know you take you kids' friends in as if they were your own) go through this, but it probably does him a world of good to have you come around to visit. Everyone, way to go on the Labor Day Challenge, ya buncha losers!:tt2: Looking forward to scaring away the pounds with you all! :thumbup:

Well said, Dee!! Doesn't sound outlandish to me at all! I would spend every last penny I have on any of my kids, whether they have 2 legs or 4 legs. Tucker is lucky to have you for his person. :cool2:

Thanks. As much as I hate to hear that you've experienced this too, I'm glad you're here. I can't believe that 33 years after my brother's death, I can still get upset about it. And, I'm sad to admit, angry at my feeble little 91-year-old pop for the things he says about the situation. My brother had schizophenia at a time when there were no good treatment options and my dad will never understand. I have done a pretty good job of letting go, but sometimes..... Hang in there, Sid. Thinking of you. Renee & Dee: Ok, I googled BFL. Can I get all the info I need from the website? Do I have to buy anything? I'm interested in this challenge for sure -- as long as there's nothing to buy! I swore to myself that my band would be my last investment in diet-related stuff. Happy Birthday and congrats on the loss, Bella! LOVE IT!!!!! You must come to NC! We'll drink Mint Julips on the front porch, fan ourselves and have a lovely afternoon! I'm in for 22 pounds, my dear Mini. That will put me at GOAL!!!! (I'm not counting the pound I gained this week in. It'll be gone before this Friday's start date!) Thanks everyone for your kind words and for listening to me about my weekend meltdown. Family stuff is the worst.

Glad you're back and I LOVE the new tat, especially the story behind it! WAY TO GO, RENE!!! You did it and I am so proud of you, too! Hi Michelle, I am so glad you're back! I am struggling with this food issue too. I want to be NORMAL, but my NORMAL choice this weekend was to eat a half-gallon of Rocky Road ice cream. I can't belive I just typed that, but it's the truth. No chewing, no PBing and in three attempts over 2 days I had reached the bottom of the container. :frown: There is nothing normal about my choice, but it gave me so much comfort at the time. I also drank regular Coke. Why, why, why??? Deb, my thoughts and prayers are still with Tucker. Please rest and eat healthy, mom, and keep us posted. I'm taking your 2 cents Mini! Your advice is very timely for me. I need the structure and some guidelines in my choices right now. I'm heading down a slippery slope without them. I'm thinking I might do Dr. K's pre-op for awhile. ______________________________________ Well, friends, 2 days ago I was plugging right along. Making some head way in my Fall cleaning when -- BOOM-- intense family gathering and I didn't have time to emotionally prepare. My dad moved with my brother Monday (went well), but there's a buyer for the house now (in this economy/market?) and the collective decision was that THIS WEEKEND was the time to go through what was left of the family pictures, letters, mom's "treasures" that made the first cut after she passed 3 years ago. The drama was in overdrive and I was a complete mess every evening when I got home. (Please see the above reference to the Rocky Road ice cream.) My mom kept EVERYTHING -- celebrations, tragedies, valentines from the 1930's, whatever. Most of the junk stuff was already been gone and most of the stuff that had personal connections to an individual child was already claimed. But there was so much more. My oldest brother committed suicide when I was 15 and my mother (naturally) never recovered from that. She painstakingly held on to everything that she could about him. Too many memories of bad family times and too many drama queens vying for pieces of paper and too many (supposedly) adults trying to re-create a personal connection with mom that was more special than the other one's. Enough, enough, enough. I'm not going back today. I can't take it. I told my dad I'd be back to help with the yard sale in 2 weeks. So, I'm up a pound and I didn't make my Labor Day challenge. Only 3 pounds total lost, but it's a new day and I'm taking Mini's advice to get on with an eating plan. Feeling better already!!!:smile:

Hi Marcy -- That is strange that it's both knees! Make sure you don't take that Naproxen on an empty stomach. If you have any BM's that look like black road tar or vomiting that looks like coffee grounds -- those are signs of digested blood and it can sneak up on you! Many people who have to take an NSAID for a prolonged period of time also take a proton pump inhibitor to protect the stomach from the damage NSAIDs can do. I hope this will be a short term thing for you. Is the pain worse in the morning or after activity? Hopefully the doc will do some xrays (if he hasn't already) if the pain worsens or doesn't improve. Sending you healing thoughts.:biggrin:

Hang with us, chicka. We won't let you down! Munchk -- What did the PCP say? Man, that's frightening! Mal, Please keep posting! I need you here! I miss Dynamo and Woofay only rarely posts ~~ I need "the ones who blazed the trail" to stick around! I worry about you if you don't post. You have SO MUCH to contribute. All appendages are crossed, prayers are said, fairy dust is thrown and positive vibes are vibrating --- GET BETTER TUCKER MAN! I'm thrilled for you too Dee!!! It's the life changes that make it all worthwhile! Agreed!!! Is that new med Pristiq? If it is, I'm very interested in your take on things -- keep me posted! I haven't had any probs with the food you mentioned, but milk gives me the horse farts since I've gotten my band. Thinking of all my Florida peeps (especially you!) with all of the storms brewing this time of year. I have many folks I talk to for my job who are in FL and all along the Gulf coast -- they are elderly/sick and evacuations for them are a nightmare of logistics/planning/stress! I don't have any adult kids, but both my boys expressed fear about my traveling to Denver and the surgery. I think our kids worry about losing us, no matter their age. Friends, I am doing a major clean out of the house and it is so freeing! I have so much CRAP that I have held onto for years and I am finally letting go and making a committment to live a simpler, less cluttered life. This stuff has overwhelmed me for too long!

YAY, Mini!!!!!!!!!!! YAY, Marie!!!!!!!!!!! I'm near Greensboro -- not too far away for a RR meet up! I'm sure there's a RR between us somewhere! YAY, Deb!!!!!!!!!!! Reflux, intermittent hiatal hernia and you can't tolerate solids ---but he left all the fill in your band??? Has he lost HIS bloody mind? I think having Dr. K review the films is a great idea. (Also, do the Spin class! The butt pain is only bad for the first class, then for some reason, I didn't notice it any more. Looking good ladies!!! Where oh where are Brandy and BAHotmomma???? And what about Mare and Woofay? Congrats on the award and promotion!! Boo on the roof deal! Re: my antidepressants -- I'm going to stay with the Pristiq for now. I'm still losing about a pound a week -- not as fast as I'd like, but I'll live with it. I just don't want to risk the good symptom control that I've got now the medication. I've been on Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, Effexor, Zoloft, Lexapro and probably some others in the past 10 years and this one has been the best so far. It'll probably take forever to get these last 22 pounds off, but I'll deal. I'll probably complain along the way and irritate the hell out of eveyone here, but I'd do that anyway so what the hell! Everybody have a great Thursday!!! My last work day this week and then a long weekend!

(Fabulous use of the smilies, Dee!) Gotta run now before somebody breaks out the 4-point restraints again. :huh2: