AnotherMe

And, before my band sisters get on here and try to tell stories... I can prove I ate next to nothing, just look at the table in front of me Everyone looked especially nice on the formal nights, can't wait to go back again soon! Karla 2nd Formal Night.bmp Deck 9 on 2nd formal night.bmp

Promise not to be too jealous??? This is a picture from 70's Disco Night, we had a bunch of fun line dancing in the Viking Crown Lounge.. this is me with 2 of the Rhapsody dancers. Most of my other pictures are of the ports, and around the ship. I didn't get too many pictures before I had my hair braided in Cozumel. I'm sure my other friends will begin to chime in with their comments/pictures as soon as they get home. Karla Almost YMCA dancers3.bmp

Woo! Hoo! I get to be the 1st one to check in?!!!!!! That's the perk of living so close to Galveston. Those of us that took the express departure started making our way off the ship at 7:30 am.... I was home by 9:30 am. I went to the grocery store, and am working on my second load of laundry. (don't be jealous friends!) We had a MARVELOUS time! And, if it weren't for work/families to get back to we would have stayed on the Rhapsody and sailed on to Jamacia. It was really the most fantastic time, simply because of the friendships we formed. We laughed so much, ate too much (shhhh!), and had a week jam-packed with fun. Where did the days go, how come when you're having so much fun time goes so fast? It was an awesome experience for me, since I was a 1st time cruiser... I'm hooked now! We'll be waiting with baited breath to see how soon we can set up another one Everyone agreed they'd like to do it again. Off to take a nap, hope everyone makes it home safely. Karla

LaReine, welcome back! Were you able to get in to see your Dr? With the complications you mentioned, it sounds an awful lot like it could be a slippage. A good friend of mine had a slip repaired in April. Her doc found quite a bit of scar tissue when they went in for the repair which leads him to believe it was slipping up & down for approx 2-3 months. Take care of yourself, it's not good if you're having trouble keeping liquids down... be careful of dehydration. All the best, Karla

Hello! I hate that I'm not going to be able to make it to the lunch Saturday in Humble... I have an appt for a haircut/color to make me pretty for the cruise!!! I'm starting to get intimidated by the thought of packing the suitcases, worried about leaving something behind. It's hard to believe we have just a few more days to go!!! How is your daughter doing? Any results yet? Karla

Melissa, like Alison said... we're really looking forward to meeting you. I'll be thinking of Dinah this week and hope it works out. You have the right attitude, try to stay calm as you wait for the news. Keep us updated! Karla

Loridee11 & Eyespy.... WELCOME to the singles thread! Lori - great job! 30 lbs since January! Doing great. I think I understand what you mean about getting focused on something. My advice is to try not to make it about the # of lbs. Instead, try to find something new you enjoy doing. Shift the focus to something fun, and it will take some of the pressure off. It might sound a little odd, but I do much better when I'm not totally focused on the weight loss. I find I eat healthier, and am less stressed. Maybe that's why these last 25-30 lbs are hanging on? Eyespy - I think you did a great job with your profile. It looks very original, and not a form letter or copy. Very "real". Have you decided which site you will begin with? JC - sorry to hear of your recent troubles. Wow, just goes to show that the workplace is a real unsafe place! That's what I hate about having such a strict policy about unplanned absences.. my employer only allows a certain # of consecutive hours a year that you are allowed to call in sick. Once you've maxed out, you're left no choice but to come in ill..... doesn't bode well with the rest of us who have to be around the sick person. duh! Sounds like you found a new fill center that will be much more to your liking. Hope the next few weeks go by quickly! Sounds like you might be missing a lot of furniture by then We're here to support you, let us know if you need Soup or Protein drink recipes. Chrispy - glad you had a nice time! Since he made the comment about you paying if you asked him out, DO IT ! Sounds like he'd like to see you again. He seems chivalrous, I'm sure he appreciated your offer to "treat" but it goes to show you he genuinely expected to pay since he asked you out. I hope he tries a kiss by the next date, nothing pushy... but, obviously it would be better to know now if there may be a spark there. Joan - I'm glad to see you're back. Don't let the surgery delay give you too much grief. I know you want it, and now! But, like they say all good things come to those who wait. You'll be an expert by this time next year, and will be much more successful than the rest of us. Denise - I've got to believe for two great girls like you and I, there are a couple of available men out there! I think your feelings are valid, but I'm thinking you meant the part about "needing a man in your life to make you happy" as a general term? Sure it would be great to have companionship, someone to talk to, a partner to experience life with.... but, I think our issues with weight make it hard to get over this feeling we sometimes have that we're not good enough. It's a process, but I think you'll realize as you get closer to goal that it IS possible to meet someone. It's all about putting yourself out there, and feeling comfortable with yourself. Don't give up my friend. Keep the faith. Sorry if I missed anyone, check in and let us know how the rest of you are doing! Karla

Maggie, I've also been considering letting others know about my surgery. I'm 18 mo out, 25-30 lbs from goal and I feel more comfortable with my success. As I look back on it, I know the main reason I was hesitant to tell people was due to the fact they would see me as a failure. Since that's not an issue anymore, I feel better in my "skin". For my close friends, I plan to sit them down and explain the procedure. It was not a quick decision for me, I researched and contemplated for 6 mo before I went thru with it. It may not be for everybody, but it was the right decision for ME. Marsha has too much time on her hands, tell her your life is not a news story. What you did in Dec 2005 to improve your life is your business only. There must be someone or something else more interesting for her to talk about... didn't she hear the recent news report about those 3-4 ladies who got fired over gossiping? All the best, Karla

Congratulations Bob! You're very close to goal, and that must feel great! Absolutely, we're all here to learn from and share with each other. I like to think we're on the same journey and I still find it helpful to know others are going thru the same issues. I'm sure with your 75 lb transformation, others want to be like you! It's awesome that you've inspired them to consider the band. Best of luck to them on a healthier, happier life! Frank, I hope your wife realizes she's got a great support system in YOU! I'm impressed that you've taken the initiative and are learning about the process. Sharon, it's nice to have people notice your success! I'm also very pleased when they comment on how I've been able to maintain, it would not be possible for me without the band. I wish you continued success :drum: Jen, do you feel the same level of restriction now as you did immediately following your fill? Does your appetitie seem to have increased a large amt? If it concerns you, you might try to see if they have a </p> <p>fill appt sooner than 6/22. I wonder if the same amount will be in there? If they don't draw out as much saline as they put in on 5/11, make sure to ask if they can fill you with Omnipaque. All the best to everyone, Karla

Crystal, don't be scared :drum: It does seem to happen overnight, all of a sudden you feel an increase in hunger. My advice would be to add in more Protein, maybe a shake between meals - or yougurt, cottage cheese.... something that will be filling until your next mushie 'meal'. I cringe to admit it, but a week or so before my 1st fill I indulged in a 6-in subway sandwich... that was before I had restriction, but I still don't know why I felt the need to test the rules. I've never tried it since, and tried my best to get a fill at regular intervals. Don't be discouraged, I think it's normal... means your healing and the swelling is going down. You might check with your Dr's office on Tuesday, maybe they'll say you can go ahead to the solid phase? Karla

Sheree & Clarice, just wanted to say welcome to LBT! Stick with us, don't be shy. I have to admit, I'm guilty of going right to "New Posts" and depending on the evening I might only get thru a couple of pages before I have to sign off. Also, if I don't have much time, I don't log-in - I just lurk (read) a few threads that will help inspire me for the time being. After 18 mo, I still need to know others are out there going thru the same thing. Lately, I've tried to be better at welcoming those who post on the "Introduction" thread. Don't be discouraged, hope to see you around the threads. Karla

Great outlook! I'm glad to see that the difficulty you've had did not cause you to "give up" on the band. 50 lbs is amazing in such a short time (15 weeks?) wow! And, on top of that you had a leak?! Sounds like your on the mend from your recent fix... I hope during your journey to the next '100' keeps you healthy and happy :drum: It does seem quite amazing that you've evolved from researching to successful in such a short time. Sounds like it was meant to be indeed. I've heard good things about Dr St Laurent... have you been pleased with the care you've received? All the best, Karla

Hi fellow singles!! Denise - the deal breaker for me would be anything I am uncomfortable with, those quirks/idiosyncrasies that are against my norm of acceptable behavior. I think you're uneasy with it and you already hear that little voice in your head telling you to beware. Be sure to listen to it and stay true to yourself. While it may not be an addiction, how are you to know that it's not more than 'recreational' use.. what if after a while it becomes a full blown habit? - you won't be able to get away fast enough, save yourself the trouble NOW. You deserve to be the one he can't get enough of - not some mind/mood altering substance. Lee - great job! Sounds like you are focused and aren't letting anything get in your way. I applaud your commitment to yourself and your sons. I know you've all been thru a stressful time, and as a parent sometimes the best thing we can do to show our children how much we care is by spending time with them. We all know the minute a new person comes into our lives, the focus becomes him/her and our kids get the seconds. As I type this it reminds me I've been way too guilty lately of "going thru the motions" - it's been a while since I've sat on the carpet to build a Lego masterpiece or watch a dvd movie with my 10 yr old. there always seems to be laundry, etc that comes 1st. So, tonight I think I'll let him choose something he wants to do. thanks for the reminder! Chrispy - I agree with your list. I'd even add: those who don't have a vehicle! No car = no job! I'd also be interested in what the men in our group have to say.... don't be shy! Karla

Luvinke, my pre-op diet was high protein/low carb. My Dr recommended it because it helps shrink your liver - giving them more room to place the band. I found it also helped with my recovery. I had few complications, just a couple of days of gas pains.. heating pad really helped there. I lost 20 lbs (probably more Water weight than anything). Each day I did a variaton of eggs/bacon/sausage for Breakfast, and for lunch/dinner I did a variety of tuna, hamburger patty, fish, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, etc. My goal was to not eat more the 20g Carbs per day - pretty much the atkins induction plan x 3 weeks. All the best, Karla

Hello! Welcome to LBT Congratulations on your quick healing and success thus far! Hope to see you on more threads! All the best, Karla

Wow! I hope you're OK? I had some brusing too, but I kept bandages on all my incisions (changed fresh after each shower) and only redness was from rash I developed. Are you in pain? To be safe, I would put a call in to the Dr - see what they recommend. Sounds crazy, but you might try using a pen/marker to make a small mark where the area ends.... if, by tomorrow morning, it has spread a great deal over the mark then I would definitely get it checked. I wonder if a small ice pack on the site would help reduce the contusion. Karla

Hello goodtimes! Welcome to LBT Congratulations on your upcoming date of 6/8... I'm sure you're excited! Regarding your question... You're bound to lose a bit of weight following surgery, you'll be taking in a lot less calories with liquids than you do now. Please don't get hung up on the numbers, take care of yourself and rest so that you heal properly. Be cautious and make sure you follow the post op diet instructions of your Dr. After you're on solids, and when you feel like you're eating too much, then it's time to see your Dr for a possible fill. For most it's at least 6 weeks after surgery. Best advice I can give is to take care of yourself, concentrate on recovering from the surgery. All the best, Karla

Welcome Paula! Don't be a lurker open up, I promise you'll learn more by being an active member. We're all on a similar journey, and it's good to know there are others along for the ride. All the best, Karla

Hi friends! BIG welcome to our new friends who found this thread! Denise, I'm excited about your prospect! Send that picture, he'll either see you for the fabuless person you are - or, it'll be his loss. Keep us updated on the happenings! JC - what Chrispy said! We're here to encourage each other, male and female alike. I think it's GREAT that you gave yourself such an awesome birthday present! About the people coming out of the woodwork, I guess you have to give them the benefit of doubt at first... if you're interested why not try to get to know them better? If they turn out to be shallow and not worth your time then move on. Maybe they have their own insecurities and didn't know how to approach someone with your popularity. If you're convinced it was the weight that kept them from seeing the real you then find some new prospects. There are bound to be a bunch of great ladies interested in such an active person as yourself. Since I am one, I can tell you there's a bunch of ladies looking for someone who understands the headgames being overweight leaves us with. (not sure if that came out the way I meant it!) Neveragain, glad to hear you're having fun. Sounds like it's a nice beginning. Keep smiling. Chrispy - don't be jealous I promise to give a full report of the cruise, it'll be like you were there with me! That is until you get tired of hearing about all the FUN and tell me to hush up! It's a vacation long overdue. A present for myself, I'll be 36 in August. Joan, where are you hiding? Any new pals on your front? I hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day. Stay safe. Karla

Cathi, welcome to LBT Early congratulations on your upcoming anniversary! It's really great to hear a success story like yours. I was banded in Oct 2005, am approx 25-30 lbs from goal. I have to tell you, I still find it hard. I am not perfect, I don't always make proper food choices. But, with the band I definitely can't eat large quantities. I find holidays (Thanksgiving/Christmas) especially tough, it's really hard for me to see others eating such large portions. I want to have a small taste of everything, but that's not always possible. Last Nov I think I had 3 bites of turkey and a bit of veggies and I was done. Those holidays are so focused on food/preparation, and for us it's over in such a short minute. Good news is I'm in a much healthier place and size than I was 18 mo ago. I've lost at a steady rate, and have been fortunate to have few complications which have enabled me to maintain where I'm at. I've made a commitment to be at goal by my 2 year anniversary in October, in a couple of weeks I'm starting a program at a new fitness center opening in my neighborhood. I've signed up for a few personal training sessions, and am excited to begin targeting some of my problem areas. I hope others are not too shy to chime in, it really helps to have many different perspectives. All the best, Karla

Carol - sorry, in my previous post I meant to say :welcomeB: !!!!! It's great to have you at LBT and a part of our singles group! Congratulations on your surgery. How are you feeling at just over 2 weeks out? Everything healing fine? 15 lbs is GREAT! How much longer 'til you start solids? What part of the country are you in? Any available men on your front, are you looking? Sorry, I'm a bit nosy at times Karla

Chrispy, you're advice is dead-on... you can't go in with any expectations. You just have to look at it as a "meeting" and see if you have anything in common. Sounds like you had a really nice time the other day. Just goes to show you that all the anticipation doesn't get you anywhere, when people tend to over-analyze and have grandoise calculated plans. Since you were tired and almost canceled, it's almost as if all the pressure was off and you were able to just enjoy yourself. Do tell... do you typically meet at a restaurant? or, do you have the date pick you up? Do you have dinner, go to a movie? Today was the last day of school year for my 10 year old. So, now I can concentrate on doing some fun things for me this summer! I'm going on the LBT cruise on 6/17, my 1st!! My son is staying with my parents for the week, so I'm looking forward to a new adventure. Everybody needs to check in and let us know what you've been up to?! What are you're plans for Memorial Day? Sounds like Kristen is going to have a good time at Lake George! she's done an amazing job - down 117 lbs!!! wow Karla

Hi! Jessica, I definitely need to buy the Neutrogena spray.. thanks for the tip. I also checked into Mystic Tan, there's a salon near my home that is offering $10 per session (one time purchase). So, I've been pondering this and thought I might do 4 sessions... maybe 2 the 1st week of June, and 2 the week prior to our cruise. Although, I'm wondering how much time I'll be spending poolside. Even though I bought two cute new swimsuits, not sure if I'll take off the coverup I'm thinking the Neutrogena might be the way to go. along with my SPF 50 I should be good to go! I also have something to admit: "Hi, I'm Karla and I am ADDICTED to cruisecritic.com" ouy, yeh! I've been up 'til 2:30 am every night the past week reading all types of good info on the message board threads. It's as addicting as LBT! In a good way, of 'course. Jenna and Elisa did a great job of organizing this shindig! With 9 cabins on our 1st Annual LBT cruise, I consider it a big success already! THANKS ladies Let's get a list started a list of who is going. Post here your Screen Name/1st name, who you're bringing, where you're coming from, and what # cruise it will be for you. I'll start: AnotherMe (Karla), alone, Houston TX, 1st cruise! who's next?!!

Finding My Feet - Hello again! I've been gone for a few days but wanted to come back and say "Well Done!" keep up the positive attidude Sounds like you've had a great recovery. I'm sure you're extremely busy with an active two year old, so I'll give you a break on the exercise talk. Afterall, you're probably still healing from your band procedure too! I have a good friend who's from Nottingham, in the Midlands. She lives here now, but I've enojyed learning about the UK that I'd love to visit some time. Which city/region do you hail from? Karla

Hello Brez! Welcome to our family! I consider myself fortunate the day I found LBT. I was banded in Oct 2005, I still come here for support/information. It just proves to me that I'm not alone! We're all on a similar journey. Wishing you all the best, Karla