DevilMayKare

Shoot. I fogot to change my ticker and post my 1# loss this Monday. I was bummed it wasn't at least 2. I know, shame on me for being so impatient. But really, I've been working like a DOG. I really want to be able to fit into a dress I have picked out for my bro's wedding 10/29 and 1# a week just isn't gonna do it. Right now I'm working out almost 2 hours a day (mostly aerobics) and eating way under 1,000. Hopefully, the loss will show up next Monday!

That's really good information Michelle. Thank you for sharing that. Certainly, I would also go back to Dr Ortiz if at all pratical, but since I don't have a husband and not usually anyone I would ask to drive me to MX I would probably be stuck w/ the ER... I guess unless the train was running. If I was "just" choking and sliming I could probably make it to MX--but with a bowel obstruction I don't think you could have driven yourself, could you? But I think the moral of the story is we ALL should CALL the hospitals around us and note who has a bariatric team for just in case.

Well Jack, the question was the last time ya SAW it--not the last time ya SHOWED it! (We can only imagine why you got those mixed up!) But... back to rumminating about the question... I have always thought it ironic that most men are far more familiar w/ the coochee sight (& site) than most of us women. And Hep Royale-- WHAT do you mean, "how do you shave it?"?? Is that mandatory? I missed the memo!! Are you telling me if I should ever happen to have a date again and --lord help me-- a man in my bed he'll find my au natural unfashionable? No wonder I've gone years w/o romance. I never COULD keep up with the expectations!

Bubba, Check out my post in "Recommendations for Plastic Surgeons" I talked some about my experience w/ IPL (light therapy) on the age ("liver"--yuk!) spots on my face, chest and arms. The worst was all the mottling and spots on my forearms. I tell ya, this photorejuevenation is AMAZING!! Four weeks after my FIRST treatment they were at LEAST 70% lighter. I almost cancelled my second treatment, but decided to go ahead and go for perfection. It's only been a week now (they get darker before they get lighter the first 2-3 weeks) so I can't tell if my arms are flawless yet, but I'm betting in a couple of weeks they will be. You might want to check this process out. Oh--I had her zap my LB scars last time also so I'll be letting ya'll know how it works for those too.

I've lost over 100 in less than a year twice in my life--not with the band tho. I got the band after I'd gained back 60 of the last 150# I lost. With or without the band EXERCISE is the KEY for me. It's a rare day that I do LESS than 60 minutes of some sort of aerobic exercise--and those first 7 minutes are STILL always a struggle. I almost never WANT to workout. There's just no kidding myself that this is an integral part of my weightloss.

I have never told anyone this--EVER. It would just be too much to expect people who know me to understand. When I was in my 20's I decided to kill myself. I made a plan and even scheduled it for a time when no one would be expecting me anywhere for a few days. After I made the decision, it was just like I've often read--I felt an incredible peace and calmness. I lived in a one bedroom apartment by myself. I knew I what I was going to do for about 3 days before and when Easter break of my senior college year came and I wasn't due at class or work for 3 days I wrote about a 3 line note, drank a couple glasses of wine, put some Bach on the stereo, took an entire bottle of Sominex and went to bed. And about 12 hours later I woke up. Shit. Now who wouldn't suspect that you cannot kill yourself with Sominex?? I woke up long enough to think to myself that I was the stupidest person on the planet and went back to sleep for another 4 hours or so. Obviously I didn't die. And as much as I should have felt relieved by that I just felt embarassingly DUMB. Honestly I was more mortified at the thought of being so stupid than I was at the thought of killing myself because at the time death just seemed like a relief. So I didn't tell anyone, put my big smile back on and went to my waitressing job when my shift started in a couple days. Believe me, anyone would have been SHOCKED to know what had transpired in my life the previous few days. I felt very chipper and almost like, "well, I tried--I can always die later if I need to." Weeks later I was talking to a guy friend and we had one of those "why keep on living when all is vanity?" discussions. (I did NOT tell him what I'd done.) He said he wanted to keep living just to see what happened next. It would be like putting a captivating book down halfway thru. I remember there was some big oil spill from an American ship off the coast of France at the time and he said he really wanted to hear what the French had to say about the mess the Americans made. That just seemed so strange to me because I could care less what the French thought. But there WERE other things I was curious about. I started paying more attention and wondering about the "plots" around me. Now WHO could have come up with a "Governer Schwartzenegger" plotline? Life is so very much stranger than fiction. If for nothing else it's worth sticking around to see what's going to happen next. I'm sure this will seem very wrong to some here, but the fact that there is an option to leave if it gets too bad is actually a comfort to me. My God would understand. But he's in no hurry to greet me and as long as there are still strange, wonderful--and bizarre things going on in the world it's worth sticking around to find out what they are. There really always is time to die. Living is what runs out. Maybe that's the point. Life IS-- it has a beggining and an end. Everything inbetween is ours to make of it what we can. And as long as sunsets are free and there are full moons to wait for there is something to experience and enjoy.

Sounds like withdrawals to me. Your band can live fine w/o that crap--it's your HEAD that's having trouble with it. You are a powerful woman and perfectly capable of referring your frustration and craving into pain & tightness in your band. Being sick does NOT give you permission to go back to the coke etc. It's not going to help the problem and it's just gonna make you pissed-off at yourself later. I'm not sure I can even imagine you doing it... but girl, ya gotta reeeellaxxx. I mean bigtime--meditation. Put your head on Sachi's tummy and breath to her doggie vibes.

I once knew a woman who was overweight (probably about 280# at the time) and yet an extremely succesful outside sales rep in the printing industry. She was always in the million-dollar circle in her sales (that basically means she was earning well over $100,000 per year). Although it was obvious she was smart as a tack and extremely knowlegeable about the business I did wonder how her weight did not get in her way. One time we had a talk and she told me about all the ways she had learned to overcompensate for the discrimination her size brought to the table. Just a few I remember... one, she ALWAYS had body-contact (warmly shaking hands) with her clients... she also accented her face w/ tasteful, but vivid eyemakeup and earrings & other jewelry and found ways to appear energetic by the clothes colors she wore. Other than just having a lively conversational tone (and laughing alot) she said she did her best to NEVER sit down, even if the client were sitting down. She always brought in something to show them that would neccessitate her standing up to combat the laziness perception. She actually strategically planned for conversations & samples that would be not only useful--but enjoyable--to her clients and they looked forward to her visits because she was fun to be around--as well as full of solutions. There were probably more things that I can't remember now, but the point was she thought this out and more than overcame the weight discrimination. She said that once she had a client's initial respect her weight could even be an advantage w/ other women in that skinny women didn't find her threatening and heavy women bonded w/ her. She was a perfect example of turning lemons into lemonaid.

You don't like tickers?? I LOVE the tickers! Hell I LIVE for that little balloon to float down on my ticker. In fact, I'm not sure I even want any of those chips if they're gonna take away from the ticker. But... I guess I'll join in, just for the camaradarie of it. It would be too easy for me to earn the exercise chip since it's prettty rare for me to miss a day, but I do need to keep off that nighttime eating. I guess not eating after 9:00 for me--day one starts TOMORROW. (Doncha think we could get a little crumb or something for day ten? It's gonna take a WHOLE MONTH to earn a 30 day!!)

Now that's my favorite so far... only I think they probably call her Lisa there. <....a couple training devices from dog obediance school > It is all rather Pavlovian, isn't it? Smell pizza... start salivating. Hard to ignore our animal instincts no matter how Enlightened we are.

Yeah it is tough to find good workers. I used to be of the "just fire them" school of thought until it took us going thru training and firing 5 people in 3 months to finally get a decent customer service rep. Now--just as she's really getting good--her husband is moving her away and we have a new person starting on Monday. It's really so hard to tell how an interviewee is going to do at the job! But at least no one starts putting lunch smells out until lunchTIME. And I have a little control over the goodies because if there's doughnuts left out front everyone knows I'll leave--and they need me.

With friends like that, who needs enemies? I don't really get that statement in light of the things she has done. She may be pleasant to converse with, thoughtful and funny in other ways, but if she has continued to sabatoge you after repeated requests, this woman is no friend of YOURS.

I think there is more than one kind of skinny person. Some have high metab, some make the choices and some just DON'T CARE all that much about food. My two sons were different about food from the minute they were born. My oldest LOVED to eat and even tho he had nothing but breastmilk until he was 9 months old he was a chubby baby. He would suckle for hours. Since I was a LaLeche League convert that was okay by me. Now I'm not so sure... but really, I don't think it would have made any difference at all in the long run. He is a fine young man now, but at 21 and 6'2"--probably about 280#. While my YOUNGER son only suckled for as long as he had to before he got on with his baby day. He weaned himself at 7 months and never looked back. He never could care less about food. Now he's about 5'10" and I doubt he weighs even 150#. At dessert time I used to ask something like, "Who wants ice cream?" and half the time Arthur (the younger) would say, "Not me... I'm full" and John (the older) and I would just look at him and think, What's THAT got to do with it?? Arthur just doesn't care all that much about food. It's only a tool to keep his stomach from growling. My exhusband was the same way.

Okay Lisa, being who you are, I assume you've used the direct approach and asked this woman to stop offering you food and drink. I would also expect that she knows that you are trying to sustain a low-calorie healthy diet and that pizza smells at 10:30 a.m. (what's up with THAT?) make it this difficult for you. Considering the above have been discussed, her behavior sounds like downright HARRASSMENT to me. Since you are a paralegal I'm sure you know more about such things than I do, but have you considered serving her with some sort of "CEASE & DESIST" order? Or just some sort of letter to that effect? Is it possible to giver her something in writing along w/ a cc to TPTB at your work making an official complaint? Considering the health risks associates w/ her eating habits you might make a case for the rising health insurance rates. I know there have been workplaces (heck, even whole towns) that have encouraged weightloss as company projects. Maybe you could start something like that. Even if it didn't fly it would certainly call atteniton that is well-thought-out and nonemotional to the issue. Just by lodging a complaint you could have proof of justification down the road if further action is necessary. Personally, i think anyone who knowingly offers you pizza when they know you are dieting should have the book thrown at them. (Weight Watcher's cookbook, of course.)

OMIGOD--that is really tough. I konw I couldn't cope with that. Maybe you should keep a big fresh bowl of canned dog food by your desk. When anyone asks about it you could just say you like the smell better than french pizza.

Erin...! Oh Jenna, you are just TOO evil. (and funny!)

ANACONDAS!! My lord! I can only imagine the guys you've hung-out with. (Or would that be those who've been hanging around you?)

It's not clear from your message exactly what kind of information you want. Were you inquiring about the band in general or financial questions...? I suggest you go thru the "general informaion" and "support" sections and just start reading threads. Then do a search for topics you have questions on. If you find a particular person informative you can do a search and see every post they ever wrote. There is more information here than you could imagaine! We've all had the same concerns so I think you'll find almost every question you have has been asked and answered at LEAST once. (I can't even hazard a quess as to how many times "What's a PB?" has been answered.) So read, read, read away and come back and ask us something more specific and we will be glad to help.

Lisa, I also want to say I know you've been upset about your lack of port and thereby inability to get a fill. It's hard not to say the hell with it under those circumstances. I'm sure it's harder without a fill--but guess what? It IS POSSIBLE. And I know because I've lost 43 pounds now and I do NOT have a fill--not one drop. Is it hard? Yes. Do I really have to work at it? Yes. But am I doing it? Yes. The difference between us is that I know that i CAN get a fill if it gets tooo hard. Just knowing that makes a big difference. It gives me hope. I think you need to find a way to give yourself hope. Even if you opt not to get it--put the money aside for a port. Then work like hell not to need it--but if there is no other way and the option is to go back to your top weight then DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

Vines-- I TOLD you inhertia has a way of ertia-ing! (Didn't believe me, didja?!) THis week I hereby dub you.... (drum roll please)... .......................... Crystalertia. I seriously do not think anyone can eat 600 calories a day for a week (two tops) without losing--the PROBLEM with losing quickly at 600 is you also tend to GAIN QUICKLY when you go back to something sustainable. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's done those low-cal programs for a month or two just to gain it back in LESS THAN a month or two. 1,000 cals a day is about the lowest I think is reasonable for a normal-sized person to eat for any amount of time. It may take you longer to lose but you haven't forgotten the moral of the story have you?? THE TURTLE WON!!

Oh I LIKE THAT ONE!! Do it De DO IT!! Okay Erin is evil, but you are way stronger than that. She may be the excuse you gave yourself, but I think you already made the decision beforehand. Although it might be gratifying it's not really going to do you much good to blame her. You won't beat this until you have a good, stern talk with yourself and make your health a priority. I don't care how busy you are or how much $ you make w/ this new business you going to be MISERABLE if you gain back a bunch of weight. Having money is good-but not as good as being healthy. You know what you have to do Lisa. Fessing up is the first step. You know we're all here rooting for you--now take the 2nd step...

The following is a response in Mariposa's "Frustraing" thread. I decided to continue our discussion under a new topic heading so those of you interested in a parent topic won't miss it. Hope that's okay. Please see the thread "Frustrating" for the first part of what generated this response. -K - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Okay all of you w/ children--please immediately go out and buy the book "CHILDREN THE CHALLENGE" by... I think Theodore Driekers (but not sure if that name's quite right). I have to tell you *I* was a spoiled child when younger and my parents sure did me no favors by letting me be so. I remember being in preschool and misbehaving and my mother saying, "Do you want your spanking now or later" and KNOWING that spanking was never coming. (Whatever the preschooler verion of "Yeah, right" went thru my head.) Except in very rare instances I knew no punishment was coming so I could do what I wanted. I was an only child until I was 8 and my mother lost 6 babies between my brother and me, so you can imagine... My world changed BIG TIME when my brother was born and HE ws the "attentioned" one. About that time (2nd grade) I asked my girlfriend why her big sister Norlee never seemed to be able to babysit me anymore and she told me, "Norlee says you never mind her and she's not going to babysit you anymore because you're a spoiled brat." WHOA. I was CRUSHED. It honestly never occured to me that someone wouldn't LIKE me because I didn't mind. (After all, my parents seemed to put up with it pretty well.) I started watching adults reactions to me and realized that several of them looked at me w/ aversion. That's really a painful realization for an 8-yr-old. So suddenly being a big sister and at an age where I could consider such things I had to unspoil myself (or at least get better at getting my own way by more charming means). So from this painful experience I was determined to NOT spoil my children. When my oldest was 3 I took a class based on this book (Children, the Challenge) and let me tell you it was one of the best things I ever did. It goes into things like the child's rights (like to cry etc when upset) and the parent's right to not have to listen to it. There is a LOT about finding the punishment that is the closest consequence of the misbehaving action. For instance, if the behavior is leaving toys in the floor you take away the toys, not a time out. Another thing this book stresses is getting out of "powerplay" and "blaming" situations w/ children. But the BEST CHAPTER is the one on how we actually TRAIN our children to become "MOTHER DEAF" when we lay down the rules and don't follow thru. Children recognize idle threats immediately and that "one more glass of water" phemonenon is a direct result of a smart kid (not wanting to go to bed) and a parent not willing to face their own discomfort with discipline. This Mother Deafness follows thru to how children react to all authority (lack of respect) and teaches children to ignore many of the rules they will have to face in the real world. The REAL WORLD has CONSEQUENCES and "protecting" kids from consequences at a young age will only make it harder on them when you are not there to protect them. Basically YOU can teach your children consequential results--or you can let the world CLOBBER them with the consequences of their actions later. As a result of this philosophy I found I had LESS rules & gave LESS orders because I was absolutely determined to follow-thru on the ones I gave. It was interesting that in the beginning it was more work and harder for me to follow thru w/ the consequences than just letting the behavior slide. But because of this eventually if I DID give an order it was followed the FIRST TIME because my kids learned that there wouldn't be a bunch of nagging--just immediate consequences. (I found alot of this "Mother Deafness" chapter also applied to how I interacted w/ my husband and found ways to more effectively deal w/ him w/o nagging.) Although very different personalities my boys always got along very well. I know part of this was because if they didn't, EVERYONE suffered. (For instance if there was any fighting over Nintendo it didn't matter who started it--it went OFF for everybody.) Many people remarked on how well-behaved my boys were while they were growing up and they were often the first kids asked to join in other families' activities because the parents enjoyed having them around. Certainly they weren't perfect, but comparatively their teenage years were easy because the foundation was laid. One is 21 (Senior at UCSC) and the other will be going to college next year so they seemed to have turned-out well. I don't want to brag, but I do believe the thought and self-discipline I found in myself to use many of the principles I learned from this book. As far as I'm concerned they should just throw out all the prenatal and birthing classes and have expecting parents do a course in effective parenting before a kid is even born! (Sorry this got so long!)

IF it's COLD where you are, that quilted foil insulating material you can buy at the hardware store is WONDERFUL for costumes. I made my son great suit of armor of it one year (that silver tape held it together & crest glued on) and a robot the next. Only problem was the robot year we had SANTANAS (hot winds we get in so cal) and he was so HOT in the quilted insulating stuff he couldn't keep it on!

I just typed a long response to this, but I think I'll post it in a new thread because I think a lot of people would be interested int this topic discussion, but they will miss it under the heading "Frustrating". Hope you don't mind me hyjacking your thread Mariposa! See "Parenting Skills" in the Support Section.

Hey you guys, I just came from the new sci-fi movie "Serenity" and it was GREAT!! It's sci-fi with an old western flavor, which is cool. There has been so little publicity for the film and the theatre was almost empty. I sat there really enjoying the show and feeling sorry for all the people at all the CRUMMY movies out there right now. I suppose it takes a sci-fi fan to truly appreciate it--but I think almost any woman would be taken by the "ship's" captain. (And Omigod, the figure on his black firstmate is to die for!) Serenity is the movie from the little-aired series "Firefly" which I also like. Anyway, just wanted to tell you if you're looking for a show this is a good one.