mousecrazy

lisah25 has given very, very wise advice, as did vinesqueen. Please be willing to give yourself a whole new outlook on food. Challenge yourself to view food through new eyes. It's not how much food can I possible push through this band...it's how much nutrition does it take to keep me healthy, and give me a satisfied feeling? It's a mental revolution! Treat yourself to some respect, and make sure your stomach is healing properly...you are introducing too much solid food too fast to be sure those sutures are properly healed and that band is nice and firmly in place. ((hugs)) Take good care of yourself, and it's not too late to make good choices!

Excellent year! I know you are so proud of what you have accomplished!

Hey, your body is probably just re-setting itself to a new reality (some call it a "set point"). Let it have its time to adjust. It's okay. I really understand the frustration, and when I start feeling it, I sit myself down and tell myself the same things you are reading in this thread. It does help. Good luck!

Hello! Dianne, I'm having the funny picture of you wearing thick squeezy hose, laying on the couch with your legs up on pillows, holding a laptop on your tummy, typing and reading on LBT! LOL! Pat, you're right...that's one heck of an extension cord for that long of a driveway...I forget how far back you live off the road! I guess you can just duct tape some flashlight on the flag poles? Maybe someday, we will all get to meet. You never know. Anne, I think most people are somewhere in the middle, and have some issues they go more left on, and some they are more right on...very few people live on the extremes of either side. I hope I am not delusional on that! I wouldn't see a psychotherapist about your schizophrenia, yet! We've made it to Thursday, and that's always a good sign for seeing the light at the end of the tunnel...whew! Hope all is going well for everyone at work...still thinking about you, Mandy. And you, too, Sherry... More later, if all goes smoothly and I have time to come back! Hugs, Cindy

Let's see, you've got some good recommendations, like keeping track of what you are actually eating, adding some exercise, and going back to basics. Those are great starting points when you are re-evaluating a system or a process. Posting a daily food log would help others to evaluate your intake...and knowing your fill level/restriction would, too. It's great that you are looking at the situation, and trying to find some answers, but like Leatha suggests, sometimes people are slow losers...I'm kinda right in the middle myself. When I am frustrated with the pace, I do try to remind myself that without the band, I would be at least 282 lbs, and most likely even more!

I was just thinking the other day how happy I was that the topics and posts were questions about pre-op diets, fills, and PB's, and how to control head hunger, etc...and lots of really good responses from the experienced bandsters in reply to those questions. I am not aware of any overt negativity that is pervasive.

I loved those pictures, too! Both of you look happy, and healthy...and cute!

Super! You've had a great year, and I know you are flying high! I can see the pride and happiness!

There really isn't a "schedule". Do what is best for you. Another thing to consider is the bite size...try very small bites, and see if you get the same sensation.

Here's a great book, made for us girls, Smart Girls Do Dumbells. It has great info, good explanations of the right way to do basic weight training exercises with dumbells, and the equipment needed is inexpensive, small and easy to store. If you need more info on the book, PM me and I'll check out the author's name when I am at home!

The band is very fickle, and trying to compare mine to yours is pretty hard, and even mine in the morning, to mine in the evening can be tricky! It's a hard lesson, and I bet almost every one of us has learned it the hard way...do not "push it." When you start the cycle, it is so hard to fix. The stoma gets inflamed, you PB. The PB causes more swelling and irritation. You try to eat again, more irritation, more swelling, more PB's, and this goes on and on. After a PB, go on liquids, then mushies, then cautiously add solids again. If you are having too many problems like this, you might really consider a small unfill. It is not worth the possible consequences.

My doctor didn't specify any particular time...I was given the driver's seat on this. My fill amounts and dates of fills are listed in my signature, so you can see how slow I went. As I was getting through my first year, I became aware of problems some bandsters experienced when they rushed their fills and started having all the problems that come with being overfilled. I did not want that. I may be on the overcautious side. My message to you is to decide for yourself what risks you are willing to take, and what pace you are comfortable with. It is an individual thing.

Welcome to LBT! You've found a great place for friendship, information, and support! The pre-op diet is tough, but I bet you are tougher! My surgeon presented me with a full color picture of my liver, taken during surgery! If you needed any inspiration to stick with that diet, I hope that will provide it! Looking forward to more of your posts, and good luck next week!

We have patriotic group here! I think my DH bought an inexpensive spotlight at Home Depot and pointed it up the flagpole...it's probably not perfect, but it hasn't brought us any complaints. I actually think there was a restriction on flagpoles period in our neighborhood agreement when we built our home, but no one has had the guts to say anything to us. In our little town, I don't think anyone would. They wouldn't like the response, I don't think. I hope I didn't run everyone off with my patriotic preaching! LOL! Somehow, I doubt it.

I started off with some rewards...massage, pedicure, etc. I loved doing that! Now, it just thrills me no end to dump those large clothes out of my closet!

Way To Go! You look fantastic, and I know you feel fantastic! It's so amazing, isn't it? I relate to just about everything you've said, except I am in totally in awe of all the exercise and biking and hiking! I'm just proud to be able to walk the malls without pain! Congratulations! You've had a great year, and more to come, I am sure!

Way To Go!

Just wanted you to know I was sending prayers up for you! Good luck and healthy healing!

Kat, thank you so much for the encouragement. It means a lot to me. But, what really touched me in your post was your giving your dad a haircut so he could come see his best friend who is dying. Seeing anyone you know is dying takes more guts than most people know. I know many of us here in the NJ gal thread do know what it takes, so God bless him, and his friend, and you for helping him get ready. We fly the flag here at our house every single day, and have for the last 5 years...you gotta love that, right, Sherry? We have a big ol' flagpole, and everything! DH has DD at Girl Scouts, and I made the special brownies (no, not THOSE!) with Hersey's Symphony bars in the center for DD's school's teacher's meeting (that's too many possessives there...) tomorrow. I know lots of people don't like being alone, but I sure do! I'd like a couple of days of pure time to myself, I think. How about ya'll? I've gotta make her lunch still, but that's about it as far as getting organized for tomorrow. I guess that's about all there is as far as news for tonight...hope everyone's had a good day! Cindy

What I like best about the stories of 9/11 are these stories, like Elizabeth's, of everyday heroism. How I wish and cling to the hope that we can all remember these moments, and reach inside ourselves and find them more often! I add my prayers to all the others for comfort for the victims and the survivors, for courage and wisdom for our country and all of its leaders, and for perseverance and dedication for all of us everyday citizens, that we may never forget.

What freedom! Not to be controlled by food! Congratulations on your NSV's!

I hope you have read La Madam's thread. It is waaaay too early in this marathon to be worrying yourself like this. Right now, you are following your nutritional needs very well, and you are doing reasonable exercise. I think you are doing great! The weight loss will happen. Focus on healing right now. Don't be so quick to judge yourself a failure, even though we all understand the how many times we've had our hopes up only to be dashed again. It's not going to happen this time. Take it one step at a time. This part of the journey is healing.

Oh, I want to respond to your last question. YES. It is very possible that food will no longer control you after your lapband surgery...I know that, unbelievably, food no longer controls me. I couldn't be more surprised! I can walk into the teacher's lounge and a there will be a big box of donuts, and I can look at them with complete disinterest, 95% of the time! Sounds like a science fiction novel, doesn't it? I swear, it's true.

Welcome to LBT! The very fact that you were able to identify what your fear is all about, is a very, very good sign! I think you are way ahead of the game! I'm not gonna sweet talk you that you won't miss food at times, but as you go down this road, you will adjust to each part. Your fill level (and restriction level) is adjustible, and is decided on by YOU. Take it nice and slow, and let your head and body adjust as you go. Deal with your emotions that surround how you use food. Get some books, write/post about it, and you'll get through it! I predict (What? You don't see my crystal ball?) that you will do very well, if you decide on the lapband. You are aware of your potential obstacles and have asked for advice. This is more than many people are able to do. You're gonna do great!

HI everyone! Sorry I missed a few days, and even more sorry if you worried! FIL's surgery went very well! He's doing great and recovering very nicely, thank you all for the prayers and good wishes! I think I even got him talked into some remodeling, so his bottom floor will be "self-contained" and livable when the day comes that he cannot make the stairs. He needs a full bath and a laundry room, and place for a bed. There is plenty of room, it just needs to be done. It is an old two-story, a beautiful home, right on the edge of the TWU campus (he is a retired professor). So, all of that was really good! I was busy the rest of the weekend going through very many legal papers and correspondence, and preparing a statement to send to our attorney, in preparation for a petition we are supposed to file, maybe next week. I actually wrote that letter yesterday afternoon, which is why I wasn't on here having fun with you all! Do I get an excused absence? Pretty please? I still play POGO...I like games that I can play by myself...mahjong, penguin blocks, poppit, and stuff like that. I only do the badges of the games I like, and the personal challenges. My name on Pogo is Mousecrazy...sound familiar? Dianne, I have not read the 9/11 thread and I probably won't. It would make me crazy insane, and I just don't even want to go there. I will share this with you, my friends. That day, on 9/11, is the day that I became, truly, an AMERICAN. Until then, I believe I was an American, but a "citizen of the world" type American. I held some confused, and now I believe, misguided thoughts about pretty much everything. When I sat and watched what happened, researched and learned more about the terrorist attacks against the U.S. for the previous two decades (so it's not a Dem/Rep issue), my eyes were opened. I was changed in a fundamental, huge way, beginning on that day. I know some of you may not share this point of view, and may not understand it. I have even read the entire 9/11 Commission Report. I believe we are engaged in a battle of immense significance, a battle of ideas that will determine the fate of our country, and other freedom-loving countries in the world. So, Dianne...I applaud your effort at remembering the heroes and victims of that day, and Darcy, I was glad to see your prayers for them. I know most people feel the same. I know I went on too long, probably; you are all important to me, and I just feel like you should know that part of who I am and what I believe. Mandy, no word yet on the puppy? Patty, your pedicure and day out sounded like a fantastic time! Eileen, are you back at work? Bummer. If we could only make vacation last forever! Oh! I did clean out part of my closet...aboaut 100 lbs of clothes are out of there! And it's STILL full! What is the deal?????? I'm gonna keep working on it. BTW...my house would win, hands down, any kind of messy house contest ya'll wanna dream up! I won't even try to post pictures! Besides, Darcy would have to resize them; I'm going to have to get a better photo editing program! Hugs to all! Cindy