ReneBean

Wow, Paula. It's good to have you back and very good to know that you and yours are safe with an only slightly damaged roof over your heads. Hugs!

Santa Fe Chicken Salad from BJ's. MMMMMMmmmmm. I don't know exactly what they put into that dressing - but it is adictive. Now, I just have to survive long enough for the person who is picking up the food to get back!! LUNCH NOW is what my stomache says... :]

Hugs, Sue. Posts like yours are one of the reasons that I have found this site to be so valuable in my research of the Band. It keeps me from getting all fluffy & fuzzy about the wonders of the band. I appreciate hearing about things that can happen, even while I hope with every Fiber of my being that they don't happen to ME. Sorry the band didn't work out for you. Please do keep coming here to keep us posted on your progress. :]

Well, Pat - if you want to look the smallest possible - go for the long pants. Capris create an unflattering optical illusion that your behind is wider than it is... It also makes you look shorter... All the seafood you can eat? I am soooo there. That sounds pretty good. I start my morning with coffee every day. Hi, My name is Irene, and I am a coffee adict. They will take my Caffeine over my cold, dead body. Well, I must run - we are discussing important topics, Like what's for lunch!! :]

OK - well, we will hold the voting open until Friday afternoon. Everyone is welcome to vote... (see pictures above. Oooo la la) Chime in with your vote for best Eye Candy. Dang, I sooo love Pierce - but if you look just at these pictures, Antonio is probably the hottest... I am still thinking! (such thoughts!)

Here is the link to the JAMA study they mention: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/294/15/1903 Yep. The Band is good...<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I think that the main point was that the death rate is not 1 in 200 - it can be as high as 9 in 200 if you are working with an inexperienced facility. That would be 1 in 23, folks... Scary. I am somewhat surprised that they didn't break down the mortality rate by procedure... I guess that will be next month's study.

You can link to it now and read the story... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9741907/ Here is the link to the JAMA study they mention: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/294/15/1903

Go Jess, Go!! Less than 18 kg to goal AND nsv's... Way to Go!

Oh - gosh.... That 3 Muskateers bar explains the whole rant... a SUGAR HIGH!! (see, who needs a joint when you have candy?) lol. Disney Channel works for me - but I watch lots of other stuff, like CSI (only pretending to be reality - justice always prevails) or "How Do I Look" on the Entertainment Channel. Bad Sci-Fi is always ok - and last night, I watched "Pretty in Pink" for about the 20th time. It's so funny to see Anthony Michael Hall so young - when in the next moment I might flip the channel and catch him as a grown up on the Dead Zone - USA network. He looks so different! Anyway, this too shall pass, Eileen. Despite all the agravation, eventually it will all work out. (((hugs)))

Attitude is everything. Go Lisa, Go. Just remember, ladies and gentlemen. Mona Lisa wasn't that great looking a chick - but the world remembers her for that quizical smile. "I think (sexy), therefore I am (sexy)."

"I am a slow loser- but having never been thin in all my life, I think this is the way it was supposed to happen to me. I have time to adjust to this new body. I have time to adjust to the way that people treat me; the way I treat myself. Everything has changed. I am no longer the same person. Yes, I still have the same morals and values; I still have the same heart that beats in my body and in my soul. But I have changed. I have stopped beating myself up for simply being me. I have stopped those tapes that told me over and over again that I was a failure and I’d never amount to anything. I have changed those tapes to say things like "so, you didn't make the best decision, you'll do better next time"." Can I get an AMEN? This is pure truth, right here. Thank you, Megan. It is great to know that slow & steady really DOES win the race. Keep on posting. Your wisdom and experience will always be needed.

Happy Bandiversary!! May the last 15 pounds go quickly! :]

So, how did you Mom get ahold of my daily diary? Geez. lol

Um, Guys - I think LBT counts as Support System... And if you have local meetings of banded people in your area - this also counts as support system. Friends count, too. IF you have someone to drive you home from the hospital, and someone lined up to watch your kids - then YOU have a support system. Your surgeon and your PCP are also part of your support system. You don't have to have relatives to have a support system. :]

Wow. More fun with Blue Cross... Sorry Eileen. It SOOO sucks that BC/BS is this way. You want me to forward my appeal letter to you NOW? You could edit it for yourself, just in case you have to kick some butt... :] My Insurance Saga continues. I discovered that part of the reason it takes them sooooo long to respond to anything is that EVERY written communication has to be "imaged" to the computer system so that anybody can pull up the actual document and look at it. That means any e-mail, fax or letter sent by post has to pass thru the imaging dept - which takes 2-3 days... So, I can't even get anybody to specifically acknowledge the appeal request until tomorrow. *sigh* Last night, I just went home and ate dinner with DH and watched bad TV while I surfed LBT. I am a little ADHD... I usually have several things going at once: tv on, on-line, and Spider Solitairre. So, that is pretty much an average evening. Sometimes DH and I will watch TV together - but we don't really like the same TV. He says that I would watch a 24 hour Dogfood Commercial. So, does that mean that I don't have discriminating taste in entertainment? He likes "Cops" and shows of that ilk. I just don't get it. I get enough REALITY during the day. I want FANTASY for entertainment. :]

Woo Hoo! Good to hear that it really works! Especially for a pre-bandster like myself. Congrats, Heather!

Hmmm. My "acceptable" goal SIZE would be 12-14. My Fantasy - beyond my wildest dreams - goal size would be an 8. I like the concept of a Goal Size. It makes so much more sense than numbers on the scale. That number can fluctuate daily up to 5 lbs... Geesh. How is anybody supposed to tell anything from THAT? Besides, it should be about how we look and feel - and that isn't generated by Weight - it's about size.

Warm Thoughts headed your way. Congratulations and Good luck! :]

Hey Jess, Glad you are feeling better! I would say that you are just a tad ahead of schedule on that whole weight loss thing! Congrats on that. Wow! Less than 18 kg to get to goal... Go Jess! Go!!

Where IS Trish? Trish? Come out, come out, Wherever you are... We need your vote. Thanks, Donali... we can never have too much eye-candy.

Like Vines, I figured 125 was ridiculous, so I chose 150 - but the last time I hit 200 I looked all right, so I may need to revise upward to 175.

Oh Donali... The only person on this thread from New Mexico is TRISH! She was kind enough to invite us over to play. I am afraid the nominations were officially closed - There are just TOO MANY hot guys for us to choose from. But you are more than welcome to make a vote, all the same. :]

Yeah, Kat!! Congratulations!!

The FDA specifies two co-morbidities under 40 BMI. Hypertension would count and any kind of back or joint paid would count, as well. Go for it!