WLSResources/ClothingExch

@ojibway You have to make the decision. I think the couple of weeks you have is ample. It's a choice of what's important. I know you know this, but, sure, ambivalence is a powerful animal. 1) Surgery in November, tearing out of the gate that much sooner; or 2) Surgery [probably] mid-2016 and tearing out of the gate later, yet losing weight until then as you've been doing so far and saving roughly $12,000 between both your policies. How much does $12,000 mean to you and your family? If it means to you what $1.50 for a newspaper means to someone else, do it now. If the money is significant to you and you're pleased with the rate at which you're losing weight so far, wait for the surgery. Then, again, my friend.....your choice. Laurie

@@Chrisedwards Having no idea what guidance came from your surgery practice or which procedure you'll have, my general, concrete suggestions are that, if you were instructed to do more now than you mentioned, (1) certainly do what you were told, and (2) begin giving thought to how you'll proceed post-surgery. You'll be ahead of the game if you think ahead. You threw some curves (holes?) into your message. If your BMI is low by a reliable standard and you were told not to lose, but to maintain your current weight by knowledgeable parties (i.e., not your family or friends), why the "journey?" Has your medical plan approved? I'm not challenging you, merely asking based on what you've provided if you're being wise and have reasonable/realistic expectations. These are things you need to be sure of. I have no idea if any surgeons will do WLS on request alone and hope that's not the case for you. Laurie

Call your surgeon to ask about it.

Your response is right on. Always remember that, despite your anger, feeling betrayed by your body, frustration and whatever fears, you are better off. The negative emotions are a small price to pay. To answer your specific question, yes, a few times through the years. The best I can suggest is not to dwell on the surprises; you don't want to see yourself as an invalid or victim. I imagine that you'll be following protocol due to the malignancy. You'll be taken care of for the rest. In between focus on losing weight and enjoying being yourself. Laurie

By all means Little Red Riding Hood. Did it come with that stupid, tiny basket? Only a picnic basket with a handle that can hang from the arm is authentic.

@@Dquack01 I think it would be more useful to you to consider what your primary thought about the pain and to run it by the surgeon -- which organ was being pressed or is closest to the spot, etc. It may also be significant to note whether the pain is still with you or occurs when that spot is pressed again. It's possible that it's anomalous, but certainly don't proceed based on that possibility.

P.S. You, too, fella.

"Young?" Did you call me "young?" Men are so easy. I'm yours. Keep your glasses on and we'll get along famously. The only problem may be that, unlike Marlene Dietrich and @@Elode, I have no need to insure my legs. In fact I have to pay hush money to the insurance salesman to keep my dirty secret. Speaking of "dirty," it's not so much that my mind is such, it's more that some of your brethren are transparent. Speaking further of "dirty," is that what your phrase, "grind phase," is? See ya 'round, Sailor.

Speaking in general: Tell only those who will be happy for your success and will be encouraging, but not gushy, if you stumble along the way. I hope it doesn't happen, but you may find that someone you trusted with the information will take glee in the stumbles; will say things like "Should you be eating that?" That is, will watch you closely...waiting...waiting. Two of the common reasons for the meanness is (1) just that, meanness, or (2) fear of being left behind. When people you haven't told about surgery notice the weight-loss, simply tell them that you changed the way you eat and started to exercise. You'll be truthful while maintaining your privacy. When in doubt about whom to tell, it's not a bad policy to tell only those to whom you would report your SS number and your bank balance. It's permissible to omit the IRS from the list of tellees. Laurie

@Dub Did you have to ask? The thought of what he might do with either hand makes me queasy.

You'd have a far greater problem if you weren't peeing. Small blessings.

I'd sooner kiss a rattlesnake.

@@LipstickLady Do you recall asking several days ago whether you detected a threat against your little friend? You ain't seen nothin' yet. Do you recall saying more recently that you're a grown woman? I am, too, and long past thinking that pulled pigtails and screeches that one's pigtails have been pulled constitute a crush. @@heather5565 No, the U.S. is not thusly accursed. As to the rest, you are most fortunate. @Babbs Trust me and don't be fooled. There are accents galore. Far too many sound as though they come from the downhill side of the tracks. @@KindaFamiliar Nope, that's just you inflating your gular pouch again. And again. And again. You ain't nothin' but a frigate bird.

@LipstickLady I love "hush" and "hush up." So other-time-and-place. Speaking of vegemite and other time/place, this is 3.5 minutes well spent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOintErhxAw

@@LipstickLady -- Hush up, you. He's a cur. I'm dead serious. I don't like snarky people. Except for moi-même. Here's a serious question, nothing to do with the cur or his friggin' toast or the swill which he spreads upon it. The site assigns ranks based on number of posts. One is truly offensive to me on many fronts: "Aspiring Evangelist." What's the range of posts that gets stuck with it? Can it be circumvented?

@@KindaFamiliar -- You misunderstand. Deliberately? [That's rhetorical.]

All this and droll, too? "And yes, you're too American to try anything different... I'll certainly not argue with that."..

Is this the same man who only a day ago made a public declaration for all to read? I am far too American to allow Vegemite to pass my lips. Agreed, toast is tasty. There are toast-eaters whom you would never suspect of being toast-eaters, such as the chappies in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06hB4oep4XY If it weren't for the visual, I'd have linked an audio-only version with the accurate lyrics. It may have come from a genius bakery, but, face it, any cinnamon-raisin bread in a toaster will be devastate the strongest. Can it really be that the fragrance didn't waft to the second floor? C'mon, you must mean several levels up. Morning coffee and Breakfast aromas wake me when I'm visiting two-story houses. Laurie

Only once did I feel any effect on a flight. It was long ago enough that I can't describe exactly what or where I felt it, but I know that it was mild enough.

Not all surgery practices work the same way. pSomeone else may understand your question, but I don't. Eight hours with a psychologist? Can't imagine what that might be about. Are their other professionals hidden behind the "etc.?" Who? What?

@@Saeed -- Are you serious? I just noticed that you say her surgery was four weeks ago and that her last bowel movement was five weeks ago. Do you need to ask? Turn off the computer and pick up the phone. Your wife is in trouble or you're inventing this whole thing. I can't imagine a sane surgeon performing a weight-loss procedure on a patient whose last bowel movement was a week earlier.

Ouch! A demonstration that one's little joke failed does hurt. Or causes a shrug of the shoulders. Can't win them all.

I'd be lying if I said the questions don't apply to me, but I'll have to return to respond. It's the quotation, "I see a lot of larger women...." that grabbed my attention immediately. 1) The stereotype of the jolly fat person is glued to men as well as women. I've always interpreted "jolly" in this context to mean life-of-the-party, which covers loud (or not), amiable and passive in the face of jokes about being fat. The other parts of the description (witty, sophisticated, friendly) are new to me in that regard. Does anyone think so, too? 2) More my point at the moment, isn't it sad that a woman can't be all those things, especially since the originator of the the quotation didn't attach negative adjectives, without being fat? Is it true. What about women who've always been a healthy weight who are funny, witty, sophisticated and friendly? I know them and they are exceptional people. Why must it be an act of fraud for a heavy woman to exhibit those traits? Am I missing something?