Apples2

BTW, Lulac...congrats on your 98%. Funny about having your own zip code. I, on the other hand am happy to be rid of the "hail damage" on my boy a$$

Lulac...Do you share? Could you put some of that butt on dry ice and send it up here to MN? I am built like a boy with boobs!

No, No, No, BBK...men learned this stuff from the farm animals and the zoo animals when they were just little lads. Just say "BAAAAAAAAAAA" and pretend like you are a ewe! This gives a man everything he has ever dreamed of...a submissive momma ANIMAL AND there's a little roll playing on the side (Bull$hit)!

Hunzi....I hope you can get the ball rolling to start this process again. Sorry to hear about the hair loss but you are doing the right thing by reassessing what you are eating. Some people do lose hair after a surgery. Good luck with your visits to your surgeon and keep us posted. Karen

Janet...I just feel that I want to be at that place in between full and where I am right now. I feel so wishy-washy when I try to explain where I am at presently. During the entire time I have been banded, I have only felt that full feeling twice. Never have pb'd or slimed. There actually are days (like I said above about one day a week) where I feel like I am doing this weight loss thing all on my own. I guess I do know that the answer is to try another fill to see what that does. I am 2lbs away from goal and believe that if I get a little more of a fill, maintenance will be a little easier for me. Make sense?

Happy Birthday, Alex. And many more!!!!!!!!

Good attitude, HeatherO. I think most of where my trouble comes from is that we live in a very small community and people tend to think another person's business is their business so that gives them the right to comment?

I am a few pounds away from goal. My goal weight was discussed at the beginning of this process between my dr., myself, his team of nurses, my dietician and my husband. I am striving for a healthy weight and it's a reasonable one. I have lost count of the number of people (some are supposed friends) who think it is their responsibility to walk up to me in public and say: "You'd better not lose any more weight". Where do they get off? I just state that I am at goal (don't even want to explain I have a few more to lose) and I walk away. I have the friends that have been encouraging throughout this entire process. They are the ones that say that I have not looked more healthy and happy and are pushing for me to get to goal. Guess I just answered my own question........stick with what my friends say that have been there for me and blow the others off.

Needed some surgery so had to see my gen practitioner for the final OK. He ordered a battery of tests. I was surprised to see that my liver function numbers were still high after losing almost 100lbs. I understand why they were high b/4 (fatty liver) but not now. They went ahead with surgery but said I needed to retest.:biggrin: I never over do on alcohol...maybe one drink about once a month. Anyone else experience this?

Is this where we congrat you, HeatherO? Or are you saying you will be preggars in a few months?

I agree with Lulac when she stated that Oprah could be more understanding of the WLS issues. I was sitting at my computer (work from home) with the tv on behind me. Did a big neck crank at the first negative comment. Most of the comments made by her on that show were very close-minded.

From what I gather there's a large percentage of LB people who have hiatal hernias and they were repaired when the LB procedure was done. I had one larger than a baseball (dr's description) and they repaired it at the time of my LB surgery. No more acid reflux. Not even a hint.

I kind of went through that phase. I have always enjoyed food and after being banded I would just make convenient meals for myself. i.e.: cold chicken, cold tuna, etc. Well, it didn't take me long to miss my good cooking. I started mixing up certain recipes (all healthy and what I should have for protein content) and I started to enjoy meals again. Yes, sometimes meals seem like work, especially when it gets cold b/4 I can get it eaten. But, so much better than filling my face till I'm stuffed and then regretting it, feeling bad about myself for the way I look and feel. It's been a great trade off.

Scary thing is...sounds like his behavior is ingrained in him by his father. I would insist he see someone or the two of you go to a counselor together. No one deserves to be abased. He should be your best support system. It sounds like he has accomplished the job he set out to do. He has you beat down into doubting yourself. Dig your heals in, go after your weight loss with all you have and try to make him see what his comments have done to you. If he does not want to go to counseling and change the way he treats you...I guess that would be your answer. There are some people that you can never please. Take care.

Oprah struggles just like the rest of us. She has repeatedly admitted that she has a difficult time when it comes to food. Watched her today and she brought the subject up about how overweight she is right now. She has worked with Bob Greene for years. Around the time of her 50th bday she was so in shape. She's a real person and staying so much on task every day of your life just does not work with most of us and she has proven the same. She has the resources in her life; trainer, chef, etc. and she still struggles. I feel for her as I feel for the rest of us that have struggled.

Hey Becky, sounds like you are getting some exercise in. I was really crabby on Tuesday (usually not like me) and just couldn't put my finger on why. I usually try to walk away b/4 I bite. I got over it. Think just too much stress lately. Happy Thursday to everyone else. Think I need a fill. I am so wishy-washy from day to day. I am really good to never go over my 1/2 cup, 3 x a day rule but some days I am hungry most of the day. No...it's more like 1 day a week I am hungry and the rest of the days are pretty good. I thought I might be at the spot I should be at with my fills but think I will get one with my Nov 4 appt. Would be .5 filll. That would give me a total of 6.5cc in a large band. I guess that's what we have the band for...to feel that restriction. I am sooooooo afraid of being too full but can have an unfill by just making a call day or night. Worth a try, right? What I love about this band is that even when I am hungry, I do not crave the foods I just cannot have. For instance; I have pork loin and stuffing roasting in the oven, frozen sweet corn from our field, baked potatoes, homemade multi grain bread and pumpkin pie for my guys when they come in for supper. It doesn't make me drool. If I have eaten b/4 them, I just drink my coffee or Water and visit. Not even tempted. I guess a lot of it is mind set. Hope everyone had a good day. Long...happy to hear that your mother did not have a dramatic reaction when she heard about your band. Whew, huh?

Yesterday: B - 5oz Greek yogurt with SF Caramel Syrup, 3 TBLS soynuts L - 1/2 cup tuna with 1 TBLS FF mayo D - 1/2 c. Boca chili...so good Today: B - 5 oz Greek yogurt with banana SF syrup and 3 tbls soynuts L - 1/2 cup Boca chili Again, yum D - Will be eating 4 oz grilled chicken with 2 tbls black bean salsa

Hey Gorgia...(wrong thread, I know) Your new photo is incredible that you posted on b/4 and after. I couldn't have picked your other photo as being you. You must feel fabulous. Congrats:thumbup:

Renewed....I second what you DH said:wink_smile:

My positive is that I have been 4# from goal for a loooooooong time now BUT I am not freaking about it. Had surgery a week ago and came home with 12# to lose instead. I am back to 4# and plan on being patient. Not changing anything. Will just let it be a surprise when I step on the scale next week or the week after or the week after that. This band has taught me not to obsess about my weight.

Charlene....What a LOSER you are!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on reaching the 40# milestone!

Janet... we own a 2000 acre grain farm. Corn and soybeans. I sold my business in 1997. Too stressful for my husband not to have me around. We also own a business together on the side which my son is involved in also. Son is also employed by the farm. I cook every day for a number of help. I do the books for farm and business also. Love my job but feel the need to be out in public also. DH would never say I could not work outside the home but I just know this is what works for us. My oldest son that works for us is now done with the guards. He will not go back with his unit. He will be involved in the group that I am heading up. He saw a lot of action in his year over there. Lost three of his good buddies. He was a gunner. Basically a sitting duck on top of the Humvee. He is doing well but will forever have the after affects of what he saw. My youngest son (25) is in the FL Airguard. He has 4 yrs remaining. He is a commercial pilot and his full time job is as a chief flight instructor. Now you know!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So sorry about the loss of your mom, Gail. Will be thinking of you and your family. Take care

Hey Cathy, nice to hear from you again. I am sure the beginning of your fall semesters are crazy. Just don't forget about us though. Sorry to hear you have to have surgery. I have had friends that have had the same and they said it wasn't bad at all. I hope it's the same for you. I am going nuts not being able to do much. At least I can cook for the farmers. That gives me SOMETHING to do. I just make sure that if there is any lifting to do, the guys do it b/4 they leave in the morning. Even when I was at my heaviest, I was a very active person. Never one to sit in one place too long. So, looking at things that I can't do are killing me. Our guards unit (the one my sons were in) got called up to go back to Iraq and will leave in April. I will be heading up the Family Readiness Group along with another person. I was the secretary for the group when my son was in Iraq. This time my son is not going because he is done with his 8yrs and I feel like I need to do more. We got the ball rolling a couple of months ago and cannot wait to get some fund raising things underway. This will be a huge part of my life for the next couple of years. I certainly do not want to see these men leave again but at least we will be able to have our group functioning long b/4 they need to leave. I was pretty much frozen in time the last time around. Now I feel like I will have the capacity to actually function within the group. You guys don't mind hearing all this, do you? Another thing I will be busy with is a volunteer job at our local hospital. About 15-20 hours a week. (You get calls when people hear that you do not draw a paycheck). I have always volunteered but only a few hours a week. Looking forward to this venture also. Being as I work for the farm, I do not see people on a daily basis and it drives me nuts. Volunteering is good for the soul and good for my sanity. I had my own business for years and when I sold to come home and work with my husband, I missed my clients so much I thought I would die. Now I just do things to get me off the farm and I get to see people again. I don't know where this long story came from or why I felt I needed to share it but now you all know me a little better. OK?

That sounds a bit better!