Kathy473

They do hurt. And location can play a factor too. It feels like a cat-scratch basically. I have heard it described as an annoying pain that you want to stop, but you grin and bare it. Then some people totally get in a zone and pay no attention to the pain. DO NOT USE NUMBING AGENTS!!! They only make the pain worse when they wear off and then you are screwed. Take some Tylenol before and have water and chew gum. That is how I have gotten through mine, especially my back. Tops of the feet hurt, soft underside of arm is tender, elbows I have heard are a bitch, ribcage hurts, etc....you just have to try it and see what you can handle. But you have to be sure that you want it because once they start and you make them stop and not finish...you will have a tat that you are unhappy with. And I say this with a little knowledge...I co-own a tattoo shop with my mother-in-law.

Don't forget the *swells*! :heh:

:funnypost: Paul...you are nuts!

Heather...we are too much alike!!!! I know a guy who tattooed a rebel flag on the head of his!! :faint: But I also heard he was well-endowed! He was one of my old artist from like 6 years ago. I never saw it THANK GOD!!!!

Dr. Spivak is absolutley fabulous! I have said it so many times on this site. I love him so much! He is an absolute doll. Greatest bedside manner EVER!!! Very caring and understanding. Has a sense of humor which is a bonus for me!!! You can not go wrong with him. And his staff, please. They are wonderful! There is not one negative thing that can be said in my opinion about him. If you have ANY questions, please feel free to send me a private message or email me at one of my email addresses listed on my profile. www.bandmd.com

Started exercising today with my friend Tara. She came over today and we each did 20 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes on the elliptical machine, 80 crunches on the AB Lounge (4 sets of 20), free weights for our arms and my Pliates machine. I am going to be sore in the morning but it is going to be worth it. :puke:

:clap2: YEAH!!!!! Dr. Spivak is the best! I am so happy for you!!!! :cheer2: I can't wait to swap Spivak stories! He is so awesome and very cool and easy to talk to. You have made a great choice in doctors! LOVED your post...you seem very excited and you should be! I am self pay too and my husband is thanked ALOT!!! :puke: Actually...think I will go thank him again! LOL. Best of luck to you! Keep in touch!!

OMG!!! :omg: I am in agony right now!!!! I had one of those little tuna kits and I put extra mayo in it to get it a bit more wet and oh holy sh#%!!!! BAM! I had the pain in my back and in my chest...it got STUCK!!! :faint: I was able to eat about half of the tuna mix and then 1/2 of one cracker. I have been walking around my office for 15 minutes breathing and stretching and I think I have finally gotten some relief!!!! NEVER AGAIN!!! Tuna is so off my list of foods!!!!! Boy did my fill from last week ever kick in!!! :omg: So what food(s) have you sworn off???

Started exercising today with my friend Tara. She came over today and we each did 20 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes on the elliptical machine, 80 crunches on the AB Lounge, free weights for our arms and my Pliates machine. I am going to be sore in the morning but it is going to be worth it. :mad:

Started exercising today with my friend Tara. She came over today and we each did 20 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes on the elliptical machine, 80 crunches on the AB Lounge, free weights for our arms and my Pliates machine. I am going to be sore in the morning but it is going to be worth it. :nanahump:

My prayers are with him and his family. Keep us posted on how he is doing. My husband and I belong to a motorcycle club and I know how it is to know someone who has been in a terrible wreck and it is awful. One of our club members was in a terrible accident a couple of weeks ago in Houston on the freeway and lost his leg. It is so sad that he will not be able to ride again. Accidents are something you think of everytime you get on a bike, at least I do. I think about them more because I have little kids. But my husband is a safe driver but it's the other dumbasses on the road you HAVE to watch for. My thoughts are with him.

Same here...Upper GI and bloodwork...I had my bloodwork done by my PCP in March 05 and Dr. Spivak's office accepted my bloodwork from that date because it was within 6 months. If you have had any bloodwork done recently and no longer than 6 months ago, let them know and they should accept it. If over 6 months...you might have to re-do them.

I know what you mean about the cakes but Dr. Spivak did tell us at his seminar that we would be able to eat cake and chips and that those types of foods would go right down and to avoid them. grrrrr :angry that sucks! I am a pastry girl....it is killing me worse than anything!

I can tolerate a little bit of bread, not much. And I do break up a couple of crackers and put them in my soup...no flour tortillas....that's another one!

OMG! That is so funny! I love it! :clap2:

Well....it was in two parts. The top part that includes the birds and stars took five - 2 hour sittings- so that was a total of 10 hours for that part and then the rest (horseshoe, roses, etc..) took about maybe 15 hours...maybe 6-7 more sittings. It really took along time. My back was published in Tattoo Directory for One of Best of 2005 and I won 2nd place in Houston for the top part and I won for my whole back the next year in 2nd place. I also won 3rd place in New Orleans for the top part of my back and then 2nd place the next year for the whole back. Whew! I am pretty much done with competitions :faint: They are so tiring!! Unless! I get something new that I want to show and that is SO possible! :biggrin1: I have a new one picked out so as soon as I get that one done I will post it! Do you have any tattoos??

Well I was clueless but I am now more informed. I didn't know what Pleurisy was so I looked it up and this is what I found. http://www.webmd.com/content/article/7/1680_53636.htm Sounds painful. I hate having the slightest pain in my chest/lung area. :cry

Well, I am just watching what I eat. Making sure that I don't eat something that I am going to regret later because it won't go down! Worst feeling ever! :cry So, I don't eat alot of bread, fried stuff, pasta, any meat without some type of sauce or gravy...etc. As far as counting calories and fat grams...I don't do it. I figure if I can only get 1/3 of it down then the calories don't really matter. Not sure if that is a bad way to think but my life is too hectic to read everything I buy or research it. I think I am going to do a veggie tray or a seven layer dip...I figured with the 7 layer dip everything on it is soft (beans, sour cream, guacamole, tomato, cheese, olives and salsa) and it can be made healthy by making it with fat-free or low-cal stuff. I just know that since I got my fill a week ago that I can really feel the restriction and I don't want to be miserable. I can usually have a couple of scrambled eggs and a sausage in the morning for breakfast and even that is getting hard to get down. And I only had a small fill but it made such an impact! :omg: But that's a good thing...I won't want to eat all that crap I had before for the pure fear of it getting stuck or sliming! Yuck! Well, maybe I will just sit back and down some wine and cheese and buy me some jewels! :clap2:

I need your help!! My mother is hosting a jewelry party at ther house this saturday and she is serving little finger foods and drinks. Well, I am the only person who has to watch what they eat but I also want to eat! Does anyone have any ideas? What can I make that I can eat, that is basically easy for me to get down but can also be tasty for everyone else?? I had thought about a 7-layer dip (fat free ingredients!) and not eating chips with it...cheese tray...raw vegetables, etc....but then I found a recipe for honey-ginger chicken bites that sounds so tasty but I know it would get stuck!!! I don't know...can you please help!!!! :omg: .....And how about an idea for a snack for a my 2 hour flight to Chicago? Any ideas on that would be great!

Thank you to everyone for the ideas! I really appreciate it!!! :biggrin1:

Thanks Denise! I LOVE his glasses! And you should see his eyes up close....they are a gorgeous green!

Cheers! Hope it goes ok! I have only tried the diet coke and that was with alot of ice so it was kind of water-down! But I am going to try the Gin & Tonic this weekend! :xena_banana: We are too much alike! What is your sign? I am a Taurus! This is scary!! LOL!

Thanks Heather!! I am rather fond of him myself! He walked by a few minutes ago and saw his picture and I told him what you said and he got a big smile and turned red!!! :biggrin1:

OOOHHHHH! Jack be nimble but not quick I always say! Gotta love that Jack!

I WISH! But no...just his chest! My daughter is the little girl in the picture...she likes going to the motorcycle and tattoo conventions! She has a blast!