Wheetsin

I don't have a deductible to meet, and outpatient procedures are covered at 100% (inpatient would have a $250ish copay). I don't remember exactly, but my total OOP was something like $100 like this: Consultation - $20 (covered everything around the surgeon) Pre-admission at the hospital - $20 (covered everything around the hospital) Psych visit 1 - $20 Psych visit 2 - $20 Psych visit 3 - $20 My fills are now coded as office visits & still covered under my intial $20 copay.

I've never had a problem with crab, It pretty much just shreds up & dissolves. Chowder or other soup (normally places will have 2 - 3 choices). I've had trouble with crab cakes - more the non-crab stuff in them. There may also be non-seafood alternatives, e.g. the pickiest seafood restaurants around here will still have something chicken or steak on the menu.

Jodie_Warner06, it's not about ownership of a word. It's about tact. So given the above quote, I'm surprised you can't see n----- as more than "just a word." You've been called fat and it hurt you, and have said you would not put up with the word. And being fat is something you can control. Not the case with skin color or historical context. Why does fat bother you so much, but n----- is just a word?

Okay, I'm gonna damn well point out the OBVIOUS. Lizrbit and SweetHazel ARE indeed the same person and you can say or write anything you bloody please, it is not going to change the facts. They are one in the same and we all know it. Deny it if you wish, it does not change the facts. Wasa, I have a report from yesterday or Wednesday that you are also another handle. Hell, I have one that *I* am another handle - and that many people are other handles. I am saying/writing that I do not know for sure that they are the same person, and just because someone tells me they are doesn't make it any more true to me. There are things that strongly indicate they are the same person... there are also contraindications. I damn well have PMed you guys and provided specific links to problem issues. I'm sick and tired of being ignored by you guys. I devote a lot of time doing my thing here just as others and being ignored is quite frankly, without excuse. If you want to tell me to buggar off.. kewl Beans. I can take that. I may not agree with it but I can deal with it. Ignoring me is childish and/or unprofessional. There is no excuse. I have been a mod and it is no piece of cake. You will never please everyone, it isn't going to happen. I get that, I have no problem with that. Ignoring me is simply unprofessional. If you don't respond to me when I have legit issues, then it is your responsibility to make sure someone else does. Even if it is to tell me to buggar off. But to ignore me? That's just wrong. If you don't have time for this volunteer job it is your responsibility to find help. I can't speak for Alexandra or any other mod. I'm sure you understand that. What PMs Alexandra has in her inbox -- I have no clue. I know that I do not have PMs re: this issue, outside of the last few days. The messages I have received (all via reported posts I believe), that were not already handled by someone else by the time I saw them, I have addressed. I had no idea you had sent out specific PMs. If they were unanswered then I apologize on general moderator behalf, because that shouldn't happen. You are right, if you're reporting a concern, then even a generic "thanks for bringing it to our attention, we will..." is appropriate (though perhaps not immediate). I'm not going to speculate on what any other moderator has/did/thought/read/whatever because it's just that. I think on this point, if any more is to be said, we need to give people the opportunity to speak for themselves if that's what they wish to do. I cannot speak for them. *I* personally have not ignored you (more to agree with what you said than anything else), so I take this as a general "moderators" vent. I can direct the others to this post and make sure they're aware of your concern, but that's about it. I want to know specifics here. You suggest we deal with our own issues. As a mod of another forum I get that, I agree with that. But when it has gotten out of hand please let me specifically just what the target of those issues SHOULD do? If what we are doing isn't working, what should we do? I never said taking care of your own issues is ALL that should happen. And it isn't. I will be the first to admit that things don't happen as quicky around here as I sometimes would like. We don't have a perfect system by any means, nor do we have mods who are all around/available at the same time. But - because you aren't publically seeing action does not mean action hasn't been put in place. As I said above, I agree that you should have gotten acknowledgement on your concerns, and I apologize if you did not. As for specifics, I really don't have the time right now to search, pull up quotes, etc. -- but would rather respond in the time I do have, rather than leave this hanging. I hope you can understand that, and can model my paraphrasing into things that are familiar to you. I have seen a lot of "jab" type posts by you guys lately. Not ONLY you guys. I never once said that. And I didn't say "it's your fault" or "you caused it." Don't read that in. References such as "Oh no! You're posting here too! You must be a STALKER!" or threads started to say "I'm happy and you know why!" -- those may help you feel better, truly they might, but you have to admit they going to fan the fire more than supress it. That's what I'm saying. Some people have issues that are beyond our control and nothing we do makes a difference. It is my opinion that as a mod it is then time for you guys to step in and say enough. If it doesn't end there then you need to get rid of the trouble maker types. And again - because you haven't seen action doesn't mean action isn't being taken. As a mod, you'll understand that even more so. And as I already admitted, we don't have a perfect system and it does at times take longer than I would prefer. But by and large, when we agree that something is a problem, we get it taken care of it. That hasn't happened, instead you are passing out blame as though we have control of these issues. What is it that you want us to do, please, I'm begging... provide specifics. I don't know that I can agree completely. There are (at least) four parties that contribute to the outcome of an online (or real) situation: the parties on either side of the dispute, the moderating body, and the observers. ALL parties could have responded in more productive ways. I am not omitting the moderators here from any part in things going downhill. I have said that we as moderators cannot always act as quickly as we would like, and I have said that I do not think it's right if your PMs highlighting your concerns went unanswered. I have locked threads and given out warnings, and posted a heckuva lot about the topic that you guys will never see. With the above said, I do want to make a point of saying what little has been done has ONLY been done by you. I PMed Alexandra with specifics. I never heard a word. Yet I realize that you found the same issues I did and you did put forth some effort to confront the issues. You are the only one. I'm not downing Alexandra, I am asking why I was ignored. It's not like I PM you guys with every whim. I don't PM you guys on a daily basis, or weekly. Heck, I don't even contact you monthly. So doesn't that mean I should at least hear that you received my issues and you either agree or not? Com'on, ignoring me is fruitless and non productive. Same as above - I cannot speak for anyone else, but I can (and will) ensure the others are aware that this conversation is here and that there are concerns. At least I thought that was the case. As of late I'm beginning to question that concept. With all due respect, just where is the immaturity vs. the frustration? There really is a difference. Are we better than other boards? I don't know, I don't go to other boards, nor is it a status/competition point that I'm worried about. We certainly aren't perfect. There are things that we as moderators could do very differently. There are certainly things we could do "better" (or insert value statement of choice). We know that - we've discussed it - we don't have perfect solutions for it. There are always things that could be done differentlyby all sides. I mean - that's always the case with anything. I think there's a mature way to handle frustration, and an immature way, and all kinds of shades in between. But yes, I do understand that frustration and immaturity are different things. As for where it is - posting something like "Oh no, quit following me, you're a STALKER!" - I can see that coming out of frustration. I can also see how it might provoke someone and be a "jab." I think that when an entire thread is started with the (apparent) intention of saying "Woohoo I'm excited and you know why!" (I think that's the Snoopy thread Laurend mentioned earlier... and I don't remember for sure but I think she admitted to immaturity or a coulda done it differently... but I don't know without taking the time to go find it) - that might be frustration, but can you understand how it also reads as immature? It could have easily been a private conversation that would get any frustrations across just as well. (As could a lot of things). As I stated earlier, I will point the other mods here, to ensure they know this conversation is happening, and so that we can give them an opportunity to speak for themselves - I can't do it for them.

Headaches, minor pains, etc. Basically anything regular Tylenol is needed for. Most bandsters at restriction cannot (or are unwilling to try!) pass pills. So your options become to crush them and deal with the taste/discomfort/etc., or to find a liquid alternative. Bandsters elixirs.

Haha, I dated a guy with a Prince Albert. Based on seeing his reaction, I would have to change my vote.

Lots of questions here, I'll try to hit on the biggies. My responses in blue: When last fill occurred MD withdrew Fluid before putting in more so band must be in correct position and ok, right? Nope. being able to withdraw fluid just means the band had fluid in it, the person withdrawing the fluid was able to hit the port, and the port is still connected. It has NOTHING to do with whether or not the band is in the correct position. I believe I was at 8.?? full. He told me then no more fills, acting very annoyed and borderline angry. Definitely not supportive. I left feeling very very humiliated. What size band do you have? So now no insurance, MD that did procedure seems to thrive on the successes (understandably) but where does that leave the failures? The social worker of the program was very supportive and helped me by keeping e-mail tabs every so often. I re-visited dietician (my cost) at her suggestion and learned my Protein intake way way to low so I have tried to improve intake and have pro drink for Breakfast. I cannot get breakfast down at 6,7 or 8 am I am up around 4:30- 5 ish. Can drink a pro drink though. Dietician said better than nothing and increases protein. ** Hmm, they really push the protein, and I'm not sure why. A lot of the drinks they recommend, especially when mixed with milk or soy, have more protein than you can metabolize. We convert our extras into bad things, even extra Proteins. If you're a protein counter, space it out. I rarely post here, once I saw someone admit to slipping, and having a hard time and person was flamed and judged so harshly I chose never to write here. That's too bad. You should not let one instance paint the entire MO for the board. I hope many of your questions haven't gone unanswered because of this reaction. Why is it that it does not seem to work for some people? Most of the people it does not work for, are not using it correctly, or do not have their band adjusted to where it can do its part. This goes way beyond diet. We all know the band cannot do its job until it can restrict. You describe "occasional" restriction, not even on a daily basis, which probably means you are not restricted enough for the band to do its job outside of occasionally. The answer to this is get more fill. So you ask what I would do - I see three options. 1) get another fill, 2) assume more responsibility for the weightloss if you are trying to lose more weight (if we could maintain this, we probably wouldn't have bands), 3) do nothing (at which point you can't expect change). Of those three, I would do #1, but I'm not in your situation so take that with a grain of salt. Since you're self pay, shop around. Maybe some other providers will offer fills at a cheaper rate than what you have had in the past. I don't really advocate bargain hunting when it comes to health matters, BUT a cheap fill is probably better than no fill. I don't know what going rate is, but I know my surgeon charges $150. It's also open enrollment season. Any chance of switching to a plan that would cover the fills? (My fills, even now that I'm well past my first year, are 100% covered -- their coded as an office visit, but my copay is waived). Other than Protein Drinks at breakfast, you don't provide any solid info around what you're eating. Share an average day's intake and we can give you feedback on that. As for mornign restriction, I have it. My restriction is virtually 100% related to time of day. I've slimed over Water in the mornings, sad really. Lunches are a small (rarely finish it) Soup... if I even bother with lunch, and ifI do, it takes a long time to finish. Usually by dinner I can eat without too much trouble.

Yes, if it feels good.

Unfortunately I'm sure we'll do the whole big akward family thing. Yay. Another opportunity for me to be grossed out watching people eat.

Aye, as the others have already stated. A cc is a ml. Think of your average "doser" syringe, usually holding 10cc: 2 ccs of food would be whatever fit between the tip and the 2 mark. In terms of dosage, 1cc is about 20 drops. This is how the Lap-Band works: See the "Band Filled" picture? How the little blue ring is inflated, compared to the "Band Unfilled" picture? That's where the ccs go. Having 1cc in a 4cc band just means there's 1cc of Fluid in that blue ring. In other words, the part of your organ being restricted by the band (white circle in the pic) is made smaller by 1cc worth of extra space taken up by the blue ring.

Whether your husband's health or children's toys come first shouldn't even be a question. I'm not sure kids that age necessarily make connections between consequences and seemingly unrelated (and to them perhaps abstract) concepts. I think back to my cousins when they were at that age... I know they couldn't. You don't have any money? Well then write a check, checks aren't money!

BTW, "bigger" boobs does not = "big" boobs. All you Fs and Gs and QQQs and ZZZs. By "cup size bigger" I mean like... a loose C instead of a loose B. Y'all suck.

Ok - OMG - I had this for the first time the other day and it was SOO good. Nice and hearty, but more like a dessert.</. It was at our local organic grocery store. The listed ingredients were "pumpkin, heavy whipping cream" but there was other stuff in it, I could see the seasonings & seeds or whatever they were. I went back the same day and bought a big container to take home for dinner (it was the soup on the salad bar). They haven't had it since.

No need for a truce. I can wear the moderator hat quite separately from the user hat. I'm glad others can see them differently, too.

Oh - my waist is fairly high, too, and I hate jeans with a low rise. I tried the Daisy Fuentes jeans at Kohl's but they had a really low rise. My last round of progress pics shows my current figure. You can easily see - hippies everywhere, high waist. Makes for a VERY hard fit.

Jeans & pants in general are hard to find. If they fit my hips, they gape in the waist and I have to belt them. I thought I liked the fit of the new LB jeans - the ones designed for different body types, but I'm not so sure. (I bought the blue ones which I think are for hourglass figures). I've worn them 3 times now, and the do fit nicely in the hips and waist, but the butt sags, the crotch has those stupid folds of excess fabric, and the legs are really big. *sigh* So far I've had the best luck with buying tight jeans and just waiting for them to "break into" my body.

I'm not sure this is going anywhere, and I'm not sure what you're looking for from me. We're very aware of the situation now (all of us, not just the specific people who were PMed or alerted previously), and will do our best to keep it in check. At the same time, I think we can fairly request that everyone involved (directly & indirectly, whatever side, etc.) do their part to keep things as tame as possible. Things like not jabbing when you don't have to jab, not provoking when you don't have to provoke, etc. No one here is going to prove anything through their behavior, other than -- your own behaviors.

You might find the FAQ helpful as a place to start.

I'm between 5'10 and 5'11, and wear anywhere between a 10w and a 12, depending on manufacturer. I'm averaging on the low end of sz 20 pants but can't yet reliably get into any old size 18. Shirts I'm in a loose 1x, most 14/16s, some 18/20s. I'm hippy and have always been (even before getting fat) a larger size on bottom than top.

I thought it was under the Thread Tool utility - close to 100% sure, actually, but I don't see it now. Hmm, maybe it was a feature, but was then removed? I'm not sure. I know you can access ignored threads in your User CP, but don't see anything for adding to it. Good question! Maybe someone out there knows...

With all due respect, Wheetsin (and you know I do like and respect you), we did attempt to take the higher road. I don't think it's immaturity when someone actually responds to a post that specifically mentions their name. But responding to a post that specifically mentions someone's name isn't all that has been happening, either -- not by a long shot. There have been a lot of "pokes" and "prods" in a lot of different manners. WASa PMed you guys multiple times about sweethazel and Lizrbit, sending lists of the threads where she was harassed by them as proof, but nothing was done, not even in the form of a reply to her. In 100% honesty, I have my PM box opened in a window next to this one, and I do have PMs from both of you, but outside of the ones that have transpired very recently (last day or so) I don't have a single one that references this issue. At least not back thru... 9/19 (going back to around the time I accidentally deleted the post you started about the person on OH). I'm not saying the PMs weren't sent - perhaps they were and I didn't get it for some reason. I dunno. All I'm saying is that I do not have them. I don't know if the other mods are reading this thread or not, but I can't speak for what they did/didn't receive. You virtually confirmed to me that Lizrbit and sweethazel are the same person. If I did this, it was unintentional. I do try to refrain from putting too much information into PMs (easier to do than it might seem), and perhaps this makes my message ambiguous or vague. Looking back at what I sent I can see how you would interpret what I said as an unspoken confirmation, but I really didn't mean it that way. I think the members that are the receiving end of the harassment are entitled to react. No one said don't react. I would - and I may speak for the other moderators here but can't guarantee it - prefer that people react and take care of their own issues. Hence we will tend to let lots of little hiccups run their own course, as they usually do. The best part of being a moderator is when you don't have to moderate. I think both sides could have reacted in more productive ways. Obviously I don't think anything horrible has happened, hence you all still have accounts here. But I do think there has been a lot of immaturity and I do think the situations could have been handled very differently. Let me ask you this: Would you tell a person being stalked and harassed in RL to "just ignore it?" Eventually, something has to be done about the person doing the stalking. No, I wouldn't tell someone IRL to ignore it, but I see the two concepts as apples and oranges. If that much similarity, even. E.g. -- someone following me in a car, parking outside of my house, already being there when I went to pick up my children, etc. would concern me a lot more than someone posting irritating/pointless replies to my posts on a messageboard.

Alienware looks cool, but they've become a bit watered down and not as high-end as they used to be. They're also specifically geared toward gamers - high image processing, lots of memory, a fast disk, etc. Not a lot of stuff that your average user is going to need. In fact, I think they used to go through the Windows install and completely blow out anything you didn't need for gaming (Office apps, accessories, services, etc.) Dell, HP, etc. would be sufficient for a daily user. My laptop is a Gateway MX6445 and I think I paid about $700 for it. It's perfect for me. I can do all my school work, web work, and even the occasional game. Before this one I had a Toshiba Satellite and I didn't like it. Really what it boils down to -- what type of power do you need? What applications do you spend the majority of your time in? Do you need to render a lot of graphics? Do you need to store copious amounts of data? Etc. (DH is an uber-geek, I can only bow in his presence. he's a bit anti-Windows, but still knows much more about it than I do, so I will get his input too)

I'm a visual person and while not necessarily good at drawing, maybe this will help a bit. (Of course, this is just my theory). The picture below has two bodies, each body has the exact same boob. One body is fat, the other is leaner. Notice that as the abdominal fat shrinks the body actually recedes. The band of the bra fits farther back, and more of the actual boob is there to be covered in the cup size. I'm probably still not explaining this well. CLose your fist around a straw. You only see part of the straw. Now move your fist down the straw to simulate the body's recession. The straw was the same size all along, but now more of it is exposed because the bosy has receded. Blah, that's the best I can do.

It's an interesting topic. I hear (and have probably said) "I'm fat, but healthy." Obviously this is a bit of an oxymoron. When I say it, I use it as "I'm fat, but I don't have manifested health problems yet." But there are certainly people out there who think they can be morbidly obese & healthy. I kind of have to call BS and point to the whole denial thing, just like I do when I hear "fat and happy" or "fat and proud of it." That's a protective wall and serves its purpose, but I know of no morbidly obese people who don't wish they were thinner. I also don't know many overweight people who don't suffer from at least situational - if not clinical - depression.

Just call. You aren't comitted to a thing at that point. When I called, I was still undecided. Or so I told myself. But here's how I saw the situation: If I call now, I can begin the paperwork. I'm not committed to this if I decide not to go through with it. If I don't call now, I cannot begin the paperwork. If I then decide I DO want to go through with this, then there's all the extra time of having to get the paperwork/preliminary stuff out of the way. Which would I rather have? The prelim stuff out of the way so I can act that much sooner, or to have to start from scratch once I've made up my mind and am eager to get started? That made it really easy for me.