Wheetsin

I'm at the stage in my pregnancy where they're recommending the screening tests. Strong likelihood of false results, offering the options for additional testing with and end (intentional) result of carying to term or aborting the pregnancy. I'm 6 - 8 weeks from viability, and do not yet see it as a "human baby" inside of me. I often heard, "You're pro-choice because you've never had a child." In part that's still true, I am pro-choice, and I've never had a child. I will, eventually, but I don't yet.

I didn't have a moment, it was a gradual process that took about 5 years of research and debate. Of really knowing this is what I should do, but having some opposition in place against it. And again, of gradually growing more tired of it, and of having it make less sense to procrastinate. "If I can't do this in a year, I will have surgery" -- saying that for years.

if you aren't able to get teh fluids you need, go to the ER or your doc for IV fluids. IVs aren't fun, but you'll feel sooo much better when you're hydrated, have an easier time of healing, not feel teh same complications, etc.

Yeah don't feel foolish. Better to walk away humble then being ripped off, or having a mistake you might be able to fix. I've been on both sides - someone swiped one of our debit card numbers and signed up for over $7,000 worth of porn subscriptions. I don't often check our account, but this was one time we did. Balance wasn't what it should have been, and in scrolling through I see some REALLY weird website names. Eek, but our bank as wonderful about it. And on the flip side, we have our bills on autopay through online banking so we don't even have to think about it, but there are like 2 I still process through the company's website because it's easier for record-keeping. One of these is our mortgage. One time I thought my submission wasn't going through because I wasn't getting the usual confirmation. Come to find out, their system was buggy, but the payments were still being processed -- just without confirmation. I paid our mortgage 9 times that month. Seeing the duplicate transactions for the exact same amount is the only thing that clued me in, otherwise I'd not have caught it.

Depending on your area, the average for sodding with a low-end grass like fescue is $2 - $3 sq/ft installed. For a nicer grass or custom blend for your climate zone, probably $4 - $5. (Based on prices in my area)

No, we don't have access to PMs. "THEY" can't see anything that happens in PM or any other private media. "THEY" don't know anything of your intentions other than what has been put in this thread. I'd thank you to stop claiming something so completely untrue as fact. It will just incite unfounded paranoia among our members. Surely that's not your intention...

You're the best person to answer that question. Is it possible - of course. Many of us here are down much more. Can YOU do it? You answer.

Not sure. I retain fluid, and hence gain weight. If that's what you mean.

If your body needs 2000 calories for daily activities, and you're eating 3000, and exercising off 200, you're not going to lose weight. If your body needs 2000, and you're eating 2000, and exercising off 1000, you're much more likely to see pounds coming off. It's all about manipulating your metabolism to burn more calories than you're consuming. Everyone I know who runs tells me, "I run because I can eat whatever I want." Exact same principle.

We all eat differently. For some meals, I'm really tight, and my portions are tiny. In these cases, I go the extra mile to try and get the few bites to be really nutritious bites. Later in the day when I can eat larger portions, I will relax more on what I eat. To answer your question, I think, I have a mental tab of calories in something. I don't track calories necessarily, but like carbs - I'm just kind of aware of the ballpark figure I'm eating, just because I know what I'm eating. At the same time, I don't measure out my food. I take some, and I eat until I no longer feel hungry. It doesn't matter to me if that takes a cup, 400 calories, or 1 oz.

The Gas-X is a misnomer, for surgical gas. I hate seeing people spend the $ on it when it's just not designed, nor going to, do anything in the body cavity. From the Gas-X website: Gas-X doesn't work outside of your intestinal tract, which is where the gas from surgery is. E.g. you wouldn't take an antacid to help with a burning sensation in your shoulder.

With the new Homeland Security rules about carrying on liquids (no more than can fit into a food storage bag and no more than 3 ounces per item), I am wondering how others in the same situation are handling this? You won't need a Protein supplement during the time it takes for your flight. Even with international flights, it doesn't kill you to wait. Just put some pre-mixed Protein drinks into checked luggage. Yes, checking luggage sucks, but if you need protein, it's worth it. Are there appropriate shakes sold at airport shops? Not really. Sometimes if you can find something organic-based they will offer protein supplements in their smoothies or blended drinks, but you're better off just eating something with protein in it. I suppose I could go with a powder, but I don't think those are as tasty and then instead of carrying just a shake, I have the powder and the mix cup and the bottle of Water. If you're that concerned about not going a few hours withour protein, put some protein water mixes in your carry-on. They're small and aren't against the rules. Or - like I said earlier, don't worry too much about it while you're at the airport. Any city with an airport will have a Wal-Mart or Target, just stop en route from the airport and get some pre-mades. Then you don't have to carry anything. But really, going coast to coast is going to take maybe 6 hours, 7. Give or take depending on the day. It won't hurt you to go without protein for that long. And if it does, just eat something. Does your surgeon REQUIRE you to like drink a Protein Drink every hour or something? Think my physician could write a note for me to show to the security people? I don't think it's necessary, nor am I sure it would make a difference. The only exception I've seen work was medications (e.g. insulin).

Try moving around. Unfortunately there's nothing much you can take that will make much difference, it's largely a waiting game. Perhaps call your surgeon and see if they have any advice. Some people have found relief with heating pads.

Virtually everyone has a pre-op diet of some kind, and 2 weeks is one of the more common durations. But even liquid diets are done differently. Sometimes it's liquid, period. Often it's sugar-free, clear liquids. Did your surgeon not give you a book of liquids that are allowed? I wouldn't take the protein supplements unless your surgeon told you to. Most of the time they're not sugar-free, nor carb-free, nor clear, etc.

I paid a lot to have a bluetooth unit installed in my car. It has been sooo worth every penny.

Ticker, not tickler. One is a board thing, the other is a sexual aid. :tt1:

I have to kind of disagree with Fairy. I WISH things that happened in highschool stop mattering as soon as you graduate, but many people carry the insults, trauma, bad experiences, etc. for their entire lives. I know people who were overweight in highschool, teased non-stop, ridiculed, never could get a date, etc. who STILL into their 40s and 50s carry that burden on their shoulders. There are just SOOO many people out there, who carry scars from highschool and have their highschool experiences STILL defining what they do today, for me to be able to agree wtih the idea that the day you graduate, none of it matters. I'd wager there are a good number on this board who, if honest, would admit to current "today" harsh feelings, hurt feelings, depression, anger, etc. from some event that happened back in highschool. nikki - you're in HS so you know how superficial it is. Just understand that at this point in their lives, that's all the better those people are. It's what they know and value. Perhaps if anything, you could feel empathy for them, since that's all the better they are.

It's very common. Search on terms like plateau, stall... I know I answered a question on this within the last week, as have several others.

Ackphbhth, I had replied, then hit the wrong button, went "back" and lost my response. Let me start off my saying you didn't strike a nerve with me. I think your post is very hypocritical, but it doesn't anger or upset me, you're coming from a place of anger and frustration and jealousy so it's pretty much to be expected. That's something I think you'd find nearly impossible to support. You've been overweight your entire life, I have not, yet my pre-op BMI was probably on par with yours, if not higher. That you've been fat longer than I had doesn't mean we wouldn't have had equal difficulty without the surgery, and it's just not something you can rationally put a value judgment to (e.g. I need it more than you need it). There are people for whom 40 lbs is unbearbale, medically. In other words, people for whom gaining 40 lbs does more damage to their body than me gaining 200+. Even though they have 40 to lose and I had about 210, I couldn't say "I need it more than you" or "I deserve it more than you" because surely they would disagree. Your price quote is on the high end of self-pay costs, roughly twice some of the lower quotes I've seen. Have you considered looking for a price that's easier for you to swallow? I see you talking a lot about the money, but nothing about the skill of your surgeon. Is your surgeon someone you personally selected, hence you're going with them and don't want to try for a lower price? BTW, I'm certainly no fan of welfare, if you frequent RnR you probably know that. But because someone on welfare if wearing designer clothes doesn't mean you should judge them for it. I have friends who ship last season's designer fashions off to Goodwill and the Salvation Army each Spring.

I wore skirts pre-op but only long ones. Had to be at least to mid-calf. On top of being really fat and having gross legs, I'm knock-kneed, which is only exacerbated by having fat thighs. Now I wear skirts, but below the knee. In fact, I wore them most of last summer. I've bcome quite a fan of the knee-length classic cut skirts, with built-in layers. Which, fortunately, you can get in abundance at Kohl's for around $20, and which they normally have an equal abundance of knit cross-tops or empires to go with for equally cheap. Last summer saw me the most feminine I'd been in... about 10 years (wasn't always overweight). I brought out the summer heels and sandals, skirts... Now I just wish the skin on my arms didn't hang so that I could rejoin my long lost friend the sleeveless top...

There was a surgeon at KU (I think - been a while) who, about 2 or 3 years ago, got some bad reviews here. The use of the needle or something like that, nothing about the surgery itself. And I really can't even remember if that was the surgeon. You might want to try running some searches on the surgeon's name or facility and see what you can come up with.

I just hit my 2nd trimester and still have the same fill I did a year ago. Just saw the OB yesterday, and he's not worried about weightloss (very slow, nothing dramatic for me anymore, too far out from surgery) until my 20th week, at which point I'm no longer allowed to lose, and if I do, I will need to get some fill taken out. Of course if I have problems between now and then, I would get an unfill. Around week 8 I had a period of a week or so where I was really tight, but I compensated for it with liquids. He wants to see me gain a total of 20 - 25 lbs, which makes sense when you look at the weight gain distribution.

Is "hey, blah blah blah" bad? Seriously, I'm not sure what that means, but is "blah blah" different from "blah blah" on any other day? It seems like you're mad because you're assuming people who were mad at you will in the future try to be nice to you. Is that what's going on?

Moved to the board questions area. Most people use tickerfactory.com -- I think. Not sure, as you can tell from my signature, I'm not a fan of them so I don't pay too much attention.

That's really a good point, Kat. This goes so far beyond airlines. Everyone wants a rock bottom price, and they want the world for their money. Look at our past threads where Wal-Mart has come up. People want to pay $6 for a shirt, then are upset if it doesn't last long, and they can't find someone to ask questions of, and the cashier is rude. You can only expect so much for $6, gotta stop being cheap or make it yourself if you want more for $6. Here's a diagram I use at work and when I consult, to help people understand why I needd a price that's more than they think, why they can't have it yesterday, etc. I tell people they can pick any two...