JoannMarie

Lori - you look FABULOUS! and SO HAPPY!!! No wonder about the happy. You are amazing, girlfriend. You should be proud, and your family so happy to have you gorgeous and ready to play... for a long time to come. Julie, you are sounding a bit better every day you post. It will come together for you, just as your healing has - a little at a time. It must feel good to be getting back in the groove, even though for a while you may be depending more on your own will power. You can do it because you know how and you know the success you will have as you keep to the program. Peas, good thoughts for you and your family - particularly your sister. Her lack of energy probably has a lot to do with the pain meds she's on, right? Maybe she will gain that energy back faster once she can get past the meds. Kids + long drives - wow - does that bring back memories. 3 of them in the back seat getting more irritable the longer it goes on... Youngest DD once whined "will I be alive when we get there?" Under his breath, DH muttered, "maybe..." Good Sunday to everyone.

Elayne, I had the same experience. First fill was 3cc and not much restriction, if any. My doc sets fills about a month apart for the first 3, and will do them closer if necessary. She wants you to give the fill time to settle in, swelling go down, etc., but they will go in 2 weeks if really necessary. My 2nd fill was after 1 month, another 2cc, and just a bit more restriction. The 3rd fill, after 3 weeks, was 1 cc. and was great. That carried me through till last Wed. The PA gave me just .5cc, and I am perfect (restriction-wise, that is). I feel great, love my band, and we are working perfectly together. I have an appointment for 12 weeks from now. It remains to be seen if I will need another fill, but they want me to come in and do the followup thing. I would call the doctor's office and ask if you can get a fill a week or so before your trip. Don't do this too close to leaving town, as you may have a problem getting in somewhere to have some taken out if you are too tight. Lake Superior area is my favorite place in all the world. I grew up on the North Shore (transplanted as a kid from Kentucky - also beautiful!). I hope you have a great trip and wonderful weather. Take a light jacket and rain gear, though - summer weather can be cool and rainy sometimes. My friend in Duluth wrote on Facebook this morning they had frost last night, 80's predicted for next week! Lake Superior weather is fickle... Have fun!

WVgirl - Math is not my strongest talent, but a quick figuring tells me your average loss over the last 8-9 months is a little over 5 pounds a month. I just saw my doctor for a tiny fill on Wednesday. Since my last fill I have been losing at a little less than that (4+ pounds a month). The PA said that is fine - anything in the range of 1-2 pounds a week is a good loss. Losing more slowly can be frustrating (esp since several people on this thread lose faster than that!), but you have to look at the whole picture. You will lose over 52 pounds in a year at 1+ pound a week. Keep following the rules, make sure you are getting the necessary protein. Track your intake to make sure you are within the calorie range you should be in (most docs recommend between 800-1100 a day with a bump up for a day every once in a while - this reassures the body it is not starving and does not need to hold on to every last drop of ugly fat). While tracking calories, be sure to track your protein, too. You can find the pouch test by searching for pouch test on google. Lots of folks have found that helpful in getting back on track if they have lost their way. But above all - don't worry if you are not losing as fast as you would like (I personally would like to lose 5 pounds or more every WEEK! - not going to happen...) Your doctor should be applauding your success not making you feel guilty about losing at a rate that is perfectly acceptable and actually recommended by the companies that make the bands. We are not in a race, honey, and we are headed in the right direction. Hooray for us!

Gonnaget (you are going to have to change your name now that you are a banded person!), First of all - just how many pieces of sushi did you eat? It is not the best for your overall plan, but not devastating to your whole banded future. The rest of your day sounded just fine, and the sushi is not the perfect mushie, but it probably will not cause you any permanent damage at this point. Believe me, there will be plenty of times over your life when you will eat more than you should, or eat the wrong things for weight loss/maintenance. But this is a lifetime thing for you (and me). Life happens, sometimes we give in to temptation - and especially when everyone around us is enjoying those things we dearly love (or loved in our past life). A few pieces of sushi on rare occasions will not make you fat or keep you fat. It's those times you pig out 3 times a week on more sushi than they make on the island of Japan in a month, and add several helpings of cake and ice cream, corn dogs, fried chicken, french fries, etc., etc. - that's what makes us fat. and we are done with that. Here is the way it is: You have begun a lifestyle change with the application of your new band. Right now it is healing time and very important to follow the doctor's instructions as closely as possible in order for your band to seat itself comfortably against your tummy and get ready to work for you. And it will work for you, but it probably will take it - and you - a little time and effort to learn to work together. THIS IS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE, NOT A DIET!!! That is the most important thing for you to remember. You will learn to eat healthy foods in healthy portions, and this tool called a band will help you become a healthy person of normal weight. That slim, good-looking part is just the outward bonus that comes along with that healthy body. Feeling guilty gets you nothing. Give yourself one more hour to wallow in guilt over something you cannot change. Just 60 minutes left for that useless exercise. At the end of the hour sit yourself down and plan your menu for the day. Then go to your refrigerator and pantry and throw out anything you should not be eating. If you have a family that will cry and moan about no chips in the house, inform them they are responsible for moving them into a secret location and never bringing them around you again. They can eat their ice cream at the local Dairy Queen while you are in your exercise class. NO bad stuff within easy reach of your hands. Next - go to the grocery and buy the stuff you need for your mushies (if you haven't already). It's fine to use the bariatric stuff for this phase if you want to, but it's better for you to make your own meals with fresh food you buy at the grocery or farmers' market. There is a recipe thread on LBTalk for mushies - check it out. Back over many conversations on this thread you will find Janet's recipe for "cream of bean" soup that she fixes and it is good. Doing it yourself is better because it is healthier to eat fresh food, and it's always available - no ordering and shipping, etc. It is also much more economical. The next part is harder - you may have to limit your time with friends and family members who tend to make social time their eating time. This can be tough, but for the next few months it will be so important to learn to work with your band and help that tool help you. It has to be your best friend. After a while you will establish your own techniques for avoiding what you should not have and you can slowly re-establish more social activities with these people. However, you may find your interests have changed, etc., and old friends who loved you fat may not mesh as well with the slimmer and more exercise-inclined new you. It is one of the hazards, but your healthy life is worth it. You have spent enough of your life feeling guilty over diets that have not worked for you. You will never diet again. In 6 months you will have established a new way of life that will be so amazing it will seem like a miracle, even though it is simply a tool that works with you and your good choices to give you a long and healthy (and beautiful) life. Good luck to you. Get to work. p.s. Sorry this is soooo long. I must be on my Saturday Soapbox today! I am just so happy with my band and the direction I am heading. I want everyone to succeed on this journey because it just feels so darn good to finally know I will be successful in my lifelong Quest for a normal, healthy body. Hugs...

Lori - happy band anniversary! Just one year and look what you have accomplished! You have been so inspiring for me. I am so excited for you and so proud you are my cyber friend! I hope you are having a great evening with DH - he must be pretty excited, too... Great job!

Meredith - a big hug for you. That woman was terrible to say such a thing to you. I have to tell you - you are a beautiful girl right now. You do not have to change a thing. You are also smart, articulate, kind, friendly, sassy (I'm guessing here, cause you LOOK sassy!), and gorgeous. Your confidence level is going to soar with every pound you lose. You are going to do just great! But you are beautiful now.

Orea - lots of hugs to you and to your hubby. It is such a tough time for you two. Stay busy and connected - and yes - he does have to keep dancing. Unfortunately that is the only game around and you sure want that proposal. I pray it will be a good one and come along quickly.

Hi All, It seems like a nice, peaceful group around here today. We are enjoying some cooler weather in KC the last few days - 70's w/o high humidity feels really good. They are forecasting hotter weather over the weekend, getting summer started up again. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer - I have to tell you I don't miss that first week of summer vacation for the kids! All that pecking order stuff used to drive me nuts. After the first week they seemed to settle down and get into a routine, got along much better. But...that first week. Whew! I visited my doctor's office yesterday and saw the PA. He's a good guy! He was very encouraging, very helpful, asked good questions and answered mine. He gave me a .5cc fill, said it was just a matter of fine-tuning from here on out. I agree, as I did have some restriction, but was hungry between meals and eating (or tempted to eat) more than I should eat at meals. I don't feel a whole lot different, but I am filling up quickly, and happy with the amount that satisfies me (very small). Apparently the great minds at Medicare sent out a new ruling that fills would only be paid for once every 3 months. The bariatric surgeons just about had a cow! I got this news last week when I scheduled my appointment. Yesterday the office staff told me they had rescinded that ridiculous idea - apparently just about every surgeon in the country was screaming. Can you imagine starting this process with that kind of rule? I felt almost no restriction with my first fill, and the second was only a little better (4 weeks later). Only after the 3rd fill did I begin to have the kind of restriction that was helpful. Under that rule I would have been 9-12 months into the process by the time I felt restriction. That is just inviting failure. I hope everyone is looking forward to a good weekend.

Long, how scary that was!! It's so good they were able to take care of the problem before it burst. I was 12 when my appendix was removed - and it did burst. My folks told me much later how sick I was. This was in the mid-50's and the antibiotics were not what they are now - I guess they were pretty worried. I'm glad I was oblivious! I posted on the 50's thread about my weight loss yo-yo over the last month or so. It seems to have been pushed aside for now - lost 3 pounds over the weekend. I hope I can finally be a little more consistent in losses now, but the yo-yo pattern has been my pattern for a long time and that probably has not changed. I have been tracking food and Water intake (900-1100 cal/day), exercising as I have been able - following the rules... I know if I just keep on keepin' on I will finally lose, then start the cycle again. I'm going in for a fill on Wednesday and hope a tweak will help. My restriction has been inconsistent lately. Enjoy playing "mommy" again. You have such a great, supportive son - I hope he heals quickly and begins to drive you up the wall by the end of the week. When they are driving us up the wall we know they are feeling better...

I haven't checked in for a while - sorry about that. It's been a busy month of May, and just a little frustrating. My weight has been stuck (fortunately not my band...) all month. Since returning from Korea on May 8, I had not lost anything till Saturday, when I was finally down a pound (that is a pound lower than the 2 pounds I had been gaining and losing since May 8!). Yesterday I was down another 2 pounds. I started to track my food again, and I am averaging 900-1100 calories a day, exercising on the recumbant bike as I have been able to. My arthritis pain has been pretty awful during the last few weeks, right leg and foot have been swollen and the foot esp painful. As the pounds dropped Saturday and Sunday, I noticed the swelling has also gone down... interesting combination of events. I feel better about my food and Water intake since tracking it - I know I have been doing the right things. Now I just hope I continue to lose and get away from the yo-yo scale! DD and her boys will be visiting soon - possibly will arrive this weekend. DSIL has a class to attend in the States for his new position - DD and boys will be here while he is in his class, then he will join us and take some leave before they return to Korea. She is excited to be home for a while and visiting with her KC friends (and us!). DSIL's parents live about 4 hours from here, so they will visit with them, too. The baby will be baptized while they are here, in the same church where his brother was baptized two years ago, before they moved to Korea. It's going to be a fun summer! I'm so glad to have my band. This would be such a tough time without it. I will be cooking for more folks, entertaining large groups a couple of times - it is definitely a blessing to be able to cook and enjoy - and still know I have that tool to help me stop and think. I am scheduled for a small fill on Wednesday. I have ok restriction part of the time, but I think a tweak will help it to be more consistent. and the other good thing? I'll be chasing a 2 year old again - the best exercise in the world!!

Lynn, I think if it was me I would check to see if I could get in to see the doctor a little sooner. If it's happening a lot and you are eating small bites and slowly, it is worrisome. It can't hurt to have it checked out, especially since you are scheduled to see him this month anyway. Explain the situation to the scheduler and see what they have to say...

Meredith, maybe the posting problem has something to do with your feelings that you are not being heard by the doctor's staff! It's that karma thing... Congratulations on the approval. I hope the rest of the journey goes better than the first part has. The wait for many of us has been pretty long, but it's a good time to learn everything you can about your new life. You will be sooo prepared. Keep us posted.

Thanks to all for the great stories and poems about our pets. Orea, I decided long ago I just could not enjoy my life without a dog living in my house. Fortunately my DH feels the same way. In recent years we have enjoyed the company of two shelties at a time (shelties being our preferred breed, but love them all). Since Abbie passed last winter, we decided to wing it with just Jack. He misses her - we all do - but he is a great little friend and we absolutely love him. I have talked to my kids and they understand a dog may be part of the inheritance package (the best part!), and they can decide who will be the lucky one to have the honor of completing the cycle. Whoever it is, I have complete confidence our dog will be loved and cared for whether we are here or not. I can't speak for No California, but the Cincinnati area has been a home away from home for us for years. We never had the chance to live there, but many close relatives do, and we visit often. DD got her master's at UC, so she has lots of friends in the area. It's a great city, beautiful countryside - I would not hesitate to move there if I were in your circumstances. Best of luck to your DH with all the interviews and job search stuff. It's not fun, but it sounds like things are moving along... I hope you are doing well. It's certainly not easy for you, either. Been there, done that. Cherish him - he needs it - and you will be strengthened.

Hi Clempier, I'm not diabetic so I can't answer your exercise question - could your doctor's office help with that? I am glad to hear from you again - and happy that you will be having your surgery soon. Best of all, you have some great support alongside you. I wish you the best. You will be in my prayers - for a successful surgery and speedy recovery. You are going to do great - and that diabetes will probably not be a problem for you in your future. No promises, of course, but many diabetics are finding that to be true. I hope it will be true for you, as well. Best wishes,

1 Day - I am so sorry for this setback. I hope your body absorbs this Fluid quickly - you sure don't need this! I hope the fill helps you get back on track. It's funny (peculiar, that is, not haha) how quickly we can slip away from the plan we have set before us. I seem to be fighting that mini-battle every day, too. Hugs,

Orea - I had not heard about your hubby's layoff. You have been walking around under that cloud for a long time. It is awful - voice of experience here. We have been through it more than once and memories of those days still bring chills. A move would not be fun to do, but it would bring you closer to some family members and new experiences can be fun and exciting. It's all in the attitude and I know you have a great attitude! You and hubby are in my prayers.

Hi all! I've been back from Korea since May 8. I had several days of weird sleep patterns from jet lag, but that seems to be winding down now, thank goodness. Wide awake at 2:30a.m. - full of energy and ready to go! Crashing at about noon and done for the day. It was not a lot of fun. The trip was good - really enjoyed being with DD and her family. Baby Josiah Charles was born on April 13th, and between him and the two year old we were all kept busy for the next month. I am not worried about DD - but she will definitely have her hands full. Her husband is on paternity leave for several more days and then back to work for him - she will be on her own. We've all been there and we survived - she will too, and she will do very well. I lost about 4 pounds overall during my month-long visit, and have been stuck there since returning. Back to the exercise bike since I'm home, and back to a better eating routine - but the weight loss has not started up again. I think I may need a slight fill and will call the surgeon today to schedule one. Mimi - it's good to have you back! I hope your shoulder problem will be easily fixed. I'm with you on the MRI. I have only had those tests on my knees with the machinery no where near my face, but still felt claustrophobic! The zumba class does look like a lot of fun - but probably a bit more dependent on better knees than I have right now. Go for it! The exercise will help to jump-start your weight loss again, and help to make you more aware of eating according to plan. It is really good to hear from you. Best to all...

Chimboree, you are in my prayers. My daughter has also suffered from extreme morning sickness with her pregnancies, and it was very difficult for her. I am so sorry you had to have your band removed, and sorry your baby was exposed to the necessary medications. I am sure the doctors used medications that have a good safety profile for your baby. I pray that the rest of your pregnancy goes well and your baby is born healthy and strong come October. God be with you.

Hi and Welcome! I was banded on Dec 4th and am enjoying pretty good success with it. I lose slowly, but that has been my pattern for years so nothing is new. Point is - I am losing! I can suggest a great thread for you as you begin this journey - it's "50 and over gang, we have a new spot." It has been a pretty active thread for some time and I enjoy the people who post there so much. I figure I am 50 and then some (turned 67 today!), and that group has been kind enough to let me hang around. I think you will find them to be very supportive and fun. Meanwhile, welcome to bandland. Keep us posted on your progress and if you have any questions just ask!

Toyster, I think it is unusual, but certainly not a problem. You sound like you are following all the rules - better than I am, I'll bet! Congratulations on your loss, I think you are doing great!

Hi All - just checking in this afternoon. I got a good night's sleep last night - really needed after the "day" I had. In total I spent about 30 hours traveling back from Korea - combined in a 5 hour bus ride from Daegu to Inchon Int'l, then 10 1/2 hour flight to San Francisco, layover there, then flight to Denver, layover there, and finally the comparatively short flight to Kansas City and the arms of DH! My food intake was TERRIBLE for the "day." A Protein bar on the bus, a little airport food (hamburger w/o the bun), followed by two airplane meals (Lord knows how many fat calories went into that!), another airport offering, then nothing for the next 2 flights. Not nearly enough Water even though I took water whenever it was possible. I just could not sleep on the planes, and was exhausted when I got home. I took a shower and went to bed! But DH was happy to see me - house was clean - he even brought home roses for me!! The reunion with Jack was fun - lots of dog kisses and hair flying (his AND mine!). I am back to the food and water routine as of this morning and it feels so good to be in control again! I did fine in Korea - I know the band helped so much there. I did eat some things I normally do not eat - more carbs than usual, pizza a couple of times, etc. But the band did it's job and I was able to resist any urges to overindulge. I think one of the biggest challenges I face is those pesky sliders. It is so easy to overdo them because they all taste good! and go down so easily! and you don't even feel full with them. I do work hard to stay away from them. I don't have chips, ice cream, candy, etc. in my house. DD always has chips because her DH likes them. He runs every morning, works out regularly, so it is not an issue with him. DD limits her intake, breastfeeds, and chases a 2 year old - not an issue with her, either. As the babies give her more time she will be running on a regular basis. I managed to ignore them (the chips, not my peeps). My right knee and both ankles/feet are giving me fits. A lot of walking yesterday, even though I had help through the larger airports (shoot, they were ALL large airports...). Just about every joint in my body is complaining today - just GET OVER IT!!!! About 40 pounds gone, but that has not helped the pain of arthritis especially when physically stressed. I am disappointed in that. I remain hopeful that another 40 or 50 will help, and I know the knee replacement will have to be done. I just want that 40 or 50 more gone so the replacement will go smoother and I won't GAIN! That was my original goal and remains the most important one. (skinny clothes runs a close second...haha) Oh, yeah -there's my HEALTH!!

For some reason the copy/paste part never did work for me, even though I was doing exactly as the directions told me - bbc code and all. I finally emailed Alex and asked him what I was doing wrong. He helped me get it going and it has been updating just as it's supposed to since. I don't know what he did, but I wonder if a setting on my computer was standing in the way? I kept getting an "invalid file" message... It was very frustrating and I gave up more than once!

Julie, I am still in Korea visiting the DD and her family. This includes a newborn and a 2 year old. I cannot possibly understand how you could be taking care of a 2 year old with the medical/surgical situation you have had the last few weeks. Your granddaughter will do fine with a sitter, esp if there are other children around. It will be a good opportunity for play and share time. And - you need to rest and heal. I'm in the last week with DD and her family. We've had a bump in the road. They will not be coming back to the States this summer as we had hoped. DSIL will be posted at Seoul for at least the next year and maybe 2. They will move from Daegu to Seoul in the next few weeks, as soon as the official orders come through and they can clear their housing here. It is a much larger post and is very family oriented. There will be lots more to do for DD and the kids in the way of play dates and pre-school for the 2 year old, and DD is looking forward to getting back into running with a running club, and having more social options for them as a couple. I've met many of their friends here and enjoying all of them. But this is a really small post in the middle of a big city! I have enjoyed this visit. We have not done a lot of touristy things, as we are a little housebound with one car (DSIL takes that most days because his office is at another camp and too far to walk), and it's not easy to get around with the 2 kids. Traffic in Daegu is unbelievable! I will never again complain about traffic in any American city - it is a breeze compared to Daegu and Seoul. Traffic laws seem to be a mere suggestion... As of this morning I have lost 7 pounds since I left home on 4/7, so a little less than a month. I am very happy about that. I've been walking more here, but not on an "exercise" basis, just more active during the day. I've managed to stay with the guidelines most of the time. Tonight we are going for a traditional Korean meal, which is usually cooked at the table mostly by the diners themselves. A Korean friend and coworker of DSIL is taking us to a restaurant at a nearby lake. The main downfall will be rice, but I can limit my intake of that pretty easily. I am sure there will be lean meats, beef and chicken usually, and both fresh vegies, and kimshee (sp?). There are many types of kimshee, some are very spicy, and some not. I don't know how to describe, but probably "pickled" vegies might come closest. They are prepared by very traditional methods and are served at every meal in a Korean household. Breakfast for most Koreans is kimshee and rice, so kimshee is a staple in the Korean diet as much as rice is. I am looking forward to the dinner and have been saving for it all day (easy on the breakfast and lunch today!) Hope everyone is having a good day. Julie and Denise - I am thinking of you and hoping you both are doing well.

Lucky, give it a few days. There is always swelling after a fill, therefore it will feel extra tight. As the days go by you will probably not feel as tight as you are right now.

Something is going on... I just received notification by email for your message, Phyll. I have not checked UserCP yet. I have not received an email notification for several days till this one. Hope they have everything corrected by now. I also hope everyone is doing well this Tues morning (Korea time). I know it's still Mon night for most of you. So far I have not called DH in the middle of the night, but did call a friend at about 10:30pm the other night. She sounded sleepy... I probably woke her. I had a sudden question pop into my head and picked up the phone without thinking. Thank goodness I am not waking anyone up when I post on LBT!