tapshoes

Oh boy!! When do I get to be snobbish? How long after banding? I wanna be like the cool guys. Is there an announcement? An award? Some initiation rite? **Tap bounces excitedly in anticipation of this**

you won't have to go too far!!!

I absolutely 100% totally agree with Gentylwind...family should be an absolute LAST resort (if at all). A contractual arrangement that is written and signed is essential. And the family member, even if they don't say anything immediately, will always feel that they should have a right to ask about what your status is. If you are not someone who appreciates others be discussing your weight, your clothing size, your day-to-day progress, your meals, your exercise regimes, every nuance of what you do and eat, then don't do it. Unlike a finance company who cares nothing about you other than your payments, family memebers will feel they have a vested interest in you and will want to know. Personally, I couldn't do it.

OK VVs, not a lot of posting going on here.... Tues/Wed - suffering with an ever increasingly tight band; couldn't even manage Water by Wed night. thurs - slight defill...........RELIEF. Drank copious amounts of water, and fluids for the rest of the day. today...choc-cheese prot smoothie (:ohmy:; assorted soft/mushies are planned for the rest of the day. My lunch bag has 3 ff yogurts to take me through to dinner.

I didn't exercise Wed/Thurs - having consumed only Water (and small amouonts of that) for those days, I didn't think exercising was a good idea!!! However, back at the Y this morning, and did 30 min weight training (shoulders and traps), and 20 min on 'the wave'...just couldn't do the last 10! I will be away at meetings for Mon/Tues next week, and then off on holidays for 10 days. I will only be checking in periodicallly, but please keep exercising and documenting...

UPDATE: Well, I have relief! Unfortunately they had to take out more than I wanted, but the swelling in my stomach was so bad, they had no choice. I remained on fluids yesterday, and today I am back to soft foods. Normally my doc has you back on regular foods the next day, but given the state of distress of my stomach, I was advised to take it easy for 2, even 3 days if I could. So, until I return from holidays, I will be on a fight with my mind and body to keep the calories LOW, and we all know that I tend to lose those battles!!!! I am stronger than my cravings, Tap whiimpers....

LilMiss - I can understand being disappointed that your weight loss didn't meet your expectations. And then throw in the difficulty in eating 'good food' and now, your knee issues. I truly am sorry for these challenges you face. I hope you have the strength and determination to carry on.

What a great NSV - I think everyone on this forum can relate to the derriere exposing hospital gowns! Glad to hear that you are better.

Fanny/She/other nameless OAussies - I hope if the person arrested is found guilty through the legal system and not the media, he/she is imprisoned for a llooooonnnnnnnggggg time. Babygirl- sending good vibes; hold tight, and ride it out. Peanut butter and vidella onion Beth - sorry for the mess you are going through. Document, and remain calm whatever the provocation. Last work day at the office for 2 weeks - yeah!! Two days of conference on the coast, and then 10 days in California....whoo hoo!!

Sweet relief!!!!!!!!!!! A de-fill is a wonderous thing...although more was taken out than i had wanted, so now I'll probably gain back some weight. However, being able to swallow is a grand feeling!

PJTP - My de-fill booked for tomorrow can't come soon enough... 2 cups of water is all that I've been able to swallow today...and my day started at 4am. WTF happened???

I've been thinking about it...knowing that it will be in my future at about the same time as I reach goal gives me time to save the money. The nurse at my clinic advised me that I will probably need it - she thinks my stomach is already a candidate, and I'm not done yet!! But I do have the wrinkly jelly overhanging flab of skin that is just so disheartening to see...nothing gets rid of extra stretched skin! As for 'the girls', they could definitely use a hoist and tuck, but a good bra can fix them - nothing hides the gut!

Thanks for the b-day greeting...sadly I spent it in agony, as I was reduced to just tea and water getting through. Today I can't get even those down....and it is tomorrow in a clinic 3 hours away where I get my unfill. I don't know how to get through until then...I stayed home from work, and am trying to sip hot water, but it isn't working...any other ideas??

Jaime I am so very heartsick for you and your hubby. There are no words to ease the pain. My deepest thoughts and sympathies are with you.

Hugs back to BBK. You are indeed missed. I cannot imagine that. My mother and I talk once a week at the most... Engagement? Did I miss something?? Muscular men in skin tight clothing.....yummmmm! Exactly!!! Foggy day - whoo hoo that means it is warming...maybe above freezing today?? Can't remember the feeling!

I am booked for a slight unfill on Thursday. That gives my body today and tomorrow to settle down, and the way it is tightening I don't think that is going to happen! It is almost as if since Saturday it is getting tighter every day - and that's NOT good, nor comfortable. I am hoping that the fill nurse removes 1/2 of what she put in, so that I am not as open as beofre, but not as tight as now....picky, aren't ? So, unless a miracle occurs tonight or tomorrow, Thursday is unfill so that next week I can be on holiday but not in pain!!! PS. I will be missing out on a great birthday meal 'cause I can't eat it!! Oh well, next year........

Thanks for all the birthday greetings; it's a happy happy day in Tippy-taps little world! Fanny - thanks for the update. I cannot imagine the situation. I am glad you are away for it, but heartsick about those people and animals that perished. (The picture of the dead kangaroo on CNN just about ruined my day!). Sadly, I doubt they will ever discover who set the fires, and I doubt even more that anyone who did such a thing has a conscience to bother them! Yes babygirl, online parcel tracking is fun (although frustrating when a parcel appears to disappear into the ether). One of my Xmas parcels once it crossed the US/Canada border disappeared for about 3 days, then the next entry just said delivered.

I stuck with fluids/mushies yesterday, and did ok (after my initial PBing episode). I managed to consume sufficient calories thanks to Protein powder and peanut butter! Today is looking like it is another day of fluids....damn! I may have to go for an unfil later this week. I'll see what today brings (as long as it doesn't bring UP anything).

I'm sorry to hear about this LilMiss, I know how much you enjoyed your running (although I never understood it:biggrin:! Make sure you ease into your cycling and respect your knees - I'm certain you want to postpone the surgeries as long as possible! Swimming. Swimming is a great way to burn those calories with minimal stress on the joints. Is there a pool near you? Just keep at it SHM. Remember you will burn a LOT fewer calories if you do some serious damage to your hips, so better play it safe now. Can you add some swimming to your routine? As for me, at the Y today and did my lower body weight training and then the stationary bike for 30 min.

Thanks be to whatever powers or deity that I do not like chocolate....I would have been 2000000000 pounds if I had THAT vice as well! Resistance is futile...small indulgence but make sure you work the calories off BEFORE you eat it...extra time on the tm or something may make the craving go away!!! There is a book about the making of chocolate which might completely turn you off of it....it is about the conditions of harvesting the Beans, and is really disturbing. so if you want a sobering read that might completely spoil your addiction, you could read it. Otherwise, how about just hibernating:w00t:? There is no avoiding it!!!

Gone - Happy belated birthday! Babygirl - to make you appreciate your sleep even more??? PJTP - Happy Birthday to me!!

Lots of strong vibes and hugs to you, Tina. You will get through this. Discuss this in counseling using definitive terms. Separation versus not staying together for example. Sometimes the concept is not really heard unless the words are explicitly stated. Maybe as Beth said he is in denial, but maybe he just went into shock and didn't hear. he may have heard 'not happy' 'not working out' 'you're making great changes' etc and numbed himself to 'separation'. I know that sometimes moments of great stress limit what I hear/comprehend. Your counseling session tonight is the prime opportunity to reinforce and repeat...it is over.

The scale moved again today - however,could it be because I managed to keep next to nothing down this weekend??? My lovely tightness of the last 2 weeks seems to have morphed into TOO tight! I am going to see what happens today, and if I can't eat today the back to the clinic I go and get a slight unfill....rats. It means losing a day of work, a train ticket into and back to town, AND of course the cost of the defill too...............arggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! And Im heading for business meetings next week, and then on to California to thaw for a holiday. I cannot afford the time or the money for an unfill!!!!

Saturday I spent shovelling heavy icy snow This morning at the Y - did weight training (biceps) and 30 min tm.

Once again, the weekend is not my friend.... Saturday B: hardboiled egg; sliced tomato L: bowl of homemade turkey Soup D: a few slices of chicken breast - and then the PBing started. I have no idea what started it, but it happened all night. I would try to relax, but of course the more I tried, the more tense I got!! I think I threw up things I haven't eaten yet...:thumbup: Sunday B: tried a smoothie - nope, up it came L: tried a yogurt - no siree D: yogurt - nope. Managed to drink lots of fluids, and that was good... Today I treid to drink a smoothie before heading to the Y, but nope. I should have known better - I cannot have anything first thing in the morning. I hope things improve over the day.