SherryW

Ohhh I only wish I was going on a cruise Cindy hee hee. Actually it's Diane that's going to Bermuda this time Wow only 58 more days of teaching.....ohhhhh lucky you. Uncle Sam's last piece of mail to me said I have to work until I'm 70ish to get 100% social security...ohhh how depressing lol

Mom's Kale Soup 1-2 Large Cans of Beef Broth 1lb Turkey Linquica, sliced (use regular or cherico if you'd like) 2-3 sweet potatos (peeled and cubed) 2 boxes of chopped frozen Kale 1 med onion, peeled, chopped and sauteed 1 can white beans (drained and rinsed) Put all ingredients in a large pot and cook until the potatoes are tender. Approximately 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Great served with Fresh crusty rolls. This soup also freezes well and reheats in the microwave.

"Gregory's Special Soup" aka "Venus DeMilo Soup" aka "Minestrone Soup" 1 to 1.5 lbs hamburger, sauteed and drained 1 28oz can crushed or pureed tomatoes 1 box (2 envelopes) Onion Soup Mix 1/2 of a 1 lb box of Orzos Pasta 1 can each (do not drain liquid, use it in the broth): corn, baby peas, green beans (cut into smaller pieces), sliced carrots (cut into smaller pieces), mushrooms (bits & pieces or sliced cut into smaller pieces) (Optional) small can of lima beans Mix all ingredients together (except Orzos) plus 2 tomato cans full of water. Cook on low for about 30-45 minutes. Boil Orzos separately until almost done. Drain and add to the soup. Cook soup 10-15 min longer. (Hint: I've been lazy before and brought my soup to a rolling boil, dropped in the uncooked orzo and shut the stove off. Stir it a few times left it covered. When it cooled down a little, I brought it back up to a rolling boil and shut it off again. This is great when you're busy cleaning or doing other things, and it keeps the orzo from sticking to the bottom and burning.) Soup freezes well and heats up great in the microwave. Enjoy!

Hi Everyone, I'm here....still busy as heck at work and stressed as usual. I'm home from work today because with all this stress I think it's taking a toll on me and my band. She's a tight little bugger right now and it's causing some problems. Heartburn is back and keeps me up at night and I constantly have this feeling that feels like I need to burp but nothing will come up. I seem to have this acidity almost throwup kinda thing going on at the top of my throat. (sorry I know it's gross but, I don't know how else to explain it). Anyway, I couldn't get much down yesterday at all and I think I ended up a bit dehydrated because I was too afraid to drink. Afraid I'd be topping off the junk already in my throat so I didn't drink more than maybe 8 ozs yesterday Now I have a doozy of a migraine. Man I'm complaining too much....sorry about that. Anyway....I haven't heard anything about the position I applied for at work. They are doing the usual keeping someone hanging routine. Sounds like they want me in that position yet no one has said a word nor have they told me what the salary is...because I'll be damned if I take it without a decent payraise. Anywho....hopefully I'll know more next week on that. If I don't hear anything Friday I'm going to ask about it AGAIN. I'll post the recipe for the "special soup" aka Venus DeMilo Soup aka Minestrone soup lol in the next block so you can copy and paste. Oh my BIL, SIL and nephew are here for a few weeks so I don't get much time on my computer...another reason why I haven't been around. They sleep in the office on the futon and have the baby's playpen in here so things are tight fitting lol. My BIL is great at home repairs, improvements etc. so we hired him to paint our house. This way we're helping him because upstate NY is really slow for business and work right now and he needs the work and we need the house done.....not a bad deal. Bonus...I get to see my nephew and SIL. Great people Love you folks....Hope you're all doing well and Shrinking! (scale isn't budging for me....I need to keep track on fitday. I don't think I"m getting enough in. Hmmm sounds like a slight unfill is needed huh? UGH )

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been around. Glad to hear everyone is doing well and on their way to banding and fills. I'm home today, sick from work, because I did get something stuck or my band was being particularly finicky and I couldn't really eat or drink yesterday. Now I've got a whopper of a headache and just shaky. I'll do ok though, feeling a little better already but, more liquids need to be ingested I'm still wondering how much FILL I even have in my band only because Dr. Jones couldn't give me a good figure. I wrote to Angi to try to figure out what's best for me right now. I may have to have a slight unfill...but I hate to have to do that. The scale hasn't moved in two weeks for me...but I think it's because I'm not getting enough in.....gotta track myself on Fitday like Christine suggested lol.

This is something that's been bugging me since my 2nd fill on 8/16/06. My first fill the doc said I got anywhere from 1.0cc to 1.5cc. Hard to explain but, my friend and I went into the room at the same time for fills. He did hers first and had a hard time with her so he was nervous by the time he got to me. Mine went in no problem but, he didn't remember what the nurse put in the syringe so he said I got between 1.0 and 1.5 so we called it 1.25. Well when I went for my second fill, he was only able to pull out .50ccs? He said they expect some evaporation or for some to stay in the tubing but .75? He said he did pull out some air bubbles when he took out the .50. He was running really late and was short with answers so it left me wondering. Anyway he says he put back the .50 and added 1.00. So now I'm wondering....do I have 1.5 cc or 2.50cc in my band? I'm thinking...if he can't keep track then when will he know when I've reached the 4.0cc level? Anyone else have this uncertainty with how much they have in their band? I'm going to write to my surgeon for a better explanation but, was curious what others were told.

I had it before surgery almost daily. Right after surgery I didn't have it at all it was gone......now its back after my 2nd fill. Sometimes it's waking me up in the early morning with an acidy mouth and throat...almost as if I've thrown up already. Not pleasant at all and much different from my pre-band acid reflux.

wonder if your throat got really scratched during surgery. You should contact your surgeon's office regarding this.

Geesh been on this site quite a bit and this is the first time I saw this. Thanks for sharing Penni....great stuff.

I'm having a hard time keeping track of my fill amount because my doc wasn't sure of my first one then my second fill was even more weird. First fill the doc didn't remember what the nurse put in the syringe so he said I had anywhere from 1 to 1.5 so I called it 1.25. When I went in for my second fill he said he only pulled out .5 cc...where the other .75 went is beyond me but he said I should expect some evaporation or some to be caught up in bubbles because he did pull out some air as well? He put the .50 back in and another 1.0 cc. So right now I'm at anywhere from 1.5 to 2.25. Aweful long range there I know. I am very restricted though so I have feeling I'm closer to the 2.25 than the 1.5. I am 7 months out.

Been there, done that. The day before all day I kept going back and forth..what am I doing to myself, why can't I lose this weight on my own, if I just ate less, exercised more I could do it...then I thought YEA RIGHT you're 41, you haven't been able to do it and keep it off. After 3 weeks you always give up because the scale stands still. Well...then I remembered why I liked the band idea....after 3 weeks I COULDN'T giveup because this would be inside me still helping to keep me on track. I haven't regretted it since! Good luck with your upcoming surgery.

Hello everyone! Had a great day at the fair with DH and my mom. Lots of walking for sure...not a bad thing :bolt: Get some fun and walking at the same time wahoo. Lots of nice things at the fair and what's really nice is I didn't pig out. No room and my restriction is such that it's just not possible lol. When we got there (around 10:00) we had breakfast. One sausage link and about 1/4 cup of scrambled eggs (if that) for me. Good thing DH doesn't mind sharing because it's just not worth buying whole meals for me. That held me over until around 2....no clue what to eat for lunch so Sparkpeople mentioned a corn dog was better than some other foods so I went with that. DH and I were going to share again but, seriously he'd be starving so we all got our own. Never had one before and it was nummy but the cornbreading scared me. I ended up taking 1/2 of the breading off and then only ate 2/3 of the dog so still not to shabby. Lots of water too. I did have a little cheat with some soft ice cream but, I couldn't finish that either. Before surgery I would of had curly fries, steak sub, fried dough, ice cream, soda, probably throw in a snow cone and maybe a blooming onion. Gosh what a pig I used to make of myself. DH got a nice pair of leather chaps for his motorcycle riding and I picked up a few Christmas Gifts. Great weather too! Eileen - So sorry to hear about your neice. I do hope it all goes well for her and your family. mmmm minestrone sounds so good. Umm did I ever send you the recipe for that soup? I have a feeling I forgot. Please PM me and remind me and I'll pm the recipe back. It really is yummy soup. If you want the recipe for my mom's Kale soup I have that too. Betty - Sounds like you've been busy today. I wish my house was cleaner but, dang nabbit...every time I clean it, it seems to get dirty really quick. 2 goldens and 2 guys don't help my cause...if you know what I mean hahaha. Hope your foot is ok today and didn't flare up with all the work you've been doing. Cindy - I wish I were brave enough to do my own hair. It would certainly save me alot of money. Knowing me I'd get the dye all over the place and have a red/brown forehead lol. Laundry and Ironing UGH. I've got my son doing the laundry each week. I separate it and he washes it and I give him an allowance for doing it. He does a good job except for the folding. As far as ironing...I just can't stand being over an ironing board long so I iron as I need it. DH, having been in the miliary, actually irons better than I do hahaha. I seem to iron wrinkles in grrrrr Kat - Can you please come and rub my arm or kick me in the ars to get me to go to Curves too? The only exercise I've had there lately is the money coming out of my wallet. UGH. I just can't seem to get my butt over there. I definately CAN't renew when it comes up. It's just not worth it the way I am with it. You'd think since I'm spending the money I'd go...you'd think! Mary - I feel your pain when it comes to the battle with the scale. It's so hard NOT to step on that thing all the time but, when I do it too much I drive myself insane. Especially watch when you've had a meal that has alot of sodium like canned soups..it's not worth stepping on the scale until a few days after with that! Oooo just peeked outside and DH is giving the puppies their much needed baths. Thank goodness because coming into a house that smells like dog is NOT my favorite welcome home scent lol. I have a Beef Enchilada casserole in the oven and it's smelling yummmmmmy. Darcy - Good luck with your treatments my friend, know that I'm thinking of you and hope everything goes well. It's certainly frustrating when a thyroid and metabolism is all thrown off. My levels keep fluctuating so that they won't do anything about it. My dietician did mention that I have to keep my calcium levels up because it effects it? I didn't realize that. She has me taking 2 calcium Viactiv things a day plus my vitamin. When does the treatment start? Diane - Isn't it aweful sometimes what your hair looks like after the hairdresser styles it? I get out of there sometimes thinking...I'm never going to be able to make it look like this or even worse...my gosh I hate the way she did it and I run home rewet it and do it my way hahaha. Pay all that money to hate it...that just thrills my DH lol. Patty - You always make me smile my friend. I truly appreciate you saying that and hope that I can do the same for you. I'm sending positive thoughts your way for your surgery quest. Just remember to ask for your "highest and best" for you and it will come your way. Have you heard from the lawyer that's helping you yet? Pat - I'm with you. I think it would be a blast to meet the NJ girls You're right on the employee things too. UGH it's so hard but, this girl....thought she knew everything and in the end I have a HUGE mess on my hands. Just worked on some stuff the past few days that I find I'm going to have to go back to her deposits to see WHY she did what she did and if she posted money to the right invoices :puke: I just have no faith in the work now and find myself double guessing it all. It's unreal! Bean, Donna, Anne - Hope all is going well and you can come out and play too. I certainly understand how busy we get Hugs to all of you!

Whew...just got done working from home at 8:58 pm before they locked me out of the computer system. Grrrr why can't they do the nightwork later in the night? Anyway, I suppose it's a good thing since it got me to stop. I worked from home yesterday and today because mom had her surgery. It was a success and now she can't wait to have the 2nd eye done. She sees so much better now in the eye that was done and she's estatic that she can see so much color and brightness. I guess the cataract really cut into her vision more than she realized. The doc said she's doing so well healing wise that she doesn't have to wait 4 more weeks for the other eye. She's going to have that one done in 10 days or so. Not too bad! Well we've got more trouble on the family front this time it's my aunt. Amazing the way the mind works and the terrible, hurtful things they say...the target...my mom. Unreal. My mom does so much for my aunt and her husband and all it took was one visit from another aunt to this aunt and trouble. Anyway...spending more time with mom because I keep telling her she doesn't need that chit in her life. Let them be miserable together. Today mom and I had a great time going out to lunch and hitting the outlets and Whole foods (organic food store if you're not familiar with it). Tomorrow we're going to the Big E fair here in Springfield, MA. Suppose to be cloudy but not rain and Sunday is suppose to be beautiful so we're hoping the crowds stay away hahaha. Sorry I haven't done personals yet. I am keeping up with my reading and know that I'm thinking of you all. Love ya! Oh it would be awesome if we could all meet up someday :puke: I'm game for it!

Goes to show how some of the local restaurants don't plan for bigger folks to eat at their places. Seriously, I'm sure you've all noticed...some of those booths barely fit a person with a normal BMI! Don't know what their thinking sometimes. It sure is nice to be able to sit and enjoy ourselves instead of constanting having to adjust so a breath can be taken when sitting in those. Congratulations to your wife on that NSV and to everyone else who has the same or is working towards. Have a great day!

Hi Everyone...sorry I've been so quiet. Just trying to breath lately it seems. 9/11 was pretty hard but, I try to also remember that good also came out of that. A nation that became one, prayed together and cared together. I think it awoke many a people to how great out country is and that they need to appreciate what we've been given. What is protected by our military. I'm with Cindy...I've always ALWAYS been Patriotic and appreciative of the land I live in, the military that paid with their time and some with their lives to keep us free. My American flag hangs every good day of the year. My DH was in the Navy for 10 years and I thank him all the time for what he did for us. Being a submariner had to be so hard. Underway for 8plus months, no family, no contact with home...just you and the guys on the sub. Amazing...I'm still in Awe. I can't say enough of my love and thankfulness for all military men and women and their families that support them. THANK YOU Anyway, I've been peeking in...haven't posted much anywhere just because I'm so burnt out from work. My head is actually spinning it's so nuts. I still haven't heard about the job/promotion and more projects have been added to my plate as well as having to do the job of the girl I had to let go. My mom is having cataract surgery on Thursday so I'll bring her there and then work from home. I had to tell my boss today that although I was there all day today I got NOTHING done in way of projects. 3 meetings, staff, calls from the accounts...nothing solid was done. She then told me to take Friday off as well. Ummmm well that's great but, I'm working from home HELLOOOOO I'm falling behind I don't have the luxury of taking the day off but, I will take the time and work from home. At least here I won't get interrupted and maybe JUST maybe I won't get a zillion emails to keep me from getting something done. (Plus, bonus I can peek in at you and work in my jammies ahhhhh) Anyway hopefully it will be productive. I promise I'll get to personals as soon as I'm out of this funk of mine. Love you folks and I pray you're all doing well and shrinking

The Protidiet products are very good if you're looking for something different. They do have a liquid fruit concentrate that you add with water...no lumps, no fuss and it tastes great. If you go to this website www.ishophere.biz you can look products up by name or form etc. If you click on the item you get nutrional values so you can see how much protein is in each product. They sell numerous brands and with your (I believe $20 purchase, might be a little higher) you can get 3 free samples of anything you choose (some exclusions but not many). They offer 10% off certain totals as well as free shipping and handling. I love the hot chocolate multi-flavor packs. Have fun!

Chris - Good job on the before banding weight loss. It's not easy, that's for sure. Ummm that's why we're doing this You're on your way and working on it, that's what they really want to see. dezadoo - sometimes the body takes time to lose again too. BELIEVE ME I know lol You're due for your first fill soon right? I think I may have too much fill in my band and have to get some removed. Seems I get stuck alot lately and I'm not able to eat much...sometimes that's a good thing - not eating much that is. rainbow - I'm sure when you get back to work you'll start losing again too. Remember your first 8 weeks are about healing. Definately want stitches to heal to keep your band in place I'm doing ok today...no stress since no work today lol. Seems stress takes its toll on my body and weight. I haven't lost anything over the past week and a half, as a matter of fact my body held onto fluid for a while too. Chris had to help me work my way through that stress lol. Thanks Chris! Doing better though...loss that water retention or whatever it is and back on track again. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

unflavored or not you can still taste it if it's soy/whey based, to me anyway. I've found I can't add it to some foods because it just changes it so much. Foods that already have a stronger flavor, if you only add 1/2 a scoop it's not so bad...like chocolate SF pudding or yogurt it works well with.

My DH is losing along with me. He's lost 36 pounds so far. He said watching the way I eat helps him do the same. We used to each eat a T-bone steak now we only eat one. He saves the most tender piece for me and he eats the rest. Same with other foods. Also, since I can't eat bread...he switched to wheat products if he wants bread. Snacks are healthier choices as well. It's really worked out...no gaining for him

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!

Hello Carol, PB stand for productive burp. After you're banded this happens sometimes if you eat too much or don't chew well enough. The food you've eat gets stuck and your body tries to get rid of it. It's like burping but, it's not air it's food. Better explanation can be found here if you use the search feature Plenty of discussions on it anyway. You need to see a bariatric surgeon for this procedure. Where do you live? For me I, I live in Massachusetts so I went with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Bariatric Unit. You can do a search on the web for a site near you, ask for recommendations from your own family physician too. Good luck...do you research, learn all you can and make the best decision for YOU

Hello everyone, sorry I've been lurking...wanted to keep up with the readin but, time wise and mood wise posting didn't happen. Anyway.....so...it's done, over...fineeto. Another one bites the dust as far as employees of Sherry. It's taken too much energy, time and patience to try to help this chick "get it". Trained, retrained, helped, pointed out what needed to be done, and still it was like talking to a door except at least a door functions and knows it's main job in this world. UGH. So now I'm back to the drawing board...interviews, hire, train, retrain, check work to make sure done right etc. Lord....hopefully the next one will work. I hate doing it but at this point she did it to herself. Man did she argue while my boss and I were talking to her. Lying to my face about the problems I pointed out, demanding to see what I found and after showing her, demanded to see it in the computer. My boss had enough of that and outright told her. Sherry checked all this manually, acct by acct shadowing what should be done. She's been doing this for 19 years, supervising/managing for 15 she knows when something is wrong. Even when I brought up her tardiness, sick days etc she wanted me to show her SLAM! there it is her time cards! How thick can ya be? Well she's gone....and I'm on the hunt for another employee to join the staff. After all that was done the part I can't stand...I have to stand there and watch them pack up their personal belongings and walk them to the door. I have to make sure no company property is leaving and no patient information is destroyed or taken. Hate it but, a gals gotta do what a gals gotta do. After she left...3 of my other employees come to my cubicle. I looked up at em and asked what they needed help with and they said...we're here for moral support. That was really nice of them and made me feel good. They know me well enough to know this is a last resort for me...I'll do all in my power to help someone succeed but sometimes you just can't do it. Oh well...I'll be more upbeat tomorrow I promise. Eileen - WTG on the 50! Just think what it would be like to carry 50 pounds of potatos around..look at 5 10pound bags and think...WOWza I lost all that Good for you...Congrats! Patty - HAPPY BIRTHDAY my friend. I hope you have a beautiful day and bday weekend! Love you folks...Hope you're all doing well and shrinking! (thanks so much for all the upbeat comments and well wishes. It really helped.) HUGS

recipe off to Kat and Darcy Hope you like it. Hello my friends...miss writing but, whew what a week! Must be the full moon today. Work was nothing but meetings today and problems then throw in an interview and running an activities committee meeting for the company WHEEEEEEEEEEEW I'm beat. My eyes are crossing, my plate is so full that literally I'm not thinking straight....stress....hmmmm ya think that's why the scale isn't moving and I'm not able to eat much? YEAP going through that right now too. Mom made this awesome kale soup and 3 bites and I'm pacing the floor :couch2: WTF! (taking from my friend Eileen hee hee) Anywho....I gotta go now clean up the kitchen, put away clothes and bug my kid about homework. Yippee! Love you folks...I hope you're all doing well and shrinking! (awesome job on that Cindy!!)

Good moooooooooooornin my friends, Just popping in while I'm getting ready for work to let you know I'm alive...super busy (as usual) but, I'll try to pop on tonight. Made an awesome zucchini bacon quiche if you'd like the recipe yummmmy

I don't like Boogie. The last two should be Ericka and Janelle :eek: