Great2BThin

Janet, thanks for asking about me! I'm here, had 4 pages to read just to catch up. I've just been so busy. I had 20 people here for dinner last night a 'Mexican fiesta' as a housewarming for my friends that are now neighbors. Tomorrow I leave for camping, today is DD's bday and also had my pre op checkup & lab work for the knee surgery. Oh and volunteered at the hospital yesterday, took Grandma shopping, got her RX's, etc. etc. etc. Looking forward to camping just to relax. I am praying I dont freeze to death and we have no bears. WE are going back to Rocky Mtn Nat'l park (sight of our last bear) to as my new neighbor calls it "watch elk porn". It's the rut and the bulls are a bugling and fighting' for mating rights to the harems. It's really quite spectacular. At dusk folks pull over all along the hwy in the park, get out their lawnchairs and just sit and watch the show. We got lucky last year and had one bull challenge another right in front of us. They banged racks, bugled, and fought. Funny things is while Bull #2 came and tried to steal Bull #1's girls, Bull #3 came and took Bull #2's harem so he had to go fight just to get back what he started with. Can males ever be happy?? He got greedy and about lost everything. I tried on mother of the bride dresses on Monday while DD tried on wedding dresses. It really was quite amazing to see the dresses I was able to try on and the sizes. Reminder, I"ve not had a dress on this body in many many many years. Still hate my calves but a long dress can cover them! I hate my calves more than the arm jiggle. Sorry I can't remember everything I read in 4 pages, after this weekend will try and keep up better. Thanks for missing me, Janet.

Meredith, I still have feelings like that. I am up about 5 lbs since hitting goal. I am in a pure panic and beat myself up regularly for it. I was lucky while I was losing to never really stalled until I got to about where I am now. I hit goal but wanted to hit a lower end of my range. Instead I put on 5 and it's just by doing stupid things. My restriction is so wishy washy too. Tight in mornings and can eat way too much in evenings. Yet if I try more of a fill I get reflux at night and that's not good. So for me right now it's all about wise choices and somedays I make not so wise ones. YOu are lucky you can eat lettuce/pita bread etc. I get stuck too easily on those things. I don't like dressing so can do good on salads w/o adding the calories if I could eat them. In the grand scheme of things your 'bad eating day' really isn't bad. You are being too hard on yourself. Just regroup and refocus this morning and it's a new day. Just don't let the guilt and bad feelings dictate another day where you say 'screw it' and throw in the towel and one bad day becomes 2, etc. We've all done that. I don't know how you do it with all you have going on, so hang in there! I can't imagine that many at a wedding. WE are planning for 150 for DD's wedding and that seems a lot. BTW, we booked the place last night. Looks beautiful. And have a date: 3/26/10

I did a Mediterranean cruise in May and it was no problem. and we ate at the buffet a lot. I concentrated on Protein first, did have a few treats, but found it very easy to stay on track on a ship. Also all the walking I was able to keep up with exercise as well. I don't drink so that wasn't an issue, however. I came home a pound or so lighter than I left. Have fun!

No I don't know specifically what the symptoms were, didn't get a chance to ask. All the NP said is that the gal was eating yogurt for months???

Allie, good to hear you are doing better. I'd love to see that new attitude! How lucky for you to be at 160, I want to be there so bad, but have just stopped losing. I guess I am where I want to be, but not really. Though I can't say that I am trying super hard, but I am not doing anything much different either. Until now this whole process has been pretty easy for me, have great restriction, follow the band rules and the scale just dropped and dropped til now. Suppose I should start logging my food more and measuring more and upping the ol' exercise to get the last 10 or so off. But I am sortta oka where I am too. Never thought I'd be wearing 8's or 10's and here I am so that's good. Maybe I will tackle it harder after my knee surgery. I am having that on Oct 5th. Wish they could suck out some fat from my fat calves while they were in there. But then I'd be lopsided as I am just having one knee done right now. LOL

No, Janet, I am not shopping! I was doing something much more worthwhile. I volunteer at the hospital on WEd. right after I get off work and am gone most of the day. But would like to have been shopping, I still have that $98 sweater on my mind. :blushing: One of the gals I visited today was a lap band patient 3 yrs ago. She was admitted via the ER this past Sunday with a band erosion and it ate part of her stomach? She had holes in her stomach? They did surgery on her on MOnday and she's in ICU. That scared the crap out of me. The nurse practioner I volunteer for said she ignored symptoms for a long time though and that's why it got so bad???? Apples, hope you get some relief from the stones in your family soon! Laura, glad you got that small fill then sounds like you are doing great. Good job going back to the trainer.

Was wondering how I got a GD at a close university! LOL Well folks I found something to do today anyway. SHOPPING!! I remembered I had a coupon for Ann Taylor Loft that was good starting today so I just had to go see what I could find. I am loading up on sweaters this winter as I am so cold all the time. I didn't get one I really wanted though it was $98 and just couldn't spend that on one item. But I have my eye on it to go on sale or something or for Christmas! I love that store but have to drive about 25 miles to get to one. Good thing it's not closer!

Laura, are you just getting the pain when you eat breads? I can not have very tight restriction but still get pain and stuck feeling on those type of foods. I was so hungry for pizza one night and made a Totino's that was in the freezer and made it super crisp and still couldn't even handle that crust, and it was a poor excuse for a pizza and didn't even satisfy that craving. LOL Good luck in determining if you need the fill or not. Well I am home from work this morning and it's a totally empty day. I don't have to be anywhere, I don't have to take Grandma anywhere and my house is clean! I sortta want to go shopping but know I would spend money if I went. So we'll see. LOL I have a coupon from Ann Taylor Loft that I got a month ago that is now good, that's just calling my name! LOL

I love daily plate. I used it faithfully in the beginning, not as much now but probably need to go back to it. It not only tells you how many calories you are eating but also protein grams, fats, etc. and calculates how many calories you are burning in exercise, and it's free!

DUH!! I should've figured that one out. I feel silly thinking it was renters. LOL My 20 something kids abbreviated everything too, think it's from all the texting, which I am learning just to stay in better contact with them. If you can't beat 'em join 'em! LOL Sorry Meredith for not understanding, you can help me stay young and current! :thumbup:

Meredith, what's a rent? Do you have renters? Good morning all. I got to sleep in til 8 this morning. AHHH!! To think I am usually off work at 830 and I slept til 8 felt really good, but alas, off to work I go tomorrow. The rec center doesn't close for Memorial day or Labor day since it's the opening and closing day for the pool. I saw a relative yesterday that had bypass surgery about 5 yrs ago, so sad to say she's gained almost everything back. Goes to prove that this is truly a lifestyle change. I think this is one advantage the band has over bypass. Sure bypass loses faster (so they say, wasn't true in my case) but they are able to lose easier in the beginning without as many changes. Their tool does more work for them in the beginning in that they are so restricted and then not absorbing everything, but if they don't learn the changes then it will come back to bite them later when the pouch stretches, etc. Whereas with the band, we start with less restriction and really have to learn portion control and lifestyle changes from the get go. I am praying that this is the key that will help me maintain my loss. I'm not saying this happens with all bypass as many stay successful for years down the road, but if one is missing that piece of lifestyle change (which is true for both surgeries) then one won't be as sucessful. Hopefully I'm making sense and not rambling.

Wow I posted that a year ago, and so much has changed in my life. I did end up telling everyone but not til a few months after my surgery when they started noticing my weight loss. At first everyone was supportive. A few, namely my sisters, became less supportive as I got thinner than them. No way will you look like a freak. Some folks don't like to see us change because it makes them ahve to examine what they are doing. Best of luck to you!

The flat bread sounds good, I think costco has something similar but never looked much as I thought I wouldn't be able to tolerate it like bread. How many carbs does it have?? Might have to check it out.

Wow, Allie, I have no idea or advice on that one and am glad to hear you are going to get counselling. I know how much you love your husband. How is he doing since you told him? Seems this fat stuff we had over our bodies served many purposes in our lives and were a mask for other things. It was a good way to hide so to speak from issues we don't want to face. Kindda ironic how we use fat to hide but yet fat makes us so big. But it's safe too we can use it as a crutch not to face something we don't want to. Good luck to you. How much more have you lost? i sure can't lose anymore. But am happy where I am at. Well I went to another surgeon this week, this time a knee surgeon and I am scheduled for knee replacement surgery on Oct. 5th. I am pretty scared about it, not so much the actual surgery but more the recovery and rehab but it will be so nice to have this done. My lap band surgeon put it this way, 'it will complete my transformation'. Well actually maybe some plastics will do that. LOL

Good afternoon. Guess what I caught from this board today? a dead battery? wasn't there a case of that going around recently? LUCKILY, DH was still with me. We ran to McD's for him to meet up with DS by the freeway and then the 2 of them were going hunting and I was coming home. Well we go to leave and the car is totally dead. We have AAA and they came and tested it and voila totally shot, they had one on the truck and we probably paid a little more but got a new one then and there and he installed it. It was so weird as the car was totally fine one minute and totally dead (not even a radio) the next. That made me late to go visit Grandma so I went to Kohls and did some retail therapy instead. LOL I got new PJs for the hospital and some shorts for physical therapy. I bought big and loose and it's so cool that big and loose now means Larges and XL's!! When I was a 3X that wasn't even big and loose. I gotta tell you all how great my lap band surgeon is. I emailed him this morning to ask if there was anything I needed to be concerned about or tell my knee surgeon about with the lap band. He answered in less than 15 min. He wrote a nice note then answered all my questions and lastly told me to have the hospital add him as a consult that way he will know I am there and can come see me in the hospital. I thought that was really nice of him. Janet, how did you know I am giving a housewarming party in about 10 days? I love your idea of the bread, salt, etc. Do you wrap it all up? put sayings on the item? How do you present it? Doodle, oh I won't be overworking on this wedding. There's really not much to do. Now, of course, it helps that DD is a wedding planner by profession, all I am needed for is the checkbook. LOL We are going to book the reception place next week.

Thanks Phyl for the pep talk! I may need a few more before Oct 5th and that first week after! You can remind me how worth it it is! I am looking forward to about 6 weeks plus after surgery and hope my new knee changes my life as much as my lapband did for the better.

No it seems various docs have various opinions on pre op diets and also it depends on the patient as well. I was not any preop diet whatsoever, just liquids 24 hours before surgery. I had very extensive pre op and post op nutrition classes etc. though so I knew what to expect. Also, docs differ on post op diets too, some have to be on liquids and mushies much longer than others. Most important, listen to your doc and do what he has for you.

Good morning, finally a day more or less to myself, but I got lots of cleaning etc. to do around the house. Janet, how nice ofyou to help that gal out! I've been following Phyl's knee recovery on Facebook too, sounds like it was rough but getting better. It's the rough patch that I am worried about. Oh well, that too shall pass. Apples, BTDT on the melon. Whodda thunk it on melon? But I tend to avoid it now. If, CONGRATS! Oct, my daughter's fiance is a 'telephony engineer', wonder if that is similar to what you do? It's all greek to me! LOL Meredith, wedding plans are going well. We think we have the reception place picked out and when we get that done, we'll have a more definite date and can go from there.

Hello there. I've been so busy the past few days haven't had time to check in. Such beautiful pics posted in my absence too, Linda, Meredith, rose beautiful and some cute kids too by others and parents even. Well today I went to the knee dr as my pain is just getting too much. I'm following in PHyl's footsteps and having knee replacement. Mine is on Oct 5th. EGADS, I am scared to death, especially after reading how much pain Phyl is having. I hear the recovery is a ____________. I wanted both knees at the same time but the dr advised strongly against it so will heed his advice. Oops I hear the garage, DH is finally home (late) gotta go, rest of my week is calmer and hopefully I'll have more time to catch up.

GitR, oh no I didn't drive over Loveland pass. I'm not that brave of a mountain driver, I save those type of drives for DH. We went to the town of Loveland and then drove up Big Thompson canyon to Estes Park. For those that might remember in the 70's Big Thompson is where there was a huge flash flood and many folks were drowned. It's steep rock up both sides of the canyon and the water just came crashing down. It's a beautiful drive but just that scared Grandma to death, she was so afraid of a rock breaking off and falling down on the road. I think she is scared of her own shadow, she has more fears. Then she was afraid of snakes, bears or anything that moved, though she wanted to see a big horn sheep and unfortunately we didn't see anyyesterday.

First things first, Happy Birthday Meredith! Sharon, my DH is a manager at the airport, if there's a security breach, emergency landing, etc. he gets phone calls, or when someone does something stupid like drive a truck into an airplane, etc. What do you do that you had to get up at 2am?? Janet, good job on getting to the gym when you really didn't feel like it. Maybe your trainer thinks you are one hot momma!! I am taking Grandma for a drive up north to Loveland today (just might have to hit the outlet mall Coach and Ann Taylor are calling so loud I hear them here) and depending on if Grandma tires out we may continue to Wyoming as she wants to see WY. LOL Told her there's not much to see, but think the idea of crossing state lines appeals to her. Maybe we can go to KS and NE next (another time). I must get that from her as crossing state lines appeals to me and I have a goal to get to all 50, I have Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas to go.

Judy, get a small unfill. The same thing happened to me a few months ago. They said that was reflux and it can be dangerous to the band and cause it to slip. I loved that tight of restriction though. Congrats on being at or below goal! I am at goal and hoping to get a little below goal.

Just got up from my nap, 4am just comes so darn early and by Friday especially I am beat. Funny, I got my hair cut and colored a week ago Tues. am still waiting for DH to notice. :w00t: Laura, though my DH isn't a dr he gets many of those middle of the night calls from work, sometimes he has to go in which is one reason we bought a home in a community near the airport. So I know the feeling. Interestingly though, I don't mind the middle of the night calls if he has to go in as I can go back to sleep (hopefully) it's those calls that interrupt something that we had planned on the weekend etc. It's one reason I love cruise vacations, he can't leave the ship! And most times can't be reached.

Okay first things first, I've seen lots of OMW here today, and I've yet to figure it out, what does that mean? I know OMG is like oh my gosh/goodness/etc. but what's the W?? am I on the right track? I'm home later from work today because I actually brought my workout clothes with me and changed and worked out there before coming home. WHEW!! So glad that is done! Meredith, hey if you don't want kids that is just fine. I sometimes think my mom didn't want them and shouldn't have had them, she always says she didn't have a choice back then. I always felt we were more of a bother than a blessing to her. My daughter used to say she didn't want them but now that she's 28 and getting married she's changing her mind. she talks about them all the time. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Laura, when DS had his emergency appendectomy a couple months ago we got our anesthesiologist away from a pool party on a Sunday afternoon. :w00t: Bet we made a wife mad, OOPS stupid appendix. Janet, it was the smaller bag of fritos at least I did that. Did you watch BB last night? I can't believe Jeff fell for Natalie and Kevin's lies, I am so sure he's going up, hopefully with Michelle that way maybe Jordan can win POV and then he'd have to put Natalie up. Julie, glad your pain is somewhat better. Hope the shot helps, too bad she didn't give you the shot then and there so you wouldn't have to go back. I was so confused on your grandchild as I thought there was one but you have mentioned a Mimi and a Larami so thought I misunderstood and there were 2, now I got that they are one and the same.

Good Morning! Home from work already and also met DH for breakfast, just at McD's. Had half the egg and half the sausague in a Sausage McMuffin. ON the technology, I just recently started paying bills online, I resisted forever thinking it wasn't safe. It wasn't until the gal at the bank convinced me it was safer than putting a check out in my mailbox and now I love the ease and convenience of it. DVR, couldn't live without one anymore, kindda like the microwave when it came out, I didn't think I'd need one and now couldn't live without that either. I rarely watch a show live anymore. THe closest I get to live is pausing the show when it starts and coming back about 15 to 20 min later and start watching and then zap through commercials and then finish watching the show live if I timed it wrong and get caught up. Been watching that dumb Big Brother show this summer. I think it's the dumbest show ever and the people on it are so strange, but suppose being locked up in a house wiht strangers and no outside contact messes one up, I say every year I won't watch it and then I do. Anyone else watching? Linda, they also recently had a bear in Aspen crawl into a window of a house and attack the lady that lived there. They showed pics on the news of the bear crawling back out the window. She is fine, the bear returned a few nights later and they killed it. The bears are getting so brazen. Even have sightings of mountain lions in town, someone opened their shed and there was a big ol' kitty kat in there! Wouldn't that freak you out? We have coyotes near us, I hear them in the night or early mornings. I can't believe my next door neighbor lets her cat roam all night with coyotes so close. Well the Fritos are gone, I wish I could say I tossed them, but, alas, I didn't. I've calmed down about the family issues and am ticked at myself that I let them get to me. I've been better lately about either standing up to them, or letting things slide but once in a while I get my hackles up I guess. And sometimes well it just plain hurts!