K@t

I think this post was supposed to be about what we take for granted...not what we are thankful for...however its nice to know what every one is thankful for as well.

I'm putting a spin on things....things I took for granted but no longer do because my situation is quiet the opposite of dawgs. 1. AC - I had central AC in florida, now I sleep with a fan and I'm fine with it, in fact its probably healthier. 2. Screens - we have what you would call....storm shutters on our window. the have slits so they can keep the bugs out, but they also close completly to block the sun. You can sleep in mid afternoon in complete darkeness. 3. Car parking - Here if you find a spot any where with in a mile of your destination your doing good. In the US you can usually get a spot right up front of any place your going to.

A lot of men feel threatened when their wives start looking better. I think it's natural. You guys could probably benefit from some counsling, he's been through a rough time, but your responsibility is to yourself and your health first. I would keep reassuring him, but he has to work it out for himself, people only change when they want to, we can't make them.

Hey all, I haven't been around much lately but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. I've only lost around 20lbs since my surgery on April 26th. I keep gaining and losing the same 4lbs as well. I have only had 1 fill and at this point I have no restriction. I need another one, but my doc is on vacation this month and next month I'm going back to the states for 3 weeks, so probably only in October will I be able to get another fill. I have promised myself that when I get back from vacation I am going to get down and dirty! :heh: I am bringing the treadmill out into the living room and I am not going near a bag of Doritos. Scouts Honor!! I'll post a few pics later, 20lbs makes a difference on my face so most people can tell. I have made it my ultimate goal to be at 150lbs by July 2007....more on that later...the bell rang...time to go teach!!

Hello there, Welcome to LBT I'm sure you will find lots of information here. If you want more specific help about the Virgina area, there is another section of the forum for regional topics. Just look for your state. I'm sure you will find people in your area. I'm not sure how things work there in the US, but here in Portugal where I got mine done, if your going private and paying for it urself, you can pretty much name the date you want. However if the insurance is paying I think your more at the discression of the doctors office and when they have an available slot. It greatly depends on your doctor. Congrats on your decision and good luck with your process!

That's great! Keep up the good work!

No problem, its fun for me too, the best part is that this time, I'm going to be in the US on Sept. 4th so no one has to ship my gift overseas!! Also my wedding anniversary is Sept 6th so its all good!

Hello all, I'm in for another round! This time it is the Working Class Stiff exchange. (WCS's) We will try to make this a work themed exchange in honor of Labor Day. Labor day is September 4th this year so here are the dates. Sign up until July 30th. Send me a PM with your name and address and your job. (nurse, stay at home mom, etc.) Confirmation PM's will go out July 31st. and you will have until August 6th to respond. August 7th you will receive your WCS and have just about a month to get your gifts out. As with the last exchange we will have substitute WCS's and if any one has any ideas or suggestions please let me know. Several people asked me last time how much they should spend. I recommend around $25 including the shipping, but any gift is appreciated no matter how much or little you spend. It's just the fun of getting a package in the mail, and we had several hand made gifts last time that were just lovely! Happy sign ups!

Hey all, Just a quick question, about 2 days ago i started having some pain in my port area. Its sort of a twinging pain that I feel when I'm walking around or doing anything other then sitting. When I lay down to sleep i can't stay on my side for very long because it starts to hurt then too. My theory is that I stretched the muscle in the car the other day when I reached into the back seat to grab my purse. I'm hesitant to call my doctor because he's on vacation this month. If I have a problem I will have to go to the emergency room, and some one who probably doesn't know much about lap bands will see me. I was hoping to avoid all of that. What do you guys think, has any thing like this happened to any one? Is it serious?

ahh thank goodness, thats exactly what it feels like...I'm glad im not the only one...damn my laziness, i should have got out of the car.

Jammin I pm'ed ya. Okay guys, I'll post a thank you thread soon....happy shopping!

Hey there, I was banded on April 26th and I still have trouble with pills. CRUSH them! I don't take any thing unless I can crush it and mix it with water. Check your pill instructions though or ask the pharmacist. Some pills can't be crushed. As for the burning in your throat, I don't think thats normal and depending on how bad it is, if it seems to be getting worse or not...if it seems to be getting worse I would mention it to ur doctor. As for the infection, you have to treat it like any other cut or scrape, keep it clean and well covered, make sure u have waterproof bandages so it doesn't get wet when you shower, and since u already have an appt with ur doctor he will probably give u an antibiotic if it's really infected. Good luck and let us know how ur doing.

Hello every one, I have sent out the Secret Working Stiff (SS) pm's so you should know who your person is. Here is a bit of helpful info. Gifts should arrive on or before September 4th. We like to keep the gift value around $25 of course you may spend more or less as your budget allows, and lots of people like to make their gifts. It's all about the fun of getting something in the mail so don't be to concerned about value. PM me if you need any help or gift ideas or if you have any questions. If for any reason you are not able to send your gift PM me ASAP so I can get a substitute. Thanks, happy shopping all!!

I have the VG band, and I don't think all doctors choose the band based on our stomach size. My doctor hadn't even seen my stomach when he told me he was using the VG. He just said he thinks that one is simply the best, and he uses it on all his patients. I had great restriction for about a month after surgery and then nothing. I got a 3cc fill about a month ago and had restriction for about a week, i'm back to nothing again. Hopefully after my 2nd fill I will have more restriction. Every one is different and we all respond differently to the band and restriction, i don't think we can compare ourselves to one another in this department.

Hey Everyone, I haven't been around much so I just thought I would post an update. I'm still teaching summer intensive courses at Cambridge. I'm exhausted I can't wait until I get vacation in September. In addition my father and mother in law are on vacation until Aug 18th. Which means that DH and I are responsible for the stores until they get back. My day goes something like, getting out of the house around 8 am and only getting home around 8pm. I need another fill I can feel my appetite getting bigger, I've lost 12 kg total , but the doc is on vacation until September and Aug 31 we are leaving to Florida. I can't wait to relax, lay out by the pool, get a tan, and sleep in late. I hope I can keep things in check and not over eat while on vacation. DH and I are going to be checking out some houses in the central Florida area while we are there, and we are preparing things here in Portugal to move. It looks like around July 2007 when we will make the big move. We are going to tell his parents when they get back from vacation. His mom will be devastated I think. I hope they don't take it out on me. But we have been here in Portugal 3 years and I really think we should get the states a chance to see if we can't do better, besides it wasn't my idea it was DH's, I'm just gladly going along with it. I've been needing some encouragement and support lately, not necessarily band related, but just life in general. Some one to talk to, to take my mind of things. I'm exhausted physically and mentally. I can't wait until vacation. I hope every one else around here is doing well I haven't been keeping up with every one. Drop me a line guys to let me know how ur doing. I'll try to check back in soon. Hugs to every one.

I use to love Olive Garden but the last time I was in the States, we went and they have completly changed the menu, and I didn't like what I had ordered as much.... tis a pity....my hubby like taco bell, he would eat there every day if i let him when we are there on vacation...he's a cheap date!

Okay folks, today is the last day. The following people haven't pm'd me yet, please please please do so by today, I will be drawing names tonight. Thanks!! escudero012004 PhotoNut Jammin & Losin

ohh wow paula, poor guy, cancer all over and they never detected it until now. he's so young. I bet mike is taking it hard, I'm not very religious, but I would like to think that every think happens for a reason, and I'm sure that this is no different. I hope mike gets to feeling better soon. ahhh..good ol' back to school shopping ..ahahahahahahahahahahahaha I'm laughing at you.....ok, I'm done That's what ya get for having kids!! I just teach them in school so none of those problems. You can laugh at me later when/if I have kids. :guess Ariel, thanks for the support. I'm feeling a bit better today because tomorrow.... I GET TO sleep IN! Saturday is the only day of the week I don't have to work in the morning, so I can sleep in late.....I sooooooooooo need it. I've decided that when i get back at the end of september the house is getting rearranged so I can bring the treadmill to the living room (AC and TV in there) and that I'm going to start putting myself first and get my ass in gear. I have decided I want to be at goal weight or with in 10lbs of it by July 2007 when I move back to the US. No more mini goals for me, I get disappointed when I don't make it. I'm just going for the whole enchilada!! Wish me luck and I'll keep every one posted...I promise not to over eat on taco bell, or Red Lobster, or Olive Garden..or...ohh God vacation is going to be hard.....:eek:

I have 3cc in a 10cc band and I had restriction for about 2 weeks, now I'm back to what I was before the fill, I need another fill and who know's where I will end up when I finally get restriction, some people need their bands completly full before they ever get any good restriction. Like shoe said its not an exact science. Good Luck!

Thanks Yoda, I just need to focus more on me and less on work and the companies and my husband. I spent all this money on the band it would be a shame to have it wasted because I'm putting everything else first. Well I'm counting down, 28 more days to go until sun and sand! Whoot!:clap2:

BigPaul always makes me feel really good about myself. He's funny and silly but really smart right when you need him to be. DeLarla TellyMelly keeps me motivated on days I think I want to slack and theres always a smile on my face when I'm talking to her, she just keeps me laughing. She brightens my day! Cutiern reminds me of my daughter. I love how she is young, independent, and willing to make financial sacrifices to change her life. Dawg is a great husband. Selfless and supportive. He lives a banded lifestyle, without the band, so that he may succeed along side his wife. Pennie always seems so level-headed and diplomatic. I really admire that. Jack cracks me up with the use of his warped sense of humour in the manner in which he offers practical advice. Humour and practicalilty...great match and I always appreciate his input. (I also like his avatar!!) The best me (Kathy) has one of the most loving and tender hearts I've ever seen. She is always caring and giving to others even when she's needing support for herself. Her love of God and her desire to be a better servant shows in every post. Paula is my sweet Band-daughter and I'm so proud of how genuinely sweet she is and how her caring heart and love of God shows by her actions towards all others Iluvharleys has a good heart and is always so thoughtful, kind and caring always thinking of others in their time of need. NJChick (Eileen) Cracks me up!!!! She brings a smile to my face no matter what the topic. Bandland would be a boring place without her : - ) VinesQueen reminds me never to give up no matter how bad things seem at the time and encourages me that I should dance my heart out no matter whos watching~and I wish she would hurry up and get back on LBT!!! Michelle, without a doubt the most inspirational person to me. Even while having her own family problems, she finds time to come here and offer her help. She's a great person! Susan (PhotoNut) is one of the most supportive and knowledgeable people I've ever known. EmileeKaye is the sweetest, most genuinely nice and wholehearted bandster and online personality I have ever met.. and I have met quite a few. The sun shines on her goodness and it feels really nice to surround myself with people like this. K@t has been my friend and support since the moment I joined this group. She listens and gives without asking in return and makes me feel anything is possible. DeLarla is my vision of independence, strength, wisdom and trust and has always been a person that speaks her mind and has gained a tremendous amount of respect from me as an intelligent and witty person. StrawartS is smart and funny, and she has the strong personality I admire, yet she's kind. Plus, her screen name is a Palindrome. It's spelled the same backward and forward. Very Cool. Kathy (best me) Jenna (princess n thep) is always honest and straight foward. And she is a great booty dancer. Kathy was kind and gentle with me when I was cursing over my first PB. I was shocked by her generous spirit at first, but now I see that that's how she treats everyone. And her baby is pretty cute. And I don't even like babies. The NJ Board: I can't chose just one person because so many have come to my rescue. They give their heart and soul and they do it with compasion and love. *Cheers NJ Board, I Love You ALL* Since I have known Mychevygirl (DeAnn), she has shown incredible inner strength, focus and determination in the midst of extremely trying times. She has kept a positive, happy attitude in spite of the stresses she has endured, and she has a smile that shines through her words because it comes from her heart. FunnyDuddies is a beautiful, intelligent, loving woman who's quit witt and sense of humor is a blessing to those around her. She makes me smile, and I feel so bless to call her my sis. She has also earned my respect and admiration for showing a deep inner strength during times of adversity. MoOrless is another one of my personal inspirers. She has lost weight all on her own. Reading her posts have been a great eye opener, showing me that weight loss is nothing more than willpower and self-control, which she displays very well. She cheers me on as I do my wild goose chases with myself and she keeps me motivated, letting me know daily that every goal I set for myself, no matter how outlandish it may seem, is very possible and attainable. I thank her for believing in me, (a complete stranger). Alex is the best thing ever...he has given us this board as a place to learn, laugh, commiserate, cry,...pretty much whatever we are in need of!! And...he just keeps making it better!!! Thanks, Alex!!!!!!! I have to have a second go at this! MoOrless keeps me going in ways I never thought I'd need. She is working and trying so hard to lose the weight on her own as well as coping with health problems. She finds positive ways around her setbacks that put me to shame and motivate me all at the same time. Kind words and thoughts for others come easily to her and she makes me smile. Alexandra seems to always be there when a thread gets hairy. She has the ability to listen with an open mind and heart, to sympathize and give a reality check in just a few short lines. I have noticed that she remains detached, but flexible. Harleynana (Pat) is one of the smartest, kindest people I have ever met. She talks like a sweet southern belle, but she's also a tough cookie who is generous and supportive without fail. And to all the NJ Chat gals who welcomed me into their midst even though I live in Michigan - your support and friendship has meant the world to me. I love this board. It makes me laugh. It makes me think. It makes me mad. It inspires me. It give me good ideas. It gives me advice. Most of all, it makes me feel I am not alone in this struggle, that I am part of a community with one goal... to reclaim our health and our lives... to live better, and be better. We may not always see eye to eye, but we are all better for knowing each other. mini_me is in my book! Nana~ (aka "plunderbunny") inspires me with her carefree attitude. Because of her, I wore my Pirate gear when we went to see the new Pirates movie. Your style and panache inspire me to be me. (Vinesqueen) Vinesqueen is an absolute treasure. She has the most amazing ability to be enviably strong yet human, in the face of outstanding challenges. She always takes time to remind that's it's health first, and that our health supercedes everything, including our weight. Plus her journal really rocks. She's a jewel! There's a lot of people on here that have inspired me and some of them have already been mentioned so I think I would pick JMO and KMO, they have both been very inspiring to me along with everyone else. These 2 rock. oooh i always read post by jack and wheetin they always have so much helpful info!!! La Madam always encourages me through her strength of will and personality. I have never for a moment doubted that she will be able to maintain even if she is "flying solo." There are people who claim to be straight talkers, and then there is the real deal, La Madam aka Michelle (Vinesqueen) Kabeerah has always impressed me with her quiet strength. She has gone against the prevailing customs of her culture in getting the Band. She’s been an amazing resource for the women in her country, translating information. (Vinesqueen New Sho whether she knows it or not has been an inspiration to me. She always posts informative well written posts and isnt afraid to say what she thinks. I admire her "online" personality. A1ikou has been the best listener and help to me even when times have been really hard she doesn't try to push me or shove any tough love on me because she know's it won't work...plus..shes in Greece...how cool is that??? All the above mentioned people have been a great inspiration and helpful in times of need...this was a nice thread to read. :clap2:

The following people haven't responded yet, please pm me ASAP so I can get the names out to every one. 3loves Cheri Jammin & Losin PhotoNut escudero012004 Time to Love me

Donna, I love the furniture it looks great! Next step is to buy a bigger house!!! My hubby is european...hence his sensitive nature...he has to approve EVERY decoration thing I do. He and I argued forever over the color to paint our walls, the material for our drapes, and of what pictures to hang up. Fortunately we were on the same wave length about furniture, but everything has to go by him first...... men.....

Hi Ashlee, you should check out the local threads for more info about docs in texas. Good luck with your banding I'm sure everything will be fine. I was banded at the end of April and I'm doing fine. Look around here on LBT I'm sure you will find loads of information.

PhotoNut, your inbox is full can you respond here and let me know if ur still in?? Your inbox is full. thanks!