Nanook

My marriage wasn't recognized under God because I was married by a Judge due to the fact I was "living in sin" and was honest about it. How many Catholic priests are honest about what they do behind closed doors? Hmmmm...:laugh: Scooby snacks!!!!

RSG, beautifully written once again!!!! So maybe we could all think before we say stupid things against a group of people who are here and take it all in "once again"!!! You'd think as "fat" people or once "fat" people you'd be a bit sensitive about feelings because I'm sure at one time or another your feelings had been hurt because someone called you a name because of your size. Think about it what if you were not allowed to "marry" because you were fat. Oh that would never happen, well maybe it could, hey that whole obesity scare we have going on could change some laws here, you never know. Maybe you shouldn't have children because they would be fat too. That could be a law. What if you did not receive all the same benefits as someone who was of "normal" size! That might upset you now wouldn't it? Or if you could have a civil union, only because you were fat because you couldn't legally marry your rights were not respected in every state of the union. I know it sounds far fetched but I'm just trying to sensitize you how people can feel when they are treated unfairly because of their sexuality. And those of you who are bringing up marrying relatives, animals or children once again and saying homosexuality is a choice you're being asinine! I know this is R and R but what you say here can affect people in ways that you'll never fathom especially those of you lacking in the "heart" department. Readysteadygo, has taken on being the poster girl for homosexuality and has put a lot of herself out there on the line not only for herself but for others. She's a very caring and good person and no one deserves to be shot down as she has been. I understand PG has tunnel vision but maybe she can use her bible for good instead of evil for a change and feed the poor or something. So let's be a bit more civil here about things, it's a serious issue/problem for real people and not something that is taken lightheartedly. I'm glad I live in the northeast because the attitudes I see from the southerners especially can be a bit scary! Nancy:smile:

PG, you're making us Northerners look bad!!

BJean that's a really tragic story but similar ones I've heard before. I just don't understand how people in the 21st century still believe that people choose to be gay and that they believe it is some type of abomination. To me if a parent treats their child like this it is a definite form of abuse!! I really feel for this kid but hopefully with the help of your family and others he can live a better life than he was before. I just don't understand how people today can still treat people who are gay this way and especially their own child. I moved away from my hometown over 20 years ago and spent some time with my best friend recently, who happens to be gay and just found out that a mutual friend of ours had died of AIDS and so did his wife. He died in the late 80s and she in the early 90s. I guess it just really threw me for a loop because I didn't expect it. But AIDS touches all our lives whether gay or straight it can happen. Anyway you are a great parent too to have raised such a wonderful daughter who would help a friend like that. Not everyone would so you deserve a pat on the back. She sounds like a mini BJean in the making! I believe people should feel shame if they feel this way about gay people and know that it is wrong. Just as wrong as it was to prohibit blacks and whites to marry so is it wrong not to allow same sex couples to marry. Anyone who says then "siblings should marry, and people can marry children, or animals is just being asinine!:eek: Nancy:smile:

I can marry in my state and feel that gay people should be able to marry in my state along with the other 49! That's it!!:eek: I respect marriage, I've been married for 26 years to the same person and my parents were married for over 25 years until my mother's death. The priest would not marry us as we were "living in sin" for two years prior to our marriage. My children have been raised in a family with mom and dad living and loving each other for that amount of time. It's natural for them to one day possibly marry themselves. We're an oddity amongst their friends' because most do not come from homes where their parents are still married and still care for each other. If my daughter one day wants to marry someone of the same sex I want it to be legal and will do what I can to further that movement, Nancy.

As long as all Americans are given equal rights:thumbup:

luluc, thanks you make me feel so "illegal" being here that's why I just go by Nancy now!:thumbup:

I really don't understand how people can say in one breath that they have "friends" and "relatives" who "they love" who are gay but they still don't want them to have the same rights as straight people do in this country. All I can say is "wake up and smell the coffee" because it's coming. And also people are born gay they don't choose it and I hope to God for your children's sake that none of them are born gay as they will have a difficult time within their own family and that would be very sad.:frown:Nancy, who is extremely proud of her daughter who happens to be gay and wants her to have the same rights as she does!!!

Mac you always seem to say the things that I want to say thanks!!! Nancy:smile:

You're a tough cookie Beth, tough cookie!

They're coming over here working for lower wages and doing jobs that you and I don't want to do. I'm not too far from the border of Canada and the workers are all the way up here too. I don't know how or who will fix the problem but I do care for the downtrodden and will always care.

Texans are one of a kind that's all I can say! I can also say I do have connections there as my grandfather, a Mexican, was adopted by a family over the border in Texas. I never got to meet my grandfather but am still proud to add that part of him to my ancestry. I also live in an area that is mostly small town and white and find it extremely boring as I was raised just outside of DC and find that variety is the spice of life when it comes to people and restaurants! I think our Country is big enough and great enough to share with others that aren't as fortunate as we are and shouldn't be resented for it. Most of our relatives came here as immigrants at one time too. I can also trace my roots on my father's side all the way back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence so who cares!

Well I meant that if your husband is in the Military then he's definitely paying a price for his health care even if you don't necessarily see a deduction in his paycheck so we're all cool!

I won't pretend to know all the details but someone said something about a campaign started by the Mormon Church.

That's what I understood which is why it's so crazy!

Readysg, I support you am disgusted any time someone brings up religion to put down gay people. I have many gay people close to my heart and will always fight for their rights. I learned a lot about how well gay people can be treated when I took my daughter to visit UMass Amherst and they had a gay/transgendered etc... table set up with a lot of information and their own dorm floors and I realized how differently things are handled state to state. I'm assuming same sex marriage is still legal in Massachusetts but I could have missed something. So take care and you'll always have a backing of peeps here at LBT! Nancy:smile:

Wasn't it voted down because of how it was written something to do with teaching homosexuality to young children, I've heard a variety of things but this is what upset people enough to vote it down. My daughter is a linguistics major and believes the word marriage should not change but if it were called "gay marriage" and made into a compound then she'd be okay with it, lol. I think 2 consenting adults should have the right to marry in the United States of America no matter what color of their skin, ethnicity, religion or sexuality. People do not choose to be gay as I did not choose to be straight. They deserve as many rights as a citizen as I have. Hopefully the Supreme Court of California will overturn it again. One down and many more to go!

Nothing is free!

For me my insurance paid for the surgery except for co-pays and insurance paid for the removal except for a smaller co-pay because I was out-patient and the bill was about 1/3 smaller than the lap band surgery.

I found recovery much easier but I did not have any comps. I had the same five incisions and I believe they were very close to the original ones. I did not have the gas pains that I suffered with getting the lap band and I thought the port removal site would be very painful because of the thought of them digging it out of muscle etc... but it really wasn't that bad. Also I was given better pain drugs because I didn't have the lap band, I'm assuming, this time and so that probably helped. Not "extra strength tylenol" which is what I take for a headache anyway! I was put on medication for my reflux about two weeks prior to surgery when I was in the hospital for "chest pains" which was actually my reflux. Then I was approved in that two weeks time to have the removal done. I think the combo of the meds and the removal pretty much cleared up those pains although once in a while I will get a pain because of something I ate or drank, so I assume there's something still there going on there that can be brought on by that. I still see the surgeon one more time before it's all over with and will ask him about that. It's been a month now and I feel fully recovered and the main thing you need to be concerned about is any heavy lifting so that you don't damage stitches or cause a hernia. I am still under a guard for heavy lifting but there's a difference between heavy lifting after getting the band and heavy lifting after removal. I'm sure you've heard of people who have lifted something heavy and the port popped or something like that. So you don't have that issue to worry about. Also as I said earlier I definitely feel my stomach has shrunk as I can tell I can eat much less than I had prior to banding even though the doctor warned me I'd gain back the weight. I never did well with weight loss on the band so for me having it removed made it easier for me to actually start to lose weight. Now I know I'm in that percentage of those who don't lose on the band which is probably small. I hope you do fine and good luck to you and enjoy your trip, Nancy.:thumbs_up:

Don't you think it's a bit insane that certain southern states still have laws like that? Sometimes the fed government could do more good than harm.

Plain she meant "illegal" crotch fruit, I think that's found crossing the border in your neck of the woods and yes that was a racist comment. I've heard an awful lot of people in the Northern VA, DC, MD area who aren't too fond of the immigrants there. Is that where you spew from Beth?:thumbup:

You're welcome and take care you'll do fine, Nancy:smile:

At first it was like I heard food actually going from the top of my stomach to the bottom and it was really weird because it had been so long since I had experienced a normal stomach. So it wasn't really a growl but more noise, lol. Today I had Chinese food and prior to surgery I could eat a full plate and go back for another full plate. After surgery a couple bites unless it was Soup. Since the removal I eat like a normal person it's very strange but I think I'm having success because I had the lap band and then it removed. I know that sounds crazy but the shrinking of the stomach did more for me than the lap band. Now of course it's only been a month so I have to be careful but I am more conscious of a "real" sense of fullness than I had before banding and naturally during banding as that was a fake fullness of sorts. I didn't have to do the liquids like you do because I didn't have problems with my stomach. Also you know how in your head because you've been banded for so long you know certain foods will clog you like bread or donuts or something like that well they still kind of do and I don't know why. Is that weird or what. It's not like I can't eat them but I can only eat so much of them. Also I don't know if my esophagus has anything to do with it because of the reflux probs I had/and still have to a point. But it is a nice thing to be in touch with the "true" sense of fullness which I don't know how long it's been since I've experienced it. I did overeat once and then I realized I can't just vomit like I did when I was banded and that was kind of strange. No one likes to vomit especially from the bottom of the stomach so I try to avoid overeating but when you're getting ready for your period it's sometimes cravings that take over. Take care Nancy:smile:

Exactly, we can still have this antiquated crap on the books and it's fine??? I don't get it, that's why I think there needs to be more involvement from the fed gov!