Nanook

I found if medications were making things difficult before they still did after the band. Some people do better changing to new meds but that never worked for me but others have had luck. Nancy.:thumbup:

I was under the impression that all solid foods would be stopped by the restrictive qualities of the band and I was wrong. This was 8/07 and maybe that type of information wasn't given to all people then and certainly not to me. So when I was barfing after a bit of protein and discovered that a cookie would go right through well that was that and I compensated for the lack of food with sliders and gained back the weight most of which I've lost now that I've had it removed. So it was a expensive mistake but one I won't make again. Luckily my insurance covered both surgeries! Thanks for your support also and take care Nancy.:thumbup:

No they lost!!!!!:thumbup: Go Bama!!!!!!!

Probably why my daughter wants to go to school in Vancouver!

Thanks for the explanation guys on pansexuality I had left for the night, sorry. It was very difficult for me to understand in the beginning myself as I thought you were straight or gay or bisexual, trans... etc...so when she announced this a few years ago to me I was like, just pick one, it would make it so much easier for me to deal with. And I'm the open minded one, lol! But I understand it better now. I'm not overly wishy washy about dreaming that both my daughters will come home one day with doctors and say this is my future husband but I think there was a little of that there. I've gotten over it and just hope that one day that they both find a person that they truly love and are happy for the rest of their lives or just be happy with themselves whatever makes them happy. Right now I just want them to finish college and find wonderful jobs! Take care and this is way far off the "Why are people voting for McCain" but as far as I know gay marriage is not in the cards for either of them. And I know you consitutionalists think that marriage is between a man and a woman and should not be changed but being the mother of a daughter who may want to marry another woman one day I could live with the change!:tongue:

Wow that's a lot to have gone through along with band removal. Hope things are going better for you. I too had mine removed last month and am feeling better but at times the reflux returns so nothing is perfect. I came to LBT many months after my surgery but I think after reading the comps that I have read here I never would have had the surgery in the first place because it's almost a given that eventually it will have to be removed for one reason or another. I didn't revise either and feel great about that choice! Take care Nancy.:tongue:

If the Redskins win the home game prior to election the incumbent has always won and they are losing now.

Coffi, That is sad, most of my gay friends from HS came out once they graduated and started college and as far as I know nothing too traumatic has happened and they all went to an all male catholic HS. My best friend did go away to another state before he came out so maybe for some it's much easier. These days though I don't see kids as having as many problems coming out of the closet but I suppose it's all in the circumstances and of course these are only the ones I know personally I'm sure there is still a problem for a teen to come out especially after I've read some of the stuff right here! Nancy. Even an open minded person like myself had a difficult time when my daughter told me she was pansexual, I always say the wrong thing but I think that's just being a mom, I will always continue to say the wrong thing I'm sure, lol!

First of all there's are many religions out there in the world and also within the Christian faith there are those that take the bible literally to those that are still spiritual but take a more adult view of the interpretations of the bible. We are not all bible thumpers or atheists. There are many religions where "sin" is not even a concept. So to assume everyone is a sinner or a not a sinner is making too many assumptions. The same with the concept of "hell". Also there is a wide range of people and their sexualities. There are gay men who fall in love with men, there are lesbians who fall in love with women. There are bisexuals who are attracted to men and women and there are pansexuals whose attraction lies more to the inner person and therefore can fall in love with either a man or a woman. There are probably more that my unscientific mine cannot come up with at the moment but it's a world full of diversity and if we were all the same it would be boring. I'd even go as far, no shock from most of you who read my posts to say that fat people can be welcome into that wonderful world of diversity. If we were all the same size 2 that also would be boring. One of my best friends from HS is a gay man and I adore him and when I was in HS I asked questions because I really didn't know much about homosexuality, probably didn't know much period! I've matured a lot since then and educated myself because in my heart are a wide variety of people who I accept as they are and were made as I was taught in my 12 years of Catholic schooling in the image of God. So if that is true than these are not life choices but creations of God. I think the one thing I learned from those years as I'm not considered a "Catholic" anymore was that you treat people as you expect to be treated and just because I am different from you doesn't mean that either of us are wrong or abominations in anyway. I do not take the bible literally and never have and find it very difficult to understand people in the 21st century doing so. I cannot hate you but have a difficult time grasping it, Nancy.:tongue:

It always seems in a family when someone dies a baby is born. Maybe in Obama's case he will be born as the next President of the United States.

Can't LBT be a religious-free zone? Wasn't that brought up at one point and agreed upon or am I dreaming?:thumbup:

rsg, You go girlfriend, we don't need to hear that bigotry spewed on this site! Nancy:smile: Anyone who thinks that homosexuality is a choice is insane, I'm trying very hard Susan, not to call people names but it's not easy!!!!

No I don't.

I understand what you are saying Donna I just know many democrats and my brothers in particular who feel it's the way our country should work. I feel they are good people and both work two jobs and mainly work in a profession that helps people, teaching etc... This is how they feel and I'm proud of them for it. Nancy.

Steve, you sound like a great pastor to me. My mother died when my sister was 12 and I was 14. We were raised by an alcoholic father and she tended to get her attention from boys at that time. A priest at the Catholic HS we both attended knew somehow what was going on and tried to get her on the pill. This I didn't find out until much later and wish had been able to. She became pregnant at 14 and didn't let any of us know until it was too late to abort. We all feel things would have been better for her if she was able to do so. I know it's hard for people to understand that and I've never had an abortion myself but in a situation like that it would have save her a lot of grief that's she's gone through ever since. Take care Nancy.

Sorry but you made me laugh, aliens are my family members. I have 2 brothers that make well over $250,000 and are more than happy to pay their fair share, I do not tell tales! I know it's hard to understand but they are good people and know they are blessed with their financial successes. They also have families and one even has to pay $40,000 a year for med school for his eldest. They both work very hard for their money but in giving they get back. They've always been like that and I'm really proud to say they are my brothers! I do not make that kind of money but I also live in an area that is not as expensive as where they reside so I don't need to. Americans give more in charity than any other country. It is because we're so blessed. There is something called Karma too! It's because of my brothers that I have now decided to vote for Obama, sorry to offend and take care, Nancy:smile:

All the people I know who are making over $250,000 are happy to give their share of taxes. I find that commendable.

Why the preface?:smile2:

Coffi, That was really nice and exactly how I feel now too. My brother adopted an African American baby right after he was born 18 years ago and my siblings are very liberal and always have been. I have been turned in many ways in other directions but this year I decided to vote with my heart instead of my wallet. I don't know if that makes sense but that's how I feel. Take care Nancy.:biggrin:

Good luck to both of you. I had mine removed the first week of October and feel so much better now and healthier. I eat healthier and have almost lost all the weight I gained on the lap band. Even when the doctor took out all my fill I was still too tight and was still vomiting days prior to the removal. I don't know if there's a perfect way to describe how the band feels to people prior to surgery. My main issue was the fact that many food still went through the band and didn't know that until after I was banded so I felt kind of ripped off. Now I don't compensate for the lack of healthy food with crappy food (sliders)/soft foods that went through the band without pain and vomiting and it's made a world of difference for me. It also taught me to listen to my own body and for me personally I will not revise to any other surgery because I only wanted to lose 25 more pounds after surgery. Not that I was a lower bmi'er but I just wanted to be a good weight for "me". Naturally gaining back the 25 lbs after surgery made that more than 25 pounds but that's ok because like I said before I've gotten to know my body better now and when I don't think "I'm dieting" I don't over indulge and eat normally for me, except when I'm pms'g! Anyway good luck, the removal surgery was much easier for me than getting it but I didn't get a revision afterwards either which would make recovery longer. Take care Nancy:smile:

Did anyone see the Colbert Report the other night? He actually had the man running on the socialist ticket for president, Brian Moore and he basically thinks that people calling Obama a socialist is a joke. PS: I've been undecided but I'm getting much closer to who I'm voting for even if I can't tell my husband!

I agree with Pissing and Moaning and believe that they should make a new room for that header don't you?:smile:

Donna, I don't think you'll catch any flack here, lol. I think the fat issue is very complicated. I think it's a tricky thing to be happy as you are as even thin people have a difficult time with that. It's not a perfect solution but as a group that is discriminated against and constantly told they're not good enough because of their size a movement had begun, actually many years ago with the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. Others have sprung up to and there is a philosophy of sorts called HAES which is Health At Every Size. So there's a lot groups out there, some more "militant" than others. I'd like to feel comfortable in my size but I also still have bouts of feeling good when pounds come off as I've been conditioned that way from a little girl. I also feel better when I exercise which is something that I believe is part of the HAES philosophy. Too bad I broke my toe because I'm at the part after surgery where I should be back to exercising and I can't get my shoe on! So I'd say if you we see someone of size let's not criticize them, this is a general thing not directed to you personally of course. Treat people with respect even if you think they "should" lose weight. Not everyone can or wants to and the world is a diverse place and there should always be room here for everyone even if they too take up more space on our planet. I wouldn't have even brought it up but the Oprah discussion took a turn as these R and Rs usually do. Otherwise I'm not trying to convert but just open it up for a bit of discussion as we're pretty damn good discussers at this site! Take care Nancy.:smile:

I do agree that obesity can be a disease and much more needs to be learned about it but there are groups of fat people today that consider themselves fine as they are and do not want to feel like they should be attacked for being fat or forced to lose weight. This is part of what they call FA or "fat acceptance". It's a growing phenom and some have a motto which is "they are not broken thin people". I do not believe fat is a character flaw and find it difficult to believe Oprah would say that but I do not canonize the woman either by any means. Nancy.:smile:

Hi y'all, I have my own lap band experience and am also familiar with my daughter's who is only 20 and had the RNY and so far so good, knock on wood!! I just feel that in some ways we are made to feel bad about ourselves to such a degree that 10 pounds overweight we should feel disgusted about ourselves. I'm not discounting that some people need to lose weight in order to "live" a full life but that doesn't mean all fat people are not. I do believe we've been trained to believe that if we are "overweight" we are not worthy in a variety of ways in our society. Everyone has a right to disagree with that but still I think you understand my point even if you don't agree with it. I would suggest if it means so much to you that Oprah is offensive in her treatment of WLS that you do a writing campaign to her and see if she responds. I suppose it's kind of silly to argue about it here when Oprah obviously isn't going to know about it. Take care all, I'm not the enemy but just have a different POV now after doing a lot of reading on the subject after my failure at the lap band. Best wishes and health, Nancy:smile: