stevegoad

Well, I had my third fill today. No blood this time in the saline, and they did add one more CC (I think that makes me 6,1 now). I asked about it, and they said it happens, and is not usually a problem, though they will monitor it on the next fill to make sure. In my case, no problem... BTW... this fill already seems to have more restriction - even though I have only had my slimfast shake and some coffee, I am feeling a big difference. Maybe this is the fill that will hit the spot.

I had that exact same thing happen with my last (my second) fill, when they drew out bloody saline, and put fresh in. Just like you, they didn't say anything about it. Since then, (about 4 weeks ago) I have not noticed much restriction in that, while I definitely have to eat slowly and watch how large a bite I take, I can eat a very large amount for a band (a double meat burger with all the veggies will fill me up, but I certainly should but eat that much). I am going in for my third fill tomorrow. I will be asking questions about the bloody saline then (hopefully this one will be clear). I will let you know.

Hey Gadgetlady, I was afraid you had me on ignore. I didn't mean to offend you putting you in the title, but you tend to be one of the more noted names on the conservative side of the political spectrum. I know there there is a sharp divide in our country. I laughed when hollywood elite said they would leave the country if GWB became president (I noticed that Barbara is still an American Citizen, and the Dixie Chicks are still hanging around as well). I might not see that raising taxes on some is really socialism... it is a fact of life, as it was when George Bush 1 did it. I will not be offended when my recording studio hits that 1/4 million dollar mark at paying more taxes, and I doubt most business folks would. But talk of whether it is socalism or just making our tax system more fair or whatever isn't so much the issue as the fact that we are still citizens of the United States of America. At this point, making claims of who is friends with whom, what company has what candidate in their back pocket, etc, are somewhat moot points. The fact is, one week from now, our government, our economy, our military, and every other facet in our lives will be generally the same (baring something on a personal level that will change us as individuals). Governments will be the same with just a new name making plans to sit in the oval office. I just am wondering how we, as Americans, will go on working together at the grassroots level to make it better.

This is why I haven't told most people, including my family, about my lapband. I fall into the catagory (the very unpopular catagory around here) of people who believe that most of us can manage our weight on our own. I know I can lose weight - I have before (once I lost from 384 to 248 in 6 months... didn't keep it off). I made a choice of lapband because I wanted an extra tool to help me in the long run. But lapband is not a solution... it is just a tool. Many people don't understand the difference. With lapband, you still have to work at it. Every pound lost is still because I make the right choices not to eat high-fat foods, eat smaller portions, skip the ice cream (Ice cream goes through the band really easy, by the way - again making a choice). It is a tool that can help if there is commitment to lose weight. So I advise... ignore your cousin, and listen to yourself. If you are ready to commit to losing weight, and you think that a tool that will help control your portions so that you can make better choices is the way for you, then go for it.

I will admit it: I like to eat. I eat when I am busy, I eat when I am bored. I eat sushi when I've money, I eat burgers when I'm poor. I eat when I am happy in celebration of life, In the times I am sad, I grab the fork and knife. When with my friends, I eat to Celebrate. When lonely, I find comfort in a dinner plate. Yes, I eat my daily meals, any time of night or day, So with all of this, there's only one thing left to say: I like to eat. OK, sorry for the poetry, (I'll admit, poetry written off the cuff is usually pretty bad). But that's me. I can't blame fast food restuarants, or buffets, or loving high fat foods, or genetics (though there are a lot of weight problems in my family) any thing that people sometimes claim when they don't want to admit their own guilt... It is just that I am a big eater: The band has helped some, and Thursday when I have my next fill it will hopefully help more. But for now, it is just I like eating.

I am opposed to legalization for numerous reasons. People keep saying that a person has the right to choose what they want to do with their body, and "what's done between two consenting adults..." These are truisms. But the bigger picture comes in some of the other arguments. "If it is regulated to be clean...." di1138 says. This answers a big question. It is not simply an act between consenting adults if Government regulates it... and yes, Government will regulate it. There is no way that Prostitution would be legal without health regulations, expection of taxes, etc. It might start out as simple as health codes governing health checks for prostitutes, but it will wind up with people who use hookers having to sign health contracts, wavers from prosecution, etc. "How different is it from a man sleeping with his secretary and then giving her a raise" gadgetlady says. Technically, this is already illegal under the sexual harrassment laws and should remain as such. But the point is right, sex in exchange for some sort of benefit is prostitution. "I think sex acts between consenting adults are none of the govenrment's business" MacMadame says. All well and good if it stays beteen consenting adults. But it is clear that it doesn't. Studies show that when men are regular user of prostitutes, domestic crimes such as spousal abuse are far more common. Also drug abuse among prostitutes and clients are higher than the average. Of course, AIDS is more common Again, we go back to the health point - will government regulate the health of prostitutes... if so, then how will it regulate the customers? You can't just submit a form, wait three days for a background check and then go and pick up your prostitute like you can a gun... of course that leads to the question of the second ammendment which I don't want to get some radical gun carriers on my case... so I will get back to the issue. I will say, I am morally against prostitution. I have never, and would never, use one. But legally, there are many problems that I definitely don't think society should deal with, and so it should not be legalized.

I made a pledge, and I will keep it. I will not get into political debate. But if somehow, after 2 years, anyone can really believe that they can just find some legal ineligibility for Obama or McCain to be president, then your voter registration should take away on the grounds that you have some form of mental retardation. With that said, and not saying anything negative about any candidate, I vote that we move on to some reasonable discussion.

OK. I am a very nice person. I like people, and enjoy chatting. I also enjoy debate. I like the exchange of ideas, and at times will make very vehement arguments so as to spur things on. But I have gotten into several debates now that always end in the same thing, going over the same ground over and over, and I sense that people are getting much more serious than I. So in the name of peace among my brothers and sisters who are first here to battle weight, and encourage each other in that fight, I am going to back out of all debates relating to the November 4th election. May the one people who are the best for our country win in the presidency, the congress, all of the state and local elections, and in turn may our country move forward as such. If you stand with me... say I. If you don't stand with me... carry on without me. :w00t:

OK.. who plays an instrument, sings, writes music, etc. What do you play? What style? Pro, simi-pro, wantabee pro, just for fun, just in the shower... etc. I will kick it off. I play guitar, bass, keyboards, some drums (a "root drummer" keeping the beat, but not great), some mandolin, dulcimer, and have played woodwinds, though I am about 10 years out of practice. I sing in the folk-rock style, but I have one of those voices that makes people miss the sound of Bob Dylan (sort of a joke, but I have a somewhat unique voice that some people love and some people not-so-much - I would have made it big in the 60's, except I wasn't born until 1960 and didn't start until 75... slightly out of date). My main instrument is the pen, though. I have been writing for about 30 years, and have written around 100 songs. Until 2005, I would perform around 10-12 concerts a year Christian-folk-rock style (in 2005 after hurricanes Katrina and Rita tore apart my concert schedule, I backed off performing for the studio). So that's me... what's your gig?

Still continuing my pledge to stay out of political conversations, I will not speak as to the relationship og any candidate for office in relation to pastors. I will speak as a former pastor, and as a white man, regarding Rev. Wright. The clips I have heard of his sermons are not offensive to me as a Christian. To say "God D...n America" is reasonable in the context of the fact that there are many people who somehow sense that, because we are Americans, we automatically are blessed in God's sight. We are not. When we get into wars that are not justified, when we get into hurting our own people, when we don't act as a Christian nation, why would we expect God to bless us? I take it as a valid warning that we could be acting out of God's blessing. When he talks about our negative actions in the bombing of Japan, it is true that it ended the war, and ended Japan's agression... but it is also true that more civilians were killed than military folks - and we should at least question our actions as to how we got to that. I don't think it is unAmerican, and certainly not unChristian, to question ourselves. When he speaks of America putting AIDS into the African American community, I don't agree with that, but he is not the first educated man to say that. The tusgeegee experiements have been widely reported, and have never completely been disputed. As I mentioned in another post, seeing how congress and the pharmacutical industry have worked together to shut down testing for the mercury/autism connection, it makes a person wonder if it could happen. Certianly, the way we killed our own troops with Agent Orange in Viet Nam says it could be. I might not like Rev. Wrights wording, and I might not like his bringing politics into the pulpit, but nothing I have heard is unChristian, and I have not problem with him.

Walk as much as you feel like it. On surgery day and the first day after, I pretty much stayed around the house, but walked in the house a whole lot. The second day after, I went to church and worked. After that, I was walking and acting normally. No one knew after that, so it was OK. But just walk as much as you feel like - it's not a how much exactly, but more of a just keep going.

Well, I don't seem to have any trouble foods. I hear some have trouble with meats, I can eat meat very easily. Pasta? No problem at all. Bread? I might eat is a bit slowly, but no problem. Honestly, the only thing that gives any problem at all are some fresh fruits or veggies (I ate a plum once that was a bit problematic, but not too bad - tomatoes cause me a bit of problem, but only gas pain.)/ So really, nothing bothers me too much.

Well, I have had 2 fills. Honestly, I know I am ready for another one, because I haven't lost a pound in 2 weeks, and I am able to eat more than I should (note that I still have to eat slower, so I know that the band is still in place, but not tight enough). It's time.

Welcome from one just down 1960 from you. Glad you're here.

Well, in the three years I spent in Florida (99-01), I loved the new kids. And as a National League Houston Astros fan, I love the underdog. First time over 500 ball becomes first time to play in a play off game becomes the first time to make it to the world series. No doubt about it, it is the stuff of little-league players dreams! GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, keeping with my weekend pledge to remove myself from the debates, I will leave it that I, not BJean, put the statement of Palin being the expert - and yes, I did get that from the debates and subsequent interviews where I heard her listed as the most knowledgable person on the subject (note that it was never said "most knowledgeable person in this race). In every case, the word "autism" has been mentioned within the next sentence, if not that sentence. Keeping it general, and not debating who should or shouldn't be president, those sort of statements, no matter what the spin, are claims of being an expert... and I don't see Sarah Palin, Joe Biden, John McCain or Barack Obama as experts. And that's fine. No one person, even the president, is an expert on everything. But, yes, McCain has made references that, logically and without spin appear to say she is an expert. Statement submitted without preference to candidate or party in the current presidental race.

Glad to see LBT here, and glad to be part of it.

Welcome from one Ike survivor to another. Glad you're here.

I won't argue with anything you said. Like I said, no doubt misdiagnoses is at least a small part, though it doesn't come near answering the whole problem. I am glad for your daughter. BTW... the whole problem is that there are no experts in the clinical sense. There are just people asking questions. I have known people who claim to be experts. What happens is that they are knowledgable of the traits of children with autism, and are knowledgeable in certain schools of thought regarding how to deal with the children. There are no experts as to the cause or long-term treatments. That's why, in the times that I have had opportunities to address groups related to autism and children on the autistic spectrum, my first statement is that the true experts are the parents who love their children everyday. That's where it comes down. Governments and big businesses are not going to make it happen. It will take a grassroots effort of parents, independent physicians, and other interested individuals to make it work. Maybe, if enough people speak up, it can work. But I am not holding my breath. Thanks, that is my hope as well. Of course, I also hope that this doesn't break my pledge that I made to back away from political debates. :biggrin:

I had the card given on the day of my surgery. I am like others, I don't want to wear a bracelet. I figure that, if there is an emergency, they will be taking my shirt off for CPR, see the scars and it will be clear. If not, they will find the card when trying to indentify me.

Well, there is no doubt that better diagnosis accounts for some (note I said some) cases... but in no way can it account for numbers going from 1 child in 10,000 25 years ago to 1 in 150 today (and some studies now showing it as 1 in 133). Many parents believe the mercury in the childrens shots as a reason. I don't really buy that argument, though I know some highly educated parents who do. Two things are clear: One, that many times, autism shows itself dramatically around 2 years old, when children get their shots.... some parents have noted a regression in their children within days, or even hours after receiving their shots. Two, the pharmacutical lobby has made sure that no one investigates the mercury/autism connection (congress has closed the books on all investigation, saying that the drug companies did enough internally... And have made it clear that lawsuits against drug companies to get testing done is prohibited. Like I said, without more than circumstantial evidence, I am not convenced. But it is clear that something external has happened to make it rise. So in essence, you asked the $10,000,000 question.

I'm right at 3 months post-op, and haven't lost any hair. Good thing, since I am keeping my surgery quiet - I don't want friends seeing me losing weight and going bald - they would think I was sick for sure. :biggrin: I am just making sure I keep the Protein up, and it seems to help a lot.

Well, I was the one who first mentioned Jesus in explaining my reason for forgiveness and grace. I wasn't equating Obama with Christ, and am not sure how gagetlady reached that point.

So you're really going there? OK... let's go there. No, but since there is much speculation and historical reason to believe that the woman was Mary Magdaline, it sounds like he cut her a good bit of slack and took her into his conficence. Or what, then of Jesus going and having dinner at the home of Zaccheaus... repentent, yes... but he did not repent until Jesus was in his home having dinner. Grace is a wonderful thing, to come to us while we are in our sin.

Thank you for restating the same argument as before... Yes. Really. Jesus told the woman - "Go and sin no more." Not, "go, but we'll be watching you like a hawk, and never trust you again." I don't know if in his heart he is repentant. No it doesn't sound like it, but maybe he has... I have not heard anyone ask him since the election process began. Do I like what he did... no. Do I like what he said on Sept. 11... No. Nor do I like Jerry Falwell's statements about God's wrath on New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. And I am completely opposed to people shooting moose for fun and profit (although Sarah Palin might be a good one to teach Dick Chaney how to shoot without hitting a fellow hunter). And further, I don't like little baby ducks, old pickup trucks or onions. But facts are facts, and the fact is, he is currently living as a law-abiding, upstanding citizen in Chicago, IL (last I checked, that's still in America).