Kat817

Hi everyone! Still have not seen my husband since he left for work yesterday morning at 4 AM. Talked to him a bit ago, they are still on location.....but should be done in a couple of hours, but he has work to do in the shop when he gets back, so who knows when I will see him! So I hear all the radios and crap, keeps interupting him when he calls. But I was in Safeway a little while ago, and run into a "friend" of Ricks--a guy he used to work with, one of the ones who was layed off. His 'girlfriend' (she is 70---15 years older than he) said to me, that I must be trusting, he was probably spending the night with his girlfriend! I laughed and said nope I trust him, to which his so called friend tells his gf, not to forget he is old too so he couldn't keep up with 2 women. I told him, "ya know just like the song says, he may not be as good as he once was, but he's as good 3 or 4 times as he ever was!" He just looked all surprised I would say that!!! Put my husband down, and accuse him of cheating, and then present yourselves as his friends! HAH! Idiots! I think he deserves his OLD LADY! Kinsey had a blast last night. I did not dine on Play Doh....tyvm! She and Izzy, were hilarious. Kinsey took her blanket and threw it over the dog, and it was on, they rolled over and over and over around the living room floor inside this blanket, with the dogs goal to be able to lick Kinsey's ears, she was almost frantic with wanting to lick them, and Kinsey was just as adamant about her not and that child giggled non stop for an hour. It was so funny. I managed to tape a bit of it. I laughed right along with them because they were so funny. The dog outweighs her a little but they are close in size, and they literally rolled over and over one another!!! Then she got the dog to chasing the laser light. It was a fun night. I missed Rick, wished he had been here to see it, although I know my husband well enough to know he would have wanted in the middle of things, where I sat back and let them play! Now when Kinsey goes outside and swings, the dog sits in the kiddie 2 sided lawn swing on the swing set----she things she is human. Now Kinsey is gone and the dog is sleeping soundly. Just got home from my parents, my Dad called and my Mom fell, she lost her balance getting out of her chair, and when she tried to grab it, it spun away--- damn swivel rocker! So I went and helped him get her up. She is having so much pain in her hips, she could not lift up without help. Come home to find the church youth group unloading wood at my house. My woodshed is completely full, that is the easiest way to get wood ever....call them, they back into my drive, and unload it, I do not have to touch anything!!! I have stuff simmering to make a chicken pot pie. Will mix up the biscuit dough when Rick heads in, so it will be hot. I sent him with a days worth of lunch for yesterday-----and he has been out almost 36 hours now. The company usually caters food to them for those jobs, but they are way out in the middle of nowhere, so I have no idea if they did or not. Everyone take care, I am going to get some work done, and read awhile!!!

cnewstine, I got an email notification of this post, come back in and re read what I wrote! I am still here, still pluggin along. Made goal, regained due to lack of self control during an extremely stressful time in my life---but the weight is coming off again. I am healthy, band is good, and I am within a normal weight even now. I stand by what I wrote.....it can be done, lots are doing it, or have done it! Hang in there! Welcome to lapband, and welcome to LBT

Rick is working overnight, the job had problems, they are waiting for more chemicals, and will pump the job when they get the product. Will likely be tomorrow evening before I see him. So I have my bestest friend ever spending the night with me. We are going to be bestest friends forever -- just ask her! We had some caramel apple --- more apple less caramel sauce, but she did not complain! I really thought about just going to bed, and sleeping the evening, and night away, but when Kinsey ask to stay, that sounded like a better plan. So I am off to do something.....play with Play Doh I think.......we are going to have a Play Doh restaurant she says........wish me luck, finally food I might be able to resist!!!

Home, took FOREVER to do the new phones, figuring out the plan, then the system went down, and then they needed Rick's DL #---it was chaos all day long, and now everyones phones work except mine, I kept my #----and it has not ported over. grrrrrrrr should be up by morning, and will be fully charged, I have no idea how to use this fancy damn phone! BUT it is identical to Ricks---well his is not pink! LOL So I can only figure one out---usually I have to figure his too. So same #, text is up on this one, and I have to pay for the phone, which bites! But we had a good long run of work paying for it!!! LOL Going to bed, gotta work tomorrow. I chose this weekend because Rick is working too. See ya tomorrow it is a short day 10-2.

OMG what a busy morning at the polls!!! What strong opinions people have and no issue sharing them in the one area we cannot have them doing so!! LOL Waiting for Manda then we are off to get the phone issue dealt with, and have lunch. Got a kind of wake up from my Uncle last night. We were chatting on FB, and I mentioned how yucky I have been feeling, and when I said I was getting the sour stomach several times a week, he told me it is very likely my gall bladder, he said pain is the most common symptom of gall stones. The sour/gassy issues I am dealing with indicate a sluggish or diseased gall bladder. Hello! My Grandma had hers out after YEARS of this and they found it diseased. Told her for years it was fine because they saw no stones on ultrasound! Then last fall my Mom had hers out because it was sluggish---I swear! They did a test where they actually watched it, and it was non active. So out it come. I ask her, and very similar symptoms. Dr.'s told her for years her symptoms were IBS, or thought she was having an attack of diverticulitis. So.....when election is over, I will go have it checked out, and if need be they can yank the little sucker out of there. Whatever it is, it is making me miserable, and carbonation irritates the you know what out of it. No more diet DP for me, I was so mad at myself last night, I know it and the salad were not good plans, but they both sounded so good. SO WHAT!!?? It did not feel good! LOL We voted over 140 people this morning. 2 of us, they did not start coming in heavy until about 8:30 or 9, then it was steady. That is 2 of us, getting identification (that the state will allow us to), finding on the computer that person, printing an application for early voting, having them confirm that, and sign it, and print the 2 sided ballot, precinct specific, since at this time we are voting the entire county, explain the ballot, and get them into a voting station. We put that many people through by 12:30!!! We stayed hooked up! I can only imagine 2 years from now, the last presidential was so unbelievably busy---I forget how it is, until we get slammed again! The keeping your mouth shut no matter what they say is the hardest!!! Well Manda is here. Tracy keep goin' girlie, I am SOOOOO proud of you!! I am proud of ME even, I have walked every day since getting Izzy----she deserves it.....and I do too! I missed Rick last night tho---and I think she did too! BBL

I'm baaaack!! I agree, I have seen the kitty litter cake and even eaten it! I think I will look around at candy and try to come up with something easier to serve than cake, but maybe cupcakes, with skeletons in dirt graves or something..... They made ghost suckers in preschool, so figure they might again. We used to put hands in the punch too, I have a friend with a Halloween birthday, so much fun!!! We use the food service clear gloves, and put a candy corn in the end of each finger, then fill them with popped, popcorn, add a spider ring, tie it closed. Simple, but kind of boring. Kinsey is taking a nap on the couch---and Izzy will not move from in front of it...she is on guard duty! Cindy---I am so amazed all the families scheduled! How wonderful! Kinsey's conference is tomorrow. You know I can be honest, and say I very likely looked down my nose at people having WLS years ago. Now I would not discount any form of it, and would not say I wouldn't revise if something happen to my band (heaven forbid). I KNOW what a battle it is, and I know how much healthier I feel now from then. I would do whatever I needed to in order to maintain the health aspect, not to mention to vanity side of weight loss. I am working Saturday, from 10-2. But on the good side, I get to wear jeans the next 2 days! Speaking of clothes, I better go deal with laundry!!! I ate a salad earlier, so no need to worry about dinner, Rick won't be home, and I am already fed!TV night----Greys!

Well in my little corner of NM the republicans are out in force voting. I began working early voting in this election on the 5th of October. So far we have been open from 7 AM to 5:30 PM M-F. We start Saturdays this week, and will then do M-F from 7 AM to 8 PM. And there will be 4 other polling places opening up for early voting as well. So today was day 8, and when I left at the end of my shift, we had voted over 1000 people so far. The republicans come in loud and vociferous!!! We have them begging to work the election. On the other hand, I am in high demand as a working democrat, and the ones I have approached about working, seem almost scared to admit being Dem.!!! It has not been fun working this election let me tell you! I have to remain civil, no matter the crap said, and some of it being said by co-workers and county workers..... I read and follow, and wonder how anyone can seriously blame all that is wrong on ONLY the democrats, like it all happened in the recent months----like it was not years in the downslide. I just wanted to say thanks for making me feel less alone!!! And Kartman, WTG---you have done awesome! I cannot run, I have a tumor in my leg, and the bone will not support the stress, but I would LOVE to! Keep up the awesome job!!!

Hey y'all~ Home from work, and the grocery store. Kinsey is out of school early today, so I picked her up and my Moms, and we headed to Safeway. When I pulled up to park I noticed the ambulance and firetruck---figured someone fell inside or something. But I park in the north 40---so I make myself walk! Anyway as we approached the store, there was a small truck---like a Nissan size--drove through the front doors! The front of our store has 2 sets of double automatic doors separated by a metal and glass partition about 3 feet wide. He almost perfectly drove into the center. Took out the support columns, doors broke, glass headers broke, HUGE plate windows in the front of the store alcove broke. But all in all, the damage was less than it could have been, and he was not injured badly. He was coming down the lane in front, and a car backed out, he was going to swerve around it and brake, and must have hit the gas instead. I feel so badly for him. He runs an Auto Unlock company from that truck. He come in to vote and was saying how slow things were, and now this! Anyway....we finally got it, did our shopping, then got stuck inside while the removed the truck! Now we come home, made a big salad, and I am sitting! I need to finish laundry. Angela---I agree with pretty much everything you said!! EXCEPT that I have the food thing figured. I do KNOW those things, and honestly TRY----but fail easily as much as I succeed. If I consider only those right here with me in my area I know that are banded, your thoughts concerning success with few fills is spot on. My niece and a friends husband, and myself, have all had maximum 2 fills, and we are all plugging along and feel it to be a success. Then my SIL, other niece and 2 friends who are banded, have all done the over fill, and unfills and refilled numerous times---and have met with much less success over all. Not sure what it is, or why. Now I feel like if you were to gradually continue to fill the success would remain, but wonder about the possibility of extra Gruehlin production maybe when the stomach is put under the undo stress of an overfill. Just thinking out loud----er typing while thinking....eh you know what I mean! I believe that banding IS falling out of favor due to a "newer" less work, less upkeep surgery being available. As well as the ability to obtain nutrition without food has improved drastically over the years---even the last few since some of us were banded. As patients -- band patients-- we ARE much needier than bypass or sleeve patients. I think in the beginning that was a plus to the Dr's in terms of $$$ but it has become more of a challenge and headache to them. There are patients like my SIL and niece who self fill, and have problems, and when they do, they bad mouth the band, and the Dr. cannot show it as a success rate, it falls in his failure rate, and it is not a failure of either the band or the Dr. It is a patient failure. I really believe the band can be successful---I also think it takes help----some manner of banding your brain. We have one another. Thank God we have one another! I have no access to other support groups---and that would help---without y'all for support, I have no idea honestly what I would do. You understand my "different" needs, my concerns, by hopes, my fears. To anyone else, when I said my stomach was sour and upset, they would have a "so what attitude" but y'all get it. You understand the "what ifs". If there are bandsters out there, and there has to be, I mean how many of us have support groups other than here, without anyone to "share" with---I have serious doubt they would find success. This is just IMHO. The one thing that sold me on the band, and is still the only WLS that can say that, is that if I happen to react adversley, it is reversible. My surgeon explained to me the need to properly place the band---or it does not affect the nerves it needs to, and I have to wonder if many cases are due to that not happening. There is no visual way of knowing if it is or not. In my case it dealt with my hunger almost instantly----others say it has never helped with their hunger. Obviously if I am not hungry, I am going to have better results than another who has had no help with hunger control. Well Debbie, here is my newest long post!!!!! Blame it on Angela---there ya go, another reason to take aim at her!!! LOL BBL

pumpkin kisses----if only they tasted like pumpkin I would be ok! It is the peanut butter pumpkins that tease me, and call to me.....but....I can promise to try to stay away. No guarantees. No sense in setting myself up for failure---I see a trend of myself doing that, getting all gung ho and promising myself all kinds of good things, then when I fail, and I do! I feel guilty and shameful on top of feeling gluttenous!!! LOL, one serious heavy emotion at a time please! Work was good, busy, busy, busy! Lots of voters in! There is a guy working for the county in charge of the elections, that my Dad hired to work for him (used to be his dept.) 21 years ago. Well he turned 40 this week. They had signs with his picture when he was in 6th grade all over the building, they met him at his car, with a wheelchair, and wheeled him all over the building with a birthday hat saying he was the birthday boy and a t shirt with a big 40 on it! Today they had a birthday dinner for him, pot luck Navajo Tacos. A hard thing for me to eat, with the fried bread! I ate mine minus the bread. Most of the women in the office are maximum size 10----most well under that! So they watch it closely, no one looked oddly at me not eating it! LOL Was fun anyway. I come home, got the baskets and sorted laundry out of the hampers, went out to start it, and I had forgot sheets in the washer---they had not got too bad, but were begining to smell kind of sour, so I am rewashing them, then hope to get my real laundry done, so I have clothes to wear to work in! Izzy has decided to try digging some in her dog run, thinking this weekend we might put a bottom on the run with wire fencing. it is the best place to keep her when we are gone, so better safe than sorry. Any suggestions for Halloween treats for Kinsey's kindergarten class? Manda rec'd notice of it yesterday---she had signed up to help, so wasn't surprised. We have the gloves if we decide to fill them with popcorn, but are wanting something different-----help! Well, think the washer quit, time to get busy. Debbie I am queen of the long post---I just think away and type away! Welcome to the long post club---it helps us know you!

Tracy, I read an article today in Prevention Magazine, about weight gain and debt. Wrote by Suze Orman, about how we gain X amount of weight in correlation with stress over debt, especially those that have hidden debt from their spouses. Made me think of you---not that you have hidden debt from Frank!!! But how you stress, and it all hits you at once! When you had to move back after the loss is when you began gaining again....made me think that maybe the stress and expense of moving might be related in your case. Then as DSD moved in and out, and the stress and expense of the bigger house, and the unneeded bigger house hit, the weight come on faster.......seeing the connection? I KNOW it was part of my weight, the stress made me search for comfort, and going and doing was not an option, yet I felt not deserving, but not guilty about spending money at the grocery store, so what did I do? I ate, and not much of it was very good for me! Wierd! Anyway.....I would have liked to have seen the article when it was happening. I mean I know from back in my single days, that unhealthy food is far cheaper than healthy. I mean I could buy a whole case of Ramen noodles for $3, and if need be it would feed us for days----I could not buy ingredients to make one single serving salad for $3.....single, and poor, raising a child, you do the math! But the emotional ties to weight----she predicted (meaning Suze Orman) the winner in The Biggest Loser, based on their FICO scores---and level of debt! I don't know if they have a website you might see some of the article in or not. Rick is about 70 miles out, and they have been out for 12 hours already, and have not even pumped the job yet. It will be middle of the night before he gets home.....ick Soon as the kids leave, I am headed to the dollar store to buy dog bones and such. Will be back when I get back!

Cindy, it is still going on with my stomach issues, but they are different issues! This is either the chinese, or the fat free ice cream---it was simple stomach disagreement! Rick has had similar issues lately, so possibly even a bug. But the sour, hurting, unable to eat feeling, is gone. I honestly believe in hindsight, I had something stuck. When it hit it's limit, and I got so sick to my stomach I vomitted, it was almost instantly eased. No pain anymore, no sour stomach, and I could eat! Did fine after that until something I ate yesterday disagreed. Feeling better tonight, had a normal dinner, bland, but normal!!! I would be making an appt. if it was the same issue going on. That was miserable. Tracy, I will do my best to help you in the ways you ask. I will support you in any manner I can. I will not help you beat yourself up for slipping....but will try to help guide you back on track. I have not missed a day walking since bringing the dog home! The first 2 days were short ones, as I figured she was healing, but, now she is full of it, and we have been taking walks. I intended to take one a day with her, minimally,so I go right after I get home, well the last 2 evenings, after dinner Rick suggests we take her walking. We walked together every day when he was recovering from his heart surgery. I had not realized how much I missed it. We notice totally different things as we walk....it is so good having him with me! He is in the field this week, so there won't be many nights he will be home in time to walk with us, but I fully intend to take advantage when he is, and walking is good for him too! He works hard physically at work, but walking is different. Made a mess of my kitchen floor a minute ago. I peeled and sectioned an apple to take with me to work tomorrow, and put it in a zip lock bag, then proceeded to pour in some 7 Up......but my bag leaked, so I have soda all over the counter and floor-----grrrrr I mopped it still dried sticky. I mopped it again, and waiting to see. I got another bag, and it seems to be holding! Well, I am off to finish watching Two and a Half Men.....will see y'all tomorrow!

I definitely struggle with making good choices, and probably fail as much or more than I make right. BUT.....I consciously think about the type of food I am eating now, and I am more knowledgable about how food reacts when I eat it---the carb /blood sugar issue for instance. So I am at least thinking about it, which is more than I ever did before. I did diets before, but more of a "fad" thing than a common sense one. I TRIED being informed, but the weight is so much slower going away that way than it was with some new fad, that I always abandoned that thought quicker!!! Once I was banded, I tried to imagine the size of my pouch, and to think about filling it with healthy stuff as opposed to filling it with junk. I lost tons, and tons of hair post banding, and I thought it was poor diet, so I was seriously learning everything I could about healthy eating when one can only eat small portions! In the end, the hair loss stopped, but I had gained tremendous amounts of information on how my body worked with the food it took in! Sometimes I have to bargain with myself---tell myself 2 more bites of veggies and I can have some ice cream for desert....and often times the 2 bites fills me to where I cannot eat the ice cream! Usually not, but it is 2 more bites of healthy vs. the 2 extra bites of ice cream!!! LOL Suzie, to have lost 200 pounds is such a huge accomplishment, especially when you have been through so many stressful situations in that time. You may not be on the losing fast track, but you have plugged along, only gaining when you were unfilled for surgery---and even then keeping it to a minimum----you have done soooo well! You work out at work, and away from work, I just want to commend you on your continued efforts, and your continued efforts to keep us slackers motivated!!!! LOL, we are so glad you are here!!! Tracy, you are doing it!!! Every day, every choice is helping. Helping your body, and helping your emotions---by knowing you are doing the right thing. You go girl!!! Big giant hugs!!! Cindy---my granddaughter has her first parent teacher conference this Friday. My DD said she is afraid she may get the "talks to much" thing!!! I have to laugh! I got my share of them over her Mom!! Kinsey lost her first tooth last night. We ordered a pillow off of Etsy, for her to hang on her doorknob with the tooth. she sleeps so wild, we knew the tooth would never be found! When she got the pillow it come with some letters you could download, and print for your child from the toothfairy, and also a little bag of irridescent and silver , extra fine glitter...or "fairy dust" so Manda tucked her money and letter into the pocket on the pillow, and sprinkled the fairy dust by the door and she said she was totally excited! Such fun. I did not sleep well last night. I am surprised anyone around me did either!!! My stomach is all icky again! And I don't smell pretty! TMI I know, but yuck!!! Feel better today, but sticking to a totally bland diet. Used to be I would eat rice, and it would settle my stomach. These days I can eat about 1/4 cup of rice, and I am full, it keeps swelling I think after I eat it! LOL Just glad it is feeling better. Rick is in the field so not sure when he will be home. Guess I better go dig in the freezer for something to make for dinner, so it will be ready when he does get home. Will talk to y'all later! Oh yeah----Michelle, did you ever hear anything from the hardware store????

Hey y'all~ House is clean, clothes ready for the week, groceries bought, and put away, and dinner is in the oven. Rick starts his field tour at some time past midnight, and it will be a long 2 weeks for him, and with me working it gets kind of crazy! Normally, I just adapt myself to his schedule and now I can't! LOL I don't work many hours, it is just different! I am so glad you made that hurdle Shar!!!! I hit a point that it clicked with me as well. Now I will admit, I hit that point AFTER getting most of the weight off. The obssessing over what I was going to be able to eat, was seeming to overtake everything! And mine has never been an issue of being able to eat it due to the band, I am a lucky one who can eat most anything, as long as I am cautious with bite size and speed I eat at! But it was more of a question of would I kick myself after eating something I deemed bad for me. I think the realization of getting my health under control helped me immensley. I began this taking 2 different blood pressure meds, metformin for high blood sugar, and border line type 2 diabetes, celebrex for joint pain, and something for high cholesterol. Within a year, I no longer took a single solitary prescription medication. I could walk miles, not blocks, miles! So.....it made me feel successful in that respect. I see the rolls in pictures, but I see less of them! I do my best not to focus solely on the negative! I used to literally hide from the camera, now it is not a big deal. I love walking, and breathing deep, knowing I CAN! I love being able to walk in almost any store, and buy clothes. I love wearing jeans that button and zip. I love not feeling ashamed to be introduced to DH's co workers or the kids freinds. I feel more pride than I can tell you when people comment on how much my DD looks like me----and I am ever grateful that maybe she is not horrified by that!!! I know I have weight still to lose, but like Cindy, if it happens I will be really happy, if it doesn't, I am not going to stress over it. I will do what I need to to remain healthy, and if I remain healthy at this weight, then so be it. Well, I yabbered (yeah it's a word!!!) on about that for so long, I need to go get some things finished for dinner!!! It is my TV night! LOL------I plan on watching the bedroom TV---kicking back and totally and completely relaxing! I'll try to get back, but it might be tomorrow!!!

Hey y'all Poor Terri! I had that reaction to eggs----not long after being allowed to eat solid food again, I fried an egg, chopped it up, and put it on half a piece of toast, to eat on the run---OMG, I slimed, and hurt, like nothing I can describe! Finally hiccupped, and it eased! I have had 2 bad stuck type episodes with my band over the years, one was due to a donut, that I know swelled to 6 times its size once I ate it!!! The other was a piece of popcorn chicken, eaten without thinking, chewed once or twice, and swallowed. About the time I swallowed I realized what I had done, and Oh I hurt with that one! Lessons learned for sure! Today we went to Octoberfest. Went to breakfast with my parents, brother, daughter and granddaughter. Then we watched the parade, and hit the vendors on the street. Rick and I left, come home and checked on Izzy, who was in her dog run outside for the first time. She was fine, so we went into Farmington, and did some shopping. Serious shopping. I woke up this morning, and my monitor had gone out! It was making a high pitched noise, and no picture, nothing, gone! So it could not wait long, we went to Sams and bought a new one. Spoke with my nephew in regards to changing our phone service. We are with Alltel, and they sold out here, so we have to find a new provider, and get new phones. I have had the same account for 10 years----so, he thinks our best bet is Sprint, I have no idea! We need something that will provide us with service in Texas as well as here. Then we come home, got the dog, and walked back down to the park, she did so well! Someone has trained this dog! She is housebroke, she heels on a leash, she does not get on furniture, she is good with kids and other animals. She sits, she shakes.....it is amazing. She is not hyper, but still has puppy left! She began fetching for me last night. Rick is enjoying her. Me too! We are trying to decide who to let cook for us tonight!!! LOL I have red chile in the dehydrator, oh man it smells good! I am drying it to crush. Sooooooo good! Cindy, about the time my DD turned 14, I found myself washing things I KNEW she did not wear! I would go in her room, and be knee deep in clothes! So I told her I would not buy her a single thing to wear, not clothes, socks, underwear, shoes----NOTHING until I could see her floor for a week straight! And I taught her to use the washing machine! Then the issue come up that she thought it was perfectly fine to throw ONE thing in the washer alone! Rather than do a load. We put a stop to that! Occasionally when I was doing my laundry or later the family laundry I would offer to throw the kids stuff in---but did not make a habit of it! LOL She was SOOOO bad! Our son, did his faithfully in the evening, in 2 loads, and he put it away. The girls might fold it, but still lived out of laundry baskets! Good Luck! I do all the laundry here, I sort, wash, dry and fold it all. I leave Ricks folded on the bed, and he puts it away. I feel for you...... Yay Debbie, more money, that is always good!!! Jenn---good job, I knew you could do it! Suzanne, it was nice walking here the last couple of days----yes y'all heard me, I walked 2 days in a row!!! The dog is good for me! LOL But it was like Terri said, kind of chilly here, heck it was almost freezing here this morning, 35 degrees or so. Cold! 2nd week in November still looks like our time. Tracy----feeling better yet? When we change our phones----we will be doing them ourselves, til now the company has supplied them. so we will add our texting onto the plan. I can be back in the loop!!! LOL Well Rick is ready for dinner, so I'll be back in awhile!

It is my understanding that the sleeve they do now is what they used to refer to as a mini bypass----it was done before in a 2 part surgery for the super obese. The biggest difference in the 2 is what portion of the stomach theycut away. In the mini bypass, they leave a section similar to what we have banded, in the sleeve procedure it is a long tube as opposed to a pouch. The long tube runs through a stronger portion of the stomach, and is supposed to be less likely to stretch back out over time, as the pouch is known to do. They do not have long term studies done to prove or disprove this yet. It is a more muscled area of the stomach, as it was used to knead, and help our food move, so it is stronger. The mini bypass was done, and the name was misleading, as in the first phase of the surgery---it was leaving the pouch, then when the patients weight dropped into a safer area, then they would go in and complete the actual bypass part of the surgery. According to the show I saw explaining the mini----many patients were having excellent success with just the cut away portion of the surgery, not wishing to complete it with the actual bypass of the intestinal tract.....and thus we have the sleeve, a new and improved version they are hoping. Now keep in mind the show I saw it being referred to, may be a total different issue.....that is just what I gleaned from the show!!! I do nothave Kinsey to get ready this morning, so I have a few minutes!!!YAY!!! No, I don't mind getting her ready, she is fun in the morning, once she abandons her grouch! Sorry so many of you are feeling bad. Allergies are killing us here-----but we have a chance of a freeze tonight, so when that happens it should help with some of the allergies anyway, but I am sooooo not ready for winter! Well enjoy walking Tracy!!! Will check in after work---short day, jeans today....should be a good one, I am gonna go be a smart ass again!!!

Michelle, glad to see you post---was getting concerned not hearing from you. Now the others better check in or we will have to send out the flying monkeys to find them!!! Izzy did ok. yesterday in the backyard it began thundering and she went right into the kennel. Last night, she whined awhile, and even tried out her bark ability (we have only heard her bark a couple of times)---but she settled down. Today, she dug a hole in her pad in the kennel! But nothing serious, she was happy to see me, went straight out, and did her jobs. Now is wandering around in here, hoping I will share my lunch.....not. All in all, she is settling in really well. We did make a change in plans. We had intended to go to Albq. tomorrow night, Manda was going to stay here, so Izzy was not moved yet again. Well we had some other things come up, so we offered Manda and her friend our motel, so they are going down I guess and we will be home. Rick has to help with a booth during Octoberfest Saturday, which is ok, it will be fun. If Manda decides not to go, we can cancel our reservations prior to 6 and be ok. I had a grouchy old woman complain about me at work today! When they come in, we print out an application to vote, which is what you fill out to get an absentee ballot, well early voting works the same. I print it out, and ask them to check the name and address then please sign and date the bottom. I was nice to her, friendly even! She ask me "is it the 7th" I said to her "Yes ma'am all day and half the night", she kind of rolled her eyes at me, so I quit, and kept it professional, explained her ballot to her, and went on. She left, and went next door to the clerks office and said I was a smart alec to her, that she did not come to vote, to listen to my sarcasm. She told them exactly what I said---which was true, she did not embelish it or anything, but I didn't think anyone would take that as being flippant, which she also accused me of. The clerk is a friend of mine, and was laughing it off, but it irritated me, and left me in a mood the rest of the morning. Good grief----what is the big deal, I didn't tell her to figure it out herself! Just to be "a smart alec", I said the exact same thing to the next person who ask!!! They didn't mind a bit! LOL Some people! Then I had a guy not want to remove his political badge in the polling place, he got pissy----was quite the morning!! Suzie, you saw them, you know my windows need attention too....when you get done....hint hint!!! Well off to take a walk with the dog....see how this goes, it is getting ready to storm here too, so it might be a short walk.

Good morning Neen, welcome to our little corner of the site! Great group here, although some are MIA right now, and I am getting concerned! I am off to work, just stopped in as I was making motel reservations for tomorrow night. We are going to go down and spend the night, and see the balloon fiesta, since we had to change Ricks appointment due to his jury duty. Will be in after work. Izzy did ok overnight. She was not thrilled with the kennel, but settled pretty well. I am worried about her licking her incision while I am gone today, but not much I can do about it. BBL

We have a pretty extensive river trail, it winds along the river, down to some amazing Indian ruins, I like it, but have issues, that I have run onto more than one skunk along the trail! I have to walk down about 1/2 a mile to get to the foot bridge across the river, which is not a big deal, EXCEPT, I also have to walk that 1/2 to get back home, and it is uphill!!! And by then I am tired! LOL I will be getting the walking thing back in my life---the dog is a reality! She can only do short walks while her incision heals, they also repaired a hernia. But, we will work up to decent walks together! I like to go in the morning, would go right after putting Kinsey on the bus, but for the next month, I am working then! The dog has settled in really well. I know she is mellow partly due to recovering from the anesthesia, but, she is not wild. She freaked out over TV. Don't think she had ever seen it before---she is still watching, I kid you not! We laughed! I have pictures of her and Kinsey in her kennel.....together. Hope she sleeps well in it tonight. Well I am off to bed, the alarm goes off really early!!! Suzie, did you find out about the tree????

No earthly idea Suzanne, how big are those pod things? Work was much slower today, busy, but not crazy so! Having a good turn out so far. Got off work, went to lunch with the woman I worked early voting in the primary with, and then went and picked up Izzy. She rode sitting in the seat calmly, walked on her leash wonderfully, and has been exploring. Megan and Kinsey have her in the back yard now. So far so good. The neighbors have a rottweiller, and he barked at her, she actually barked back, I had never heard her bark, and her hair on her back stood up!!! Then he barked again, and her tail went to wagging! LOL So far so good. She went out and immediately did her potty jobs outside, so unsure if she had been trained before, or it was just luck, but I praised her like crazy!!! Hope it is training, and not a fluke! I am wondering about our MIA people too, I see Michelle on here same time I am, so hope to see her post! Hint Hint! I told you Rick has a soft heart, well last night before bed, he asks me if I had a roast in the freezer. I said yeah, and ask if he was hungry for it, he said not especially, but the pound smells like death to him, and he wanted the dog to smell good things, to associate this with good things, no more death! So I have a roast bubbling away, and dinner is done! Yay! And it DOES smell good! Jenn, be careful girl, you are putting in lots of long hours! Your picture looked great! Did the shirt from Sturgis fit you? Looks like it might have been too big! Well, going to go share in the training of this dog, what is and is not allowed! Wish me luck! Of course Rick is in the field and working late. I come home, and he has been here, he had to go out on a job, that he had to be clean shaven for, so he come home and shaved the stache and goatee off.....HATE that! See ya in awhile!

Suzie, I haven't heard from Terri at all. I know they bought some new equipment, and are expanding in some manner, I just can't remember what. I will try to call her and check on her. Plain.....definitely NOT pregnant. I do not want to birth my own grandchild or be on Maury or anything!!! Plus.......DH and I are both "fixed" so there would be lots of 'splainin' to do!!! Yes I was worried about my band, because I felt sore in the area, added to my major discomfort, and upset, sour stomach. First I cut out my allergy meds. No change, other than allergy wise, hives come roaring back! Now I HAVE changed my eating. Cut out a lot of fats, eliminated carbonation, and seriously watching portion size. I know you will find this amazing, but I lost 3 pounds!! Who woulda thunk it?? LOL Normally, I take my antacid per the Dr. at about 5 PM. In fact I have an alarm on my watch set to take it then. Have done so since my banding. Well I was so sour stomached when I woke up, I took one then. Have felt fine all day. No pain, no burping, nothing. I worked this morning, no issues. We were BUSY! Not just getting settled in, TONS of voters! We voted over a hundred people in just the morning, and we are limited by one computer, tomorrow we will have 2 going....but it will slow down before election, I am sure, today was the cut off for registering etc. So, thinking I won't take another antacid til morning, and see how that works. Wondering if I am getting an ulcer, and maybe it is too much in my stomach for the night....I have no idea, I am grasping at straws! I will make the trip to Colorado if I have to. I have paid days off coming, and won't let it get too bad. But overall, I am not dehydrated, I am passing my food normally, and the one time I did get sick, it was not any blood, or abnormal food---just normal bandster. They called and Izzy come through her surgery fine, I will pick her up on my way home from work tomorrow. Rick is on jury duty, and so is one of the other guys in his crew. So his (Rick's) court case was cancelled, but the other guys wasn't, so Rick is going out in the field for him tomorrow, which means I need to make a lunch....yuck! LOL I went to lunch with Marie today. I had told her my stomach was yucky, so we agreed to share a taco plate. It is Taco Tuesday! LOL We each ate a taco, she prefers the rice, I prefer the beans, we were great!! Stomach feels fine. Fingers crossed. Jenn, I think I met one of the people who keep failing the boards, when she tried to put in my last IV---OMG, she hurt me! And she stabbed me repeatedly, I finally ask for someone else, and it took 3 weeks seriously before I got normal feeling back in my hand where she tried to go in the back of my hand. It hurt so bad, it made it tingle all the way to my elbow! My neighbor had me watch her new baby today! He was a week old yesterday. Her 2 year old is feeling a bit neglected, so they were going to the library, and Kinsey and I watched baby Dylan. So sweet. He slept the entire time, I DO know how to entertain! Everyone be good!!!

I loved our state fair. We try to go every year. I agree with Trey, there are some sights to see. I think I live in the hoochie capital of the SW. And we decided there is a direct correlation of how much cellulite one has to how tight and short her shorts are!!! As well as how many colors are worn together!!! It is fun to just kick back and people watch!!! There is a thread on here about people letting their young kids dress like adults, you should see how some of these families dress up, and I am talking flash---and infants up in age! And the mens boots are cracking us up too----they look like the pictures you always saw of elf shoes, that the toes curl. They are wearing bright colored leather "cowboy" boots, with the toes as long as they can get them----totally ridiculous! Made for great fun! Now next weekend we will go to the balloon fiesta, and there will be other wierd people, ones who gain 50 pounds when they put on the vests with all their pins, and the dumb ass hats, that look like hot air balloons. NERD brought to life!!! But fun anyway! Going to bed. I feel bad. My stomach is getting worse, not better. Getting pretty scared to tell y'all the truth. Not sure what is going on in there, but it is not normal....and is going on way too long. And of course it does it when I am working----and my band doc is 6 hours away......figures. Will check in tomorrow afternoon. Going to lunch with Marie after work. My dog gets her surgery tomorrow, then I can bring her home on Wed afternoon....poor baby!

Hey y'all~ Yesterday I went to get my hair cut, and Rick went to an (insert shudder here) auction. Without me. Without me, to keep his bidding arm down....We spent all morning hauling home his "haul" O.M. G. We have a Dixon lawn mower. To me this looks like an old space age lawn mower, with levers as opposed to a steering wheel etc. He says it is a DEAL It is supposedly a $4-5000.00 dollar mower (like who in their right mind????) and he bought it for under a hundred. He stole a battery off of a motorcycle at the rally to test it. He give the battery back, but he borrowed it I guess!!! "We" also bought a pallet full of T posts. While in TX we bought 20 T posts, and spent $87.00 for them, over $6 a piece!!! Normally we drop more in, but they were so high priced we quit with 20. This pallet has close to 200 on it, and we got it for $80.00. I refer to that purchase as a WE because even if I had been there I would have encouraged that buy!!! The lawnmower would have been a whatever...... Then when I was with him before going to get my hair cut I found this totally cool chest of drawers, it is an antique I suppose----but only in the sense that I am too!!! It is long 45" long----and has 4 drawers, but above the drawers is this section that has what looks like a sideways roll top desk---that slides open to reveal 6 slide out sections. It is pretty sweet. I made the mistake of saying how cool it was....it is now too big in my room.....Rick bought it! He also bought corrugated metal sheets----48, 20 foot sheets. WTH???? We wanted some to make the roof on the new shed addition, but not that much! Of coursethe $20 bucks he paid for all of it, woul dnot have bought a single sheet for our roof, but now we have to store this!!! Ay yi yi....lol So between hauling that, the new dog run, and all we have done---yard sales and auctions----it feels like we spent a small fortune, and we really didn't....but I am exhausted! I got the chest of drawers changed out with my old dresser, now have to figure out something for my old dresser.....it is not over yet!!! lol Cindy with all the riding we do, I tend to get the racoon look if I am not really careful with the sunscreen! Or if I wear a do rag, my forehead will be white and the rest of my face will tan!!! LOL The dog has been officially named Izzy---she kind of cocks her ears at that----and Kinsey calls her Dizzy Izzy because she spins and dances! Rick wanted to name her Stinker Bell! I did not want her called Stinky! LOL We took my Dad to dinner today. Tomorrow is his birthday, Rick's Dads birthday, and Abbeys birthday. We took his Dad out several times in TX, so just went with my folks, and Manda and Kinsey. Well, hope everyone had a good weekend. I am going to go start laundry. Trying to get ready to go back to work on Tuesday. Looking forward to it, but....I am tired. Having some stomach problems, kind of has me worried. My stomach has felt "sour" for well over a week, without ever going completely away. Over night is the worst, I wake up burping the rotten egg taste, and it eases through the day, but never fully goes away. Then the next morning, it is bad again. Going to hope it is just slow going away. Trying to improve my diet, and cut my portions down......unsure of WHAT would cause it. Oh well.......see ya later!!!

Went and visited our new "DD...doggy daughter" in jail today. We also bought a 8X12X6ft high dog run, a large kennel, and stainless steel dog dishes at a yard sale today! They are still referring to her as Mattie, not sure---she doesn't seem to respond to it...but it is chaos---dogs barking and noise, and smells---we will see when we get her home. We are headed to town to buy her some food, then we will take it over, and they will begin feeding her that, so we don't have "issues" when we get her home!! LOL Had to take Rick's Mom to the Urgent Care today, she got up, took her pills, and got sick, then her hands went numb, and her head hurt. So rather than call one of us, she calls the DD in Denver, who is convinced she is having a stroke---calls us in a panic so we went out, his other sister is there, and they are all up in the air because her BP is reading 167/142. So...I look at it, and the cuff is upside down, the leads are up under her arm pit damn near! Turn it over, take it and it is like 150/80---still a bit high, but not stroke level. She could talk fine, no face droop, or limp limbs---tingling in her hands, they did lots of checking, ran an EKG, took blood. Said she seems ok, if it returns, to call 911, could be a heart attack. I tend to believe she is having TIA's---mini strokes. She has a blood clotting problem anyway---but I know nothing!! LOL Anyway, Rick and I are off to Walmart, then to dinner....see ya in awhile. Tracy---glad you are going to do what it takes to feel better. This time of year---this year----call your local county court house, and inquire about election workers. Pay is usually really good! It is temporary work, but you see a lot of people for networking. Even if it is election day only---it is a $200.00 boost. Just a thought. BBL

So good to be home----except what did we do today? We hauled wood!!! Well, we also did something else.......we adopted a dog! Yes we did it! She is not with us yet, we are waiting for her to be spayed. She is right at a year old, she is half lab, and half boxer. Not the mini dog I was looking for! But, Rick fell for her--she was in a kennel with another dog, who was being a little aggressive towards Rick, who went in wearing his cowboy hat and shades---on purpose, to see the reaction! He is crazy sometimes. Anyway, when the other dog acted aggressive, this one, she tried holding him back, and tried to make it behave! She was protective without being aggressive herself. So we took her to the run area, and she is a little wild on the leash, but calmed down by the time we returned to the kennel. She sat and shook on command. When we went back in AFTER spending time with her, she seriously did not want the other dog barking at us. She put herself between it and us, and kept nudging it back. We would have liked to bring her home, but the town we live in does not allow adoptions without spay or neuter,if the dog is over 6 months old, which for cost affectiveness, they do not do, until the dog is adopted. The schedule will not be where they can do the spay until the 5th. Until then we can go see her as much as we want, but we wait. The papers say her name is Mattie, but the tag she was wearing when she was surrendered due to the fact she was picked up, and the owner could not pay her fine, nor show a fenced yard---say her name is Izzy. She was a little hyper today, so as she calms down and becomes used to us, we will see what she responds to. If she seems to respond to either we will keep it, if not we will find a name for her. She is kind of reddish tan and white, her face has a boxer nose, but lab ears---she is cute. She looked so sad being put back in the kennel, I just wish she knew that she now has a forever home, waiting for her. You guys are too kind over the tire, it was not a big deal. We all need help at some point. It felt right he said. Cindy, your daughter is beautiful. Nothing quite like a daughter....the highs and lows! LOL Suzanne, they had the wall at Sturgis, it sit behind a field with 50 American flags spaced one every 5 feet or so, and a huge beautiful, metal art, 3D cross---I loved the cross! And around the perimeter, were each state flag. There are many veteran bikers, and many runs held from there for different veteran agencies. It was an emotional place to be. The flowers, I expected, the other items, sunglasses, shot glasses, even a prosthetic leg---they surprised me in many cases. Glad you got to go. Tracy, were you having a serious conversation with Frank that brought on the tears, or were they without "reason"? I agree, if you feel better from the release, then good, if not, then try the Dr. There are lots of medication options....and it is not something that lessens you to do by taking them. It isn't like you walked into Walmart and bought a box of depression!!! Silly girl! Angela, how exciting for your son, his first college football game! And what a way to reinforce the desire for him to want to go! Sorry work is sucking! Shar, sorry you are struggling, I have good stretches, then bad. Hoping the adoption of this dog will get me walking again. I will do it for the dog, shame I won't do it for me!! Jenn---I think the first responder thing is something I could do, but physically I doubt I could handle it. I am too old! but go YOU!!! Trey---I noticed I had no compliments from you either......sniff sniff......lol, well, we found out with the sale of our Alltel, we no longer have any cell service when we go to TX. Was a challenge with my granddaughter checking in with her Mommy!!! Michelle---girl I will talk enough for both of us---how's that? Hope you feel better quickly! Debbie, your own CD? How cool!! My DD wanted to play piano, but she wanted it at a time in my life, I was so poor, I had no idea what I was going to feed her next week, let alone pay for lessons, or something for her to practice on. When life improved, she changed her mind.....wish it had been different. Terri---where are you? Hope it is going ok, and that your second fill went ok. Check in with us! My brain is foggy, I know I am missing someone....and I hate that!!! Don't take it personally, just remember who you are dealing with......

My granddaughter is in kindergarten, and they have the opportunity to be junior cheerleaders for the Boys & Girls Club basketball program. My daughter -- her Mom-- did it when she was younger (12 ish). At that time, they had cheerleader type skirts, but just B&G Club tshirts. Well she got the info, and went to the meeting. The skirts are micro mini skirts---and they actually said the shirts need to be snug---and they have a deep V neck. My daughter said it would be very questionable for a high school cheerleading uniform, with the length etc. Let alone for a 5 year old! She and a couple of others questioned it, but were met with resistance from many more Moms who cited, that there were bloomers under the skirt, and they were saying that they make sports bras, or cover ups for little girls too. They should not NEED that! My granddaughter wanted to do it....and is not being allowed because of the dress. They are not allowed to wear shirts to school without sleeves---no tank tops or sleeveless shirts of any sort---yet they sent the info home on this, where the tops have no sleeves at all, and begin in a size 6---which would swallow this child, and fall off the shoulders, and the deep V, would likely show her naval! Ridiculous! At Easter, we had a hard time finding little white patent leather shoes, they all had wedges, and heels in a childs size 8! Seriously???? I see kids every day in the sweats with something wrote across the butt----why would we encourage anyone to look at a child like that? Regardless what it says? But then again, I have a SIL who is well over 60---who told this granddaughter her outfit was "sexy". She had on skinny black jeans, and a gray and hot pink tshirt with the attached vest, that was black. She looked cute, it covered her completely---and it was fitted, but when did properly fitting clothes become "sexy"???? DUH!