Kat817

Needto....these are not what I meant by jokesters, and the thing is, their answers are important too-----you starting the thread, will make anyone curious about the subject look, and it will answer the male side of it too. It may say Powder Room or Mens Room, but this has turned out to be more like a co ed dorm.....we wander in and out. And many of us have learned a thing or 2!! Kat

I agree, when you feel like it, watch your positioning, find something that is comfortable, and go with it....I was never given any restrictions regarding sexual activity. A pain ball or pain bolus, is a round plastic ball full of liquid pain medication that has very thin tubes going directly into your incision, and they come in different sizes, lasting for different lengths of time. The medication slowly moves from the ball into the incision. It works with suction similar to drain tubes. I did not have one with the band....there was no need. Besides there are 4-5 "incisions". In my case the port site is the largest, and was maybe 1.5 inches long. Another was about an inch, then 3 small poke holes. I took pain meds by mouth within 6 hours post op, and by the second day was using Tylenol only. I have had the pain ball for my hysterectomy and for my TT--and DH had a much bigger one for his open heart surgery for his mitral valve. Sometimes these threads move really fast, and if you do not get a response try bumping it back to the top--they get buried, and lost. Sorry you aren't getting responses. The subject is also part of the problem, we get a lot of jokesters on the subject, so people just avoid it! Kat

Many times when I am trying to calm a situation in a thread down or when I want to remind someone of no advertising etc. I refer them to the forum rules....I used to tell them they could find "forum rules" at the top of the page and they needed to review them. But that is gone------and I had a hard time finding them, even though I have a pretty good idea of the rules! Can we get an easier way to direct people to them again??? It is much easier when they can see them for themselves, it isn't like we are hiding them only to spring them when they disobey! LOL Kat

Well right now you are doing the best thing you can, and doing some research! The band is an awesome tool to help you with weight loss, if you are willing to work with it. The first thing you should do in my opinion is to talk with your insurance carrier yourself. Possibly the receptionist was wrong, perhaps it is an insurance that that particular office prefers not to deal with. There should be a number on the back of your insurance card you can call and check out your benefits with. The next thing that comes to mind---is the fact that you are talking about totally depleting your 401K. I understand the all consuming desire to be banded (did it myself!) but keep in mind with the Dr. you are checking in to---and if there is negative be VERY thorough in your research----but find out if any fills or adjustments are included in his price. If not and you cannot afford the fills, then your band will be in place but will not be working the way it is designed to work. Fills from what I have read on here and experienced myself, run from $150.00 and up. Some get good restriction early, and others take 5, 6, even 8 fills to get to their own sweet spot. So however you choose to finance, make sure you tally in the cost of filling the band to make it work. If the price you found is for a surgeon out of the country, make sure you find a Dr. to do your aftercare closer to home. I had my surgery done in Mexico, but have a more local Dr. do my adjustments, and follow up care. Make sure you have the Dr. set up BEFORE having surgery! Sometimes they are hard to find. I in no way am trying to dissuade you from being banded, I 100% support it, it has made the most amazing differences in my life---but it is something you have to be committed to, as you must see the Dr. regularly, you have to be diligent with your diet for weeks before and after surgery, and even when you are back to a normal diet, there are often food issues that you must deal with, and learn to avoid some foods that just slide through the band (ice cream for instance). Read up here on this site, check the Dr.'s area to see if the Dr, you are considering is listed, and see what has been said about them. Go to a seminar---most surgeons require them before an appointment anyway. You learn a lot of helpful info there, and if you remain on the site here, you will be able to go to the seminar armed with lots of good questions, to ask the Dr. Hang in there, and keep reading and researching! Don't give up! You and your 2 year old are worth figuring it out for!! Welcome to LBT! Kat

Been in my jammies all day so far!!! Made it so far as to brush my teeth, and my hair, and even put some lotion on my face and hands. That's it! Put a roast in the crock pot this morning with lots of veggies, so have no plans to even think about getting dressed today! Oh Haydee----SOB SIL is such a sore subject!! He is dictating when anyone can visit. Weekends only so he is home, is the order. Well Rick said to hell with him, and he has stopped by after work, but he is home---so they come to the door. During the day no one answers the door so I am told by my inlaws. I personally said (scuse me here) F*#K that! I have grandbabies I do not have to make appointments to see. The more time I spend with him, the more I will fall in love with him, and the more the being pushed away from him will hurt, so I am cutting my losses. If I knew where to buy a skeleton---like those they always had in science class---I would send the back bone to my DD as a message! I just want to shake her! So I have not seen Corvin since he left the hospital. Abbey has called and when I wanted to bring Kinsey to see the baby she said Rhett doesn't really want other kids around him yet. My son said he was given the same message---and they have not been over either. Rhett wants this baby for him and his family only....and is doing everything in his little Eddie Munster body to make that happen! There is really nothing I can do----she does not listen, this is a choice she made, so for now I guess we will let her wallow in it. If and when she asks for help or wants us, she knows where we are. Sad, Sucky situation....wish I had better answers. Oh well......maybe over time..... Off to find something to drink----I want Diet DP----but avoiding it!! LOL Kat

Yep that was WAAAAY frequent, and is why the controllers now have wrist straps!!! Sad----and sooooo something I would do!! Oh and smoked turkey with the cheese soup sounds like it would be perfect and yummy!!! Kat

Sherry, I feel ya....they warned Rick that layoffs were imminent and his neck was on the block, middle management goes first. They have cut hours back drastically. The totally stupid thing is, that right now, here where we are at the company deals mostly with natural gas, not oil-------and they are SUPER busy! Had the best quarter EVER in the company the last quarter of 08. So they have an entire crew in from CA working here, but because they are slow there, and in other areas, the cuts go company wide, including here.....morons I swear. Rick has been making me crazy, all he talks about is cutting back, doing away with this or that. NM unemployment office is so screwed up, they actually have Feds in trying to get it fixed, lots of people who have filed from last November still have not begun receiving benefits....and people calling (with proof) over 600 times and getting a message saying all lines are busy yadda yadda yadda......so on top of being worried about the layoff, not knowing if benefits would be forthcoming in a timely manner, is making his nutso, and he is driving me crazy! It is scary to me too---------but harping on it 24/7 is not making it any better! Weather is cold..... DD is being an idiot and allowing SOL to continue to control the situation. Only allowing visitors during the weekend when he is off and home. Sorry but F#*K that! DH has stopped by after work, and he hates it! SOL I mean, but he is not stupid enough to say anything directly---but I refuse to even mess with them. They want me in the baby's life they will come here I guess. I have other grandkids I do not have to make appointments to see. I know that sounds harsh------but it isn't going to change, the more I am with him, and fall in love with him the harder the being pushed away will be.....so I am cutting my losses so to speak. Letting DH handle it his way. All combined have made me one grouchy old woman!!! So y'all haven't missed much!!! DD is here to get Kinsey, so will catch back up later! XOXO Kat

Hi girls, well Connor is gone....he left kicking and crying to stay---so sad, but I keep hoping it will show them that he wants to stay so they will leave him more often.....looks like it might be working! DIL is ok the Dr. thinks. She did not go into much detail this morning, but apparantly did with the Dr. and she is bleeding following sex. So he put a halt to that for 2 weeks. He said the vaginal lining is very thin at this point due to the surge of hormones in the area--and that it is not uncommon, so to wait 2 weeks, try it, if it continues, wait another 2 and so on. That eventually the surge of hormones in the area will cause the lining to thicken, and she should be fine. He did not want to do an US saying the sound waves sometime increase problems this early on, her blood work looked fine, and she is not bleeding any other time, so he thinks she is ok for now. I told DIL that was good enough, she did not need to be corrupting my son anyway!! She just blushed and laughed....so naive she is!!! Suzanne, we should all be so lucky as to have a Dr. who spends so much time and effort helping us help ourselves. My band Dr. is nice enough, he is one heck of a surgeon, but his overall demeanor and presence is smug! Like he thinks he is better than you---he is pleasant, but not someone I would choose to hang out with!! In your case he would tell you what you should be doing, and expect you to do it, because he said! LOL But he is honest with me, and has always helped when I ask a question, and he did my intestine surgery even though it was not band related, and was exceptionally nice through it all---I have no complaints of him as a Dr. but there is no way he would take the time to even read something like that if I wrote it up, let alone have it ready for me to fill out! I may be wrong....but that is the impression I get from him. I have yet to do more today than brush my teeth and hair! Sitting around in my jammie pants and a tshirt, and no make up. I put a roast in the crock pot this morning, so have zero intentions of ever getting dressed or make up on! Lazy today..... While Connor was here, he insisted on trying to play on my elliptical which is in the room with the toy box. I hear Kinsey tell him "You better get off the exerciser, or Granny will put the hurt on you!" I about cracked up, she knows I will do nothing of the sort, but she also knows I too would have threatened it!! LOL Kat

I'm here, alive and almost well again. Won't be on til later today. I have both Kinsey and Connor. My DIL is headed to the Dr. she had some bleeding issues last night----so is off to the OB. Not much down time with Connor around! Where Kinsey takes her little toys and plays for hours....not so with Connor!!! He was hilarious, at first he wanted his Mommy by his side...for about 2 seconds, and she tells me, I hope he doesn't throw a fit when I leave, my emotions are shot--and before she could finish the sentence he was literally pushing her towards the door, she ask for a kiss, he kissed her and closed the door. He LOVES coming to play with Kinsey, but they seldom ever leave him anywhere! I love having him here, so plan to spend the morning being drug from one activity to the next. At least now I fit through the tunnel he likes to crawl through!! Too bad it still kills my knees! BBL girlies, I am off to be Granny! Kat

[quote name=losingjusme; PJTP part deux - i just received a request from a family member (cousin's wife) for facebook .. GAHHHH... i dont want family on my FB... no idea how to politely say ummm' date=' no... thoughts?[/quote] "Hi (insert name here!)----- I have one child already who can be very demanding at times, and another due any day now.....when I morph into wonder woman and actually find time to Facebook between diaper changes, and Sponge Bob, I will let you know!! Wish me luck on that!" That takes care of her....and those who already know you can be a wonder woman are taken care of already!!! I was going to mention earlier, that we actually have a friend who had his car stolen with the keys in it, and the thief hit and killed a man while driving it, and our friend Justin had to go to court for vehicular manslaughter charges as well! They were suspended with no further automobile infractions for 3 years. Meaning even a speeding ticket could have cost him a manslaughter charge! Scary!! My Mom used to be the worst about tossing her keys under the floor mat so she knew where they were....took having teenagers to break that habit!! LOL Kat That's what I'd do!!!

Much of what I find attractive about Clint Eastwood is his attitude! He was on Jay Leno last night, and was saying hybrid cars would sell better if they made them look sexier--rather than so nerdy. Hell yeah! He may be 79 but he knows what is HOT and what is not, and says so! And he was so versatile! He could be hot in a limo or hot on horseback! He could take you to the city and wine you and dine you or take you to the country with a bottle of wine on a blanket looking at stars. And fit in in all of it. Not so with Sean Connery--he always seemed way to high maintenance for me.....gimme a rugged man anyday!!! A Marlboro man minus the Marlboro's and Kat is a happy woman!!! LOL Went to lunch, had a great time....but they screwed up our ticket. I used one of our Stars cards---which are prepaid debit type of things. Well I have one that expires the end of this month. So I checked it when I left home, and there was $34.14 left on it. So we get to lunch, we both order the special--which is 2 tacos & 2 sides for $4.00. So the ticket comes and it is $10.10. I give her the card and tell her to add $3.90 to it, and she leaves, brings me back the copy to sign, and it is for $32. and something! I said nope this is wrong! Well she had run the wrong ticket on my card. So she voided it, but while the debit went off immediately the charge back will take 24-48 hours. So when she tried to run mine through for $14.00 it declined. Took getting the owner of the danged restaurant over there to get her to understand that it is a prepaid card, and her mistake is what held it up, and no I am not paying in any other manner----until I KNOW it is back on my card! The owner was fine by it----he said no problem--that he can take the info or I can come back in and pay it when I see the charge back hit the account, he isn't worried, he knows me. She was all in a hissy because what about the tip she said. I thought he was going to blow a gasket!!! He told me my card would go through at $10.10 there would NOT be a tip on it, he would deal with his staffs attitude!! Oh my! Randy is a big guy----hella sexy too! But he was mad!! So come home and looked and as of now the only thing showing is the debit of the $32. so will wait a day or so and if it still does not credit I will print it off and go show him and tell him to fix it! LOL Quite the excitement for a 10 dollar lunch!!! We try to go on Thursdays, because it is affordable, and even then it is too much food for me, but reasonable.... Getting cold in here, guess it is time to build a fire, and I need to put some potatoes in the microwave to steam so I can handle them for supper. Take care all! Kat

That is what they told me last time they called to check on me! I am so glad! There are 12 people I know right here in the little corner of NM I am at that are banded, and most of us travel to Canon City CO, or Denver CO! Long trip~! Thanks for the update!! Kat

You bringing up the "born again" thing made me remember..... Many years ago, my oldest DD was in Kindergarten, and I was VERY pregnant again. Soon the natural question come up about how the babies (twins) were going to get out. I told her a limited version, and yet all the while sticking to the truth. Her eyes got pretty big and she told me if I didn't know we could go to the library and find out! I assured her that it would work, that when you grow up your body changes and will allow things like that to happen. That satisfied her and the subject was discussed off and on for days. Then one morning standing in the bathroom doing her hair for school she tells me very seriously "that man that talked at church last time is really stupid!" I was shocked and ask her why she thought that, and she oh so seriously in her 5 year old new found birth wisdom informed me SHE NEVER wanted to be born again! Poor thing I am thinking of what is running in her mind....the born again Christian speaking at church must have been 6' and 250 pounds, and he was born again? Coming out of where her Mommy assured her the babies would? Not her! No way, no how!! Thanks for the funny memory!! Kat

Hey girls~ Cold here too, but not as bad as it has been, weather showed us getting a warm surge of air from out Pamela's way. Tension still running high at work, so far the only ones let go were contract workers....welders....on site temp councelor etc. But they are making the guys lives miserable with the threat of it hanging over their heads, like an open ended threat to them. Rick does not come home a happy camper. Hopefully it eases soon. He has so much time in, he hates to leave, with the economy slowing so much everywhere, he knows if he goes elsewhere he will be the new guy, and likely to go there too.....and NM unemployment is so screwed up, they were talking on the news that the federal government finally told the Governor to FIX it! People who filed back in November still not getting benefits. If that were to happen to us, the only way we would survive is to deplete our savings and hit our retirement.....in addition to taking any job offered to either of us. Well I am off to lunch with my friend Marie. She has been sick, and I have been in this funk, I think we need an afternoon out. But I need to get it in gear to be on time!!! Will check back later this afternoon. Kat

Carole, I totally understand the issue of being so far from the Dr. I added to the issue by being banded in Mexico! Originally I went to the seminar and met with a surgeon I had researched out of Colorado---he was among several who were all about the same distance from me. I am in the 4 corners area of NM, and there are ZERO band surgeons in NM. So.....I met with this Dr, and was doing my insurance required diet junk with a local Dr. in prep for surgery. Then I was in a car accident, and is screwed up my 12 month required diet thing, and I only had 6 WEEKS left of the year! Insurance was going to make me start all over! I ended up getting a settlement from the person at fault in the accident, and it was nowhere near enough to have the surgery done in CO--so he gave me a very short list of surgeons in MX he knew and would work with. I chose my surgeon, and the original surgeon in CO agreed to do my aftercare. BUT they both felt I needed a local Dr. for emergency care, in case I needed an unfill, and the surgeon refused to do my surgery until I settled the issue. So I got my oncologists office to agree to an emergency unfill only. They had hit ports on me for a year before, so agreed. With everything set up, surgery proceeded---all was well for 18 months, then like you I got sick, and blocked my stoma. It was Spring Break~ my surgeon was out of town----so I contacted the oncology office, and they told me to come right in. Only to find they no longer had the huber needle in my file! Some office staffer had removed it, and they had nothing long enough to unfill me! I finally got advice from a Fill Center Dr. and resolved my problem.....but I DO understand where you are coming from. We as a society are pretty nomadic, and the issue of not caring for another surgeons patient is going to have to change! It is scary to me! I even understand about me going out of the country---so not having another Dr. to hold liable---but when you simply move and need a Dr. what in the hell are we supposed to do??? The surgeon I had originally planned to use, is one like #2 you mentioned, who feels serious restriction is needed. I disagreed, I have never been seriously tight, and refuse to be! It did not prevent me from getting to goal, and allowed me a sense of comfort since I was so far from help. Good Luck to you.....but I still think if I were you (and I know I'm not!!!) that I would leave the band in place....even if it is not in "use" right now. Maybe soon you can find a Dr. with compassion and understanding. Kat

Well....first of all, I am not sure about the comment of letting all the saline leak out of your band, to where you have no restriction. The saline should remain in there indefinitley, until removed with a needle, if it leaks out, you have a faulty band, port or tubing. If you are still unable to eat bread and the other things you list, I believe you still have adequate saline in your band and it is functioning as it should.....not having frequent fills is not indicative of it leaking out. I lost all of my weight with 2 fills done within 2 months of my surgery, never to have another when I reached goal, and it was all still there when removed for surgery (TT). As for not being able to swallow ejaculate....seems pretty strange, if you are normally able to swallow things of similar texture....possibly an emotional gag reflex? It would not be unusual. We used to tease a friend that she had a disease called "weeniegagaphobia"!!! LOL Personally I have never found it an issue....but I approach it with a different attitude, and have found it a benefit of my marriage as opposed to a job. To each their own......and NOTHING I do with consent, within the confines of my marriage with the man I love makes me a slut....unless I want it to! Kat

Your IP Address is: 71.210.201.229 Our database shows the following information for this IP: Country: US State: NM City: MILAN Zip: 87021 Actual Country: USA State: NM City: Aztec Zip: 87410 Milan is quite a good distance from me..... Kat

Carole, have you checked in the Alabama section? I know one other bandster from Alabama, and I think she is happy with her Dr. It might give you some other options Dr. wise. You might however end up with more than a 2 hour drive. I too am in the middle of nowhere! I drive 6 hours one way to my band Dr. which sucks in a major way, BUT.....so did weighing what I did...and this is the lesser of the 2 evils for me. I had a decent experience with a Fill Center---you might look into them, I have no idea if they have one anywhere near you at all. As for removal--I don't know of anyone who has had theirs removed, especially without health issues at stake. Do you have any restriction at all? I know right now I have no fill in at all. I had a couple of other surgeries, so ended up with a totally empty band, and have ZERO restriction, which leaves me feeling like I have no band at all. So that makes me ask, if you are not having problems, and are facing life without the band----what is the problem with just going on as if you don't? I mean, maybe with the band becoming more and more popular, new Dr.'s will eventually be available to you, at which time you could begin to work your band again. Until that time, there is nothing wrong with everyday diet and exercise like we all have done for years....and I do know how hard that is, it is being reminded to me every single day now! As for fills, I too have always been filled by my Dr. who is a band surgeon, there is always a nurse present, but he does the fill---I think I am more comfortable with that....not sure why, but I am!!! I used to have a nurse access my port which was chemo related without issue.....go figure!!! I guess it is what you are used to! Good Luck to you----I feel your pain of not being in an area where care is easily available. Kat

All of the prices regarding Fill Centers USA were quoted to me when I first called them, and were right in range to what I was paying with my Dr. What I WILL say about Fill Centers USA--is that they were there when I was in a panic and my own Dr. was out of town. They did not belittle me for having another Dr. They did not act condescendingly because I had surgery in Mexico. They DID offer suggestions and do their very best to get me to a Dr. close to me. I live in a rural area, and there was only one Dr. in the state doing anything band related, and he was not a band surgeon, but was affiliated at the time with Fill Centers USA. He is no longer however. This particular Dr.'s office was not particularly helpful....BUT the girls I was talking to at the 800# did not stop there, they found another Fill Center that was extremely willing and helpful, actually offering to meet me in the middle of the night which is when I would have arrived there with a 5+ hour drive and do an unfill for me.....I was not an established patient, and yet they were willing to do that! Before it got that extreme, they found a Dr. to talk to me on the phone, and give me some suggestions as to why I was blocked. With their help, over the phone, the issue was resolved without me having to drive all the way in and be unfilled. BUT just knowing I had an option, and the way I was treated was a massive relief! I did not go into being banded without a plan in place. I had a Dr. for follow up care, and even a secondary one in place! But my problem occurred during Spring Break-----and my plan fell apart. I HAVE made adjustments to the back up plan--------lesson learned! But even though I never had to actually set foot in a Fill Centers USA office. They still call me every month to see how I am doing, and whether I have any questions or issues I would like to discuss. They do not push me to change from my Dr. in any way. If for some reason my Dr. was unable to care for me, and we were to get another Fill Center in NM, I would definitely check it out. When my situation hit, it would have been well worth the cost involved. And all the help I received, I never spent a dime. And I do not now, nor have I ever worked for Fill Centers USA, or any affiliate, in any capacity!!! Kat

Sorry you are still hurting Tracy, and sorry you are sick Pamela! Glad you are feeling better Judy! Good grief you can tell it is that time of the year, everyone is sick or just getting over it! Kinsey and I spent the day doing nothing....a little laundry, a movie, a snuggle and tickle fest on the couch.....we took a walk, and come home, that was our big outting! Now finishing up laundry and waiting for Rick, dinner is mostly done....blah day. Blah mood to go with it. Went to dinner last night with Rick's family, his brother was passing through on his way to the ABQ stores. His son went and got the granddaughter we seldom saw and her brother, so it was fun. Getting a fill on Saturday it sounds like....it might not happen til Monday, but she said she thought he was working half a day on Sat. if so she would fit me in. Otherwise we will go on Monday....weather permitting, and him agreeing with me still being on steroids---she is supposed to call me if he objects still....hope not, I am going to be big as a house again at this rate.....I need to update my ticker, but don't wanna! Well, I am going to go cruise through some threads, have a few people showing their idiocy today....of course! Take care....will check in later! Kat

I just explained to you on another thread--the Posting Just to Post thread, that LBT encompasses many subjects, many involving lap band and many that don't. Even on the threads that are not directly related to the band, it is something that draws us all together. There are many areas on the site that should appeal to what you are apparantly looking for, discussion of the band only.....please look around and you will find a bountiful selection of them. In the meantime, I personally would appreciate it if you would not tell me what to do, and what I can or cannot talk about on this site, or when I should take a conversation to email. Alex runs this site....not you, and not me. He has however ask my help in moderating the site, and even with that I do my level best not to tell people what to do, I seriously would appreciate the same consideration from you. Kat

Yes this is a LAP BAND support site, and there are many threads devoted to support. Support for pre banding, post banding, fills, complications, ones devoted to where abouts you live, and others determined by how much you have to lose, or when you were banded. Some specially directed to men, and others to women! On this site however you will also find a place we can laugh, debate, and discuss almost anything. There are threads made for those other discussions, and this is one of them. If you only want to read posts regarding support, then you can, you do not have to enter the lounge or the Rants and Raves sections to be a LBT member, it is not a requirement. Look around the site, and I am sure you will find the support you want, and a place to encourage others so that they may be as successful as you say you have been. This particular thread is a great escape and stress relief and a place to connect with friends we have made along the Lap Band journey. If you do not wish to participate in these that is your option as it is ours to do so. Many grew up with someone telling them what to do and how to act and what to say and what to eat all their lives, and for some that resulted in their obesity--------here for the most part they are free to talk about almost anything, band related or not, without being told we should not be discussing this here. Our mental health is as important as our physical health, and connecting on this level is important to us. Kat

Since this thread on LEGALIZING prositution has morphed into one concerning ones christian beliefs....I have another question! This was presented to me by my Dad I mentioned before during a simple conversation. IF being a Christian were suddenly outlawed---could YOU be convicted? Are there personal witnesses who have SEEN with their own eyes your good deeds, and your lack of judging them or others? Have you SPOKEN with them regarding religion or christianity? OR is there only hearsay regarding your belief? I know many people who would claim to be guilty, but many fewer who could be convicted!!!! He ask me this more than 20 years ago, and it still runs around in my head now and then....and does affect how I treat and look at others!! Kat

My Dad is one of the most religious as well as spiritual people I know. He has read the Bible many a time, and continues to do so. At this point he is listening to it again! He walks 5-6 miles a day --- he is 75, does it for heart health---and he is again listening to the Bible on CD. He is a Methodist, and they recently, in the last couple of years, have their first female preacher. I thought with his age and all he might have an issue with that. It has actually been quite the opposite. He said that like we all know men and women view things differently, and seem to be hard wired with different views of things, and that she brings a different light to the bible, focusing as much on the emotion that caused such and such to happen as the situation causing it to happen. He said it has opened new ideas to him. He teaches Sunday School, and has Bible Study class in his home each Thursday night in small study groups, and he has said more than one time, that they will pick a passage and read it, and if 5 people are in attendance, all 5 will get something different from the passage, and all 5 might feel it reflects upon their life in different ways. None of them any more right that the other. And if they lived another week and read it again, they may take something totally different from it, based upon what has happened in the last week. Questioning whether there is a God and how he would want us to be, is belief in and of itself I feel. My Dad, does not live each moment based upon what the Bible quotes God as having said. What he does do is live or strive to live each moment in a way that would be pleasing to God, and to do as he or Jesus would have done. Would he want prostitution legalized? I can without doubt say no he would not. But I also know he would not treat that prostitute he might pass in the grocery store any differently than he would the woman checking him through the cashiers line. He would treat them all with respect. If he were able he might invite the woman to worship with them on Sunday....he would not embarrass her or himself by standing in the aisle at Safeway and trying to make her see the error of her ways, it is not up to him whether her ways are right or wrong. Tolerance of others----- color, religion, weight, beliefs, even sexual preference is what we should strive for....not judge them ourselves on what we believe or interpret anothers word to say. I believe we will all someday face a bigger judge than any who post here on LBT---and will live my life in accordance and expectance of that, not worry whether my beliefs or interpretation of the Bible or other religious text agrees with anyone here. That does not make me any better nor any worse than anyone else.... Kat

Small, slow bites will definitely help you decide if you are indeed over full. As for the temperature of the foods---my Dr. told me at different times, in different circumstances, both are good. Drinking when you are already stuck, is yes a big mistake!! It can't go down, so comes up, hits the gag reflex and hello PB city!!! Same happens to me if I drink and eat, it floats food up and makes me gag! As for the temperature, I was told, to try both. IN the case of maybe your stomach being swollen due to a fill, or following a PB, he said cool could be found soothing, and aid in reduction of the swelling. And if it is causing a spasm, or the band feels tighter with cold, then try warm. My first real scare with my band, was over Spring Break a couple of years ago, and I found myself down with a springtime cold. Suddenly one morning I got up and could not keep anything down. Threw up or PB's my yogurt for Breakfast, so grabbed a bottle of Water, and even it would not go down! In a panic I called my Dr. only to find out he was out of town for Spring Break, taking his kids on vacation. His fill in was even further away from me. I finally spoke with a Dr. and my Dr.'s office staff, and had a plan in for an emergency unfill, when they suggested that since I was sick, I might want to try drinking a VERY hot cup of tea. And to take 2 drinks---not sips, and hold it in as long as possible, not to allow myself to PB it if at all possible. Within about 5 minutes, those drinks were still down, so I microwaved the tea again and took 2 more big drinks....those too stayed down! When I spoke with the office again, they said it just clicked in, that I said I was sick---and they figured out the sudden blockage was likely mucus! So cold was just making it worse! The hot tea, and gross as it sounds, it slipped on through..... He said to always watch that when you are really sick with a cold or allergies or anything that causes you to have a lot of drainage, he said overnight it can sit in the stoma, and block up. Has happened once since then, and a quick cup of hot tea (coffee or whatever would work as well) and all is better again! For the most part tho---if I eat something that is hard to digest for me---too much salad, or potato chips (yeah I know!) a nice cooooool drink is very soothing. I truly believe you need a small unfill. You will be surprised what a tiny amount removed can do! And how when you can eat good nutritious food, it is easier to lose weight! Good Luck to you, keep us posted!! Kat