Kat817

Pups are sweet.....and a trained pup would be even sweeter!!! Well I am off to go do some household shopping----I think I would rather be beaten. Ugh!!! Now if I was shopping for fun stuff it wouldn't be so bad!!! Tomorrow we are heading to Albuquerque to the balloon fiesta, so I need to get it done, or I will end up in Walmart on a Saturday---and then I can guaran-damn-tee ya I would rather be beat! Kat

Good morning! Looks like all will work out for us going to ABQ tomorrow! YAY!!! We will have decent weather it looks like, and we will stay until after the glow-deo and then they are having fireworks, at 8 PM, so we will come home after that, will be a loooong day, but we can sleep in on Friday!! Glad we could change it....in the end it looks like it was a good thing, I think Rick looked at the schedule wrong, and I believe Sunday to be the last day. I think when he looked at it, he was seeing yesterday on the schedule, and he was working! We will have time between the balloon things to get some shopping done. I think we will try to make a list on the way and get some Christmas done! Scary thought, but it is coming up FAST! Laura you made it a full day!!! If you get weak, call TracyK, she did it the most recent, and is proof positive it CAN be done!!! Terry, that is one of the BIG reasons I want a dog again. If the dog needs walked, I will go....I know I could go without one, but I make excuses, which I don't do when the dog needs to go! He sounds like the perfect dog for you---it obviously was meant to be. Now if he lived here, where it gets cold, you would have to teach him to lay on your feet and warm them while you create your jewelry!!! I have to admit to being jealous!!! Part of me wants one soooooo bad....the other part is still resisting, and telling myself when it is meant to happen it will. Michelle, and Jane, I hope you are both feeling better soon---poor you guys! TracyK--sorry TOM has you down....you should lose weight, just like the POP diet....we will have to come up with an acronym for this one!!! Well I told Kinsey we had to go get some things in town today, and she up and got herself dressed, brushed her hair, put on her shoes and is ready to go....I am still sitting here doing nothing!! Guess I will get it together too....maybe we can con Papa into buying lunch!!! Perks of having to go shopping. Yesterdays pie hole report was not too good.... B- cereal with milk and Sweet & Low S-pinon nuts (still in the shell--I cracked and snacked on them off & on all day---maybe ate a half cup before being shelled!!!) L- vegetable soup...about 1/3 of a can, with 4-5 crackers. D- small bowl of pulled pork 2 nacho chips with cheese & jalapenos at the ballgame, but only 2! That is a pretty average day for me, which feels pretty normal. Not restrictive, but not overboard either. I know we went to Taco Bell the other day, and Rick and the couple we were with (lunch break) all ordered combo/value meals. I ordered a taco and refried beans, and ice water. The other couple, Danny and Leslie each refilled their soda at least twice, and Rick refilled his before he left. He does drink diet Coke, but I cannot imagine drinking that much soda ever again. There was no food left. I ate mine, but they all ate every bit of the big meals they had, and before my band I would have and did everytime we went there! Since I have no restriction, I imagine I could have eaten a lot more--but I was not hungry with what I ate, and it seemed like plenty of food nutrition wise. I know I could make better choices...but I cannot live at home making every meal from scratch, I have to find a happy medium to live with in my real life! It is hard not to try myself, and see how much more I can eat---since I KNOW I can. That week of increasing my intake seriously sabotaged me! Messed with my mind. I do not want to go to far the other way and flirt with anorexia, seeing how little I can live on --which is said in jest, that is SOOOOOOO not a concern---I love food!!!! Sorry-------thinking out loud! Y'all have a good one, bbl! Kat

Laura you are younger than my kids and my Dr. told me she smoked every cigarette I did, and I needed to quit. I did. Then the very next week, my Dad was diagnosed as needing open heart surgery for bypass, and the last thing he said to me as they rolled him to surgery, was....I am so glad you gave up those damn cigarettes. He was a smoker for years....he quit cigarettes when I was a kid, and began smoking a pipe. My Dad, like yours is a big guy----6'5 1/2"----and he looked like a pipe smoker, and I will admit, I smell the bay rum or the black cherry pipe tobacco to this day and it is a comforting smell to me---but he quit that then too.....and he has never smoked again. I did start up and ended up having to quit again. That was one of my biggest helps in quitting was thinking, someday I WILL have to quit again, and I did not want to live through those first few days again!!! I had a friend who made me a giant cigarette out of a map tube, and I saved the buck and a quarter to $2.50 I spent a day on smoking in it for months. Manda and I used it when we went to Disneyland!!! You could save your cash and buy baby furniture or go on a trip before the baby arrives......you will be shocked how fast it adds up! Baseball game sucked----we lost, people just played stupid---but oh well, what can ya say, it is a game. Rick is going to go lay in bed and watch the debate, we recorded it so he could see it. We are going to go vote on Thursday in early voting. Looks like we will be in TX the day of election, so this way it is done, and I can just tell the dozens it seems that call every day that I have already voted! Manda and her sister watched it here, she was leaving as we pulled up, she said she thinks Kinsey is getting sick, she was whiny, and sniffly, and had been asleep for an hour and a half. I sure hope she is not getting sick, I worry so about it when she is. Suzanne, I wish they had caught mine before it turned into a full blown cancer....but for several years I was without insurance, and no one would deal with me. When they found mine, they actually put me on 6 months of oral chemo----BEFORE my hysterectomy. Then had the surgery, where they removed everything, then went on with another 12 rounds of infusion chemo. I have my 5 year check on Tuesday---so for the week following Tuesday I will be a nervous wreck. Every time the phone rings I cringe. Well I am going to go join my hubby. Maybe I can take his mind off the election!!! Wooo Hoooo!!!! Kat

I have heard of several who have gotten a part time job with benefits that do cover the surgery. Starbucks is one who offers flexible hours and their insurance does cover it. I had a friend who went that route. Other options are to pay into a medical flex account if it is offered where you work, then it is pre tax $$$$. Have you called and checked on your insurance? Many DO cover it. The only way to find out if yours does, and what the requirements are is to call them. Then you can find out if they do not cover it if it is the insurance or your employer who declines. If it is your employer, you can discuss it with them, and now would be a good time since most companies are heading into open enrollment, and all with insurance for next year right now. Good Luck.....sometimes things work out that you never expect!! Kat

I too was wondering, along the lines of what shortgal mentioned---with the testing. When your Dr. does your fills, does he pull out the Fluid already in there and then add to it? Are the fills done under fluoro? I think I too would ask for an upper GI to assure myself I did not have a small leak. If you do, the omnipaque might be enough to fix it! Upping the exercise or changing it up is always a good thing, as is watching the food we intake-----but when that is not working, it might be time to look inside, and make sure that you really do have that level of fill. Yours would not be the first band to have a leak, or to be the first fill that missed the mark! Hang in there....I know my SIL and I were banded together, and she took forever it seemed to begin to lose, but when she finally got to that point, she lost quickly, passing me up and reaching goal, long before I did!! You just never know how these fickle bands are going to react....or when. But when they get to the point they are doing their job, they cannot be beat!!!! Kat

I too have had massive hive issues a few times through the years. They have labeled mine idiopathic as we have no idea what caused them. Then to make matters worse, I developed a reaction to the steroids, and my vision went from 20/20 to 20/500 in 3 days. So I had to stop the steroids! Even without them it eventually did go away. I too had lots of facial swelling, and into my throat----so I am always have an Epi pen with me in case the swelling begins suddenly and blocks my airway. Sorry you had to deal with this on top of being banded, my bet is it would have happened if it had been any surgery, and you are now forwarned for future surgeries. Be glad to have found out, and that it was in most cases a simple surgery to deal with on top of the reaction. I mean at least you are not down with a foot long incision, and unable to do anything at all! So sorry you are dealing with this! Kat

Tracy, do not hold faith in my spelling here!!! PCOS--Polycystic Ovarian Sydrome---and some Dr.'s use a D on the end and consider it a disease. With it you have lots of cysts on the ovaries, have difficulty becoming pregnant, or maintaining a pregnancy, very irregular periods, almost becoming non existant at times. Lets see he had other things, excess facial or neck hair, even some get it on the belly or back, thinning head hair, skin tags, obesity, as well as all kinds of health issues too. Like high blood pressure, as lots of pre diabetes, or type 2 diabetes, even sleep apnea, high cholesterol. We all had some of these just with our weight, but they usually determine the size of the ovaries, and go from there. It is pretty prevalent on the boards I have noticed.....so just wondered about you. I probably missed lots of the signs and symptoms, it has been awhile!! Kat

This should get your scale going as well as the POP diet did Tracy!!! You will be miserable for a few days, but after that I bet you feel a lot better, and your motivation should hold steady for awhile! Do you have PCOS? I did proir to my hysterectomy-they said it would make losing weight much harder. Something I really didn't need to hear back then, my emotional state made that translate to ...it is impossible to lose weight! Just realized this morning that my scans are set for Tuesday....so we may postpone the balloon fiesta til Thursday, I need to call and see if we can get a motel that night instead. Dangit.....I do not want to postpone my tests, I am a bit stressed over them....might be what is causing the itching. How wierd that we could have been there at the same time and not know it Laura! Too bad you are not still that close, we could actually see one another occasionally--like Tracy, Suzanne and Jane, or like Haydee, Tracy and Terry.....some of us are in the boonies all by ourselves!!! Pamela, several years ago, a friends son was with one of his friends, and the friends Mom was an idiot of massive proportions, and she sent the boys to this well site to steal drip fuel for the lawn mower. When they got there, they flipped the valve and nothing come out, so they climbed on top of it, and pulled off the lid, they thought it was empty, which it technically was. Shiloh, my friends son, without thinking flicked a lighter to see better, and while the tank was empty, the fumes were plentiful, and it exploded. They found his body over 40 feet away under the top to the tank. The other boy was massively burned. To this day MaryAnn (his Mom) thinks the other boy had the lighter, but no one knows. Kids just don't think about the fire/gas combo. I ask a guy at a station once to put his cigarette out, he told me to mind my own business! I left and went elsewhere to fuel! I think he scared me more than his cigarette in the end!! Well got most of my housework done, need to finish with the kitchen....so better get to it! Kat

Hey girls, Here in NM it is 9 AM, and I have already changed clothes!!! I slipped with a mixer in the kitchen, and covered myself in chicken soup!!! LOL Call me Clumsy! Lucky for me it was one of those hand blenders, so it just covered me, not the entire kitchen!!! Speaking of kitchens, everyone else said it already, but wow what a nice big kitchen you have Jenn. Mine is not one person small as Pamela said, but 2-3 is pushing it!!! Mine is exactly square.....and I think it is like 16' across each way, which sounds roomy enough til you add counters and appliances---then it shrinks it considerably! My Aunt & Uncle built a home not too long ago, and put in the tiniest little galley kitchen imaginable! My Uncle is retired military, and he does all the cooking, and he said he likes being able to just spin about and do things, not be walking to and from the fridge to the sink etc. Not me, I would love more room----of course in my case it would just be more counter space to fill up and have to clean!! Your kitchen will be great when it gets done, it was not horrible to start, believe me I have had much worse!!!!! My itching is back.....no idea why. Not stressed especially. No adhesives in the places I itch! I do not want to drug up....or down actually they just make me want to sleep! Oh poor Haydee, hangovers are the worst! I had one serious one that made me ever cautious!!! Hope you feel better today!!! Jane, I can crochet, but not knit----maybe if Michelle feels up to it she can answer your knitting questions! She did those really cool market bags. I am crocheting the baby a blanket, only because I did all the other kids one---but I have arthritis in my hands I think, I do ok if they are not held in one position for a long time, but with crocheting the one hand simply holds tension on the yarn/thread, so it is being held taut and not moving, after I get going, I don't think about it until I quit, and then moving my hand is KILLER! Yeah Laura, I am excited to go to the balloon fiesta again. They continue to make improvements to the balloon park---they have restrooms now, located around the park, so not all the porta potty things, and they have some permanent shelters for vendors.....and 2 years ago when we actually went to the park, they had seriously improved the parking, and the way in and out was not so congested. We seldom drive in, we usually get a motel in Rio Rancho, and take the shuttle from Cottonwood Mall---they drop us off inside the rally park, and no parking or driving!! Tuesday is a mass assension morning, and the weather looks good so far, and then they have a glo-deo that night....so we may stay for it, then drive home late that night. There are only 660 some balloons this year, the number is down I am sure do to the cost of fuel to get there. But the number of shaped balloons is up. Was thinking about trying to play in the game tonight, but changed my mind when I got up sore! Not sure why I am sore.... Took Kinsey to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua. She liked it, it was a good movie for her----rather silly otherwise, but for a kid it was ok. There is a little male chi., named Papi, who is in love with Chloe, the lead girl chi., and he goes to Mexico to try to find her, and he gets in a few jams---Kinsey tells me, "If she don't love him now I am not gonna like her" so I ask her what about the German Shepherd who is saving her all the time, she says "Granny she can't marry him, he is not a chihuahua!!!" LOL Well I am going to go make some noise so the gal will wake up---if she sleeps too long, she is all off schedule!!! I am taking her to the game tonight, Manda is waiting here, she is watching the debate. See ya in awhile! Kat

Hi girls, Glad to see everyone is doing good! With the exception of Eileen and her yucky virus! Hope your family feels better soon!! BEtty, glad your Dr. gave you a good report. Mine did me as well, he thinks my itching may be a combination of reaction to the adhesive, and stress. My recent banking issues did not help the stress level!! Otherwise I am healing well, and have been released to eat as I please, I had a salad yesterday---yummmmm. We had a 75th birthday party for my Dad yesterday, more of a get together than a party---but it was lots of fun, lots of family and friends. I just wanted to acknowledge his 75 years----he has had a lot of heart issues, and it is an amazing thing he made it this far, and is healthy!!! He walks 6 miles a day, and can work circles around me!!! Thinking I might try to play at the game tomorrow night. Tomorrow when I am in the yard with Kinsey I am going to try running, and see how it feels, base my decision on that. Then again our season is almost over, I might be best off just letting it end without me, and heal, and try again next year. I know without a doubt that is what my DH would prefer! He is scared for me to so much as roll over in bed that my intestine is going to twist again.....he is a worry wart big time! But I feel good---------finally feel like I am recovering normally. Today I went and sold some gold!!! Wierd, we have bought it for years, on some advice from my Uncle. Each year when we get our tax refund we buy a CD and some gold, how much just depends on the cost that year. Today my friend at the coin shop that we buy it from called me and told me it was selling up 200% from yesterday, and if I was interested in making a tidy profit.....so we did sell some to bump our bank account until we hear what is going to happen from my debit card issue. We are going to Albuquerque the first of next week to the Balloon Fiesta. They have well over 600 hot air balloons this year, which is down from years past, but the cost of fuel to get here has affected it. They have a huge balloon park (like 75+ acres-----something like the size of 56 football fields), and you can walk down in and around as they air up and lift off. It is such an amazing thing to see, and Kinsey is in awe of hot air balloons. Last year during the fiesta, we had to take my Dad to the cardiologist in ABQ. and even though it was an afternoon appointment, there were lots in the air, and she is still talking about the hot air balloons in Albaturkey. So we are taking her down, getting a motel room for a night, and going to take her to the balloons in the morning. I don't know who is more excited her or Papa!!! I have no idea or memory of how much it took to change sizes, I know the first thing I changed size wise was my rings! They got too big very quickly. I am about ready to go have them resized finally. I have a cheapo set I am wearing---my original set has a lattice work design on the top, so sizing it this much is going to be a job, and to do it more than once would mess with the integrity of the setting he said. It is going to go from a size 10 to a size 6.5, so there is a lot going, which will bring the lattice further around the band---so I get one shot at sizing it.....want to be sure that is the size I want it to be! Well I am going to go finish watching the game with my honey---talk to you all soon!!! Sherry---I keep meaning to tell you how much your PM's meant to me when I was facing the loss of my band. Girls we have a special friend here......Love ya lots Sherry!!! Take care of yourselves!!! Kat

Hi girls--I did not get mugged on my way to the coin shop!!! I have a friend who works for this coin shop, and that is where we buy the gold as well, he called to tell me what was going on--and suggested it might be time to turn a nice profit! Was very uneventful!!! However my bank balance looks better than it did this morning. No word from the bank yet. End of the week I will call and bug about it. This Granny has been present at the birth of both granddaughters, and would have been with my grandson, but when she reached 10 cm., and began to push his heart rate plummeted so they did an emergency C section. He had an extremely long umbilical cord, it went up from his belly, under his arm, across his back, under the other arm, down and wrapped around his ankle!! So everytime he compressed his arms down trying to get into the birth position he cut off his oxygen. So they C sectioned him, without a problem. With my oldest granddaughter Allyson My son and DIL said both sets of parents were fine being there--but Rick was in Illinois with work, and missed it! I tried to be respectful of her and stayed towards the head of the bed, then the stirrup broke---and she ask me for help holding her leg up--so the crook of my elbow become the new stirrup! We did not know what the baby was....The babies head was delivered and the cord was around its neck, so they stopped her pushing while they unwrapped it, and little Allyson was wide eyed looking around before she was ever fully born. Her Mom was on the other side, her Dad was somewhere I have no idea where, and my son was nose to nose with her whispering encouragement, the Dr. said to her Mom and I---you can touch the baby. So Linsey (mom) reached down and stroked her head, and us Grandma's touched her little cheeks, and a contraction hit, she pushed and we knew it was our granddaughter we were touching! With Kinsey, it was about like Tracy---everyone was there, Manda wanted everyone there! She too thought it would never happen, she had been told it wouldn't! So her DH of course, and his Mom who is an OR nurse, and made sure she had her epidural ASAP! Manda's sister who had just had a baby 6 weeks before with only Manda with her it happened so fast, my Mom was there, my Dad opted to wait in the waiting room! And Rick and I. Rick's kids were C section babies back when no one was allowed in here at our hospital, so he had never been at a birth, and she wanted him there, he has been her rock in many, many ways. Add to all of us, the Dr of course, a couple of ob nurses, a pediatrician, and 2 NICU nurses!! The birthing rooms are big, and it was full. Rick was supposed to turn the camera on as soon as the birth was done, they did not allow it to be filmed (although my SIL did so without them knowing) but he was in such awe, it was not until she cried he remembered!!! She was so incredibly tiny! They whisked her off after letting Manda hold her for about 10 seconds When they got good Apgar scores on her, they said Dad and Grandma could come into the nursery with her, so Jason and I spent hours with her. Manda having the epidural kept her in bed, with numb legs. I would take pictures and send the camera via Rick to Manda! Jason and I gave her her first bath....and finally after 3 hours of maintaining her body temp, and her oxygen levels without assistance, they let him take her to her Mama. When they did that all of us left, but them. Jason kept telling me when we were in with Kinsey "I am so glad you were here with me!" Special days I will never forget. My DIL went into a panic attack that she could not breath because of the numbness in her chest from the C section meds, and they ended up having to knock her out. So our son come walking out of the OR holding Connor----he was so tiny and had the biggest cone head I had ever seen!!! I helped with his first bath and diaper too! Lenny and I did it. When she finally got out of recovery, she was in a semi private room, and the roomate requested no visitors so no one else got to see him in any way but through the glass. Sucky hospital she had!! Whatever you are comfortable with, is all that matters. And if you do not want to be the bad guy---all it takes is a conversation with the nurse and she will clear the room and be the bad guy for you!! When I went with Manda to her first US the tech told her she would lay odds on a girl, any heart rate over 140 is usually a girl, although there are exceptions she said.....so maybe it will hold for you too!!! Well gonna go snuggle on the couch with my honey!!! See ya later! Kat

WellI am off to do something really wierd. The price of gold is skyrocketing today! So I am going to retrieve some we have bought and meet Rick and sell it! Get us past this ordeal we find ourselves in. Every year with our income tax refund we buy a CD and also a few ounces of gold....something my Uncle got him hooked on doing. We have always bought according to the cost--some years more, others less. Yesterday the avg. sales price was $44.00 and ounce, today it is $877.00 an ounce!!! Locally we are selling a few ounces for $862.00 with them absorbing the fees. I feel wierd going into the safety deposit box and taking it out!! Wish me luck!!! Oh and I got our motel room, to go to Albq. for the balloon fiesta! Was afraid I would not get it---but I did!! After the exchange thing, I am taking Kinsey to the talking dog/ chihuahua movie. She has a chi. so she is excited to see it. Will bbl---- Kat

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my TT!!! Not having that hanging belly skin to tuck into pants.....looking in the mirror sideways and loving it-- I love it all!!! My PS used a little bit different cut, but it ended up great!!! He began at one hip bone and made an angle cut down to the "corner" of the pubic bone, then straight across right at where the pubic hairline is, then back up at an angle to the other hip bone. When I look at it straight on in the mirror, the only incision that shows is across the top of the pubic bone. Usually that is soon covered with pubic hair. I would do it again in a second! I love not feeling like I need to suck it in, and that do me no good. It was not as painful as I anticipated it being, but I did not have a lot to lipo---just a lot to cut off!! I had lost the love handles etc that they usually lipo---so it was minimal. He did do some, and also did a mons lift at the same time. Kat

I never changed, we use Land O Laked whipped butter, and Kraft Mayo. I use less, but stuck with what I liked!!! I want to try the olive oil mayo tho, I have had several tell me it was good!! Kat

I had never heard of an underwire being recommended, I have no idea why one would be top be honest. I too had the high incision, almost between the breasts, and just recently had more laproscopic surgery, and the incision this time is EXACTLY where my bra band hits---underwire was not an option for the healing period. Take the most comfortable things you have...save the fashion show for later!!! I was told to go braless....well I had to fly home, and was afraid I would turn around and take out a flight attendant, so I wore an older, well worn comfy bra and made it just fine. No idea why they would recommend one though-----------none at all! Kat

I too get the comment from people, and with some of them it is done in a humorous way such as Plain said, and in other cases it feels like they are ORDERING me not to lose any more weight!!! I just respond to them all that I am almost done....if they pursue it, and a couple have I tell them, I am eating healthy, and exercising, but not actively trying to lose more weight, so when my body decides it is time to stop we will, til then health is my goal, not a number on the scale. No one has been out and out rude.....more concerned. I find the ones saying that to me to be my Moms friends, not sure why, but they seem to be the ones convinced I am now thin enough!! LOL But that's ok, they are pretty easy to ignore once I walk away!!! Kat

I believe it to be some of both. One of the requirements post op is to chew your food VERY, VERY well. When you eat highly processed or high fat foods, and you chew them well, the taste literally changes as the food breaks down. For instance I took a bite of my granddaughters Little Debbie oatmeal Cookie awhile back, and by the 5th or 6th chew, it tasted like I had a mouth full of lard---the sweet was gone, it was not good! On the other hand you find that real food, does not change how it tastes.....chicken turns to mush, but still tastes like chicken. Vegetables are the same way---they continue to taste the same first chew to the point of swallowing. Another issue is aversion therapy. When you eat something that causes you pain, either because it is too hard for you to digest, or you eat it the wrong way, you tend not to want it again because it HURT! I know part of it is actually my brain working and telling me I need to eat healthy---which has been my goal---but I truly believe that my tastes have changed. I have been without a fill for several months, I had it removed prior to surgery, and have yet to refill it----but still have aversions to foods I used to gorge on. Good Luck!! Kat

That is soooo horrible Pamela----prayers will be said for the family, I cannot imagine the pain, physical nor emotional. Please let us know as you hear how things are going. Hugs to you for being such a caring part of their support. Kat

Good morning~ Michelle is still helping people even tho she has no voice....raise your hand if you are surprised........nope not a single hand!! Such a good friend you are! Judy, Kinsey is here too, but she is still sleeping. I decided after looking at TracyKS and Suzannes pics, I do not want Tracy bringing that handsome boy around her, she would fall for him I am sure.....same goes for Ethan....she does not need a boyfriend! There is a little boy Nathaniel in her Sunday School class who is 4 1/2 and he is head over heals over Kinsey. He sits with his chin in his hand on the table and just stares at her, and if she glances his way he grins ear to ear! He told me, she is nice to me, and she is soft, when we pray I like to hold her hand its soft. His grandma is their teacher, and she says he talks about her a lot at home too. While it is cute, the over protective Granny in me is going "BACK OFF BOY!!!" LOL Terry, Hero is so pretty!! Well, handsome! He looks like he still has the super soft puppy like fur, makes me want to wrap my arms around him and hug him!!! Are you his first family? Yep I think a purple collar.....make him look like royalty!!! I am so glad you found a furbaby to love!! Pamela----is Susanne putting something cold on her eye? Like the sinus masks you put in the fridge? Or something with the microbeads that you freeze but that does not REALLY freeze? I have had WAY more than my share of black eyes. And yes some of them were courtesy of my ex. but I have also done the softball to the eye, Manda pulled a lamp off the headboard of the bed and literally broke my eye socket with it! I have had a horse rear its head into me and break my nose....which turned both eyes black....Years ago, I got an elbow in the eye during a volleyball game. Many, many black eyes in my life!!! I was always told, no ice directly to the eye....but the longer you keep it cool, the less swelling it will have, unfortunately that does not affect how it will color up. Rick said he has never had so many dirty looks as when I walk around with a black eye!! And Rick has never been responsible for a single one!! Well I need to pay some bills--------will be back in awhile to see how everyone is doing and to catch up with the rest of you!!! Kat

Hey girls! Dads party went great, had lots of people and he enjoyed it. I did too. We all went to dinner after, and I ate salad---first salad I had since surgery----yummmmmmm! TracyK----of course we are PROUD of you! It is a hard thing to do, to quit smoking----and you DID it!!! And it is a hard thing to do to watch your diet--and you are DOING it! So what is not to be proud of???? To maintain your focus with all that has gone on, is amazing, so yep, you will continue to get good wishes and nanners!! Michelle I am sorry you are feeling so bad----sip that tea, the hydration is good for you, keeps the mucus from causing additional problems. Glad it wasn't strep, that can be so dangerous! Feel better!!! Jenn---I am so impressed you are doing all this work yourself. I do things of that nature, but must admit, Rick shows me what to do and I do it, but to KNOW what to do without his direction, I would be eating out forever!!! Suzanne your dinner sounded so good!! I would have had to make german chocolate cake, tho---that is our favorite!!! LOL Pamela--did you get your papers graded?? Was talking to my cousin at the party, and she was saying this year is an apology from God for last year for her!!! I told her I had a friend who would agree!!! Well I am going to hit the shower.....everyone take care...... Jane, I'll vote for you, I would not for any amount of money want to be president!!! LOL Kat

Good morning girls! Pamela I knew you could push through and finish chapter 4!! Yay you!!! Glad your MIL is here to visit with Susanne and then she does not feel so alone while you power through some of your work!!! Besides the things she cooks sound heavenly!!! Tracy, I looked through all your pics, I wish that I had those options here, but live in the boondocks and that is not available!! I missed the cancer walk I do each year, as I was recovering.....from you know.....my drug addiction that caused all my weight loss!! LOL TracyK---Kinsey is the same way, with exercise videos of any kind she will go wild!!! I put them on, and she goes to town! I have several, and she likes them all. I figure it is very good for her to get up and move that way, and enjoy it no less!!! Makes it much more enjoyable for me to do, when I spend my time smiling and laughing over her!! I repeat often to her that we are doing it to get fit and strong. Trying not to relate it to weight at all. She is a scrawny little thing anyway, but she needs to be fit at any size. Her ballet teacher says she is extremely limber, and follows instructions very well....she also says she is very fashion concious, always complimenting the other girls on their dance clothes!!! That's MY girl!!! Well I go Tuesday for my blood tests and scans.......say some special prayers!!! This will be my 5 year mark----that allows me to use the C word (not gonna say it yet, but it means it is fixed forever and not just in remission). I have had lots of scares.....it is kind of like the band, whenever something comes up with my stomach like this ordeal, I automatically assumed it to be my band. I do the same with other things, I panic that it is cancer in some form or another. I remember the panic when the PS told Rick that the extreme growth in the stomach was partly caused by a lypoma....I was in recovery, but the words were wrong, and I woke up thinking I had cancer again. Sounds like I am a REAL hypochondriac!!!! Michelle, hope you get some meds and feel better really soon!!! Laura, are the exercises helping, or is it just time is easing it? Today is my Dad's party. Did the decorating yesterday, used mostly things I already had, he was adament it not be fancy! We went with a fall theme, used lots of leaves, and had the cake done in fall colors. I have lots of scarecrows, I love them! I sat them around on the tables, scattered fall leaves, and fall wrapped Hershey Kisses. Using an orange based punch---opened all the plates and napkins and all, Set up the cake, make the punch, and we are ready to go I think. I have this really bright coral colored blouse I am wearing, with black slacks---done deal. Looking forward to it. Going to have Gary take me a new family picture----will ask for help, or will send it around via email. Let you see my kiddos! Terry---5 in one day!!! Wow you go girl!! I am not surprised....I would love to be able to just buy your stuff at will....heck I should have, would rather be broke from that, than supporting Indian Railway Catering! Doing my best to laugh rather than cry. BUT if I had I would have some awesome jewelry to show for it! I don't think you have any idea of your talent. The things you make are all so different from one another, it isn't like you do one design in different stones----it is so varied, and the links you make are amazing.......yep you have no idea! Suzanne, I am with you, I love little boys that age, they are so funny, and full of themselves!!! BUT there is a reason God gives you children when you are young, I can not keep up with that big energy stuff!!! Glad you had fun on the walk! Jane---I wish you were here to help me with my hair, I am so frustrated with it!!! It is frizzy underneath, and straighter on top, and with the rain and humidity, it is worse! aaarrgghh!!! Judy, Haydee, Denise, Gina, Jenn---I am thinking of you, but running out of time if I intend to get anything done before heading out to do the birthday thing. Everyone take care!!! Kat

Hi girls, I too did some laundry today, then Mom and I went and got the tables ready at the fellowship hall, so we will be ready for Dads birthday. I gave him his gift today (which is really his bday) he liked it. Got DD's to her, she too was happy. Rick's Dad was on a job, so we did not get to see him on his special day. TracyKS--hope your birthday was a great day!!! Thought of you when I was getting my DD's gift bag ready, was thinking, it would be so nice if you were close enough to drop a gift off to too!!! Ok Pamela, gonna check and see if the movie is showing here, and we WILL go, I am sick of being put off over movies!!! LOL We have a fire going!!! An intentional on, in the wood stove! It is cold out today, it rained non stop all day long. So while it is actually in the upper 40's to low 50's with it being damp, it was cold, so I conned Rick into building a fire!!! Gotta go move some clothes I left folded on the bed, Rick is doing it and they will all be in the wrong place. BBL Kat

I too am a taco regular!!! I do the crunchy shell, the flour tortillas are way too hard when you get restriction, to digest well---the crunchy corn ones, are not an issue with me. I have eaten them in moderation---one per meal----since I was approved to eat solid food. I have had a few cheeseburgers through the last couple of years as well---I generally remove one half of the bun and do a fold over, and then manage about half a burger. Once I got restriction french fries were history---they are really hard to digest for me, and I have a choice, I can eat half my burger, or I can eat 3 fries......might not be the best nutrition, but it is more than I would get from 3 fries!!! The great thing about being banded is it is so easy to get back on the BAND wagon again----and when you can begin the fill process, avoiding these things will be much easier!!! Hang in there, and do your best to make good choices.....it IS hard, but SOOOOOOOOO worth it in the end!! Kat

Leslie, scoot over, I need to share the magnifying glass----I miss the larger font! I changed my font and give it color, was all happy, then the size went down, and no one could read it----so just took it back to original!!!! Wonder why Carrie gets it big? No Fair!!! LOL!!! Kat

The time line basically just depends on how quickly your insurance approves, whether or not they have a required medically supervised diet---some do, most are 6 months supervised. Some insurances also require other tests, everything from a psyche evaluation, to sleep studies, to swallow studies, most require EKG's and cardiac clearance, etc. so it depends how long it takes to get all the required testing set up and done. Then whenever your surgeon is available. Some get it going and are ready in weeks---others it takes their insurance months to respond-----so there is no set in stone time line we can provide you with. Hope you get your Christmas present tho!!!! Many, many Dr.'s do it as an outpatient. Some stay over 2-3 days, others are home 3 hours after surgery----and we all survived to compare notes!!! If you have someone to help you coming home follwing the surgery will not be a problem. Just remember to WALK as much as you can, sip slowly....and breath deeply every hour. You will get the same instructions from the Dr.!!! Glad you come out of lurker mode, and welcome to LBT---good luck with your insurance---hope the time line works out for you!! Kat