Kat817

Back from running around, and I am exhausted! Took my DIL, grandson, and granddaughter---and I am way toooooo old for that! The kids feed off of one another. Connor was not on good behaviour today---just being destructive, tearing up little toys I just got him, and being unbelievably LOUD---yelling, shrieking, things I do not allow Kinsey to do in stores especially, so she sees him do it, and she looks at me.....wondering, so I have to give her the evil eye!!! Then a tea got knocked over at lunch. And Rick and my DIL just sat there, and let me do all the clean up----which ticked me off at him for sure! Ate some sesame chicken without issue. Avoided the noodles or rice....stuck to the chicken. Got the relacing kit for my glove---poor thing is only 20+ years old, I cannot imagine the leather giving out!!! LOL, looked at some new ones, but refuse to spend $80 on a softball glove, will look at Walmart! Then again I might not be played for who knows how long, so it might not matter a bit!!! LOL Judy your pictures look great!!! Yours too Michelle--I laughed at the cat pics. Heck he probably will be only half his weigh in weight if he ever poops!! LOL Found a few things for my MIL's birthday. I need to get out the phone book and call around and see if anyone rents the cupcake towers.......we could not have made this simple and had a sheet cake, oh heck no!!! And one SIL tells me pansies, the other says Violets.......one said blue the other purple. So no matter what I buy it will be wrong. Story of my life with these 2 tho, I am quite used to it!! I better get some things put away......BBL~~ Kat

Good Morning-- Terry, so good to see you. I love the personal touch of you doing the beading. My cousin and I wrote the eulogies for both my maternal grandparents, she actually had the composure to read it for my Grandma---I could not have, but she grew up in another state, not down the road. It was like Suzanne said, through the telling of her life and the special qualities that made her our Grandma, we laughed, and we cried, and we made those who did not know her as well, see a little more why we were going to miss her so. How are things going with your sister? Is she being ok through it? You sound just like my DH! I have not lost any more weight---I am eating, and now I think the virus or whatever has passed, because I woke up wanting to eat!!! The last bit I really have been totally uninterested in food----now I want some! LOL But I also woke up this morning with pretty much no swelling. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at it---I cannot wait for it to be that way all the time! We have a game tonight----I hope it is better than the last ones. I am not even talking about winning, although winning is always good, I just hate being embarrassed! Rick's secretary---Chana, and her husband who also works for the same company in a different area, were one of the couples we went to the rally with. They have 5 kids ranging from a son who is like 25---then 4 DD's 21,18, 14, & 12. While we were gone the 21 year old DD was with the others, and she is an awesome girl. She said the 14 year old did not want to go to cheerleading practice, that her head hurt and she was tired. She was put in the hospital yesterday with suspected West Nile Virus! They have horses too-----and are near a river with lots of mosquitos. It scares the you know what out of me! I refuse to take Kinsey riding again til after the freeze and mosquitos are gone. Rick has a cousin in TX (the one who had the kidney/pancreas transplant) her son was 11 when he got it. A perfectly normal, VERY smart 11 year old. When he was released from the hospital 4 months later, he was not much more than a vegetable. Through the last several years they have got him mobile again, but his function level is very, very young. He had the encephalitic form. I am praying Kristi does not. Ate my yogurt and granola just now like nothing! Michelle---I have had problems with feeling almost too tight off and on ever since my TT. The Dr. who posts here on LBT said that was pretty common with things being pulled down tight upon the stomach and band---and is one of the main reasons for an unfill, that it actually has little to do with nausea following surgery. I don't know if that is it or what.....I DO knos I can now feel my port without probing, and it is low profile, and I am almost sure I feel my band rub sometimes when I am lying on my side, as I breath in and out, I have to shift just a bit, and the sensation goes away! I promise you all just as I have Rick, I will not hide what is happening, and if it gets to a point I need to see the Dr. I will. I actually see him the 21st of October for a general follow up appointment. IF he had been in over the holiday weekend, I was afraid enough I would have called. But now that I am feeling fine again, it makes me glad I didn't get things started that may have cost me my band.....know what I mean? Someone else on another thread mentioned my gall bladder as well.....anyone have experience with them being bad?? My DD always went to public school------but Lenny and Abbey did go to a Baptist Academy when they lived with their Mom, when we had them, they too were in public school. I know the AP classes Manda took were more advanced than they were getting, but I have no idea what the standard classes were like in those subjects. Manda always was an overacheiver. She would work on a project for days, and if it was not going like she wanted, she would scrap it all and do it over the night before! She took Zoology as an elective, as well as Trig! When she petitioned the school board for early graduation (she graduated her Junior year) they told her she would have to work extra hard to get enough credits.....and she told them she already had all of them except the yearly required English class----so she took 2 English classes, and spent the 2nd half of the day at the college. I think somewhere along the way she is losing the drive!!! Well Kinsey and I have some errands to run. We are having my MIL's 80th birthday on the 13th. I have several things to get ready for it---so I better get busy doing it! And Rick has a list for me to pick up at Lowes--------should be a fun flurry of calls back and forth trying to do that!!! LOL Check on you girls later..... Kat

Laura you might ask your OB---but back in the day of my kids, dying your hair was a no no during pregnancy. Now I know chemicals have changed.....but might ask anyway! And no cleaning the litter box either---Russel has a new job!!! When Manda was discussing ideas for naming Kinsey she was all put out, that she had named her dog Lexi----which she did because she loved the name, and therefore they could not name the baby that!!! LOL Just finished cutting Rick's hair and shaving his goatee all the way down to just shadow....he always grows it out prior to the rally, then shaves it low for the next few months, then it has to come all the way off in December (yuck)----then it is back to shadow!!! He changes the shape of it----but we both prefer him with it, even though I thought I wouldn't---I do! We grilled burgers out, I ate about a quarter of a big burger....and some grilled squash, and it is staying down so far!! Yay!! Jane---IF we were 19, and had the metabolism of a 19 year old male---who is in shape -- we too could drop weight if we set our minds to it! I know when my DS was wrestling in High School, I used to get furious, rather than move him up a weight bracket as he grew they wanted him to diet down to the lower weight. They would make them run til they puked! It was a serious sport here! In fact when Jake joined the Army, he called Manda from bootcamp, and she ask how it was, his response was it was nothing compared to wrestling practice! Pretty pathetic! Rick and I watched this program tonight about 4 boys from Iraq. I missed the very first of it, but they were given video cameras to film and document their daily lives as well as that of their family. One was Christian, the others Muslim. It was so sad, to see what their lives have become. But amazingly all 4 of them survived the year. Showed friends who were hit by roadside bombs, and having to walk the dark deserted roads at night. Was an eye opening program. Manda had to take Kinsey to the Dr. today, she had a well child appointment. So she is in the well child waiting room playing with this little Navajo girl, and Manda says Kinsey rubs the girls arm and tells her "I like your color of skin" The little girl tells her thank you I like yours too, and they went on playing. She said she looked up, expecting to kind of connect with the Mom, and she would never even make eye contact with Manda. Out of the mouths of babes. I know when my brother was little you could ask him what he wanted to be when he grew up and sometimes he would tell you a Monkey and other times he would tell you Black! Then he grew up and realized those were not options so he had the high goal of being a trash truck driver!!! Closest he got to any of them is the monkey!!! Well I am off to bed early----hoping to sleep better tonight! See y'all tomorrow---big hugs! Kat

Tracy, How wierd that you posted this, not 30 minutes ago, my neighbor down the road come up and ask me for pointers to teach her DD how to rhyme. She was sent into the hall with an aide to work on things she was not up to par in, and the big one being rhyming. So when Carla (Mom) called the school to speak to the teacher, the teacher finally called her back, and when she ask for pointers on HOW to teach her some of these things, I guess the teacher ask her if she was familiar with what a rhyme was!!! She is meeting with the principal tomorrow as well as a councelor and going to try to change her class assignment, she said she can feel tension between her and the woman across the phone, and Sydni keeps saying the teacher doesn't like her. Manda had a VERY agressive Kindergarten teacher, she had them doing sound alike spelling tests early on.....you know like can man van tan ran pan She did have them all reading really well before they left K--but she was without a doubt one of the most loving, caring, patient women I have EVER dealt with! Judy, time to come out of retirement, and teach our kiddos!! I don't want to send my grandkids off to be treated mean in their first year of school!!!! Very basic tuna salad (tuna with mayo) on some whole wheat Ritz----and no problem. Sticking with easily digested food---but holding hope! Kat

HI everyone--like the others I am not even going to attempt yet to keep everyone straight----I am getting old....give me some time!!! Well our rally was WET!!!! It rained hard! But we made the best of it, and the company was good, so we had fun. I know exactly about showing too much flesh Sherry!!! Oh my, there is always something at the rallies that makes my eyebrows go up!!! So I spent all weekend, with stomach issues continuing. Sometimes I would eat and it would stay down for a little while, other times it was like swallowing onto a trampoline, up it come! Then yesterday----I tossed the first half of my Breakfast, and to be honest I lied to Rick about it, so he would not worry, so I had to eat some to keep up appearances----and it stayed down! After the ride home it was feeling kind of queasy---I sipped some 7-Up and all was fine. I ate about 1/3 of a burger last night, about 3 fries, and another 7-Up. It stayed down with no issue at all! No discomfort---nothing! Then about 1:30 this morning, I had to hit the bathroom, and run back and forth all night long! Sorry I know that is a little TMI----but I am wondering if the virus is slowly working its way through or what??? I have drank today without issue, and snacked as well and all remains comfortably down. Rick said he sees a correlation between my PS swelling and my inability to keep things down. The muscle that swells so badly still does sit directly on top of my band..... So I am going to play it by ear (er stomach) and see how the week goes. I do not want to travel 6 hours to my Dr. cause my swelling to increase due to travel--get the swallow and find nothing passing and lose my band! When eventually this swelling will quit! I am going to be very abservant and see how it goes. I will be honest with myself and you guys and not let things get too bad---my DH will not let that happen!!! He is an old mother hen when it comes to health anyway!!! Betty hope you are healing up!!! I think about you!! I had never heard of taking the sips from a spoon! I was told the clear caffeine free drinks like 7-Up or Sprite will absorb through the stomach lining, without requiring digestion, faster than even Water. So I always put it over ice, which dilutes the carbonation....and it was like a miracle cure! Well I have to run to the store before I can complete supper----so better get a move on! Thanks for the well wishes, and it is good to see so many new faces!!! Give us a chance and we will get it together and remember who is who!!! LOL Kat

Hi girls, we made it home last night, and I read up on everyone, made a big post, and it landed in cyberspace somewhere, and I was too exhausted to redo it then. First of all--Terry----I wish I was able to give you a big hug, I am so sorry to hear of your Mom. I know you had been preparing yourself for this time, it is still a shock, and must be more difficult than I can possibly imagine. I truly believe your Mom made a choice to go when it was the 2 of you together calmly, and lovingly----no theatrics, no drama----just abiding love. Do not forget that all of us are no more than a phone call away---we love you and hate that you are hurting. Come here and let the feelings out, we candeal with the good and the bad---and it is so much better for you to get it all out. Wish there was something I could do to help you through this, just know my love is there with you. Feels so wrong to just move on to another subject when one of us is hurting so..... please know Terry it is no sign of disrepect in any way. Rally was wet. Fun, but wet. We rode in horrible rain storms on Saturday. Company was good though, and we made the best of it. I had issues with eating the entire weekend. Sometimes it would go down and stay for awhile before coming back up, other times, it would bounce right back. The 7-Up made a HUGE difference! I could drink it without issue---and it settled well---and I am still hydrated ok. Yesterday morning, we went to breakfast as we headed out to head home--I drank a cup of hot tea, and took 2 bites, and was headed to the bathroom---up it come. Rick is very upset by it all, so I lied to him, told him no I hadn't got sick!!! So I made myself eat! And it stayed down! I was feeling a bit queasy when we made it home, I drank some 7-Up and was fine all of it remained down. Last night he wanted to go to LotaBurger---and I told him I wished I could just order my old double meat burger and chow down! He said do it, enjoy it before it comes back up! So I did! As he was leaving to go get the order our DIL and grandson (Connor) showed up----when he got back I give about a third of my burger to Connor--Ali was going to Wendy's for her own dinner she said, so I shared with my grandson. I went on to eat about another 1/3 of the burger, about 3 fries, and drank a medium 7-Up----------and not a bit of pain, no nausea, nothing, stayed down like I had never had a problem! About 1:30 this morning found me hitting the bathroom every few minutes for hours! So I have no idea if it is some virus that finally worked past the band or what? Rick says he has been watching me, and that I have issues whenever I am swollen. The stomach muscle that he repaired that swells so bad sits right over my band pretty much. This morning, I have continued to drink the 7-Up, without a problem, I snagged a couple of Doritos that Kinsey was snacking on without issue. I am not eating unless it sounds good at this point. I have drank an Ensure as well, with no problem. I am leery of calling or going to my Dr. yet. What if Rick is right and it is all related to the swelling from my PS or what if it was remnants of a virus? I do not want to risk losing my band because it shows it closed off at times, when I know it is not that way all the time! So I am playing it by ear---or by stomach for a few days and then will make the call. For now I am feeling a bit more positive! Laura, naming a baby is so hard!!! To find something they will not be teased about as they grow up!! Connor is very common, but was a form of a family name passed down. My great nephew in Denver is an Aiden---and in his class he is one of 3 Aidens---as well as a Jayden, and a Kayden!!! He told his Mom he wanted to change his name to Walter! I about cracked up!!! My DD told us they have narrowed the list at this point to Bryce, Kade, or Toby. I will accept whatever they choose. Manda wanted to name her child Riley Shannon-----regardless of sex. Riley was her paternal grandpas middle name, and Shannon her maternal grandpas. Her husband, Jason ---who has always gone by Jace---or I call him Jake---refused, and his Mom told her what an ugly name that was and they really made her upset by it. Last month his sister had a baby girl----you guessed it---Riley! Jake wanted to name Kinsey McKenzie, and they finally settled on Kinsey alone----and gave her a rather odd middle name of Sloan. Good Luck as you figure out what to call the baby!!! Well I started this post 3 hours ago, then my brother showed up, then before he left my Mom brought Kinsey a surprise.....and I am going to post it before I get even further behind!! Terry, you will be in my prayers that you may find a bit of the peace your Mom has found. Love you Lots, and my heart will be with you. Kat

Well in the case of my parents and my inlaws, they have medicare, a gov't. issued healthcare for those 65+ I think it is, as well as those individuals deemed handicapped beyond being able to work. But it pays so poorly that they all have a secondary insurance. My inlaws buy their independently, my parents is a continuance of their retirement, they are allowed to keep their insurance at their cost of course. Both pay in the neighborhood of $500.00 a month for the additional coverage. Takes a bite out of their Social Security and their retirement that is for sure. There has to be a better way, but finding it, and implementing it have eluded those in charge thus far........ My hair is horrid!!! Top is flat, bottom is frizzy---I have had several stylists and none that has done anything I could do on a daily basis that is any better than what I do now!!! Kat

I loved food of ALL kinds pre band! I liked sweets, but especially my issue was savory foods---comfort foods, I cooked awesome meals!!! I KNOW without a doubt the band helped me do something I would never have been able to do alone! It has helped through aversion therapy alone to curb the amounts I eat!!! PB'ing is not fun!! You learn from it! The band itself helped with my out and out hunger, I no longer feel the hunger the way I used to. That is part of the bands intent, to put pressure on the nerves that signal hunger----but yuo have to get to a good point of restriction usually for that to kick in---but it will! The other issue is the WAY we eat. To chew your food properly----until it is a paste----some foods I liked before, just do not stand up to being chewed that way!!! And some other foods, I simply cannot chew enough to make them comfortable to eat anymore. For instance I used to eat the snack cakes---the cream filled cupcakes were my favorite. Not so anymore!!! You eat one of those, and chew it well, and it begins to feel like a mouthful of lard!!! And the steak I used to buy----I cannot chew it enough to make it edible. Now I spend more per cut, I need less, and buy a nice rib eye or a nice filet, and it eats perfectly!!! Vegetables, tend to taste the same first chew to last----so in the end you find yourself eating the foods that are best for you. Pasta, is something I can eat if I eat a VERY small amount and very slowly---it swells after eaten and more often than not I end up miserably overful. Same with rice. But all that does is lead me to wiser choices. I always use this analogy----of being told to go dig a hole in the back yard. So you go out there and start scooping the dirt out with your hands, and a hole begins----and not too far down you run into hard packed earth......and the going is harder still. Possible yes....but so hard it is seldom done. Now you are given a tool---a shovel in this case. If you are given the shovel and just let it lie there it will not dig the hole itself! BUT if you work WITH the shovel, each doing your part-------digging the hole is possible!!! You still hit hard earth, and an occasional rock---but you can USE the tool in hand to help you get past it. If you use your band wisely you can use it to get past the cravings etc. It is always a good choice to talk to someone----if you can figure out what took you to where you are the road back is much easier!!! But yes, the band can and in my case DID help more than I could possibly relate in words!!! Good Luck! Kat

It sounds to me as though you are overeating some. As your body produces saliva and you swallow it, it is bringing the level of your food too high, and you are feeling it in your esophagus---which CAN stretch, so doing this is not a good thing! Some people as soon as it hits the esophagus it triggers the gag reflex and up it all comes in PB form---others like yourself, feel the pain of it, often referred to around here as a golf ball sensation, like you swallowed a golf ball, and it will not come up nor go down. Cut back on portions a little, maybe have 2 smaller meals in place of one big one, and see if the pain stays away. If not then it is without a doubt time to check with the Dr. Good Luck!!! Kat

Terry---I don't know. I am getting some stuff to stay down long enough to pass enough through, that I am not totally dehydrated or anything....I am still peeing! But it is not enough nutritionally I know. Sitting around here, I tend to focus on nothing else, I feel every twinge my belly makes. Walking and moving seem to help---sitting is not good, and lying down is the worst. I figured if I went, then my mind could be otherwise occupied. Like I say, if my stomach is empty, I feel fine! I feel no hunger----I do find myself thirsty, which I know is a sign of dehydration.....so I try to keep sipping. I am beyond freaked out. Beyond scared. Just kind of lost as to what to think. Now I ate some cottage cheese over an hour ago, and drank some water. It is still down, but not comfortably so. I do ok doing things this way-----I know some of it is passing----but it moves sooooooo slowly, that I end up over full, from my own saliva----and that causes me to end up tossing it all back up. I keep praying it is residual swelling, and will improve with my sticking to liquids----but it does not seem to matter whether I have liquids or solids---they all stay down about the same length of time. Tight pants seem to make it worse---so I am living in my work out type pants. Any pressure on my stomach seems like too much. I am doing my best to baby it in any way possible. But to sit here, and think of nothing else is making me lose my mind----so I am going to go off like it is going to improve, and hope to heavens it does. Thanks for worrying with me though, it helps so much knowing someone understands how freaked out I am over it. The unbanded have no clue! Love you guys! Kat

I understood in hindsight that there was a plot to the movie Roadhouse......I never knew that I thought it was just so I could see Sam Elliott and Patrick Swayze in one movie......mmmmmmmmm Then I also like Kurt Russell----and I actually got to meet him, and shake his hand.....almost peed my pants!!! Well the guys are back, and guess we will leave as soon as Gary gets off work.....feels like we are always waiting for someone!! Kat

Betty so glad you are home again, and healing. I was worried about you my friend!!! As much as I seriously hate to even type these words, I am facing it......I think I have slipped my band. I had that horrid virus and now I cannot eat, and cold liquids are a no go----I am managing through slow intake to keep myself hydrated, and hoping with all my heart, it is going to settle back, and that it is residual swelling. I cannot hold my breath forever. My Dr. is out for the holiday weekend of course, so will call and get in on Tuesday. Scares the crap out of me.....but I know I did not want the virus, it was totally out of my control, so if I did, I know it was not from personal abuse. My scale this morning is showing the lack of eating---I am below goal, 163.5. I wish I was happy about it. I am leaving today and going to a fairly local motorcycle rally. I figured, I can worry as well there as at home. I am taking my Ensure, and my 7-UP. The rally in Durango is only 30 minutes away. Then Sunday we are going up further to the Sugar Pine Rally to hear another concert---and it is about 60 miles away. Point being, if at any time I need to come home, it is a doable thing. There are some old R&R bands at the concerts I want to hear!!! Saturday night is Three Dog Night and Little River Band, and Sunday night is Black Oak Arkansas. I might be the only one who remembers any of them!!! LOL!!! I will be back on Monday at some point, and will check in. Hugs to all of you----REALLY careful ones for you Betty!!! Michaele---still got you on the prayer list!! Kat

Hi girls, haven't left yet, leaving this afternoon sometime--wires got crossed, and life interfered!! I was gone yesterday, DH's friend and his buddy showed up---I was getting things ready. Also had our 2nd ball game last night. I am not a quitter by nature, and I have a blast but this coach is so damn stupid, it frustrates me as much as I enjoy it. We actually had a fun game---Rick's company has 2 teams, since there are so many of them, and we played one another last night. Lost again.....0-2. The other company team is 2-0! Anyway last night, Rick was up to bat 2nd, he hit a triple----brought the previous batter home. I batted after him, got a single, brought him home. When we hit the field, he plays 3rd, I play 1-2 short. I stopped 2 balls, he made an out on 3rd, and caught a fly ball for the out. When we go to the dugout----she pulled both of us, and the 1st baseman who she did awesome, then the coach went in herself on 1st, and let another guy play 3rd for another inning, then swapped pitcher and 3rd----the guy had NEVER pitched. And by then we were down by 10 so she ask the ump to call the game! Rick has been up to bat with this team a total of like 405 times, he has hit and had RBI's EVERY single time! I have never struck out, I have been walked---or hit. We have not let balls back, nor have either of us caused any recordable errors---overthrows etc. And she did not ever put either of us back in the game, nor does she have us scheduled to play in the next one! It sucks, because it is lots of fun!! Ok.....now on to another reason I stayed away yesterday. This is something I hate to even think about, let alone type to you guys. But it is gonna have to be said. I think I have a slip. There it is said. As much as I hate it---the symptoms I had before are back full forced. Food is almost a no go. I eat little bitty amounts, and if I stop I am ok for awhile----sometimes it still comes back up. Not all of it though, so some things are passing. Cold liquid is a no go. It just sits there til I throw it back up. Hot liquids, and soups.....if I do tiny bits at a time do ok. I am still urinating, and hydrated-----so it is not dire yet. My Dr. is out until Tuesday, so imagine I will head to Colorado Tuesday or Wednesday. It sucks, and is scary as hell. I avoided posting yesterday, thinking that it would be better....and it is not. When I had the virus, I was SICK. Nauseated, headache, fever, diarhea, the whole 9 yards. This makes my stomach feel nauseated, but as soon as it is empty again, I feel fine and dandy. No other complaints at all. I cannot face what this might mean----it made me a crying basket case discussing it with Rick last night. So.........there ya have it. Scale this morning was 163.5. I am drinking Ensure---that is how sucky and serious I find this. Politically----I do have strong opinions. Which I will keep to myself as we decided. I think there is a lot of fear in all of us, but we are going to be better off, regardless of the outcome than we are now. They say an addict has to hit rock bottom---I think our country is pretty damn close, and the only way from here is up! We are going to go ahead with our plans and head up to the rally and camp with our friends, there are 4 couples and 5 guys. Now the places we are going -- Durango is 30 miles, and Sugar Pine is 60 miles---so if I get bad, or dehydrate or whatever, I can be brought home without any issue, and there is a hospital there I can go to as well. I figure I can do as well there, and maybe get my mind off of it----so I am going. Taking some bottles of 7-UP----I watched a study on TV about how different drinks are absorbed through the stomach lining----and 7-UP did the best---even above water! Sprite was way further down. Not sure why! They explained the amounts of citric acid were the same, but amounts of other things which kept the carbonation up were different. 7-UP loses its fizz quicker than most soft drinks. But I am taking bottles so I can let them flatten a bit, and try it---figured what the heck! I also have Ensure to take! I will try eating a bite here and there, chew it well, and hope some of the nutrition takes. So yes we are leaving today----and will be back Monday sometime. Judy hope things continue to improve. TracyKS---the only thing that makes me consider divorce is home improvement, my DH makes me a crazy woman!!!! Combine home improvement and his flippin' IPOD----and I might need to hold the next reunion in my cell block!!! My thoughts will be with all you TX gals as you deal with Gustav. I hope everything is ok. I do worry about you!!! LOL, yesterday I deep cleaned my kitchen, and took off the grill on the bottom of the fridge and cleaned it, and around under the baseboards, and all of the kitchen----I can see my kitchen from here--------looks so good, and I cannot eat, so I may never mess it up again!!!! Well I have to get my clothes packed---I of course put it off till the last minute, Rick has had his done for 2 days!!! Will check in later if I have time, if not I'll see ya on Tuesday or so! Love ya! Kat

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you green....mine healed without issue, but as I say it was in for less than 48 hours, only til my facial lacerations and throat healed from the swelling (gotta hate abusive exes!). My brother however had his in, for well over 2 months----and they ended up doing a secondary incision, to get to "fresh" skin, and then it healed quite nicely. But it did take intervention for it to heal, apparently the skin was healed over around the edges, and they brought fresh skin, and it then sealed over. I had a lot of stitches and a broken jaw, and it was just another thing about my life to hate at that point, but it did heal up, and since my thyroid surgery, it is hardly noticible, it just makes one side of my thyroid scar bigger than the other, but it is all but invisible now. My hair fell out straight medium blonde. Grew back in curly and dark blonde....or light brown.....whichever, they are the same I guess!!! It is still frizzy curly if short....wearing it longer pulls some of the kink out, but oh boy put me in the humidity, and watch it poof!! LOL Having some band issues myself, not to sure I did not cause a slip with my virus last week. I too am totally unfilled, have been since I had my TT done, but suddenly I cannot tolerate food, cold beverages, much of anything. I am taking it easy, and hoping resting it will help, hoping for some serious swelling to ease.....if not I guess I will go to the Dr. next week----he is of course gone with it being a holiday weekend here......can I time things or what????? I wish we had better insurance options.....but we don't. And there are instances, like the Heart Hospital my DH went to for his mitral valve surgery, they accept assignment. So whatever insurance paid, is all they require, there were exceptions, our deductible still had to be paid etc. But his entire open heart procedure ended up costing like $1100.00. And they made us a deal-- pay it all in one lump sum as opposed to a payment schedule and they would cut it in half. So we paid them $550.00 and were done! 2 weeks of coumadin therapy here where they do not accept assignment of insurance, cost us more than the surgery!!!!! It does suck without a doubt. Then he had a massive GI bleed and the procedure they literally saved his life with was experimental, the insurance denied it!!! That bill alone for his week in ICU would have sent us to the poor house! But they finally paid in appeals all but like $5,000.00 of it. And we hope to retire someday.....looking further away each day as opposed to closer! Kat

Well then it is decided, Kat Green will be the donor name!!! Part of the expense in their case is the pediatric oncology---is 3.5 hours away. We have a really nice cancer treatment center here, but it does not have anyone specializing in childhood cancers yet. They are enlarging and will eventually, til then it is a lot of traveling and expense staying out of town, away from jobs.....and I have no idea if there are other children. It is a definite hardship financially. Our insurance program sucks BIG TIME!! Ours for instance------and this is fitting for the thread, a nice RANT! My DH's company is headquartered in Houston, so we all have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas! So of course everyone we see here is out of network! In network my max out of pocket each year for the family insurance would be $2,750.00. Instead with out of network expenses, my max out of pocket jumps to $15,000.00. Which we have met the last 3 years. That is 45K bucks!!! Totally ridiculous!!!!!!! I had a medical diagnostics bill--------someone who read my DH's EKG's....they charged $45.00 to read each one, well he was in a cardiac wing, where they run them 2-3 times a day. Insurance covers a whopping $2.60 of each one. Makes me furious to deal with our insurance crap! I swore I would never touch another can of Ensure---which is what I drank at home, which is OTC liquid nutrition. Cheaper to buy than to use above mentioned crappy insurance!! Well last week I got a horrid stomach virus, and I threw up and threw up for hours! Dry heaves. I took my anti nausea meds, and they helped but if it ever got started, it took forever to calm down again. The next day----my band was swollen shut dang near, everything I tried to eat come back up! I was scared to death I had slipped my band, still not sure I didn't---symptoms are back today. But I relented and drank an Ensure the next day knowing I needed the nutrition. Some smells and tastes just take you back....that was one. But with the stomach the way it is right now, there is one in the fridge chilling.......hope my band survives! I finally made it to my original goal----be about my luck! My Kat is short as well, for Kathleen. My parents gave me a huge long name that I almost needed a degree to spell!!! So now we leave it at...... Kat

YAY--the trach is out-------that is good news all by itself!!! I had one for a short period of time following swelling issues with a broken jaw----man I sympathize!!! So glad to hear it is gone!!! I went yard saling with a yard sale fanatic friend of mine this last weekend, and we went to one advertised as a neighborhood sale with all proceeds going to the Jenna M....... fund. I had barely stepped up on the sidewalk when I saw Jenna M......, she was all of maybe 3 years old, and had about 80-100 fine wisps of long blonde hair left. She was pale as a little ghost. She was wanting one of the bears that someone had donated for the sale, and her Mom told her if it did not sell by that afternoon she could have it. My heart went out to this poor little tyke, and I wondered where she gets the strength----it was difficult as an adult to deal with feeling crappy through treatment, how do you explain all that to a child? And her poor Mom just looked in shock still. It totally broke my heart! I bought some work shirts for my son--total come to $3.00. I gave her a $20 and told her I wanted to pay for the bear that the little one was holding and wanting....and to keep the change. But her little face has haunted me since. My friend I was with commented that she bet 50 different people buy that bear for her....I thought GOOD!!!! I noticed they have a fund set up for the family at a local bank. Think I will drop another $20 in, and put it from Kat Green!!! No one needs to know where it come from!!! So glad to see you posting! Missed you! Kat

My cousin in Stephenville said that there was one in Fort Worth. She just had a kidney/pancreas transplant there, and was there for so long following the surgery as the assured that she was not rejecting, she mentioned my band, and they said something about someone doing them there-------you might check. We have a small (by TX size) ranch in Comanche!!! Kat

You made a beautiful bride, congrats on the wedding and on your bandiversary!!! Continued health and happiness!!! Kat

House is done.....and I ate too much salad for lunch, I should have known better with my stomach being so touchy----now I feel yucky!!!! My server has been down a good part of the day again. Well I am going to go move some water in the yard, and pick tomatoes. See y'all later! Kat

I dealt with all of the things mentioned above....endometriosis and the pain and problems it causes for years---treated it and lived with it for seriously 20 years. I miscarried, I lost twin boys 3 weeks before induction, and they eventually decided an enlarged ovarian cyst was the catalyst behind the abruption. I begged for a hysterectomy! They always had a reason not to do it. Now I liked these people, th GYN and his staff, I had been with them for years! Then I began the occasional hemorhage. One morning, I could not get it to stop, and my DH called 911. When I got to the hospital, they too had problems getting it stopped. My GYN was out of town, so they brought in the one on call. I was eventually released the next day. Within 24 hours of being home, I got the call that the GYN I saw at the hospital needed to see my DH and I in the office. I had cancer! Of the uteris....specifically of the endometrial lining in the uteris. The concern was with my years of endometriosis, the cancer cells could be anywhere in my body that the endometrial tissue had migrated to. Guess what--I finally got my hysterectomy! Along with a seriously difficult chemotherapy regimine. But I lived to tell about it! They removed everything, including my ovaries, as they were choked off with tissue. As has been pointed out, it was down between my kidneys----all over the place! I can without a doubt say that was the best thing to ever happen to me! I hurt when I woke up of course---I had had a seriously major surgery---it was done abdominally as well. But I FELT better already! I was down a couple of weeks, and took it easy, for another month---only light lifting,that kind of thing. Now that was easy for me, I was sick from the chemo, but physically from the hysterectomy, I was recovering about a month. But it has been a blessing! I wish to God they had done it years ago!!!! My sex life has not suffered at all! There are times my body is not cooperative, and we have to rely on a bit of lube----but it is limited to that--the desire is there--there is no pain. I do not feel less of a woman (I NEVER understood that!). Ironically, since the weight loss, the lack of lubrication is no longer an issue anymore. I have not ever taken any HRT -- the amount of tissue strangling my ovaries, had pretty much sent me through early menopausal symptoms for years----hot flashes, night sweats, bitchy as all hell! But they disappeared following surgery! It and the band, have both been blessings I only wish I had had earlier in life. If no more kids is not an issue, I would get rid of it---do not take a chance waiting and end up with the cancer Dx I got!!! Good Luck to you!!!! Kat

Me either Terry---but I have known of people to do it! My cousins wife up and left her 3 kids, and for years barely saw them. They are all the same ages as our kids 26-29----and then she remarried a few years ago, and has 2 more kids like 3 & 5 years old! And one of my best friends he married a woman who had 2 kids from 2 previous marriages (we tried to tell him she was psycho!) they went on to have 2 kids, and when she left him for the next guy, she left the kids they had together as well as the other 2! He went on to raise them all, and they were so lucky to have him! I cannot imagine leaving my child, but frankly if she can, then I think Ethan is better off without her! I woud hate being in the position, but I also know I would step up and raise any of my grandkids if life made it that way. As much as I loved my kids----it just grows onto the grandkids!!! I couldn't leave them in the cold anymore than my own. I feel where you are at Judy. Today is going to consist of cleaning house! I can hardly contain my excitement!!! I also have to get us packed for the rally. Rick put out his clothes this morning. He said he felt better this morning, he was not feverish. I am afraid I am going to catch it just in time for the rally. Be about fitting wouldn't ya say??!! Jenn, my Dad made a comment in regards to my first husband walking all over me......which he did repeatedly. I had never been around divorce, the thought was just foreign to me! I mean my grandparents and parents were or have all been married for over 50 years!!! I was the first divorce!! So it took awhile for me to accept the death of the marriage, and even longer to accept the death of the dreams I had for that marriage. So one day he told my friend something along the lines that I had let Shane walk on me for years, and finally one day as he stopped to wipe his feet, I finally got mad! And I did!!! And that anger propelled me to do what I needed to do, and got Manda and I out of the situation. Now, there is no anger, no love, no anything, I seriously look at him and am kind of in awe that I was ever married to him! It is such a wierd thing, to have strong feelings for so long, first love, then hate, now nothing! But it does come And it is so worth going through all the feelings. It is ok to be mad at him, and if he doesn't like it or if it hurts him, that is just too bad. The same brain injury that makes him forget to call, and all the other things he uses it as an excuse for can numb, and help him forget the hurt from you not being there at his beck and call anymore! Do NOT try to cover up being mad at him. That anger will give you POWER!! One of the lovely jobs I have today is to defrost my frost free freezer! When the ice maker froze up, it froze up my tubes leading to it, so it is still not working, and I am furious!!!! So now I have to thaw it all out. I am so sick of this lemon fridge! I told Rick, when we get rid of it, I will donate it----but we will remove the ice maker, so they know it does not work! I have sore muscles from last night--but it sure was fun!!! I want a pool too Pamela. Rick tells me, it would take up the entire yard! I calmly explained it would not take up any more room than the shop!!! Shut him up---it did, it did!! Think I will just take some hamburger out and let Rick grill burgers tomorrow night for his friend. Tonight he is getting leftovers -- he has a bunch to choose from!!! We have rolled tacos (taquitos) I made the other night---I got them way hot though!!! And he has a pot of soup in there, and roast beef and gravy......he can have a smorgasbord!!! Can you tell I am rambling so I do not have to clean??!! Guess I better get on it! Hugs! Kat

Yes I am using a different Dr. for fills. I am using the Dr, I originally chose to do my surgery. I did all the pre op work ups with him, and was very excited. At the time my insurance required a 12 month medically supervised diet program. Well I am in a very rural area, so my PCP was doing that, but he had been in touch with the surgeon, and all was going well. Then I was in a car accident (not my fault---even tho that does not matter!!!!). I ended up in the hospital with surgery----and insurance then denied my band---saying I had to start my 12 months over, because it has to be consecutive, and I had missed a month while off having surgery! I was devastated. My band surgeons office helped me appeal, and I was denied again. So I was left without option, the surgeon was way more than I could afford out of pocket. About that time the woman who was at fault in the accident, her insurance settled on me! Was not enough to pay for the surgery here, but was enough for me to go to Mexico. I spoke with my surgeon, and he gave me 2 names. I researched, decided, and he agreed to do my aftercare. He spoke with my surgeon in MX, and we also set up an emergency contact here, because even my "local" band surgeon/aftercare Dr, is 6 hours away!!! The MX Dr, that actually did my surgery would not agree to do it, until I had follow up care lined up. I agree, we have to be diligent about our own care. There is too much that gets lost between nurse and Dr, and from one specialist to the next. I am sure I annoy the hell outta my docs!!!! Kat

Yes I am tall!!! But I'll tell ya what, being this height, is totally different being a normal weight, than it is being morbidly obese. I feel good about the height, no longer that is is just another way of being big! I was surprised at how much smaller my bone structure is than I always thought it was. In the right outfit, at certain times now, I can almost feel willowy!!! Wooo Hooo!!!! Kat

Karey---I had the standard muscle repair with my TT, and then I had a complete restructuring of the muscle on my left side. Many many years ago, a mean ex husband kicked me and ripped the muscle. At the time I had no insurance, and by the time he was gone, and I did, the weight was prohibitive to repair. It had been documented way back when, which is part of the reason my insurance paid for the TT. I had some pretty good pain for about a week, but it was SOOOOOOOOOOO worth it!!!! Kat

Well, surprise, surprise, surprise----we lost!!! 12-9. But had an absolute blast!!! Went to bat 3 times, got 3 hits, scored once and one RBI. Rick batted 4 times, got 4 hits--1 was a pop fly out, one was a line drive out, and the other 2 he brought all the way home. We laughed and had a great time. He will do great when he feels good, tonight was not a great night for him, he was feeling bad, and running fever. The company has 2 teams, ours is the lame one!!! They would not even let us use company colors because the other team did. So ours are Purple!!! We are the Purple People Eaters---can you get any more ridiculous??? The "coach" did not even know to turn in a roster! Then she had no plans for anyone, did not know who to put where....did not even have anyone lined up to pitch! It was somewhat a comedy of errors! But it was fun, and it wore me out. Course I was already tired from mowing the lawn!!! I should sleep well tonight! We have our next game on Thursday.....she doesn't know what time or what field, she will call us. We ask for a schedule.....OH! she would try to remember to run some off! Talk about a ditz!!!! You can have members of your immediate family play on the team which is how I am playing. The team we played had a bunch of HS age kids---really made me feel old and slow!! Tomorrow I have to get my house cleaned and the extra bedroom prepped as well as the bed in the playroom made up. One of Rick's college buddies and one of his friends will be in Thursday, they are coming to go to the 4 Corners Rally with us---as well as the Sugar Pine Ranch Rally. There are some old bands going to play, but we are old enough to remember and like them!!! Three Dog Night, and Little River Band in one place on Saturday and the Black Oak Arkansas is playing at the other rally on Sunday. But Rick's friend Nick and his friend will be here Thursday, have to drag them to the game that night, someone to laugh at us!! Then we will all leave to go to the rally on Friday. Rick is off through Tuesday now. I did really good on my water today.....so so on the food. For breakfast I had yogurt and granola, snacked on some macadamia nuts midday. Ate a bowl of soup for lunch---which was not low cal!!! And had it with crackers to boot! Then for dinner we had salad and hot wings. No snacking this evening because we were gone! That was a good thing! But I bet I drank 8-9 bottles of water today, and filled my glass with ice water 2-3 times as well! Got my exercise in, so if I would just watch the food choices better I would be doing much better!!! Well it is shower time, I am feeling the ache!!! Connecting with the ball jars my shoulders big time. I have turned into such a wimp!!! LOL See y'all in the morning!!! Nighty night~~ Kat