Yoda

"Prepare for ignorance" that is a good one, JLB! An absolute MUST!!! Susan...hope you had a good comeback!!!

That IS a great idea Gaffer....and you can easily get away with it what with the diaper bag and all. It will get more fun/exciting after awhile (eating out).....for instance, I love going to Kelseys (do you have that in AB?)....ordering a Pasta meal and then bringing the leftovers home and getting two more meals out of it ....that way I don't feel like I'm blowing my money! I always ensure I tell the server that the food is yummy (if it is) and that I"m just not that hungry or that my "eyes were bigger than my stomach"....etc.

Yeah, I know...same thing in Ontario...it is so ridiculous. I thought it might be a bit better in AB...guess not!! Sucks, eh?

Lol :rofl:

WELCOME BACK HOME TO CANADA LILA!!!!! Hope you had a fabulous time and it doesn't take you too long to adjust being back home!!! ...and CONGRATS on your awesome weight loss!!! :clap2: :clap2:

Yup, you'll be okay Susan! Glad you enjoyed the pre-op seminar. That is something new they have done since I was banded a year ago. That is great that you've decided to start your pre-op diet early and that you feel good about it. Good luck...you'll do great! Re. the "food thoughts being a constant"....I hear ya there. I never used to obsess about food but once I decided on the surgery, I totally obsessed and thought about it alllllll the time. Worse, once I was banded, it was ALL I could think about. It was like, since I could no longer have it (ie. the post-op diet) and it wasn't an option, I was completely obsessed with that fact. Once I started "eating" I thought those obsessions would go away but they only got worse and more intense.....all my waking thoughts were about food (what to have, what can I have, how much, should I have it, angry cause I wanted to eat MORE etc etc)....it was horrible....since I never had those foody thoughts before being banded. I won't say that has completely gone away for me (this is my "head" stuff I deal with) but thankfully it has subsided a great deal. Still working on it. Sometimes I catch myself NOT thinking about food!! LOL. Then again, better I just think about it than act on it!!

seaangel: 7 hrs from TO really isn't that bad (compared to others who are like, 2 days away or more - driving time!). If you would go to TO for fills, you are better off just getting your surgery done in TO.

Wheezy: you luuuuurve everything!!!! LOL (okay, except wasting food!). hehe. Glad u are having a WONDERFUL vacation!

Oh, it suuuuucks alright!! I usually try to go to bed at the same time so we can keep a routine (of course, that means I usually end up getting 4 more hrs sleep than him!). We are generally in bed no later than 9:00 pm (sometimes 8:30). It really is funny lying in bed (we have black out blinds, thank god!!) and still hearing the young un's out playin'!! I always think: "Something is wrong with this picture"! Our friends know not to call us past 8:30 pm!! LOL. The GOOOD news is that he is only on this early shift about 3 -4 times a week; the other times he is on late shift (which means he gets home at 7:15 pm). (So, that really sucks when he is early the next day, as he gets home at 7:15 ad is in bed a little over an hour later!). But, we've been doing this for over 6 yrs now....so we are used to it! The days he is off or on "late" shift, we can stay up till 10:00!!! LOL We really do live very exciting lives! really.....no....really! :kiss

Ahem.....do as I say; not as I do!!!!!! :paranoid (or as in this case, as I don't do!)

Angel Bear....size 10s!!! YEEEHAAAA!!! Awesome, my friend. My end goal is to be a size 12; I think (as well as Nisrine) that a 10 may be out of reach for me....(she said she doesn't know where the weight would come off me to be a 10). Anyways, congrats on the NSV! Change your ticker!!! Argon: Angel Bear is MOST definitely NOT tall!!! (LMAO - sorry...no offence Angel!!) hehe. She is a shorty!!!! Wow Loriely...I haven't thought of kimmason (sp?) in a long time. Mandi....do you know how she is doing with her weight loss? It has been awhile since she was banded. If you see her on the other site, ask her to get on here and give us an update with her successes (weight related and the going back to school thing). Wheezy...re. the wasting food thing (whether it be at restaurants or at home): this is just something we HAVE to get over. It is likely our upbringing that brings on these feels of guilt, shame, embarassment and waste etc....I'm doing much better on that front now. The way I look at it...too bad/so sad! If I leave it on my plate or throw it in the garbage; there is nothing I can do about it. The helpings (at restaurants) are WAY too outrageous anyways (even for a normo not trying to lose weight). Like you, if doable, I bring it home and get another 2 meals (sometimes 3) out of it! If not, *shrugs*. For me, it was even tougher to get over the fact of paying $$ and then not "eating it" but again, something you just have to get over. I'm also not gonna let myself pay $$ to re-gain the weight. Just like if I "waste" the food, I'm willing to "waste" the money. What I've been doing lately is sharing the main entree with Mr Yoda (and we don't do apps); sometimes the server even brings it out on 2 plates (without us even asking)...otherwise I ask for a spare plate. This was hard on me at first as I didn't want them to think we were doing it because we were being "cheap" but it gets easier and to hell with what they think! LOL. Once Mr Yoda is banded, we will FOR SURE be sharing one main entree and then even I bet we "waste" some!! It's just a mindset change....we'll get there (I'm sure some are already there).

I leave next Wednesday.....my mom called yesterday and said, "NINE more sleeps".....me thinks she is more excited than me!! LOL. Okay...so I know you are all so concerned wrt my house woes....I just KNOW y'all can't sleep at night thinking about it!! (hehe...right!).......so they finished installing the new floor today and just an hour ago we finally got all the kitchen stuff out of the living room....yeay!!! Having the fridge, stove, pantry, kitchen table, etc etc all stuffed into the living room was sooo not a nice look (not to mention the fact I couldn't watch our big screen TV!!). So thank GOD that is over with. A few details they need to take care of; otherwise good to go!!! WHEW!!!! Maybe now I won't hear Mr Yoda up walking around on the kitchen floor at 3:15 am (when he gets up for work!!!.....craaazy, eh?!). She's solid now, I tell ya!!! Okay...you all can rest easy now... :paranoid

Glad u had an enjoyable time Angel Bear and kudos on the clothes!!! Ummmmmm you didn't mention the size!!!! Curious minds we have!

Hey Cat....if you find your family physician is not supportive....I'd say it is time to look for a new physician....seriously! Re. Dr. Coburn and fills ....all they do is refer you to someone.....you still have to pay anywhere from $50 to $250 per fill......(ie. if you don't get it done at this clinic).

....how about a headless body, then????!

Hi...welcome and good luck. Basically, you've chosen two very well respected and experienced clinics and you will likely know which choice is best FOR YOU once you have done the consults. Everyone is different and look for different things....the reason you chose one over the other may be the very reason another would NOT chose that person (clinic)...that sort of thing. Compare prices, post-op care, experience/knowledge, pre-op diets, etc....you will get a good "feel" for both once you have your consults. As for me, I chose TLBC because their doctors were the pioneers in Canada with the surgery, the clinic was top notch and "looked" much more state of the art than the others, I was comfortable with the docs, staff, the pre-op diet was NOT Optifast, the lifetime free fills/de-fills, the post-operative care offered and provided etc. Also, the majority of staff on-site have been banded and so they can really relate to you; not to mention they are walking billboards of great success stories! Overall though, whether you go with TLBC or the Coborn clinic.....you will be in good hands.

Probably because they have too much sugar.....though natural...the point is to stay away from it (& the carbs).

I dunno Susan...there are pros and cons to starting it a week early. The biggest problem I see with it is: what if you start it and then you "fall off it" once or twice (or more?)...if you DO fall off it, that is okay because you don't "need" to be on it this early. But my fear is that if you fall off it you will beat yourself up about it and tell yourself, "how can I do it for real when I can't even do it now" etc etc and you will get all discouraged when it is time to do it for "real"....do you know what I mean? I'm not sure I'm explaining it correctly. It's hard enough....(the hardest part of the whole process for me) so not sure you should subject yourself to it (& possible "failure") too early when you don't have to. If you feel you will still stay positive about it if you do fall off it and NOT beat yourself up and be more freaked out when it is time to do it for real.....then by all mean, go for it! No help here, eh?!!

WHOOO HOOOOOO....a conference!! Cloe will be Mr. Cloe's trophy date!!!! vaaa vaaa vaaa vooooooom!

LOL...Mandi...did you ever FIND those jeans? :bandit :bandit

More like FROOT LOOP!!!! :paranoid

Lottsa group huggies for Green.... :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: Hang in there Green...Cloe is right....the pendulum will swing back. Soooo sorry to here about your cat....kidney failure? I assume that is a result of the tainted pet food; it has unfortunately hit so many people and their pets. Take care!!

I'm excited for you LeslieLee!!! You're doing a great thing for yourself!

Doddie...it just gets more and more interesting, eh? Nice way to run a business. Hmmmmm "lets see how many people we can screw"!:tired

Don't stick it out unless you're plannin' on sharin' it, chickie!