terrriho

I told my husband at the outset that I did not want to tell anyone for the reasons outlined already. But also, as obese people we are judged and categorized because of our weight and this is stupid. I just want to be known for who I really am not just for what I weigh. Don't get me wrong, I know my weight is a big part of who I am and has colored many of my life's choices but that is nobody's business but mine and that is the way I want to keep it. Not sure who said it but it goes something like this, obesity is a very public vice, and I am looking forward to people's recollections of me not as a fat woman (or forget me because I am, had that happen too) but for some other sterling quality I exhbit . Seriously though, I have read enough on this board (by the way I have yet to be banded - Dec 4 God and the insurance company willing) to know that not everybody has the Cinderella outcome and some face health issues months and even years down the road that threaten their band. I just don't want people questioning me about it, period. I suppose I sound pretty hard hearted however, I do believe I could share my info with someone who looks like they could use it I just don't think my whole world needs to know. As far as taking the easy way out, I kind of wonder if any of these ladies are using a pill for birth control. Just wondering.....<!-- / message -->

tianealperry - I have Horizon BCBS of New Jersey. I am kinda counting on just maybe hopefully perhaps having a different "plan" than the patient that took 9 months to approve. :nervous I understand the contact person kept telling the surgeon's office she wasn't receiving any of their faxed communications even though they had confirmation so they ended up sending the info registered mail. They told me they were going to start out by assuming faxing would not work. I am keeping my fingers crossed.:paranoid Terri

Michelle, you go girl! I suspect that wonderful sense of humor has served you well, keep it coming we all need a good laugh. Terri We are not that far apart - really - I live in Montana and always think of Edmonton as "not that far away." HaHa

Hi all, it is so good to hear from those who are waiting. I am waiting too. I have consulted with the surgeon and have been scheduled for surgery on Dec. 4, seen my gastroenterologist, had the psych and nutrition eval, requested my pcp's records be sent and am now playing the waiting game............ The ladies in the surgeon's office told me my insurance company has been one of the most difficult for them to deal with. Their last patient waited 9 months before getting approval and I don't think that included any appeals or anything like that. Logging on to LBT has been a wonderful experience, learning about how real people are handling real problems. (The thread on problems and band removal scared me a little though). I am so looking forward to feeling better. Good luck to all of you. Darrell-hope your surgery was uneventful let us know how you are doing. Terri

Paula, you have received some great advice. There really are only a couple of ways to deal with a bully, let the school do it or take care of it yourself (self-defense). Clearly bullies are who they are because they are fearful themselves of their social standing. Picking on others keeps the demons away. Sad but true those insecurities translate into unacceptable behavior. We still really haven't recognized the seriousness of the bullying behavior (hence no counseling). The fact that the bully in this case has been "in trouble" before leads me to believe that is why he was suspended. Also, because he is still misbehaving this suggests that his parents are ineffective (or out to lunch) in dealing with his behavior. Therefore, I agree with others who have said it may be time for self-defense, and as we all know, that will most likely take care of the problem for your boy. (If fighting back will get your boy expelled from the magnet school then, of course, you may not want to coach him to fight back). In the end it is about life, it is about how much you are willing to take, drawing that line in the sand and then accepting the consequences of your behavior. Up till now, your son has had you teaching him about what is acceptable behavior and then enforcing those rules. It has been easy for him because his environment is predictable. The world is not so black and white and he is going to find out that those authority figures may not be as predictable or helpful as his parents. Good luck in helping him find his way. Terri

What an incredible experience in the most viscious way! You should forward your story to the American Medical Association, the Boards of both hospitals, whatever state regulating body and any organization that those doctors may claim certified them. May you have a complete and uncomplicated recovery. Terri

I just had a colonoscopy. Whatever they prescribe for that cleans you out, no doubt about it.

I look forward to: Being active - hiking, skiing, riding a bike, enjoying gym workouts, gardening Being normal - crossing my legs, tucking in shirts, wearing heels, sleeveless tops, shopping for specialty wear (ski clothes, winter coats, swimsuits, cocktail dresses) Being happier about myself - looking forward to going to the beach (1 week annual family reunion with in-laws who are all thin ), feeling desirable, attending husband's professional functions, more confidence in my profession Reaching THE BIG GOAL - My dream vacation to New Zealand - look out Kiwis!!! (I am the one postponing this until I am a more normal size because I know I will have such a better experience if I wait) And like others said, those are the ones I can think of right now. Terri dpingl - I too have big calves. The last time I bought ski boots the kindly sales(kid) described them as "athletic calves" Bless his young heart:)

I think there is a little generational thing going on here. From reading the posts I see those who are under 35 (give or take a few) feel relatively healthy, just fat. I remember those days:) . I fellt pretty good and I too thought maybe I was destined to be this size so perhaps I should just try to accept it. Well I couldn't so I dieted and lost and gained and lost and gained more... and you get the picture. I am now over 50 and I feel like cr$p! Fortunately, I am only being treated for high BP (if you don't count menopause ). I don't have a band yet (due for banding Dec 4) but I am hopeful the band will help me interrupt the progression of diseases and conditions I am likely to encounter without this opportunity. What I see is that those of us over 50 (give or take) are looking at this from a very different perspective than you young people:biggrin1: . I am sure I probably would have thought more about what I would look like thin than about those non-existent comorbidities. Now, I know the toll those problems take (on your body, your time, and how being MO limits so much of what you can do) and suddenly the clothes and the social situations are not as important as being healthy, living your life free of injections, pain and painkillers, limitations on mobility, difficulties in finding clothes that fit, the accelerated decline of vital organs. I want to be around to enjoy my retirement and I want to feel good too. Is that a lot to ask? I hope not because that is why I am planning to be banded. I cannot say now that I would have gotten the band when I was in my twenties because that is hindsight. But I can say that from this perspective I would absolutely advise someone who is MO to seek out a proven method of shedding the weight AND keeping it off because eventually you will come face to face with serious compromises in your health. It is a given. Good question, good thread. My best to you, Terri

Way to go! pics please!!!

Have I heard of gerrymandering? You bet, and for those who haven't Main Entry: 2gerrymander Function: transitive verb Inflected Form(s): -dered; ger·ry·man·der·ing /-d(&-)ri[ng]/ 1 : to divide (a territorial unit) into election districts to give one political party an electoral majority in a large number of districts while concentrating the voting strength of the opposition in as few districts as possible 2 : to divide (an area) into political units to give special advantages to one group <gerrymander a school district> We just went through a major redistricting but it didn't stop my state from electing a Democrat for a governor and a Republican majority in the legislature. I don't think either party is going to get what they want. As for the 10%/90% thing, my math was never very good. And indeed, I made assumptions about how federal laws affect your life rather than staying with your assertion of obeying the laws. But I will take exception to your statement "..the USA is really 50 separate countries..." Those examples I cited before (and others) govern seamless interstate business, travel and legal issues. All 50 states recognize the same layer of federal government regulations and while each has their own laws and regulations you and I, in different states, will have our lives governed in part by the feds. (for better or worse) Terri

TOM, I would like to point out that there are many examples of Federal intrusion in your life, possibly more than the 10% you posed. I would like to point out a few. For instance, interstate commerce is governed by the Feds and allows you to enjoy King Crab from Alaska and maple syrup from Maine and how it is packaged for consumption. Your legal marriage in Florida is recognized as legal and binding in all other states, i.e. you don't have to remarry everytime you go to another state. Your valid driver's license allows you to legally drive through all the 50 states. If you have children or grandchildren their education is governed in part by the feds (No Child Left Behind). Your coastline and the waters off your coasts are patrolled by the Coast Guard, a federal entity. If you drive a car, your gasoline is federally taxed. There are national parks in Florida. My guess is you are closing in on the Social Security and Medicare age, a federally administered program. Just to name a few. Also, I know our major two party political system is corrupted but I find it hard to believe voters would continue to give one political party all the power in their state if those voters weren't getting what the wanted. Thanks for hearing me out. Terri

Hey Bug, next time ask if any of them have had their tubes tied or are using birth control. Talk about the easy way out.............:biggrin1:

J.S, I too started on the elliptical wondering how I would stick it out. Jachut is right, you should probably cut back on intensity if you are wobbly after 16 minutes. But for building endurance what I did was up the time each week and spend a week at that time. Now I do a 40 minute pre-programmed fat burning workout. I just input my weight and age and the machine chooses the intensity. I upped my time by 5 minutes each week, starting at 20 total the first week. The other thing, it is not so much (for me) that it is the elliptical machine as it is cardio fitness so if you do other challenging cardio workouts like biking, tread mill, hiking (I live in Montana so everything goes up:) ) you will build cardio endurance. Good luck with those workouts:clap2: , it is the best thing I do for myself. Terri

Fascinating reading about the work everyone does. I was an elementary school teacher for 12 years teaching grades 1-6 (10-20 students depending on the year). Loved teaching but burned out and went back to school and got a Masters in Architecture and am now doing my internship, working for a wonderful employer. I will start taking licensing exams in about a year. Hopefully,:nervous

Hi All, I am one of the 34% (at least at this time)who voted Republican. I have read this whole thread and found it very interesting. I have enjoyed reading what you all think which is so much better than the political pundits and talking points. It is good to hear from real people. So often any politcal discussion devolves into some viscious attacks either directed at me or the Bush administration. Thank you for this forum and I want to thank "dpingl" for putting herself out there. I won't get into specifics here because it is too easy to get bogged down in the details, citing sources and researching sources. (Don't get me wrong details are important but I am going a more philosophical route). So here are some of my observations: In my opinion I do not believe we can really know what is in someone's heart (most especially a politician) and if we weren't there can we really know what is said in those cabinet briefings? In the end it is all just speculation. I have come to believe that the two party system is like a giant pendulum and that it really doesn't matter who is running the country now, the pendulum will swing to the other side and many so-called wrongs will be righted, only to swing back where many so-called wrongs will be righted. So, be patient, I have no doubt there will be a Democrat in the White House at the next presidential election. Be careful where you hang your hat. Just as soon as you decide to hang with the the democrats then someone screws up (for those who think former president Clinton was just having sex remember he bombed an aspirin factory while trying to deny that relationship) And if you decide to hang with the republicans you are going to have to defend GW's lack of WMD's (I can't, unless it was really really bad intel, but then I wasn't in the briefing room) I hate the fact that we have come to the place where it is in the best interests of our leaders not to fix what is wrong with our society. While a fix for social security (it is broken) has been in the works for at least two administrations, the democrats can't let that happen while the republicans are in power, they couldn't take credit, and the republicans cannot let that happen when the democrats are in power, they couldn't take credit. We see the same issues with the same dire warnings administration after administration. I am fast running out of time here to finish this so I just want to point out one more thing and then reserve the right to add more later. Are we safer now? It is a question I hear a lot and I would like to respond. I don't feel safer. Not because things are not being done to stop terrorism but because 9-11 highlighted big time (but wasn't the first, remember the USS Cole, the bombing of one of our embassies and the attack on the Army barracks where over 200 of our soldiers were killed) that this enemy could reach us in our own country. Suddenly there is a danger here I had not perceived before. I choose to think that the steps taken have thwarted some attacks (the shoe bomber, the liquids bombers, the plot in England to hijack planes to the US). And with that, I must say good by Terri

Penni, Decisions, decisions, keep an open mind. I am working at getting banded and just had a conversation with my gastro doc last week. He favors the bypass over the band (not what I wanted to hear). He believes the "foreign" object in the body is prone to probems (and yours would confirm his opinion) whereas he says in the hands of a "skillful" surgeon bypass is a safe and effective option. I have researched the bypass and the complications can be scary but with advances in techniques perhaps complications do not occur as often as they used to (I believe the same can be said for the band). I guess before I made the decision to get rebanded I would want to know as much as I could about the recurrence of erosion the second time around. Good luck with your insurance, good luck with your decision and know that we wish the best for you. T

Hi Buffie, I know exactly how you feel. The feelings of failure, self-loathing and guilt as well as destroying a pretty good day are sooo debilitating :cry . Have you ever obsessively eaten celery? How about carrots? I haven't. I think we (the MO) are blessed to have some wires crossed somewhere, where not only do we crave carbs but we do not have an active mechanism to tell us to stop. Another observation, if I may, we also have a much higher level of hunger than our "normal" weight friends and I think (IMH and most unprofessional opinion) the more carbs we eat, the hungrier we are and the more we obsess. Another observation (you may want to stop now) I am not banded but hope to be by Christmas (my xmas wish ) so I am only a lurker at this point but what I wanted to say is that I think you all (the banded) are so very brave :clap2: to have undergone a procedure to implant a foreign object in your body that puts you at risk of infection, will cause you to completely change the way you eat (ever present all day everyday), socialize, and travel, and may cause you to pb, slime, have acid reflux, and worry about erosion and/or slippage. I completely understand, however, and I am looking forward exchanging my self-loathing, unhealthy self for all of the above. Buffie, keep up the good fight, find a strategy that allows you to conquer whatever is overcoming you, take small steps and celebrate your successes. Cheers, T

Hey, I love Christmas too. Count me in on the wish list. I just want to be banded by then :eek: T

:clap2: FUNNY & s SHERRI CONGRATULATIONS!!! I look forward to hearing about your experiences and successes. T

Try yogurt with live cultures for your mouth yeast infection. It will help restore the balance of bacteria so they can get rid of those opportunistic little yeasties:p Just don't brush your teeth very soon. Good luck T

Thanks Mrs. P, Those are wonderful words of wisdom and inspiration for me as one who is just beginning the journey. I have no idea what obstacles are ahead as I have my first doc appointment next Tuesday and have not ventured into the world of insurance yet. It all sounds so scary but I know you have to hang in there, do not take no for an answer and most of all have patience. Good luck on the rest of the journey. T PS I too have found everyone here so helpful, I thank all of you as well.

Hello Montanans, I have been researching AGB doctors here in Montana and have not gotten very far. I live in Bozeman, not very close to any bariatric docs (but we do have good bone guys :confused:. I have heard of Dr. Rohrer but he hasn't done a lot of bands. Research says the more bands done the fewer the complications so I am hesitant about him. Didn't know about Dr. Hennessey, thanks spldgrl for the info on him. Good luck, ttbseffy, on your up coming surgery. I will be thinking about you. Let us know how you are doing. Regards, T

OK, nobody yet from the weeping willow so here I am........ WEEPING WILLOW (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner;loves to make others laugh. It is pretty much dead on except I found my one loyal, steadfast partner 32 years ago.

Hmmmm, Economic Left/Right: 2.25 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.44 Not many people standing with me :nervous