Tired_Old_Man

In 1998, George H. W. Bush in his book A World Transformed co-written with General Brent Scowcroft, wrote: "Trying to eliminate Saddam, extending the ground war into an occupation of Iraq, would have violated our guideline about not changing objectives in midstream, engaging in "mission creep," and would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible. We had been unable to find Noriega in Panama, which we knew intimately. We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq. The coalition would instantly have collapsed, the Arabs deserting it in anger and other allies pulling out as well. Under the circumstances, there was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land. It would have been a dramatically different — and perhaps barren — outcome." Too bad his son either can not read or would not read this book. The senior Bush always dealt diplomatically with both the USA's friends and possible adversaries. The present president, feeling that he has a mandate from Jesus, doesn't bother asking advice of our allies and has basically destroyed the USA's friendship with most of the world and lost the good-will his father worked so hard to earn.

Doctors must be listened to for medical advice. :help: Their personal demeanor, however, can be chucked out of the window. :huytsao Many doctors smoke and engage in other unhealthy activities. :faint: Look in the mirror and be proud. :clap2: You do not need this doctor's emotional support. You do not need anyone's emotional support. I think you are doing great, but I don't matter either. :confused:

To coltonwade: I will not flame you for stating a valid opinion and I doubt anyone else will. Your ideas with doctor hunting are valid and I agree with them. Your criteria is a valid health concern. While I empathize with your ideas on money, however, I don't think it is either your prerogative or my prerogative to worry about how other people use or waste their money. Some people are starving, while others air condition the dog-house for "Rover". Not our business, IMHO. To Randi: I hope we weren't too hard on you, but to give anyone the answer that we might assume that they want to hear is doing a disservice to both that person and this forum's reputation. I can only speak for myself, but I feel that honesty is more important that being friendly, though hopefully advice can be given to the point without animosity. Truth is more supportive than sympathy.

What you did was quite different than the question asked. I guess some purists might suggest you were wrong, but you are human.

Good luck. I found ice chips to be my best friend for the first few days. I sucked on them and chewed them. It relieved some of the hunger and aided in reducing the swelling.

Thanks. That is good to know. I have had problems with my port getting too close to my skin when I was at my lowest weight prior to the unfill. It also has become surrounding by scar tissue and is turned to the side which makes it hard to puncture. Plus, I also had black & blue marks near my port a few times. But an ultra-sound didn't show anything.

OK, You caught me. I am a KKK Male Chauvinist Grand Wizard.

Let's look at the good part. As the season moves on and more weight comes off, more people will be hoping for a repeat performance.

I don't see how a port can be replaced without removing the band. I am concerned about this also.

I live in BuSh country. In 2008, Jeb will ascend to the Presidency followed eight years later by Barbara BuSh (not Jeb's mother; His niece).

Because you chose to be fat. Well at least that is their reasoning. Black people are forgiven their race by some people because they couldn't help being Black and besides the constitution says so. Females can't help it either, though our nation didn't allow the ERA to pass. Let's face facts: Unless you are a slender WASP male, you are the butt of jokes. The reasons that blond women are also made the butt of so many jokes is because WE All KNOW how stupid blond women are, yet Lady Clairol still makes money. See how dumb women are? They pay extra to be called stupid.

According to the politicians here in Florida, you people in Canada really have it bad. In the USA, they claim, only about 45,000,000 people go without health insurance, but in Canada, everyone has second rate health care. They tell me that 45,000,000 people doing without is a small price to pay so that the other 250,000,000 can have the wonderful capitalistic medical system provided in the USA.

That story reminded me of one: We were debating American history once while in college, and one guy mentioned that the "Indians" (as they were know way back in the 1960's) deserved everything that they got because they were savages and scalped people (including women). When we informed him that scalping was invented by the Europeans for bounty purposes, he came back with, "But, it is a known fact that it hurts more to be scalped by an Indian."

Ok. We (my BW & I) are relatively new to Florida. In Brooklyn, we always had a oven with a separate broiler section below the gas jets (flame area). Broil was the last stop on the knob. No temperature was stated. In Florida, we have an electric oven with digital controls (no knobs). We have always used the "Bake" mode which comes on by default (automatically). The maximum temperature in "Bake" mode is 500 degrees. There is only one section to the oven. On the oven control panel is another push-button next to "Bake" which is labeled "Custom Broil". I pushed the "Custom Broil" button and the maximum temperature in "Custom Broil" mode is 500 degrees; the same as in "Bake" mode. We can select any temperature from way down to 500 in either "Bake" or "Custom Broil". We are confused. In Brooklyn it was easy, we just put the steaks (or whatever) in the bottom section and turned the knob fully to Broil. The only difference in "Bake" or "Custom Broil" seems to be the heating rods which glow. "Bake" uses the rods below the food, while "Custom Broil" uses the heating rods above the food. I suggested to my BW, that she just push the "Custom Broil" button and push the temperature increase button until it reads 500 for all recipes that say "Broil". Any comments or suggestion would be appreciated.

Thank you all for your help. I couldn't help myself on that last post. :heh: You realize, of course than men are just male children with big bodies. :faint:

Finally a question that women can answer, though a man was needed to supply it.

It may be YOUR tool, but it is a doctor's job to "Do No Harm". When My doctor unfilled my band, he told me to go on a post op eating regiment. So it was two weeks before I ate normal food. My weight dropped 12 pounds. Let's say, I had wanted to go on a 10 day cruise on the 15th. I have my band unfilled no later than the 1st of the month, lose 12 pounds, then after a day or two, I go on the cruise and enjoy myself, and gain 25 pounds, and finally on about the 1st of the next month, I get a fill, go back on the post op eating regiment and lose about 15 pounds. That is torture to MY body. Even though I have the right to commit suicide with MY body, I think that many would disagree with that statement and many more would not want to facilitate my suicide. Maybe the surgeon you spoke to has a similar attitude when it comes to facilitating unhealthy life choices, even though it is YOUR body and it will be YOUR band. My college girl-friend used to be a suicide councilor and she had the nerve to tell people not to abuse THEIR bodies. Ownership is not the only thing to be considered. The doctor would be acting in a codependant manner if he had given you the answer that you sought. Maybe, if this "unfill for vacation" issue is so important, you are not really ready for a Lap-Band.

I had to change doctors because I moved from Brooklyn to Florida. Both doctors believe in going back to a post op eating regiment after each fill. So it is 2 weeks before I even start eating "real food". Would going for another fill at that point make any sense? I would be a perpetual post op eating regiment. Every 6 or 7 weeks as a minimum fill spacing is consistent with a safe, sane method for weight loss IMHO. Though neither of my doctors has a Lap-Band, I think that they know enough about the mechanisms of the human body to make their fill spacing policy logical.

I would like to try it also, but coming from my background, the quicker I shut up, the better things will be. I like to be too clever with my verbal comebacks and I have found that when verbally embarrassed, most men resort to physical violence, even when their chances of winning is small: Rather to be a defeated warrior than a reluctant (would be) warrior.

I was curious. Could you ask your husband what the purpose of leaving the door open is? :help: Thanks for the tips.

I hope you are right about the pricing. A Wal-Mart spokesman said on TV that people with Rx insurance would not be eligible for the discounted prices. How they would work that remains to be seen. My Rx plan is wonderful for long term medication. We usually pay 25% or less for Rx drugs when the Doctor prescribes them in 3 month units, renewable 4 times. However, for drugs bought at pharmacies, like anti-biotics, my plan is terrible. I needed an anti-biotic for a sinus infection recently and I paid $52 for a $57 drug at Wal-Mart. As I mentioned, by long medication Rx benefit costs my x-employer very little, because they use mass buying power to negotiate low prices. That leverage is greatly reduced for short term usage.

I had a total unfill recently for medical reasons. I plan on getting some Fluid restriction soon. In the mean time, I have gained over 30 pounds and my health has started to deteriorate. Why risk your health for a vacation? Yes, I have weaknesses and that's what caused me to gain the weight, but to put one's self into that position voluntarily is dangerous. Please do not do it.

Wasn't "Shock & Awe" a form of terrorism? If one entity kills 10 women and children on purpose and another entity retaliates killing 100 women and children through collateral damage, is either entity right? If one man decapitates a person with a knife and the another man decapitates 10 people from 30,000 feet by dropping 2000 pound bombs from a plane, are either man's hands clean? In Matthew 26:52, When Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword," was he not also speaking of bombs, missiles, guns, planes (military and civilian if used as weapons) and both biological and poison gas? Questions to ponder.

They could lower the prices, but the politicians put a clause into the Medicare Rx plan making it illegal to negotiate prices with the drug manufactures. The VA can negotiate prices with the drug manufactures, but not Medicare. Sounds like the politicians (in power) love the Pharmaceutical companies more than they love the Citizens of the USA. I know the politicians love the Pharmaceutical companys' campaign contributions and lobbyists' gifts more than they love the Citizens of the USA.

I believe the plan is only in effect in the Tampa Florida area. It will be spread to other areas if it is met with success.