TracyinKS

Happy Monday... I'm posting quickly as Robby and I are on our way out the door to go to a ZOO field trip. I have to tell you that today is especially special for me because it is a day that I have dreamed of ..... going on a class field trip with my son.... this is one of those firsts that makes a formerly infertile woman cry. Many Many Many years of infertility while all my friends and family were popping out babies with no problem it was a deep sadness that I couldn't share with anyone.... so today Robby is bouncing off the walls with excitement and I am so happy that I feel like crying as it is MY TURN to be the mom on the field trip. Here are pics taken this morning a few minutes ago.

The time has come for me to post my long awaited 1st year bandversary entry. What has my band meant to me? I have asked myself this question many times over the last 12 months. I’ve come up with a laundry list of ramblings. Preband – it represented HOPE, Anxiety, and the What if’s of life after WLS Early Post Band – the what the heck did I do? And WHERE THE HELL IS MY RESTRICTION? 1st Fill anticipation – I AM HUNGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where the hell is my restriction???? 2nd Fill anticipation – I am hungry but not AS MUCH or as often 3rd Fill anticipation – Restriction lasts for about 3 weeks 4th Fill anticipation – OK lets clamp this puppy down!!!!!!! 5th Fill anticipation – HOLY CRAP .3 cc’s was too much fill! I am only able to smell foods and sip Soup 1’st UNFILL – removal of the .3cc’s was the difference between soup and FOOD……. And is where I’m maintaining at since January 2008. Also…. Getting an unfill and eating real food is what started the scale moving again. Things that have amazed me: I have POWER over my hunger. I have actually FORGOTTEN to eat. I CAN eat without drinking I CAN be full on very little food. Things that I have realized about myself: Restriction WiseI swell (get tighter) when I’m on my period or when I’m stressed I am tighter in the mornings and more open in the evenings. Foods that worked last week, might not work so well this week. I can raise my hands and do a little shimmy to pop up a stuck item of food Things that I have realized about myself: Non band I am a stress and emotional eater. I crave sweets around my cycle I am pretty happy and comfy in a size 12 It scares me to HOPE for a size 8 or 10 (because it is unknown to me) If I COULD eat pizza…….. I WOULD, so keeping a decent amount of fill is what is needed for ME not to be able to. Dairy Queen has become my go to place for stress eating (and this is NOT a good thing) Things that I had to overcome once banded: Realizing that you don’t HAVE to eat multiple plates of food at a buffet in order to “get your money’s worth” Realizing that people REALLY aren’t LOOKING at how much or how little you eat! Realizing that you CAN keep your band a secret if you want! Realizing that fast food joints don’t really offer much choice, Its cheaper to order an appetizer or alacarte, or split a meal with my 4 year old. Being banded is NOT rocket science, and for me it has worked well because I knew going in that FOR ME and MY GOALS I needed to be in diet mode, and truth be told the scale moves when I am IN MOTIVATED DIET MODE. It stalls when I Go to dairy queen for a small blizzard… but I don’t gain I chose the band for its adjustability and the hopes that I will for once in my life MAINTAIN a loss! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat Will I be rebanded if needed in the future? In HALF a heartbeat! My band has really given me the power over my appetite and that is priceless. Journey with me as I enter into YEAR TWO of my banding experience! Here are my pics: 1st pic I was in stretcy 2x and size 24 pants.... 2nd and as I am today: Size Large shirt from Kohls, size 12 A.N.A. cords from JcPenney

Thanks everyone!!!! LBT has been MY source of inspiration and continues to be.

FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we are back on line! I was so busy yesterday (and had a big time headache) I didn't check... I just posted my bandversary post on the general board! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/one-year-85lbs-lost-61501/#post819716

LOL.. yeah RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a plop my ass down on a boat and listen to the guy talk for 60 minutes kind of gal! LOL I'm a chillin kind of person.......... I'm just so excited... whoohooo! I bought a waterproof camera today at lunch for the toooobin

Pop in ANYTIME Tonya!!!!!!!

I put just about every kind of meat in the crocker!!!!!!!! I make the salsa chicken all the time! YUM Going to try the turkey and cranberry recipe... SOUNDS DELISH.... My family fav: Beefy Onion Cheap Steak in the bottom 1 large container of beef broth 1 envelope of onion soup mix 1 envelope of brown gravy mix (could skip) Pepper and whatever spices float your boat. Cover and cook on low all day........ I have been know to add more broth/water and soup mix to make a delicious broth......... also throwing in some potatoes and carrots always goes over well too. Pork Steak Jar of alfredo sauce (I like the Ragu roasted garlic) can of mushrooms again on low all day........ YUM

Not all doctors realize that this is an option, as a matter of fact, at my last fill I mentioned it and my doc looked at me with that deer in the headlights look.. he'd never heard of it... so I said... "You know, Its like fixaflat for the band???? Omnipeak...." With the same doe eyed look he was like "WHAT? thats the dye for diagnosing leaks, your not supposed to use it as fill" I told him that I knew others who had it done.. and that was the end of the conversation..... (the fill was in November) He is now using it with success! So remember.... docs are just human much of what they come to know are things that they learn at conferences and other networking events.

I know EXACTLY what you mean Kat!

Kat: that is crazy!!!! I hope she really IS OK!

be patient grasshopper... you are due for a WHOOOOOOSH!

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you guys and your boob flashing comments!!! ROFLMAO! I DO NOT FLASH............ and this is coming from a "biker chic" LOL Sure I have been asked too.... (like a million times at rallys and such) but I never have. I truly think my boobs are ugly... although DH likes them.... I bought water shoes today.... I need to buy some cute casual clothes and maybe another swim suit............ are we doing the water taxi thing on the river walk????? it looks way cool!

Thank goodness I can get in to my LBT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just went to wally world before work and bought some water shoes.. they are crock like.. and $5.00............ (also bought 4 other pairs of clearance shoes) A pair of navy capris made with lightweight material. and misc other stuff......... I need some cute casual clothes for our trip (and for my Vegas trip) I'm hoping to be down to 172 by Vegas time.. that would put me at 100 lbs lost...... Have a great day!

Oh and thanks for the offer of a beach towel.......... I am SOOOOO EXCITED!!!! and yes... toobin can be as mellow as laying back and slowly bouncing of the sides of the river..... are we bringing a cooler to tie onto one of us???

OH man I am sooooooooooooo there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1st picture or all!!!! this is SOOOOOOOOOOO UP MY ALLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not telling DH cause he'd just be even more jealous!!!!!! I am going to get one of those disposable waterproof cameras to take along to catch Tracy in the act of busting her butt! I KNOW I will be... but I do not care!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

Tonya peeking in at you! You are kicking booty in the exercise dept!

CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!!!!! Way to go Pam! Kat: that is SOOOOOOOOO funny about you killing the ants! I was getting ready to tell you that they were planted too deep...but no it was the ant killing that did it! LOL I LOVE PEONIES! I love everything that I plant once and it comes back year after year!!! Went to my KCBandsters meeting last night and it was a good one.... I always get so jazzed up after them.... it is one of the things I'm doing for ME..... DH would rather I didn't go but I am taking that one evening a month for some Tracy time.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are only a few weeks out! WHOOOHOOOO!! I am the WORLDS BIGGEST MOSQUITO MAGNET!!!!!!!!!!!! please bring OFF by the gallon!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes2: Water shoes.......... I am a pretty casual person.... so is there anywhere I can't wear jeans????????????? (besides toobin) are there toobs without bottoms? I kind of like the feeling of cool water going through my swim suit bottoms... rocks.. not so much.. :scared2:

I will also say that my unfill was a mere .3cc and it made ALL the difference in me eating soup and me eating food

This is the scoop from my doc........... The bands may be overfilled. The "small" band (4cc) can be filled to 6 cc, although he said he had NO patient with the small band over 5cc's The "large" band (10cc) can be overfilled to whatever is needed.. (he actually told me that he attended a conference where they had put as much as 160 cc's in one and it still didn't bust) It is important to note every doc is different......... it is important to ask YOUR doc what their take on the situation is.

Looking Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH TERRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My trick is to hang the back of my feet off the scale :rolleyes2:

Good morning! I will keep everyone posted on how they work.. I actually love Kat's idea with the buckets and the strawberries on top! Trying to go "NO JUNK" today!

As a person on the dawn of moving to her second year banded......... you have really hit a chord. I have been complacent while strutting around in my size 12 levis and feeling fine! I need to take year two seriously.. and get on with the business of getting to goal.. (which I've never been able to do) Thanks for this post!

My body is sooooooo sore! here are a couple quick pics.. if they end up being too big I will delete them..... TopsyTurvey tomatoes, and the pond that yes has murky Water because we just dumped the chemicals and turned the pump on... its not done but it's looking pretty darn good..... we look down from our deck into it or down from eye level going into the workshop... The topsy turveys are built in the small part of our back yard (the 5 lots go to the side) the big concrete pad with the large planter on it acutally covers up an OLD well...... so that's why we built the flower box around it.. I had seedum all in it but some got churned up when we dug the post holes for the beams..... in the back are my transplatned rose of sharon trees that come up wild along my fence line on the other side......... also shown... robby, cody and uno the wonderdog..........