L8BloomR

Elena, I love the way you describe your beliefs. My belief in God is strong, too, but not because I have a "need to believe in something", but because He has shown Himself to me in a very real way. A non-believer would not understand, and I don't judge them for that. I was once a skeptic, too, until I had the most amazing spiritual experience that changed my life and opened my eyes. I now believe with my whole heart. "To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who don't believe---no explanation is possible." Keep expressing your faith. You do an excellent job of it!

I think this is his best ever! I love it so much I keep the video of it on my IPod to watch when I need a pick-me-up....

Derick, I think I love you! Where do you find this delicious stuff? You are really on a roll today....:eek:

This was a RIOT!!! Thanks for posting it!! I LOVE Weird Al!! P. S. Green must be on vacation.... :heh:

I have heard good things about Dr. Oliak! I am not very familiar with the area but met some people at a seminar who had him as their doctor. I was banded almost 11 months ago and have done well, but haven't lost as much as I was hoping to by this time. ( I have the 10cc band and it took quite a long time to get to the proper restriction.) I have lost 40 pounds but feel TERRIFIC! My blood pressure and blood sugar have become normal, my joints don't hurt as much, I have energy and enthusiasm again. I have about 50 -60 pounds more to lose. I have had NO problems with my surgery. What questions do you have? This forum will address almost all of them, if you search. And if I can answer any, let me know. I know this seems like a scary step, but most of us here are so happy we on on this journey and I suspect you both will, too. Ask questions and get to know your doctor well. Attend the seminars and all the pre-op classes. Check out all the pre-op and post-op threads here on LBT....and you will be well prepared! Good luck! :clap2:

Hello to you both! I don't live in Orange County (I'm in Ventura County), but I was banded in O.C. and I continue to go there for my fills and check-ups. Who are you considering as your surgeon? I had Dr. Francis Kelly who is in the Fountain Valley Bariatric group. They are wonderful! Good luck to you! Keep posting and asking questions....We are all here to help each other. :biggrin1:

ElenaM and LauraJ: Great posts!! I agree 100%!!

Laurend: You are quoting my post in your response, but I never said anything about forcing anyone to leave the country or that they shouldn't express their opinions. I am just using my right to state my opinion that I hate to see celebrities use their status to flaunt their disrespect for our country by kissing up to dictators and the like.

Elena, I like the way you think and I admire your spunk! And I want to thank you and AnnieM for sharing your knowledge and feelings about Chavez and Castro. Sometimes it is so easy to forget that there are people living with fear and repression when we don't live in it ourselves. We make mountains out of molehills in this country and forget what real suffering is. Thank you for posting!

I don't think celebrities should be above criticism, especially when they use their status for photo ops with dispicable dictators or leaders of countries hostile to ours. Seeing pictures of Sean Penn or Danny Glover kissing up to a Chavez or Castro makes my blood boil. What gets to me the most is that the leader they are shaking hands with would never allow one of his own countrymen the freedom to do what these guys do.

To add to this: People who believe everything they read on hateful blogs and/or political websites and then repeat what they have read as if it is fact.

So glad to know you were able to take Communion, Surfbord! And even more glad to know that you weren't driven away by some of the comments here.... Keep posting and may God continue to bless you!

Thanks!! I just sent you an email.... and am looking forward to chatting!!

Gadgetlady: Do you run a travel agency or something like that? I kind of think I remember reading that somewhere on this board. The reason I ask is that my DH and I would like to start planning our dream trip to Alaska for our 40th anniversary. We would like to go in the fall of next year or spring of 2009. Do you have any suggestions? I would rather deal with someone I "know", so if this is up your alley, please let me know.... Thanks!

What a great thread!! My "full" signal is a feeling of something pushing on my throat. I have only PB'd once and the signal for that was funny noises coming from my stomach. You could hear them when I talked---it cracked-up my co-workers! Wasn't funny a few minutes later, though, when I had to run to the bathroom to lose it.... :-(

I can't help, either.... sorry. I hope you can find this because not finding it can drive you crazy!!

And I would ask YOU to be considerate and stop assigning evil motives to someone who was trying to be helpful and encouraging, and who was passing on the same advice that my doctor gave to me. All you have given to this thread is sarcasm and insults. For goodness sakes, I didn't tell her to eat a STEAK, I told her what my doctor told me. If you want to lambast me for that, go for it. Your pettiness and nit-pickiness is becoming tiressome and I am done with it. By-the-way, I know several people who have left this board because they get tired of being attacked for little things like this. The poor original poster of this thread has already apologized for her post because of how ugly it has gotten and that is just wrong.

:clap2::clap2::clap2:

Well, this is just plain argumentative. I never made a blanket statement and I never said "we are all alike." I told her my experience and that she should be able to take communion because it dissolves in her mouth into nothingness. Obviously, if she couldn't swallow her own saliva, I would assume that she would have put that into her post and I would have given different advice. If someone can't swallow their own saliva, would you advice them not to swallow? And I will give advice when I think it is helpful just like everyone else on this board. You are free to do the same. But please, stop the nit-picking. This issue has been resolved and the original poster has made her own decision.

Sounds good, Surfbored.... you are doing exactly what you should be doing! Good luck on your Band journey and keep posting!

How much "clearer" can saliva be??? Communion hosts dissolve into saliva, that is it. It is not BREAD, no matter what they call it. It is a specially-made wafer that does not have to be chewed like bread. It dissolves into nothing. Plain and simple. If anyone can swallow spit, they can swallow communion. Since her doctor allows her to drink liquid and swallow spit, I can see no reason to deny her Communion if she wants it. My doctor didn't and I don't know any other Catholics who couldn't take it... even in the clear liquid phase. This is being nit-picked to death and I am done with it now, also.

One more time: I did not tell her to go against her doctor's advice!! You obviously had different advice about the liquid phase from your doctor then I did. MY doctor told me I could take pills (one at a time) and even Advil if I needed it, during the liquid phase. I never had any problem doing either. And since a Catholic communion wafer turns into a liquid in your mouth (being dissolved into your saliva), there is no reason for it to be considered a solid food. I may have been too quick with my answer and should have made sure the poster was not having trouble swallowing liquids before I gave advice, but my advice was not "wrong" and did not need correcting as if had told her something harmful or dangerous.

Thanks Caligal and Gadgetlady for YOUR excellent communication skills!! Surfbord: Don't let us scare you. Do what you think is best after hearing all our opinions and views. We do want to help, even if we can get a bit tense while doing it sometimes.... :phanvan

Wow, didn't know this subject could cause such sarcasm and "holier-than-thou" (pun intended) comments!! I never told anyone to go against their doctor's advice. She never said her doctor told her not to take communion. She asked if anyone knew if she could take it, since she was on liquids. Since everyone I know was able to take communion at that stage, including myself, I gave her that info. And yes, communion IS different at different churches....didn't you read the other comments? Ours is meant to dissolve into nothingness before you swallow. If you can "take liquids", you can swallow spit! The communion is not a chunk of anything and is easily swallowed. Doesn't mean that no one, anywhere, could NEVER have a problem, but for most I know, there is none. I gave that info. What is the problem? GEEEESH!!!! :eek:

The question was about Catholic communion wafers. They are not meant to be chewed, they are meant to be held in the mouth until they dissolve and are then swallowed. Again, if you can swallow water or spit you can swallow this.