L8BloomR

I did not give "wrong information". Catholic wafers dissolve into nothingness in your mouth; if you can swallow Water or spit, you can swallow communion. I have several banded Catholic friends, and no one has ever had a problem.

Oh, GadgetLady, I wish I could!! We are taking a trip in Nov. and that is all I can do for the rest of this year. I just wanted to tell you that I think this sounds wonderful and I appreciate you letting us in on the deal. Hopefully another great deal will come up next year?? I would love to go! P.S. Do they give us Bandsters a discount on the food, since we can't pig out like all the other cruisers? :heh:

You can take communion NOW.....it dissolves in your mouth and will be nothing by the time it reaches your stomach. I had my surgery on a Thursday and received communion the following Sunday. No problems!

Well, I live in Calif. so I guess the kiss is out of the question for now!! :biggrin1: The music industry, huh? Sounds exciting!! But don't let too many songs get stuck in your head---when you get to be MY age, you will find that you may be able to remember a word or two, but won't remember the rest of a song.....or who sang it.... Or maybe you will remember the name of the song, but not how it goes.... or maybe.... uh.... Now WHAT was I saying??? :rolleyes

Laura, where do you live? I want to come over and KISS YOU!!! :kiss2: I can't believe you were able to tell me after WEEKS of searching by me, my son (the musician in the family), and everyone else I come in contact with. No one knew the name or the group or even the words--- then in a matter of hours on LBT, YOU solved it!!! Thank you so much!! You rock!!! :rockon:

You guys are GOOD! Now, can anyone help ME with a song I have been searching for but can't think of the name, the artist, or hardly any of the lyrics?!! I have an IPod and want this so badly, but don't know where to look. It was from several years ago, I think....about a couple who runs away where no one can find them. The only lyrics I know are something like: "Their children woke up and they couldn't find them...." HELP!!

Thanks, Wendell!! What a great amount of info you gave! I have not seen such a good explanation of what actually goes on in the "fill" process before. You cleared up alot for me. Thanks again for such great input!

Yes, most of us came from immigrants who came here legally. There is no racism involved in wanting our laws enforced or in thinking that people who are in the process to come here legally should be given preference over those sneaking in. Elvira Arellano was deported more than once but kept coming back. She was arrested again while working at an airport using fake I.D. After 9/11, aren't we entitled to be a bit more vigilant about our laws without the "race card" always being played?

You're welcome, Ilene. This thread has helped me alot with my banding process and I am so glad we are all posting our experiences here. Good luck with yours!

I probably wouldn't have phrased this quite the same way as you guys (being a refined and delicate female) but I do agree with the sentiment. What really gripes me is that the media and the pro-illegal groups always say that deportation "separates families" and therefore it is wrong. But they never mention that the separation is the choice of the person being deported. If I were in that situation, I would bring my child back with me no matter what. It makes me wonder what her real agenda is.....

I have had 5 fills to get to my current 7cc's, and it has only been with this last fill that I finally got enough restriction to feel like I have a band. I am getting another fill next week and will probably just get .5cc. My doctor says that most people hit their "sweet spot" between 6cc to 8cc so most of us are doing what is expected. I think those of us having the VG band have less problems with PBs, because we go slower with restriction and have more time to adjust our eating habits. Most people I know with the smaller band have been dealing with vomiting and other issues almost since their surgery. I know it can get frustrating to go so slowly with weight loss and restriction, but hopefully in the long run this way will be better. :girl_hug:

Thanks for the info, BB and others. That was just too technical for my brain to grasp at this point. But now I am stuck. I really LIKED the Protica product----I barf on Unjury!! Maybe I will try the other ones mentioned here, so thanks for that, also. jfk: You sound like you are doing great as it is!! I can't believe how much weight you have lost. Congrats!!

OK, here is the response I got from someone at Protica. It is long and a little too technical for me, but maybe BB or someone else can decipher: Actinase employs three Proteins to achieve a patent-pending formula that is (a) highly bioavailable (i.e. easily digestible and absorbable) and ( complete (contains appropriate amounts of all essential amino acids). The proteins, in order of abundance, are collagen, whey and casein. All three proteins are hydrolyzed into peptides with an average molecular weight of 1,400 Daltons; this makes the combination of proteins more bioavailable than other Protein powders, bars or liquids on the market. By itself, Collagen lacks several amino acids. However, in combination with whey and casein in the correct proportions, the collagen (1)improves the overall amino acid balance, (2) increases the overall glutamine content (more than whey or casein alone), and (3) achieves a protein combination with all essentialamino acids. Actinase is more bioavailable than whey, whether it is isolated or concentrated. The challenge with isolated or concentrated whey is that passes through the stomach and small intestines rapidly, causing some malabsorption. Additional malabsorption is the result of the denatured protein molecules in whey drinks and bars. Denaturing occurs when the normal tertiary structure of the protein molecules are unintentionally broken down into an abnormal structure as a result of heat or acid processing (typically for the purposes of pasteurizing or baking protein drinks and bars). Denatured proteins do not have the same properties as the original protein before pasteurization. Hence, the biological activity of the proteins (i.e. the body's ability to assimilate and use the proteins) has been diminished or eliminated. In contrast, Actinase is extremely heat stable because it is made completely with peptides. Because of their small size, peptides are very heat stable. Typically, you will only find peptides in infant formulas since their small size also makes them easier for the body to digest and assimilate. To provide a real world example, consider a raw egg when it is first cracked open. The "white" of the egg is not actually white; it is translucent (almost clear). The "white" is mostly protein, and it is in its original, biologically active form. When you cook the egg, the "white" becomes white and opaque. What happened is the heat (i.e. pasteurization process) caused the protein molecules to unfold (i.e. break apart) and then reconnect in an unnatural manner. The protein is now denatured. The egg will now be difficult for the body to digest and absorb (as evidenced by gastrointestinal distress experienced by many people who eat eggs). You will notice that Profect is translucent (you can see through the Profect vial, even though there is an extraordinary amount of protein in a very small volume). This is because the protein in Profect is still in its natural, biologically active structure. Jim Duffy Protica, Inc. Telephone: 610-832-2000 x711 Company Site: www.Protica.com Online Store: www.Protica.com/store Product Site: www.Profect.com

BB: thanks for the info on Protica. I am very protein-sensitive and I have loved this product because it makes me feel energenic and normalizes my blood sugar quickly. But I did just write the company to ask for their views and reasons for using collagen and I will report back on their explanations.

jfk: I'm glad you are going to try the Protica! If you order some, try putting into the coupon code box "PR15"... you should get 15% off on your order! How nice to find another person my age! I am doing OK with my band...but please don't judge your band experience by mine. I have the 10cc band and it has only been since last month that I have gotten true restriction. I have not lost very much weight in the 9 months I have been banded. I have lost 35 pounds total, most within the first month of surgery. But it seems I am finally on track now with my latest fill and I am beginning to lose weight again. I have another 60 pounds or so to lose. How about you? Do you have any questions or concerns? This is a great place to get those answered.

Protica Research is another great place for liquid protein. 25 grams in a 100-calorie tube that takes 2-3 swallows to consume. I love this stuff! I have blood sugar issues and this helps me so much. I keep one with me all the time. Good luck---it sounds like you are doing great so far! :clap2:

I don't mind sharing my popcorn, but then again, we always get the BIG one...the bucket....the very LARGE bucket....the one that gets you free refills... So I guess you could say that "popcorn" would NOT be on my list of things that I have had enough of.... :biggrin1: Glad I am not alone!

My hubby and I are always trying to figure out just WHY would a 4-hour erection be so bad, anyway??

BJean: Yes, I eat popcorn.... lots of it!! Can't watch a movie without it! And no matter how much adjusting my band gets, I can still eat it (YES!!) Are you able to eat it?? Yes, we could go to the movies together, but I think we would probably fight over the popcorn. I would accuse you of being too liberal in the amount you take, and you would expect me to consume conservatively! P.S. What does that smiley mean? :huytsao huytsao?? I have never figured it out.... Am I dumb? (maybe you shouldn't answer that.... )

Make sure you are getting lots of protein and fluids. And yes, I think you can get headaches when drastically cutting calories. But check into whether you used to have a lot of sodas or coffee. Giving up caffeine can hurt, too. Good luck and I am so happy for you.... you are on your way to a new life!! Keep posting!!

Welcome, Wendy!:welcome: I like these smilies, too!! It was fun to read your "story" and I think you sound like you have it all together. You will do well if you do get lapband surgery, I'm sure! You are so far ahead of the game at this point. Sounds like you have done your homework well. Keep posting and asking questions. We are all here to help each other! Oh, and another one of my favorite smilies is: :puke:But I never get a chance to use it! Hopefully, you will never need to use it, either!! Good luck and again, WELCOME!!

I saw both of these movies...I honestly can't say which one I liked more! They were both great escape-type movies. It will be hard to top them!!

Weeel, I can't promise but I'll try.......and if and when the ACLJ becomes as big and powerful as the ACLU, you can complain all you want about them, OK? :biggrin1:

I like the ACLJ, also, Gadgetlady! We get their literature and contribute occasionally, but I had forgotten about them here. Thanks for reminding me!

Great post, Green. I agree with just about all of it. You touched on one of the things I have been trying to say but wasn't doing well. The idea that in trying to be politically correct and not offend anyone---this could, and sometimes does, affect our ability to tell our history. Holocaust deniers gain a foothold and the many good things that a people have done gets pushed aside if those people are not now in the "in" group. Thanks for bringing that up. And I appreciate your knowledge of global affairs! How do you remember all that?