BJean

Of all those forbidden items, smoking, drinking and coffee are the hardest to come to terms with. For a long time I would give up alcohol except when we did have company. Unfortunately at those times, I enjoyed myself so much I would pay for it for about 3 days afterwards. I have pretty much given up the fags and only smoke occasionally now. That has helped tremendously. I still wish I could smoke everyday and it has been 15 years since I "quit". I only drink decaf. I've recently discovered Paul Newmans Decaf in the pods that I use with my Keurig machine and am quite content with it. I even have decaf espresso which is sacreligious, I know, but the center of my chest appreciates it. Hang in there. It just takes some time to learn what you can and can't get away with. The most important thing right now is to get that area calmed down and get rid of the cough and reflux. (The cough IS reflux, by the way.) I don't know what I'd do without your wisdom and occasional support here so get your blonde a$$ well, a?

ckpw: Did they repair the hiatal hernia? Or did you just get it calmed down? You're not THAT much older than some of us, and I read at least one other person who was 70 when he had it done. Get your determined cap on. The band is not as risky or life altering as gastric bypass, but it isn't a cure-all either. We still have to use a lot of effort to get the weight off. At least I do and many others whose posts I've read. Most of us who are still struggling to lose weight, post surgery, are not sorry we had the band though. We all lost weight initially and we're thankful for that. We all have high hopes that we will be able to get the rest of the weight off as well. It just does not come off as quickly after the first 30-40 lbs as it did in the beginning. I only tell you this because you should have realistic expectations going in. We're to think of this as a two-year plan, I was told. I thought I could do it in one. I was wrong. Other LB patients might argue with me. There are several people who have breezed through losing 100 lbs. in the first 6-8 months. But I don't think there are any guarantees with this procedure and it is really up to the individual to achieve the desired results. Best wishes for your up coming surgery. My doc repaired my hiatal hernia when I had the LB surgery and it has helped tremendously!:whoo: By the way, the recovery from surgery is pretty much a breeze for most people.

Chick Fil A uses chicken fat to cook their fries in??? Egad! The Chick Fil A's around here are the most popular fast food drive thrus. It got that way when the Adkins diet became the rage again. You can get just chicken and it isn't as breaded as most places. Other fast food joints that serve chicken breasts that aren't fried are just awful. I can't eat those odd tasting things. And if you get the fried ones at other fast food places, they have lots of breading and half the weight of the breast is grease. I was told that Chick Fil A uses peanut oil for cooking their chicken. To me, that is much better than a lot of other things they use in fast food places, but if you don't like peanut oil, forget it. You can definitely tell that it is peanut oil. I cannot eat Chick Fil A anymore. I've tried 4 different times, with lots of time inbetween tries. It's a sure-fire way to a significant PB no matter how small the bite or how thorough the chewing! :help:

Bitter: I always thought you didn't tip a salon owner either. However I used to go to this guy in Orlando who straightened me out one day. After he finished my color, cut and fluff, he said, "Why haven't you been tipping me?" I sputtered that I didn't think that one was supposed to tip the salon owner. He said, "Oh girl, that's old hat and completely wrong! You should always tip at least 20% if you want your hairdresser to continue to do your hair well." I handed him a $20 bill (which wasn't close to 20% of my bill that day) and never went to his salon again. Guess he taught me a lesson!

Mr Gadget: That was terrific. I appreciate very much your taking the time to express your manly thoughts on this. Of course you're right on! However it would be great if you would weigh in with advice on how some of the wives here should help their spouses get their heads (pardon) back in the real game instead of escaping into their fantasy world all the time.

L8BloomR: Well I don't completely agree with your reasoning, but I do believe that it is silly to consider taking the word God off our buildings and our money. It may not bother you, but I think that some people are quite up in arms over the whole issue. I believe that our country was predominately Christian when the word God was used on our public buildings and our currency, so I do believe that the intent was to imply Christian in that usage. As free thinking people, we can all define the word God however we choose, but do you really think that Buddists or Muslims, for instance, believe that our government uses that word to mean any God, or their God? I believe that people wanted to come to and continue to want to come to this country because of the freedom we have to practice any religion or no religion as well as for all of the other reasons that have made this country great. I don't think that they come here because we use the term "creator" or "God" in our documents. I think those words were used to show the world and to convince ourselves that we are good people, who have a conscience and that we are people who believe that everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Statue of Liberty puts out that message in an even more profound way. As for me, I don't think there is any harm done when we use the terms, "creator" and "God" in our public documents. I chose to address the issue the way I did, in an effort to get a discussion going because it is a relevant subject today. But I do think that the argument that our government means for it to be interpreted as any God, is transparent and bogus. As for the Pledge of Allegience, I believe the words, "under God" should be removed. I am a Christian and I have never felt comfortable with it. I believe I explained why in an earlier thread so I won't bore you with it again. Btw, do you believe that having a manger in front of the court house is meant to depict anything but a Christian based scene? Not that I think there is anything wrong with having a Manger scene in the town quare at Christmas, but I can certainly understand the opposition to it, can't you? Btw, in Great Britian, they say and use the phrase "God Save The Queen" quite often.

For a while when I posted something after you, I finished my sentences occasionally with an "a" but you never got the joke. At least you never mentioned it. Know what I mean, a? Like that. Pronounced similarly, eh? I am very sorry to hear that you're ailing. I can tell that you are not following Dr. BJean's orders. Do not make me have to come up there! Have you been to the health foods store? Have you purchased the refrigerated acidolphilous? Have you taken it, as prescribed? Have you taken Prevacid? (I don't know anything about that stuff your other doctors have given you.) Have you raised the head of your bed? Have you stopped drinking coffee and alcoholic beverages? Have you stopped smoking? Have you given up chocolate? If your answer to the above questions is "no" then I'm beginning to think that Green is reveling in her agony. Please say it isn't so. Remember that at least one other health professional here, other than myself, has told you that these things are a must if your health and comfort are to improve. I don't like having to lecture like this, but I'll do what I have to do to help you get on the road to recovery. :sick Green wasn't meant to be green, you know.

Hey Green, how're you doing? Getting better I hope.

I'm curious. When they do a breast lift, do they put in implants? Someone told me they did, and I can see how it might be necessary, but it sure would discourage me from getting a lift. What about with a reduction? How do they re-shape the girls so that they look normal? Once I learned about Betty Paige, I wished I were more like her instead of being the incredibly modest me. Sigh, youth really is wasted on the young.

Darragha: For the record, I agree with you about porn and the weed. However if you love someone and have pledged your life to them, you really should try to help them if there is any reasonable way to do it. If you honestly do your best to help them through it, and they resist kicking the habit, then fine, grab your walking boots.

"not freedom from religion" but "...freedom of religion" - a very fine distinction! And that goes for all religious choices, right? If we are meant to be able to practice any religion we choose, why should we be offended that the word God be taken off our money or anywhere else? Not all religions worship the Christian "God" whose name you want on our money, on our public buildings and everywhere else. I am a Christian but I do not feel threatened by the suggestion of the words, "under God" being taken out of the Pledge of Allegience. During the Eisenhower administration, the phrase "under God" was added to our Pledge. It wasn't put there by our framers of the Constitution, but by our contempories. I don't think it reflects the "freedom of religion" choice that we are promised. We are pledging our allegience to the flag of our country as a patriotic act, not pledging our allegience to God, otherwise how are people who do not believe in our God supposed to make that pledge? Why does it bother people so much that God be placed on our money and on our buildings and in our songs and pledge and all the rest? In Great Britain, the Queen in on their money. References to the monarchy are everywhere. Does that make them a country free of religion? No, it does not.

Sunta that's one thing I've learned reading threads here. Scarcasm seems so much more harsh when you read it in a post, than when you are hearing it and reading someone's body language. Many times I've tried to be humorous and no one gets it, and in fact they think I am being mean. What'r ya gonna do?

You were talking about approaching the subject again this weekend with your husband. I have a suggestion. Instead of going into it all wounded and feeling rejected by his "hobby", why don't you consider trying to find out what really makes porn surfing be so much fun for him? Why not try to get him to really open up to you and explain why it is so important to him? I mean have a dialogue with him as if you were a good buddy, instead of his wife. And reserve judgement. Don't pout or squirm or accuse him of anything untoward. Try, just one time, to be his friend on the subject of this "thing" that is so important to him. Stop thinking about how YOU feel about it and try to learn exactly what HE thinks about it. Stop thinking about how it is impacting YOU and think about WHY the time he spends with porn is an integral part of his life. You could learn a lot about what you're up against. You might be able to determine if this is something that, given the right circumstances, he can give up. On the other hand, if it really is an addiction that is nearly impossible for him to give up, you need to know that too. If it is the latter, then you will know for sure that nothing you say or do will change his behavior. You will know for sure that you need professional help in knowing how to save your marriage and your husband. Hypothetically take the actual word pornography out of the equation and substitute it for almost any other word that describes destructive and addictive behavior and I think you can understand better what you are probably up against. Look at it like this: what if you had a gambling addiction? What if your gambling addiction was causing you to neglect your husband and children? What if your gambling addiction caused you to adversly impact the family because of the money you lost? What if your husband was at the end of his rope and was depressed and accused you of not loving him and of ignoring his needs? But you couldn't help yourself... you just HAD to gamble. In that case, would you want your husband to give up on you or would you hope that he loved you enough to help you beat it - for your own good as well as that of your family?

Amen, brother!

IMFine: It seems like you hear people on TV and the radio talking about porn all the time these days. Everyone seems to be discussing it. It used to be so in the closet. There weren't tons of stores that sell it and of course it wasn't on the internet. There weren't channels on TV that offered it either. Now it just seems to be everywhere and although people are often laughing about it, it seems to have become much more acceptable across the board in our society. That's a tough thing to combat. I have absolutely no hesitation in saying that I believe it is harming your chances for sex and intimacy with your husband. If for no other reason than he spends so much time sequestered away from you involved with the computer. Plus, self-gratification is, for some men, so much easier than doing all the work it takes to have a real sexual encounter with their partner, and it's just as pleasurable. That isn't true for women. We need the intimacy. Guys just need the physical release. I don't have any ideas of how you change something that I am sure he feels is harmless and not threatening to his marriage. I guess the only way you're going to be able to get through to him is when he is completely away from the computer environment and focused on communicating with you. If he doesn't listen and make some changes, then you have to decide if it is important enough for you to become proactive by seeing a therapist and getting some help for yourself!

Yes, my doctor gave me the card. It doesn't request that the server allow me to order from the child's or senior's menu. It just says that because of a medical condition I am unable to eat very much and that it would be appreciated if I were able to scale down the portion that I am served from a normal portion. Not in those words, but that's basically the content. I've never used it primarily because I am afraid I might encounter some jackass like the one Dynamomini met at Pappeadeaux's. (Btw, I wouldn't have thought that was funny at all!!) lessofme: I have had a mammo followed by an ultrasound, and also got the results while I was watching lying there during the ultrasound. It was nerve wracking, but I felt very confident by the time I left, that I was getting an accurate diagnosis. I will be thinking of you and hoping that it will go smoothly and you get the assessment right away. I think waiting for answers is the worst. indiogirl: I don't blame you for not telling everybody. It's just easier for me when I don't have to try to reassure everyone that I'm just fine. I think being strong is important and for some reason when I tell my friends and family, I turn into silly putty and worry more. Please give us a posting because we will be thinking of you tomorrow!

Jim, Tammy Faye and their kids lived in a house just around the corner from us in Orlando before he went to prison and before the divorce. They were living rent free because one of their followers made it available to them. Their son went to school with my daughter. Sometimes the traffic around their house (on a cul-de-sac) was a circus. Tammy Faye was a performer who loved to sing and since she didn't have a great voice, she was well-suited to singing to little kids and that's how her show first started out (as far as I know). My son used to watch them on local TV in Virginia. Jim was exploiting her and the show even then. She loved being exploited though as long as she could be in front of the camera. After Jim was sent to prison, Tammy Faye and her followers used a new warehouse in Orlando to try to re-start her ministry. It didn't last long and was fodder for all the local radio talk show shenanigans and even some out of state. I knew a young talk show hostess in Atlanta and one morning she had the main, male host on her show, call me for an interview "of one of the neighbors of Jim and Tammy Faye". His questions and insinuations were downright hateful. I simply stuttered inaudible answers to his questions and ruined his kick-the-evangilists-while-they're-down theme du jour. Tammy Faye didn't do much for Maybelline cosmetics. Hers were tattooed on. When they were doing her documentary, the shocked makeup people weren't sure what to do with it and she just lightheartedly laughed it off. She and her women friends used to go to Mexico to buy their diet pills and whatever else they were hooked on. She probably knew all along what was going on with the money-making. How could she not, as someone else said. She was living an opulent lifestyle, way beyond how most televangelists were living at the time, even Oral Roberts. Jerry Falwell was pretty cruel and ruthless in his takeover of PTL, but in so many ways they deserved it. But if it weren't for him, they might have been able to come up with an acceptable plan to pay their way out of it. Many televangelists were very jealous of the Bakkers. I think they probably started out with a little goodness in their hearts (although I am not positive of that) but once the smell of money became so real and so strong, like most people, it consumed them. There are quite of few of them on TV today. It's people like them that give Christianity a bad wrap. The worst part is that so many people didn't see through them for what they really were. Rest in peace, Tammy Faye.

You make a good point, Mark. But not all churches believe that they are the only ones going to heaven, just certain well-endoctrinated sects. Some may take issue with me for using the term "sect" however in the really big picture, even many very large, well established Christian religious groups could be viewed as break away Churches. Christianity and church groups have evolved.

lessofme: You don't have to answer, but I'm wondering, how does the lump feel? It is hard like a rock? Is there any discoloration around the area? Is your nipple inverted? Is it real stationary?

Denise: The reason I asked is because my doc gave me one too, but I haven't had the nerve to pull it out. I can't tell you how many meals that I've left sitting with only a bite or two gone. At first I took them home in a styrofoam container, but I never seemed to be able to eat them at home either. I've read lots of people say that they've turned their leftovers into another meal or two. But for me, it would make more sense to order about half of the normal meal. Portions are embarrassingly gigantic these days!

lessofme: I am due for one next week. I get one per year (unless I find something and then I get an additional sonagram) because my DM and DS both had breast cancer. I haven't talked to anyone who has had a mammo since LB surgery, but I'm pretty sure there are some women here who have gone through it.

Denise: Do you mind me asking where you've used it - successfully?

Hope2BeHottie: Great points. It's cool that you've jumped in full force! I think the thread was started by someone who is very concerned with environmental issues today, and is asking for people to act responsibly when it comes to our planet. I don't think anyone here seriously believes that we should have a police force to round up offenders and castrate or sterilize them. Unless of course, you're talking about women who consider abortion and then I think there's a posse quite willing to take those women to task.

Bitter: That would be a real humanitarian thing to do: cooking for the elderly. It is almost as unique as cooking for babies. When I read one of your posts, I always start thinking about Northeastern and Tahlequah. I remember when I was a Freshman and bought room and board together (cafeteria and dormitory). On Wednesdays, we all went someplace else for dinner. They always served the same thing: a slice of some kind of pork, like a pork chop, that was steamed or something. We never knew just exactly what the hell they did to it to make it grey and smelling like puke. But we wanted no part of it. My in-laws just spent a month in an assisted living facility - one of the nicest ones in the area and they "had" to move home. They said the only acceptible meal was Breakfast and that was because they cooked eggs to order instead of serving up those powdered scrambled faux eggs they serve in the hospital. They hired a woman from a service to comw in every morning to fix breakfast and lunch for them as well as doing some light cleaning. After the first day, she didn't come back. Dealing with older people is definitely a challenge! But then, I don't have to tell you that!

My doc is writing a book about the LB and I suggested that as a sales tool, he could include some kind of band to signify that you're a bandster and that way, perhaps it would become acceptable for us to order off the kids menu or half of the regular entrees or something. He said that there is already a band out for people with the Lap Band.