BJean

P.S. When she was bulimic, I got the eating part down right but kept forgetting to frow-up. :rolleyes

Many people over the years have said I look like Jane Fonda. That's not always a good thing in some circles. But I'm ticked. She's decided that we're not getting any cosmetic surgery in our old age. And yes, she IS older than I am.

Eddie: Triple post. It will make you feel even better. Most of the people who have had insurance help with the surgery say that they were turned down multiple times. You have to be very persistent and just let them know that you're not going away. Here's my experience: I was flatly turned down. My insurance company said that they never (N-E-V-E-R) pay for any type of bariatric surgery. We scrounged up the moo-la and I proceeded to have the usual tests run to make sure I was a good candidate for the band. I knew I had a hiatal hernia - for 20 years I've known. In some cases a very large hiatal hernia will prevent you being able to get the band. After my doc read the xrays, he determined that mine was not too big. He said that he would fix the hernia while he was placing the band and it would cost another $2000 which brought the bill to $20,000. We sucked it up and went forward with the surgery. He and the hospital submitted all of the pre-surgery test bills as well as the surgical bills to my insurance company and guess what!? The insurance company sent us an check for $9,900.!! We were elated. They determined that that amount was due to the portion of the surgery that was for the hiatal hernia repair (which they do normally cover.) So, there are many avenues to explore. Lots of people find out they have a need for gallbladder surgery and that can work for them with the insurance companies. Anyway after making a short story long, hang in there. Where there's a will there's a way. Just keep making phone calls and being insistent and there's a chance that you'll either wear them down or find a loop hole. Good luck!

faithmd: Thank you so much for such an eloquent and educated post. Like lisah, we share many of the same beliefs about this subject and it was refreshing to read a post from someone with first hand knowledge of many aspects of the equation. Green: I also agree with you about the characterization of some of the people of the U.S. who worship their "... own - often lily white flesh - while discounting the value of all other flesh...." And it is very hypocritical. As for charity, many, many good people here in the U.S. do charitable work. Some do it because they believe it is their duty. Some are involved because their church compels them to. And then there are lots of folks who do charitable work because of how it makes them look to the outside world and because it makes them feel superior. Some people never give any time or money to the needy. If all Americans could be depended upon to do their fair share to help the downtrodden and citizens with special needs, we wouldn't need the government to intervene and impose taxes to do the job. But it makes no sense whatsoever for us to ignore segments of our society who are diadvantaged, ill, uneducated, etc. First of all, it just isn't right. And secondly, if we do not take care of our own, our glorious empire will crumble around us. So funnyd, just because you're generous, willing and able to do lots of charity work, doesn't mean that your next door neighbor is as willing to get involved with it. We might be able to count on you, but there are many many many more people who can't be counted on. Consequently there is an absolute necessity for taxes and government assistance for some of our less fortunate Americans. Proper handling of the programs may have suffered over the years, but it can be fixed if we choose to fix it. marjon9 has it completely right.

P.S. Thanks for the feedback Teach!

Well frankly, I'm glad Heather Mills got kicked off not only because she made me nervous, but for a couple of other reasons too. 1) She claimed Paul McCartney physically abused her. a. Paul McCartney has smoked dope for years, I can't see him as getting all that physical. b. Have you heard all of his music? No one who's that milque toast could be violent. 2. She seemed to be milking her handicap for all it was worth. The fall didn't look accidental to me. Ok. So I'm a little harsh. and 3. She treated Paul McCartney badly. Whose side did she think people would take anyway?golddiggerHe's an icon in the music industry and she's a star because of what? Her fund raising activities? Guess that must make me famous on some level.not. Ok so maybe I had a couple more than a couple of reasons. She seems sweet and all, but I'll bet that's what Paul thought when he asked her to marry him. If any of you have info to the contrary, I'm willing to listen. er, read.

lifelongband: I am very impressed with how you're handling it. You're way ahead of the game. I didn't understand all of that and it never did really work out well for us. I eventually moved out of state with his permission (hummph!) and I was on my own after that anyway. Your kids are very fortunate to have you as a mommie. I hope their dad doesn't let them down. At least you have come to a meeting of the minds on it and that's the first step in getting it to work out well for the kids. Keep up the good work. I know it is very difficult. Those breaks are not only the best thing for the kids and their dad, but mom needs some regular relief from all the responsibility 24/7.

OMG Karey! one breadstick is 140 calories and the soup was 588? Unbelievable! I used to eat about 3 or 4 of those breadsticks at one stitting. They are so garlicky and good. I must avoid that place because I would have to try to eat a breadstick!

This is obviously off topic, but did any of you watch Dancing With The Stars after Idol? Who got kicked off? We had tornadoes in the area and my TV is out.

396: A nub (? - niblet?) of corn is not an ear of corn. It can't become an ear of corn without being planted and nurtured and even then there are no assurances that it will be able to become an ear of corn. All of the conditions must be right. I hope your're not suggesting we are killers because we suck all of the niblets off the cob and eat them????!!!!!!

The post you made Jack wasn't the Bill of Rights. It was the opinion of one man during the 1700s. His suggestion to bear arms at all times does not make a lot of sense today. There really is a difference between life in the United States then and life in the United States now. But I do believe we have the right to own firearms (afterall, you never know when Dubya is going to rally the troops and roust us out of our homes because we might be harboring terrorists.)

Scamming is someone pulling the wool over someone's eyes. Scamming is taking adavantage of someone who wants to believe what they're told. The scammed person wants to participate and so they are susceptible to the scam. It's nice that you say you are taking responsibility for your actions, but you do sound like you are blaming everyone from the doctor's office to the abortion clinic. I'm afraid I have to say that laurend is calling you out on this and you're the one who has given us the information - not someone who's telling on you. One of the major problems in America today is lack of accountability. Everybody wants to pass the buck and blame everything and everybody for the things that happen that are unpleasant in their lives. It's like people wanting to blame the bartender for getting them drunk. If you regret your decision, you should probably just say that. But to say that someone took advantage of you sounds like a made up story after the fact because you now feel guilty about your decision. Do you really think that from what laurend said, she doesn't believe a woman should be aware of adoption options when she has an unwanted pregnancy? I think that you sound very passive aggressive. Your words don't seem mean, but there is an underlying message that does. You said earlier several times that women don't want to be inconvenienced by 9 months of pregnancy. They should give life to a child and then give it up. That is totally unacceptible as far as I am concerned. If you're going to bring a life into this world, you better be willing to take care of it until it is grown. People need to take responsibility for their actions. Just because there are people who can't conceive and want to adopt doesn't make it great and wonderful for women to give birth to babies they have no intention of taking care of. I know I will catch hell for that, but I can't imagine for the life of me how any woman could give up their baby. And yes, the idea of a surrogate mother is creepy. If God wants a couple to have a baby, he'll see to it, right? There have to be good reasons for Him to prevent a couple from conceiving a child. Just like once He forgave you, He blessed you with two. It's gotta work both ways.

The point is, you don't know that there was a healthy person growing inside your belly. You can assume it. I have a very good friend from college whose birth control failed. She went to another state to have her baby and give it up for adoption. Unfortunately he was born severely handicapped. No adoptive home was available to him. She quit school and eked out a living for them on her own, as a secretary. He died last year at age 36. He had one hellofa lousy life. She feels that she has been punished for 36 years. It's not that unusual an occurrence.

That's why I love the Energizer Bunny... electrical storms! (Well, that and no cumbersome cords.)

Ah, but the point is you only believe that it wasn't the best thing for him or her. That may not be the reality. Like I said, I believe we do the best we can. You're following the path you've chosen with regard to women's rights. I believe in and am following my own path. I have no doubt that I am 100% correct in my beliefs.

MzAngel: Yup. Definintely. Everything is relative, doncha know. I actually heard my LB doc relating that scenario to a group one night. (Guess he knows how to convince guys to get the band.) Even my girls seem better. Instead of this massive chestal region that flowed right onto the bulging gut, I now have relatively attractive hooters that make me seem like I could have spent the money on implants. Woo-hoo!

Rats! We were having a terrible lightning storm - musta been a case where Thor thought mine was so good, it deserved double posting. I know I couldn't have done such a dumba$$ thing.

P.S. In re-reading my post, I realize it sounds harsh. I apologize for that.

It's very interesting to read both of your stories. I've heard similar stories most of my life. I find that I must interject that (in all honesty) I have heard many more gruesome stories about women who called a number in the phone book that was listed as abortion counseling, or unwanted pregnancy counseling, which turned out to be places where they were shown horrible graphic films and were emotionally pressured by the staff not to consider having an abortion because it is killing, killing, killing and the poor woman is accused of taking away the baby's rights, and going against God's will. Talk about pressure! But as to the reason I find the these two stories so interesting since they are juxtaposed right here is because in both cases, abortion seems to have been the right answer. FunnyD says that she was convinced by someone to believe that if she didn't get an abortion, her boyfriend would marry her only out of guilt or some other forced situation reason, or that if she kept the baby on her own she'd wind up on welfare. I find it hard to believe that even a 19 year old college student wouldn't be able to sort this out without outside influence. It was YOUR life. YOUR boyfriend. Even if you barely knew him, you might have trusted someone with whom you had shared your bed, enough to speak with him about it. But that's unimportant to the way it played out. The reality was, you wound up marrying your boyfriend, finding peace through God, and having two beautiful, much-desired and loved children. Not only that, but probably due to your experience, you spent 3 years counseling women against choosing abortions. All things considered, it sounds like you made the right decision. Green has never wanted children and says she has never changed her mind about that. She is married to a wonderful hunk of a man, and they share a beautiful life. Sounds like she too, made the right decision. Now I ask you, if abortion were illegal for these two women, would their stories have worked out so well? I know one of you will say you pine for the baby, but that's easy for you to say in retrospect. The fact is, you have a good life and if you hadn't aborted the baby, that may not have been the case. I believe we all do the best we can at any given time. We don't need the government in the middle of a personal, physical crisis. We don't need a group of people with strong religious beliefs imposing their will on all women. It isn't fair and it isn't right. You got your abortion, let me get mine if I need one.

Wheetsin: I am doing my part in preparation for leaving my ecological footprint! All manner of crockery will be found around my body. I have a particular affinity for bone china, particularly English, both old and new. (Much to DH's chagrin.) But I would imagine my little area will decompose more quickly than your cellophane tape pile. Maybe I need to broaden my scope to smart, sexy styrofoam cups. airwayman: Well isn't that just uncanny!!! You actually gave out the proper directions for folding a fitted sheet and it was purely random. You deserve the Martha Stewart ex-con statuette that she made in the slammer whilst sitting at the pottery wheel. Martha always did love to bestow 3-D icons of herself (in the style of an Academy Award Oscar man) to her most accomplished students. I'm so jealous, you lucky devil. P.S. Thanx for clearing up the gender question. I would have been SO disappointed to learn that you are not the virile stud that I envisioned from reading your posts.

Wheetsin: I am doing my part in preparation for leaving my ecological footprint! All manner of crockery will be found around my body. I have a particular affinity for bone china, particularly English, both old and new. (Much to DH's chagrin.) But I would imagine my little area will decompose more quickly than your cellophane tape pile. Maybe I need to broaden my scope to smart, sexy styrofoam cups. airwayman: Well isn't that just uncanny!!! You actually gave out the proper directions for folding a fitted sheet and it was purely random. You deserve the Martha Stewart ex-con statuette that she made in the slammer whilst sitting at the pottery wheel. Martha always did love to bestow 3-D icons of herself (in the style of an Academy Award Oscar man) to her most accomplished students. I'm so jealous, you lucky devil. P.S. Thanx for clearing up the gender question. I would have been SO disappointed to learn that you are not the virile stud that I envisioned from reading your posts.

Wheetsin: I am doing my part in preparation for leaving my ecological footprint! All manner of crockery will be found around my body. I have a particular affinity for bone china, particularly English, both old and new. (Much to DH's chagrin.) But I would imagine my little area will decompose more quickly than your cellophane tape pile. Maybe I need to broaden my scope to smart, sexy styrofoam cups. airwayman: Well isn't that just uncanny!!! You actually gave out the proper directions for folding a fitted sheet and it was purely random. You deserve the Martha Stewart ex-con statuette that she made in the slammer whilst sitting at the pottery wheel. Martha always did love to bestow 3-D icons of herself (in the style of an Academy Award Oscar man) to her most accomplished students. I'm so jealous, you lucky devil. P.S. Thanx for clearing up the gender question. I would have been SO disappointed to learn that you are not the virile stud that I have envisioned from reading your posts.

Well I am not against traditional Christian music, hymns and all that, but while the gospel stuff is lots of fun to rock to, it's more suited to a large choir, doncha think?

airwayman: you KNOW that was all just an effort on my part to be amusing, don't you? I totally respect and am impressed with your domestic abilities. Green: My master bathroom came equipped with a built in magazine storage rack. Quite handy for throne room entertainment. Er, that doesn't sound right. Edit that to read "reading" rather than "entertainment." Don't know what I was thinking.

Wheet: airwayman is absolutely right about how to fold a fitted sheet! And ace flower arranger too. Far freakin' out. I gotta wonder if all his talk about females is just hype - or is airwayman really a chick?