StephC

(((((VA))))) we love you! Things will look up. Once you get back to work you can get your fill. The guy is still hanging around as your "friend" so be patient and let him work things out. The job is going to happen too.

Esmeralda - please repeat. You had a tummy tuck and went to work the next day? Or was that after your second surgery? Wow! I hope I bounce back like that. Karey - I'm sorry your hormones are still outa wack. My sister has warned me and so I'm preparing myself that I might get the hormone weirds. My sister said no one warned her and she thought she was going insane. At least you are aware that its the hormone imbalance.

I'm glad someone bumped this thread - I love the grandbaby pics! My son and dil are expecting on Nov. 15! I can't wait. My kids are all grown. My baby is graduating in less then 2 months and will turn 18 on June 1st. Its all so bittersweet seeing them grow up. But God must have known that I'd need another baby and blessed ds and dil. Just as my last one is leaving the nest I'll get my first grandbaby.

Oh and another thing. Enjoy the feel of losing the weight. For example think of something that weighs 20 lbs - two 10lb bags of flour - and think about carrying that around all day. My neice said I walk so much faster now and I said well if you think of a 50 lb bag of dog food and having to carry that around all day - when you finally put that bag down I bet you'd walk alot faster too.

Harleygirl- wtg on the 20lbs down! I remember that no one "noticed" until I had gotten down about 30-40 lbs. Then it was just little things like "did you get your hair cut?" I was really mad at my mil bc she hadnt' seen me all winter (this was my first year banded) and everytime we'd talk she'd ask me how much I'd lost and then when she came home for the summer she never mentioned my weight, said I looked good - nothing. I was mad and hurt. But now I look back at those first 40 lbs and although it was huge for me I was still obese. Now this past winter (into my 2nd year banded) I left the season (I work at a golf club) at about 180 and tho I didnt' think I was losing much this winter I had lost 20 lbs and people are taking second looks at me, can't believe its me, asking me if I've lost ALOT of weight - every day someone comments on my weight lost. One of the delivery guys said he thought they'd hired someone new - all over these last 20 lbs. At church yesterday my friends were saying how good I look and that I look healthy and a normal weight. I just got interupted by 2 old men golfers and the one points at me and says .. you've lost alot of weight havent' you? LOL I said yes I have. I just find it amusing that it took 70 lbs before anyone would actually comment on the weight lost.. other then the very closest to me. Its almost as if people dont' want to say anything until its just so obvious. Anyway - Harleygirl enjoy every pound lost and love your band. Its so worth it.

wow Boo you look wonderful!!! I don't even see the tummy bulge that would require a tt! You look so good! Great pics! What did hubby think of the pics? He's got to be loving them! Claudia - how'd the blind dates go? Va - did you start a new job today? Bman - how's the marine? Is he home now, or does he have to go away again? Faith - I am a FIRM beliver in fills. I've had about 6 or 7 of them. It took the first 6 to get to my sweetspot but after 6 months and down 20 lbs I decided I needed another to kick start my losing again. It worked I lost 5 lbs the first week! I've backed off and think its about 2 lbs a week now but I had gone months with just losing 1 or 2 lbs all month. Good luck! I have to call for an unfill today - :Dancing_wub: it really makes me sad and scared! My band dr says he wants it all out before the surgery and I'm getting close - a little over 3 weeks - (I'm so excited) I figured I'd call today so I can get the date and time that I want. The day before surgery as late in the day as possible. I had thought of what I could eat when I was unfilled (like a doughnut) and it scared me. I thought good grief Steph if you get this unfill too far in advance you'll gain back everything you've lost! Love you girls!

Tami you look wonderful! Wow! thanks for sharing.

TMarie - welcome! When you say you've lost as much as your body will let you, are you saying you're at goal? Someone said that once we get the fat taken off the belly then the rest of the body will lose faster.

My 2nd thought was I wonder why no one has made a chocolate covered smilie... LOL Have fun hon!

Geesh Bman - you and your marine always bring crude and nasty thoughts to mind - my first thought was does the little marine stand at attention? :biggrin2:

Now I'm getting scared to have my tt - don't know whats down below waiting to see the sunshine!

what is mrsa?

I've been saying a prayer for both of you on the jobs - everytime I think of you I say Lord, bless them with the right job. I got on the scale this morning and it finally moved! I'm down 2 lbs this week. I updated my ticker last Friday so I'm pretty happy about that. I need to lose 2 lbs a week to hit my goal for ps. I'll still be 10 lbs over the normal bmi but I"m hoping he'll take 5 lbs of fat off my jelly belly and then I'll just need to lose 5 more. I can't tell you all how excited I am to be getting so close. It all seems like its finally coming together. I've been trying to think about these weights that I'm seeing now and I can honestly say I just don't remember being here. Like I remember before kids, I was teeny, then after my 2nd I remember never getting those last 5 lbs off, then it just seems like the yo-yo dieting began. Speaking of babies - how's our mama's out there? Jill - where are you? How ya doing? - Nikki - I know you have your hands full with all those little men running around your house. Are you getting back to "normal" yet? :smile: BK- it was so good to hear from you, don't be such a stranger. How's that little man of yours? My DIL is doing good, still not having morning sickness, but she was very sick last week with a chest cold. We were all worried but the dr gave her some antibiotics and she's doing alot better.

Thats good you can take that much time off. I'm not going to be able to. (my biggest gripe over the whole ps thing) I don't have a hard job either - sitting on my butt all day - logging in and out of LBT - :smile: But I do have responsibilities, I know I'll have to come in to do payroll or my fellow workers will hang me. I have to post every day just to see my ticker count down. Too cool. I got on the scale this morning and it actually moved! Yeah! I'm busting my butt trying to get these last few pounds off and I was getting worried. 8 lbs to lose before May 1st.

Hey Julie - thanks for posting the pics! You look great! I know you're getting more and more excited ... ok I know I'm getting more and more excited!

Julie did you post your before pics? Where are they?

You should call your insurance company now to find out what they require.

4meonly - are you back to work or when are you going back to work?

well you are only 21 lbs to goal - that seems pretty close to me. Maybe he meant that at this point you are close enough.

I'm also going to call my ps to see what they say about it.

thanks 4meonly! So how are you feeling? How far post-op are you? Are the flatlands as good as you expected?

Our thread is growing. Lets see if I get this right - JulieGeraci - April 21 StephC - May 1 TMarie - May 5 Boo Boo Kitty - May 6 TracyinKS - tba Kat - tba Anyone else?

good luck Amy. Theres no time like the present.

First of all - YEEAAAAAAAAA KAT!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you. I'd do a flip too but the apron would slap me in the back of the head! LOL Ohhhhhhhhhh to be in the flatlands! I'm so happy we are doing this at the same time. Yippee! 4meonly - yep my insurance is paying for both the panny and the tt. The actually have 2 codes. I feel soooooooo blessed and give God the credit bc I did a lot of praying for the tt. All of that sounds fishy to me about your costs. My sister had a full tt and it only cost her 6K and I went to another surgeon and his fee was 10K - so it just sounds high to me. I think I said this somewhere else but the scheduling girl at the ps told me that the other dr might not have wanted to talk insurance with me bc if his fee is 10K and insurance says yes we'll approve but we will only cover 6K he has to accept the 6k. Like I said I feel blessed to have found my surgeon and for my ins to be covering it. Kat - I'm so happy for us - keep me updated.

Hey Claudia! We missed you! Its so good to hear from you. I'll be praying for your job situation. Boo - have fun with the pics. Do you have your outfits picked out? I can't wait to see the pics! How excited are you for the tt? I'm getting more and more anxious!