Lap_dancer

Bella I think for me after the surgery, going from such a huge restriction to starting to be able to eat again, was the biggest intake status change for me. I had my fill six weeks after my surgery. Can't remember the numbers, I don't really keep track of them as I'm more of a 'how does it feel' kinda gal. Tuning into your hunger, which is a challenge because our hunger button tends to be broke in the first place, is something I still work on. To feel FULL is different as I never really felt FULL FULL before I had the band. Denver-enjoy the journey. Take lots of pictures NOW. You won't be sorry. Sidann I feel the same way. Dynamo Mini where are you?????? :cool2: Take a pause from love and check in or I'm calling you on the phone!:thumbup: Anita and Mal - We have to have a reunion when I get to Denver next time. Let's make it happen. Think I will be there in late fall. My fill is spot on track and I'm riding the down train. Purplelady... is our Marilyn in the office seeing a younger man or something? she is looking like a hottie these days? I looked at the awesome slideshow of the picnic and she looks fantastic!. New haircut, looking thinner too. The picnic looked like a blast. Great location. I'll be there next year with grandson in tow. The picnic looked amazing. I know where that spot is as we passed it two visits ago and I took photos of it. I love Colorado and the beauty of that state. I remain awestruck at that place, the people, my medical team and the results of all of our efforts. News on the weighloss front here for me: Still going down and for the challenge my start is 293. My goal for this challenge is to see my back problem to a conclusion beginning Monday so that I CAN exercise without extreme pain and three days of bedrest. Did I say 23 pound? That would put me at 270.:thumbup: All for now friends. Keep it going!

Tofu coconut milk soup sounds mighty good!

HELLO>>> Greetings friends: I have been hybernating since I got back from Texas. Wow. Non weight item to share...flying is much easier. I find there is less of me to move about. Still need the extender on the seat but definately staying within my own sides of the arm rests. Felt great. No NAME SHOUT OUTS... Congrats on the new job, that always feels awesome to achieve something you set your sites on; thanks for keeping our data running on our challenges, I do find them beneficial, short haircuts are only a few weeks problem, stressers come in all forms even hairy ones food will most likely always be the first thing I will want to reach for during stress and I am mindful of that Nag Champa incense and a candle knock out my smell factory so that the focus stays off food. I keep my card of the ZONES to monitor when I really need a fill and when I think I need a fill. Thinking I need a fill when I really don't keeps me mindful that I still need to press myself to break old habits. For some reason doing liquids for a few meals makes that band feel super tight. Especially in the morning. ................................................ I don't encourage anyone to take other people's medicine but in my case, my back was screaming while in Texas. It was the mattress I slept on to be sure and that I didn't recline and stretch out my back like I do at home. Daughter gave me some of her Tylenol III's with codiene and it barely knocked the edge off the pain. Red flags. So home and booked an appt. with my doctor for Monday. Will check this out. School starts for me Monday..back to work. Hi Ho. Daughter is coming to Florida with new baby in three weeks. I miss my boy so much. All for now friends. Keep it going.

Count me in on that Labor Day motivator. It works for me! I'd like to see 275 by then. I'm 298 going for 275.

SOON!!! No doubt in my mind.

Dee, 16 lbs off since I last weighed in before leaving for Texas.

HELLO TWOS!!!!!!!!!Greetings All. I weighed this morning having arrived back from Texas. I am now in TWOTERVILLE!!!!!!!

You all thanks so much for sweet thoughts about Christopher. My daughter now GETS IT. That special bond between a son and his mother.She and I will fight the girls off him, no heartbreakers! ((smiles))This:Originally Posted by PrtyAntOvrYt Brandy, I posted it, but I hated doing so!My UGBF (upgraded boyfriend) - told me that he's fallen in love with me. He says he loves everything about me. In October, we are going to spend some time together. I'm looking forward to it. He says, I won't know how much he loves me until we are together in person.Sigh -- heavy sigh~...................We're dropping like flies in love here. Crazy crazy. Well congrats on the upgrade.I love reading all these life moments that are happening.

Thanks all. FOR A BOY..he is more than we could ever have dreamed of. Such a good natured baby.Restriction is still right on the money. Scale time come Saturday morning. Here we go!!!

He's such a darling!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christopher James Potter

*** and Hubby bought a recumbent bike while I was gone. YAY!!

Hello Friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GRANDMA PURPLE HERE! (friend suggested this name because I am such a hippie at heart and love the color purple)I am still in Texas. No scale. Grandbaby is amazing.I will be back in Florida by the end of the week. I will miss this baby so muchbut I am missing hubby so very much. Hubby said 3 weeks is too long.

Slideshow of the whole shabang: Cherry Blossom Tattoo: To each artist his own, as for me, my artist eye tells me that I would add more florals and bring some larger florals forward for softness. I love the birds! Have the artist blend the reds and a pink to go halfway on the color scale. I would ink that shade on the edges and then go light pink down the petal centers. Odd numbers in cluster like 3 and 5

Great video set to a cosmic movie: The Beatles Across The Universe:You can listen to it in a seperate window while reading this very long post!!![ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuSCwTdxOo&feature=relatedHey]YouTube - Across The Universe Movie Video Beatles[/ame] Everyone! I'm a grandma now!! *Please bump this thread someone as I don't want it to get buried in pages before our group has a chance to read it*This is a summary of what I just sent out to some other friends. YES YES YES... Clara Jean, my precious GRANDDAUGHTER ended up being a GRANDSON!July 23, 2008-9:54 AM, El Paso , TexasCrystal had her baby this morning and here is the tale that goes with it.Monday at her doctor's visit, Crystal's baby "the little GIRL Clara Jean" (more on that later) was not progressing and it was decided that Tuesday they would enduce labor. Crystal and Shawn went off post (in Army language that means not on the Army base) to Las Palmas Medical Center.Remember Crystal had an ultrasound where this much experienced technician called it as a GIRL and even showed them where the GIRL parts were. ( remember that)At 11 AM Tuesday, Crystal began labor and it wasn't pretty. *I think Beelzabub himself walked into the room and said, "this is out of my league" and left the building. This continued up to midnight. She was given an epidural to relieve the pain. The rest of the night, we watched Hurricane Dolly (my nickname for Crystal is Dolly) whirling out in the Gulf on the news. Just before dawn the doctor came in and discussion was made about modifying things to "get her going".Nurses were concerned with the baby's positionthis would later turn out to be that the baby's cord was wrapped such that with contractions the heartrate was dropping.At dawn, Shawn and I were Jonesing for breakfast. Crystal's nurse warned us about an item in the cafeteria called Mexican "Manudo"... (something that sounded as appealing as chicken beaks with rooster combs) we opted for McDonalds. Shawn left.>>mistake Shortly thereafter, a team of nurses came in and began working on Crystal. A technician stood by and began setting up delivery items. Crystal was apparently AT delivery. I called Shawn... "Get here now" "Are you serious?" "Totally, get here now" "I'm on my way." He was on the other side of the city and promptly turned his truck around and began hauling back to Las Palmas. The nurses kept asking where the father was. It turned out that Crystal would require a c-section, the baby's heart rate was not condusive to normal delivery. From the time they entered until they prepped, and wheeled Crystal out was under 20 minutes. I call Shawn a second time. "GET HERE NOW" he was five minutes away and would later wheel his 4x4 Dodge into the most remost location of the parking lot and sprint the distance to the surgical room. I waited by the surgery entrance with Shawn's surgical scrubs in my hands. He finally appeared, white faced, eyes the size of a Woody Barn Owl and winded. (hey, he runs five miles a day every morning). He flies into his scrubs right then and there and starts running down the wrong way of the hall. I yell, "NOT THAT WAY" he turns around (see photo) and sprints past the nurse, a couple and the nurses station. Less than ten minutes later, infact he walked in and they said "Dad over here" and the baby was born. They said, "It's a BOY" a what? BOY! "Are you sure?" That looks like a BOY TO ME. The ultrasound tech, and subsequent other three ultrasound technicians who had done ultrasounds on Crystal were wrong. Clara Jean was infact, Christopher James Potter! We are still pinching ourselves. Christopher James Potter named after both his grandfathers, weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. All are doing fine. Finally, if you feel so inclined, I'm starting SEND THEM A ONESIE compaign. Expecting a girl, all things in the bedroom are pink and pink or pink and some other color. And though it might be amusing to see Christopher in pink or a cherry onesie in an ED WOOD kind of way* thanks to friend Liz for the Ed Wood analogy, Crystal and Shawn only have three things that are yellow or green which a boy could pass in. If you would like to mail a male onesie or item their address is: Christopher Potter 3269-A Story Street El Paso, Texas 79904

Hi Steve: congratulations on your upcoming surgery. You've been through so much and I admire your strength. It will serve you well.My doctor speaks of many TOOLS to get us to goal. I have a food addiction and Overeaters anonymous has helped so much. I also am in counseling. You know it all weaves together.LUCK and a great journey.

Congrats Gbear and Sunshine! Welcome to the Band.Here is an awesome picture from today. Enjoy this first journey.

IF YOU BARF ON PLANES.LAPDANCERS REMEDY FOR NO BARF FLIGHTS:Prior to your flight, up t0 12 hours, do not eat anything. You can drink protein water, clear fluids. Broth..things like that. Before the actual flight, do not eat anything. The drugs that I personally have had success with is:Klonipan ( a panic drug that quells the amount of adreneline) talk to your doctor about this as I am no M.D. but I do know my body and I get really amped up for flying. Klonipan is a drug I take for panic disorder but modifying my dose to an extra does pre-flight keeps the nausea and nervous stomach at bay.Extra Strength Tylenol. I take this because all my muscles key up and hurt. This helps me relax and the soreness of sitting for many hours is eased to a bit of a painfree experience.If you must: Drink a glass of wine. For me that means sleepy time.Bring a portable DVD player and headphones and watch your favorite movie to kill 2 hours of the flight. Or bring music. I burn a limewire CD or MP3 from Limewire or as a treat I will buy an album off the internet from the musicians.In your pockets pack: Halls mentholyptus cough. The menthol helps open up the lungs and sinus as the stuffiness can make me feel queezy.If you are still ill, go for gingerale. Ginger is a natural healing agent on the stomach. So is black licorice. You can also put some tea in a ziplock bag like peppermint and just ask for hot water from the flight attendants. That will ease the tummy. Avoid coffee. The acid is not so good.Try not to eat. Enjoy the clouds. You can play games like "What do the cloud formations look like". Have favorite activities slotted for internvals of time: 15 minutes of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers* I personally que my CD to some really smokin' song for take-off"Panic in Detroit" by David Bowie"Space Oddity" by BowieThe entire album of Led Zeppelin IVor for the Blues lover Billie Holiday, Nina Simone* You Give Me Fever makes for a snappy take-off.It's a journey friends. The Wright Bros. spent years yearning to fly above like the birds. We sometimes take all that for granted. Happy flying!!!!

Hi BellaHere is what to do. Call the airline that you flew in on and tell them this:YOU: Yes I am scheduled to fly out on (date) on flight (number). My name is (name).Them: Okay let me pull that up for you. Okay how can I we help you?YOU: I am a gastric surgical patient and when I booked the flight I was certain I would have no problems. I can see now that I will need some assistance post surgery on my way home. I am MOBILE BUT WILL NEED WHEELCHAIR ASSISTANCE. I was also hoping for BULKHEAD SEATING so I can reduce the strain on my surgical site by extending my legs. * If that is not possible may I have a seat in the very back of the plane near the restroom?THEM: Let’s see what we can do.** You can actually pull-up a diagram of your plane and the seat numbers online if you want to pick a seat. The airline reserves the right to switch people around in their seat so you have the opportunity to have priority seating**Them: Okay we’ve arranged to have chair assistance to greet you at the gate…. Thank you for choosing...……………………………….YOU at Denver airport upon being pulled up to the curb. To the skycap “I need a wheelchair”. They will get one. You wait; the skycap takes your luggage and wheels you up for check-in. They wheel you to airside and to the gate. (Patty says tip the person $5 and thank them profusely because this is what they do all day, schlep poor souls like me around airports).You should 1);Be first in line onboard for pre-flight boarding. They will want to know if you can walk to your seat. If you can’t, they have a little scooter but since no one is on the plane, you can take your time walking up the aisle and grabbing the seats for steady as she goes. 2)As the flight attendant for your seat extender so you can belt in while no one is on either side of you. I recommend a window seat as that is one less person on one side of you to bump into. You can also bring your camera to take pictures out the window or you can sleep leaning against the window. You also have control over letting in the light or sliding it down for quiet.Transfer to other flight: You wait until everyone de-boards and make your way up. The wheelchair will be right there. The manifest will have your name and you listed as needing assistance. They will wheel you up and then put you on a golf cart type vehicle and whip you to the other side of the airport where you would have been trying to hoof it by yourself. A wheelchair will be there for you. Be sure and tell the ticket agent you need the wheelchair you are (name).*Be really nice. Unlike the demanding cads who have no reason to complain, we have a real reason to be cautious and airlines have services like this for people like us. **Repeat to the flight attendant that you are mobile and can walk to your seat but need the extender. I have found when you tell the flight attendants you have had Lap Band surgery they are curious, polite, sensitive and encouraging.Hope this helps everyone. I have this down to a drill.

Because food is like a drug to me and has been for so many years, when I was not able to eat all that crap for the food buzz, the emotions in me went nuts. Doctor put me on Effexir. My moods stablized in about two weeks.

Sidann - Thanks. I'm plowing down the scale and will probably crank it up a notch with more liquid protein and less calories to get there quicker. Kids wanted to go for a walk but the pain it causes after five minutes is just scarey. I fear I will get stuck and they will have to go get a vehicle to pick me up..................................................Today's art work. Mural on the belly:Starry Starry NAVEL