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I think it may depend on if you are normally constipated or not (how long it takes to work). Sorry TMI coming... I've always been one to be on the loose side and go 3+ times a day. I am NEVER constipated. If anything, I have the reverse problem of having to go too much. I was scared to death to take the magnesium citrate knowing how my system already is. And, sure enough, it gave me horrible horrible diarrhea starting 15 minutes after taking it and for the rest of the day and night. I was seriously dehydrated by the time I checked into the hospital. My BP was super low and I sucked up an IV bag in record time as soon as they hooked me up. I continued to have diarrhea for the entire next week after surgery. Gosh, I hate that magnesium citrate stuff. Vile vile liquid! Anyway, your plan to call the doctor in the morning if it doesn't work by then is a good one. I can't imagine it not working, though, unless you got a bad batch. Oh, one thing you might try is drinking lots of Water. The way I understand it, magnesium citrate works by sucking water out of your system and forcing it into your bowels. So, if you are dehydrated, maybe you don't have enough water in your system to force into your bowels? Just an idea.

I'll add my two cents for what it's worth. I had to give up coffee prior to surgery because my surgeron said he didn't want it in my system during surgery, and he also didn't want me to suffer from caffeine-withdrawl symptoms (headache, etc) on the day of surgery. I slowly cut back to nothing for my surgery. Then, directly after the surgery I was told to refrain from coffee because it is a stimulant and may irritate the newly-banded stomach. I figured since coffee can sometimes be a bowel stimulant (contractions and all--not to give TMI), that maybe it had a similar effect on other parts of the digestive system (?). I slowly added coffee after about a month after surgery and and am now (10 months later) back to my full cup of coffee with a bit of skim milk. My nutritionist said that she didn't have a problem with coffee--as long as it didn't replace my water intake. Everyone says that coffee is dehydrating, but I remember reading a study that said while that may be true in people who drink coffee now-and-then, that it isn't true in people who drink coffee daily.

Hi everyone! I'm home. Had my surgery this morning with Dr. Trace Curry. I had a hernia that they had to repair, so I got a little more stomach gas they said. I have to say, that is the worst part of the whole thing so far. My port incision is a bit sore but not unbearable. I hate to be TMI, but I have never prayed so hard to fart in my entire life! :tt1: I have a heating pad and a thermacare on my shoulder trying to break it up and keep getting up and walking around. The walking isn't bad, either. Just that darn gas!

Ok so today I think I had my first stuck epidose. I actually thought I had already had two, but they were nothing like today. I just want to explain what happened so you all can tell me if this is all normal. At lunchtime I was out and about and feeling hungry so I stopped and got something that I knew that I probably shouldn't eat....but you know. Anyway it was a White Castle(little slider burger) After my first bite, I knew it wasn't gonna be good, it started with the hiccips, then I got an EXCRUTIATING PAIN in the sternal area, then I had to pull over and fill the bag with some thick slimey stuff(I know TMI) it wasn't really vomit just mucousy yuck!! Anyway after a little while I felt better. Then tonight for dinner I made a baked potato with a little ff cheese. I had a couple of bites and WHAM it all started again except this time it hurt even worse. The only thing I could think to do was drink Water, WRONG came flying back out. Anyway is it normal for this to happen 2x in one day(is it because it is swollen or something) No one told me about all this stuck/slime stuff before my surgery so am I supposed to go back to liquids for a while or something? Now I just feel yucky/nauseous. The other weird part. I have only had one fill and only have 1.5cc in my band. I am scheduled for another fill on 3/25 but now I am a little scared to get more. I don't want to have this happen all the time. Any input is greatly appreciated!!

Good Morning everyone!! Day one back on track! Had a coffee for breakfst to help clear me out lol tmi! My interview ROCKED!! The guy I would work under was my ex broker at Longs, so he kept telling me man, if you handled Longs you could do this..lol so im excited we will see!! Looking at lunch, maybe some chicken or meatballs, we will see!

Just checking in......I haven't read the posts. I went to the GP today. I am having a ct scan tomorrow on my gut. I think it is just adhesions, but gonna get one just to rule out diverticulitis. Yum! I get to drink two big bottles of orange contrast in the morning. Contrast runs through me big time. Thank goodness this imaging place is five minutes away. Sorry, TMI.

Good Morning Gang.. Thank about the pic - it's from my FL get together a pic Apples took - thought it was good so changed :0)... Yesterday got my Target Shopping done - Marshall's (got a new outfit) came home - watched t.v. napped - bbq ck and salad for dinner - took a sleeping pill around 8 so that I could go to sleep before midnite - hell I still woke up twice.. Didn't drink enough water - so had tmi issues this a.m. then spilled oj on me as I was leaving... Come to work a million email - desk full of file - I HATE MY JOB - F (i wrote the word but deleted it) THEM AND THE HORSE THEY RODE IN ON - HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO HAND 80 MORE FILE - WORK LESS HOURS - F IT - I DON'T CARE - I AM ONLY ONE PERSON NOT 1.5... Ok done venting - Thrusday is my baby's 19th bday - As of yesterday these are the plans - Wed he's going out - Thursday having lunch w/Mom and taking him shopping - Thursday nite - dinner & cake at home - Friday nite we are going out to dinner celebrate bday... Karla - sound like things are moving on - hugs on the truck issues - I hate car issues.. Phyl - Yep extra day light nice - but it's going to take a week for our bodies to adjust - Call the doc when you get home about the back.. Karri - have fun in Philly - you deserve the break.... Candice - tell your Aunt to jump in a lake.. :0) I know you can't but think it :0) Well I really gotta go - too much work - CBL

Pam – In the pre-op classes for the post-op meal plan they taught both measuring by weight and by size (cups) for band patients. My binder has it done both ways for band patients, not sure why but some food is measured by weight and other stuff is measured by size. For Sleeve they make sure it is all measured by size only. I had my first real what you guys call PB’ing today. I was so tired of Purees I decided to have a very small amount of Boston Market Chicken and mashed potatoes. I really had just a small amount, about 1/3 cup of food total. It will take me a week to finish the one plate I bought. Well everything went down ok and I was pleased as I’ve had some thick soups that went down and I felt pressure of such a small stomach. I had about 1/3 cup of white meat chicken, mashed potatoes and corn bread. All of it fit into a 1/3 cup. I chewed it very well. About ten minutes later I was salivating over the sink for ten minutes. I burped a couple times which made me feel better so I went to sit down. Bad move because a few minutes later I ran for the sink and everything I ate came back up. Sorry for the TMI. What was so different was it was such a slow regurgitation. I was a bit scared. I’m only a couple days away from moving to soft foods so I hope this gets better as it was not fun! I guess this is what I get for moving ahead a couple days early. Going to talk to the doc next week about the incident. Sleeve patients are supposed to be able to eventually eat about a cup of food in one sitting. I hope everyone if having a wonderful weekend! Looking forward to hearing about the wedding!

I had surgery Friday and have felt pretty good. In the evening I was starting to get some pain on the insides, in all the places I would expect with the exception of this pain i have on the lower left side of my abdomen, right inside from my hip bone is. I feel asleep for a few hours and work up and the pain in that area has increased. It feels sore and very tender, its like a dull ache which increases at times when I am walking around, or if I sit up. I just cant imagine why the pain here is prominent when it's about 6 inches over and 3 inches down from my belly button incision. It's on the opposite side of where my port is as well - at least from what the doc told me at my consult. Just wondering if this is normal or should concern me at all? I don't have any gas. I do have the left shoulder pain and have burped a few times but haven't felt any bloating or gas "below" sorry for the tmi!

Honestly? I pass it. LOL! I try to muffle it - I have an office with a door, so I'm able to do that here, or else I'll go into the bathroom. I do have some gas x that I will take if the pain gets bad. And I spoke too soon about the BM. Goodness sakes the mother of all hit me not too long ago. I guess it takes a few days for your system to start getting rid of things. Sorry for the TMI! I was relieved and yet like "oh crap" (literally) at the same time. :frown:

Good Morning Gang! Eva, don't tell me it is cold in AZ.....that means it is coming here. BOO! Yep, I have put odd things in the frig too......I mean really odd. TMI I started cutting that Fibro med in half yesterday and I did not have an anxiety attack at 3am. Yep, I think it is the medicine. My pulse had been over 100 when I wake up. So, I am cutting it back......besides the weather is warmer and I am not hurting. I don't want to develop a heart problem from it. Yesterday, I drank two shakes in preparation for the shake diet. Today, I will try for three. Tomorrow is the day I see Dr. Davis. My GS is okay. I haven't gotten sick yet. Stomach virus is the one thing I avoid like the plague. When he left I did a "clorox cleenup". Now, gotta go babysit GD so my daughter can get bloodwork done. My DD's back has started hurting. It is so early in her pregnancy. I just hope there isn't back surgery after this baby. Sounds selfish, but I don't think my back could handle it. Okay, peeps, check back later! HUGS for your journey today!

I had an infected incision from a suture hanging out just a little. The doc took care of it by cutting the suture and squeezing (TMI I know). Anyway, he did say if it had been a port incision he wouldn't have done a fill. I would call the doc asap and maybe he will prescribe an antibiotic. Just want you to be prepared you might not get the fill.

Oh my gosh, so sorry to hear about Debbie losing her job. That is aweful and hard to get another job in your 50's!! GIve her a big hug from me:redface: Congrats on your two-miler... good for you!!! It felt good didn't it. I have been reading about your EARL saga.. too funny... Yours give you grief when you are gone too long and mine says "oh go on holiday with your girlfriends"... we just have NO WAY of winning do we? :smile2: O. k. CUBA travelog: The resort was killer... a 4 1/2 star resort that didn't disapoint. Champaigne for breakfast everyday, I ate LOBSTER twice, had calamari 4x, Scampi 4 x... food was very good. ALthough, I got sick of omelets for breaky and tried to have cereal one day with milk.. YUK, the cereal is not crispy(humididy) and the milk is WHOLE milk, unpasturized.... tasted like pouring CREAM on my cereal... couldn't eat it like that, too many years of SKIM milk... ha,ha,ha... But the COFFEE con Leche was to die for. Cuba has better coffee than anyone, we brought home Kilo's of it... I wrenched my back lifting luggage the first day, so had a sore back for the week. Luckily I had extra strength Tyl in my stuff so took that several times per day. but I found this WONDERFUL muscle relaxant in CUBA.... its called R U M.... lol So Pina Colada's were my fav. RUM for my back and coconut milk for my _____ constipation (TMI sorry) Then had evenings of trying every liquour on the shelf.. they had all international brands of liquour so it was pretty fine! on a Sad note, the whole resort was full of Quebecer's.... all speaking Fronglesse!!!! Did finally run into 3 other English speaking Canadian couples so we hung around with them. We did have Satalite TV in our rooms, so we got CNN and CTV and all the Olympic games, and YES we watched the Canada / US HOCKEY GOLD GAME...whoop-whoop We watched it enmass in the BEER GARDEN tavern , 75 drunken Canucks crammed into this little bar watching the most important game of our decade on a 19" screen ..... ARGH :smile2: It was too crowded for the bartenders to serve drinks, so they just passed TRAYS of beer bottles back to the crowd, then Pina Colada's Tray, then this drink called a MIAMI VICE... oh it was good. There was one CDN guy Rooting for the U.S. team...he had the prime seat at the bar,a foot from the TV screen... so his penance for cheering for the 'other' side was to pass the TRAYS of drinks back to the rest of us... it was really fun and all in good spirits... I am sure you could hear us all screaming all the way back to MIAMI!~!!!! CONGRATS to the U.S.A. for taking the most medals!!! Your champions did an outstanding job. (I did think your figure skater got robbed though, she was awesome and deserved more...) BUt alas, the weather in Cuba was very dissappointing.. cold, cold and more cold... broken up by cloud cover!! I had my bathing suit on 1 day, and got in the water at the pool only once, to wade across to the pool swim up bar.. Just so that I could say "I got wet".... I read two novels cover to cover and got really relaxed. That part was nice and we had WILD SEX.... o.k. so it wasn't Wild, it was old lady, middle aged sex... but we got thru it without our pacemakers cracking up. Missed the doggies so terribly, and missed all you gals too... there was an internet cafe there but it was mucho pesos, so I didn't use it in protest. Brought home lots of Cuban Rum, and over 1/2 my spending$$ money cause there is nothing to shop for there... no stores.. You can buy RUM, CIGARS, and Coffee... Great flights both ways, hot meal and wine included in your flight. and on the way down they served Champagne to start our vacation off on the right foot... Glad to be home and sleeping in our own beds, ya I let the puppies sleep with us too! Went to visit my Mom yst. she's in the hospital with a broken wrist.. Poor dear Lots of reading to catch up on here!!! Love to you all Ladies:tongue:

Hey All- I'm here w/ yet another medicine question for you all. Calling the doctor tomorrow- but I really need to take something. I'm a year post-op & this is the first time I am sick! I appear to have a nasty cold. Stuffy yet running nose & I'm hacking colors of the rainbow out of my lungs...yeah sorry probably TMI. Can we take things like Day-Quil or Nigh-quil? I'm dying here! Worse part- my port area is tender from my coughing so much & so hard, that has me alittle nervous. :smile2: Any input is greatly appreciated!

Good Morning all! Wow, you all have been pretty busy on here since I was last on...I have some major catching up to do! Well, Friday turned out to be a weird day! Late in the afternoon, we were informed that they were letting another 3 people go, and one of them happened to be my mentor when I started there, then my supervisor, then helped me get hired back on after I left for a while. I leared a lot from her, she was a bit anal, some found her hard to deal with, but she really knew her stuff! I'll miss her...I'll have to take her to lunch next week! Then, I was "outed" at work, lol! I wonder if this is what people of different sexual preference feel like, not like you're really ashamed, but you just don't go around telling everyone. I had already told the people in my workgroup, and assumed that they blabbed, but no one else had every come up to me and talked about it. Well, I got caught in the bathroom and one of the girls from another group came up and said, "So, what you doing to get so skinny?" I said "Am I getting skinny?" She said, "Girl, yes, I just looking and looking, and was like, either you was getting smaller or my eyes were getting bigger!" So I told her I had lapband, and re-inforced that it's not like you get it and just melt away, I still have to count calories and exercise as with any diet. And she said "Really, I though with that you got it and didn't have to do anything, like it was just easy to do!". So, I told her no, it's hard and it's an adjustment. So, I'm officially "out of the closet" so to speak, because I KNOW she is a gossiper! I actually feel better now, maybe because somebody is actually noticing a difference! Talk about someone noticed, my husband was feeling my rear end, lol, and said, "it's getting smaller!" I died, then said, "well is it too small now?" He winked and said, oh no, it's still nice & round. :-) Well, Saturday was an good day. We went to a movie, dinner, and to a high school jazz festival...it was totally awesome! We went last year and I noticed that the seat was actaully comfortable this time around, didn't feel like I had imprints on my hips from the seat! I only got to log 1lb loss this week, but (TMI alert) I haven't had a BM since like Monday! Hopefully my plumbing will get to working, lol! Well, let me get to reading all the updates and see if my brain is working today! Have a great day...Indiana is sunshiny and expected to get in the low 50s, so it should be nice out. Going to take my boy to see Alice In Wonderland!

Thanks :smile2: it absolutely takes dedication, but I wanna feel good when my clothes are off LOL I know TMI, but I know these next 60 days of Insanity are gonna take me there xo Desi

I drink the Atkins protein shakes in the morning. It's just such an easy breakfast before school and work. But recently, after I drink one, I have diarrhea. I mean like cold sweats and everything. I didn't drink one for about 3 days. I tried again this morning. Same thing. What in the world could be causing this?

good morning girls, hell I know it's not morning- but i went to bed twice and was awoken by a little man with an ear ache. Got some motrin and claritin in him. Will hunt down my otoscope from my bag and see if the ear drum is cooking. sooooooooooooo much URI stuff is going around here. He looks so pitiful. He doesnt cry much but something about coming to mama when you don't feel good. Waking up from an ambien induced sleep always makes me HUNGRY. I am not sleep walking or anything of that...LOL. Just feel like eating something, but i won't : ) I am going to give DH the day off. He was so good to me this past month. Sacrificed his whole vacation to help with party stuff. then parents came and we cranked the heat to 80 for them. DH was an angel during all this time. tmi warning: tom did NOT want to leave and i felt miserable. I know that's what the team work is about. My DH ROCKS this world. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I might take Nels to the fair @ psL. ok you asked for fonts that you can see from a satellite, let me know if it needs bigger or brighter. My neuropathways are asleep, I will have to write comments in the morning with a LARGE coffee in my hands> i am useless this tired. love you guys! peasout...Laura

Well I am going to say it...tmi but burping was not the only thing that surprised me AND my husband. I never did that in front of him but just could not help it. He would say Babe..... I said WHAT, can't help it. Dr. Aceves gave me high five in the hospital so must be doing something right. It thankfully has gotten back to normal, 3 months out and I can act like a lady again.:drool5:

I had my period when I was banded on 2/3 and tom stayed on in full force for 31 days. I made a gyno appointment but with the snowstorm in northeast last week, they couldn't get me into the office until today. Period has stopped but he still did an exam - the this is the tmi part - it hurt very badly when he pushed on my stomach to feel my uterus. I've never had any pain with a pelvic exam before so this caught me by surprise. I suspect he pushed down on my port, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience post band?

This morning's weight brought a huge smile to my face! 243.4. I've now lost 50 pounds from my highest weight! 24.4 pounds since the surgery. To celebrate, I'm wearing one of the new dresses I bought last weekend. I had a bit of help from Aunt Flo though. Every once in a while, when my period shows up, I'll have bad BMs. This was one of those months. I needed it though as I hadn't gone in a few days. Despite the pain and cramps, it was good to get all that stuff out. Sorry about the TMI. I started using different vitamins too. No more Flintstones chewables. Now using Centrum multivitamin, Biotin, and B complex. Another funny TMI, is that the B complex pill is bright yellowish orange, and it makes my pee neon yellow!

I had my 3rd post surgical appointment yesterday, one week shy of 4 months banded. I was glad to finally be seeing the doctor because I've had some digestive issues since my last fill -- vomiting, sliming, discomfort...you name it. And then, about a week ago, I felt a lump in my abdomen, just inside my hip bone. It was tender to the touch and seemed to move when I changed position. I thought maybe it was a hernia I'd never noticed because of all the fat on my gut before but definitely wanted to have it checked out. So, I'm sitting in the exam room waiting for the doctor and reading the informative poster about the digestive system which, as we know, ends in the colon and rectum. How delightful to read the symptoms of colo-rectal cancer while I've got a lump I'm worried about. Here's my thought process: "Let's see, hmmm, change in bowel habits - check, pain or tenderness in the abdomen - check, other TMI symptoms - check, check, check.... OMG, I HAVE COLON CANCER! Great! Isn't this just ironic that here I am, finally losing weight so I can live a healthier life and now I'm going to die from colon cancer anyway. I shouldn't have smoked. I shouldn't have drunk too much. I shouldn't have had a high fat diet. I shouldn't have.....oh, here comes the doctor." So, when the doctor asks me how I am, I blurt out, "I have a lump in my abdomen and at first I thought it might be a hernia but after reading THAT, I'm a little worried it's colon cancer." He sort of laughs and says, "If you had colon cancer and could feel a lump through your stomach, you'd be f'n dead already." Well, I do like him for being blunt. So, he feels around and says it's a hematoma and asks if I had an injection recently. I did not and, I can't think of any incident where I got poked or fell on something..... So, chalk it up to all the swimming I did in Mexico - probably a small tear in my muscle. Phew. Thank goodness these hypochondria moments don't last too long. So, now that I know I'm not going to die (from this particular ailment), I mention that I might need a slight unfill because I'm concerned I'm not getting enough food since the last fill on 1/27. I've been trying to do about 1/2 cup of food but find I get very full just at a little over 1/4 cup down and begin to feel uncomfortable, get slimy and..as I mentioned above, vomit. The doctor says I don't need an unfill and that 2 ounces of solid food at a sitting is just about right. So, no fill, no unfill. But, you know, I really miss eating even though I take longer to do it now and can eat almost anything - just not much of it. I miss everything about cleaning my plate, the feel of the food in my mouth, having more than one course.....dessert! Today I went to the cafeteria to get some lunch. I got a small soup (less than half filled) and put 1 hard boiled egg, one slice of cucumber and a few carrot shreds in the smallest salad container they had. When I took it to the cashier, it wouldn't weigh -- it was too light for the scale so she charged me for a cookie (!!!) -- all of $.50. I got a packet of mayo and made myself a little egg salad and had some on a saltine. It tasted good. I could have licked the container but I was too full. I couldn't even eat the 2nd saltine. I signed up for this knowing the band was a tool and that I had to do the heavy lifting. It's working, I'm working. I'm vomiting, it's working. I'm sliming, it's working. I've lost 58 lbs, it's working. It's working, it's working.

I had my 3rd post surgical appointment yesterday, one week shy of 4 months banded. I was glad to finally be seeing the doctor because I've had some digestive issues since my last fill -- vomiting, sliming, discomfort...you name it. And then, about a week ago, I felt a lump in my abdomen, just inside my hip bone. It was tender to the touch and seemed to move when I changed position. I thought maybe it was a hernia I'd never noticed because of all the fat on my gut before but definitely wanted to have it checked out. So, I'm sitting in the exam room waiting for the doctor and reading the informative poster about the digestive system which, as we know, ends in the colon and rectum. How delightful to read the symptoms of colo-rectal cancer while I've got a lump I'm worried about. Here's my thought process: "Let's see, hmmm, change in bowel habits - check, pain or tenderness in the abdomen - check, other TMI symptoms - check, check, check.... OMG, I HAVE COLON CANCER! Great! Isn't this just ironic that here I am, finally losing weight so I can live a healthier life and now I'm going to die from colon cancer anyway. I shouldn't have smoked. I shouldn't have drunk too much. I shouldn't have had a high fat diet. I shouldn't have.....oh, here comes the doctor." So, when the doctor asks me how I am, I blurt out, "I have a lump in my abdomen and at first I thought it might be a hernia but after reading THAT, I'm a little worried it's colon cancer." He sort of laughs and says, "If you had colon cancer and could feel a lump through your stomach, you'd be f'n dead already." Well, I do like him for being blunt. So, he feels around and says it's a hematoma and asks if I had an injection recently. I did not and, I can't think of any incident where I got poked or fell on something..... So, chalk it up to all the swimming I did in Mexico - probably a small tear in my muscle. Phew. Thank goodness these hypochondria moments don't last too long. So, now that I know I'm not going to die (from this particular ailment), I mention that I might need a slight unfill because I'm concerned I'm not getting enough food since the last fill on 1/27. I've been trying to do about 1/2 cup of food but find I get very full just at a little over 1/4 cup down and begin to feel uncomfortable, get slimy and..as I mentioned above, vomit. The doctor says I don't need an unfill and that 2 ounces of solid food at a sitting is just about right. So, no fill, no unfill. But, you know, I really miss eating even though I take longer to do it now and can eat almost anything - just not much of it. I miss everything about cleaning my plate, the feel of the food in my mouth, having more than one course.....dessert! Today I went to the cafeteria to get some lunch. I got a small soup (less than half filled) and put 1 hard boiled egg, one slice of cucumber and a few carrot shreds in the smallest salad container they had. When I took it to the cashier, it wouldn't weigh -- it was too light for the scale so she charged me for a cookie (!!!) -- all of $.50. I got a packet of mayo and made myself a little egg salad and had some on a saltine. It tasted good. I could have licked the container but I was too full. I couldn't even eat the 2nd saltine. I signed up for this knowing the band was a tool and that I had to do the heavy lifting. It's working, I'm working. I'm vomiting, it's working. I'm sliming, it's working. I've lost 58 lbs, it's working. It's working, it's working.

Good Morning! Looks like another beautiful day in the desert! Just PB'd on my coffee... right in to my lap! What fun----coffee slime! Sorry.... TMI!! Prompted by a coughing fit.... cough still holding on even though other symptoms are gone. Not bad, but always troublesome in the morning. Good thing I had a box of kleenex within reach! Earl spoke this morning... as he went out the door.... are you ready for this.... "SEE YOU AT THE POOL"!! WOW!! There was a hidden message in it, I'm sure... because I was 5 minutes late yesterday and he HATES when that happens!! LOL! Let's see... do I remind him that it's beading day or just not show up back at the RV until 2 or 3 pm after the pool!?? Decisions, decisions!! HAHAHA! I'm SO bad!

Let me rephrase, I have more trouble with deli meats than anything else...I'm a cooking kinda girl so never actually buy anything at the deli but meat...and right now it's evil stuff. Jell-o is your friend! That was my motto the first 2 weeks post-op. (That and "wow, I seriously took pooping for granted before that" but that might be TMI):w00t: