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I'll be the odd one out - I smoke weed on the regular. I also live in Washington state where it's legal and I'm a medical marijuana patient. My doc says I'm to treat it like drinking alcohol. Rare. Avoid if possible.

2 more days until my surgery. Up until this very moment I thought I was prepared but now I'm not so sure. Feeling anxious. Had my pre op appt. on friday. I've lost a total of 47.5 lbs prior to my surgery (I started the pre op diet on January 1st so that my new eating habits would be just that...A habit). Haven't eaten any sugar, bad carbs, fast food, caffeine or alcohol since then. My doc said no liquid diet is necessary and the nurse asked me if I'd talk at one of their seminars. They were both shocked (and happy) with the amount of pre op weight I've lost. I guess I just feel kind of alone in this...I've worn this body Armore for so long, not sure what to expect when it's gone. Tell me my concerns are normal? I'm really freaking out right now...

I hadn't even noticed that we were banded about the same time. That's pretty cool! I thought I was pretty much a loner. I haven't attempted alcohol yet. I'm afraid I'd end up hurling! Plus my better half had to quit drinking for his job about 10 years ago (he's on call 24-7-365). Have fun!

LOL, yes, I have no real issues with alcohol . I had my first (partial) drink at around 1-2 months. After that, only on special occasions during weight loss phase. Once I got into maintenance, I drink more often (mostly when I'm out or have company over, which is probably once or twice every couple weeks...oh and of course when on vacation!) I don't drink as much as pre-op as I get drunk much faster on much less (but on the flip side, I also sober up much faster). Now, my team also told me to try to stay away from alcohol in general, but the nutritionist only shook her head when I told her what and how much I was drinking, and my surgeon wasn't/isn't concerned at all. Check with your team, and let them know what you are doing whatever you decide... P.S. I also mostly drink dry wines and spirits/distilled alcohol (lower carb content), and I very rarely use full-sugar mixers in anything.

Today, Tues, Nov. 12 Maintenance : 5'2" / 1yr PO Sleeve / 114.5 lbs ...had some friends drop by tonite bearing bottles of wine and snacks...I consider it a win I limited my wine intake to only 2 glasses. BTW, my self-imposed alcohol ban has been permanently lifted. My PPI-wean-off expirament seems to have proven that alcohol doesn't bother me as much as spicy foods, citrus, and laying down too soon after eating does. 10:00am - coffee w/ stevia + 2 earl grey teas w/ stevia 12:30pm - * ate about 2/3 of this * Salad greens + vinaigrette + 1/2 an avocado + 2.3 oz Air-fried Porchetta leftovers sans skin + Curried Chicken salad (2.8 oz grilled chicken + 0.8 oz gala apple + red onion + 1 tbsp homemade mayo + 1/2 tsp curry powder) 3:30pm - * ate the rest of the 12:30pm meal * + 1/2 cup full fat cottage cheese + 1.5 oz blueberries 6:30pm - Salad greens + vinaigrette + 1/2 avocado + 1 oz gala apple + red onion + 3 oz grilled chicken + 1 oz chicharron 10:30pm - 3 oz various cheeses + 3 oz various cured meats + 8 red grapes + 2 glasses of red wine Totals: 1882 cals - 125g Protein - 39g NET carbs - 113g fat

Unfortunate but she will probably find a doc to band you if you do not tell the truth about your alcohol consumption. If you're consuming that much and you own a bar you really should find a new profession....

I am staying off my scale until next Monday--scary thought!!! I'm going to be out of town without scale access... I'm sort of freaked out by the thought of not jumping on there in the mornings and I don't know why. On the up side, I'm heading to a professional conference where I'll be seeing old friends for the first time since surgery. Looking forward to it!!! LOL What a change from previous conferences, where I kind of dreaded seeing everyone and actually looked for reasons not to go or to leave early. I think the additional salads/fruits/veggies are paying off. I feel good, and I seem to have dropped a pound over the last few days, although whether that's a "real" weight loss or just Fluid moving out (I do dehydrate really easily) remains to be seen. I'm about to get in lots of walking and more alcohol than usual (conference!), so I don't know what that combination is going to do. Planning to be careful but also to enjoy myself. Hope y'all have a good rest of the week!

There's no C02 in guiness... they use nitrogen to charge and express it. I've been curious if the lower carbonation will make it easier to drink? I know I didn't burp drinking it before I got banded.... but I haven't had any alcohol in a couple of months, so I don't know that I'm even that worried about it.

When you go, absolutely try to get the best bargain you can for goods while in port. These people EXPECT you to, so absolutely do it! One of our tour guides told us once to find out how much they want for an item, and offer HALF of that, and go from there. Different cruise lines handle tipping differently, go to your cruise line's website and read up on what they recommend doing. I do agree, though, tip your room steward on the first day, and you'll feel like absolute royalty the rest of the cruise! (not that you wouldn't otherwise, but it does make a difference) Oh, while you're in port, it's customary to tip anyone who does anything for you. Take plenty of singles with you, many times they won't offer change. This is a lesson learned the hard way by lots of people. If your cruise isn't all-inclusive, you'll need to be aware that your soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages are not included in the price of your cruise, in most cases. Your meals will be included, regardless. You'll sign for any beverages as you cruise with a "sail and sign" card (or equivalent) and pay your bill at the end of the cruise. You can pay however you'd like to for that. Take Bonine or Dramamine Non-Drowsy with you just in case. You don't want to be surprised by a bout of motion sickness. Bonine comes in chewable raspberry, which I think is preferable to Dramamine, and it's also non-drowsy. I'm a Referral Travel Agent, if you haven't guessed that, and if you have any other questions, I'd be glad to try to answer them for you! Above all, though HAVE A GREAT TIME!

Ive got DVD's, and almost everything else here. But still bored to death. Most of our outings here are eating out. It is all you have to do in this country. I didnt care if someone ripped me for asking about alcohol. If we were all angels we wouldnt have had to have the lap band. And I sure dont need a sermon at age 53, nor will I listen to one. So I appreciate the advice I recieved. Thanks

Alright I cheated a little yesterday (day 2). Did good the whole day but took my son out for graduation and got a salad of which I could only eat a few forkfuls anyways along with an alcoholic beverage and 2 spoonfuls of dessert. Back on track today. doing good so far and already I am seeing a difference in the amount I can eat. This is not easy so kudos to all of you who successfully and faithfully stick to the test.

Yesterday was awful. Emotions all over, nerves and stress levels on high. Today is much, much better (just ask my man!). Pre-op tomorrow and surgery on the 25th! I feel pretty crappy right now thanks to a farewell to food (and alcohol) festival this evening. Passed the psych eval today...I felt confident and "normal," lol, but that's my "I don't know you so I am just going to show you my well-educated side." Lol. Hope you're all well! Thanks for sharing your stories. The camaraderie of this thread amazes me. I love it.

I'm 4 years banded and only very few people know. When I had it done I told the nozzy people at work that I had a hernia and that was it. People would ask me if I had the band and I would tell them that our insurance did not cover. They agreed. ( maybe because they also tried) LOL!! Even my sisters and brother don't even know. This is a tool to help me lose weight so they don't need to be up in my business. But it is hard going out to work related events. I was known as being able to pound the booze without a problem. Now I take it easy as the band has also affected how much alcohol I can handle. Stick with one story and you should be good.

ROFLMAO about the train, the shoes, or being nekkidy! LOL! So, don't spaz over the psych eval. It was sooooo easy peasy...mainly just a test with 400 questions. Then you sit and chat for about 30-45 minutes. He'll talk about why you want the surgery, how you think it will help. He's trying to see if you're a psychopath, have hidden personality disorders, if you are withit and right with the world...lol. If you have depression, eating disorders, alcohol or drug probs, that sort of thing, I think it would be trickier and worth a little anxiety. But otherwise, you'll do great! ((hugs)) and so excited for you!

I have to be honest- I haven't been as consistent taking my vitamins for the past year or so. This past year I really gave up as far as weight loss and trying to be healthy because I really felt like I was out of options and why bother when nothing was working anyway?… until I started researching the sleeve in February 2013. I truly believe that getting the sleeve will help me immensely. I also think that I need to start taking vitamins again just to get used to taking them since my surgery is in February 2014. I've stopped little things such as drinking soda and alcohol so my next step to prepare myself I decided I would drink a shake for breakfast every morning and start taking my vitamins… I have to purchase both of those and start that this week. Sorry that was the long way around to your question of what vitamin I am taking LOL. And the answer would be… None.

BoycottLiberalism.comgovernment waste When I created this page someone asked, "Why don't you list the money spent on the war with Iraq?" Please be advised that the primary responsibility of government is to protect its citizens. Government should do those things that we cannot as individuals do for ourselves. I could not personally take down the Taliban government or Saddam Hussein, but the U.S. Government can. This is not to say that the U.S. military should not be efficient in its spending. However, below are examples of your tax dollars wasted. The next time a government official wants to raise your taxes- think of the below list. Our cumulative running total of government waste is: $1,230,956,867,592.00 Liberalism Defined Exposing Liberalism to Light The Stimulus Plan The National Institutes of Health spending more than $400,000 in taxpayer money by paying researchers to cruise six bars in Buenos Aires to find out why gay men engage in risky sexual behavior while drunk -- and just what can be done about it. The U.S. government is spending $2.6 million to make sure prostitutes in China consume less alcohol while working. As part of the five-year study that the National Institutes of Health bankrolled, researchers are visiting more than 100 houses of prostitution to monitor their employees, designated as FSWs, or female sex workers. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a study on the use of ecstasy, LSD and other “party drugs” in Porto Alegre, Brazil. To do this, U.S. taxpayers will invest $117,876 for the three-year study, conducted by researchers from the University of Delaware, who will work in collaboration with researchers from Brazil's Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Federal employees wasted at least $146 million over a one-year period in business- or first-class airline tickets bought in violation of travel policies, congressional investigators say. It looks like Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is going to get his wish – $2 million in taxpayer funding for a library commemorating his 37 years in the House of Representatives. The Charles B. Rangel Center for Public service will serve as a repository for his "papers," and the congressman will have his own office in the Harlem complex. The earned income tax credit (EITC) provides $31 billion in refundable tax credits to 19 million low-income families. The IRS estimates that $8.5 billion to $9.9 billion of this amount—nearly one-third—is wasted in overpayments. A recent audit revealed that between 1997 and 2003, the Defense Department purchased and then left unused approximately 270,000 commercial airline tickets at a total cost of $100 million. Since World War II, the U.S. has spent $1.2 trillion on foreign aid to 70 countries – and all are worse off than they were in 1980, according to the U.N. For the Department of Commerce for giving the City and County of Honolulu $28,600 in 1981 to study how they could spend another $250,000 for a good surfing beach. For the Health Care Financing Administration for Medicaid payments to psychiatrists for unscheduled, coincidental meetings with patients who were attending basketball games, sitting on stoops, etc. -- the cost of which was between $40 and $80 million from 1981 to 1984. The National Endowment for the Humanities for a $25,000 grant in 1977 to study why people cheat, lie and act rudely on local Virginia tennis courts. The Office of Education for spending $219,592 in 1978 to develop a curriculum to teach college students how to watch television. The Environmental Protection Agency for spending an extra $1 million to $1.2 million in 1980 to preserve a Trenton, NJ sewer as a historical monument. In 2005 - $469,000 for the National Wildlife Turkey Federation in South Carolina In 2005 - $100,000 for the Punxsatawny Weather Discovery Center Museum In 2005 - $350,000 for the Inner Harmony Foundation and Wellness Center in Scranton, Penn. In 2005 - $1,430,000 for various Halls of Fame, including $250,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn., and $70,000 for the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame in Appleton, Wis.; Medicare, the U.S. health-insurance program for the elderly and disabled, erroneously paid out $19.9 billion during fiscal 2004, up from $19.6 billion a year earlier, because of mistakes, waste and fraud, a government report said. In most cases, hospitals and doctors billed for medically unnecessary services or didn't provide proper documentation to support the fees for services. The GAO estimated that between 1997 and 2003, the Defense Department spent an estimated $100 million for airline tickets that were not used over a six-year period and failed to seek refunds even though the tickets were reimbursable. While Andrew Cuomo was HUD Secretary under Bill Clinton, the agency set up a "Creative Wellness" program that spent $1,100,000 million taxpayer dollars on “gem” bags and taught public tenants to burn incense. The study, titled "Status/Dominance and Motivational Effects on Nonverbal Sensitivity and Smiling," attempts to find out if it's really true that women smile more than men, and if people of higher status smile less. Judith Hall, a highly respected researcher at Northeastern University in Boston, is conducting the smile study — and it is not her first. Since 1993, she has been awarded more than $500,000. A National Science Foundation study looking at whether White House reporters have become more adversarial sounds a bit strange to reporters and critics. Even more surprising: the study cost taxpayers $180,000. In 2001 more than $600,000 in tax money was spent on researching the sex lives of South African ground squirrels. The head of the IRS sent out a notice to every person advising them that they would be receiving a tax refund in 2001 - the estimated cost $30,000,000. In 1998 more than $800,000 was approved for a coal library in Pennsylvania. Defenders staed that it would provide historical insight into a very important part of Pennsylvania and history. In 2001 the U.S.. Government gave $5,000,000 to the University of Alaska, North Pacific University, and the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation to fund the "stellar sea lion recovery plan." In the year 2001, Congress appropriated $340,000,000 in federal tax dollars to PBS (Public Broadcasting Services). In 1999 the U.S. government spent $500,000 for a Mississippi research project on "manure handling and disposal". In 1999 the U.S. government spent $1,500,000 million to promote silk production in Laos In 1999 the U.S. government spent $1 ,000,000 for the "eradication of Brown Tree Snakes" (Hawaii). In 1999 the U.S. government spent $1,000,000 to "develop and train Alaska natives for employment in the petroleum industry." In 1999 the U.S. government spent $500,000 for water taxis in Savannah (Georgia) In 1999 the U.S. government spent $200,000 for a transit center for the Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball team. In 1999 $1,200,000 million to subsidize a park on the Galapagos Islands. In 2000 the U.S. government spent $100,000 to study the causes of sediment buildup at a Santa Cruz, New Mexico dam. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $50,000 for a tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo, California. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $400,000 for the Montana Sheep Institute to improve the profitability of the state's sheep industry. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $273,000 for the Blue Springs (Missouri) Youth Orchestra Outreach Unit for educational training to combat Goth culture In 2003 the U.S. government spent $1,000,000 appropriation for the Center for Public Service and the Common Good (a think tank) at the University of San Francisco. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $400,000 for manure management research at the National Swine Research Center. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $1,100,000 for the MountainMade Foundation in Thomas, West Virginia for business development and the education of artists and craftspeople. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $4,000,000 to implement the forest and fish report of the Washington State. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $500,000 for exhibits on the Sullivan brothers at the Grout Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $61,000 for the State Historical Society to archive the history of Iowa workers. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $1,200,000 for the Ohio Arts Council to expand international programs. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $2,900,000 for the Mountaineer Doctor Television program at West Virginia University; In 2002 the U.S. government spent $2,000,000 for an educational mall at the Raleigh County Commission in Beckley. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $2,000,000 for West Virginia University to establish a Center on Obesity. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $260,000 for asparagus technology in the stae of Washington. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $1,200,000 for music education at the GRAMMY Foundation In 2000 the U.S. government spent $50,000 for the development of a Welcome Center Facility City for Enumclaw, Washington. In 1997 - $4,000,000 for the Gambling Impact Study Commission. In 1997 - $330,000 for Stellar Sea Lion research of the North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Consortium. In 1997 - $785,000 for bluefish/striped bass research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 1997 - $2,700,000 added by the Senate for the Animal Resource Wing at South Dakota State University In 1997 - $4,000,000 added in conference for the Discovery Center of Science and Technology. In 1997 - $19,600,000 added by the House for the International Fund for Ireland, a program that tries to aid the peace process in Ireland by paying for golf videos, pony trekking centers, and sweater exports. In 1997 - $16,369,000 added by the Senate for public library construction. In 1997 - $9,469,000 added in conference for Migrant Education programs including: $7,441,000 for the High School Equivalency Program; and $2,028,000 for the College Assistance Migrant Program In 1997 - $3,100,000 added by the Senate for the National Writing Project. In 1997 - $8,200,000 for a new classroom building at the Rowley Secret Service Training Center in Beltsville, Maryland, which is the district of House Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations subcommittee member Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and the state of Senate appropriator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.). In 1998 - $220,000 added by the Senate for lowbush blueberry research in Maine. In 1994 - $221,000 for lowbush blueberry research at the University of Maine in the state of Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME). In 1998 - $150,000 added by the House for the National Center for Peanut Competitiveness. In 1998 - $127,000 added by the Senate for global marketing support services in the state of Senate appropriator Dale Bumpers (D-Ark.). According to testimony, the goal of this research is to identify “potential foreign markets for Arkansas products….” In 1998 - $32,000 added by the Senate for the Center for Rural Studies in the state of Senate appropriator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). A portion of this grant money is used for analytical reports to guide the development of Vermont retail shopping areas In 1998 - $500,000 added by the House in the district of House appropriator Richard Durbin (D-IL) for the construction at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Illinois, of Chalres Corneau’s house, a neighbor and friend of Abraham Lincoln. In 1998 - $10,912,000 added by the Senate for foreign language assistance. In 1994 - $200,000 for locoweed research at New Mexico State University in the state of House appropriator Joe Skeen (R-NM). Since 1992, $716,000 has been appropriated, and there is no expected completion date for this research. In 1994 - $1,000,000 added in the Senate for the Multispecies Aquaculture Center in the state of Senate appropriator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) In 1994 - $19,600,000 added in the House for the International Fund for Ireland. The conference report “restores language stricken by the Senate and appropriates up to $19,600,000 for the International Fund for Ireland.” In the past, this program has used American taxpayer dollars for a golf video and pony trekking centers. In 1993 - $19,704,000 for the International Fund for Ireland requested, according to committee sources, by House Speaker Thomas Foley (D-WA). In 1993 - $9,170,000 added in conference for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission in the district of House appropriator John Murtha (D-PA) In 1992 - $2,000,000 added in conference by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) for a New York Bight Center for undersea research. <FONT size=3>

A small amount of wine goes wayyyyy further than it did before surgery. I'm being truthful here and having a hard time with stopping when I know I should. I really don't want this to get out of hand. Advice appreciated but please don't give it if you choose to judge me. Thank you.

Mel3620, You should be proud its a tough thing that you did. As a good friend of mine pointed out on the subject of addictions, and i paraphrase " you DON'T need Alcohol, tabacco,or illegal drugs to sustain your body, but food is the toughest addiction to break since you MUST eat" Im proud of your victory since i LOVE pizza but alas it is something i can no longer have. its one of my trigger foods. i would rather fit into the next size down the have a slice. Thanks gor the post...YOUR A SUPERSTAR!!! have a great weekend RJ

You would maybe be okay for the drive. However, the dietary restrictions may be hard to follow. You'll be on full liquid, no alcohol, tired. I would seriously think it through.

I'm going in on a Friday and hoping to be back by Monday (Tuesday at the latest). My twin sister had lapband surgery last year and took a whole six weeks off. She has an excellent employer!! I do know that she was not allowed to drink alcohol for 1 year. It's something to do with corrosion of the band. You may want to research that before you partake! A year out she enjoys a drink now and then.

The thing with alcohol is that it can hide huge amounts of calories and unless you know exactly how many calories sit on your mojito, chances are that you're consuming more than you think, plus it sucks to workout the next day. I'm not saying not to go out and have fun but be aware that you're gonna have to workout or eat extra clean the rest of the week in order to compensate and still lose weight.

I liken this to an alcoholic saying "I just HAD to have a taste, so I swished it around in my mouth and spat it out." o.O Yes, most of us are here because we have food issues. No, we're not all perfect. But as a support group, we need to do more than say "that's ok, we're all human." We have to support each other in moving toward a healthier interaction with food. It's easy to think "oh, it's just for this short period of time when I can't have [insert food here], and what's the big deal??" Heck, I admit to licking a Dorito hubby was eating at about day 5 post-op when I was looking at another 9 days of liquids only, and thought I was going to die if I didn't get something other than my Protein shakes, Jello, and popsicles. All of us who have had the surgery have been there. No one is saying we don't sympathize with the thoughts/feelings that we just HAVE TO chew something. What others are saying is please don't start down a road that may injure your health. The problem is that chewing and spitting is a bona fide eating disorder, right up there with bulemia. It has health repercussions that don't have anything to do with calories. Others have covered the issues with the saliva starting the digestive process, etc. so I'm not going to belabor it. If we all had perfect control, it probably wouldn't be an issue to one time or maybe two times chew something up and spit it out. But if we had perfect control, we wouldn't be here. Alcoholics can't touch a drop of alcohol or they risk losing control. People with food issues have to be very careful to stay away from maladaptive behaviors, even if we justify it saying "it's just this once" or "it's just until I can have solid food again". Justification is what got a LOT of us in the place we were to need the surgery. So please back off the vitriol for the vets who are trying to save you some pain when they share their experience and advice.

And I always eat slowly and take 20 minutes at least to eat every meal... And I don't drink 1/2 an hour before or an hour after each meal... But my main problem is being 28 and going out drinking with my friends... I have never been so aware of the calories in alcohol... And I should probably start working out now since I haven't done that yet

Hi All...well its 9 days post op...Was a little ruff in the beginning with the gas pain and such..However, now I'm at the mushys. I actually get to have eggs OR an egg today (1/2 of egg?) At least thats what my nutrionist advised. Starting to feel hungry as the swelling has gone down. I still have some port pain... it was actually more of an ache yesterday. Finally driving myself around which is a little uncomfortable with the seat belt and having to turn the body to look certain ways. But all in all, not too bad. Getting ready to start my walking around the block, I still get tired easily but I think its because I'm having issues with the protien drinks. Has anyone else noticed that all we can drink or eat for the first two weeks is really sweet!? ugg... Jello, ice pops, pudding, Isopure, now shakes. For someone who doesn't like too much sweetness sure has to have a lot of it. Anywho...getting concerned that now that my tummy growls I might revert to the old food machine..(HAHAHAA) But since I'm afraid to eat for fear of throwing up I think I might be alright. How about your sense of smell????? Doesn't EVERYTHING smell good? Sheesh drives me insane. Also, to everyone, make sure you check your scale batteries if you have one like that. I was jumping for joy the other day, said I was down 11 lbs since surgery turned out my battery was going...replaced it and to my immense disappointment I was only down 7 lbs, but hey thats a pound a day. Also, one last note, I had my first alcoholic drink (with my docs approval) said be very careful, ya know, one addiction for another, and you can get trashed quick cuz your not eating. So I bought Mango slushy mix added ice and a little vodka and bam! I was good. Only had 2 in like 4 hours (very filling) but I made sure I ate my jello, shake and Soup prior to having one. Be responsible. Good luck and I'll check in again with another update in a few days. :thumbup:

Larraine, I want affordable health care for all Americans. I don't want our government to be that insurance company. The government has the power to make laws and they should enforce these laws that they can make on private insurance companies. They should drop the law that states you can't cross state lines for medical insurance because that would encourage competition between states. They should enforce tort reform, because that would stop all trial lawyers from making these multi million dollar cases. There should be caps on ins. payouts. Then doctors wont have to perform unneccessary tests just to cover their butts should someone choose to sue them. They should make it a law that noone can be denied health coverage or pay a higher premium because of pre-existing conditions. There are many ways to enforce the private insurance industries to comply. They don't want to do this because the lawyers and the insurance companies are lining these politicians pockets to keep the laws from ruining their greedy wealth. Maybe they could make a law that puts a cap on insurance premiums. If you don't have the ability to pay for ins., then you can apply for medicaid, which is government ins. that is already set up for those who can't afford to pay. The gov. can simply raise the income guidelines for people who can't get on it because they are borderline income and don't meet the eligibility. God wants us to be good stewards with our money and the government has shown us many times over that they can't be. When the government runs something, they don't have a care about waste. It's not coming from their pocket, so why should they care? Just look at medicare or social security, both are bankrupt. So, as a christian, it's not that I am against helping the unfortunate that don't have insurance, for I do want help for them. Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you." What about the 450,000 who die every year from tobacco, should we help them, how about the hundreds of thousands who die every year from alcohol, should we help them? This list could go on and on forever, but you get my point. The government should not be in the business of social wellness. Roosevelt did a bad thing when he started welfare in the government. Handouts in the government far exceed what the people here can afford. If the gov. stopped giving away all our money, then we would have more for our own health care and living exenses and will be able to give to the charities of our choosing. We wouldn't be indentured servants to China and other countries either. Your great grandchildren will be paying for their deeds in the future.