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I don't have any carbonation per surgeon's instructions but no problem with alcohol or caffeine. I am a big tea drinker and I enjoy a drink or two some evenings. I don't feel deprived -- at all.

Every doctor seems to have his or her own protocol regarding alcohol, carbonation, and caffeine. I don't drink soda. I used to drink a ton of it and now I just don't. You get used to it. My doctor has no issue with alcohol and caffeine in moderation. I stay away from cocktails..too much sugar/calories. I drink a glass or two of white wine when I'm out to dinner. And yes..the smaller you are, the more you will feel the effects so be aware of that. I also drink coffee but again, in moderation. Two cups max. And I mean cups....not mugs. Here's the whole point of this my friend. Nothing...and I mean nothing tastes as good as thin or normal feels. I know you can see my ticker but take a look at my before and after pics. Amazing..huh? Yes...those are both pictures of me.

I have been soda-free for 6 months (4 pre-op / 2 post-op) and alcohol free for 3 months. I don't miss soda, but i do miss a beer or cocktail everyone now and then. My surgeon told me no alcohol until 6 months post-op. I've read people on here having a glass of wine after 3 months so it's different for everyone. I also gave up caffeine and if I need a coffee I now have decaf. I actually really like how I feel being clean. My head is clearer, I sleep so much better, and I seem to be more in tune with with what my body needs / wants. i wish I could explain it better - I didn't think there would be this much difference when I was researching this surgery, but it is amazing. For example, I know if I don'pt get all my Protein and Water in day 1, day 2 I'm not going to feel very well. I usually wake up with a head ache and feel weak. So everyday I can tell what i did right / and need to work on. I would recommend this surgery to anyone who is ready to make these life style changes. But I feel that is the key - ready to make the change. And they are life long changes.

Very early stages of electing for WLS. I have been reading that many people all together lost the urge for soda and booze. I love bourbon, will I have to forgo this for life? moderation? after losing weight can I get the little buzz from just a drink? I have come to the point where I need to give it up if I want to see my 3 year old and my unborn child grow up. Something that I do enjoy every morning (sometimes feels like a necessity) is my coffee to get me up and moving. how does caffeine affect the body after WLS? I have been looking forward to a real motivator to get me to stop most of these things that are generally unhealthy to begin with.

Random B12 information (includes some folate) Causes of non-megaloblastic macrocytosis (megaloblastic meaning large immature erythroblasts that come from the bone marrow, due to defective DNA synthesis, normally either B12, folate or both deficiencies. Macrocytosis refers to a blood condition in which red blood cells (RBC) are larger than normal) Liver disease can cause these items, as B12 can be stored for years in the liver. Unless released due to problems with the liver, it is normally good for 2-5 years. Serum folate levels are normally taken but red cell folate is more specific. Serum B12 is NOT not always an accurate reflection of deficiency at a cellular level. This is why some patients have symptoms when the injections or pills are reduced, even with normal B12 levels. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570488/ http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/410469_4 "A low serum folate level may indicate only a decrease in folate intake over the preceding few days. [26] A better indicator of tissue folate status is RBC folate concentration, which remains relatively unchanged while a red cell is in the circulation and thus provides an assessment of folate turnover during the 2 or 3 months preceding measurement. Also, low RBC folate levels correlate better with the degree of megaloblastic changes in the bone marrow than do low serum folate levels. When there is coexistent Iron deficiency, liver disease, serum and RBC folate levels may be normal -- and serum B 12 levels may be normal or even elevated -- but tissue Vitamin deficiency can be present. This is only demonstrable via subtle hypersegmentation and/or deoxyuridine suppression test and is subsequently confirmed by response to vitamin therapy. Decreased serum total folate-binding capacity is another test that may indicate hidden folate deficiency." An elevated MCV can be associated with alcoholism (and if you look for signs & symptoms of alcoholism, malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, you will see bariatric patients that mimic those symptoms when deficient! Vitamin B12 and/or folic acid deficiency has also been associated with macrocytic anemia (high MCV numbers).

MichiganChic got it right. So that being said, I'll going to address a few things I learned with whatever medical resources I have. Please note that I have a local medical school with the best librarians in the world, and I use those resources a lot. I realized I don't have all of them on me, so I'll go this weekend and get specific references. Always pays to ask your doctor as the references I have come to 2 different conclusions (regarding Protein binding of calcium, whether or not its charged on the negative areas or truely is free of the protein molecule itself). I'll try to keep to the "lighter" end of things so you get useful info rather than a lot of scientific snooze material (or as my sister calls it, my reading & video material). Calcium: Several ways calcium can be measured: Serum blood Ionized Urine (24 hour collection) Differences between blood levels and ionized levels is serum blood calcium (what you find in a BMP (basic metabolic panel)) is your total calcium level, whereas the ionized calcium is the free in plasma type only. ** My sources differ on this** Serum blood calcium measures calcium that is attached to albumin/globulins or Proteins AND the free or ionized calcium in plasma OR it attaches to the negative charged sites on protein OR it is bound to proteins, bound to anions, and free/ionized. Parathyroid hormone & Vitamin D regulate your calcium. However, the kidneys assist in getting rid of the excess, so if they are not functioning right, you can find this out by doing urine studies. Many molecules attach to proteins or other blood particles and use them as a sort of "ferry" to get to where they need to be. If you have problems with abnormal levels of proteins like albumin or globulin, this may be one reason you need ionized levels checked. I'll list some items here that would be pertinent to us. Normal ionized calcium levels with high total calcium levels is called pseudohypercalcemia. It can happen due to hyperalbuminemia (basically an edema type condition where the Fluid leaks from your cells surrounding the tissue) or excess Vitamin D. Normal ionized calcium levels with low total calcium levels is called pseudohypocalcemia. It can happen due to hypoalbuminemia from liver/kidney disease. Low ionized calcium levels with low total calcium levels can happen due to parathyoid issues, Vitamin D/Magnesium deficiencies, and high phosphate levels. High ionized calcium levels with normal total calcium levels can happen due to hypoalbuminemia, parathyoid disorders, or acidosis. High ionized calcium levels with high total calcium levels can happen due to parathyroid issues. I'll stay away from high levels because lower levels would make more sense to us, excess Vitamins A & D would probably be the main causes for us. If you have lower levels, hypoparathyroidism, malabsorption, osteo types of problems, but mostly Vitamin D deficiency would be the big issues. Increases in pH levels in the blood, aka alkalosis, will cause more of the calcium to bind to the protein molecules and will decrease your ionized calcium levels. Decreased in Ph levels in the blood, aka acidosis, causes less of the calcium to bind to the protein molecules and will increase the free calcium levels. I add this due to authors' interest, as since the surgery, metabolic acidosis and alkalosis seem to be my buddies. Acidosis in the hospital after the surgery, alkalosis doing a number of endurance athletic competitions. When you get these tests done, make sure to review things such as your other electrolyte levels, PTH levels, Vitamin D, and phosphorus & magnesium. A change in this electrolyte can cause or be influenced by changes in other electrolytes. Calcium is excreted out of the body in urine and feces (a few other things but those are the most important). An increase in pH, alkalosis, promotes increased protein binding, which decreases free calcium levels. Acidosis, on the other hand, decreases protein binding, resulting in increased free calcium levels. Total calcium measurements, as you've seen, can be misleading. If you have hypoalbuminemia, you will have normal ionized calcium levels but total calcium levels decrease. There are ways to compensate for that, what I cheat and do is look online for the medical calculators. If you have kidney or low bicarbonate or serum albumin levels, you should measure the ionized free calcium to diagnose hypo/hypercalcemia. A few of the reasons to test the ionized calcium would be liver or kidney issues, abnormal total calcium issues, parathyroid issues, numbness or muscle spasms around the mouth, hands or feet. Drugs that can increase your ionized calcium levels would be things like thyroxine. Drugs that can decrease your ionized calcium levels would be things like heparin, epinephrine, alcohol. Urine tests measure how much calcium gets excreted out by the kidneys. It can look for problems with the parathyroid glands or the kidneys, or to check and see where the body is getting calcium from. Normal levels for urine calcium can be anywhere from 100-150 to 300. A calcium free diet goes from 5-40, low diets are 50-100 or 150. High levels can be caused by kidney issues, taking too much calcium, too much parathyroid hormone, and very high Vitamin D levels. Low levels can be caused by too little parathyroid hormone, low Vitamin D levels, and not enough calcium and/or malabsorption. If you show up with higher levels of serum calcium, lower levels of urine calcium, and possible bone loss changes, what is happening is that your body is leeching calcium from the bones (bone loss), causing the higher levels of blood calcium, the kidneys are holding on to the little bit you have and not urinating it out (low urine calcium).

I had my RNY surgery on April 8th and just took a road trip to Florida this past weekend. I packed a small cooler with Premier Protein shakes, water and cheese sticks. I also brought bananas. We only stopped once to go to the restroom. My boyfriend even just ate cheese sticks and bananas with me. I would have my few bites and he would have a whole and then finish mine! It worked well! Also I went to FL for a wedding. My surgeon said it was ok to have small amounts of alcohol to celebrate the toasts etc. Everyone around me drank. I had small sips of drinks but really I had no desire to drink much. Because I can get such small amounts of liquid in I was more thirsty for water in the Florida heat than anything else. Have a great trip and try not to think too much about it.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I was trying to avoid a cooler, but I'm thinking I'm just going to have to suck it up and take one. Feeling a lot better about hitting the highway! Now about being the only sober one with all my drunken friends.... Doc was very specific about no alcohol until 3 months. Should be interesting.

Thank you all for the responses. Kind of made me feel like an alcoholic. Lol. Sooooo I just want to clear that up. I am not nor have I ever been a heavy drinker. I wouldn't even call myself a frequent drinker. I might drink twice a year...my birthday and sometimes new years. I will not be partaking in any birthday outings this year. Thanks again.

I just cant seem to make it all work. I must remember my vitamins!! I finally got something to put them in so I can carry them with me for the days I'm gone the entire day. Haven't taken the Citricals, even the petites turn me off due to the size. I try to get in my Protein but I may only get 30-40, could this be what's causing my dizzy spells and nausea? For my Water, I can barely get in 30oz. Water is hard to go down and seems to only go down with a huge air bubble accompanying it. Juices go down fine and shakes too but at 3 weeks out, should I already be expecting to meet the daily requirements or just keep trying? I have a friend who calls her sleeve "Rockstar" because she never has any sickness or complications and she forgets to eat for days(she claims 4 at the most), she eats whatever she wants, whenever she wants, she drinks alcohol like a fish but no water at all, even smokes, never ever took Vitamins and finally got pregnant 2 times after trying for 14 years and at 6 years out, I want to admire her since she still loses weight but now she can do it on demand and looks great but I want to do mine the healthy way, I just cant seem to meet these numbers... I already had a hard time eating which is why I thought this surgery would be perfect because I can eat less but it's like I have to eat so much during a day just to lose weight.....and I just cant force feed myself that way. 1 or 2 small meals a day works just fine for me....or a pill that allows me not to eat at all...I always feel so fat and heavy after I eat anything. So if I can only force one...which is more important, vitamins, water or protein??

Absolutely. It is an awful, awful feeling. Besides the physical symptoms, I have an impending sense of doom, that something is VERY wrong with my body. I first experienced it a week after surgery when I very stupidly ate a couple of pieces of Valentine candy. It was an intense experience to say the least. FOLLOW YOUR GUIDELINES. You do not want to be eating sugar too soon, if it all. I have also had very bad dumping a couple of other times, when consuming alcohol, but sugar is the main culprit and I avoid it most of the time even though I'm a few months out. You do not want to have dumping - horrible feeling (thank goodness it does pass).

That word "just" really gets me. If you would just stick to WW, if you would just not eat after 8PM, if you would just walk more, if you would just eat protein for breakfast, if you would just stop eating out, if you would just not have alcohol, go off wheat and dairy, just, just.......well if they would just shut up and deal with their own lives, their own bodies. I've dealt with mine and I'm so grateful I did because I did just everything and got nowhere. Now I'm just living and happy, happy.

Hi Ladies. The book is not available on the Kindle yet in the US and it takes forever to have it shipped. I am waiting one more week for the kindle version. But here is something I read on the Fast Diet web site Here is a short summary of what I have gleaned so far……. Mimi describes the FBD as a “short term, souped up strategy for summer” It’s approach is three pronged, based on way to: - tighten up on fast days - toughen up on non fast days - tune in on any day One of the ways suggested to tighten up on fast days is to try 4:3 but it is not the only suggestion. There is also suggestion to do 2-2 (based on Brad Pilon’s book Eat Stop Eat) which essentially means after a normal lunch on day 1 eat sparingly (or nothing at all) until a late lunch the following day . Extending the fasting window so rather than have say breakfast at 7am and supper at 7pm missing breakfast or fasting from supper to supper. And being fastidious about your calorie quota. On non fast days it is about holding back on indulgences and “superfluous snacks” and treats, cutting alcohol (entirely or reducing), eating less refined foods and cooking at home. Suggestions include following a more Mediterranean diet or even Japanese with more emphasis on healthy cooking (grilling, steaming, raw). Aiming to have meals based more around vegetables and reducing meat intake, being careful about portion sizes etc. There are lots of other great tips – some of which I have already done over the years like eating more mindfully and not having dinner on autopilot. Then there is emphasis on quality of exercise and the suggestion to introduce 3 High Intensity Training (HIT) to your weekly exercise schedule. They also state it should be 3 max and give lots of suggestions on how to do this. Plus 2 strength training sessions incorporating push ups, lunges etc. on non cardio/HIT days. I suppose if you have Fast Exercise by Michael Moseley you could get the info there.

I want to start this entry out on a positive note... I'm still doing great with my band. I'm losing inches and pounds and I still love my band. Now, if any of you know my back story you know last April I had a serious medical issue that put me in ICU for several weeks on a ventilator and dialysis. I recovered thank God and my Dr.'s were optimistic about my kidneys. I was just told under no circumstances was I to take any kind of NSAIDS. Well, a week and a half ago I started feeling sick and noticed I was retaining fluids, then it occurred to me that I hadn't tinkled in almost 36 hours. Got blood work done and of course I was in kidney failure again. I had to go back on dialysis for a week and luckily my kidneys started working again this last weekend. BTW, I'm one of those lucky people that dialysis makes me feel deathly ill. The anti nausea medication didn't help. So, I've just been miserable. My Renal specialist is less optimistic about my prognosis now. I no longer had acute kidney failure once! I now have kidney disease. Most likely... Ah, I'm not even going to say it. It just sucks because now I have to take two more medications added to the list of many that I already take. My take away is this... I compromised my health by being so fat. I was on so many medications for all my different ailments that I eventually made my body sick as it was trying to process all the meds. Now, I have to deal with the consequences. Confession: I'm not good at getting my daily fluid intake in and for someone with my history that is a huge no-no! I'm not having a pity party, I'm just dealing with the gravity that I've potentially done irreversible damage to my body that could down the road put me in need of new kidneys. But, today... I'm done with dialysis! There are now foods that I have to stay away from completely to help my kidneys function properly and no alcohol. Bummer dude! I'm kicking myself in the arse for waiting so long to have the surgery. In my mind I have those " What ifs" floating around. But, I'm still standing and as long as I am, I'm going to stay the course. I'm going to reach my goal. I'm going to finish what I've started and be the best and most healthy me I can be! Plus, I have a grand baby due next month and I wanna be a GILF! Too much? Too soon? LMAO!! Till next time, ~T

When the late night munchies hit, I try to go to bed. My work has been super stressful so unfortunately my snacking and alcohol went up. I'm somewhat happy it didn't increase yet frustrated that I've plateaued. I plateaued prior to the workload increase and that frustration just kind of 'enforced' it a bit more. I've been considering doing liquids again to try to jump start the scale to move again

I will concur with others; this is definately the easy way out! I was not going to tell anyone except my boyfriend. Then I decided that I would tell my parents. I was nervous, thought that they would tell me, "You just need to stop eating the wrong stuff etc" After I told them it was a tool and I needed it to help me stop overeating they understood and have been very supportive. I told them that I wish my sister (who struggles with alcoholism) had a physical tool such as this to give her a headstart. I think they realize that my food addiction is as real as my sisters alcoholism and that I am going to do whatever necessary to abolish it! I say all this to say, don't let fear or shame keep you from sharing your decision. You may be surprised at how supportive they would/will be about your decision. I am glad that I took the risk/chance and shared it with my parents. I know my boyfriend feels better about it too (didn't want to be my only source of support). Whatever you decide, best of luck and congratulations on your decision to become the best you you can be!!

“Daddy, why do you have such a big belly?” innocently asked by my precocious five year old Son Connor, that was the spark that lit the fuse to my deciding to change my life. Sometimes we need not be shouted at to be shaken from a slumber. Sometimes a whisper is louder than a shout. A few months back, I was walking through life in a perpetual haze. I believed I was a happy individual, I am surrounded by a loving Wife, amazing children, and a diverse and loving group of friends & family. I was however overlooking the fact that I was physically careening down a slope at breakneck speed. I have always been a large, “big-boned”, individual. For most of my adult life I was able to deflect my rapidly increasing waist line by using self-deprecating humor and sarcasm as a protective shield. I was the definition of the happy go lucky fat man. I was the go to BBQ guy, the first to crack a beer with you, the first to grab that extra slice of pizza; I began to believe it was what was expected of me. At least I told myself that as a pathetic excuse to allow myself to continue to indulge in excess. Over the years, many people have expressed disbelief when I revealed my weight when asked. I often hear things like, you carry it so well, there is no way you weigh that much…as if I would choose to add extra pounds for some reason. I incorporated this as a defense mechanism, and lied repeatedly to myself that my weight wasn’t that bad. On the inside, I was fighting every day to try and do the “right thing”, and try to somewhat live a healthy lifestyle. I knew what to eat, how to eat, when to eat…but choosing to follow what I knew would work was not something I could do for an extended period of time. I am not ashamed to say that I was weak in spirit, I had no will power, and realistically I still don’t. But, I knew I was treading into uncharted territory, weight wise. I was easily winded, my knees creaked, my back hurt, and that doesn’t cover my fear of what might possibly be going on that I couldn’t physically feel. I tried to play in a flag football tournament and failed miserably, I dreaded carrying my own Daughter to bed; even kneeling by the tub to bath the kids was a nightmare. So, when my Son asked me that simple question, and I had no intelligent answer, only excuses, I decided enough was enough. I am not above asking for help, I am honest with myself, and I knew that the changes I wanted to make, I could not make alone. I decided to explore Bariatric surgery as a tool to help me save my life. After considering the several options available, I decided that Lap Band surgery would be the best fit for me. Once I made that decision, and embraced it, my mind turned to the endless possibilities that would stand before me. The truth is I am not changing to look good on the beach, or to wear a certain pant size. Yes, truth be told, these will be wonderful benefits of changing my lifestyle, but there are three reasons for my wake up call. My Wife & my kids, there it is, the definitive reason. The reason that I breathe, the reason that I wake up every morning, the reason why I will do whatever is needed to give them the best of me that I possibly can. Now, I expected to meet some resistance to my decision, and I have not been disappointed in that regard. Some people see weight loss surgery as cheating, or as an easy way out, that you don’t have the will power needed to do it on your own. To that I say, then using the gym is cheating, buying $100.00 running shoes is cheating, eating low fat food is cheating, they are all tools to help you get to where you want to go. For someone with food issues, mental, as well as physical, weight loss surgery is nothing but a tool to help you get off to a good start on a new life. It is not a magic trick; you do not have surgery and wake up 70lbs less than the day before. You have to eat right, exercise, make good decisions, just like anyone else trying to live right. Telling someone that weight loss surgery is cheating, is the same as telling an alcoholic that AA is cheating, they are simply tools designed to help you meet a need. I am not trying to fool anyone, especially myself; I do not have the will power to walk this alone. I am not ashamed to say that I need every tool in the box to help me be who I want to be. To be honest with you, I have never been overly concerned with the opinions of others, if I know in my heart that something is right for me, then all else be damned. I know in my heart, that I will be adding years to my life, and I don’t care how I get it done, or how anyone feels about my choice. At the end of the day, I want to look my Wife and kids in the eye, and have them know that Daddy is doing everything in his power to be there for them. I dream of doing the simple things that many overlook, or take for granted, running a 5K, playing sports with my kids, carrying my sleeping Daughter up a flight of stairs without wincing in pain. I have many inspiring people in my circle, friends, family, especially my Wife, who has shown me that change is possible and given me the blueprint to work off of. I look forward to the day, in the not too distant future, when I can update you all about the new me. For now, I leave you with the latest steps I have taken on the path to living right. Yesterday I began a 2/3 week diet before I have surgery. My Surgeon has submitted the paperwork to my insurance provider and we wait patiently for them to sign off. After that, we will hopefully green light surgery for some point over the next few weeks. I know many of you are privy to my journey; I just wanted to share with as many people as possible, and hopefully inspire others to take the proverbial bull by the horns.

I just want to relay a topic I recently heard at a bariatric support group. The person in charge of running it talked about a co-worker's experience, who was a nurse. She had very little-- 2 small glasses of wine. She drank this on a Friday at a BBQ. On Monday she went to work, and someone smelled alcohol on her breath. She was fired. The bariatric doctors had to submit medicaljournal articles to help her get her job back. So, be careful!

I can't recall ever being told I couldn't drink alcohol or carbonated drinks. I'm not much of a drinker so it was at 6 months that I tried a drink - I had some old Tequila from pre-surgery and mixed it with some Crystal Light lemonade. It was only about 2 ounces, but I was buzzing pretty quick! Since then I've drank beer and Mike's Hard Lemonade, but I drink them very slowly since I didn't know how fast the carbonation was going to fill me up. And I pour them over ice to get rid of some of the carbonation. I had no problems with any of them.

How long did u all wait before u had an alcoholic beverage? I am 5 weeks post op!

I understand why you would wonder that - it's an excellent question. The way being sleeved helps me is that I now have a short list of very simple rules that I have to follow if I want to get to my goal weight and stay healthy. They go into effect when one is released from the post op liquids/pureed/soft foods restrictions. They are: Consume 60-80 gm Protein per day and 60-80 oz of Clear liquids per day. Every day. Do not drink anything for at least 30 minutes before a meal or snack. If you forget and do drink, re-set the timer and wait another 30 minutes before you eat. Eat dense protein first at every meal. Eat a very few bites of non-starchy veggie in addition if you have room. Decide how many meals and/or protein Snacks you're going to have per day, and stick to it. Do not eat between meals. Wait at least 30 minutes after every meal or snack before drinking anything. If your mouth gets really dry you could rinse after eating or brush your teeth. I avoid alcohol because I'm concerned it would decrease my ability to resist bad food choices. Follow those rules at least 90% of the time, and you will succeed. For the other 10%, do not beat yourself up - just get back on the wagon immediately and Sleeve On! I was very fortunate in that I was not hungry at all for 2-3 months post op. I ate because I knew I should. When my hunger returned it wasn't as intense as before, and by then I had established my new eating habits which helped a LOT. Now I eat every 4 hours (8a, 12n, 4p and 8p), and I keep my carb intake as low as humanly possible. Both factors contribute to my never being hungry for very long at a time. What keeps me on track when I could never stick to a diet before: The feeling of satisfaction / fullness after each meal, plus the decreased hunger, is the main thing that makes it possible for me to stick to the plan. I do get head hunger sometimes, and when I can't ignore it I have a big glass of Water, a SF popsicle or some SF Crystal Light. I've lost a significant amount of weight doing this, so I KNOW it works. I will be da**ed if I'm going to throw away the $12,500 I paid out of my pocket to have this done, not to mention all the work I've done (and the goodies I've resisted eating) to get to this point. Sometimes I just repeat to myself, as many times as necessary "I'm not going to eat that. Not gonna do it. There will be goodies available when I'm at my goal." The support available on this site and on the Facebook group I belong to is PHENOMINAL. It helps SO much, especially at those times when family/friends would probably beat me to death if I mention one more thing about the trials and tribulations -- or the NSVs -- related to being sleeved. The above have kept me going even through a 6-week stall, and I am deTERmined to get to my goal. Hope that helps. Best wishes.

"whether you think you can, or you think you can't...either way you are right" We have to put in the work... I don't eat junk anymore...no interest in it either...no carbonated beverages, no alcohol...and I don't miss any of it. When we go out to eat is the only time I will have a true carb...one warm, hot roll (or half if they are big)...and I enjoy every little mouthful instead of stuffing my face full of bread, and all the other crap like I used to. It's a wonderful tool... but don't put it up on the pegboard and let it collect dust...USE IT !

I think all docs are different. Mine says no alcohol for 6-8 months.

Enjoyyyy woohoo, be careful of the alcohol, I drank Saturday & was up 2 pounds on Monday :--( What is grazing? I had surgery 3/27 & going to Jamaica 6/12. Woohoo

Oye ... 9 to 5 at this time in favor of having height displayed. I don't see how any good can come from this and only gives folks another method of comparing themselves ... something I feel strongly about. It's like giving an alcoholic and empty bottle of booze. The only thing they can do with it is beat themselves up with it. *** Removing my height information from the profile ***