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Hi, y'all! Whew! I have a lot of catching up to do. I've been reading when I can, but was so, so overwhelmed with work and life last week. I'm sorry! I think about you all all the time. Things are okay here--just busy. I just finished doctoring a manuscript, and now am back with just my usual workload....whee! I feel free! Weight-wise, I juggled the same 1.8 pounds from my last fill (3 weeks ago) until this past weekend, when it finally started going DOWN. I'm not at the sweet spot yet, but getting close enough that I have to listen to my band much more carefully. Talk about a learning curve! I have not yet fully mastered it! Now I'll go back, read, and re-read so I can properly post ETA: Okay, here goes: Amy--Congratulations on your excellent loss so far! You are doing so, so well! Regarding fills, every time I’ve had a fill, the doctor has used fluoroscopy to assess restriction. For safety purposes, he won’t go beyond a certain level---but that level does provide restriction. The caveat is that it provides restriction right then and there; that means that, two days hence, I may not have it. Chances are, even being taken to the brink of sweet spot at Filling #1 will be ephemeral---you may enjoy restriction for a while, though. Especially since you still have enough to slime (congratulations! LOL) I think it’s kind of a misconception, though, that we have a great deal of input for the first fill. Certainly, we give feedback to the doctor about what we are feeling. But we can’t specify, “I’d like you to fill ‘er up,” or “Take it easy today, doc.” I would wager you’ll go in, and see a line of 100 syringes, all filled with exactly the same amount of saline. For my doctor, that’s 4 ccs. For the first fill, all patients get around that much---or a little less, depending on what fluoro shows. Denise-- I’m so impressed that your diabetes is being nipped in the bud! In terms of future health predictors, this is the biggest big deal I can think of! Congratulations! Your most recent illness sounds horrendous. I’m glad you’re finally on the road to recovery. What a lousy way to lose weight! You mentioned a baby sweater. Are you a knitter? (ETA: Okay, I just saw the frog hat, so I have the answer to that question---TOO CUTE!) I am aching to learn how to knit; I can do the very basics (cast on, knit, purl, cast off), but have never acquired the skills to actually make something. Would you say that the best way to learn is to take classes at a knitting shop? I wonder if there are any in this area---my aunt had one with marvelous, gorgeous, sumptuous wools. Hm. Maybe that will be my career in my dotage. Re: potassium and blood pressure--there’s a complicated cell action-potential explanation I’ll skip (unless you want it!). But potassium is critical to maintaining heart function and blood pressure. Christie--congrats on your great loss! Under 250---awesome!! I’m so sorry you’re sad about your brother’s impending deployment. It must be so hard for you. What is your brother’s name---I’d like to keep him in my prayers. Also, I am an excellent care-package maker---if you ever get the sense he needs a boost, let me know and I will send him goodies. My daughter’s lobster is deploying to Afghanistan soon, too. Abby is crushed and so, so scared. When he enlisted, his mother was beside herself. She’s very, very proud of him, but there is such ambivalence. Those men and women sacrifice so, so much for us. Bob--Are you tired of Farmville yet? Leigha-- Yes, I do think so. I think that the real, hard, using-your-whole-body physical labor can be a better workout than many gym regimens. My body agrees with me, this morning, too! Take your vitamins! They are not like processed food (whatever that means lol)! If they are good-quality bariatric vitamins, they are made to be readily used by the body. Green smoothies are fine, but they address only a portion of the micronutrients we need. (Track on Fitday.com for a while---you’ll be surprised to see what you’re missing out on, even with a good multi! I take my bariatric multi, cal-mag, biotin, selenium, pantothenic acid, CoQ-10, and vitamin D. Why? Because over time, I noticed that even with my multi, and upping veggies, etc, I was missing out on those nutrients. When you reorder protein, consider Bariatric Eating’s PURE unflavored protein. IMO, it “disappears” better than Unjury, and it’s less expensive, too J It’s a bit of both, myth and fact. In most people, the body does an exquisite job of maintaining blood sugar within very tight parameters. If you eat sugar--or foods easily broken down into sugars---the pancreas responds by producing insulin. Insulin “ushers” sugar molecules from the bloodstream into cells, where it is used for energy. In most people this is seamless, and blood sugar is brought back to within normal limits very rapidly. Some people experience reactive hypoglycemia, though. Instead of going back to “normal,” they crash. And that does, indeed set up cravings. For MOST of us, the craving that follows sugar or simple carb consumption is NOT physical---it’s just in our minds. We like the stuff. We miss it when we’re not eating it. Simple as that. Re: your fill decision. I’d hold off, if you think it might make you too tight. It may be a “free” fill, but I bet the Unfill won’t be free! I just moved out of the free-fill zone, too--thank goodness I only have a $30 copay--my doctor charges $250 with fluoro. Bobbie--I’m so sorry you’re on the rollercoaster. Job loss is so stressful; we’ve been there more than once, and it can be so hard to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I hope you get GOOD news very soon! In the meantime, I am so glad you’re making use of resources available to you. Re: calories. I do think their source matters, particularly when stomach space is finite. Right now, I concentrate on protein--because I’m still figuring out how much real estate I have in there, and it’s the most important for cell maintenance and repair. But when I reach goal, I plan to eat a balance of lean protein, veggies, heart-healthy fat, legumes, whole grains, and fruits (the latter two in more moderation than many people, based on my own peculiarities of metabolism). While there are as many opinions about the proper mix of macronutrients as there are people with opinions, I do think the general consensus is that the foods going in should be nutrient-dense rather than junky. (At least most of the time.) Anne--I’ll trade you beautiful New England for Illinois pollen and farm dust. (I live in an area that was, until recently, exurban. Out my front window is a farm; behind me (though not visible) is the usual Generica: Home Depots, Applebees, WalMart, etc. No wonder I have an identity crisis. Congratulations on your losses! You are going to be in SUCH a good place when you have surgery! Hummingbird--I am laughing so hard at your NSV. Hammered shit! That’s the best expression I’ve heard in a long, long time. I totally understand getting the warm fuzzies from other people’s deterioration in appearance. Count me in with the mean-spirited bunch, but there have been times when about all I’ve had going for me is the good genetics that keep me looking younger than many of my peers. (Of course, there IS the fear that it’s just that the fat is plumping out the wrinkles, and I, too, will look like hammered shit when all is said and done LOL! This is why I am already researching plastic surgeons.) Dottie--I think we’re in much the same place, fill-wise. I have days when I think I’m (almost) there, and days when I’m sure I’m not! I hope your fill tomorrow gets you where you need to go. Stacie--I’m so sorry you’re experiencing so much stress. It’s good you’re seeing your doctor on Thursday. I bet you’ll find that as your anxiety diminishes, so does your need to scale-hop as much. Compulsive stuff like that tends to be tied to anxiety… It will get better (((Hugs)))) Karen--it definitely sounds like you need a fill! And TWENTY pounds from goal--you must be ecstatic. Or frustrated, depending on the day! I wonder: I see that you’re very focused on restriction (as we all are!), but also referring to foods you “can” eat. Is it possible that you could substitute others, and reach your goal in a less-frustrating (and maybe more comfortable) manner? I mean, just ‘cause you can eat bread and pizza doesn’t mean you should. Don’t get me wrong--I think all of our lives have room for those foods. But if you’re really pushing to reach goal, maybe they should be reserved for further down the road? Just a thought---worth the paper it (wasn’t) written on! Jacki! OMG--LOOK at you! Awesome. Congratulations on your running! You must be SO proud of yourself! I am in the market for a new bike, too. Lee Anne--welcome! I’m glad you’re joining us! Whew! We're a prolific bunch! Have a great Monday, everyone!

So, I've not had a change in the scale since March 26th. Grr. I have my third fill on Thursday, so I'm hoping to see a change SOON. In times of struggle, I have to reach down/reach out to find something GOOD somewhere. So... NSV! Yesterday I ran my second 5K, and I beat my previous time. I felt so strong and powerful! My new record is 43:05, and I am so thrilled. I'm planning on a 5K every month to keep myself motivated and training. My next is May 8th. Three weeks! I also bought a bike yesterday (yay, tax refund!) so that I can commute to work (4 miles each way). My running buddy talked me into a 64.6 mile Bike-A-Thon in July also. Egads! Getting busy training NOW!

I LOVE THIS THREAD! alright so i was just banded march 10th, but have already had some awesome NSV. i officially can't fit into any of my old pants. my friend the othere day grabbed the back of my pants and told me i had to get a smaller size bc of the butt baggage. the best part was that they were my TIGHTEST jeans pre-op! i had to switch them all with 'skinny pants' drawer i used to only dream of wearing. i'm wearing jeans now i haven't fit in since i was a sophomore in high school! plus yesterday i was in a restaurant my family friend owns and his daughter came up and said 'i just had to walk over here and tell you, you look so good!' it definitely made my day :thumbup:

HB-I love the NSV! Totally rocks, in a mean spirited way. (I never said I was nice!) I am so glad it's Friday. This week has just sucked. Work is, well, work. My older brother came back to Arkansas for 2 weeks before his official deployment started, so today they had the big send off as the entire unit headed off to Wisconsin before heading to Afghanistan. It's the last time we'll see him until next April. I had to work but my parents and son went up to say goodbye and random people kept calling to tell me to tell him thanks for his service...and every time someone says anything I cry....It just sucks. I found myself yesterday craving, well, everything. I haven't done that in a LONG time. However today is much better on the fat front. I'm not starving, but have not exercised at all this week and am willing to bet the scales aren't nice to me on Monday morning. (but that's okay, 1 week of no weight loss isn't really a big deal in the long run, we'll get back on track this weekend) Okay, enough whining, given what Bobbie has been handling I need to shut up and suck it up (btw, Bobbie you rock, it amazes me how you are handling all of this). So, just glad it's Friday! Have a good one!

I have a great NSV!! It may be a little mean spirited, but if you only knew......... Lately I have been feeling those negative mid-life crisis feelings. The ones like I still look bad and I hate getting old.........Well, last night my son showed me some pics of his dad (my ex of many years ago, very bad marriage) The pics were on my ex's step-daughter's web page and were taken this last x-mas. OMG! The man looks like hammered shit! The years have not been kind to him at all! I know it may be a little mean, but I know I have weathered better and that makes me feel so much better!!!!!

Sorry I've been gone so long, guys. I have really been having a tough week this week. Of course, I am getting tons of freaking cardio and stuff in, but the scale isn't moving! I do find it interesting that I am now miraculously able to eat bread and am hungry every 1.5 to 2 hours after eating. THANK GOD I have an appointment for a fill next week (one week from today to be exact). How frustrating! I haven't felt hopeless like this in awhile, and I should be freaking happy as hell--I'm 20 lbs away from goal! I'm such a freaking whiner, I know. I think I've caught up, but apologizing in advance if I forgot anyone. Leigha--my girl. You just continue to amaze me. You are just an inspiration with your weight loss, nsvs and general outlook altogether. I always enjoy reading your posts. Congrats on your additional loss and not being able to get that shovel down all the way, Miss Skinny Butt Amy--25 lbs post op? Awesome! So sorry you had a sliming issue. I must say those aren't fun. I haven't had one in almost 2 weeks, which to me is just another indicator that I need a fill LOL HB--Congrats on getting to a M. HUGE nsv! Doing the happy dance in your honor! Bobbie- #@$!% What a jerk! I am glad you're able to get some assistance. I'm praying that you find something soon WITH benefits and a decent boss!!!! ((HUGS)) Cocoa-- How are you feeling? Glad you were able to get a workout in by taking a shower. You poor thing. I hope you're okay. Betsy--I've seen you around on the board, but wanted to check in and see how Mark is doing? My prayers have been with you this whole time, sister! Anne--1 pound! Nothing to sneeze at, since we're working hard at each one. Throw a 1 lb loss my way, chica ! Stacie--I completely understand how you feel about work-induced anxiety. It's all around me too (and some days even my Zoloft isn't even enough LOL) Hang in there! Hoping time flies so you can get in to see your PCP. Christie-- Yeah! Under 250! Woooohoooo! That's so awesome!! I bet you're so psyched! You will be in onederland before you know it. Congrats! Bob- I'm convinced that farmville has literally sucked you into the vortex and you're happily living there with your animals and plants (or whatever the heck else you're farming LOL--can you tell I don't play?) Hope everyone is doing well. I'll take whatever hope you guys can give me that after my fill next week, I'll be on track because, even though I'm going home to do my cardio and fat burning stuff, I am going to have me a big fat slice of pizza tomorrow night with the kids! Sad thing is, I'll be able to get it down and still be hungry :-(! Me, miss poster child for cheese sticks and protein pudding :-( I am going with tomorrow is a new weekbecause each day this week has been horrible. Thanks for letting me vent, guys and for letting me be a part of this thread. I am so happy to read everything you share on here. Blessings and continued success to all of you!

My first NSV is, today I am wearing a pair of Scrub pants that i couldnt wear cause they were so tight,when i would sit, i swear they cut my circulation off to my legs hehe.. Not anymore.. They are even a little loose..

Starzie, YEAH for you!!!! I'm so proud of you! It's kind of like you did it for all of us 2009 June Journeys--look what one our own accomplished! So glad that your son could be your cheerleader, too! Good for you--enjoy your BIG NSV! :thumbup: Willowcat

You are doing so well, congratulations!!!! I loved your story and indeed, what a NSV it is!!!! Mimi

Just had to share this... So, my husband has been teasing me lately and telling me that I'm shrinking. Now having been morbidly obese my whole life, I can see the numbers go down on the scale and feel it in my clothes, however, I still don't really "see" a change. I know that'll come with time I'm sure. Lately, I've been finding that even my tightest bras are getting looser and my undies are getting baggier. I didn't realize how baggy until a few days ago. I got up, exercised, took a shower and headed to the store to do some shopping. To my surprise, I kept feeling my underwear sliding down my butt...so I sneak into an aisle and hike those babies up good. Well, about 10 steps later, they do the same thing, so I hide in another aisle and pick them up again (I must have mortified the little girl and her dad that happened to run into the aisle JUST as I was doing this). The bathroom is on the other side of the store...I know I can't make it there...by this time, my undies have fallen again and the only thing keeping them up is the fat in between my thighs! Now most people would have just taken them off at that point, but I decided to waddle myself on out of there, hanging panties and all! Keep in mind that about 6 weeks ago, they were snug. I had my second post op (1st fill appointment) today. I shared this story with the doctor and I swear, I can still hear them laughing a whole city away. I figured that I should share this with you all in case someone needed a laugh. With that said, I've lost 10.5 lbs to the day from my first post op appt. (a week after surgery) a month ago. (35 lbs all together) Dr. said that I'm doing great and my lab work came back perfectly, except for a deficiency of Vitamin D, which I was told is pretty normal. On top of exercise and monitoring my portions, just having the band placed is offering some sufficient restriction (my band was empty). So 1.25cc's was added because the doctor (and myself) think that I'm knocking on the door to my sweet spot. Sorry for the long post...I'm so proud of myself and felt like sharing today! :thumbup: Start of Pre-Op Diet (2/15):345 lbs Day of Surgery (3/2): 330 lbs Post Surgery Appt (3/11): 320 lbs Follow up/First Fill appt: 309.5 lbs!...1.25 cc's

I have spent years avoiding the rides at Kings Dominion because I either could not fit or thought my spleen was going to bust. I went saturday with my son and guess what we rode?? Everything!!!! I fit comfortably on all of the roller coasters and other rides. What a great feeling. Greg

I've got a couple of NSV's... the main one I have to say was going to 5 parks in Orlando, FL I fitting comfortably in every single ride! And this past weekend at church I actually had someone ask me if I had plastic surgery!?!?!?! I couldn't be happier with my band and I thank God for giving me the strength and courage I needed to go on with surgery when I was terrified! LOVE MY BAND!!!

Good Morning!! Well, I am hoping that this will be my last week of 200's!!! I am staring Onederland hard in the face and couldn't be more delighted. Today, I am at 201 and change - less than three months post op! I am looking forward to introducing a few more carbs into my diet - someday this year! :biggrin2: The NSV's are vast but primarily, I feel like a million bucks - I can easily ride my mtn bike 25 miles and kick my hubbies butt while doing so - we ride 3-4 times per week and wow has it made a difference! It's fun again instead of "ohmygodimgoingtodie"! So looking forward to reporting in next week UNDER 200!!! You guys are my heros!! Carol

Jane, I know EXACTLY how you feel. I shared clothes with my friend the other day for the first time ever! It is such an amazing feeling to look in the mirror and be ALMOST completely satisfied with how you look. OH! One more NSV.... I've started swimming without a shirt! I've always wanted to be able to do this, but being big I never had the courage. No more!

I'm back- home in Connecticut, that is. The contrast between Tucson and New England could hardly be sharper. The desert is beautiful, but I do like green and trees. Everything here is coming out all green and flowers- so beautiful! I managed to eat well the whole trip, which I'm proud of. And I walked lots and lots. I like outdoor exercise so much better than the elliptical and the gym. Bob, glad you checked in- nice to know you're over there! Leigha, congratulations on BMI, NSVs and SVs! I like your idea of sectioning food. Christie- SV!!! Way to go! Denise, I hope things other than your weight stabilize! Stacie, when you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Meds sure help me- sometimes it make sense to live better chemically. Jackie- I like your PWVSES. HB, I drag my ironing board out like once a year! Congrats on the medium scrubs! Betsy, as always, thank you. You give a lot even when things are tough for you. Bobbie, good luck! You do have a lot going on with you, girl! Can you get COBRA from your job? And I agree with you about this thread! I eagerly await new postings!

Good Sunday to all! :-) Well, let's see, where to start .... First of all, who ever on here sugested cottage cheese and pineapple toppping - YUM!!!!!!! :w00t: Second - It seems like everyone is, so far, doing quite well ... Congrats to all on NSV, SV's, exercise, etc... So Yesterday. I went to Sears optical to meet with this guy, Charley. He gave me an application to fill out. SHOCKED, Right????? Anyway, it was more promising than the Target Optical guy. He went over the job w/ me, and told me I need to take a test online before we can have a real interview. Hmmmmmmm . OK. Did that when I got home. Then he proceeds to tell me its 20-25 hours a week, and because its not full time there wont be any benefits. <that sucks huge> BUT, he did say that some weeks will be 40 hrs as others take vacations, etc... And it could turn into full time later on. So, rightnow, any job is wunnerful :-) I'm meeting him tomorrow between 10-11. ANd there are other part time jobs available in town. But ... no benefits ,,, :tongue::crying::cursing::crying::sad::crying: Why do I need Benefits so bad? one word - MEDS!!!! I'm with those of you who have depression. I take Wellbutrin, and 2 different strengths of Effexor daily, as well as Triampterine daily for Lymphadema in my lower left leg, that also has major vericose veins. I also have Fibromyalgia, migraines, acid reflux,TMJ, Irritable Bowel, Croens disease, Renards Phenomenon, Arthritis in my back, and RA in my knees and hips. I have Colon Polyps removed every 1-2 years, and I have more sleeping pills and pain pills than any one person should have! ANd NOW, my hot flashes are coming on full speed!! SHEESH! BUT! The upside? ( and there is always an upside to everything ) I DONT have cancer, or any other ailment thats life threatening, terminal or that could kill me at any time, ya know? Everything I have is controlable, deal with-able, and tollerable. So if I get a bit weird, down, sad, pissed, or upset on here sometimes, now you know why. However, I'm usually happy most of the time. I figure as long a I wake up each day, The rest is just ,:confused: I can pretty much deal with whatever comes my way. Sorry to go on and on. Just needed to vent a bit. It seems with everything else going on in my life right now, my diet has taken a back seat. I'm still stalled, and not feeling great about it. OH! I was approved for food stamps:thumbup::thumbup: So THAT helps ... Looking forward to hearing from you guys today. I know it sounds strange, but you're my" best friends that i've never met " :-) I cant wait to read what you're all up to, and how things are going, and what struggles we each have, and how we're dealing... Blessings, Bobbie

Good morning everyone! Its going to be another beautiful day! I am going to work in the yard again today, when Rob and I got married in 2008 we moved into his house and I rented mine to a "good friend" that I had known for 10 years. Well, to make a long story short, when she moved 10 months later, we moved back into my house and my yard was ruined but it was fall so now that it is spring I have a lot of work to do, but it is recovering nicely. NSV ALERT! Yesterday I was trying to dig up 2 plants that were here when I bought the house, they are ugly so I thought I might as well replace them. So I am outside, and I have the shovel balanced and I am jumping up and down on it and it wont go into the root ball. So Rob sees me and comes outside and says "Your butts not heavy enough to push the shovel down!" Plus I get up this morning and have a scale victory as well! I have lost 3 pounds this week. I am giving credit to riding my bike to work and gardening. Which leads me to wonder, do y'all think that gym workouts could be less effective than actually doing stuff outside? Well I guess I better get outside and get busy! I will take some pictures when I am through and post them tomorrow. Have a great day everyone!

BIG nsv for me a few days ago! my best friend from high school was in town visiting me and needed to borrow a pair of jeans. she has always been tiny to me (calls herself a size 2, but shes probably more a comfortable size 4)... before my surgery, she asked what size i wanted to be ultimately and i said i thought i didnt want to be as small as her, that i didnt think i would look good at her size. i said i would probably want to be a size 8 comfortably, and possibly a size 6 if i ever got to that point. well, a week or so ago, i actually bought my first pair of size 4 jeans (not too tight to button either, they actually fit me just perfectly! crazy i know!) so i let her try them on and... lo and behold... they fit her! she actually had to struggle a little bit to get them over her calves since they are express' ultra skinny jeans. MIND BLOWING! i don't see myself as the same size as she is, and i suppose it will take me a long time to see my body the way the rest of the world sees it, but... when i see pictures of us together now, we really are the same size! it sounds so vain but i never realized how much this would mean to me...

Aw, congratulations, everyone! What fun and exciting NSVs!!!! :biggrin::hurray: I saw someone today who I hadn't seen in a year. He didn't recognize me, even though I was talking to him. I didn't let on b/c I wanted to see him squirm, trying desperately to figure out who this woman was. LOL :mad:

Leigha, Congrats on being normal!!! My scale is moving snail slow still, but I have a good NSV to keep my spirits up ........... I now fit in my Medium scrubs!!! I have been ironing a good part of the day. I iron more than anyone I know. I guess I am a little more OCD about wrinkles than most. I just ate a piece of fish and am on my way to a little lake not far from here for a walk. It is a little chilly, but not too bad, so I guess I better do something to get the scale moving.

Bob--welcome back from the Farm. I was beginning to think you'd been lost in a freak combine/thresher accident. What game will provide your next diversion? Dottie--I’m sorry your doctor wasn’t supportive. I am not sure why some doctors seem to approach giving fills as somehow bestowing a great, yet undeserved, gift. I’m with Leigha and Jim--remember that you’re paying him, and that he has a job to do. Heaven knows you’re doing your part of the job very well. Now he needs to do his. Preferably without making you feel bad in the process. (Phhht. Screw his stats. Does he really think they're reflective of his success? They're not.) TJ--I agree 100 percent with you. We have to be responsible for our own bodies. I’ve been remarkably lucky, because my doctor is very well-rounded and we click. But even so, there are decisions I make that don’t quite mesh with his “plan.” I am perfectly fine with that--and so is he. It works well. I’m glad you have a doctor who approaches things with you similarly. I think it makes a tremendous difference. Good aftercare is so important--and having it with a good doctor is a pleasure. Denise--I love your plate NSV! Good luck with the doctor--I hope you get set on a path to get good answers so that you feel well again. Stacey-- I will send a friend request on FB. I’m Betsy Banks-Golub. I’m glad you’re seeing your PCP. Getting your asthma under control will help a lot. But remember, exercise doesn’t have to be punishing in order to be effective. Can you walk without experiencing symptoms? I’m sorry you’re battling depression, too. It can throw a wrench into the works, for sure. There are lots of options for treatment. While some meds can produce weight gain, usually relieving depression makes it easier to comply with eating and exercise plans, so loss is quite often a feature that accompanies recovery. I took Cymbalta for fibromyalgia pain for a few years. It was very helpful in terms of weight loss. It’s one of the antidepressants for which this seems to be a common feature, so it might be worth looking in to. Wellbutrin, too, is frequently chosen because it promotes loss. But in general, the most important thing is getting the depression under control so that the lifestyle stuff can follow. Don't underestimate the value of exercise and good nutrition to reducing depression. Once you're in a better place (both in terms of your asthma and depression), you'll feel the changes these promote, and one good day will be the foundation for the next. Before you know it, you'll have a chain of successes. And that will help motivate you on the days when doing what you need to do just isn't all that appealing. I hope you get good guidance and help and are soon feeling much better. We’re all here for you. HB--That’s quite a video LOL Bobbie--I’m so sorry your “interview” wasn’t an interview. You must be so disappointed. We’ve had to endure the double-unemployment thing, and it’s so, so hard. Your family is in my prayers---I know you will find something soon.

Denise-Congrats on the NSV! Bobbie-How did today go??? Dottie-Sorry your doc was a turd! Bob-Welcome Back! FB is evil and very addicting and where you will find me most of the time...although I do not farm anymore...mostly Treasure Madness Me-I am always on Facebook--Stacie Kudlac Pfender..I am sure I am the one and only :thumbup:. I read somewhere on here (maybe this board) how you have alot of problems with finger foods. Call me crazy, but I am soooo much better with finger foods! I am a very visual person and I can take a teeny tiny bite if I don't look at it (aka the finger foods), but if I have to cut it up with a knife and fork it looks so lonely and I take too big of bites. When I am home, as caveman as it sounds, I don't cut my meat I pick it up with my hands and eat it if I can :sad:. I know I know---weirdo :mad:

Hey Everyone!! I just have to share a NSV from this week. We had a ham on Monday. Hubby cooked it, he did a GREAT job. As I was making my plate (I took one of our larger plates, as I sometimes do, sometimes I use a smaller one to remind me to take smaller portions). I looked at my plate and it looked so sad and empty. I muttered something about how I REALLY need to keep using the smaller plates. My hubby asked if I was piling it too high, as I usually do, bigger or smaller, it doesn't matter. I said, "no, look at this thing, it is so pitiful looking, I actually put tiny portions on it, OUT OF HABIT THIS TIME!" First time in 2 years and 2 months I have not had to THINK about my portion size, I just naturally put a small bit of each dish on my plate. :thumbup: I asked the nurse at work today if she had time to take my pressure, she said yep, come on down. So I popped on down, and she had the doctor in today (I work at a large air traffic control facility--he was doing physicals for the controllers). She asked if he would check me over. So he did. He thinks it is related to my thyroid and that I need a full panel run. I don't have a thyroid as I had an overactive non-cancerous tumor several years ago. So, I already had an appt scheduled for Friday. I'll be sure to talk to him about this episode. I'd not be too upset if I had to up my metabolism a bit :mad: I also gave the doc (he is an ER doc by trade) a little band education and let him feel my port. I told him he might see someone who was overfilled some time. He decided if he did he'd call and get advice about how to exactly access the port to withdraw fluid. Bob! My goodness, HE LIVES! Glad to have you back! Dottie: That totally sucks that you got treated that way. My goodness, you were on vacation. You are allowed to relax your vigilance! Plus you had less fill than he thought you did, so he can stick it up his nose! But yes, they do keep stats and heaven forbid we skew them. You know, I heard the doctor from the show Big Medicine on Sirius Radio one morning saying that he has lost faith in the band, and his sister has one. That was kind of off-putting to me. But, I already had mine, so I am going to work it.

I love NSV's My list: 1. Pants 10 inches smaller in the waist, 54 to 44 Levi 501 button fly!! 2. No seat belt extender on airplanes 3. Not the biggest person in the room 4. Fit comfortably in the seat at an arena Hockey game 5. XL shirts vs 3 XL shirts 6. Briefs feel good, instead of baggy boxers. 7. Watch is real loose 8. Sit a long way back from the steering wheel and can now drive holding the bottom of the wheel. 9. Able to climb a ladder without worrying it will collapse. 10. Punching holes in my belt to keep it fitting. Added 5 holes to my favorit belt. Tons more but those are my favorites... TJ

Today I am 2 weeks post-op and I am wearing a pair of jeans that haven't fit me since this time last year! :thumbup: I have another NSV but it's kind of TMI :thumbdown: