2011 - banded, banding, bands--verb--To assemble or unite in a group

[shadst8 8]

Elfie we are here. I have nothing new to report. Trying to get my band to work with me so I have dropped my carbs to 40 and below--hoping to kick weight loss up.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Yesterday was my preop physical and a week from tomorrow, the band will most likely come out. To be honest, ever since I eliminated the grains, starch and gluten from my diet, I haven't been hungry at all despite eating about 900 calories a day so I'm not sure I need the band...or maybe never needed the band since my hunger is apparently controlled by excluding non-vegie carbs. In any event, my band doctor is pretty impressed that I lost 10 pounds this past month without a fill in my band. No joke...so am I!

Denise: Tell us all about your trip! Some of us have to live vicariously!

It's overcast and cold here. I think I'll go take a nap.

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[Cocoabean 430]

It's been tough getting on the internet!

Hi Everyone!

Seems internet traffic is slowing down!

Elfie, his mood has improved dramatically. I think he had a bit of the guilts over leaving his mom, even though it was his decision. She got admitted one night toward the beginning of the trip. As she refuses to elevate her legs, the edema got very bad and the skin started breaking down.

We discovered we had cell service when the safe started ringing! DH had not turned off his phone. It was the doctor. He said they admitted her to increase the diuretic. There truly isn't much they can do, but as she is refusing hospice, they have to treat everything as if they are trying to cure it. He told her that the refusal would mean many admissions and trips to the hospital rather than being treated symptomatically for comfort at home.

Then, the second or third day of the trip, he went to the promenade deck for a walk and fell. Landed very hard. We think he might have broken a rib. He would not go see the doctor due to the cost. (Not that we would not get it reimbursed! Sheesh!) He did not tell me about this until it became clear to me that something was very wrong. But pain will put one in a very bad mood. Then he gets a sore throat. Yeah, he's had a great trip. I will say, that sort of stuff is usually happening to me on vacations. Worst one was having my appendix out on a trip.

Anyway! We are heading for Ensenada, Mexico. We arrive there this afternoon. As we live just over the border, we've been there, done that. So we probably won't get off the ship, unless there is a little shopping area right at the port.

My band is behaving much better now. Once I quit trying to eat Breakfast, all is right. Although I was waiting for a while, I guess it just wasn't ready for food, and it told me so for the remainder of the day. On shore days I just took a Protein Bar with me. It has worked out much nicer.

I've been more active than normal on the ship. As we are on deck 9 of 14, with the shopping on 6-7 and food on 14 (with no deck 13), I find myself using the stairs more often as it is only a few flights. My knee doesn't always like it, so I'll grab an elevator from time to time. It's funny. At 47 and 57, DH and I are some of the youngest people on board!

[ElfiePoo 109]

Wow...3 days and none of us have been back in here. I know I'm spending less time responding to posts...most likely because it's obvious that people are not reading any of the threads because if they had, their question would already have been answered. Before I asked a question, I'd at least read through several days of posts (it's not like there are a lot) to see if my issue was already addressed. I guess I'm less inclined to help people who want someone to spoon feed them.

Yeah, I'm in a bitchy mood this morning. I woke up yesterday morning with a bit of a scratchy throat and by afternoon, my eyes were watering and my ears were starting to hurt when I swallowed. Now this morning I can barely talk and my throat hurts like hell...and I'm supposed to have surgery on Wednesday. I'm going to hold out until Tuesday and hope this all goes away by then. If not, I guess I'll call on Tuesday and reschedule.

Denise: Your husband should avoid vacations. It doesn't sound like they agree with him. Oh...and thanks for bringing the nice weather back with you. It's lovely!

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[Humming Bird 275]

Melody, I hope you are feeling better by the time your surgery day comes. It sucks to be sick anyway, but when you have big plans it sucks much more.

I found a different job. Wooo Hooo! The stress at the other one was no longer acceptable. Greed had taken over and they were doing some illegal things with my pay. They were treating me very bad. I guess they didn't know me well enough to know that I don't tolerate being treated that way. Life is too short to put up with that sort of thing. Anywho, life goes on and I'm fortunate to have changed jobs without skipping a beat in this job market. I had been playing around with 2 pounds during this time and they are back off this morning. Yay!

[Cocoabean 430]

Hi Everyone! We are back on dry land!

I made it through a two week cruise and did not gain a pound, yay band!!!! Woot Woot!

We had a great time, other than the DH being a jerk from time to time and Bandit being tight the first week. On Oahu we took the city bus from Aloha Tower where we docked over to Pearl Harbor. We'd already been to the Arizona Memorial so DH went on a tour of the submarine Bowfin and the Battleship Missouri on which Japan signed the article of surrender for WWII. It was a beautiful day, so I hung around the Pearl Harbor visitor center as the tour of the sub and ship were quite costly. He really enjoyed it.

From there we took the bus to Waikiki. The bus got stuck in traffic, so DH had a fit over that. (Like a cab would not have gotten stuck? With the meter running?--what ever!). We did a 3.5 mile trudge back to the ship from there. I sure could not have made that walk prior to being banded!

From Oahu we sailed to Kauai where we rented a car for the day. A convertible Mustang. We had a wonderful time driving around the island. We saw the land of Hanalei from Puff the Magic Dragon.

Oooh, dinner time! More to come!

[ElfiePoo 109]

HB: I'm so glad you were able to find another job that's less stressful. We spend so much time 'on the job' that a miserable job can make for a miserable life.

Denise: A convertible to ride around the island? Dreamy! Hope you took lots of pics and are you putting them up on your FB page?

It's looking more and more likely that I will have to cancel surgery. I've taken one dose of Nyquil the past two nights and it just this second occurred to me that I probably wasn't supposed to. I know I'm not supposed to take aspirin and such a week before surgery and I'll bet there's something in the Nyquil too. Damn.

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[Cocoabean 430]

Crystl, congrats on the new job! That is great, especially in this job market!

Elfie, so sorry about your illness. I don't think nyquil has aspirin. But if you are hacking and coughing, I doubt they will want to proceed. Wah!

I am currently attempting to upload some of the pictures from the trip to FB. I am not really good at it...so check back!

[BobbieND 3]

Crystl, congrats on the new job! That is great, especially in this job market!

Elfie, so sorry about your illness. I don't think nyquil has aspirin. But if you are hacking and coughing, I doubt they will want to proceed. Wah!

I am currently attempting to upload some of the pictures from the trip to FB. I am not really got at it...so check back!

Sounds like everyone is doing well!!! Mel, I'm so sorry if you have to cancel surgery :-(

I'm doing ok. Still can't lose the weight! I was over full last fall, and was puking constantly, but was losing weight. Although not healthy, i was eating WAAAY less. Now, due to hyatal hernia, they wont fill anymore after they took out most of it last fall. So, Yes, started smoking again, and trying to not eat sugar and carbs. NOT WORKING! I've started walking again, as its finallly nice enough out to do it here. My knees are killing me again. Oh yeah, new diagnosis - RA ... in knees and hips. Holy ! How much can one body endure?? I also believe the lack of lass as of late is due to still being out of a job. Just not much around this area right now. my depression has kicked in full swing because I no longer have insurance and cant afford my meds, again. GRRRRRRRRRRR

BUT .... i'm stil cute as hell Even with saggy tits, I'm a knockout lol

I guess i can bitch until im blue in the face, but it wont change things... so whats the point.

So, once again, I need a good ass kicking ... who wants to start ?? I know i have plenty of friends here who want to... C'mon! Its a free pass!!!! I'll take thoughts, ideas, thrashings, tough love, whatever you can throw at me.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!

[Humming Bird 275]

I just love your personality Bobbie

Are they going to fix the hernia at some point? ah, you have to wait for some insurance .........

Well, I don't feel the need to kick your ass. It almost sounds like you are doing a good job of that yourself.

[ElfiePoo 109]

I'm with HB...you're doing a fine job of kicking your own ass. Thanks for the chuckles although the image of sagging boobs I could've done without. LOL.

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[Humming Bird 275]

I'm with HB...you're doing a fine job of kicking your own ass. Thanks for the chuckles although the image of sagging boobs I could've done without. LOL.

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LMAO.... I see that image daily!

[elcee 3,341]

Still here - just lurking. Once you are at goal there isn't really a lot to report band wise. I did "come out" to a bunch of friends the other day and they were quite surprised about my band. The other people they know that have one have not been hugely successful. From what they were saying though it sounds to me as though these people are relying entirely on their too tight bands and not pulling their "weight" in the battle. I bravely showed them some before pics and they were amazed - there is one in particular where my hair is fairly short and I look huge. How is it that when you are fat you know that you are fat but you don't seem to realise to what extent. I look at those pics and think hell how did I ever manage to let myself get to that point!

I have eaten far too much cake/dessert in the last couple of weeks. First it was hubby's Birthday, then my daughters and then a friends 50th. What can I say - cake goes down far too easily.

Melody I hope you get better before the op. I have had a sore throat/cough/cold for almost 2 weeks now and can't seem to shake it, it's really annoying. It almost seems like fate is against you - that it doesn't want you to get your band out. I am hoping that they open you up, find the tubing is rubbing on something and that they can shorten, reposition it and leave it in so that your band works and your pain is gone. Fingers crossed.

Denise I am so jealous of your cruise. The pics look amazing. As to the hubby I think they just get grumpy old man syndrome, they seem to revel in their grumpiness. Mine is only 43 and has had it for years although he vehemently denies it. I never realised Hanalei was a real place!

Hummingbird - congrats on the new job. How did you manage that? What are you going to be doing?

Bobbie I distinctly remember saing something about destroying those horrible ciggies! So now you are not just struggling with the weight you have another horrible habit to kick too! Bad girl! LOL. As cute as you are noone looks cute with a fag hanging out of the side of their mouth and the smell is pretty bad too. I have to ask how do you manage to afford to smoke if you can't afford your meds? Smoking is one hell of an expensive habit and surely your meds and your health are far more important.

Is there some kind of volunteer work that you could do? It might not bring in an income but it could do wonders to boost your self esteem. Plus if your hands are busy you won't have time to smoke.

I have some exciting news. My sister turns 40 at the beginning of July and she is buying tickets for me and my 2 "kids" to fly back to South Africa and spend a week with her and her family at an exclusive game lodge. I will then get to see my parents for a week or 2 before coming home. It will only be a shortish trip this time as the school holidays are only 2 weeks. I will probably let my son miss a week of school but I can't really let him miss more than that. My daughter has started working with her Dad. The job is pretty boring and not really what she has trained for but at least it brings in some money and it gives her some experience while she looks for something else.

Nothing else to report - might go and play in my sewing room.

Keep up the good work everyone.

[Humming Bird 275]

Hummingbird - congrats on the new job. How did you manage that? What are you going to be doing?

I'm a dental hygienist, so I will still be cleaning other people's teeth. I just hope this will be a better place for me.

I would love to see South Africa and Australia someday!

[Cocoabean 430]

Elcee, stupid question of the day, when you head to South Africa, do you head east or west? Obviously my geographical knowledge of the southern hemisphere is limited. It sounds like a great trip!