Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[ShelbiCallie 0]

Safe travels to you and your son!

Welcome Tanner!

[Woofay 0]

JSOTO~ Congrats on being banded! And congrats on your 28 lbs! Thats great! You'll really appreciate his after care also. Its wonderful to be able to just call and get a fill or unfill when you need it without paying an arm and a leg. And, if its your thing, several of us meet up at Red Robin to talk about our accomplishment, frustrations, you name it. Your so welcome to join in. Our Bandster group is growing and shrinking all at the same time!

Taynah~ Happy, Happy Babying!!! Have a great trip!

Dynamomini~Hope you had a good holiday! I think your goal planning is great! You can do it! I think I'll make one with you. I'm going to shoot for 10 lb by January 4th(my son's bday). Thats kinda drastic for Dec, my favorite food month, but I think I can do it! And now its hanging out there for all to see!:omg:

Hey, according to the board here....lots and lots of stuff going on around the 13th of December...and the 11th happens to be the second tues of the month...sooooo! How is everyone for aiming for that? I don't know how soon everyone will be in town for their procedures but the 11th or 12th may accomodate alot of people. Just throwing it out there! School programs, company parties, and weather permitting. yikes! hahaha!

Have a great one, All!

[Totallytater 1]

Is anyone else having their surgery date on Dec 13th? If so, what hotel are you staying in? I can't decide where to book a room.

I'll be having surgery on Dec 11th. I have two rooms booked right now and will cancel one closer to the time. In case there is REALLY BAD weather, I will stay at the Doubletree. I think they will pick you up at the airport and will give you local transportation too. If the weather is okay or semi-okay I will stay at the Best Western Gateway. It is right in front of a Wal Mart and within walking distance to the mall and restaurants. So it will be close to things in case my sister (who is coming with me for surgery) needs to run out for anything after the surgery.

Good luck to you.

[Mal 0]

Hey gals!

lets see, goal setting...8 more pounds by the new year, work out goals, increasing my workout 15 miles a week on the treadmill, eliptical or bike and increase my reps on the weights.

I am at that strange point in my weight loss. This is the place that I have been stuck at with all the previous diets and excercise, where I haven't been able to pass in the past. I really want to get over this hump...this is going to be mentally difficult becasuse my mind thinks this is the end of the losses, but I am going to push it and make it past!! I even went to the gym Thanksgiving morning and worked out. I think this is where the band and some mental work will prove themselves!...here we go!

[Woofay 0]

Yeah, Mal! Way to go! I can't believe you went and worked out on Thanksgiving! I'm so proud! You're goal setting looks great, and you'll get past that "mental" weight loss point and it will be smooth sailing from there!

tarheelluv~Welcome to the board and congrats on your band placement date! Woo hoo! How far are you traveling for this? You've made a good choice in surgeons. I take it that your placement is going to be at Health South? (he uses two facilities) Don't forget to ask for your medical discounts and keep us posted! :clap2:

[DynamoMini 1]

I love you guys!

It is like coming home when I read the postings! I'm fine with the 11th for RR. It is a busy time of year, but I really need to come together. I am impressed by all the goal setting. I like that you are thinking in a more immediate sense. I will have to ponder what I think I can accomplish by Jan. 5th my birthday. Mal and Woofay - you are right this is a hard time of year. Temptation in the most unexpected places, like my pantry and leftover nuts.

I had a bad night last night. I somehow forgot myself and ate the rest of a big bag of roasted almonds covered in sesame seeds. This wasn't a thought out thing and I had no idea how hard it was to quit once I had started. I am a fool thinking I can get away with it because I had worked out really hard and I guess I am always hoping I will become "normal" about food. Needless to say, even without the band I would have had terrible stomach pains, what an insult to my body, and why would I do that to myself? I am ready to beat myself up, however, the nausea and cramping did it for me. Whew! Finally I was able to get some liquid Tylenol down. It seemed to calm the pains down and I could sleep.

The struggle to be honest with myself and change my thinking is always with me.

Mal - I also worked out on Thanksgiving. It was a good thing to do, the endorphins help cope with the family dynamics. I do love my family tho'.

Hugs to you all,

Michelle

[ShelbiCallie 0]

To those who worked out on Thanksgiving: :cheer2:

Why do I always sabatoge (however its spelled) myself? My previous mini goal for Jan was so outlandish -- I'm only 2 pounds there and there's no way on the good Earth that I can lose another 18 pounds in Dec! Again, setting myself up for failure. What in the world was I thinking? :faint: I'm going to re-think my goal.....

Hey 'heel -- Dec 11th will be here before you know it! This is such an exciting time and it sounds like you've got a great plan.

[marcyinak 0]

I'm BaaaaAAAACK!

[marcyinak 0]

The cruise was GREAT and I have determined that the cruise companies and the diet companies are in co-hoots! Not a lot of food was edible (for me...sent me to the bathroom more than once to PB...I learned to do a lot of licking!). BUT, the Desserts were EASY to get down! I have to admit there were times that I had TWO desserts...even took one to my room (there was this souffle that was to die for!). I managed to stay the EXACT same weight! Must've been all that walking I did...and sweating! Not to mention that session in the spa where I had "toxins removed from my body with algae" (whatever! it was free!)

Pictures to come, but internet is slow and I have to get used to the waiting again...

It's good to be home with my Protein shakes...can you believe I said that?

[Lap_dancer 8]

I'll be having surgery on Dec 11th. I have two rooms booked right now and will cancel one closer to the time. In case there is REALLY BAD weather, I will stay at the Doubletree. I think they will pick you up at the airport and will give you local transportation too. If the weather is okay or semi-okay I will stay at the Best Western Gateway. It is right in front of a Wal Mart and within walking distance to the mall and restaurants. So it will be close to things in case my sister (who is coming with me for surgery) needs to run out for anything after the surgery.

Good luck to you.

Hey! Welcome!

The Best Western Gateway is by far my favorite place to stay. I did like the Holiday Inn across from the surgery center but prefer the Best Western for its closeness to so many things. I've gotten to know that area fairly well in Aurora.

I travel from Florida and am so very pleased I did so. I've never been disappointed at all with that decision. Dr. K is a great doctor, his staff is fantastic and GREAT communicators, which I find, aside from his skills as surgeon, is his greatest attribute. He communicates like a good teacher.

[Lap_dancer 8]

Hello Friends!

Thanksgiving was a piece of cake. Hope you all enjoyed the fellowship of friends more appealing than food. Wow, what a feeling to not be so focused on food. I find myself still THINKING that I can eat a few things or portions.

Greetings and well wishes to you all. How was your Black Friday? I stuck to my TJ MAXX and two other stores, avoided the malls, was in for the walking and less about sales and spent some quality time with my "daughter" (former foster child) who we've absorbed as part of our clan. She is married now and came up to spend the night. Great time.

Wishing you all healthy choices. I'm in a good place, I've got great retriction. THE BEST. I think I should have been here months ago but who knew??? The band reminds me of getting married. New things, new way of living. Time to find the zone.

Signing off today with this from my OA group.

For years I thought the worst thing that could happen to a nice person (guy) like me would be that I would turn out to be coe (alcoholic).

Today, I find it's the best thing that has ever happened to me.

This proves I don't know what's good for me.

And if I don't know what's good for me, then I don't know what's good or bad for u or for anyone.

So I'm better off if I don't give advice, don't figure I know what's best, & just accept life on life's terms,

As it is today especially my own life, as it actually is. AABB, 3RD EDITION PAGE 450

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These very wise words include the rooms of OA.

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It is better that I allow other coes their personal experience including their mistakes without judging their shares.

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I have made this mistake many times until I came to realize that personal shares no matter how sick are part of someone elses journey.

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My best response is not to react; only to set an example of acceptance while keeping my shares in the soul-u-tion.

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Here is a story I would like to tell you about making judgments.

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There once was a family that lived in Astonia, near Poland, & there was a couple with one teen age son living there.

Now, Astonia was a very small country & it was surrounded by countries that were at war.

This family was very poor because of the war, & they had little food to eat.

One day a beautiful white stallion came running into the family's corral.

The son went running in to tell his father that there was a horse in the corral, & he said, "Isn't this a wonderful thing father?

Now we can use the horse to go into town & get some work to buy some food!"

And, the father said, "Well son, I don't know if this is a bad thing or a good thing, we shall see."

Two weeks later, the boy was riding this big white horse & he fell off & broke both of his legs!

All the townsfolk came to see the boy, & said, "This is a very bad thing that this horse came into your coral, because now your son has broken both of his legs."

And the father said, "We shall see, I don't know if this is a bad thing or a good thing, we shall see."

A week after the accident, the militia came marching through the town & took every young man to join the army.

Now this army was going right to the front of the fighting in Russia & these young men would surely die.

So all the folks came to the father and said, "Now this is a wonderful thing that your son fell off of the horse & broke both of his legs,

because now he does not have to go to fight at the front where he would surely be killed."

And, the father said, "I don't know if this is a bad thing or a good thing, we shall see."

So, the moral of the story is, DON'T JUDGE IF THIS IS A BAD THING OR A GOOD THING.

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Many times I have thought that being a compulsive overeater is a BAD thing,

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Today, just as Dr. Paul experienced, I find it was the best that could happen to me.

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So many situations in my life, I could continue to react to like dysfunctional parenting & childhood abuse.

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Today I see them as stepping stones to maturity.

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Then there was difficult pregnancies & widowhood at 26.

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At first, these paralyzed me, with the application of the 12 steps, I find them to be powerful gifts.

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Finally, I watch my parents face aging & Alzheimer's with compassion & a discerning attitude.

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Their gifts have become my gifts too!

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GOMU has taught me patience in making decisions. I choose to slow down, watch,learn, practice discernment.

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Speaking of discernment, most of all, every day I practice the discipline of counting my blessings!!!

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My disease of coe comes with a solution for living life on life's terms!!!

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Just for today, I have a life that truly is not only beyond my wildest dreams;

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I simply couldn't image choosing not to coe let alone the other blessings I've been given with unlimited possibilities.

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B4 OA, they told me to get a life!

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Well I did, & it isn't worth trading for one morsel nor even a binge full of extra food.

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[Lap_dancer 8]

Marcy post some pics of that cruise!!

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I have great news!...

I'm going to be a grandmother!

ME...my daughter is three weeks pregnant.

((smiles))

[Totallytater 1]

Hey! Welcome!

The Best Western Gateway is by far my favorite place to stay. I did like the Holiday Inn across from the surgery center but prefer the Best Western for its closeness to so many things. I've gotten to know that area fairly well in Aurora.

I travel from Florida and am so very pleased I did so. I've never been disappointed at all with that decision. Dr. K is a great doctor, his staff is fantastic and GREAT communicators, which I find, aside from his skills as surgeon, is his greatest attribute. He communicates like a good teacher.

Lap, thanks for the great words about Dr. K. It makes me feel like I've made the right choice.

[ShelbiCallie 0]

Congrats, Lap!

[DynamoMini 1]

Hi Everyone,

Lap - Congratulations! Enjoy this moment of joy!

I just posted this on the Over 50 site and thought I wanted to share with my nearest and dearest!

"I am kind of depressed with my lack of loss. I was in the carb cycle after a vacation to Mexico I found that booze really revs up the carb cravings too. Especially rum, because wine gives me a headache. Oh well, I'm on the wagon again, didn't even do badly after Thanksgiving.

Even with the band, I am left with my eating "issues" wanting more, more, more to fill a lonely heart, boredom, anxiety - you name it I react to it. I have decided that we are all very sensitive to our environments inside and outside. The defenses I have used are insulation, over saturation, and going into sugar numbness to protect myself. I've been in therapy for five years, exercising for four and now doing acupuncture for about a year. I do think there is light at the end of the tunnel, but there isn't any magic, for me. At least with my band, when things get off, I am not gaining great sums of weight! Yeah! That alone has given me a chance to breathe again. With the band I just stall for awhile."

I don't think it is about getting angry with myself, but accepting myself. Working with my strengths and weaknesses is challenging. Perhaps the most daunting thing I have ever done. You know, "To thine ownself, be true."

Well - it's Sunday and I'm off to the gym. I painted up a storm last night. It felt great.

Happy Thanksgiving to all - I am so grateful to you bandsters. It is wonderful to talk with people who understand and "get me."