January Chat/New Jersey Style

[~Jules~ 0]

Dianne, I am so sorry to hear about your MIL. I am glad you guys are there to tend to her. I know your FIL is glad too. I hope you can get her stabled so they will be ok on their own.

I will be thinking of you.

[Kat817 19]

Too tired right now to do much but read a little. My Dad got a good report at the Dr. We hit some ice on the way down, and the snow started before we made it half way home---was a slow tedious trip, not helped by my Moms, quick indrawn breaths everytime a snowflake made contact with the windshield!!! Ok maybe not that often, but the woman was making me nutso!!!! Made it home, wanted to veg out, in front of the fire---but no such luck, our son was afraid his Daddy would starve if I wasn't home on time, so they made plans to go to dinner---on a Friday night, we waited to be seated, then they were slow....all I wanted was my jammies!!!

Which I have now...so going to go to bed!!!

I have read all the posts--

Patty, prayers for getting this surgery done for you---Dianne, for getting the parents well--Mandy for your foot surgery--heck, I don't have any memory left at all---think I will just ask for abundant blessings for all of you!

Thanks for all the safe travel wishes---they worked!

See ya tomorrow!

Kat

[ReneBean 3]

Oooooo - somebody has an unsecured wireless network up... It isn't very strong signal - but it is getting me to you from the comfort of my cushy chair. Woo Hoo!!

I have CSI Miami on TV and I am snuggled under a little blanket to avoid the cold.

I stopped at the store on my way home and picked up some lovely veggies to eat with the dip I made last night. Just in case I get the munchies! It wasn't just raining - the sky was hemmoraging!

I was soaked thru from just walking from my car to the store and back. I could barely see the lines on the road on my drive home. It was a little more excitement than I generally enjoy on my commute... but I made it home with my veggies - and home I plan to stay.

We are planning on going out to the gym tomorrow before the big freeze hits. It hardly counts as going out because the gym is so close to the house.... but that is our only plan except for the domestic goddess stuff.

Sherry - get out your domestic goddess hat and take that tree down! And you and Chris have fun at your meeting. :]

Cindy - you get to wear a domestic goddess hat with the extra special supermom bow. I know you will get that tree down... :]

Jules - Hi! Did you go to the gym tonight? Or did you take the night off like we did?

Kat - glad to hear you are home safe and sound at home.

Well - I hope everybody is having a great weekend. If I can piggyback on this signal again, I may check in again tomorrow.

Hugs and Love!!

[piercedqt78 658]

I am meeting with several other bandsters from the Chicagoland area today. I thought I would have more joining us, there were so many that were interested in a get-to-gether. I think there will be 7 of us total, if everyone shows. I will report back in later and let you all know how it went. Veggestyle was going to join us, but she had something come up...maybe next time. ~Mandy

[NJChick 3]

Good Morning Chickies,

Patty :think :think :think I'm so sorry for all the crap you have been dealt with lately, when it rains it pours. Please know that good things are worth fighting for. I will be doing some serious praying for you sweetheart. Hang in there and know your not alone, God will carry you thru this.

Dianne sorry to hear about your inlaws. Is your husband an only child?

Beanie you go girl, get on that eliptical and work it work it for me while your at it heheheheheeee.

Mandy have fun w/the banster meet up.

Sherry you too, enjoy the meet up today. You have an underware delema???? do what I do..its simple.... don't wear any :tired

Kat, hope you got some good rest in yesterday after your trip... snow YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cindy we have rain here today and tomorrow (so they say) and snow is expected next week ICK. Be careful, ice is nothing to fool with. How's retirement?

Darcy you go girl, show that body who's boss :eek: I'm proud of you :clap2:

Well I really need to take down my christmas tree today so I better get my ass up and moving.

Pat, Chrispy, Cassy, Jules *HUGS*

Sorry if I missed any names.... I do love you all

[mousecrazy 2]

Mandy, hope you have a good time meeting some of the bandster friends up there! Take pictures! The three of us had a blast, and the time passed so quickly, none of us could believe it!

Kat, glad you got home safely, and I'm sorry I laughed when I read about the dinner plans last night! I know it was the last thing you wanted to do, but it was sweet in a way, too. My mom would have been the exact same way about snowflakes hitting the windshield, so you gave me some funny memories of her, too...hope you are relaxing today!

Beanie...yes, yes...I have my goddess hat (isn't that something like unwashed hair? ) and my special mom bow (sweatshirt) and have marched DH to the attic to bring down the piles of Christmas tubs to fill them up again. I have a plan, a new strategy...I will play for 45 minutes, then pack for 15...I figure that's 15 minutes an hour better than I've done for the past two weeks! LOL!

Hi, Eileen! You're on here, probably typing as I am...hope you are making plans for a good weekend! Did you have a good week? Has your raise kicked in yet?

Anne, Cass, Darcy, Chrispy, and all the rest...have a great day, and we'll see ya later!

[Dutchgrl59 2]

Good Morning,

Thanks ever So much for the kind words.

I just read thru my emails and my attorney suggested what Beanie said and that was to find an "in network" insurance company. How do I do that?

I am not insurance savvy, I was a married girl and we took the insurance that our company offered. As a single this is new to me and hustling isn't what I do. What do I do now? Quit my cobra payments.... sign up with another company and send out new letters of medical neccessity? Which company do I get... is there a list.... where do I get the list from. How many months will that take? I asked my drs office about financing options and she said to go to the website and sign up with the finance company, I think capital one or some such. Dr Oliak is one of 2 lapband surgeons in Orange County. He is a very popular local Dr and all his saturday seminars a packed standing room only affairs. This office whos only business is WLS and people have or will find the cash, so I'm not special.They aren't gonna cut me a deal. Wouldn't it be more cost effective to go to my credit union or beg my poor mother? And what do I so when cobra expires in May, my 36 months of coverage will then be over and lapband requires fills and at least somekind of monitoring. I truely hate this position that I have be thrust into. All these decisions... it's too much. I can not sit by the phone or cel phone to research this. My weight continues to climb and my fuse is short. In about 10-12 weeks the temperature here is going to rise and it will be uncomfortable here in the house again. I know that I'm whining, I feel hopeless. I need direction. This week I was again faced with my kids schooling needs and special education plans that are not being adhered to. What is more important.... my 3 RSP kids or my WLS? Don't answer that. No one walks in my shoes and the journey has been perilous.

Well, My weekend is here and I want to shop and think. :think

[Kat817 19]

Awww patty---I have no answers for you---but someone here will. Like you it is something that is just foreign to me! I hate that you are having all these issues!

I know I have not helped---I just wanted you to know someone was listening---and I have said another prayer for you and will continue to do so.

I too had insurance issues----bless you for the fight you have fought! I am so impressed!!!

Hang in there until some of the girls get back that will have some much needed answers for you.

(((BIG GIANT HUGS)))

Kat

[mousecrazy 2]

Me, too, Patty. I don't know about Cobra insurance, so have not words of wisdom there. I do believe that God's plans are right on time, though, and have faith that everything will happen as it is meant to be. Maddening, I know...I have many times railed against those plans, just as you are now. Then, looked back at my anger to see how foolish it was, and how right the plans were...I just couldn't and didn't see what was ahead for me.

I know you have depended on your faith in the past, and I hope you can hold on to it now. Take care of your kids, do your best with your health, with or without WLS right now, and step by step, the plans will unfold.

I'm so sorry this is so hard right now. It doesn't seem fair.

(((Hugs)))

Cindy

[ReneBean 3]

Hi!

This signal is weak - so it's not fabulous for surfing - but it gets me here enough to check in with y'all.

Today we went to the gym and I did (drum roll please) 35 minutes on the Evil Elliptical. Of course, I didn't get overly enthusiastic about any particular songs this time... so I got to breathe the whole time without the raspy throat. :]

I guess I shouldn't tell on myself :kiss ....after the gym we went to CiCi's and I ate far to much pizza. I guess it's not as bad as it could have been, since I did and extra few minutes of elliptical penance in advance. And of course my food intake at CiCi's was nothing like what it would have been pre-band. **shudder** at the thought!

Sometimes I wish I couldn't eat bread like some other bandsters - and sometimes I am glad I can. :nervous That's human, I guess. As I ate the last slice of pizza, I wondered if maybe I didn't need another fill... but I will hold off for now.

So, today, I have been very very good, and very very bad. No domestic goddess stuff, yet - but I have my veggies ready to chop for the evening snacking. I figure I will get around to the tree thing tomorrow.

Mandy - Tell all. How was your meeting??

Eileenie - did you get your tree down? Did you earn your domestic goddess merit badge?? (oh - and maybe TMI on the underwear thing... lol!)

Cindy - yep - I think the domestic goddess hat does strongly resemble unwashed hair... :] How did the 15 minute plan go? I might have to try that one if it worked for you!

Patty - Love, don't change your insurance, change your surgeon. Call the insurance company that you currently have and ask them for the name or names of Bariatric surgeons or hospitals that are in their stinking network - and then go see one of them. Your current doc will understand, I assure you. All those tests you took and paid for? Those are YOURS. All you have to do is sign a letter asking the surgeon to transfer all paperwork to your new doc. If that is the only excuse they have, then pick a doctor they can approve. Heck, if you have to drive to the next county, it will be well worth it. Or, money could still fall out of the sky. Bad shit happens, and good stuff does, too. Keep the faith. Hugs!!

Kat - Love you. You are always so comforting. Hugs!!

Well - I am going to see how hard I can push my ride... The signal MIGHT let me go see what's up on the other boards... or it might not.

I'm just glad it let me stop in here. Hugs!!

[NewBeginnings2018 81]

Hi everyone!!! I'm alive!!! haha. Sorry I haven't been around in a while - close to a week I think. My internet was down and Comcast just came to fix it today. A lot happened while I was gone. lol.

So Sherry and I met with some MA Bandsters today. It was a lot of fun! It was great to put faces with screen names and to hear about people's journeys. I think it helped give me a little extra motivation too. We can always use that!

So otherwise things are good here. I'm just really tired these days. Still fighting a little bit of a bug, but nothing some extra sleep won't cure I think.

Sorry, I just don't have the energy for personals tonight, but I love you all. xoxox

[nightingale2u 42]

Patty... Most people would have crumbled under the circumstances you have faced over the last year and I am just so proud of you for keeping your faith and fight alive. Step back if you can... take a deep breath... regroup... get all the information you can and step back in that boxing ring and win the fight. I'm so sorry there are more bumps in your road... hang on tight... smoother roads lay ahead.

Irene... WOo Hoo Girl! Damn... 35 minutes on an elliptical would send me straight to the coroner! Glad that you weren't a weezer this time. Hey... my hubby ordered an Mp3 player for me... where is the best place to get Mp3's...do you know???? Sorry about the bread thing... I can't imagine... even now that I am completely unfilled I have to be vewy vewy careful! I can eat a sandwich on a really good day and when I can it's heaven.

Cindy... Tree down????? hair clean????

Well... Today was the grand day that I fianlly braved the cold to go out and pick up POOPcicles. :girl_hug: I kept waiting for somebody else to do it and amazingly...nobody ever did...lol. My hubby never did finish raking leaves so it was quite a little hunt and seek adventure. I then raked the preferred dumping sites so my next patrol won't be as challenging. :girl_hug:

Eileen... I'm not sure if I am in control right now or not... I'm freaking myself right out. I really am feeling good though so either the meds are working or I am manic... ahhh...but that would be a whole new diagnosis. Hope you have that tree down or at lease have hearts hanging on it.

Oh... and then...for some unkown reason I cleaned the house... man... don't know if it's the Lexapro or the thyroid meds...but I'm lovin it. Okay...and don't call the men with the white coats... but I also did a half an hour on the treadmill here at home. I think there was some guilt involved due to the bowl of ice cream that jumped down my throat earlier in the day.

Gotta go... (((hugs)))

[nightingale2u 42]

Morning All...

Just wanted to say good mornin. I'm waiting for my beloved coffee to finish brewing... mmmm... smells heavenly! Oh... you know what is weird... people take Wellbutrin to help smoking cessation but I was taking it for depression with the hope that it would also help in the fight to stay smoke free. WHile I was taking it I struggled every day with not smoking. Now... I am off the Wellbutrin and I hardly give smoking a second thought??? Not that I'm complaining ... it's wonderful not to be consumed with the idea of my old yucky habit. I can't believe it's been a year since I quit... WOW... I think I can actually count on really doing it this time!

Okay... off to get a big cup o java.

[piercedqt78 658]

Sorry, I didn't check back in last night. I was child free for the first time in a Loooooong time so hubby and I joined a game night. We had a blast. My band meetup was very nice. We met at an olive garden, the one I normally go to lets be order off the kids menu, this one wouldn't, but they did let us order off the weekday lunch menu (cheaper and smaller portions). We were there almost 3 hours, and the time just flew by. I had met one of the girls before and she was as sweet as ever. I was the longest banded of the group and one of the girls is getting her band monday, she was on liquids...so she had a coffee. I felt guilty for eating in front of her, but she insisted she was fine. We had some great conversation, a few laughs and we all agreed that we should do this again. I of course forgot my camera, so maybe next month I will get pictures? Well the kiddo is home and I have to make Breakfast. I will check in later. ~Mandy

Oh, I also realized I need a fill, I was able to eat my Soup and all of my lunch yesterday. I was full for the rest of the day, but I ate wayyyy to much. ~Mandy

[NewBeginnings2018 81]

Good morning everyone!

Well it finally happened. This morning I had a big 'ol PB! And just yesterday I was telling people that I've never had a problem eating anything. haha! I think I tried eating something too heavy too early in the morning. It wasn't that bad, but I certainly will try and avoid having one again. Yuck!

Mandy - I'm glad to hear your meeting went well. We met up with a group in MA yesterday and it was a lot of fun too. Two of the girls that came had just started mushies, and we had a couple of pre-surgery visitors too. We all agreed we had a great time and are already planning a summer BBQ at Sherry's. lol.

Darcy - congrats on quitting smoking! Almost a year? That is so great!

Hope everyone else is doing well!