Shrinking Violets -- April 07 Bandsters

[adorable 1]

To add to my depression tonight, I'm posting my pics LOL...

Well there's only a 6 lb loss since the last photo, but my damn hubby can't get the picture from the same distance each time so it's closer and I look fatter LOL

ahhhh sometimes you have to joke about life and not let it get you down...I miss my daughter, but I know that what I'm doing is for the best...and I know eventually I'll see her again - when she needs something lol...

Here's the pics...I don't see any change from the last photo, but I sure do see a big difference from the first pics. I can't wait to get my fill on Tuesday!!!

[TracyK 3]

Denise-what a strong willed parent you are!! So many parents need to do what you are doing. Be strong, you are doing what you need to do to improve your DD life. I know how difficult it must be for you!! (((hugs)))) By the way...you look great!!

Everyone have a great day!! WWJD?!

[TracyinKS 7]

Thanks guys for all the compliments! I needed them today because I bounced back to 231 this morning............ too much salt yesterday... as I ate two tomatoes over the sink with salt, had a late dinner and judging from the food........ I NEED MY FILL THIS MORNING.....

I had, 1 chicken breast, 1 baked potatoe w/butter and salt, green Beans, slice of tomatoe, and1 bite of rice........... and I never felt backed up.............. restriction is weird! I go at 9:30a.m. for my fill.....

Denise: First I CAN tell from last month... in your profile pic your face and neck........ from the back view your waist is more indented and the fact that last month you were wearing black (slimming) and this month white.......... YOU ARE DOING SOOOOO GREAT!

Second: You are doing the hardest thing a mother can do, but you ARE doing the right thing. Its better to do this now, rather than bury her. She knows you love her, but right now she think the world owes her and you are the head B leading the pack........ she has graduated from programs so she DOES know right from wrong.. she is just choosing WRONG and EASY. I think the fact that you are making it LESS easy will benefit her and I hope for your sake (and hers) that she cleans herself up and grows up.

LOVE MY VIOLETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TerriDoodle 6]

Denise -- My best friend has been going thru the same ordeal for the last 8 months or so. Loooong story short, it is the best thing she could have done -- NO doubt about it. He is sober now (after 90 days in jail!) and is going today for his physical to join the Navy. This is a brilliant young man who had the world by the tail until he started drinking as a senior in high school. He was a straight A student, never had to study, a computer genius and played 5 instruments...all by ear. Incredibly sad, eh? He's homeless now, been in jail twice, lost his car, job, and friends. All he has left now is the love of his family, but NOT their enabling ways. In hindsight, this is the only way that he had any chance at recovery. It has been the hardest year of my dear friends' life. She said if she had done anything differently it would have been to get into therapy and Al-Anon much sooner for her own mental health. There's no point in her taking all of you down with her. She's an adult (maybe not a mature one) and she has made her choice. Time to grow up.

You are certainly in my thoughts and prayers. I am proud of your courage.

(AND you look so wonderful in your pics!!! You are such a beautiful woman!)

Xoxo

[TerriDoodle 6]

Oh, it's been a loooooooooooong few days with this new fill of mine. I PB'd all weekend...I don't know how many times...I think 3 or 4 and one of them was BAD. Of course it was while we were sitting in a wonderful restaurant with my sister- and mother-in-law. I had 2 bites of scrambled eggs, a bite of canteloupe and a tiny bite of sausage. I had to leave the table THREE times. As I sit here now I am totally stuck on one bite of cottage cheese! I am determined to ride this out until Friday or Monday. I will not hesitate to go for an unfill if it's not better by then. I don't have any problems with Water or Protein shakes... only food of just about any kind.

What a difference between TracyKS and I, eh?

Josie - How's your restriction these days??

Kat - Your garden is making my mouth water!! I'd kill for some squash...if I could only eat it!!

Pamela - How's your state of mind these days?? You sound a bit subdued. (((Love you!)))

Laura, MsJen, TracyK, Haydee -- HI!! :wave:

Ya'll have a good day!

[Kat817 19]

Denise, Terry mentioned Al-Anon, have you ever looked into it? I went back when I was "recovering" from a really terrible marriage, and my brother was drinking. My brother was critically injured in a car accident when he was 18, it left him with some serious brain damage, as well as crippling him up pretty bad. It scarred him tremendously. He feels like he looks like a monster, and to be fair, children DO stare. He is lonely, and VERY difficult to deal with. He is mentally on about a 13 year old level, in some ways, they call it a reactionary level. So he responds to things like a 13 year old. Things are either very cool, or he ignores them. It is his way or no way....if you have had children or siblings, as 13 year old boys you get the picture. Well he began drinking, and he self medicated with alcohol. He could sleep, he didn't care that he wasn't "normal". I believe that is the worst of it, is he has enough mental capabilities to self support, but they also let him know he is not fully normal, and he is embarrassed by it. BUT his drinking, made him obnoxious, and rude, and was killing my parents bit by bit. So I went to Al Anon, to try to find the strength to turn him away. To not enable him. We walked on eggshells around him. We came so close to losing him, in the accident, he was hospitalized for months. I know I personally had the thoughts of wondering if our prayers really had been answered or not...but I was scared to death he was going to either drink himself to death, or drive and kill some innocent people...and he did get a DWI. But thank God no one was hurt, he was just stopped, for going too slow!!!! Anyway---the support I got in Al-Anon was what I needed, I needed to hear that others turned their back, without turning their heart...to be able to cry, and they understood. I did find the strength to tell him, if he was going to drink, he was not welcome at family gatherings. And I told him, if our Dad had a heart attack from stress, I was going to blame him! I think of all things, that one soaked in a bit. He also has seizures on occasion from the brain injury. He had a seizure one night, and was arrested again, the officer arrested him for a 2nd DWI, but when he got him to the station, he blew sober---so he arrested him for being under the influence, he then thought it was drugs. They put him in a cell, on a top bunk (brilliance in action---my brother is as said, crippled!) He wasn't there long, when he had another seizure. They are brought on similarly to low sugar, and he had been on his way to get dinner at a pizza place down the road. He got his pizza, but had a seizure in the car, before leaving the parking lot, and the employees called the cops. When he had the seizure in the jail, he fell from the bunk and split his head open, and was taken to the hospital. When they were releasing him, he ask to be sent to treatment---and he completed the 90 day in house program. That has been over 10 years ago. He still has all the same problems, except he doesn't drink. We still tend to walk on eggshells, mostly my Mom, fearing that any little thing will start him drinking again.

My DH is very, very good to my brother. He works with him, they built him a porch the other day. I mentioned his age equivalence earlier, it is a serious difficulty. He would get along with boys---of the same mental development. But to begin with it is not proper or accepted for a man of 44 to hang with teen boys of course, and secondly, they continue to grow up, and he does not....Adults, even parents who love their teenage boys grow weary of the attitude, and cannot wait for them to mature---but my brother doesn't and won't. So, men find it impossible to relate to him for any length of time. My husband, and a few big hearted, kind, understanding men he works for, are his life lines.

The counselor at the treatment center, told us he may never be able to quit. That kids tend to take the easy way out, and he is forever a kid, and drinking when you want to is much easier than not drinking. BUT he did it.

I fully believe what you are doing is the right thing, but I can only imagine how incredibly difficult it is.

I will pray for her to find strength, and for you and your family to give you the same strength, and courage to face this and remain tough.

It takes loving her enough to do this---you are a good Mom! We see it, and someday you will see it in yourself!

Kat

[Daisalana 33]

Denise- You look great!! I'm the same as you, my picture from July-August doesn't look any different.. But from Pre-op to today is a big difference.

I go to my concert tomorrow, very excited! I am going to end up doing some WSOP poker tournaments the day before I have to go to Anniston for fills.. the tournaments are 4 hours west of here.. and Anniston is 3 hours southeast of here.. so I leave Tunica on Sunday night, to drive to Anniston Monday morning (sept 10th).. whew..

Hit another mini-goal..another sexy pair of jean bell bottoms I haven't been able to wear in 5 years (last time worn was to an Alice Cooper concert), found them in a bag in the closet while rummaging for a swimsuit...tried them on..and ta-da! They fit fine, but my stomach is a lot looser than it's ever been, so my 'muffin' is very prominent in these non-stretch jeans. I plan to wear them in the fall when I'll have big sweater/tunic things up top to cover it up.

Hope you all have a great day

[TracyinKS 7]

I am back from fill #4…. I now have 4cc’s in my band. (which my band is marketed that it holds 4cc’s of saline) I asked him today how much it REALLY holds because I’ve read that they can be “over filled” He said that he didn’t have anyone with the small band (like me) that has more than 5cc.

I have a feeling that I’m going to be MEGA restricted because I almost FELT it tighten… (could be in my head)

I am drinking a Protein Shake with milk and ice right now…………. I’m going for a BIG month! To them I lost 6 lbs last month. On my scale it is 10…. Right on track.

Looking at my Before pics and now.......Thank GOD I’m getting my Face Back…….. it physically hurts me to look at my before pic

I LOVE MY BAND…. It’s not magic, but it really helps me win the battle over food.< /span>

Todays fill was .75 cc................. so my history has been

1.5cc

.75cc

1cc

.75cc

[mdrai 3]

Good Monday Morning, Violets~~

Denise... best wishes during this difficult time... you're receiving lots of great advice... & you look mah-ve-lous, dah-link... hang in there & know we're keeping good thoughts for you.

Terri... Hope that loosens up for you! :omg:

TracyKS... Good luck w/your new fill! I get my 3rd on Fri!

Laura... Yay on the jeans!! + all your fun stuff coming up!

Everyone... HI!

Today is the first day of school! Did 22 mins on the eliptical + got a pedicure... aahhhhhhhhhhhhh. After 10 weeks of having kids home & with me, I'm enjoying the peace & quiet today.

Toodles for now...

[TerriDoodle 6]

TracyKS - didn't you say ice cream was good for a swollen stoma?? I think I need some.

[Kat817 19]

Terry----here was my favorite recipe for swollen!!!

Make a pitcher of the Pineapple/Orange Crystal Light. Freeze it. I put a couple of ice cube trays full, then put it in small containers, so it ends up fitting in my blender.

After it freezes---

Mix some of the frozen CL with a couple of GLUGS (my technical measurment) of Amaretto, and a GLUG of Peach Schapps. BLEND!!!!

Sip slowly....give the ice cold medicine time to soothe.

Now to be a TRUE good bandster, you could add some unflavored Protein powder!!!! GMBO

Ok, might not be the right cure for stoma issues, but it is a nice summer yummy!!!

Kat

[TracyinKS 7]

Oh My .............................. Glugs All Around!!!!

[Jennifur 0]

Hi everyone.

I made it to the gym and then to the er with my sitter, her cats ran out of the bedroom just as she was coming out of the bathroom and tripped her, sending her flying head first into the door jamb!!!!! I have never seen anything like it. She is not even dizzy or anything.

Denise - you will be in my thoughts and prayers... as well as your DD!

You look great

Tracyks - did I mention how cute you guys look, and you son is so cute

Kat, that sounds so yummy

[mdrai 3]

glug, glug, glug -- hic!

[Kat817 19]

fyi-----the little hic at the end is when I know I am done!!!

Kat