Shrinking Violets -- April 07 Bandsters

[Jennifur 0]

Pamela

Congrats! I so hear you ... I have been so busy this past week i find that I am out of control starving when I realize I didn't eat Breakfast or lunch. I thought about getting a bagel the other day and I argued with myself telling me that if I knew I could eat it that would be tempted to get more - so i stopped at the market a few times and got 4oz turkey and ate that.

I too have been sleeping much better and my skin looks great! it is that time of the month so i have a dweller or 2 where i normally get them but other than that... it is amazing. I thought I was going to miss diet coke... but nope... it has been 3 months since I've had one.

You know what I do miss... it is hot here and I so want an absolute and cran in the worst way - but i'm holding out on that too... I am not going to have a drink until i get to onederland!

[mdrai 3]

Good Monday morning, Violets!~~

Day 6 post-band... wow! Still sip, sip, sippin' along... sometimes I swear I'm going to float away! Even when I sip tho, I tend to hiccup or do little burps... and my chest feels tight... but I just breathe through it & it goes away... sheesh... if liquids are doing this what will food do??? I know, I know... patience & healing... my mantra... taking it easy as possible...

You are all doing so great! Pam -- WAY TO GO w/conquering your ff demon... that is NOT an easy one!

I never eat Tacos, so can't speak re: them... I think it's an each to her own kind of thing... if you can lose eating [whatever you like] in moderation, then I think that's how the band is to work, ideally.

I still feel lightheaded alot... like now... that's all I need... to be ditzier than I was! -- ha ha -- my family didn't bargain on THAT!

Have a great day everyone!

[TracyinKS 7]

GOOD MORNING VIOLETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TODAY.... TODAY.... TODAY I get my very first FILL!

I am soooooooooooooooo glad.

There hasn't been much I CAN NOT EAT....... and there hasn't been much that I HAVE NOT EATEN!

The one thing I have stayed true on is NO DIET DR. PEPPER

We will not discuss all the crap I've eaten. My portions have been less, but I did gorge on a pizza friday... I was miserable...

I pb'd on a sonic pattymelt (just burger.. I did throw away the bun) and my son was horrified.... I was spitting in the bag and sliming too....... he was like..

MOM THAT IS REALLY REALLY REALLY UCKY!! STOP IT PLEASE!

I have not weighed because I know I am about 5 pounds UP from my signature so I will face the scale tomorrow and go from there......

Today the official losing begins............ I will let you all know how it goes.

[TracyinKS 7]

OH........... and I love Taco's, but I really love MY tacos with the skillet fried shells.... (my mom used to make them that way) also Mom's burritos with Beans and pork steak ARE TO DIE FOR! Ok.. now I'm craving burrittos!

[Daisalana 33]

TracyK- I'm glad to hear you say 'I can eat what I want.. I have been eating what I want'.. not because it's good, but I just like to know I'm not alone! I'm really having to make the right choices, and I don't always.. I hate that there's nothing enforcing me anymore. Let us know how the fill goes! That's my saving grace (in theory) right now. Wed. is my first fill, and I'm praying it does the job.

Yesterday I had a sugar cookie.. not 5-7 but 1.. so that IS better than usual.. but I was also able to eat 2 hot dogs (not in bun) yesterday at lunch.. and 3 slices of pineapple. :welldoneclap:

It feels like I don't have a band most of the time. In the mornings I am tighter, and the good thing is I can't eat hamburgers anymore.. yay!

I've tried-hrm- a few times.. fish sandwhich from BK, one bite and I wasn't feeling so hot.. at family cook outs (every Sunday), I've tired my dad's burgers on 2 occasions.. 1 without bun, 1 with.. both times, after 1 bite I hurt a bit (small bites). I tried a Wendy's, not burger, but some kid's meal thing.. ham and cheese on a bun, and one bite, same thing. So that's good enforcement.. now I just need it on more things. I take longer to get 'full' now.. fill fill fill!!!

[Kat817 19]

Sometimes a hamburger patty works for me and sometimes it doesn't. I don't know if it is the way the meat reacts after being cooked, it seems it is hard to chew it well enough. I do it...IF it is moist meat. I also try to have other textured food with it, to help in the chewing breakdown. Sounds wierd I know, maybe it is in my head!!! Using ground beef in other things, I try to crumble it very fine to start with, and it seems much easier---I begin cooking it, then use a hand style potato masher on it, and it crumbles real fine. And as gross as it sounds, after I drain it, I rinse it off with hot Water. It helps remove more of the grease, and when you mix it into your taco seasoning, or spaghetti sauce, you will never taste a difference. But you have helped cut the fat in it.

So I have a question for the teachers out there. My newest granddaughter (actually a step granddaughter to be....) is going from Kindergarten to 1st grade this next year, and there had been talk of holding her another year, or putting her into pre first (?) but in the end the school moved her up. She is struggling. She can count, knows all her colors, letters, the sounds they make...the basics, but she cannot seem to sound things out phonetically, nor does she retain the sounds she has figured out, or the words prior. For instance.... She was trying to read me a simple sentence this morning in a color book that said "Draw a picture of what you want for your birthday." Right off the bat, she did not recognize the word 'Draw', so we began with the sound, but when she determined it was a D and not a B, and we come up with the 'duh' sound and moved on to the 'r', and I told her to put them together, blend the sound, she had already spaced what sound the 'd' made. We finally got through the word 'draw' she of course knew 'a', and then we began with the word 'picture', it was a hard one, so I told her what it said, and we were going to begin at the first, but she had already lost the word 'draw'. This little girl is not stupid in any way, but she is having serious problems...and at this rate they will only get worse. My DD is looking into Sylvan, but I would be glad to help her in any way I can, I will be keeping her along with my 2 yr old granddaughter this summer. She also has no concept of rhyming words. We have been working on this while we swing, I say a word and as she swings if she comes up with a sound alike rhyme word, I give her a push---trying to make it a little fun too. We do it with the 2 year old counting, I push for every number she counts. My soon to beson in law, has now got full custody of the little girl, so they are hoping with some consistency she can catch up. Her Mom is still in the picture, with limited, and guarded visitation. There are issues with Meth use. So....any ideas how I can help her? I see books, work book type things---I have no problem buying...and we have lots of childrens books, and we do a story time to put them down for nap/rest time, and we read at other times. I want her to have fun this summer, but would also like her to be better prepared to keep up this next year. We are also working on tying shoes---and the retention issue rears its head again. If you talk her through each step, she has the physical dexterity to do it---which the 2 year old does not, but the 2 year old remembers the next step---and she does not. Anyone know of a website I can print out fun learning things from? HELP----I am an out of date Granny---who needs help to help her!

Thanks!!!!

Kat

[atcg1rl 0]

I'm so glad or not so glad to hear that there are other people in band hell like me. I have not been eating too unhealthy, however on the weekends, I have been splurging on a Margarita or two!!! I have been sticking to mostly Protein and Lucky for me I love seafood, which is high protein low carb. I grill fish, shrimp with the shell, lobsters and I eat a small portion fo the fixns on the side. Only on the weekends, though.

Judy- Wow!!I have been admiring your sucess for awhile now.

Jennifur- You are doing great girl, stop worrying when we get our fills, we'll be fine.

TracyKS- Hurry back and tell us about you're fill.

Haydee- what a great idea clothes sharing.

Adorable -we were banded the same time and our pouns are coming off about the same, too.

[TerriDoodle 6]

Gotta go catch up with everyone...hope you are all doing well! Just got back from a long weekend on the Guadalupe River and it was awesome!!!

Took my progress photos today... finally able to see some progress!

[Daisalana 33]

Wow Terri! You can definitely see a difference! I wish I showed a difference in just 16#'s!!!!! Good job :welldoneclap:

I'm down 34lbs since my 'before' pics were taken, I took my first 'afters' last week and there is barely a difference.. hrmph!

[janiebug 0]

Terri

That is great!!! I had a picture taken in early April, maybe I should take another one. You are very inspiring to keep me going!!!

Jane

[Jennifur 0]

So....any ideas how I can help her? I see books, work book type things---I have no problem buying...and we have lots of childrens books, and we do a story time to put them down for nap/rest time, and we read at other times. I want her to have fun this summer, but would also like her to be better prepared to keep up this next year. We are also working on tying shoes---and the retention issue rears its head again. If you talk her through each step, she has the physical dexterity to do it---which the 2 year old does not, but the 2 year old remembers the next step---and she does not. Anyone know of a website I can print out fun learning things from? HELP----I am an out of date Granny---who needs help to help her!

Thanks!!!!

Kat

Kat,

My son (3 1/2) has been getting speech since he was 2 and at his last evaluation in January they have decided he has dysfraxia (sp) which is where he changes sounds such as b and d and a few others. So maybe here is my suggestion - talk to the school about having speech therapy. either way it does not sound like it would hurt. It was difficult hearing that he has speech issues, but how is he going to learn to read if he can't sound properly? Maybe the same kind of issues going on? My son is extremely smart - so smart it is scary, he actually fooled the person who did his initial evaluation to the point where they didn't think he would qualify, and when he did, he was not saying a single word... imagine that! LOL

Best of luck - I have a great contact for help with this or questions so pm me if you would like.

hugs... she will be great

[TracyinKS 7]

I'm BACK!

PIECE OF CAKE!<O:p</O:p

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Funny story…….<O:p></O:p>

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I get there early, and the relief person is at the reception desk. She asks my name and I tell her… she squints at the computer and asks me to spell it.<O:p></O:p>

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She says.. YOUR NOT IN THE SYSTEM. I say WHAT!?!<O:p></O:p>

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At that time, Darlene (the regular person and also a banded patient) Says.. HEY TRACY ready for your first fill?<O:p</O:p

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The nurse says… “She’s NOT ON THE LIST”<O:p</O:p

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I said……..”I’m NOT LEAVING HERE TIL SOMEONE STICKS ME WITH SOME SALINE!!!!!!” (we all laughed)<O:p</O:p

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I ran into one of the other ladies that got banded the same day as me, and we chatted til I got called back. I have been avoiding the scale because I have been eating so badly, my entire appetite has been back for about two weeks, but I actually lost 4oz’s since my last visit… but the nurse was happy because she told me that usually EVERYONE GAINS the first 4 weeks, and that I was already ahead of the game. <O:p</O:p

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The doc came in with his nurse and He asked if I was nervous….. I said HELL NO.. I’m READY!.. I can EAT ANYTHING! and I almost called Darlene to beg for an earlier appointment. He said.. “wouldn’t of worked” I say……. I KNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW that’s why I didn’t bother. (and sighed for dramatic effect! :welldoneclap: )

<O:p</O:p

He does his own fills, so he knows right where my port is. He felt it, and popped the needle right in… weird feeling because I felt it hit the spongey part and go in. He filled me up and then put a bandaid on me, had me sit up and drink a few drinks of Water to make sure that I wasn’t too tight. <O:p</O:p

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He laughed at me, and said……. I went ahead and gave you the MAX amount of fill I give ANYONE for their first visit… I asked how much and he said 1.5cc’s.<O:p></O:p>

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I raised my thumb and said AWESOME!!!!!!! That will work! <O:p> </O:p>

So anyway.. the fill itself took less than 10 seconds… <O:p></O:p>

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I go back in 4 weeks for my next fill. I have to be on full liquids for two days so that my stomach can get used to the fill…… I’m hoping I feel some restriction so that I can begin losing and not ever be hungry. He says the first fill can be unpredictable, I could feel a lot of restriction or I may need another fill for me to notice. My bites are to be NO LARGER than a finger nail……… <O:p</O:p

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So LET THE LOSING BEGIN……… again!

TERRI!!!!!!! I can definately tell a difference!

[DynamoMini 1]

Terri - Wow! You can really see the weight loss, up close and personal. It is fantastic. Congratulations!

Kat 817 - as a former special education teacher, reading specialist, yadda....yadda. I think it is great to try and figure out what part of her learning isn't coming together. Does she always know the alphabet, upper and lower cases? Does she know and recognize numbers and colors? If you put three colored blocks in front of her could she match the pattern, and add the pattern herself? Is her vocabulary and speech good for her age? Can she follow three step directions? There are lots of issues, especially if she could additionally have had some prenatal stuff with mom (meth). Most school districts offer child find, where they would evaluate her. If they are just saying immaturity, make sure they have really evaluated what is the immaturity. Sometimes it is better to go through private agencies, but I always like to start with the ones your taxes support. Good luck, you are really in a wonderful place to make a difference, she is young and can be really helped. She is a lucky girl to have a loving grandma.

I am getting a fill on Friday. I can eat anything and don't feel restriction. I noticed I can chug Water now, where I couldn't do that before. I can eat two cups of salad, no problem. And I lost 1/4 pounds since ten days ago. I think I need a fill and I have also started tracking my food on calorieKing.com. I think I had become a little too generous. Not crazy eating, but more calories. I will continue with working out 5 days per week , which revs up this old girl's metabolism.

What has changed for me is that I'm not beating myself up. I am tweaking the system. Yay me!

Hugs and best wishes all on the beautiful Monday.

[kity 2]

Terri~WOW WOW WOW...Your hard work is paying off big time...you look great!

I took my before pix wearing red shorts in front of a red door (what can I say, it was 5:30 am and I was nervous). So w/ the shorts, you can't really tell where I start/stop and the door begins!

Tracy~Congrats on your fill. I am really excited about mine on Friday. The scale still says the same, but I am feeling fat. (probably all the crap I eat).

Kat~ Honestly, I would try to keep her in Kinder for next year. You didn't mention this, but was she a Meth baby? They really struggle w/ retention, and it is very bad in the later grades. I think she would benefit from one more year in Kinder to really practice the sounds and become familiar w/ sound/symbol relationships. I would defer to any advice Judy has, I think she taught Kinder for 32 years. I have taught every grade K-8 (except 2), but she is the expert w/ the little guys. Remember, what you all do for her today can really SAVE/HELP/ENCOURAGE her the rest of her schooling life. It is not a race, and there is no rush to start 1st grade. ALSO, IT IS TOTALLY UP TO THE PARENTS, NOT THE SCHOOL, IF YOU WANT HER RETAINED...You make the call, what is best for your child. Good luck!

Have a great afternoon everyone,

Pamela

[TracyinKS 7]

I just took a big gulp of Water without problem.......

Man oh man do I hope I get some restriction from this fill!

chew chew chew chew....ooops wait, tonight is liquids... sip sip sip :welldoneclap:

Kat: I agree with Mini and Pamela... see what Judy says, but it would be better to hold her back now before any of her classmates notice..

I will most likely do this with my son next year. Why set them up to fail? Give them the extra year so that their maturity can catch up.