Columbus Area

[SpecialK 22]

Look at you all and you weight losses, Niki, Speical and Turler!

You are doing so well! KT, I see it says you are down 42 as well.

Congratulations!

Juli--I do hope we see you at the get together at the mall so we can help chase away those blah's -- yep, we all have ups and downs -- sometimes the downs seem longer than others. I am even seeing little ups and downs in the 7-8 weeks I've been going through this post surgery now. A friend told me to line up two 12 lb. bowling balls and put them in a big sack (heavy duty) and put that on my back and carry it around for 24 hours to remember what it was like 24+ lbs ago ! Good mental image to kick me in gear and make me thankful.

You inspire those of us who haven't made it to the 1 year mark yet. Hang in there!

[OH Juli 15]

This is where I was yesterday.

That's the Portsmouth muarl behind me and my friend Joanna (in yellow).

The ride went well aside from a little sun burn on my arms. I hope to see you all in June!!!

XO

Juli

[nurse niki 0]

Way to go Girl!!! How are you feeling today? Your tushy hanging in there? :-)

[OH Juli 15]

Thanks Niki

This is Columbus' Bike to Work Week and I'm the coordinator for my agency, so I HAD to get back on my bike and ride the 5 miles into work this morning. I so didn't want to!!!

But my tushy is fine. So are my knees and shoulders...It's amazing. I'm so greatful for my band. You know a year ago I couldn't imagine being able to do this.

[SpecialK 22]

At the mall get together, I was asked to share with the group what I have on my MedicID Bracelet that I wear now. It says:

Adj.Gastric Lap Band

w/ Abdominal Port

No NG w/o Scope

I got my bracelet from Laurens Hope - and they sell lots of different styles, something as simple as a leather braided in black/brown for men or pretty sparkly ones with different decorative trims, beads.

One warning --I measured and ordered a bracelet too large for my wrist and sent it back to get adjusted and had to pay the postage and a $6 revision fee so measure carefully. I ended up getting a little tighter than I thought I needed and its fine. The decorative part is on the top of my wrist/arm and the MedicID tag is under my wrist where most people have no idea I'm wearing one. I was told that emergency personnel know to check for ID bracelets and necklaces for medical tags so I don't think it would be overlooked if an emergency came up even though its decorative. There are lots of websites out there that sell even nicer and more expensive 14K gold, etc. but this one is my style.

http://www.laurenshope.com/category.aspx?id=1

Edited May 12, 2008 by SpecialK

[SpecialK 22]

Hi all. I can see we hadn't posted anything on the Columbus thread in awhile and I had an idea come to me this past Sunday I'd like to throw out there. It seems its sometimes hard to picture and/or be thankful for those 30 or 50 lbs when you know you've got 100+ to get off or more to lose..Agree?

Well, one picture I had cut out of a magazine years ago had this woman standing next to a pyramid of bowling balls -like 10 balls weighing 10 lbs each and it was such a physical reminder of what it means to lose 100 lbs and not be carrying that around any more. I had lost 100 lbs and still needed to lose more at the time and couldn't get going on losing the remaining weight. Anyway, I thought it might be a fun and silly thing to do to head to Columbus Bowling Palace some weekend and take turns taking pictures of us with as many bowling balls as we've gotten rid of individually and then enjoy bowling a couple frames too if we can.

Let me know if anyone would be up for this. We could pick a different bowling location, it wouldn't matter to me.

Second idea that was a community service thing as well as motivational reminder of how far we've come, the Westerville Area Resource Ministry, WARM for short, is a group that runs a food pantry to help those who are really struggling with paying for groceries and things when the price of gas has driven everything so high. One thing that is on the list of donation items is Sugar - i.e. 5 lb. or 10 lb. bags of sugar - to bring them to a get together of our lap band friends and have some fun taking a picture of what we look like trying to lift or stand beside the number of bags of sugar that represent what we have lost. Then donate the bags of sugar to the WARM charity. We could do something other than sugar too but I thought the idea of sugar having being something that probably contributed to our weight in the past being symbolic. My church is a drop off point for the donations so we could agree to meet there on June 28th if you want to do this and then head out for coffee somewhere. Let me know. I plan to buy at least 35 lbs worth of sugar to donate... more if my 2nd fill is helping me burn those pounds off.

[OH Juli 15]

Special K,

I love, love, love the idea of donating sugar or something that weighs what I have lost and taking pictures.

You are so clever to think of that. If they could use butter or margarine I'd love to pile that high, because I think of it as straight up fat that I've lost. Is there refrigeration at your location? Or I could take it to the open shelter or something.

The 28th absolutely works for me.

Very good!

Juli

[nurse niki 0]

How Fun!!! I think this is an amazing idea! I am up for doing it! Kathy, where is your church, and what time were you thinking??

[SpecialK 22]

Let me look at the website on what hours they have the doors open on June 28th a Saturday and I'll post a time for us to meet. If you can only make morning or afternoon, let me know. I'm thinking along the lines of 10 am.

Also, I will post the list of the kinds of foods they said they need for the food bank and see if butter or margarine is on the list...That was a good one Juli! If nothing else, cans of Crisco shortening is the equivalent and its shelf stable without refrigeration! I'm sure they will take any food donations they can get.

I'm looking forward to this since I'll be in Florida for the June 14th Saturday get together.

Here is the link for the Directions on how to get there: Westerville Christian Church on College Ave between Spring Rd. and Otterbein - more details in the link

http://www.westerville-christian.org/Directions/tabid/97/Default.aspx

Here is the link for the list of the food items the pantry is asking for... sorry no butter or margarine on this list. I think they might be limited to shelf stable items only.

http://www.westerville-christian.org/Events/40WaysToShowWeCare/tabid/280/Default.aspx#WCS

Niki and Juli - our church has a Playland like a McDonald's Playland that will be open at 10 am on Saturdays so let's plan to meet at 10 am and you can bring the kids to play while we visit!

Edited June 3, 2008 by SpecialK
Added the links on how to get there and food list items the pantry needs

[OH Juli 15]

That sounds like a plan! Niki and I have wanting to get the kids together.

Fantasic!

Crisco is so expensive...I think, I'll have to see what I can find. 120 pounds of Pasta?

I have to haul 120! That just amazes me that I use to walk around with that on my body. Wow.

[nurse niki 0]

Ok ladies, I work the night before but I think we can make it by 10 am. Just don't mind my hair and dark circles under my eyes :-) I am thinking that since I am only going to need about 40 lbs, I might do juice. I am putting it into my planner right now...yah!

[drh0729 1]

Kathy,

That is a great idea. I will be in Chicago visiting my daughter on the 28th, but if you guys do something else I would love to help. I have been working a lot so I haven't been online very much. I hope everyone is doing well. You said the next support meeting was on the June 14th. Will it be at Polaris? How did your 1st fill go? My went well and I'm up to 20lbs. Next fill is on July 8th.

[OH Juli 15]

Ok ladies, I work the night before but I think we can make it by 10 am. Just don't mind my hair and dark circles under my eyes :-) I am thinking that since I am only going to need about 40 lbs, I might do juice. I am putting it into my planner right now...yah!

Look at you with that ONLY business. That's fantastic!!!

[nurse niki 0]

Ha ha! I meant that 40 lbs will not break the bank...unlike someone who needs to purchase enough stuff to replace a small adult!!!

[OH Juli 15]

Yeah, I've got to reconsider what I'm buying because that much Peanut Butter is pretty expensive. I mean I want to be helpful with food donations, but I can't afford $250 worth of peanut butter...I might be doing sugar too...we will see.