Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[Katydid 0]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks again for your good wishes.

I rang the hospital for an appt for the endoscopy and would you believe they can't fit me in until 9th March!!!!

I rang the surgeons room, told his receptionist and asked if there was anywhere else I could have it done. The surgeon is operating today so she will let him know tomorrow and ring me. I'm in top hospital private cover and still have to wait. That's awful.

No I'm not near those horrid fires. They are in another state thank goodness but we have had some fires here, also lit by fire bugs. The law is far too lenient even when they are caught. The fires in Victoria have killed nearly 100 people so far and wiped out whole townships and in some cases whole families too. I also feel so sad about the poor animals and birdlife.

Best wishes.

[ljv52 2]

Katy, I feel so sorry for you and pray for you to have resolutions to your problems soon. I know here in the states, if your surgeon calls for the appt. they will sometimes get an earlier date than when the patient calls. If I were you I think I'd tell my surgeon that you would appreciate him trying. Or call them back and tell them if they have a cancellation, to call you, sometimes that works too. Glad you are not near to the awful fires, hope they prosecute the fire bugs -- the loss of life is terrible, not to mention the billions in property damage. Good luck to you Katy.

Linda

[mominlv13 1]

Another 2 lbs gone forever!!! I am so amazed at this!!! I love my band Looosssiiieee!!! Total lost now 89 lbs since May 19th!!! WOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!

[Katydid 0]

Katy, I feel so sorry for you and pray for you to have resolutions to your problems soon. I know here in the states, if your surgeon calls for the appt. they will sometimes get an earlier date than when the patient calls. If I were you I think I'd tell my surgeon that you would appreciate him trying. Or call them back and tell them if they have a cancellation, to call you, sometimes that works too. Glad you are not near to the awful fires, hope they prosecute the fire bugs -- the loss of life is terrible, not to mention the billions in property damage. Good luck to you Katy.

Linda

Hi Ljv52,

I'm crossing my fingers that I hear good news from my surgeons receptionist tomorrow because I just can't be expected to go on like this.

There have been 400 spot fires in Victoria. The death toll is now confirmed at 131 but the expected toll is thought to rise to 200. I'm really hoping the arsonists will be caught and they should let the people at them because the law won't be enough. The heat has been horrendous over there even without the fires.

In Queensland, it's the total opposite with floods like they've never seen before. A crocodile took a 5 year old boy from what was a street in the town. He'd chased his dog into the Water and was taken. More rains are expected.

In South Australia, it's the first time in history that they have had heatwaves in the 46 degrees C = 114.8f

I hope that we in Western Australia are spared this season. We've had two fires so far and one guy has been caught.

The weather is certainly changing dramatically.

Best wishes.

Edited February 9, 2009 by Katydid

[JoannMarie 0]

Just checking in...

It's good to hear most are doing well - I know things have slowed down for several of you. I did not get really good restriction with my first fill in January, and probably should have called for an earlier appointment for the next fill, but decided to tough it out. I don't think I'll do that again. My second fill was last Friday and I am very happy with the restriction I have now. I can still eat any of the foods I've tried, but the amount of space available in there is greatly reduced! I have to be a lot more conscious of eating the Protein first, veggies second, as there's no room for extras. I am having trouble with getting the Vitamins and medications down. I've cut whatever pills/tablets I can cut, taking chewables where possible. I found if I have a cup of hot tea or coffee just before I begin the Vitamin regimen they go down a bit better. My biggest problem is Preservision, which is a vitamin combination I take for my macular degeneration, as strongly recommended by my ophthomologists. It is not esp large, but larger than my others and tries to get stuck.

I had my second laser surgery on my eyes Thursday - this time the right eye. The left eye looks fine and the problem should not re-occur. This has been a real scare for me, as the problem could have been very serious and led to blindness in a matter of hours if an attack had occured. My recommendation to everyone is to find a very good ophthomologist and see him/her regularly. I go to a university eye clinic for my macular degeneration. A resident found this particular glaucoma damage to my optic nerve (from a previous mild attack) and called it to the attention of the attending physician who referred me immediately to their glaucoma specialist. It is not the normal glaucoma that affects peripheral vision and is treated with eye drops. The laser treatments were a little nerve-wracking (your mind is SURE this hurts), but relatively painless. The eye was a bit scratchy the rest of the day both times, but by the next morning was completely normal. Drops for a few days and that's it. Amazing - and I am very thankful.

Katy - my heart goes out to you. I pray you can get this problem taken care of very soon. Having gone through this situation with my eyes and getting it resolved so quickly, I am very aware of the serious issue of TIMELY medical care. I worry a lot about what kind of "universal" medical plan our government is about to create for us. A lot of people come to the US from Canada to have surgeries and other treatments done if they live close enough to the border. It might help if your doctors talked with each other and did not leave you hanging in the middle of it all. Do they consult with each other?

I wish all of you a great day today!

[mimi 22 0]

Good to hear from you Joann. I have been wondering where you were. Glad you are on top of your eye problems. I have a pen friend that does have macular degeneration. In her case, nothing can be done. She enjoys the old way of keeping in touch (pen and paper). Sadly, she has a very hard time reading the handwriting.

Glad you have gotten a fill and you have better restriction. I go for a fill this week. Hope it helps, because I am having a really bad time with eating too much. Seems like when I get started, I can't stop until it's all gone. I guess I will have to start at the beginning

again. I really think that my problems are more mental than being hungry. Too many "finishing my plate" when I was a kid, I guess. You would think that at the age of 55, I would be able to let go of this part of my childhood.

Take care and let us hear from you more often. You always have good input.

MiMi

[Great2BThin 5]

JoAnn, hope this takes care of the eye problem. Sounds scary. Good luck with your new fill. Hope it gets you at your sweet spot.

Mimi, I struggle with wanting to clean my plate too, after all, somehow growing up, my cleaning my plate helped those starving children in China. (In my family they always said China). Never could figure out how that helped anyone else. But here I am at 50, feeling guilty leaving food on my plate. Though I am getting better. I try to remind myself that this is my meal and whether or not I finish it, it is to satisfy me. I can take the rest home, save it for the next day, etc. And gradually I am learning to cook in less quanities so that there isn't so much left over, that helps a lot. We recently got a Food Saver and now when I bring meat home I cut it up into my size servings and seal it and freeze it.

[orea15 0]

As Jessie Ahroni says, the food can hit the trash can today or the sewer tomorrow. (Same basic result, but one makes us fatter.) I find that thought helps.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Katy I hope you can get in sooner. I hope you're telling them how much you're throwing up and that you're not able to eat hardly anything. They have to understand that you can't live like that!

[Headhunter 6]

Tilapia is a terrific fish. It's becoming very popular here in the southwest, and there are TONS of terrific recipes for it. Try it, if you haven't. It's one of those fishes that doesn't have a "fishy" taste or smell to it.

[Headhunter 6]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks again for your good wishes.

I rang the hospital for an appt for the endoscopy and would you believe they can't fit me in until 9th March!!!!

I rang the surgeons room, told his receptionist and asked if there was anywhere else I could have it done. The surgeon is operating today so she will let him know tomorrow and ring me. I'm in top hospital private cover and still have to wait. That's awful.

No I'm not near those horrid fires. They are in another state thank goodness but we have had some fires here, also lit by fire bugs. The law is far too lenient even when they are caught. The fires in Victoria have killed nearly 100 people so far and wiped out whole townships and in some cases whole families too. I also feel so sad about the poor animals and birdlife.

Best wishes.

My heart goes out to you guys in Australia for what you are going through with the fires. I live in the Los Angeles area, and I know first-hand what the destruction of fire is like. But we have not experienced NEARLY what you have, with towns being decimated and nearly 200 people being killed...that is simply AWFUL, especially when you consider that the fires were set intentionally.

[mimi 22 0]

As Jessie Ahroni says, the food can hit the trash can today or the sewer tomorrow. (Same basic result, but one makes us fatter.) I find that thought helps.

Orea---I am going to memorize that quote. You must be a major reader because you always have a little ditty to recite that fits the moment.

[mimi 22 0]

JoAnn, hope this takes care of the eye problem. Sounds scary. Good luck with your new fill. Hope it gets you at your sweet spot.

Mimi, I struggle with wanting to clean my plate too, after all, somehow growing up, my cleaning my plate helped those starving children in China. (In my family they always said China). Never could figure out how that helped anyone else. But here I am at 50, feeling guilty leaving food on my plate. Though I am getting better. I try to remind myself that this is my meal and whether or not I finish it, it is to satisfy me. I can take the rest home, save it for the next day, etc. And gradually I am learning to cook in less quanities so that there isn't so much left over, that helps a lot. We recently got a Food Saver and now when I bring meat home I cut it up into my size servings and seal it and freeze it.

Long 2b Thin---I have been thinking about getting a Food Saver. You have a good idea about putting 1 portion in. Then there is no temptation to have a 2nd helping. Now that we are empty-nesters, my DH and I are trying to be more aware of the amount of food that does NOT have to be cooked. Thanks!

MiMi

[orea15 0]

Orea---I am going to memorize that quote. You must be a major reader because you always have a little ditty to recite that fits the moment.

I've been avidly reading the Smartbandster list for about a year and a half now, soaking up Jessie's wit and wisdom. I give her major credit for the overhaul in my ways of thinking that have led to my success thus far. I'm glad to share the gems I've gathered there. The same issues come up for so many of us, it's good to have tools and answers on tap.

BTW I am within a few pounds of reaching 100 pounds tossed (from my highest weight). I can't quite comprehend that. :thumbup: There is still a long way to go, so I'm not going to get cocky.

[Katydid 0]

Hi Everyone,

Today has been another day of uncertainties in more ways than one.

I spent the morning at the hospital with my mother seeing her surgeon from her knee replacement in August last year. He has put her on the urgent list for the other knee to be replaced within six weeks.

Oh My Lord!!!!

My father is due for his eye operation within two weeks and he has been drunk for the past 4 days non stop.

I have now been able to get into another hospital next Tuesday for the endoscopy, maybe even Friday if there is a cancellation. The problem is that it is a long, long way from here and they won't let me drive home afterwards and a taxi is unthinkable. I'll have to work that one out. I may be able to get the public transport service and just leave here very early and then one of my daughters could pick me up after work. My surgeon doesn't seem to be that bothered about the delay although he wants the results asap. I saw my GP this afternoon and he is not happy. He is the one who gave me the referal to the other hospital for the endoscopy. He is also urging me to get another surgeons opinion before the operation. I know I'm entitled to do this but this surgeon knows the mess my insides are in and the main thing I have to admit to, is that he doesn't charge me the gap fee, which is the fee they are allowed to charge above the medicare and private insurance standard fees. That can be a lot. So I feel that I am caught in a catch 22 situation.

Headhunter,

Why did you have your band removed? This is my second banding but the best results.

The fires are still burning horrendously in Victoria and the death toll is expected to go as high as 300 as of tonight.

We in WA have been warned to expect bad things tomorrow because the temperature is forcast at 40 C = 104 F. Where I am it is usually at least 3degrees C higher which would be about 109.? F. I am at the foothills of the Darling Ranges. We have been warned that fires could be lit and to be aware of people acting suspiciously. I have an appt with my physio right up in the hills tomorrow so I'll be watching EVERYONE because the hospital is right in the middle of the bush. Nah, think positive, all will be fine.

JoannMarie,

I'm happy to hear that your eye surgery went well.

As far as doctors talking to each other....... from what I've gathered no-one tells a surgeon what to do! He doesn't seem to be in a hurry to do anything, yet he wants the results asap. Now I find that he will not even be here in Perth next week. He will be operating up north in Karratha, so I can't even see him until Friday the 27th Feb. Meanwhile I'm just slightly "Packing it!"

Orea15,

I absolutely love that quote.

Livin4Jesus,

The closest I can get to determining the time difference between us is a sad memory.

My daughter woke me at 11pm to tell me to turn the TV on. It was the Twin Towers disaster. It was 9am in New York and I sat horrified watching in disbelief.

Oregondaisy,

Yes, I even reminded the surgeons receptionist to tell the surgeon that I am still pbing 2 - 3 times a day but he doesn't appear to be concerned. The only person who seems to be concerned is one of my GPs. I have two in the same medical centre. I am getting a little spooked because of what happened the first time.

Best wishes to all.

Edited February 10, 2009 by Katydid