I'm here to help...

[ocotillo 0]

Dee, it's good to see you. The people here are very supportive and nice. You just have to read a lot of posts and post yourself.

I'm in for Florida....just a heads up...I snore and it can get loud, so if someone wants to share a room with me, they better sleep very soundly. I'm also good with sleeping on the couch, as long as it's long enough (not a love seat).

Cheri, that's so cool you can wear your suit. I love being able to wear my old clothes that have been sitting there for years.

Laura, glad to hear you are feeling better.

Julie, so sorry the DGD is feeling so bad. Hopefully she will be feeling better soon.

Meredith, your pictures are great!!

We woke up to a puddle in the kitchen. The hot Water heater valve is leaking. DH will have to fix that today. I don't think it's anything too major, but it will still need to be taken care of.

It was a nice weekend, didn't do too much, but I got some decorative tiles hung in the kitchen (I've had them a long time) and some curtains hung in the bedroom. So it wasn't a completely wasted weekend.

Okay, I'm off for work now. Hope everyone has a great day!!

Eva

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Morning.... I got some sleep last night thank goodness.... Work was slow so DD got sent home early as they knew baby was sick... I was only up from 2:30 to 3:30 and then got up again at 7:15.... Not too bad.. Mimi is getting a bit more sleep but has another sore showing on her lip... Have a call into her regular pediatrician this morning... these after hours docs push you through so fast and don't make you feel very confident when you are leaving.. Hoping the nurse will call sometime soon... Suppose they have lots of calls from over the holiday weekend....

DH and I just got back from signing our updated wills.. Changes needed to be made a while back, but didn't get it done.. With all my medical stuff it should have been, but we made it and now they are in place, along with medical care directives and power of attorney.... We have always had wills done by JAG in the past but now that we are older and have more they didn't want to do us..... said we needed estate planners....... so we will have to pay this time.... Didn't get the bill yet, but hopefully it won't break us.... glad it's done finally...

Oops, gotta go, baby is crying.........TTYL....Julie

[Great2BThin 5]

Laura, are you just getting the pain when you eat breads? I can not have very tight restriction but still get pain and stuck feeling on those type of foods. I was so hungry for pizza one night and made a Totino's that was in the freezer and made it super crisp and still couldn't even handle that crust, and it was a poor excuse for a pizza and didn't even satisfy that craving. LOL Good luck in determining if you need the fill or not.

Well I am home from work this morning and it's a totally empty day. I don't have to be anywhere, I don't have to take Grandma anywhere and my house is clean! I sortta want to go shopping but know I would spend money if I went. So we'll see. LOL I have a coupon from Ann Taylor Loft that I got a month ago that is now good, that's just calling my name! LOL

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Update: I am usually NEVER a wishy washy person! EVER! And this dang band has me so darn wishy washy lately. Do I want a fill, do I not want a fill... blah blah blah. My surgeon (who is not the chatty kind) took one look at my Realize Band graph of my weight loss (the nurse can get it from the website).. and saw that the losing just STOPPED. He asked if I am getting hard Proteins stuck/PB. Answer is: no. At the evening meal: Can I eat more than 1/2 cup? Yes. Am I getting in enough protein/calories? Yes/yes. Answer: yes, you need a fill. (IF.. and a big if, if you are comfortable with not being able to eat solids at Breakfast. Which I am. I usually only have a shake/muscle milk. He said that probably 50% of patients are like me. Tight all day, great restriction until early evening. He said that the additional fill should not make me too tight, but should help control the night-eating a little. He said I am still in the 80-90% of percent of total weight loss for his patients at 6 months. (I've lost 25% of my body weight). (he also will admit that his population of patients has had VERY poor success with the band. And he spends a lot of his time trying to talk patients (that he thinks won't do well) out of the band! Keep in mind, he spend the first half of my consultation trying to talk me out of the band and into RNY) He went on to explain about the resting metabolic rate goes DOWN as we lose weight and that it does get harder to lose... and that we won't always lose at the same rate. He also addressed head hunger.... and the need to exercise. I told him everything kinda fell apart at the same time last month... went to NC... stopped exercising... ate more.. blah blah. He feels this should be my last fill for a while. we'll see.

Another thing about my surgeon's office... The "support" is really bad. There are no on-site nutritionists, exercise physiologists or psychologists. Just two skinny nurses who JUST started in December, who know very little about WLS and the follow up. They are smart girls, great OR nurses- just very little experience in this field. The office is a "center of excellence" b/c of the number of surgeries the guy has done. When I went to my sister's surgeon's office... OMW! What a set up!!! They have a gym, a kitchen (for classes), a REAL store, staff of 20! Staff nutritionist, psych, exerc. Physiologist, etc. When I was researching doctors- I had a couple choices. The local guys in my town (who just started doing bands a year ago & have only done like 10) or the guy I went to. I wanted the best skilled surgeon- who has one of the lowest complication rates in the country. But would his "results" be better if he had a better staff/education/follow up? I think so.

My internist looked at me like, "why are you here?" WTF? I said "for a follow up". He said "ok, looks good. weight is coming down nicely. your BP is perfect. Keep doing what you are doing. I said "that's it?" He asked if there was anything else I wanted to talk about. no. I guess I am used to doctors having tons of problems to talk about... health concerns... lectures about my weight. He said, get used to it. You may not to see any drs for a while, you are doing great. Let's give you a flu shot and see you in 6 months.

So, on liquids for the day... and we will see what happens!

Edited September 8, 2009 by peascorps

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hi everyone I haven't been on in awhile because of moving and waiting to get internet. Well I haven't lost much since the surgery I see the Dr on Wed . I don't know if I'm getting my first fill or not. I'm also having alot of left shoulder pain .

Could be gas - I get it everynow and then especially if I over eat..

Did go down the slide today. Also rode a carousel. Kept 2 DGSs happy at various playgrounds while daughter shopped. They are so much fun.

Totally off BP pills. BP consistently below 120 over 80. WHoo hoo!

Did I tell you I'm in the suit I got married in in 2000? Very elegant. If its cool enough I can wear it to my high school and college reunions in Oct.

Got some very busy weekends coming up. Can't access this site from work during day so will be posting briefly.

Please keep expenses down for FL trip.

Cheri - Congrats !!!!

Dee, it's good to see you. The people here are very supportive and nice. You just have to read a lot of posts and post yourself.

I'm in for Florida....just a heads up...I snore and it can get loud, so if someone wants to share a room with me, they better sleep very soundly. I'm also good with sleeping on the couch, as long as it's long enough (not a love seat).

Cheri, that's so cool you can wear your suit. I love being able to wear my old clothes that have been sitting there for years.

Laura, glad to hear you are feeling better.

Julie, so sorry the DGD is feeling so bad. Hopefully she will be feeling better soon.

Meredith, your pictures are great!!

We woke up to a puddle in the kitchen. The hot Water heater valve is leaking. DH will have to fix that today. I don't think it's anything too major, but it will still need to be taken care of.

It was a nice weekend, didn't do too much, but I got some decorative tiles hung in the kitchen (I've had them a long time) and some curtains hung in the bedroom. So it wasn't a completely wasted weekend.

Okay, I'm off for work now. Hope everyone has a great day!!

Eva

Morning.... I got some sleep last night thank goodness.... Work was slow so DD got sent home early as they knew baby was sick... I was only up from 2:30 to 3:30 and then got up again at 7:15.... Not too bad.. Mimi is getting a bit more sleep but has another sore showing on her lip... Have a call into her regular pediatrician this morning... these after hours docs push you through so fast and don't make you feel very confident when you are leaving.. Hoping the nurse will call sometime soon... Suppose they have lots of calls from over the holiday weekend....

DH and I just got back from signing our updated wills.. Changes needed to be made a while back, but didn't get it done.. With all my medical stuff it should have been, but we made it and now they are in place, along with medical care directives and power of attorney.... We have always had wills done by JAG in the past but now that we are older and have more they didn't want to do us..... said we needed estate planners....... so we will have to pay this time.... Didn't get the bill yet, but hopefully it won't break us.... glad it's done finally...

Oops, gotta go, baby is crying.........TTYL....Julie

Julie glad you got that will in place - it's very important - it stops some of the fighting that goes with death and if there isn't one in place then all hell can break loose...

Laura, are you just getting the pain when you eat breads? I can not have very tight restriction but still get pain and stuck feeling on those type of foods. I was so hungry for pizza one night and made a Totino's that was in the freezer and made it super crisp and still couldn't even handle that crust, and it was a poor excuse for a pizza and didn't even satisfy that craving. LOL Good luck in determining if you need the fill or not.

Well I am home from work this morning and it's a totally empty day. I don't have to be anywhere, I don't have to take Grandma anywhere and my house is clean! I sortta want to go shopping but know I would spend money if I went. So we'll see. LOL I have a coupon from Ann Taylor Loft that I got a month ago that is now good, that's just calling my name! LOL

How nice - I wish I wasn't at work - enjoy your day..

Update: I am usually NEVER a wishy washy person! EVER! And this dang band has me so darn wishy washy lately. Do I want a fill, do I not want a fill... blah blah blah. My surgeon (who is not the chatty kind) took one look at my Realize Band graph of my weight loss (the nurse can get it from the website).. and saw that the losing just STOPPED. He asked if I am getting hard Proteins stuck/PB. Answer is: no. At the evening meal: Can I eat more than 1/2 cup? Yes. Am I getting in enough protein/calories? Yes/yes. Answer: yes, you need a fill. (IF.. and a big if, if you are comfortable with not being able to eat solids at Breakfast. Which I am. I usually only have a shake/muscle milk. He said that probably 50% of patients are like me. Tight all day, great restriction until early evening. He said that the additional fill should not make me too tight, but should help control the night-eating a little. He said I am still in the 80-90% of percent of total weight loss for his patients at 6 months. (I've lost 25% of my body weight). (he also will admit that his population of patients has had VERY poor success with the band. And he spends a lot of his time trying to talk patients (that he thinks won't do well) out of the band! Keep in mind, he spend the first half of my consultation trying to talk me out of the band and into RNY) He went on to explain about the resting metabolic rate goes DOWN as we lose weight and that it does get harder to lose... and that we won't always lose at the same rate. He also addressed head hunger.... and the need to exercise. I told him everything kinda fell apart at the same time last month... went to NC... stopped exercising... ate more.. blah blah. He feels this should be my last fill for a while. we'll see.

Another thing about my surgeon's office... The "support" is really bad. There are no on-site nutritionists, exercise physiologists or psychologists. Just two skinny nurses who JUST started in December, who know very little about WLS and the follow up. They are smart girls, great OR nurses- just very little experience in this field. The office is a "center of excellence" b/c of the number of surgeries the guy has done. When I went to my sister's surgeon's office... OMW! What a set up!!! They have a gym, a kitchen (for classes), a REAL store, staff of 20! Staff nutritionist, psych, exerc. Physiologist, etc. When I was researching doctors- I had a couple choices. The local guys in my town (who just started doing bands a year ago & have only done like 10) or the guy I went to. I wanted the best skilled surgeon- who has one of the lowest complication rates in the country. But would his "results" be better if he had a better staff/education/follow up? I think so.

My internist looked at me like, "why are you here?" WTF? I said "for a follow up". He said "ok, looks good. weight is coming down nicely. your BP is perfect. Keep doing what you are doing. I said "that's it?" He asked if there was anything else I wanted to talk about. no. I guess I am used to doctors having tons of problems to talk about... health concerns... lectures about my weight. He said, get used to it. You may not to see any drs for a while, you are doing great. Let's give you a flu shot and see you in 6 months.

So, on liquids for the day... and we will see what happens!

Yep this is why you have to increase your intensity or lenght of time of your exercising - when I first got on the treadmill at 250 - I burned like 300 cal in 1/2 hr - now it takes me an hr to burn the same amount going at a hight intenstiy and spped.

Good luck on this fill - hope you arent too tight !!!

Drive by post - gotta get back to work - but can't let you guys get to far ahead - then it takes too long to catch up :mad:

[Apples2 19]

Hey Everyone! Hope you all had a nice weekend. Ours was great. Packed with activities, spread thin but was a very wonderful time. Some of our friends closed their places up for the season. Hate saying goodbye to them till next May. Usually stay in contact throughout the year but don't see many of them during winter.

Phyll...good to hear you are coming along fine and getting out some. I don't know where I got it from but thought this was your 2nd knee replacement. Good going on the 5lb from onderland. You will be there b/4 you know it!

Great...figured you were busy last week and was missing your posts. Good luck with everything with your knee replacement. Try not to be nervous about it. Just think about how much better you will feel once it is done. So nice you have your GD at a close university. Bet she loves being close to granny also.

Cheri....congrats on moving into Onderland!

Laura....do you think your virus could have affected your band and that is the reason you were tight? I have read other posts stating a bandster was tight, especially when sinus were draining...just a thought.

Hope Nels had a good "show and tell" day. Such a nice mom to go to so much trouble for his Snacks. I make those cute little muffins all the time, throw them in the freezer.

Sorry your sister is going through so much. Hopefully things will get back on track for her.

Don't know how many times I thought about our FL get-together this weekend and thinking that we need to get going and get the planning underway. Let's get a definite count and get started. I will PM you with my phone # and email address. Does not matter to me where we stay...just would like a happy medium for everyone. I will have my truck down there (not a big ole' bumpy farm truck) and can fit in 5 ppl and willing to drive where ever we need to go.

Janet....you talked about working from home....DON'T DO IT EVER. If you are used to being out in public and working with clients, it's a killer coming home to work. Believe me. It's been since 2000 since I came home to work and I miss it every day. I was one of those people who sang on the way to work and looked forward to Mondays so I could go at it again. There's a lot to advantages to being at home working (like sitting at computer in jammies) but I would rather be out and working. Makes DH's like less stressful to have me here so I am willing to do it.

Eva...sorry you have been struggling some with head hunger. I think we all go through stages with it and have to climb back up on that big horse and get our healthy eating habits back in check. I believe we all have it in us to do it and I also believe that we all have it in us to fall off every once in awhile. That's why we are here for each other.....we ALL need that support. Just keep in mind your ultimate goal and you WILL succeed!

Charlene....buy those flat Buns all the time. DH loves them. That's all I buy anymore at our house. I do not tolerate any breads. Not tight but band just doesn't like. Thanks for well-wishes on DH's finger. He is back in at doc this afternoon. It's hamburger but doing better. He goes back every two days for the next couple of weeks to have it checked out. Has slowed him down quite a bit.

Gitrdone....thanks for mentioning my "Mom". She got through the surgery just fine and is recovering. She's a very active 89 yr old. We know the cancer is back and waiting for results on whether tumors broke through wall in bladder. Treatment will depend on results.

Sharon...Thanks for sharing your photos. GS is a handsome young man...sooo cute. Granny is a pretty lady also.

Julie...sorry to hear of your drama with the stepkids. Hope it can only get better. Hope Mimi is better today. So tough to watch them suffer.

Meredith....lovely photos. You look so happy. Grandma is so cute. She reminds me of the "mom" I was posting about earlier. Willing to try anything. That lake photo was amazing. Thanks for sharing. Good luck with your semester and try not to work too hard. Laura and I will get going on the FL thing.

Well, girls, gotta get back after it. Trying to get a head start on some baking for harvest. Like to have things I can just grab out of the freezer. Have two pans of bars and some Cookies ready to put away and plan on making a couple other things this afternoon and then I am done with it for awhile.

Hope everyone is having a great day! XOXOXOXO

Edited September 8, 2009 by Apples2

[Apples2 19]

OOOPS...left Linda out. Hi Linda! Hope I didn't miss anyone else!

[Apples2 19]

Poop...mixed Phyll's comment in with Great's.

[Great2BThin 5]

Poop...mixed Phyll's comment in with Great's.

Was wondering how I got a GD at a close university! LOL

Well folks I found something to do today anyway. SHOPPING!! I remembered I had a coupon for Ann Taylor Loft that was good starting today so I just had to go see what I could find. I am loading up on sweaters this winter as I am so cold all the time. I didn't get one I really wanted though it was $98 and just couldn't spend that on one item. But I have my eye on it to go on sale or something or for Christmas! I love that store but have to drive about 25 miles to get to one. Good thing it's not closer!

[Apples2 19]

Was wondering how I got a GD at a close university! LOL

Well folks I found something to do today anyway. SHOPPING!! I remembered I had a coupon for Ann Taylor Loft that was good starting today so I just had to go see what I could find. I am loading up on sweaters this winter as I am so cold all the time. I didn't get one I really wanted though it was $98 and just couldn't spend that on one item. But I have my eye on it to go on sale or something or for Christmas! I love that store but have to drive about 25 miles to get to one. Good thing it's not closer!

Way to go on the self-restraint with the sweater! I stocked up on sweaters, vests and zip up fleesie jackets last winter. I should be set for a long time. In fact, I am in need of nothing when it comes to clothing. What's good and bad about getting to goal is that you need everything. Takes the $$$ but also nice going out and buying outfits that you know will fit and be in the closet for a long time. I tried to buy things that would coordinate with many different items. I am a self-confessed clothes horse. Had fun building my wardrobe but know I'm done building now. Shoes are my big downfall. Should have enough of them till the day I die!:mad:

[Apples2 19]

Omitted something I was going to share with you guys.

As some of you know, I suffer from chronic kidney stones. Something I have had to deal with since 1994. Not fun but accept the fact that every 6 weeks or sooner, one or two are going to fall off the tree. I don't go in to doc anymore when I get them. Just push the Water and hang on tight.

Well, one of the things I have always wished for is that my two DS's not have to suffer with them. Oldest DS got them after returning from Iraq four years ago. We chalked it up to dehydration while he was there. Well, a week ago Sunday youngest DS called and was in ER out in Atlanta. Had a stone....passed it Tuesday and has been suffering with gravel ever since. When I was sitting waiting during "mom's" surgery last Thursday one hit me and did not pass until 2am Sat morning. This last Sunday oldest DS called on his way to ER with kidney stones. I would like to know what the odds are of stones hitting like that with three family members? Weird, huh?

[phyllser 3]

as some of you know, i suffer from chronic kidney stones. Something i have had to deal with since 1994. Not fun but accept the fact that every 6 weeks or sooner, one or two are going to fall off the tree. I don't go in to doc anymore when i get them. Just push the Water and hang on tight.

well, one of the things i have always wished for is that my two ds's not have to suffer with them. Oldest ds got them after returning from iraq four years ago. We chalked it up to dehydration while he was there. Well, a week ago sunday youngest ds called and was in er out in atlanta. Had a stone....passed it tuesday and has been suffering with gravel ever since. When i was sitting waiting during "mom's" surgery last thursday one hit me and did not pass until 2am sat morning. This last sunday oldest ds called on his way to er with kidney stones. I would like to know what the odds are of stones hitting like that with three family members? Weird, huh?

stress????

[Apples2 19]

stress????

Phyll...are you saying that stress can cause stones?:mad:

[ljv52 2]

Hi everyone! Apples, never worry about leaving me out - I never notice those things cause half the time I do the same thing -- I never mean to forget someone, but sometimes it just happens. Glad to hear your "mom" got through surgery okay -- will be keeping her in my thoughts and prayers. Also sorry to hear about your kidney stones and also now about it effecting both your DS. You'd think there'd be some medicine you could take to prevent them. Kidneys are such complicated organs (I had renal failure last summer and was sick all summer). I worked this morning and I loved being back in the world of early risers!! Really have enjoyed my day so far. I'm only working 5 hours/day this week so am able to do my exercise in the afternoon when I get home rather than up at 5:00 a.m. to do it. Lori (and anyone else craving pizza), I have a recipe for you when you're hungry for pizza. It's called "pizza dip" but I just eat it on a plate with a fork -- someone made it for bunco one night and it's really yummy. Here it is:

pizza DIp

1 C. shredded fat free cheddar cheese

1 C. shredded non fat mozzerella cheese

1 C. non fat mayo

1 C. pizza sauce (I used a small can which was a little more than 1 cup, but it was fine)

1/2 C. diced green peppers

1/2 C. diced onion

1/2 C. sliced black olives

1/2 C. sliced stuffed olives

1 can mushroom pieces

1 Cup pepperoni

Mix altogether in casserole dish and bake at 350 for 25 - 30 mins.

If there's anything in there you don't like, just leave it out. I've also made it with ham and pineapple, leaving out the stuffed olives and mushrooms. It really does give you the taste of pizza and no worries about the crust.

Meredith -- fantastic pics -- your DG looks so much younger than 90s. What a great lady -- I hope I grow up to be like her with my DGD. Also, you and Andrew are such a great couple -- so happy together. Cheri, congrats on Onderland and keep up the good work, and congrats on the blood pressure. Laura, your surgeon is so lucky to have you as a patient -- you are helping his statistics greatly. Hope that fill works out -- I hope you won't be too tight. I seem to have good restriction this time and it does seem to be helping -- I'm not eating nearly as much at every meal and don't have any hunger between meals since this last fill. Great -- glad you went shopping - afterall, you're not going to be able to shop much after your knee surgery so you better get it all in beforehand. Put that sweater on your Christmas list for DH to buy for you. That way you'll get something you want. I don'r remember if I mentioned it last week, but finally found some things at a Salvation Army store in Des Moines. I'm still far enough from goal that I don't want to buy any new winter things yet as I don't plan on staying this size. I really did find some great things, cheap. I've also been unusually cold since my surgery. I read an article about it recently saying that after we're at goal for 6 to 8 months our thermostat will correct itself again. Just another reason to get there as quickly as possible. I was so looking forward to the heat of summer and then we had a "year without a summer." Just my luck that it happened this year and not the year before when I was miserably hot. Julie, hope your GD is better today -- and so sorry to hear about your DD job. Also glad you took care of your estate business. I've felt so much more relaxed since we did ours (about 3 years ago). It was worth the money it cost for the peace of mind. Eva, hope you were able to get that hot Water heater valve fixed -- I hate leaks probably more than anything. Janet thanks for the reminder about changing the intensity of our work outs -- it's so true, the more we lose the more we have to do. Have a great rest of the day everyone. Linda

Edited September 8, 2009 by ljv52

[phyllser 3]

Phyll...are you saying that stress can cause stones?:mad:

Have no idea.... just wondering if maybe??

Hey.... your package came today!! Thanks so much! That is so sweet. I'll enjoy going through all those mags! DH tried to confiscate the jerky!! NO WAY!!

I managed a 1 1/2 hr excursion to costco today. Used my scooter when I got there. I tolerated a little over 1/2 hr in the store. Hurts to have my leg down that long but can't do anything or go anywhere until I get over that. Pain pill and ice when I got home. It was SO GOOD to get out! First time in the car since I came home from the hospital 11 days ago.

Nurse was here a little while ago. Incision looks great, BP, temp, etc. all good. She had to go find me because I was way down the parking lot out of sight with my walker! She told DH I must be out looking for sailors! LOL! She'll be here one more time next week and I think I have at least two more weeks of in home PT before they send me to an outpt facility.