I'm here to help...

[ocotillo 0]

Another prolific couple of days ladies. Our power was off and on last night....at least 8 times and maybe more. Turned the computer off. We had a lot of wind, but something else must have been going on.

Lori, you mentioned holding on to things you never really liked and why do you do it....because you might need it someday. You spent money on that item and you just never know....at least that is the excuse I use. I like your ticker.....very appropriate.

Phyl, I like not having daylight savings time....I don't want anymore sun in the summers. But, we have to keep track of what the rest of the country is doing. It does get confusing. I'm so happy for you being able to walk longer and stand longer. It's so freeing to be able to move easily. Congrats on no gaining after traveling. That is really good. I envy you the pool. It's too cold now for pool work unless I go to a gym or the Y.

Cheri, I love pizza and it goes down way too easily. I don't eat three pieces anymore, thank goodness. You've been doing fabulously and it shows. Good luck with this fill. It seemed to take a few days to really feel the restriction and I definitely have restriction just not always the best food choice. You'll reach your goal. You are very determined.

Janet, you are busy too. Hope your visit goes well. Is this your furlough Friday?

Linda, your bedroom sounds great. Basements can add so much space to a house. My Mom's was finished and had 2 bedrooms. I spent a lot of time down there. Vicodin can be your friend....I have nights when I have to take it too.

Laura, sorry about your Dad....such a roller coaster. It's good to get back to "normal" life isn't it? Too bad we don't live closer....I'd go walking with you. It really helps to have a walking buddy. I bet Halloween is a blast around your house. Do you get oodles of kids?

Apples, not having sun would drive me nuts too. I think it's one of the reasons I live in my sunny hot desert. I love the rainy weather for about 2 days, then I want to see the sun. I haven't had much luck with trying to resell my clothes. The resale shops will barely give you anything for brand new in style stuff. I would rather donate to an organization that will appreciate the items and use them to help someone. We have a couple of places like that here.

Porcupine....there's a lot of encouragement here. You have to just start posting and sharing and people will respond. I was banded in July and my weight loss is very slow because I'm not really dieting, but I'm not gaining and I lose a couple of pounds here and there and it's good. I was banded in Mexico as a self pay so I don't have a program for support. The clinic will answer emails and phone calls with questions, but a lot of the information I'm getting is from here and from my fill doctor. What sort of diet are you on? What exercise limitation did they put you on? Hang in there, you'll get used to the posting and the threads and the terminology. It just takes time a practice.

Meredith, sorry about the 2nd house. Yeah, men can turn off on house stuff. My DH (live-in boyfriend at the time) acted like I was killing him when we bought this house. It took him a couple of years to get over it and it was years before he would stop salivating just at the thought of selling it. He's calmed down and of course with the market so bad, he's willing to hang on to it for a while. Goofy guy. He's happy living in a 600 square foot trailer.

Well it's cold here too!!! It didn't get above 60 today. It's supposed to be in the 30's tonight (but not freezing in the city). I brought my babies in and so I have 10 babies in the terrarium. They warmed up, so there are a couple of them wandering around and falling upside down. I'll fix them better quarters this weekend. I lost one of the babies last weekend, he fell upside down and couldn't turn himself over and I didn't catch it in time. I can't be home all day and checking on them.

The edict came down from above (work) that we will have to do our trench detail drawings in AutoCad. We had a very brief class last week and most of us don't have the program nor are our computers fast enough or have enough memory to run the program. We are supposed to be getting faster, bigger, better computers and the license to run the program and all be up and running by January. Autocad is a very big and complicated program. I had a little training on it earlier this year and tried to take a class, but it was too much. The company let me download one of the programs on a personal laptop and I took that to work yesterday and have been "learning" how to use it. I finally have something that looks like a drawing. I still have some work to do on it, but I actually might learn this program in a year or two. It will be great to actually learn it because it has cut and paste which our current scketch program doesn't have.

Hope you all have a great night. I'm going to get some sleep.

Eva

[porcupinemamma 0]

Thanks, I hope to meet all of you. and i really do appreciate all your support.:thumbup:

[Great2BThin 5]

Good morning from snowy Colorado! It's awfully white out there. We have at least a foot on the ground and they say 3 to 6 more inches to fall today. My therapy place called last night to postpone my appt until Fri so that is good I was nervous about going out in this with my cane. Stupid newscasters, all they are showing is various reporters standing in their parkas and snow telling us it's snowing, kindda like the reporters you see standing by the beach during a hurricane. Janet, Littleton is south of me, my SIL lives there. Most schools are closed today so kids are happy.

Porcupine, tell us more about you so we can get to know you.

Latte, I think that was part of your screen name, from CO, what happened to you? Hope to hear from you again.

Eva, sounds like some challenging changes for you at work. So when a turtle flips on to it's back is it stuck and fatal? I obviously don't know much about them.

[Charlene K 1]

Good morning from snowy Colorado! It's awfully white out there. We have at least a foot on the ground and they say 3 to 6 more inches to fall today. My therapy place called last night to postpone my appt until Fri so that is good I was nervous about going out in this with my cane. Stupid newscasters, all they are showing is various reporters standing in their parkas and snow telling us it's snowing, kindda like the reporters you see standing by the beach during a hurricane. Janet, Littleton is south of me, my SIL lives there. Most schools are closed today so kids are happy.

Porcupine, tell us more about you so we can get to know you.

Latte, I think that was part of your screen name, from CO, what happened to you? Hope to hear from you again.

Eva, sounds like some challenging changes for you at work. So when a turtle flips on to it's back is it stuck and fatal? I obviously don't know much about them.

Great, yeah, Co. was on the news today. We are getting the wet and windy side of the storm today and tomorrow. They expect inches of rain. Stay in and take care of that new knee. HUGS!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Gang

Had to go to dmv this a.m. to get a replacement license - here i did my makeup and hair - thought I would get a new picture - Nope... I didn't care for my last one in January.

It's suppose to be 75 here today so I am wearing my new boots !!! 68 is sweater weather for me..

Eva - My 1st furlough day is 11/13 - DS & family going to visit DIL Mom on Friday - she lives in Brawley which is about 80 east of us..

I love cloudy weather - I think it was 1993 it rained for a solid month - I loved it - If I was a billionaire - I would have a house on the beach (So Cali of course don't want hurricanes ;0) I hate that on Christmas day it's 80 degrees and sunny .. I like the colder weather - 50 on up maybe 40's - once we had a cold winter it did get below freezing for a few days - loved it..

I like the challenge of learning a new system - but it's a pain when you have to learn something new and still keep current on your work -the 2 don't go hand in hand :0)

With you Eva - we need less sun in the summer not more :0)

Charlene - how's your stomach doing w/the rain coming??

Well - phone keeps ringing keep forgetting what and who I was going to respond to - so I better get to work..

I will cbl..

[balletgirl 0]

Apples,

Thanks for the "invite" to this thread! So...I have a question for anyone who wants to answer. I am no longer getting my fills or monthly visits because my one year is up and now I'm a fee for service patient and am in the normal weight range for BMI (Yipee!). But on Oct 12th I had to go in to get saline taken out. The doctor has stopped doing fills for the most part as he has moved into just doing consults, surgeries and post op and he hired an assistant (PA) to do the fills.

I went in that day and the PA John walked in to the room and literally the first thing out of his mouth was "what are you doing here? You're too skinny to be here - really!" I was stunned and quite honestly hurt (I know I should've felt complimented but I didn't). I've always felt welcomed in the doctors office. The he blurts out, "you're NOT here for a fill are you?" And I said no, I need some taken out. Then John and I disagreed on how much to take out (its' kindof a long story). He wouldn't listen to me but eventually did what I asked and now I've found my "sweet spot". But check this out. When John removed the needle from the port, he YANKED it so hard that the needle nicked the glove on his thumb and drew blood!! He said "you don't have HIV do you?" I said "No, I'm quite healthy, don't have HIV or any other diseases and you don't have to worry". Then he said, "well, I didn't think so, but with some other patients I might worry"!

So my question to you out there is....should I write a letter to the doctor and tell him what happened? I'm not going in monthly nor do I need any more fills but should I tell the doctor? I really don't like making waves, nor do I like to complain.

[Charlene K 1]

Janet, now that I am taking Librax my stomach is doing much better. Now, it is just the aching, but tylenol takes care of that. I started on 50,000 units of Vitamin D every three days and I got a B12 shot. I am feeling better.

Wow, this weather is something else. Winds up to 50mph and we are under a flood watch. This should all pass through by tomorrow.

Janet, what are you crocheting?

[Great2BThin 5]

Welcome Ballet Girl. I guess only you know if you should write a letter. If you were that offended and wanted the dr to know, then by all means. Personally I'd have loved to have been called skinny and asked what I was doing there. LOL But sounds like he was rather rough with the unfill. Why'd you need an unfill? Sounds like you are at goal?? How much did you lose?? Congrats to you on your success. Sounds like you were quite successful. Keep up the good work and welcome to this thread.

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Hey guys, how's the weather in your world??? It's very wet and cold here... Snow moving in from Colorado I think..... My SD brother cancelled his trip, but the family meeting will go on with him on speaker phone if I can figure out how to do that on my cell phone....

Had my ortho appt this morn.. He did x-rays of my neck and such... Things look okay... The strenghtening exercises they try to start were too much evidentally and I am to stop them and wait... My range of motion is good and everything checks out okay, just needs more time.. I had accupuncture/pressure after and she said the same thing... boy did it hurt today... She said the muscles were really tight... No wonder I was hurting so bad... Will back off on the exercises and continue with the PT guy.. He did give me more Vicodin..... I'm okay with this plan as I think they are right... I was getting better until they started new exercises... I need to go slower I guess.... Hope we are all right.... time will tell...

So, supper is in the crockpot, house is relatively clean, Mim is with her mother today, DH is off doing something, so I'm going to go watch my soap for a bit... maybe have a little nap....

Arlene, has that Vitamin D (50,000) had any effect on your system??? I did it for three days and was so plugged up I was miserable... Dr. said to wait and I haven't tried again yet.... Maybe I should....

I'm going to be back later to comment on the other posts.... Need my chair.......it's calling me!!!! Julie

[Great2BThin 5]

Julie, you can have our snowstorm!! It's a whopper. We have about 2 feet, still snowing but they say the worst is over. It's really bad out on the eastern plains now and the highway is closed from east of Denver to KS. Our old neighbors from Las Vegas were supposed to come through today but they had to postpone due the weather. Now I have a double crockpot of chili, just had some for lunch. I'm praying that maybe some chili will help with my, ummmm, Constipation issues. It's been really bad. They told me the vicodin could have that effect. I see several folks mention taking that for various pains. Has that been your experience with it at all?? I am back to taking Miralax nightly and it still took since Sat. until today to, ahhh, get things to move ever so little. (sorry for too much detail).

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Lori, no thanks, lets leave that snow somewhere in between......SD works for me.....

You know I have had these Constipation issues lately, but never thought about the Vicodin being the culprit.... I have been managing without taking anything, but I seem to be on an every other day schedule now... Would rather be more regular... Should start the Miralax, too, as I have some in the cupboard... Let's hope we don't need either one before long... I'm tired of pain of any kind.........

I hear you about the extra chili.... I have stew and now no brother to eat it..... Good thing chili will freeze pretty well.... I like chili and make it for myself often.. Good protein... If I leave the potatoes alone, the stew will be okay for me... Fortunately DH is okay with left-overs.....

Take care and stay in where it's warm and not slippery...

[Charlene K 1]

Julie, I take Miralax everyday so I did not notice any difference.

[balletgirl 0]

Hello Great2Bthin;

I had gone in for my monthly visit in July and the doctor had to take out 1cc because I was so tight I couldn't even get Water down and was in excruciating pain. But then I went on vacation and I was eating way too much and feeling no restriction at all. Even an apple wasn't filling me up or holding me over. So I went back in Sept and he was only going to put in 1/2 cc but after the doctor was done, he said "I went ahead and put 1 cc in". Basically it took me right back to the tightness I had before! It took me an hour and a half to eat plain yogurt.

So when I went in a couple of weeks ago the PA John wanted to take out 1 1/2cc! I told him that the doctor had taken out 1 cc and that didn't leave me with enough restriction, so if John took out 1 1/2cc it would be way too much! I convinced John to only take out 1/2 cc and he did. He didn't believe me that it would be the right amount, but it is! I've finally found my sweet spot.

I was at the lower end of the BMI scale for having the lap band procedure. I started at 210 (5'6") and had the band on 9/24/08. I am currently at 135. I would like to be 130, but I'm ok with where I'm at. I guess a lot of people would be thrilled with being called too skinny but I have an eating disorder (compulsive overeater/binge eater) and have a very distorted body image. I'm in therapy for it so that helps. It just made me feel like I wasn't welcome in the doctors office - like I didn't belong there. It's hard to describe writing here, but anyway that's my story. Thanks for asking and for the nice compliment! Have a terrific day!!

[Great2BThin 5]

BalletGirl, Glad the PA eventually listened to you on the unfill amount. You've had your band long enough and know what you need best. I was banded in June of 08 and when I first read or people telling the dr office how much of a fill they wanted, I thought what the heck, how am I supposed to know that. Well after a few fills and some experience, I feel I know just what I need when I go in too. It took me getting to a place of too much of a fill as well. They took out a half cc and it was too much and then had .25 put back in and I am at my sweet spot as well. Whodda thunk .25 could make that much of a difference.

Suddenly my mother who has always told me how overweight I was my whole life, seems to be on this kick of telling me I am now too thin. I'm still not quite to the 'normal' BMI but am at the goal that my dr set for me and am happy where I am, but would be happier 10 lbs less I think. So I am trying to block her out. I think she's not used to seeing me at this weight.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Yes Ladies vicoden will constipate you - up your Water & Fiber or the mirlax - I do dulcolax myself - but as long as I get enough fluids I am usually ok...

Ballett - I think he was funning with you and I wouldn't write a letter personally - but again that's mho ;0)

Welcome glad to have you - look forward to getting to know you...

Charlene you are getting the winds we had yesterday and the day before :0) - Glad you are feeling better - I heard on the news the other day the most pple are vit D deffecient - and it does help with moods etc. I think I am crocheting a scarf - maybe a lap blanket - I am not impressed with the color (pastel yellow) but it was free yarn - so maybe just a scarf for now and then I will get some better yarn and make more to give as gifts for xmas...

Great - Well all have the tmi thingie everynow and then - hell I think it's part of getting old - remember hearing your grandma talk about being consitpated :0)... I'm with you I would be in the house and not out an about in the snow pretty to look out at from inside a nice cozy house :0)

Julie - I sure hope things get better for you - how about going for a massage??? if your muscles are so tight that would help wouldn't it.. Well worth a try :0)

What soap do you watch - I watch sometime All My Childern not like I use to -