I'm here to help...

[kellyodoran 12]

WTG CHRIS !!!!! FANTASTIC NSV !!!!

Noosie - Let us know how your dr appt goes - just hope maybe you are stress and that's making your band tight..

Apples - The whole thing is I am off next week - Just so much too in a short amount of time ;0) and yesterday I re-filled my xanax script for Family Vaca - You don't know my family - this one what this to eat that one wants that to eat - they want everything plain just ordering food is an ordeal - Joseph & Melissa will picker - they all will sleep till noon - Teenagers will pout Brooke will act like a 6 yr old and be wild at time - So My plan to deal with all this - is a.m. when I am up at the crack of dawn - hit the gym... Then BF at one of the buffets - then bathing suit - beach - book - ipod... and when we go to town - xanax ;0) and cocktails..

Kelly & Chris I don't have your email address - sent the girls some great trukey day receipts - You guys email me and I will send to you too

jwrightpim@aol.com

back to work

I love the xanax and cocktails, what better way to deal with family!

[txrckcrwlr 0]

Txrckcrwlr@yahoo.com

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Just read the last two pages of posts. I think I am motivated to post just so Janet or Apples don't beat me to the 1000 page!!! : ) LOL

I just got back from my work at the clinic and now I have 14 minutes to change out of scrubs, eat lunch and get to the bus stop to get Nelson to TKD. Tomorrow is another day in class, as we are doing TG crafts. Oh what fun motivating 16 six year olds to do 3 crafts in an hour! I will need some of Janet's stress Rx when I am done..LOL. (can you fedex me some?)

Apples, so happy to hear an end is coming to the incident. hugs

Linda, missed hearing from you. Glad you are ok.hugs.

Lori, LOVE that you are focusing on your kids and new GK to be. That's really all that matters.

Tx, WTG on the shorts! Isn't that great?! woohoo

13 min. now- gotta go eat a greek yogurt. I LOVE working b/c I am too busy to think about eating. Hmmm.. maybe I should go back to work FT. Hmmmmm..

Just spoke to my parents- we are flying to NC for the week. They are very nervous about Dad's repeat PET scan on Tuesday. Hard to calm them. (b/c secretly I am really worried about the results). Sigh.

Love you all- sorry I haven't been posting. Just so busy with life. NOTHING personal. Just don't do the computer stuff much at all anymore. Gave up all the farmville, and other FB crap. Would rather spend time with DH. <blush>

more later. xoxo peasout... Laura

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Hey there everyone...... Another trip to Bismarck today.. Got trigger point shots in my neck and shoulder today.... Hope they work.... Last night had a rough time... so tonight I'm tired.... Just leftovers for supper so that is good... DSIL is sick and DD is very worried.... Passing lots of blood rectally..... not a good thing... Saw an doc but put him off to a gastroenterologist........... and no insurance yet... He just accepted a new job that has benefits, but not for 60 days... They went and got him on insurance as of 12-1, so hope that will help them not go bankrupt right off the bat..... Mimi is here watching Little Bear and being very good.... DH is busy helping a friend with some carpentry .... but should be home soon....

Janet, I'll quit worrying about you I guess.. sounds like yo will do whatever you please that day and that's just okay sometimes.... try to relax a bit.....practice for your vacation.....

Apples, its very cold here today, too... the dang wind was bitter.... Heard the weather man on the radio on my way home say that the wind is to make a 180 degree change later, so sometime in the middle of the night it should be comletely calm for a few seconds.!!!!! But I know why I live here and don't have dreams to go anywhere else..... Just hibernate a bit in the winter...

WTG TX........ what a great surprise... It really gets you when that happens.... Glad the shoulder is improving too...

Lori, I think you really should let Janet and Apples handle your sisters... That would really put an end to all these childish things they do to you..... I don't have a sister, but can't imagine treating one that badly.... So, I think concentrating on your little family and that new baby are just the right thing for you..... Have fun..

Laura, totally understand why you are worried about test results.... things just can change so fact with this ugly disease.... Hope you have a lovely time with your parents.... Safe travels...

Eva, hope you and your sis have a great trip....

Linda, I've had my time with counseling, too, and I'm glad I did..... Sometimes they just help you think more clearly and then put things in perspective... Hope you are feeling warm and gooey inside soon..... HUgs...

Well, girls, and Chris, too.... Mimi is calling me... needs some attention, so I should go.... she's been so good today I can't complain at all.... some days she is a bit much for me to handle..... Hope you all have a warm relaxing evening... Love to all.......... Julie

[Apples2 19]

Just a reminder to everyone -- read this article from the 5 day pouch test web site.

5daypouchtest.com/articles/art014.html

Since I did the pouch test, I've felt so very much better -- I think we really need to quit trying to "eat like a normal person" -- afterall, we are NOT normal -- or we would not have been obese to begin with. I know I too have been guilty of this thinking -- I "got it" that I had to change what I ate to "lose" the weight - I "got" that I had to exercise to "lose" the weight, but I was getting very defensive about "I want to eat everything again" -- well, fact is I can't - I will never be able to so I might as well get that through my thick head now. If I want to stay this way I must follow the original rules -- Protein first, Water, no snacking and no drinking with meals. I was getting lazy and mad that I was in a plateau but I was lazy about my food intake and trying to "be a normal person". I feel darn lucky that I didn't gain a bunch of weight -- I only gained a couple before I got my brain back on track. Just wanted to pass this along to helpfully help someone else avoid this dastardly path. I was lucky that i was feeling crappy -- losing my pep and energy -- and just with a few days eating correctly that energy has returned. Hope this helps someone else.

Love to you all.

Linda

Gold star for the day, Linda! Thank you for being so open and honest and posting this. Having a well balanced diet really does affect how we feel and how much energy we have. I feel it every day. I do not allow myself to NOT get what I need to fuel my body. I WILL NOT put crap in my body (just those treats for special occassions). I know that my energy level is based on how I fuel it.

Good for you for realizing what you needed to do b/4 you gained. Good for you! Your post made me so happy. :blushing:

[Apples2 19]

Morning all. On my way to pt. Doing good so far. Yesterday was at about 120 degrees movement. Sore as heck but getting better. Now if I can just get my work to pay me the sick time and vacation I have things will be much better.

K now for the great news. NSV TO REPORT

went to closet this morning. Grabed a pair of shorts and threw them on. Thought these fell different then the ones I had on yesterday. So I checked. Yep old shorts 46 these 42. Yep yep. BIG GRIN.

Shorts????? What are shorts????

Yeah, Chris on your NSV!!!!!!! And, so happy your shoulder is progessing. :blushing:

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Hi all,

Laura, good to hear from you. It's amazing how having work we love and can invest ourselves in helps us live a healthier lifestyle. And Linda you're right. The energy to do what we're passionate about comes from eating right and taking care of ourselves. A snowball effect takes place with the two things fueling each other. I go early every morning to work in order to walk the halls and climb the stairs for 30-40 minutes. Amazing what good shape that puts me in for the day. I put in a 10 hour day and feel good about it.

Remember, my husband does grocery shopping, house-cleaning, bill-paying, and all laundry except my clothes. Once in a while I dust furniture, clean counters, and organize my stuff. I've taken to eating a salad most nights with Feta cheese, fruit, and cashews. So not much cooking either.

So I can focus on my passion. I gave up all gaming on FB last winter. Gave up my blog, too, once I reached goal. Have all I can do to keep up with FB posts, e-mail, and this thread. Watch a few shows, see my grandkids and go to church on weekends, am in two choirs, and sleep. Works for me.

Cheri

[sndycnrd 1]

Apples – Glad your troubles are almost over. Good for you!

Laura – No need to apologize for spending time with your family and work. Sounds to me like you are thinking about full time???

Janet – Your quiet Thanksgiving Day sounds like heaven to me. There are times I wonder how it would be to have a holiday to myself. I don’t know if I would like it or not but I sure wouldn’t mind trying it out.

Julie – I hope your trigger point helps the pain. Let us know how it goes with DSIL.

TX – Awesome NSV!! That is the best.

Linda – I agree with everyone else. Take care of yourself and your family. Make your visits with your grandmother when they work for you and her. The others aren’t important unless you let them be.

Cheri and others who posted about giving up some computer time. I too have cut way back on computer time. It is so easy to get involved in things and the time goes by so quickly. Unfortunately, there is a price to pay for that involvement such as our family time or work. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my computer time and enjoy it but I have trimmed it back. I have totally given up FB games. I still like to read here and keep up with news reports.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Evening Peeps - think this post on my #7 thread needs to be re-posted here - it's about our issues with fear and maintaining an waking up fat tomorrow..

Good Evening Gang...

Ok I can speak to the fear - I have been maintaining for almost 2.5 yrs now - Like you said I am moving into my 4th yr of being banded and my 3rd yr of maintenance

Dropping off the site doesn't always mean that pple have lost their focus as we have one person who pops in every now and (beth??) the one who moved (you won't know her but Candice & Phyl would) and I think for those pple who have been successful and who's light bulb has gone off they have a hard time dealing w/pple who just don't get it.. But I would say the majority drop because they feel like failure once again.

But these pple haven't gotten that this is a lifetime battle - they think it's a quick fix - the get cocky - they go back to eating their normal

It really is about changing our eating and how we look at food and about moving. It's not about dieting or keeping your band so tight that you can't eat..

Will you ever lose the fear - I dont' think so - Idrise has helped a lot in understanding that I do have control - Remember about 6 months ago - he and I got in a big disagreement - about me being a food addict - he says there is no such thing - well this pissed me off and he and I went around and around - I told him if there is a bag of candy or fried chicken in the house I would eat them I have no control

So one day he said Janet are those foods in your house - I said No - He said who does the shopping - I said I do - he said well are you buying those foods that you have no control over - I said No - He said well then Girl you do have control - AH HA MOMENT !!!

We are not physically addicted to food - we are mentally addicted to it - Yes our bodies have a physically reaction to our trigger foods - but it's not like a physical addiction like drugs or alcohol - It's a mental flaw that we have (genetics)..

and for some they don't have that full sensation -

As adults - we go to work every day cuz we have to

we have responsibilities - do we like going to work - I would say for the most part nope - do you like paying bills - do you like cleaning house - nope. But its all things we have to do.

Well we have to apply that same mentality to being healthy..

So what do you say to someone lt who tells you - I don't like exercising and I don't want to watch what I eat

Well just like the rest of our lives 80% of the time we are doing things we don't like to do - but there are the things that we have to do as being responsible adults

So to be healthy - you have to eat healthy & exercise - suck it up and be a responsible adult and just do it..

Ya you may not like it all the time - but if you want a better quality to your life - if you want more energy - if you want to extend your years on this earth then - ya gotta do it - just like you gotta go to work every day to put a roof over your head

It's ok to have treats - that's where our thinking is screwed up - we think we can't - that if we eat a giant candy bar one day - or a Reuben sandwich - Omg - we are back to the road of being morbidly obese - no we aren't - that was a treat - it's not something we are going to do every single day - we did it one day - not 365.

This is why I usually eat pretty healthy at home - but when I am gone on our vacations - I have more treats - but again I try and watch it too.. I don't pig out 24/7 for 5 days. and if I come home and have gained a couple of lbs - I know that those lbs will come off with a little extra exercise and with my normal healthy eating..

We all had surgery to help us - and the band does help us but it doesn't do all the work - but what we have to do is give ourselves credit for the times that we are eating clean and exercising

When we find ourselves slipping back into old habit - We realize it - hell look at Jane - ate 2 cups of grapes and had a freak out attack - oh tomorrow I am going to wake up weighting 250 lbs - you ate grapes - you didn't down a gallon of ice cream and then a bag of Cookies - That's when you need to freak out - you need to freak out before you eat them - you need to exercise control when you are out shopping and not to let those foods ever get in your house - it you are in a mood - you want to say "f" it - go buy a pint of ice cream and eat the whole damn this - go to the bakery buy 4 Cookies and eat them all - if you want a candy bar go buy just 1 giant one - eat it - and then when it's done you say - Ok I did that - I'm done - I had what I wanted now it's back to the real world.

Yep the candy & ice cream still call my name - but when I walk down those isle - I say "F You" I really do this ...

Those things that call my name - they say "I know that you can control it " (that devil talking to us) but I know I can't -- So I will pick it up look at the calories and think Oh I would love to eat you - but I know I won't stop at one - so I am not buying you - I feel to damn good to go back..

I wake up every morning - and when I go to put on a pair of my pants - I am still amazed that they fit..

I have fear - but it's a healthy fear of my mental addiction to food - better yet - I don't have fear - I am have awareness

I am aware that if I eat candy - cookies - ice cream - high fat foods - tons of cheese - and I don't go to the gym - I am aware of what the results will be - I will be 250 lbs ..

I don't want to be 250 - I want to look cute - I want to have a longer life more than I want to eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream every nite..

I want to have the muslces - to help my body do the things I want to do and to help me as I age - to have stronger bones - to have better balance - I like being able to clean the house without breaking in a sweat - to go shopping for 6 hrs without my feel killing me after 1 hr..

As we all know being morbidly obese limits the quality of our lives

Since most of us are 50+ we know that we have less years in front of us - and if we want to extend those yrs - enjoy the yrs that we have left - we have to lose the weight - we have to get and stay healthy..

And to get those results we have to eat healthy and exercising - is it fun - nope not all the time - but just like life - it's not a bowl of cherries either - we just have to take those lemons and make lemonade w/splenda and we have to pick the lemons - squeeze them - instead of going to the store in our cars and buying it already made and full of sugar

Our addiction never leaves us - it becomes a little easier as time goes by - but it's still always in the back of our minds - When we do have those treats - we have to tell ourselves - it's ok to have a treat - what's not ok is to have the 24/7 365..

We do have control - we truly do and we will relapse every now and then - it will happen in all our lives - but what is the most important thing - is that we are now aware that we have lost the control and say STOP - PULL UP THOSE BOOT STRAPS AND MOVE FORWARD..

So if you want those new shoes - you save for them - you work for them - If you want a nice house - you work for it - you do what it takes to save the $$ for it and then once you get it you have to maintain that house.

Getting healthy is no different - you have to eat healthy - you have to exercise and once the weight is gone - you have to keep up that work to maintain the new healthy body..

As the saying goes - who said life was easy...

Laura - Yep page 1000 is getting close ;0) Hugs on your Dad - yep once you have been diagnosed w/it - every test after wards is scary - Prayers & Love to you and your family for good results..

Kelly - Like I said you don't know my family - picker was suppose to be bicker o)

Chris - sent you the recipes

Cheri - I need to give up FB games too - but it keeps me out of the kitchen ;0)

Sandy - One Thanksgiving the kids couldn't come - I went to bff's house - this yr am looking forward to some down time - like I said - while you are all feasting on turkey - stuffing - taters - pies - I will be having Lobster Veggies ;0)

Julie - Hope the shots help - and TRULY I will be just fine - I am a loner (family trait) and just think I am spending an entire week w/my family ;0)

Ok gang gotta feed the dogs - cbl

[llkb4me 1]

Thanks Janet, I needed to hear that.

LauraK

[kellyodoran 12]

Good Evening Peeps - think this post on my #7 thread needs to be re-posted here - it's about our issues with fear and maintaining an waking up fat tomorrow..

Good Evening Gang...

Ok I can speak to the fear - I have been maintaining for almost 2.5 yrs now - Like you said I am moving into my 4th yr of being banded and my 3rd yr of maintenance

Dropping off the site doesn't always mean that pple have lost their focus as we have one person who pops in every now and (beth??) the one who moved (you won't know her but Candice & Phyl would) and I think for those pple who have been successful and who's light bulb has gone off they have a hard time dealing w/pple who just don't get it.. But I would say the majority drop because they feel like failure once again.

But these pple haven't gotten that this is a lifetime battle - they think it's a quick fix - the get cocky - they go back to eating their normal

It really is about changing our eating and how we look at food and about moving. It's not about dieting or keeping your band so tight that you can't eat..

Will you ever lose the fear - I dont' think so - Idrise has helped a lot in understanding that I do have control - Remember about 6 months ago - he and I got in a big disagreement - about me being a food addict - he says there is no such thing - well this pissed me off and he and I went around and around - I told him if there is a bag of candy or fried chicken in the house I would eat them I have no control

So one day he said Janet are those foods in your house - I said No - He said who does the shopping - I said I do - he said well are you buying those foods that you have no control over - I said No - He said well then Girl you do have control - AH HA MOMENT !!!

We are not physically addicted to food - we are mentally addicted to it - Yes our bodies have a physically reaction to our trigger foods - but it's not like a physical addiction like drugs or alcohol - It's a mental flaw that we have (genetics)..

and for some they don't have that full sensation -

As adults - we go to work every day cuz we have to

we have responsibilities - do we like going to work - I would say for the most part nope - do you like paying bills - do you like cleaning house - nope. But its all things we have to do.

Well we have to apply that same mentality to being healthy..

So what do you say to someone lt who tells you - I don't like exercising and I don't want to watch what I eat

Well just like the rest of our lives 80% of the time we are doing things we don't like to do - but there are the things that we have to do as being responsible adults

So to be healthy - you have to eat healthy & exercise - suck it up and be a responsible adult and just do it..

Ya you may not like it all the time - but if you want a better quality to your life - if you want more energy - if you want to extend your years on this earth then - ya gotta do it - just like you gotta go to work every day to put a roof over your head

It's ok to have treats - that's where our thinking is screwed up - we think we can't - that if we eat a giant candy bar one day - or a Reuben sandwich - Omg - we are back to the road of being morbidly obese - no we aren't - that was a treat - it's not something we are going to do every single day - we did it one day - not 365.

This is why I usually eat pretty healthy at home - but when I am gone on our vacations - I have more treats - but again I try and watch it too.. I don't pig out 24/7 for 5 days. and if I come home and have gained a couple of lbs - I know that those lbs will come off with a little extra exercise and with my normal healthy eating..

We all had surgery to help us - and the band does help us but it doesn't do all the work - but what we have to do is give ourselves credit for the times that we are eating clean and exercising

When we find ourselves slipping back into old habit - We realize it - hell look at Jane - ate 2 cups of grapes and had a freak out attack - oh tomorrow I am going to wake up weighting 250 lbs - you ate grapes - you didn't down a gallon of ice cream and then a bag of Cookies - That's when you need to freak out - you need to freak out before you eat them - you need to exercise control when you are out shopping and not to let those foods ever get in your house - it you are in a mood - you want to say "f" it - go buy a pint of ice cream and eat the whole damn this - go to the bakery buy 4 Cookies and eat them all - if you want a candy bar go buy just 1 giant one - eat it - and then when it's done you say - Ok I did that - I'm done - I had what I wanted now it's back to the real world.

Yep the candy & ice cream still call my name - but when I walk down those isle - I say "F You" I really do this ...

Those things that call my name - they say "I know that you can control it " (that devil talking to us) but I know I can't -- So I will pick it up look at the calories and think Oh I would love to eat you - but I know I won't stop at one - so I am not buying you - I feel to damn good to go back..

I wake up every morning - and when I go to put on a pair of my pants - I am still amazed that they fit..

I have fear - but it's a healthy fear of my mental addiction to food - better yet - I don't have fear - I am have awareness

I am aware that if I eat candy - cookies - ice cream - high fat foods - tons of cheese - and I don't go to the gym - I am aware of what the results will be - I will be 250 lbs ..

I don't want to be 250 - I want to look cute - I want to have a longer life more than I want to eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream every nite..

I want to have the muslces - to help my body do the things I want to do and to help me as I age - to have stronger bones - to have better balance - I like being able to clean the house without breaking in a sweat - to go shopping for 6 hrs without my feel killing me after 1 hr..

As we all know being morbidly obese limits the quality of our lives

Since most of us are 50+ we know that we have less years in front of us - and if we want to extend those yrs - enjoy the yrs that we have left - we have to lose the weight - we have to get and stay healthy..

And to get those results we have to eat healthy and exercising - is it fun - nope not all the time - but just like life - it's not a bowl of cherries either - we just have to take those lemons and make lemonade w/splenda and we have to pick the lemons - squeeze them - instead of going to the store in our cars and buying it already made and full of sugar

Our addiction never leaves us - it becomes a little easier as time goes by - but it's still always in the back of our minds - When we do have those treats - we have to tell ourselves - it's ok to have a treat - what's not ok is to have the 24/7 365..

We do have control - we truly do and we will relapse every now and then - it will happen in all our lives - but what is the most important thing - is that we are now aware that we have lost the control and say STOP - PULL UP THOSE BOOT STRAPS AND MOVE FORWARD..

So if you want those new shoes - you save for them - you work for them - If you want a nice house - you work for it - you do what it takes to save the $$ for it and then once you get it you have to maintain that house.

Getting healthy is no different - you have to eat healthy - you have to exercise and once the weight is gone - you have to keep up that work to maintain the new healthy body..

As the saying goes - who said life was easy...

Laura - Yep page 1000 is getting close ;0) Hugs on your Dad - yep once you have been diagnosed w/it - every test after wards is scary - Prayers & Love to you and your family for good results..

Kelly - Like I said you don't know my family - picker was suppose to be bicker o)

Chris - sent you the recipes

Cheri - I need to give up FB games too - but it keeps me out of the kitchen ;0)

Sandy - One Thanksgiving the kids couldn't come - I went to bff's house - this yr am looking forward to some down time - like I said - while you are all feasting on turkey - stuffing - taters - pies - I will be having Lobster Veggies ;0)

Julie - Hope the shots help - and TRULY I will be just fine - I am a loner (family trait) and just think I am spending an entire week w/my family ;0)

Ok gang gotta feed the dogs - cbl

Janet....I knew it was bicker ...Your speech was wonderful...just the thing before

T-day....You know I seem to be handleing everything o.k.,, but I know I could stumble at anytime , so I just go out and do the best I can every day.

Am I at work?..."no" lets go walk at 9:00 a.m.,,, am I at work?..."no" lets go walk again at 3:00 p.m. It is all gonna pay off in the future.

Just like you told me to bank my exercise calories,,I think the same could apply to life!

Love you,

~Kelly~

P.S. I used to live in Palm Desert, but that is another story;)

[IndioGirl55 32]

LauraK - That's just what my gf said on my #7 thread ;0)..

I get on a roll everynow and then - I wrote a post about control 3 yrs ago - I wish I could find it - have looked but can't..

We have convinced ourselves that we don't have any - when in all reality we do..

Kelly - Yep girl - exercise calories burned - go in the bank - the only time they don't is when you gotta burn off those extra calories from a slip up or going over board on a treat - then in my weight lost phase I would go to the gym 1-2 extra days..

At Christmas made a deal w/myself - no office treats (and we get tons of junk and I love those Cheryl frosted sugar cookies) cuz I bake Xmas Cookies w/Grandaughters - I allowed myself 5 Cookies (may have had six lol) and I bumped up the exercise - you know what - I lost weight all during the holidays ;0)

Do tell - so you know the Desert ;0)

[Apples2 19]

Great post, Janet...thanks for sharing.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Awe Thanks Apples ... Just think that sometime different analogies will help someone's light bulb go on !!!

[phyllser 3]

I pray every day that I am breaking the cycle in my family with my kids. I can see how dysfunctional my family is and even how my mom was raised by my Grandma, I am sure my family is far from perfect but I pray I don't repeat the same mistakes. It also didn't hurt that I submitted a prayer request for dealing with my family situation to my ladies bible study this morning.

Hugs, Lori!! FAMILY.. our biggest challenge!

Apples, I can't believe your colonoscopy surgeon did that! Honestly, they need to realize some people do not know what the prep is like when it's their first time. They do now have pills which worked fine for me last time -- I can't drink that stuff with the band -- made me vomit -- and I called and they gave me the pills right away. So any of you out there needing one - just tell them the last time you tried the drink made you vomit and you want the pills -- you take them with a full glass of Water -- they too are salty, but better than the drink -- I can't remember but I think you take 8 pills with a full glass of Water every 15 mins. - something like that. But they work!! I have to have one EVERY year so trust me, I request the darn pills. Hate the prep. CBL. Linda

YEP!! Sounds like what I had to do last colonoscopy... several pills every 15 mins. with water. It worked fine.

Linda....by no means was this my first colonoscopy. I have had many...just not for 5 yrs though. I did call doc's office when I got the instructions and could hear him giving exact details to his nurse and I wrote everything down and it coincided with what I got in the mail from him. It's all behind me and never to return to him again.

And, for all of you that said I should have chewed on him...well, I was out of it at the time and then he disappeared. I sat down at the computer this morning and wrote a letter to him. He now knows....

OH... I bet that was quite a letter!!! LOL. Something similar to the phone call I made this week, to the people handling our motor vehicle accident from this past summer. They have been bugging me to return this medical information release form they sent me. It took me a couple of months to tackle ti because the first question was to list ALL the doctors I've seen in the last 10 years. GIVE ME A BREAK.... we lived some of that time in OK, then moved to WA and spend winters in CA. I had urologist, gyn drs., ortho in WA & OK, primary care, cardio, S#####!! So every time I looked at that form... that's what I saw... every doctor you saw in the last 10 years. So... it took me a while. And I spent HOURS on it... making sure I had up to date contact info for each dr. And indicating each one's specialty so they could see which ones were relevant. So.. a couple of days ago I had this really RUDE message on my answering machine/voice mail.... saying NO WAY were they going to order medical info for 20 doctors!! Implied that I was trying to pull a "fast one" on them, and the accident was not that significant, and she was VERY CONCERNED!! So... I called and gave her a BIG piece of my mind on Monday!! GRRRRRR!!

Morning all. On my way to pt. Doing good so far. Yesterday was at about 120 degrees movement. Sore as heck but getting better. Now if I can just get my work to pay me the sick time and vacation I have things will be much better.

K now for the great news. NSV TO REPORT - went to closet this morning. Grabed a pair of shorts and threw them on. Thought these fell different then the ones I had on yesterday. So I checked. Yep old shorts 46 these 42. Yep yep. BIG GRIN.

HAHAHA!! GREAT NSV, Chris!!!

Congrats! You're doing so well!

Since I did the pouch test, I've felt so very much better -- I think we really need to quit trying to "eat like a normal person" -- afterall, we are NOT normal -- or we would not have been obese to begin with. I know I too have been guilty of this thinking -- I "got it" that I had to change what I ate to "lose" the weight - I "got" that I had to exercise to "lose" the weight, but I was getting very defensive about "I want to eat everything again" -- well, fact is I can't - I will never be able to so I might as well get that through my thick head now. If I want to stay this way I must follow the original rules -- Protein first, water, no snacking and no drinking with meals. I was getting lazy and mad that I was in a plateau but I was lazy about my food intake and trying to "be a normal person". I feel darn lucky that I didn't gain a bunch of weight -- I only gained a couple before I got my brain back on track. Just wanted to pass this along to helpfully help someone else avoid this dastardly path. I was lucky that i was feeling crappy -- losing my pep and energy -- and just with a few days eating correctly that energy has returned. Hope this helps someone else. Love to you all.

Linda

GREAT post, Linda!! Very encouraging.

Think I need to do the 5 day again!!

Hey Phyll...Can you hear me???? How are you doing? Getting out some???? Miss you.

Not having a good week! Weight up again for 2nd week. Very depressed. Things not going so well. Went back to gyn Dr today to discuss med changes she made 2 weeks ago and impact they've had on me. Made a few subtle changes. And will double my anti depressant. Have to go back in a month and see if things have improved... or have the option of calling her if the depression continues to be a problem and she will give me Pristique samples. Miserable w/aches and pains, too. Neck, shoulder, back!! UGH!! Appt w/pain clinic and probable epidural injection on Dec. 1st.

My life right now seems pretty calm compared to most of you!:thumbup: I seem to be on a bit of a Plataea right now, but that has kinda been my pattern! Loose two, lose one, then hold for a while etc.

Don't have big plans for T-day just a couple of family members over. I am going to do the cooking with Mom supervising:biggrin:! I haven't done the cooking in a few years so it will be fun!

I don't think I will put any pressure on me about the food, as I go for my third fill on Tues., and as long as I keep journaling, and walking it shouln't be a problem:thumbup:!

Apples wish I was going to the thrift store with you, it is one of my great loves, pick something out really pretty:thumbup:!

The weather here is still wonderful, chilly in the mornings and 70 in the afternoons. We are supposed to get some rain this weekend (which is good) snow in the high country we need as we are a huge farming and ranching community!

Well going to go check out some recipes for dinner tonight!

More pictures of "Sophie"

WTG CHRIS !!!!! FANTASTIC NSV !!!!

Noosie - Let us know how your dr appt goes - just hope maybe you are stress and that's making your band tight..

Apples - The whole thing is I am off next week - Just so much too in a short amount of time ;0) and yesterday I re-filled my xanax script for Family Vaca - You don't know my family - this one what this to eat that one wants that to eat - they want everything plain just ordering food is an ordeal - Joseph & Melissa will picker - they all will sleep till noon - Teenagers will pout Brooke will act like a 6 yr old and be wild at time - So My plan to deal with all this - is a.m. when I am up at the crack of dawn - hit the gym... Then BF at one of the buffets - then bathing suit - beach - book - ipod... and when we go to town - xanax ;0) and cocktails..

Kelly & Chris I don't have your email address - sent the girls some great trukey day receipts - You guys email me and I will send to you too

jwrightpim@aol.com

back to work

Next two weeks will be GREAT...

hope you have a wonderful vacation!