Newlife's Odyssey of Discovery........

[newlifeat57]

Pull up a chair, a pillow, a blanky, bring your cupa java, or whatever it is you need to feel comfortable. Let’s have a chat, or compare notes and experiences.

Well, I think the time has come for me to start my own thread. At first I didn’t think that what I had to offer was very important, because I felt that if you read, Read, READ through all the threads, past and present, you could find a solution or advice for everything one experiences with the lap band…. Well, I was wrong.

I realized that everyone has a different spin to everything that one could possibly experience in the land of LapBandia. So forgive me if I have insulted you or given you the impression that your dilemma was not unique. Such a dork I am for thinking that.

I could start with…Once upon a time when I was thin….. but that would put me at 5 or 6 years old and frankly, I don’t remember much from those days. I remember rich ethnic foods and always being denied foods that were considered fattening. Yes, obesity did run in both sides of my family, but not to the extent that I experienced.

I was the only one on both sides of my family that was obese as a child. My uncles, on my mother’s side, and their children are experiencing varying degrees of obesity as adults, but have never faced obesity through their childhood. My aunts and their children all remained in the normal weight ranges—an interesting phenomenon. Whereas on my father’s side, all the aunts, uncles and cousins remained within normal range or were able to rein in their weight gains and are considered to be in the normal ranges.

2007 brought about many interesting changes and exposed specific demons in my life. I finally earned my Master’s Degree in Teaching, hit bottom emotionally, by coming face to face with depression, and the frantic need to do something with my weight—I really thought I would be dead within a year and I felt that no amount of pleading with my dear Lord was going to change it. However, He had other plans……During my annual visit, I approached my PCP Dr. (It’s more like I cried my eyes out) in October 2007—specific dates are a little fuzzy, because I was in a bad state of mind at that time.

My Dr. is the best. She is my age and battles with her weight and was completely understanding of what I was going through. She provided me resources for the depression without encouraging me to take drugs, directed me to a WLS seminar, and was there to encourage me through the entire process.

January through March of 2008 came and went quicker than I can express in words. I attended the WLS seminar, went through the myriad of tests, Dr. visits, and financial maneuvering (I am a self-pay patient) in order to have my surgery during spring break. The Drs. also had to make sure I was in good enough condition heart-wise to have the lap band surgery.

What I mean by heart-wise is that about 5 years ago, I had had a heart attack. I spent 3 days in the hospital where a stent was implanted and I was then released to return to work. I evidently experienced minimal heart damage. One year later, I was experiencing some difficulty and another stent was implanted. So to have the WLS, I had to go through a bunch of tests to make sure all was OK with my heart. Co-morbities??? I had most of them: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high BMI, heart disease, and joint problems. My surgery was completed on April 4, 2008 (for those that need to know….I have a size 14 band).

[newlifeat57]

My surgery wasn’t much different than many of those that have posted here. I checked in at 9 am for an 11 am surgery, was awake at 1pm and headed for home by 3:30. I had to travel an hour and a half one way to my surgical center. I don’t think I experienced much pain on my first day. I do remember that the ride home was a bit bumpy and that I did feel some pain when we hit those bumps—thank God I remembered to bring a pillow. But the meds the Dr. gave me were the Bomb--Liquid Valium and liquid Percocet!!! I was able to sleep on my right side without any problems (incisions were basically in the middle and mostly on the left side of my abdomen). Getting out of bed was the hardest. I attached a rope to the foot of the bed and used that and a chair placed next to my bed, to hoist myself up. I remained in a drugged state for about 3 days. On the 4th day I went shopping—transfer of addictions???….NAH. LOL

On the 5th day, I experienced a severe case of the ‘green apple quick-step’. It got progressively worse and I ended up taking an extra week off from school. It wasn’t until July when I experienced the same pain and symptoms that it was determined that I may have experienced a bout of diverticulitis right after surgery. So now, I have to deal with another issue. Not only do I deal with severe arthritis in my knees, back and hip pain, Edema, high blood pressure, food allergies (lactose intolerance and possibly gluten intolerance—still undetermined), those mentioned earlier, but now I also have issues with diverticulitis.

From April through August I had 4 fills. My 4th fill was the best (I think I had 10cc in my 14cc band). I could only eat about ¼ to ½ cup of food at a sitting. I struggled, because I thought that I should be able to eat more than ½ cup. I was also still taking my nsaids medications (anti-inflammatory meds). These pills were horse pills and I struggled every day to take them because they were too big to take with a tight pouch. They are also bad for lapband patients. Needless to say I irritated my pouch and ended up with a complete un-fill in October, and I was also taken off the nsaids. I have had 2 small fills since then, but it often feels as if there is nothing in there. I went from 10cc to nothing, then up to 5cc and currently I have 7.5cc (I think—d**n it’s tough getting old!!).

So here I am almost 9 months out, 45-50 lbs lighter (right now I’m fluctuating—you know…. it’s the holidays), and I have a partial un-fill. Thanks to p’nut and redglrdj, I thought that it was about time to start my own thread. I may not have anything interesting to post, but maybe it will keep me from hijacking other’s threads—probably not, but it is worth a try. P’nut kept asking me if I shared my experiences online when I was visiting her and I realized that I did, but not on my own thread. It was always on someone else’s thread. It will also give me a place to go when I have an NSV, a problem, or just a place to share an experience. I’ve had so many NSV’s but never posted any of them. I know---tsk tsk on me.

I will post a few pictures that will give you an idea of where I’ve been to where I am now. No, they won’t be front, side and back views. I’m not ready for that—I hate my pictures! I have avoided them most of my adult life. I’m also hoping that this thread will make me accountable. This is a first for me in many ways…..first time to use the internet to air my dirty laundry, first time to share pictures, and first time to focus primarily on me—however, I am willing to share my space with anyone that wants to share their experiences….

Come on in—join me............... I pray that my journey and the experiences we share will help others.........

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Hey Mel.. it's finally nice to meetcha in your own little space :) You certainly do have a lot to offer and say to all of us. To me I just the real you.. because when you're on another thread, I think we tend to 'get lost' in that thread. Like you said, having your own thread makes the journey a little more personal, not only for you, but for us to get to know you better.. sooooooooooooo.. welcome to threadville :) I totally enjoyed reading your journey so far. Hugsssssss :)

[redgrldj]

Mel I love your space.. I can't wait to see more pics of you. The ones from the B2G xmas party were really pretty..

[newlifeat57]

Here is my first installment of pictures.....

The first was taken December 25, 2007. I hated it soooo much that i cut my head off. This was way before I knew about B2G and that I would even think of sharing a picture over the internet. I knew I was headed for WLS but had no notion of sharing this picture.....

The next picture was taken on Christmas 2004

The 3rd picture is during the summer of 2006

The 4th picture is a school picture 2007 (?? I think) Anyway you get the picture.... (No pun intended)

The last picture was taken September of 2008--school badge picture (minus 40 lbs)

[brwneyedbeauty]

Mel I can't see any of your pictures yet but I will check back later.
I think you are such a sweetheart and its about time you have your own thread!

Cheri

[bgrand]

yeah!!!!!!!!!! Mel started her own thread. you go girl.

[newlifeat57]

Thanks, girls. I have been thinking about this for about 3 months, and today I got the bug.....the 'Start your own thread' bug. Thanks for the encouragement. You have all played a very important part in my journey. Your stories, your words of encouragement and your obvious love of life have been instrumental in the bit of success I have achieved. There are many more people on this site that should also be included in this thank you.

[redgrldj]

Mel... I can't wait for the pictures to show up..

["Just Jess"]

:) they're up!!! you're welcome!

great story, mel! thanks for sharing --- and ps: you look GREAT! :) xo

[redgrldj]

Holy guacamole... you can really see a difference in your face.. Wow

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Wow Mel!! You look fantastic!!! This is so cool you've gotten your own thread.. now I can find ya!! Great job on your weight loss.. you're amazing!!!

[~Shelly~]

Hi Mel! You are such a fabulous person and you are gorgeous! I'm gonna nestle my big butt right here and read along!

[maggieD]

Hey Mel!! I added you to my subscribed thread! :) We've texted before so now it will be easier to keep up with you and converse from time... You are an inspiration!!

[newlifeat57]

Seeing my picture in full color and in full...fullll....figure just makes me ill--(as I go get another peice of chicken). it is very depressing.

I thank you Jess, Donna, Pattie, Shelly and Maggie for your words of encouragement. When I saw those pictures on my computer they seemed small, here they are BIG and awful. Boy if this doesn't help me stop the insanity....I don't know what will.

So this is what it's like to have a personal thread. It's kind of scary... It is a definite way to be accountable especially when I see those pictures...... Oh well, I must move on.....

Thanks again. You all help me in ways you may never know.

[maggieD]

Mel... your courage is inspiring to say the least... i haven't put any pictures out there.. like you said..."i hate my pictures"... that statement is so me....

[Stitchy]

Mel, I'm so glad you started your own thread. I hope to meet you someday.

[wingsfly825]

Hey mel,
Its great you started your own thread..Its nice to meet you LOl. I want you to do me a favor . Dont look ahead at all you want to lose. Just take it 5 pounds at a time. I do that alot look at where i want to be and then when happens is i get discouraged. As overweight people we shoudl learn to just live in the day. For today we will do the best we can . You have done a great job losing weight so far even with the band issues you had and being unfilled. The next time your in the food store try picking up 10 bags of flour , betcha cant do it. Well thats what you lost so far..wooohooo. You are on your way . We all get discouraged , impatient with losing weight, we all want it yesterday, we all have slip ups , we all dont always make the best choices, we are all human..Hmm are you seeing a pattern here? We have all shared an experience at some time or another. We all have head issues, regarding our looks and what we put in our mouths. But we also all have one more thing in common We all took the first step by having wls . We will all reach our goals , it wont be easy but damm we will reach them. So im sitting my ass down on your couch and we will take one pound at a time. We will do the best we can today because we are worth it. I hate most of the pictures i have of me past and present. I need them though..i dont want to ever forget why i started this journey. sometimes i get complacent and i cant not with another 80 pounds to lose. so make some room on your couch ...a nice soft throw would be nice i plan on staying a while .. heres to us... all of us..we will face each battle and win this war....big hugs:sun_smiley:

[Kitty]

Teresa,
I know you posted this message to Mel, but it's so true for all of us that I want to thank you for it! Your words are what I need to have engraved in my mind and try to live by...I am always forgetting to take the baby steps...I want to take the leaps. I need to remember to have patience. Make room on the couch for me, cuz I wanna sit right beside you so you can remind me of this every day!

[wingsfly825]

we can remind each other because im foreva forgetting....

[PhotoNut]

Well lookie here! *grabs a blanket and a cup of coffee and snuggles in*

I may not say much, but I'll be reading.

And Melinda? I'm very proud of you. *smiles*

[kristina]

mel..i knew you were beautiful before i saw your pictures. cause your beauty comes from within. with every post you have written i just i love you even more. you are an amazing daughter of God...and i am so honored to call you friend. I am so glad that u have started this thread...i cant wait to watch you grow, and SHRINK on it!
this is a great example to those who have not started their own thread- DO IT..then pm me with the address so i don't miss it. :)
i loved reading your story Mel...it was well written...and made me feel like i was walking it with you.
i think your before pictures are lovely..all except the chopped off head picture. i absolutely love the red shirt one..you have a light about you that shines through your smile...no amount of weight can hide that.
the last picture really shows your weight loss...u have come so far....and it wont be long till you have that 10cc fill again...
i had a couple of questions...i will find them and edit...
smooches chica!!!

what does this mean?
green apple quick-step’

[newlifeat57]

Well, our snow isn't letting up. My car has a new sound that shouldn't be there, and I haven't left my house in two days.....afraid my car might break down. There goes the Christmas shopping. Silly me....I wait for the last minute.... Sometimes I think this small city is really backwoods when it comes to times like this. When I first came here the city owned only a couple of snow plows because they never used them. Talk about what a crippling effect snow has...... Now, The only roads that get plowed are the main arterial roads. So the roads surrounding my place has at least a foot of snow and underneath is packed ice. What a mess. Beautiful but messy. Seattle has big problems...it's a city built on hills--steep hills.

I was supposed to go get a fill tomorrow, which meant I would have had to travel 80 minutes to get there--almost to Seattle. I don't think so....... I was watching the news and seeing the cars slip and slide on the Interstate, convinced me that I wasn't going anywhere. So now the battle begins. I'm pretty wide open with little to no restriction. oi vey!!!!! Ay yi yi yi yi!!!!!!!!


Mel... your courage is inspiring to say the least... i haven't put any pictures out there.. like you said..."i hate my pictures"... that statement is so me....

It's funny about pictures, because I like some pictures--the ones from the waist up aren't too bad. Some where on B2G, I think Jess had started a thread about body dismorphia, or something like that. I think I need to go back and do a little reading.


Mel, I'm so glad you started your own thread. I hope to meet you someday.

I'm sure we will some day....Maybe this Spring or summer.


....Just take it 5 pounds at a time..... The next time your in the food store try picking up 10 bags of flour .......I hate most of the pictures i have of me past and present. I need them though i dont want to ever forget why i started this journey. ...

Sometimes 5 pounds at a time is too much at this time, expecially with the partial unfill. I got a good visual of the amoung of weight I lost by watching the guy at the grocery store bring out the boxes of butter. I counted them as he put them on the shelf and was amazed at what 40, 1 lb boxes looked like.


....I wanna sit right beside you so you can remind me of this every day!

I have a big place....come on in...

[newlifeat57]

Well lookie here! *grabs a blanket and a cup of coffee and snuggles in*.....And Melinda? I'm very proud of you. *smiles*

Thanks, P'nut. Airing my dirty laundry is a BIG step for me. I don't even talk about aome of this stuff to my sister.


....what does this mean?....green apple quick-step’

It's what you get after you eat a bunch of green apples....Diahrreah!!!!!:ohwell:

About the chopped off head picture......When I saw that picture last Christmas, I wanted to destroy it immediately. I hated, hated, hated it!!!!:eyerub: I wanted to make like an ostrich and stick my head in the sand. I didn't care if my big butt was sticking up, I just didn't want to see the looks on people's faces. BUT my sister, God belss her little heart, knew that I was going to be attending a WLS seminar within the next few weeks, and she kept the picture on her computer...UGH!!:sad:

After I had the surgery I found B2G and started reading over many of the threads. I realized that many B2Gers kept a before picture to remind them where they came from. It took me awhile to get up the courage...It wasn't until June that I asked he if she had any old pictures of me. Voila!!!! She pulled this picture out. It wasn't just me in the picture, there were others. I cropped them and my head out of the picture and printed it to remind me where I was--at my worst ever. So that's how the headless woman came to be. As I find more pictures, They may end up on this thread. I promise not to cut any parts off.....:crazy:

[redgrldj]

Mel I went back and looked again at your pictures.. the difference in your face is awesome. But allso your neck and shoulders have changed so much.. You are doing a wonderful job..

[newlifeat57]

Thanks Pattie. I had a shirt in my closet that was in my "can't wear anymore side--cause their too small", and I put it on the other day and it was a little big around my tummy but not hideously big, but on my shoulders.... It kept falling off one or the other shoulder. It is so weird how our bodies decide to lose the weight.... It was a good NSV. I went into the goodwill bag--it was kind of faded and I didn't like it anymore.

[kristina]

tell me mel..tell me ur nsv's..please!

[redgrldj]

Mel.. I love those types of NSV's.,, Having clothes fit better is so much better than watching the scale move.. that is just my opinion..

[newlifeat57]

NSV's...... where do I begin....My first big noticeable NSV happened in July--That was 3 months after my surgery. I used to go to a favorite store and buy my pants. But as often the case, I would buy three pairs of pants all the same size and usually the same brand and since I always bought my pants from them, I figured they would fit. I still wore the same size...Right?? Well when I got them home, I was lucky if maybe only one of them fit. So in the closet they went with the intention of returning them.... but I never did. I kept repeating this mistake a couple of times, so I had quite a large stack of pants that I never could wear because they were too small.

So in July I was cleaning out my closet and I pulled out 6 or 8 pairs of brand new pants (with their tags) that had been packed away because they did not fit. All of them said the same size. 2 or 3 of them fit perfectly--just needed to be hemmed. The rest were still a little tight.

So I was able to throw out the ones that were big and baggy after a 25 lb loss and I had some new ones.

I have continued to pull from that bag of pants. Some are now too big and some still need to be hemmed. But now they all fit--a couple got too big quick and some fit perfectly.

We have a thrift store in town that asked me to bring in my old plus sized clothes because they really have a high demand for them. So, I now have an account there where I am getting some of my money back. The biggest problem is that I am so short, that only short plus sized women will be able to buy them.

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Mel.. I love reading about you. You've given me renewed 'want to'. For that I thank you so much. Good thing you've got a big couch.. I think we're all lining up for the long haul :)

[kristina]

i love to hear about nsv's..u and i have lost the same amount mel...its amazing what a difference 50 pounds makes isnt it?!

[brwneyedbeauty]

MEL~ you are stunning!!! Keep up the great work!


Cheri

[newlifeat57]

*sniff--sniff* I was supposed to get a fill today. I was supposed to drive the 90 miles, over hills, through the woods, and over rivers and through 12 inches of snow over packed ice (as I yell the last 8 words). *sniff, sniff*

But I'm not. The news reports of cars getting stuck and sliding all over the place, especially on hills--and my Dr. in on a hill dang it!!!!---that I have decided not to go.

After about 20 minutes of looking for something to eat because I was so emotional....the phone rang and it was my Nut. YEAH!!!! I was saved.

My nut. explained that her and my Dr. were coming to their office in my town on New Year's Eve (neither rain nor snow will keep them away) and that she made an appt. for me then. We are going to try a fill without floro..... YIKES!!!! So, now I'm determined to lose some more weight for that moment on the scale. I know that I haven't lost anything. I keep bouncing the same 3-8 pounds up and down. So now that I know I will see them, I will be good.

Isn't it amazing what the fear of a scale does to motivate us?

Yeah I can now write my thoughts down... this is sooo cool......*big grin*

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

I'm so happy you can get your fill sooner than you thought Mel.. and yep when you write down your thoughts, it helps us deal with our issues a little better. That way we can go back and re-read them to see where we were at. We have about 12 inches of snow too, with more yesterday and today we might end up with 4-6 more inches and it's on ice too, BUT we're on flat ground. Last night we had a pickup go in the ditch across the road from us, I heard tires spinning, which is odd, because I think in the 40 yrs we've been here, I've never seen someone in the ditch across the road .. our road is North and South, and it drifts in in 2 spots really bad just North of us. Max got out his trusty ole John Deere again last night and plowed some more, but he'll have more to do today. I'm so tired of this crap.

Anyway.. glad to see you're gonna get your fill.. I didn't get one the last time I went, and I think I need it, maybe just a little, not too much. I go in Jan for my next one, I think it's around the 17th. See ya.. :)

[kristina]

mel...i am so glad you arent braving the weather..i have been watching the news in your area, and its pretty bad! so stay safe in your home...and God brought them to you- how bout that?!?!?!!?
and i am glad u started this thread..i think you may have inspired teresa to start one too...everyone put a little birdie in teresas ear..we want her to start a thread too!
mel..u were an angel sent from God last night for me. thank you so much!!!! for me and the hubby..he wanted to take me to the hospital...i let him read ur messages...& he felt alot better too..so thanks!!!!

[redgrldj]

Mel.. I would not even think of leaving my bed if it were snowing.. I am just not a cold type girl.. I am glad that you got your fill rescheduled...

[kristina]

have fun at your sisters! merry christmas mel!

[bgrand]

Mel, I can finally see your pics and your absolutely beautiful. I am so glad you didn't drive in all that snow. After seeing the news you made a wise decision. It's really bad up there......it's in the 50-60's today in Charlotte.
I enjoyed reading all about you and will look forward to coming back to read some more.

[newlifeat57]

...... and yep when you write down your thoughts, it helps us deal with our issues a little better. That way we can go back and re-read them to see where we were at.......glad to see you're gonna get your fill.. I didn't get one the last time I went, and I think I need it, maybe just a little, not too much....

Now that I know that a tiny amount will make a big difference, that is what I will ask for when I need just a little adjustment. I will not try to brave a tight fill. This unfilled business is NO FUN!!!!


....mel..u were an angel sent from God last night for me. thank you so much!!!! for me and the hubby..he wanted to take me to the hospital...i let him read ur messages...& he felt alot better too..so thanks!!!!

I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to ask me for help. I totally understand how it feels. I had a painful moment on Christmas day. I started to panic. Instead I got up from the table, and walked to the bathroom and did some deep breathing to try to calm myself. It worked. the pain passed and the stuck food. I then went back to the table and stopped eating.


Mel.. I would not even think of leaving my bed if it were snowing.. I am just not a cold type girl.. I am glad that you got your fill rescheduled...

I don't mind the cold too much. But I really don't like being cold when I am inside. Since the weight loss and since I've cut my hair, I really feel the cold around my shoulders. I wear sweaters, scarves, and a shawl trying to keep myself warm. I think it may be the meds I take as well as the weight loss. It seems as if all the fat has gone south. I am going to be in need of a tummy tuck. There is still a lot to get rid of.


have fun at your sisters! merry christmas mel!

I had a good time at my sisters. I spent 2 nights there and came home today. The roads are much better, but it is still cold, ther's lots of ice and still big mounds of ugly, dirty snow everywher. We're still get occasional snow flurries. It was fun watching my grand nephew play on his Wii. My sister and I are waiting for the day when no one is around to try it. If I really like it I may get one for myself--we'll see.


Mel, I can finally see your pics and your absolutely beautiful. ......it's in the 50-60's today in Charlotte.
I enjoyed reading all about you and will look forward to coming back to read some more.

Thanks, Betty, it means a lot coming from you. You are an inspiration to me.

Well, it's the day after Christmas, and it has been a very nice holiday. Spending time with family is always fun. My neice and nephews are all grown up and are beginning to start their own families and traditions. It's hard to realize that soon they will have their own families to tend to and will be starting their own traditions and wanting to spend their holidays at their own homes with their own friends and loved ones. As much as i love the fuss and fun, I'm glad it's over!! Now to get back to basics.

The junk is out of the house and at my sister's house. We're both hoping that the kids will eat it all up. I think we over-did it with the goodies this time. You just never know...Ya know???

I am in desperalte need of a fill. I can hardly wait for Wednesday. I am just hoping that I didn't gain too much weight over this holiday. I am soo bummed. BUT on the brighter side, tomorrow is a new day. I will focus on getting back on track. I know that being at home again will help. I can be ridiculously anal about eating the right foods. So tomorrow I start again by cooking for the week. I won't even have to go to the grocery store. More later.....

[kristina]

tell tell tell about cooking for the week mel..can u give me an example of ur plans?
i still have restriction from that pb...tonight we took the kids to chuckiEcheese and i ate the toppings off one piece of pizza..4 wings, and about 6 bites of salad..and i was full! loved it!!!

[newlifeat57]

tell tell tell about cooking for the week mel..can u give me an example of ur plans?...

My plans are to just eat as if I was at work. While I'm working I eat oatmeal nearly every morning. I make a big batch of steel cut oatmeal and keep it in the fridge. Every morning I scoop out some into one of those 1 cup glad bowls with frozen blueberries, splenda br. sugar and lots of cinnamon. When I get to work I nuke it and eat. I make sure it is very thick. It seems to last longer in my pouch. I change it every now and then and make a breakfast burrito--eggs with turkey sausage in a sm carb balance tortilla. For my lunches I make something like, stirfry, steak fingers, meatloaf, etc. (Some kind of bulky protein) with a green veggie (broccoli, gr. beans. br. sprouts) I make enough for the week and put it in my one cup bowls and freeze them. Then for dinner, what ever I feel like eating I will make to go out and buy.


....i still have restriction from that pb...tonight we took the kids to chuckiEcheese and i ate the toppings off one piece of pizza..4 wings, and about 6 bites of salad..and i was full! loved it!!!

Are you feeling any hunger at all? When they unfilled me, It took about 3 weeks before I felt any real hunger. We figured that I had been really swollen from the irritation and that is why I wasn't feeling hunger. I ate small amounts simply because I'm programmed to eat 3 meals a day, not because I was hungry. Now, because the swelling is completly gone, I'm eating for any and every reason. It's disgusting.

I' just finished my oatmeal and afterwards I looked at the clock and realized that I ate it in 10 minutes. I didn't even try to eat it slowly. This is another rule I have veered away from. I need to get back on track and take my time with my meals. Also, my oatmeal was pretty runny...I think it just slid down. I needed to let it sit longer so that it got a little thicker. Thicker is better for me. It lasts longer in my pouch. Also I should have eaten some bulky protein first... I didn't....I forgot!!!

I'm feeling like a kangaroo when I talk about my POUCH.......*as I hop away to heat up a sausage link*

[kristina]

mel..u are just too cute...and i LOVE oatmeal..i never would have thought to make it for the whole week..makes it easier doesn't it? i could also boil some eggs...put a big "H" for hard with a sharpie on it and put it back in its little egg crate home...i love ur glad 1 cup frozen idea too...it sure would make meals healthier...i have some shrimp stir fry i could freeze up...u are sooo giving me plans for my future! i am making chili tonight..maybe i will slip a cup or two into the freezer..maybe i could do that with every meal..we always have leftovers...and hubby wont eat leftovers so i throw everything out!

and am i hungry, yep. too hungry. when i didn't eat..i used to not eat all day and binge for dinner...before i started "doing the right thing" i was never hungry. my body was used to not eating...well now that i eat 3 times a day..i am starving an hour before its time to eat..my tummy growls i get shaky..so yes i am very hungry. its an hour before dinner as i type this..can u tell?

but i skipped lunch...i was watching trading spouses all day that i have had tivoed forever and haven't watched...they were so good and funny! i never do that...(veg out)...so i am feeling like a bad mama right now..the baby kept crawling up in the couch just to be with me...poor kid!

i watch those moms..one extreme to the other..one lazy, bum mom that doesn't give two craps about her kids...all of them solemn and quiet...and then the super mom..with 7 adopted kids all with different ethnic backgrounds...up at 6 cooking bfast for her kids..the kids running and screaming and she find it endearing and wonderful...the bum moms kids didn't want her to come home...and i wondered...man...what am i? as a mom? where do i fit in this picture...i sure wish i was the mom up at 6 making the pancakes, and kissing the kids with a great perfect mommy smile...but i know I'm not...i just hope i bring happiness to their lives..and that they would want me to come home...thats all i can wish for...


dang! what a ramble! ur place is just too comfy Mel!
smooches friend!

[newlifeat57]

I have only watched that show one time. MY sister loves it. I watched the Hallmark channel all day.... and ate all the wrong things.

All that bad stuff is going into the garbage in the morning..... I can't seem to stay away from the stuff. It is soooooo hard. I feel bad that I can talk a good talk but unfortunately I wasn't able to walk it today. I ate my oatmeal then continued grazing all day. My fill isn't coming soon enough.

[brwneyedbeauty]

Mel we ALL have bad days...start again tomorrow. You can do it!!

[newlifeat57]

thanks, Cheri. I seem to have gotten on a grazing craze. I was doing to good. And then the bad carbs entered the picture. I was so hoping that i could stop it today. Well, our snow is finally melting and i can walk out to the big garbage cans. So tomorrow it all goes into the big can.

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Hey Mel.. that's what I fell into.. the grazing mode. It's hard to break the habit for me. We have our Christmas with the kids tomorrow, I'm not making as much junk as I usually do.. we always have so much and there's only 5 adults and the 2 babies, so there's no need to make and make and make. Only thing is, my son brought me a 22 lbs ham that was given to him by a company he does business with for his dairy farm. I think they buy feed from them.. they musta bought a biggggggggggg ole supply of feed for the cows to get a ham that big, last year I think it was about a 7 lb ham.. lol (they expanded this year, they're milking about 500 cows now.. lol). I got out a chicken breast to boil for me. I just don't feel like candied ham, and after having that really bad episode with the bbq ribs, I don't want to chance it.

Kristina.. I LOVE Trading Spouses, and also the Wife Swap shows.. Max just rolls his eyes when it comes on, but he doesn't say much.. his night to watch TV is Thursday with Michigan Outdoors (and sometimes he sneaks in Lawrence Welk ewwww) lol

I've already appologized to my kids for what I might have done to them as young kids.. (I figure they'll pick out my nursing home).. lol One of my neighbors is single, never married no kids, and she is having some issues with her aging parents. She told me she sat down, wrote herself a letter (while she thought she's in sound mind... her words not mine.. lol) and told her nephew and family where it is, so when she gets to acting like her parents, she wants them to get it out, read it and read it to her. I think that's a pretty good idea.. I'm thinking I might do that myself.

Right now I'm drinking a cup of spiced chai tea.. tastes pretty good and soothing too.

[kristina]

well mel..u may not have been the most motivated today..but u def got me going- so thank u!!! i froze 4 1 cup portions of chili...and i hardboiled 4 eggs...and i made oatmeal baggies..i buy the quaker..so all u have to do is put a little in a bowl and heat it with water on 1 minute..and its done...so i portioned out baggies of oatmeal w/ 1 cup servings.

as far as getting it out of the house...that is the ONLY way..i made chocolate chip cookies...and i gave large amounts out as gifts...to all of the neighbors...teachers..anyone that would take em...but i thought about those cookies all day long. all flippin day the freakin cookies were in my head..calling out to me....krrriiisssstttiiinnnnaaaaaa eat meeeeeee u knooowww uuuu wannnttttt meeeeeeee. :( and i ate em right up! LOL!
till they were all gone...and now I'm fine...there isn't anything in my house i cant eat...and i have some chocolate...
i have sugar free 40 calorie rice pudding
sf 60 calorie chocolate pudding
sf fudgecicles
50 calorie pack hot cocoa
anyway..i don't feel deprived...cause i have options..but they aren't bad for me...
thank u for motivating me today mel..jump back on the band wagon tommorow..its a new day!!!

[newlifeat57]

i wish I was happy with the sf stuff. but, like everything else, I will eat more than one container. So i don't buy those either. Once in awhile i'll buy the tapioca stuff. But not very often. I made the usual amount of holiday treats, but this year it just wasn't eaten. I'm thinking as the kids get older, the less they want to hang around to eat stuff.

Donna, i love ham. Ham to me is so much easier to eat than chicken. Just remember to use food lube (gravy, sauce, mashed potatoes, etc.). I've frozen ham slices in individual baggies and when I need a protein, I just pull it out and there it is. I like it better after it has been frozen because a lot of the water and salt that is in it gets out during the freezing process.

[wingsfly825]

im thinking you can make some ham salad....

[newlifeat57]

Ham salad, hmmmm that sounds really good. What do you put in it?

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Good idea you guys.. I might do that too Mel.. and Teresa.. great idea. I know with chicken I have to have something moist on it, maybe I'll make some gravy for that.. instead of bbq sauce all the time.

I too have a hard time stopping at eating just one pudding Mel.. it's awful isn't it? After tomorrow the sugar will be out of my reach again. I've made enough excuses for having it in the house. I did so much better without it being within my reach.

I really hate to commit to a certain part of any thread, because I know I'll stray on it.. I just need to get my head together for me. Can't wait to see the shrink on Monday. I'm hoping he'll give me some ideas how I can get past the grazing part and emotional part of eating too. Plus the boredom part.. and head part.. dang I think I need help in all areas eh ?

[newlifeat57]

I think I need to start seeing a counselor again. I did for about 3 months, when I was first banded, but ended up stopping. I think I really need to begin again. maybe i can sttack some of these issues in a better manner. Don't get me wrong you guys are great therapy. You make me think and I can actually get a little motivated to do some things.....However, It not enough. I need more.

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

That's what my Dr and I decided at my last fill appointment. I told him I know what to do and not to do.. it's not rocket science for me.. I've been doing this long enough so I should just deal with it... and I'm not. I felt so good getting to 185, then after that it was like, OK.. I've done that, now let's eat. Sabotage myself constantly.. saying it's ok.. you'll get it off.. I'm having issues with myself too..one of them expecting me to be perfect and I know it's impossible.. I hate it.

[wingsfly825]

i would love to find an eating therapist around here but i know they are very hard to find. my next appointment ill ask if they recommend anyone.

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

This therapist is in the same office as my surgeon, I'm sure he's not only an eating therapist, but hoping because he's in with Dr Tomita's office, he'll work on this issue and not everything.. altho that might not be a bad idea, because everything is connected inside your head, so issues need to be dealt with in order to get things straight in your head. Just my opinion.. and I'm to the point I'm more than ready to dump on him like he's never been dumped on. .

[wingsfly825]

Oh i have lots of issues..i didnt get here without them.. What would be great is when im self sabotaging i could blink over to one of you guys houses plop on your couch and spill my guts cause you know exactly what i mean and how i feel. but in reality i should go find a therapist

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

My house is always open to ya :) When you do come.. bring boots.. we're under flood warnings :( lol

[wingsfly825]

Im a good swimmer....no problem

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Lol :) I'm not lol

[newlifeat57]

We're at flood alert as well. Snow has melted rather quickly and now we have rain. According to the weather report we're supposed to have more snow....*sigh*

There's a therapist in town that deals primarily with WLS patients. i'm just hoping my insurance will cover it. my insurance won't cover anything to do with WLS, So I'm not sure it will cover this therapist. maybe if she marks it as something other than WLS counseling. I guess i won't know till I try.

[kristina]

mel- the therapist will know how to put it in with ur insurance.

i want to see a shrink too..but every time i do i think they are going to delve back into my childhood...and i don't want to deal. i saw a shrink for 5 years after i left home and got married and dealt with my Fathers pedophilism...i don't want to go back there...its always harder before it gets better...and i really feel that i am beyond that...i have forgiveness...and i am over it...those memories are hard to recant...that why i want to really really just focus on food...and why i am so happy right where i am..why i don't want to move forward...i don't want to go back to the dad crap. :(

[newlifeat57]

I totally understand Kristina. I think we all have some skeletons that are better left in the dark....I know I do. It's funny how one of the first things the shrinks ask is if there has been any kind of abuse in my life. I always say, lets move forward and not go back....I wonder if they believe me? LOL

[kat]

Guess I'll weigh in here (no pun intended)! As a therapist (my day job...) I can tell you that finding a good therapist is like finding a good doctor - it has to be a match, and one size does not fit all! Don't be afraid to shop around, and don't be afraid to ask questions about their experience, training and approach. It has to be somebody you immediately trust, feel respected by, and feel good about.

Sometimes, therapy is glue (help in holding it together) and sometimes it is solvent (figuring out what's keeping you from achieving your goals). You and the therapist together decide the direction. It should always be in your control.

Insurance should cover. There are lots of diagnoses which are vague enough to cover anything.

Its a small world, huh? My work is mostly with trauma survivors, specifically survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The numbers are absolutely staggering. I am constantly in awe of the amazing, courageous women I have had the pleasure to work with over the years. Healing from abuse is a long, hard road, but they are strong, tough women, and they do the work that must be done.

Anyway, therapists are people too, and we have our own stuff to work through, just like everybody else!!!!

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

I am so glad you posted Kat.. I see my head Dr tomorrow.. I'm a little scared too, not because of talking to him, well that's not totally true but mainly it's... (I've been in therapy before about other issues), because of the cost and hoping we can cover what insurance doesn't. But if I'm going to be totally honest, I have other issues I need to deal with, and if eating is a result of those issues, I need to get to the bottom of them.. soon. I just am so tired of fighting myself, and being miserable. I need to get some tools to make better decisions about my food plans. I know what to do, I've taught Diet Workshop classes, I've dieted and been on weight loss plans a very very long time, actually when the Dr put me on diet pills when I was 12 yrs old.. that's a long time. I need to figure out why I keep sabotaging myself and am so stuck on sugar. I feel like it's a drug.. I can't get enough when I do start eating it. It consumes my thoughts (I'm not telling you guys anything you don't already know tho).

I will have your words in the back of my mind Kat as I see Dr Jerome. My appointment is at 2 pm EST.. please if you guys would, give a little shout out for me? This is a big step for me.

P.S. I sure hope I don't have to be weighed before seeing him. It's not gonna be pretty.

[GirlyGirl]

Hi Mel! So glad to see your own thread! How brave of you! You are really coming out in a big way and look at all the posts so far. You have made many good friends here on B2g!

I went through and read every one of the posts that you and the others have posted so far so that I could be up to date on everything.

I have been off B2g for a while, needed a break and like you, my dear neighbor, I have been dealing with this terrible snow with no snow plows and no salt. Sold out for days at a time! I just shake my head. Yesterday was the first time in all this bad weather that we had anyone from the city of Bellingham plow our street, if you want to call coming up our street in a broken down pick up truck and a borrowed plow duck taped to the grill, "a plow job"... but anyway, I actually started seeing grass in the last couple days! I felt like Noah when he sent the raven and then the dove out to see if there was any sign of dry ground! It was so exciting to actually see the driveway and street begin to appear from underneath melting snow. And I never thought I would rejoice in the day that I saw rain!! But rain means warmer weather and wet rather than frozen streets.

Well, it looks like our plans to get our fills together was destined to not work out but it was a good try! Our dinner party was really quite nice and the Christmas holiday was memorable for Mike and I. I am so glad yours went well too. I don't think I am going to need a fill for a while, but the good news is I won't need an unfill either. funny thing is, I think now that the inflammation has gone down, where I am seems to be perfect!

Well Mel, I'll subscribe to your thread so I can stay in the loop!

Your pictures shows just how beautiful and warm you are as a person. You have so much to offer. I am glad you started your own thread. And wow, you have come so far...I hope you are proud of your progress.

[kristina]

*hijack!!!*

aww jeralin that was just sweet...and i was laughing about the noahs ark thing! i love the snow! i always wonder why people call it a "storm." and i think starting ur own thread would be a great idea too..i would love to follow u!


Kat--i highly respect u and what u do..as u know i am one of those women. its not an easy plight. i want to try different therapist...when i went to counseling about my dad i went through 3 women. the first visit was always enough for me to just know...i can feel people out...i ended up with a "gasp" man!!! i know not a biggie...but i wont even let my kids see male docs...i have never had a pap by a guy..unless it was completely unexpected like recently..anyway...i steer clear from men...but this guy...we can just tell..women who have been abused sexually by men..can sense a molester..or a rapist..or "bad men." (IMHO) anyway this guy..was so warm, and kind..and disgusted by my father..and i stuck with him for 3 years..and then i moved...i found a woman and did two more years...
right now i am only going to be here for 6 months. so it would take me about 1 month to get an appointment to get the referral, and then i have to pick and chose from a list my military insurance sends me...and i don't know any of them...and then i have to get "fit in" and that could take another month or so..and then i may not like them...and the whole process starts over...and then i will move....and then i will only be where i am for another 10 months...then i will move somewhere overseas for 3 years...hopefully..they have eating disorders over there too...LOL!
so theres my reasoning. am i fooling myself? should i start this process anyway? or not even bother?

[newlifeat57]

Guess .....I can tell you that finding a good therapist is like finding a good doctor - it has to be a match, and one size does not fit all! Don't be afraid to shop around, and don't be afraid to ask questions about their experience, training and approach. It has to be somebody you immediately trust, feel respected by, and feel good about.

Kat, what a God-send you are. I think that is why I haven't gone to another counselor. The last one was a bit too new-age for me. I stuck with her for about 3 months... then I just stopped going.


....Sometimes, therapy is glue (help in holding it together) and sometimes it is solvent (figuring out what's keeping you from achieving your goals). You and the therapist together decide the direction. It should always be in your control....

I don't think her therapy was either one....it sure wasn't glue and it wasn't a solvent either. I'm anxious to try someone new.


...Insurance should cover. There are lots of diagnoses which are vague enough to cover anything....

That's what I'm hoping for. Because my insurance excludes ANYTHING that has to do with WLS. Since i was going to someone for depression I'm hoping that the insurance will continue....in the same direction. But I guess I will find out.

Its a small world, huh? My work is mostly with trauma survivors, specifically survivors of childhood sexual abuse.......Anyway, therapists are people too, and we have our own stuff to work through, just like everybody else!!!![/quote]

Kat, like I said, you are truly a God-send. Thanks for the information, and you are welcome to join in on any conversations. Join us anytime for any reason.

*hugs*

[newlifeat57]

....if eating is a result of those issues, I need to get to the bottom of them.. soon. I just am so tired of fighting myself, and being miserable. I need to get some tools to make better decisions about my food plans.

I'm right there with you, Donna. Sometimes I feel completely defeated--from fighting myself. I'm glad this subject came up. It will make me take the initiative to make the phone call and start the process.


....the Dr put me on diet pills when I was 12 yrs old....

My experience with diet pills started when I was in the 5th grade. I was 10 years old. I was still taking those damn pills when I was 18. And then I tried them again in my early 30s.


...... please if you guys would, give a little shout out for me? This is a big step for me.....

Donna, I'm sending out a prayer now....I will be seeing a Chiropracter at about the time you will be seeing your Dr. This will be a first for me. I have so much pain in my lower back, I am willing to try this to see if it will work...


.....like you, my dear neighbor, I have been dealing with this terrible snow with no snow plows and no salt..

I just found out why they don't use salt or deicer.... it's because of the salmon that is on the endangered list. From what I understand....and I could be way off.....but, the salt and deicer are bad for the salmon in this area. It sure is the pits. When I first came here, there were less than 6 plows for the city. it was horrible.


.....Our dinner party was really quite nice and the Christmas holiday was memorable for Mike and I. I am so glad yours went well too. I don't think I am going to need a fill for a while, but the good news is I won't need an unfill either. funny thing is, I think now that the inflammation has gone down, where I am seems to be perfect! .....

I'm glad you had a memorable Christmas Day. Mine wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be. There is still problems that my sister is dealing with. We did well, but it was a very quiet day.


.....you have come so far...I hope you are proud of your progress.

Thanks, Jeralin. I have days when I can really feel the difference, and then there are days, like during the snow, when I feel clumsey and feel no different than I did before the weight loss. When I see some pictures, I do see a difference and feel like I've done OK. I still have a very long way to go.....

I just got home from my sisters where we played Apples to Apples with my nephew's girl friend and her mom and sister. It was kind of a strange situation. My nephew's girlfriend is a cutie and we really like her a lot. She is fun to be around and she seems to like being aorund us. Her mom.... well it was an entirely different feeling..... I guess we will have to wait and see how it will all turn out. We love playing this game and we really have fun, but tonight I could hardly wait to end the game. It seemed to really drag on and on..... I guess we should have stopped a lot earlier.

[GirlyGirl]

Mel, I'm sorry that Christmas was not what you had hoped for. And I really hope things get better for your sister. It's hard when those that we love and want to protect are hurting. Don't ya just want to fix it?!! but not to be, it has to work itself out...

Kristina, thanks and I'm glad you love snow... I say I don't but maybe I do for a few minutes and then enough is enough... I grew up in southern Ohio and had our share of snow. I've lived in Chicago and... well, you know Chicago snow... but Bellingham? Give me a break! Their worst snow in almost 20 years! I was not loving it. We are renting a home on a steep hill and drive way... I was on my last nerve every time my brave husband drove me down that hill on ice and deep snow in his 4 wheel drive. My Mercedes never left it's cozy warm and dry garage the entire time. Even though it has all wheel drive!

I was so scared every time we drove out on the roads that we would slide over the mountains and hills to our death that I constantly would kind of yell at my husband to be careful or slow down.... he finally yelled at me, very loudly I might add, and told me to SHUT UP and ClOSE MY EYES!

When he yells at me, I do shut up... but I feel like I need a Valium for the next week or so just to calm my nerves.

Maybe I will start a thread sometime, but for now, I just love to Hijack my other dear b2g friend's threads!

Okay, back to Mel.....

[kat]

Me again. Sounds like there are a lot of b2g-ers that have had not-so-great counseling experiences. I'll pull out my doctor analogy again, and say that I'm pretty sure many of us have had not-so-great experiences with medical doctors as well. When that happens, we feel very free to change doctors and say "that one wasn't right for me". It should be the same with a therapist.
Therapy should not be something you dread - it should be something you look forward to. Like a safe place to fall. Thats not to say that it isn't hard work - it is. But when things are clicking into place, it feels like weight being lifted from your shoulders.
And isn't that what we're all in this for? To lift weight from ALL of our body parts - shoulders included!!!

Thanks Mel, for this thread. It's wonderful!

[newlifeat57]

.... I'm sorry that Christmas was not what you had hoped for. And I really hope things get better for your sister.....Don't ya just want to fix it?!! but not to be, it has to work itself out.......

I think the older I get, Christmas seems to change and I find that I want to travel and do other things outside of the traditions we have made for ourselves. I know that things are going to get better,.... it's just taking too long for that to happen....That's te impatient part of me.


...Kristina, thanks and I'm glad you love snow... I say I don't but maybe I do for a few minutes and then enough is enough... I grew up in southern Ohio and had our share of snow. I've lived in Chicago and... well, you know Chicago snow... but Bellingham? Give me a break! Their worst snow in almost 20 years! .....

I had just moved here in 1990 when one of their worst snows hit. I thought is was terrible. This one didn't seem quite so bad. But you're right....enough is enough!!!!


...I was so scared every time we drove out on the roads that we would slide over the mountains and hills to our death that I constantly would kind of yell at my husband to be careful or slow down.... he finally yelled at me, very loudly I might add, and told me to SHUT UP and ClOSE MY EYES!.....

I hate driving in the deep snow. My CRV did great, but I didn't like the idea of possbily getting stuck so I left my car at home and had my neice and sister come and pick me up and take me shopping. Believe me, I have to close my eyes a lot. I found myself tensing up my whole body with every stop and every turn. I've been yelled at often.....


.....Therapy should not be something you dread - it should be something you look forward to. Like a safe place to fall. Thats not to say that it isn't hard work - it is. But when things are clicking into place, it feels like weight being lifted from your shoulders.
And isn't that what we're all in this for? To lift weight from ALL of our body parts - shoulders included!!!

Thanks Mel, for this thread. It's wonderful!

I'll say it again.....Kat you are a God-send!!! Thank you lots and lots for your words of wisdom.....

[kristina]

i agree with mel..kat you are a God send..and so right on!!

smooches mel...hope ur day is going great!

[newlifeat57]

i'm sulking right now..... I just got a call from my Dr and Nut. The pipes broke in their office here in town. So my fill appt. was cancelled---*sob--sniff*. Now my appt is for next week on the 6th. I have to travel S. 90 min. for the fill... It's the pits.... I am so bummed. I need to just get with it and lose lots of weight, so that I can get my fills here in town. Easier said than done!!!!!

[kristina]

mel honey..i am not sulking..i am panicking!!!! i missed my fill appointment. it was today. i forgot..my brothers wife left him for another man today..and he and i have been on the phone all day...him sobbing..me trying to comfort..and smarten him up..he is leaving the state...i will prob. never see my nephew in oregon again. i love him sooooo much. anyway...i totally forgot..and i have never made an appointment before..so i dont know how long i am going to have to wait! AHHHH!!!

heres what i am telling myself...and u. there is a reason for everything. for whatever reason u and i were not supposed to get filled today. it just gives us more time to work out and lose before our next fill.
*ahhhhh---big deep sigh*

[GirlyGirl]

Sorry Kristina about your brother, that's terrible, we will all have to keep them in our prayers

[newlifeat57]

Kristina, hope things are settling down. I'm sending up prayers for your brother, right now.....

Hope you get a fill appt. sooner than later.

[~Shelly~]

:( hugs Kristina. Mel I'm sorry about your appt, that stinks!

[kristina]

thanks guys..he isnt a christian..and i have a feeling he will go back to all the drugs and alcohol he was doing..its just terrible..sorry for the hyjack...

[newlifeat57]

HiJacks welcome.....

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

i'm sulking right now..... I just got a call from my Dr and Nut. The pipes broke in their office here in town. So my fill appt. was cancelled---*sob--sniff*. Now my appt is for next week on the 6th. I have to travel S. 90 min. for the fill... It's the pits.... I am so bummed. I need to just get with it and lose lots of weight, so that I can get my fills here in town. Easier said than done!!!!!Awwwwwwww Mel.. I'm sorry you didn't have your fill today.. Please know that I'm thinking about ya. Hugssssssss


mel honey..i am not sulking..i am panicking!!!! i missed my fill appointment. it was today. i forgot..my brothers wife left him for another man today..and he and i have been on the phone all day...him sobbing..me trying to comfort..and smarten him up..he is leaving the state...i will prob. never see my nephew in oregon again. i love him sooooo much. anyway...i totally forgot..and i have never made an appointment before..so i dont know how long i am going to have to wait! AHHHH!!!

heres what i am telling myself...and u. there is a reason for everything. for whatever reason u and i were not supposed to get filled today. it just gives us more time to work out and lose before our next fill.
*ahhhhh---big deep sigh*
Kristina.. I'm praying for you and your family .. it's so hard when it's your brother having this going on. I hope he doesn't go back to his old ways. but I'll keep him on my prayer list too.

[kristina]

thanks loves...and mel...thank u. :)

[wingsfly825]

Mel sorry to hear about your fill.

Kristina ill be holding your brother in love and light. Just stay as positive a support as possible for him . He may not turn back to drugs he may turn to god.. just keep praying i understand your fear all too well

[jezziegrace]

Hey Kristina, I'm holding you and your family up to the light. I know it's hard to watch someone you love spin out of control. Your support and love is your brother's greatest gift today. Fills can be rescheduled! Your exactly right when you remember that things change for a purpose. We aren't always privy to the reasoning but when we remember, we don't worry.

Great Big Ole' HUGS AND SMOOCHES TO YOU!!

-Jez

[kristina]

thanks everyone! fill is rescheduled for the 5th of jan..how bout u mel? are they calling u?

[newlifeat57]

My fill is scheduled for jan 6th....I have to travel south (90min) for it. I will leave school just after the kids leave and the parking lot clears, and head south for a 4:30 appt. Then I'll be on the road, during rush hour traffic, which will probably take me about 2 hours. It will be worth it though..... I'm so hoping that this fill will put me where everything is just right. I'm sure that once I lose another 20 lbs. I won't need to go south for my fill. I could get it right here in town.

On another note.....I just got back from a chiropractic appointment. I have been hurting for a long time. I have never been to a chiropractor before and have been very hesitant about ever going to one. My sister sees this Dr. on a regular basis and swears that he is good. So.... I decided to go see him.

We first discussed where I hurt and he poked and prodded my back and knees. Then he took x-rays and then sat and showed me my x-rays and explained the problems.

WOW!!!! It's no wonder i hurt all the time. I have what is called Spondylolisthesis. It occurs when the vertebra shifts forward due to instability from the pars defect. The defect came from a fracture of the pars portion of the vertebra.....I know that sounds very technical...but I saw the fracture on my x-ray....including my port, and tubing..... it was soooo cool.

It isn't quite as bad as I thought it might be. Which means, I may get some relief. I could also see where I broke my tailbone 2 times (many years ago from roller skating and a slip on the ice). I could see the two little bones completely disconnected from the rest of the spinal column. So now I begin another Dr. visit...... When will it ever end......

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Ohhh Mel.... I'm hoping you get relief soon for your back.. I think I need to go too, but I'm so afraid that when I had those 6 fractures 6 yrs ago that I'm gonna feel those again, and now with the port sticking out like it does, I don't want to have that hurt either.. so I'll live thru you and find out how you manage going. :) See how we help each other ?? :)

[kristina]

i flippin love chiropractors...get this: i kept telling the docs my butt hurt..i cant sit..i cant lay a certain way...after i had brayden..and they just said it was normal..with a c-section!!!? i asked them. they kept blowing me off..well bray had reflux really bad..and he was taking zocor i think is the name of it..he was taking more than my FIL! everything he ate came up..they thought he was allergic to my breastmilk--so i had to pump and give him formula for a month...and he vomited all that up even worse..he wasnt gaining weight..he wasnt developing...he couldnt roll over or push up...one day as i was walking near my cleaners..i saw the chiropractor sign. went in. saw his doctorates for pediatric care...and i said what the hell...he saw brayden one time. did an adjustment after xrays...found a huge pinch nerve in his neck...wham..brayden never threw up again. ever. took him off his meds to "see" a week later...and he was done throwing up! it was like a miracle. he gained 15 pounds in 1 stinkin month! he was only 8 months old when that happened....now my whole family goes..and when he did xrays on me he found a giant crack all the way up my pelvic bone- from trying to push an 11 pound 5 ounce baby out for 3 hours..i cracked my pelvic bone...no wonder i couldnt sit for 3 months! anyway..i love that man..he is like family to us now..i have even had him over for dinner!
my kids lie and say their neck or back hurts so they can go and see him...and when i dont have any money..he will not charge me..or bill me 50% off...just a sweet amazing guy! i will always have chiropractic care in my life now. i think he may have saved brays life.

i pray u will get relief...but remember it is a process...and sometimes get worse before better...its treatments. and if u have a good honest one he will only see you when he needs to see u.

and u get ur fill one day after me...here we are trackin mel..i think this will be my sweet spot..or really close to it!

[kat]

Hey Mel - thinking about you and your back. I've had 3 back surgeries so I kinda know how you feel. I'm so glad they were able to identify the problem. That's half the battle. And I hope chiropracty or physical therapy can take care of it. I wouldn't wish back surgery on anyone, although I know sometimes it is necessary.

I'll be sending prayers and good thoughts your way. I'll bet the weight loss will help it - it seems to help everything, doesn't it?

[newlifeat57]

Thanks Donna, kristina and kat for you encouraging words. I have seen this Chiropractic Dr. 3 times this week. So far so good..... It's costing me a small fortune in co-payments, but if this will help me.... then it's.....ok.

I'm liking this Dr. more and more. I asked Curves for a list of all the machines and which muscles they work and gave that list to the Dr. He went over it and pointed out which ones I should NOT be doing while my back is in its present state.

Back in Aug., I was gung ho on Curves, but by Sept, my back was hurting so much that I had to stop. I kept trying to stick it out, but found that after a few days, I could barely walk. So he went through all the machines and crossed out all the ones that would be hurting my back. He said No to over half the machines ......Sooooo...... now what?

I did a little research on my back ailment and found that the one exercise they suggested, was to do a stationary bike. Wouldn't you know......I used to have one... But, I couldn't find room for this bulky clothes hanger. But, that was a few years ago...... Maybe now that I am losing weight***, and have such a great support group, and have such wonderful people for inspiration (yes, I'm talking about all of YOU b2gers), that just maybe...... I will benefit from this method of exercise, until my back gets better. I was looking into water aerobics, but I couldn't find one at a time that i am available (evenings). So, it looks like I may have to spend a little money on a stationary bike.

**** Quick note on the losing weight remark.....OK... I'm not losing right now......there, It's out!!! I'm bouncing up and down with the same 8 lbs. OMG I can't wait for my fill next week. (everyone pray for manageable weather) I sure hope the Dr. is a little more aggresssive than he has been. This will be my 3rd fill since my unfill in Oct. It seems like this is taking FOREVER!!!!!! In all reality, I have gained about 7lbs. since my unfil....It's just that I haven't seen the scale move in a very long time. I don't jump on the scale everyday...too depressing... but I do step on it at least 1 or 2 times a week.

I hope you all have had a Good beginning to the new year. i pray that everyone experiences success in all their weight loss endeavors.

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Mel.. this next fill will help you so much.. I just know it! I'm still at 4cc's and some days I can eat the door knobs PLUS the hinges.. and somedays I feel restriction.. I think I'm pretty close to that 'sweet spot' everyone talks about. I go in Jan 21 for a fill.. I think I'll ask for a small one, I was thinking today, what it would be like not to be able to eat like I am right now. I'm ready for that part.. I'm just not ready for being too tight and getting into trouble. I'm a chicken.. bawk.. bawk.. I just don't have the "I'm full feeling yet".. I'm not sure if that's what I'm suppose to be waiting for, or just measure out the food and eat till that's gone. This is much harder to work out than I thought, but I DON'T regret it one second!

[newlifeat57]

I don't regret it either...I'm sure that this fill will really help....I'm just upset that I've had to postpone it so many times..... It's TIME!!!

The 'full feeling' that I once had pre-band is definitely not the same as when I was at the proper restriction post-band. some days, I would look at my cup or half cup of food and be dissappointed that I couldn't finish it. So now, at this moment in time, I am trying to SAVOR every bite as if it was going to be my last. So that when I am at a good restriction, I can eat my little 1/2 cup of food as if it was a BIG feast.

I went out to eat on Wed. and I wanted Fish and chips. This one place offered the fish and roasted yukon potatoes instead of fries. It was delicious. The meal came with 3 pieces of fish and about 6 small wedges of roasted yukon potatoes. I ate 1 1/2 pieces of the fish and about 4 small wedges of the yukon potatoes. I took my time and ate very slowly and used lots of ketchup and suce to help it go down. It was delicious. I found that I do have some restriction if I eat the right foods. It's when I eat the wrong foods....that I don't have restriciton....Funny how that works....

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Ya know what? I want to feel that full feeling, or at least look at 1/2 to 1 cup of food and think that I can't possibly eat that. I'm sorta confused tho about your unfill. If you were at good restriction, why did you have so much trouble and have to have it out? I guess I could go back and read your whole thread again, I'm on my way to bed.. it's almost 11 pm, Nicholas will be up around 6 am .. at least. So if you don't mind, would you please remind me?

Night and here's wishing you a fantabulous 2009!!! You soooo deserve it!

[newlifeat57]

I had a fill in Aug. and it was a good fill. I could barely eat 1/2 c of food. But, then I irritated my pouch. I think it was due to trying to take these BIG HONKIN anti-inflammatory pills---that i no longer take when I have good restriction. When I am tight, I take smaller pills and pills that can be crushed or dissolved in water.

I swelled up to the point where I could barely drink water. So they unfilled me back on October 23rd. Since then I have had 2 fills, but not nearly the restriction to where i was back then. Tues. is the day....... Yay...... can't wait.....

[mindwing]

Hi Mel,

Reading your posts I saw you need an exercise bike. Before you spend money, you might try joining your local freecycle group. I found mine on Yahoo. It is a great place to list what you need, and if someone has it, you get it free.

mindwing

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Ohhh ok thanks Mel for explaining what happened to you. I know those big pills are hard on the band. My Dr doesn't want me to take Boniva or Fosomax because they're so big. So I'm just taking Caltrate 600+D for calcium. I called my pharmacy and told them that I have a band, to put it in my chart so if I do get some scripts that are big maybe they can suggest to the Dr something different. Not sure if they could do anything, but it made me feel better.

Good Luck on your fill.. I know you'll be back where you were in no time. Hugs!!

[newlifeat57]

My pills are anti inflammatory (NSAIDS) drugs--which bandsters are not supposed to take. These pills would normally sit in the pouch for a longer period of time, before they fall through and they can cause ulcers and can damage the pouch. I am taking them now, because I'm not restricted enough for them to sit for long periods in my pouch. But as soon as I get more restriction, I won't be able to take them anymore. Which is the pits, because they really do help my arthritis. So I have to try reg. tylenol to see if that will help.

On another note, I posted this on the Fills thread but thought I would post it here as well... I learned how to do this this from Donna.....

Had an Ah Ha!!! moment today..... Thought I would share.... I have been complaining that I need a fill. Well that fill is coming up on Tues. Plus, I've been saying that i have no restriction. Well, now that the holidays are over and the sweet junk is out of the house, I'm eating regular foods. I found out today that I have more restriction than I thought. It's either that or...... I'm getting anxious about going back to work on Monday--after 17 days of winter break. But whatever it is.... If I eat like I KNOW I'M SUPPOSED TO....I do have restriction--not as much as I would like--but nevertheless... I do have some restriction.

Sooooo.. a quick word to those that feel they aren't filled enough....try eating according to the way you know you are supposed to..... LOL *hee hee* Seems simple enough... but, when you get into those bad habits they sure are hard to break.

I found out that I still can't eat eggs, soft tortillas, doughy breads, and dry meats (chicken, beef, and fish) and can only eat a little more that a cup of food. Yes, I still need a fill, but I'm not as wide upen as I first thought--funny how that works. *grin*

FILLS ROCK!!!!!

[GirlyGirl]

HI Mel, Happy New Year!

Just catching up on your thread. How's your back...you know I've been having trouble with my back too. It's better right now, but it seems like the slightest things set it off, I used to work for a Chiro, maybe I should consider going again.

As far as fills, I think you are right about making sure we are eating right in order to gage proper restriction. We can eat a lot of foods that slide through and yet have good restriction. I guess that is one of the biggest challenges of the Lap Band. It's easy to sabotage it if we aren't careful.

If you remember, I had to get an unfill this last time because I was so tight that I practically dehydrated myself. She took out 1/4 of the 1/2 she put in. I still struggled after that feeling like I might be too tight. I didn't go back because like you, I would have had to drive to Everett for an in between appointment. That's 55 miles one way for me. (by the way, I got my first traffic ticket up there, they were kind enough to mail it straigh to my front door, from the Lynwood traffic cameras, didn't stop before I turned right, $125 smackers down the tub, those b*stards) Well anyway, now I think I am just right. Since I waited it seems that everything has settled down and I can eat and I am not struggling like I did before. But the key is to eat correctly like you said. I still have to eat very carefully, chew, eliminate many things that just won't go down and or that cause my band not to work. Like all the good stuff in the world!

Take care of yourself!

[kristina]

wanted to smooch u too. smooches..G'night!

[newlifeat57]

Wow We're already on page 10!!! :)


...How's your back...

My back still hurts. I'm seeing the Chiro 3 times a week. Hopefully it gets better soon.


...As far as fills....making sure we are eating right in order to gage proper restriction..... I guess that is one of the biggest challenges of the Lap Band. It's easy to sabotage it if we aren't careful....

I spoke with my Nut today and she reminded me that our bodies go through all kinds of things, like swellings, dehydrations, irritations, food allergies, or intolerances, etc throughout out the day. So expect days, when food is tough to swallow and other days the same food goes down easily. She also said not to over-analyze why some food went down easy one day and wouldn't another day.....It's just the way our bodies work.

So I go in tomorrow for a fill. I'm at either 7.5 or at 8.5 (I can't remember) I was at 10 (in a sz 14 band) when I had trouble. Sooooo, maybe this will be the one for me too. I just know that I was reminded once again to make sure my proteins are high density with a high chewability factor (or something to that extent). My nut comes up with the best little dittys for these things. :) She rocks!!


.....now I think I am just right. Since I waited it seems that everything has settled down and I can eat and I am not struggling like I did before.....

I'm glad to hear you are doing well. I was a little worried about you after your last fill. I'll be making the 3 hour (round trip) tomorrow. I'm hoping that there is no snow....... We may try my next fill without the floro...I have to ask....


wanted to smooch u too. smooches..G'night!

Smooches to you tooooo...........

I'm sitting and relaxin'. Chiro said to take this evening easy and not to do too much... I was really hurting today. I think it's the weather. I say, "blame it on the weather!!!! Dang it!!!" I refuse to put the blame on anyone or anything else.

[kristina]

crossing everything i have this fill puts u right where u want to be mel!

heres my deal with meat..the more i chew it the dryer it becomes...after sucking all the food lube off...and i wonder..in fear..if it will cause a pb!

[newlifeat57]

crossing everything i have this fill puts u right where u want to be mel!!
Mee too

heres my deal with meat..the more i chew it the dryer it becomes...after sucking all the food lube off...and i wonder..in fear..if it will cause a pb!
Just keep adding more food lube, or add something with more texture, like a little bite of veggie to that piece of dry food in your mouth... yesh....:)

I have this theory..... If I remember right... maybe someone out there knows for sure.

But this theory i have is.... I think that sometimes our spit, the digestive juices in our mouth, can be more acid some days than others (or maybe it's more alkaline!!??!!??). And when it is more acid, it breaks down the protein easier. I am a creature of habit and rarely change the way I cook my meat. So, it is either the meat that is less tough or it is me that is able to break it down more easily on some days.

It kind of reminds me of that science project where we chew up the cracker spit it out into a test tube and test it with pH stips or something like that. I remember that everyone in the lab had a different amount of acidity/alkalinity in their spit..... maybe that's why one day we can eat steak and another day we can't. Any ideas???

[maggieD]

That is interesting.. i never did that one in lab...

[kristina]

ur the teacher Mel. but i will tell u this..pavlov's theory says...i see steak and i feel sick. no more steak for me. LMAO! good idea adding something to the dry bits. i am eating my Japanese sauce with everything.
EVERYTHING!
i wish everything would break down like ground beef does..

[newlifeat57]

I carry around little packets of ketchup and soy sauce for that very reason. Sometimes adding something as simple as sour cream, will help break up the tough protein in my mouth. However, sometimes, I just have to casually, without any one noticing it, spit it out. But not often......

[kat]

Good luck today with your fill, Mel. Hope everything - including the drive - goes smoothly! Let us know how it went!

[kristina]

i cant wait to hear how it went...after 7pm ur time...would be after 9pm my time right? i just have to stay up...kisses! and good luck!!!!

[maggieD]

I too hope all is going well... will check back in later to see how you are doing.

[brwneyedbeauty]

Hey Mel how did the fill go???


Cheri

[GirlyGirl]

Let us know Mel....

[kristina]

dont forget to keep a straight face!http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/ll402/Crawlbuw/StraightFace.jpg

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

I've been wondering too how your fill went.. and hope the weather co-operated.. it's snowing outside here right now, we're suppose to get about 1-2 inches of new snow.. anything is better than the ice we've had lately.

See ya later :)

[maggieD]

Mel... are you doing ok?

[PhotoNut]

I carry around little packets of ketchup and soy sauce for that very reason. Sometimes adding something as simple as sour cream, will help break up the tough protein in my mouth. However, sometimes, I just have to casually, without any one noticing it, spit it out. But not often......

Oh the visions this creates in the shallow depths of my mind.

Hope all went well today, darlin. I'm sure you'll check in when you can. I'll be watchin! :thumb:

[redgrldj]

LOL the age old question.. To swallow or to spit the protien out..

[kristina]

i have done this..since mel told me about it...when noone is looking..if it wont break down..and everytime i Spit i think of my Fabulous Mel! LMAO!
she should be home in about 40 minutes...

[newlifeat57]

I'm back!!!! I just got back about 20 minutes ago from my fill. I changed into my jammies, heated up my soup, broccoli cheese--ran it through my bullet and thinned it out a tiny bit--and here I am. What a mess it is out there. It is raining so hard that traffic was Sllllooooooowwww--40-50mph in a 70mph zone. Plus..... I had to travel with the last part of the rush hour traffic as i was leaving my Dr. office. So it was stop and go for about 30 minutes. Then i hit the sheets of rain for the hour and a half or so. It was hectic. Thank God that the snow is gone and the weather is warmer. I also had to stop for a soup stop... My favorite soup is from safeway. I'm sure they are full of calories, but they are good. and since i am only eating them for 2 meals (each day for 2 days)..... They are OK. It's the only soup I will eat. I can't stand campbells and broth just doesn't do it for me.....They don't specify clear liquids... just liquids.....so safeway soup it is.

I had 8.5cc and he added 1cc--so now I have 9.5cc (in a 14cc band) I need to continue to use fluoro until I lose more weight. He still can't find it without fluoro. Soooo, I am making another appt. later this week for the first part of Feb. for a possible fill. Maybe I will only need .5 or .7 cc. Hope so..... OH Yeah..... I lost 1 point something lbs in almost 6 weeks. I even ate before I went and I didn't get a chance to use the bathroom before they weighed me. But I was really glad that I lost the 1point something pounds. My scale at home showed that i was up 4point something pounds. So the 1point something pound weight loss was a pleasant surprise. Did this make sense???

Guess what I saw on the shelf in my Dr. office? Come on are you guessing.....No? OK... I'll tell you..... Tammi's pretty face staring out at me from a pamphlet. I grabbed one and proudly told a couple of people that i knew her.... OK I lied....but I am so proud of the girls that were in the video and of Tammi that i had to say I knew her.... I hope she forgives me lying about that.

i can definitely tell that i am tighter. I ate a big bowl of soup (about 1+ cup) and now I feel full. I'm really glad for that. I also decided to take my night time pills early so that they didn't sit in my tummy for long periods of time and just before i ate so that my tummy had something to gnaw on besides itself and the pills.

Stay tuned for more tomorrow......or the next day or.......

[kristina]

hooray for the forever gone pound!!! and for soup..yummy!
u saw tami!!?? i bet she would say..if she saw this..that u do know her...i know u..and i havent met u...so it was no fib!
and u can already feel the restriction...this is good! keep us posted, k?

[newlifeat57]

OOPs I spelled tami's name wrong.... Yup i can feel the restriction... I'm not as wide open as before. but only time will telll.....

And yes i will keep you posted.

quote=kristina;183138]....u saw tami!!?? i bet she would say..if she saw this..that u do know her...i know u..and i havent met u...so it was no fib!
and u can already feel the restriction...this is good! keep us posted, k?[/quote]

[maggieD]

Hey Mel... I am glad everything went ok and you got home safely.

[GirlyGirl]

Glad your fill went well Mel! I'm going today so I'll see if I might get a slight unfill. I just don't want to push it. Some people say if you can't get meat down you might be too tight. So i'll talk to the nurse.

I'll let you know

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Hey Mel.. I'm so happy you're doing well after your fill.. been thinking about ya a lot. That soup does sound pretty good. I got some broccoli.. maybe I'll try to find a recipe to make some of that soup. Are you back up to where you were before you had to be unfilled yet?

[newlifeat57]

Donna, I was at 10.5 when I had my unfill. I'm currently at......um... oops....I forgot...... I think I'm at 9.5???? I wrote it somewhere on this thread.....Anyway, My next fill I will not go the full 1 cc. From here on I will probably go .5cc at a time.

[redgrldj]

Good luck with this Fill Mel.. Jeralin wishing you well at your appointment..

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Donna, I was at 10.5 when I had my unfill. I'm currently at......um... oops....I forgot...... I think I'm at 9.5???? I wrote it somewhere on this thread.....Anyway, My next fill I will not go the full 1 cc. From here on I will probably go .5cc at a time.That's what I think now too.. not to get a full cc, because I do feel restriction at times, but yet it's not quite enough.. make sense? I just read so much and I don't want to get too tight.. kinda scary to me.

[GirlyGirl]

Thanks Pattie! I had .1 taken out today. She said they want me to be able to eat 2 to 3 oz of protien at a sitting. No way I can do that. I now have 6.15 in my 10 cc band. She said as you lose wieght you need more so this is not the end of fills for me.

I weighted in at 194 which she as very pleased with. 1 to 2 lbs per week is ideal she said. So i've lost 14 lbs total since end of November/1st of Dec

[kristina]

holy moly...thats great jeralin!!! and i am so glad u can eat proteins again!

[kristina]

every time i have went in lately i have gotten .5..maybe i should up it. maybe i should be patient and see if this fill kicks in after a few days.

[GirlyGirl]

I was getting .5 when I was in Chicago and it was determined that it was not aggressive enough. You might want to ask to up it... I personally have found that it doesn't really "kick in" later to become tighter as much as it might be tight to start and then seem to loosen up later... since yours is opposite, you probably need to ask them to be a bit more agressive. But then again, remember what happened that one time....

[kristina]

yep..thats when i went from 1cc a pop..to .5..and then i had the steak episode..causing me to get tighter...i have decided to schedule a fill 3 weeks from now...and i feel much better now..i think it was the fact that he thinks this is the sweetspot due to my restriction...i am wiggin about no future appointment. last fill it took 4 days..and wham i had restriction. another thing is the doc said he doesnt have any patients that have more than 6.2 cc's. and i am at 5. he is convinced restriction for most is between 4-6 cc's. so i am getting close to what i think is his limit? okay i am now rambling.

[GirlyGirl]

Rambling? Quit that! No one rambles on here!

Yes, that's what my docs told me, around this range where e bogth are is where they say sweet spot is...(what?, I'm editing to fix this, not sure what I was trying to say!) ...around this range is where we both are is where they say the sweet spot is... (there, I Think that's what I was saying!)

Sounds like you're almost there! My nurse says when you are losing 1 -2 lbs per week, steady and you are not real hungry and you are not vomitting or having heart burn, you're there....

[kristina]

well i am def! not ! losing any pounds..let alone 1-2 a week! (the 2 pounds i lost-i had gained--and i have 2 more to go..for my ticker to be true again! so it doesn't count.) and i am still working out nearly every single day. i don't have heart burn..only been stuck that once..i have to eat slow, and chew well..and i cant eat sandwich bread. thats where i am. i think this is sooo much about restriction..and so not about what i am or am not doing. i am nearly convinced of that. did u know stitchy never exercised at all? and got to goal? that tells me restriction is key. not that i plan on stopping working out or anything..i love it!

[kristina]

oh mel- sorry for all the hyjacking!!!!!! when i do that i always scroll up and try and figure out whose thread..and its usually urs! or shellys! dangit! its just too comfy in here!

[newlifeat57]

I'm glad you're comfortable enough to be able to hijack.......Speaking of fills..... NO, I mean we are moving away from fils........I think we need a thread where we write what we ate. The 'you bite it you write it' thread should be a place where we record what we have eaten. What do you think? Should we start a new thread???

I think I can record what I've eaten here (not necessarily here on this thread, but on a separate thread strictly for recording your meals...Kind of like a ...."what did you eat today?" thread). This way when I don't lose or when one of you are plateaued, we can help each other by looking as what we ate.....what do you think?

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Sounds like a plan to me.. wanna start it? :)

[newlifeat57]

I think we could also get some ideas from each other on types of food, amounts, and even generate a recipe exchange..... I hope other chime in on the idea of a thread for recording what we eat every day...... For those coming in late see Post #133

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

It really sounds like a great idea!!!! Just think of the help other people will get from what we're eating and the amounts. I think it's a wonderful idea!!

[AnnDe]

Mel.... You surviving the water up your way? Flooding everywhere down here!! scary!!!

[PattiDi07]

Hi, Mel.... I have to agree with Kristine, it feels "comfy" here.... and I like the idea of a thread about what you ate for the day. That will really give us wanna-be's a front row seat about how to live with the band and how to keep losing....

[GirlyGirl]

I'm in...I suggest that we do a monthly one so that it can be a fresh start for everyone and easy for people to recomit to or join in each month. We can switch off who heads it up each month like the other challenge threads. That way it does not bog any one person down.

[newlifeat57]

Which forum subject?....For Better nutrition?....or......living life with a Lap Band?

[maggieD]

I would think living life with a lap band... thats my vote... I definitely in on this idea!!

[newlifeat57]

I'm thinking that this will help those non-banded to see what it's like to eat with a band and will also show us what the successful people eat and their amounts. Then if this is the case, maybe it should be in the nutrition......

[kristina]

i think nutrition mel

[kristina]

bring it on. i had 2 porkchops for dinner. good Lord.

[newlifeat57]

OK..... I'm going to do it in the nutrition thread...... see ya there. give me a few minutes....OK?

[kristina]

k...waiting...great idea lovie!

[newlifeat57]

Well, by now some of you may have been visiting the "Log your food" thread ... http://band2gether.net/showthread.php?t=8495

I just can't find the time to do it on the other sites, and since most of my meals are from scratch, logging in and finding the product, and then putting in the nutritional values of those things that these sites do not have, drives me nuts. I get too frustrated. Personally, I am working on portion control and eating good natural foods--foods that are nutritionally good for you. I don't use boxed, or canned foods. The only canned foods I use are tomato products--sauces, stewed, etc. I will also buy tuna--but not often. I don't use frozen entres either. I'm a cook from scratch kind of person. I want to know what I am eating...plus I really have to watch my sodium and fat intake. I'm sure that as I lose more I will need to work on calories, but for now..... I'm going for portion control.

[kristina]

uhm--can i live with u mel? i love food from scratch! and i love our food log thread!

[newlifeat57]

sure.....Um...m... I will have to get a bigger place to live. I live in a very compact apt. teeny tiny.... lol I will make room

[kristina]

there are 5 of us. maybe u could just move in here. yeah! that'll work.
do u like my gay spiderman?

[newlifeat57]

We are having major flooding in many of the areas surrounding where I work and in my home town. Here is the link to some pictures from our newspaper site:
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/493/gallery/745579.html#http://media.bellinghamherald.com/smedia/2009/01/08/15/881-13-09_Flooding_Aerials_0290.standalone.prod_affiliate .39.JPG

If that link doesn't take you to the pictures, here is the link to the home page of the Bellingham Herald. Under the first picture of a flooded area on the left, you will find 2 or 3 galleries of the flooding which includes pictures from day 1
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/

From one of the aerial pictures you can see the high school (blue rounded roof) where I work. It is absolutely amazing. One of my students walked over one of the railroad trestles and took pictures. He is sending me those pictures and I will try to attach those later today or tomorrow. Hope you all are keeping dry.

The flooding is not affecting my house. I'm far away from creeks and rivers.....however, if we ever have a tsunami.....I would be in deep s**t...I mean deep water. LOL

[newlifeat57]

there are 5 of us. maybe u could just move in here. yeah! that'll work.
do u like my gay spiderman?

roflmao :pound: Now, how do you know he's gay???? Maybe his underwear is too tight????

[newlifeat57]

Fills.... Those bankety blank fills...... I got my 3rd fill, after my unfill in October, Tuesday afternoon. I was on liquids for 2 days and everything seemed normal. I was able to take my morning medications without any problems. I did however notice that I will need to take my meds over a longer period of time. Not just pop them in my mouth, one or two at a time, and swallow as if it's nothing..... BUT DID I THINK OF THAT THIS MORNING?????

NO!!!!!!! I was in a hurry and popped those pills in and I have been paying for it ever since 6:30 this morning. One of those pills got stuck....I slimed, then out came all the water I guzzled. Dang it!!!! I completely forgot that I cannot guzzle water anymore. I have no idea if any of my pills came up. Sooo, after changing my clothes for the 2nd time....off to work I go.

Since we are having one hour late arrival due to flooding... I took my oatmeal with me to eat while I check my email. 4 bites later....I was miserable. Something isn't right. Too tight???? Irritated pouch???? You'd think I would learn.... wouldn't you. I've slimed and brought it all up. It's a good thing I have soup in my lunch. But no protein of any kind. I didn't bring any with me. I am really going to need protein later because it doesn't look like I will be eating regular foods today.

I'm praying that I didn't irritate anything.... I'm glad it's the weekend. This will give me time to figure out how to get my meds in without them getting stuck. I've tried the warm water thing, but that didn't work in enough time. I may need to take my pills with me to work and then try to take them at lunch time....I just don't know...... Oh.... the dilemmas of a bandster...

[kristina]

mel---wow..ur having quite a day...the flooding looks horrible!!!!!!! be safe..dont drive on the roads. (w/ water on them)
i will be praying that it lets up...and for all of the farmers with ruined crops. so sad.
okay...are you open more at night? i am. maybe u could take ur pills at night after drinking a cup of hot tea? just an idea.
also..i know with ur history you are going to completely freak out about this stuck...dont. stress will just make u tighter. everyone gets stuck sometimes...its okay. just stick with fluids for a few days even--if ness. u will know.
pm me if u need to talk.

[newlifeat57]

F r e a k Out....ME???? :faint:Never!

Kristine... you're right. I'm still miserable... Not able to eat lunch yet. Nor my coffee....nor much water--sipping only..... I can't wait to get home. 2 more hours..... then strictly water and a protein bullet for me and relaxing..... Hope it gets better.

[PattiDi07]

Hi, Mel..... so sorry to hear about all that flooding, and also sorry to hear about your issues today..... I am only just beginning this journey, so I have no room at all to give any advice, but I like Kristina's idea about resting and trying to relax. I'm not very good at relaxing when in my mind I think something is up, so I know that's easier said than done. Maybe if you can take a nap, then your brain will slow down a bit and you will be able to relax more, and you'll "loosen up" a bit.... is that the correct terminology? lol... I'm still learning this band language and all the initials that stand for something.... lol.... Hope you're feeling better really soon.... :)
Patti

[kristina]

Mel---no freaking out allowed!!! rest, relaxation, deep breaths, a hot bath, nice warm liquids, or water, whatever u can do....take it very easy...physically and mentally. it'll be okay. my stuck lasted well over 5 hours...till i finally went to sleep...u will get through this. speak it and believe it..in His name.

[kristina]

Pattie--this is good for u to see...preband. getting stuck is absolutely NO fun at all. :(

[kat]

Hey Mel. Feeling better yet? My doc says to call if anything seems amiss, so if this keeps up, maybe it would be reassuring to call and run it by yours.
Thinking of you. Stay dry!

P.S. Kristina - I love Gay Spiderman. (and I think you called it right...!)

[kristina]

thanks Kat. he is way better than my lil annoying cupid.

MEl- checkin in on ya! feeling better yet?
ur just getting out of school right now...i always forget our time differences...i am cooking dinner.
pinto beans, been boiling since 8am...baked pork chops, fried potatoes and onions. why i wrote that to my liquid drinking friend i will never know. :(
wrong thread!

[sharont81]

Mel-
Take if from one who had their band replaced on Monday. DO NOT WAIT to call your doctor. That is one of the condition for me to have the replacement. I did not get anything stuck but boy when I started throwing while sick I was TERRBILE!!!

Please take it easy and call. You may have something stuck and the pain in the chest is yeaky. I waited so long that I had the worst acid relfex and had to sleep sitting up until they removed the band. Drink A LOT of fluids.

I am with you about fills, if I had not gotten a fill I would still have my first band. I am SCARED about getting a fill, I go in for my staples to be removed on the 14th, then see my surgeron the 20th for a post-op visit. We will discuss what weight I have lost since my surgery and fills. Hang in there.

[newlifeat57]

....I like Kristina's idea about resting and trying to relax. I'm not very good at relaxing when in my mind I think something is up,....relax more, and you'll "loosen up" a bit.... is that the correct terminology?
Thanx Patti, I appreciate you words of compassion. I am loosening up... and I'm on liquids again...

...the flooding looks horrible!!!!!!! ...are you open more at night?....maybe u could take ur pills at night after drinking a cup of hot tea?... just stick with fluids for a few days ....
Yay!!!!, the waters are receding.... But we are expecting more rain..... Good news!!!!?? I haven't seen animals walking 2 by 2 nor have i seen anyone building a really big boat. I'm not taking any pills today. I will try again tomorrow. I'm on fluids....again

...if this keeps up, maybe it would be reassuring to call and run it by yours.....quote]
Kat, I'm going to try to stick it out until tomorrow. If it gets worse, I'm calling. Thanks for your kind words.
[quote=kristina;183696]...feeling better yet?.....i am cooking dinner.
pinto beans, been boiling since 8am...baked pork chops, fried potatoes and onions. why i wrote that to my liquid drinking friend i will never know. :( wrong thread!
You're welcome to use my thread for what ever you want.... feeling a bit better, thanx.

..... DO NOT WAIT to call your doctor......the pain in the chest is yeaky......Drink A LOT of fluids.... I am SCARED about getting a fill, I go in for my staples to be removed on the 14th, then see my surgeron the 20th for a post-op visit. We will discuss what weight I have lost since my surgery and fills. Hang in there.
Sharon, I'm glad to hear you're doing ok after your surgery. I was keeping track of you, shelly and jess and then somehow, i lost you guys. I don't blame you for being a bit afraid of a fill. I was thinking i couldn't wait for my next fill and then wham!!! Fortunately, the pain is gone....

....along with most of my breakfast. I have been able to sip water, and ive had a cup of hot chocolate. I'm going to work on a bullet next and then some broth. I came home and put the heating pad on my back and I am relaxing. I am not going to take any of my pills tonight....will maybe .... I am going to see how i do later after the bullet and the broth. I just don't want to chance it.

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Oh Mel.. I sure hope you're feeling better by now. Please call your doc if you don't feel better. Stay safe and dry.. and soft gentle hugs coming your way.

Ohhh and I forgot to add, that if you need more protein in your hot chocolate, add 2 T. of instant milk, that makes it a little richer too, or even make it with skim milk.. I do that sometimes.

[newlifeat57]

Oh Mel.. I sure hope you're feeling better by now. Please call your doc if you don't feel better. Stay safe and dry.. and soft gentle hugs coming your way.
Thanx Donna, I could use a soft gentle hug. My chiropractor worked me over really good yesterday. I'm sore today. I am feeling a bit better. I think being at work when stuff like this happens just adds more stress. I am moving my meds to a different spot. That is the only way maybe I will remember to not guzzle them all down. It has become such a force of habit to do the way i did it this morning. Bad bad bad habit. As for tonight.... I am waiting it out to see how the broth and the bullet go down.

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

I totally understand you wanting to see how things set before you start something new. I just mentioned it for the future times if you need more protein, I guess I didn't specify that.. (didn't ya know you're suppose to read my mind?.. lol)

Take care!

[newlifeat57]

Wooo hoooo!!! Check out my new scarf..... Betty you are the Bomb!!! Love it, love it, love it!!!!

[AnnDe]

OH MEL that is so you! You are just so cute in scarfs! I mean you are so cute with or with out the scarf. Hope you get to feeling better. Don't wait to long OK! if you not better call your doctor. OK now I sound like Mom!!!

[newlifeat57]

Right now I'm in my jammies and wearing my new scarf. It is soooo soft. Thanks, DeeAnn. It's oK I need a Mom every now and again... I'm working on some broth right now. No pain just, tightness.

[bgrand]

Mel, your so beautiful. Looking very Diva. I was just catching up on your thread and had no idea you have going through all of this. I hope your feeling better and i am glad the scarf is keeping you warm.

[PattiDi07]

Good morning, Bandsters! Lovely scarf, Mel..... how do I get one of those???? I know that someone on here makes them, right? (hint, hint!!!). So, Mel, how did you make out last night? I hope you are feeling better. Have a good day.

[newlifeat57]

Betty, i'm wearing the scarf today when i go another unfilll. more later...

Patti, and the rest of my peeps.... i had a rough night. Since i have to travel 90 min to see my surgeon, i put off calling him. I finally made the decision at about 6 am this morning to see if they would do an unfill. i'm waiting right now for a call back. plus, i didn't want to drive by myself. i had to wait till i found a family member that could take me..... Finally at 7:30 am, my neice answered and is taking me. We are waiting for the Dr. to call me back. i'll fill you in later. when i get back.

Please pray that i don't get a complete unfill again. just a little bit out. God i can't believe this is happening...... More later......

[maggieD]

Hey Mel... sorry haven't been on in a while so just catching up with your thread... sorry you are having issues... Please feel better soon!! I am getting ready for my second fill on Wednesday and even tho i feel like i am behind everyone else who was banded around the same time as myself i also feel like i need to be conservative for myself... I am a bundle of contradictions mostly... :)

Anyways... I hope you are feeling more like yourself today and are able to eat a little bit more so you don't feel sick.

Take care...

[kristina]

mel..MEL... mel... mel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my turn to freak out!!!!!!
girl u have to get back here and tell me what is happening?!
oh gosh..i hope ur okay. i wish i lived closer i would have taken u!!!
i am so worried..i have to go eat chocolate.
oh mel honey I'm sorry.
write soon. i am soooo worried about u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[newlifeat57]

i'm home.......Just a brief story of what has been happening with me lately.... in August i had my 4th fill after surgery, putting me at 10.5 in a 14 band. After 2 months I irritated my pouch and had to have a complete unfill. As i mentioned in an earlier post, i had my 3rd fill this last Tues. (4 days ago), after that complete unfill back in october. Which put me at 9.5 in a sz 14 band. Needless to say i was pretty excited because i have not lost any weight since my unfill last October, however, I did gain 6-7 lbs through the holidays.

I had liquids Tues. evening, all day Wednesday, and for 2 meals on Thursday my third meal i ate a thin mushy. Friday, because i am so habit driven, and i was late for work, i gulped down my meds and one of them immediately got stuck. i tried everything I know you're not to do--like drink water:crazy:---up came the water and the pain. About 45 minutes later, i was hungry and decided that i should try to eat my oatmeal, so i diluted it some and ate about 1/4 c. I continued to be uncomfortable. The remainder of the day was horrible. i could barely keep water down.

i came home, had a cup of hot cocoa--over a one hour period-- and it stayed down, so i was encouraged. i tried some broth and a protein bullet. neither one of them made it down. By 11pm i knew i was in trouble. i tried to sleep, but I kept waking up choking. I was unable to swallow my saliva. i think I may have slep for about 2-3 hours propped up. i called my surgeon's answering service at 6am and was told to come in by 10am. i was so tired and a little uncomfortable that i knew i wouldn't be able to drive 90 min. to my appt. So after an hour of phone calls i got my ride and my neice was on the way to take me in.

The on-call surgeon was able to find my port without fluoro and he pulled out the 1cc that was put in on Tues. What a relief. I was very disappointed, but relieved at the same time. I had to drink a whole bottle of water before i could leave the office, just to make sure.

Now, i have to make an appt with my pCP to get my meds changed into liquids or into smaller doses. I've also got to decide when the better time is for taking them. Obviously first thing in the morning is not a good time for me.

I'm home, I'm tired and I'm taking a nap....

[PattiDi07]

Mel, thank God you are okay!!! I'm so glad you called your doc and that they got you in today! Rest easy..... we're praying for you. :) Keep us posted, okay? Oh, and have I told you how much I LOVE that scarf!

[kat]

Hey Mel - we're all pulling for you. Hope your doctor had some reassuring news...

[kristina]

oh mel. dang. i know this is disappointing for u..but i am sooooo glad he only took out 1cc. its time to give that lil pouch a rest...and u too.
enjoy ur nap--u prob. didnt get hardly any sleep last night did u? poor thing. i am sorry...but just remember it could be worse...u did the right thing getting it out...and only a little bit. once ur pouch is settled it will tolerate another fill.
okay? come back when ur up to it..and again, i am so sorry u went through this again. u are one smart cookie seeing ur doc!!!!!

[bgrand]

As i sit here watching the Panthers lose i decided to catch up on some of the threads.
So Mel, i feel like i know you better and i do hope one day we all get to meet each other!!!!
We would have a blast. I am having a visual of the whoe event....lol
Mel, hope your feeling better.
Mel, I crush my pills and put it in a little applesauce and have even just mixed a little protein powder into a pudding. Sometimes, i just chew them, but some of them are nasty and i wouldn't recommend it.
Are you able to crush your pills? Liquid meds sometimes don't take good either.

[GirlyGirl]

Hi Mel,

I've been off line practically all weekend since the weekends are when I spend time with my DH. We've been out looking for a house since we sold ours in Chicago. Mel I am so sorry you are going through this. And what's this I hear about you waiting for someone to call you back to take you to your doctor? I wish you would have called me, I would have taken you, I don't do anything through the day of much importance and I would have been available...please let me know next time...

Oh, Betty, before I forget, Thank you so much! I love it... I just got it on Friday. And Bambam loves his too, I will try to get a picture as soon as possible. I'm not feeling real well right now so I just don't have the energy to do it. You are so very kind! Isn't she everyone?

[kristina]

i am def a betty fan!

[bgrand]

Jeralin, sorry your under the weather dearie. I am glad you got the scarf. Things will brighten up for you.....just stay positive. You are blessed in so many ways!!

[newlifeat57]

i am def a betty fan!

Just to show i am too.....
http://images8.cafepress.com/product/14344228v2_350x350_Front.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:getColorAndViewLarger('color_14344228', 'http://www.cafepress.com/cp/moredetails.aspx?showBleed=false&ProductNo=14344228','height=610,width=650,scrollba rs=1'))
Yup, i'm a Betty fan.....

here's the website..... WARNING Its a long one....

http://shop.cafepress.com/item/betty-fan-tshirt---i'm-with-betty!!/14344228?cmp=pfc--f--us--107--14344228&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=productfeed&utm_term=14344228&utm_campaign=yellow-t-shirt

[kristina]

LMAO--i love it!!!!!
how ya feeling today mel? are u eating normal foods yet?

[newlifeat57]

..... we're praying for you. :) Keep us posted, okay? Oh, and have I told you how much I LOVE that scarf!
Thanks Patti I believe I felt those prayers. BTW Betty made the scarf... See the above post.

Hey Mel - we're all pulling for you. Hope your doctor had some reassuring news...
I have to make an appointment. I may take a month till i get in to see her. She is a busy woman and my time to see her is also limited to after school hours.

oh mel. dang. i know this is disappointing for u..... u are one smart cookie seeing ur doc!!!!!
Cookies....did someone mention cookies..... I'm so hungry for something sweet and salty..... Have to go see what I can find/make/or maybe go buy.

....I crush my pills and put it in a little applesauce and have even just mixed a little protein powder into a pudding. Sometimes, i just chew them, but some of them are nasty and i wouldn't recommend it.....Are you able to crush your pills? Liquid meds sometimes don't take good either.
I'm going to check with my PCP dr/pharmacist to make sure that would be alright to do, cause i know that some of them might be time release.

......what's this I hear about you waiting for someone to call you back to take you to your doctor? I wish you would have called me, I would have taken you....
Jeralin you were on my list, honest....but I had to try my sis first. She would have killed me if I hadn't....knowwhatimean????

......how ya feeling today mel? are u eating normal foods yet?
Hey kristina...Thanks for the concern.....I'm doing good. Yup I'm eating normally....or at least band-friendly normal. I definitely have restriction. First I drank some water, then a bit later I ate about 1/2+ c of oatmeal, which took me awhile to eat. I was probably overly cautious, but can you blame me? Then about an hour later I took most of my meds--normal way with water. They went down easily and without any problems. I ate 2 small satsuma oranges (that I peel and pull away all the membranes before eating). In a little while I am going to try to crush some tylenol for my pain-in-the-butt knees and see how they go down. (It's the big honkin tylenol that got me on Friday). If that works, then that's how i will be taking them--crushed.

If there is anything to learn from this...It's that one MUST change the way they eat, take pills, drink after getting a fill. Eating the wrong foods isn't the only habit that I need to change. I realize that I am such a creature of habit, that I didn't even realize what I was doing until it was too late. I should have forced the whole kit and kaboodle (all my pills) up and started over... but I was too sure of myself.

I was so sure that I wouldn't have any problems. After all, I had been doing ok. right?? Actually I wasn't thinking at all....I had been on soup for two day--for crying-out-loud!!!--- I hadn't tried any food! Yet, i expected 7 pills to go down without problems????? WHERE WAS MY HEAD?????? :crazy: I can't keep doing this. This is ridiculous!!! I am sooo mad at myself!! I hate the delays in my weight loss that this is costing me!! :ohwell:

I am realizing, as I write this, that I must have a very sensitive stomach. It's obvious that my stomach/pouch can't handle the band easily and I need to give it time. I also need to take the time to learn what my pouch can handle after each fill. I hope I don't have another night like I did Friday. It was horrible. :sad:

Sorry I just had to vent and cry. I'm ok now.... Love you all.... You help more than you could possibly know....

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

It's cuz we think so much about you Mel. I'm glad you're doing better.. we'll get this band thing sooner or later.. we have to.. right? Big Hugs!

[kristina]

i can hear your frustration at yourself. now stop! :) u have learned from this---u STILL have restriction, now its time to brush your shoulders off and move on. u may have just saved thousands from doing the same thing...just by reading your thread. one minute we have restriction, the next we don't. we Dont know what will and will not go down most of the time. shoot- my restriction varies from hour to hour. its time to talk to your doc..precut your pills...take em at night when your the most open. see what you can get in liquid form.
i think you have a sensitive pouch too. the "good thing" about this incident, is u know u have more restriction now....and your still going to lose weight. you are SO lucky he didn't want to take it all out...
you are down 43 pounds! 43 pounds!!!!! thats awesome!!!!! pat yourself on the back for your MANY accomplishments. u rock Mel!
glad you can eat normal foods again! smooches Mel! and thanks for the Bible verse this morning-it was nice to wake up to.

[newlifeat57]

Thanks, Donna. The only good thing is that I did lose some weight. Probably because of being on liquids for 3+ freakin' days! I will weigh-in tomorrow or Wed. to post on the weight loss challenge thread. I am really going to watch what I eat and see if I can't get the scale moving without the fill. My next fill is going to be .5 or less. I have to call the nut and see what she says.

[newlifeat57]

i can hear your frustration at yourself. now stop! :) u have learned from this---u STILL have restriction, now its time to brush your shoulders off and move on. u may have just saved thousands from doing the same thing...just by reading your thread.
:eyerub: "gulp" Thousands????!!!! Oh my......

.....you are SO lucky he didn't want to take it all out....
I almost cried when he said he wanted to take out 4 cc. I think the look on my face said it all. He made me drink while the needle was still in me. And since I was able to drink so successfully, he only took out what was put in earlier. I sucked that bottle of water right down, I was soooo thirsty. It felt so good. Thanks, Kristina for the pep talk. I needed that. I always welcome pep talks....:)

[bgrand]

Mel, i am glad your feeling better!!!!
Love the yellow shirt too....thanks everyone for your support!!!!

[GirlyGirl]

hi mel, hi everyone, just peaking my head in, glad you are doing ok mel....

I responded to your pm mel, I'll talk later.

Take care everyone!

[newlifeat57]

Betty, you are just such an inspiration...What, with your craftiness, your Weight loss progress, and your energy.... Someday......... i too will have energy, good progress, and as for craftiness...??.... Maybe someday I will have time....

[newlifeat57]

Jeralin, glad that you sold your house and that it will no longer be a problem for you. Looks like you will be taking a trip into BIG freeze...dress warm and be safe.

[newlifeat57]

I realized today that about one year ago, I started my journey. i went to my seminar some time around the 20th of January 2008. That means my one year bandiversary is coming up.....OH MY.... i was SO hoping that I would be a lot further along than I am now.

I have about 11 more weeks before my bandiversary. I will need to get my butt in gear and stop the dilly dallying... I just get so depressed about the problems I have been having with my stomach/pouch getting irritated so easily. I'm almost afraid to get a fill--never thought I'd ever say that!!!!

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

You've come such a long way so far Mel.. you've dealt with a lot with your band being fickle.. but you're hanging in there, and to me YOU'RE my inspiration!

[kristina]

mine too mel. mine too.

[newlifeat57]

Thank you Donna. i needed to hear that
Thanks to you, too kris. I hear you, too. I know i could use a fill. i guess i will need to go real slow.... i just hope my nut and Dr both agree.

(you know you're both in my head... don'tcha??-- I think I can sometimes hear you....* *smooches*

[kat]

Hey Mel, thinking of you. Don't get discouraged, kiddo. It's not a race, its a destination. We all have to play the cards we got dealt, even the crappy ones. Your hand includes a weirdly fickle band and pouch. Now you just have to figure out how to play it.

I gotta get my butt into gear too. I've been lazy now for over a week. And very little restriction - next fill not till Feb 6th. I know that for me, success breeds success, so if I (we) can just get into a losing mode again, it will spur the confidence to keep going.

Wanna do it together? Let's report to each other every day for at least a week and hold each other's feet to the fire. What do you think?
I'm home until Tuesday - off work (yippee!), so I have more computer time than usual. Let me know.

[kristina]

u do have more computer time Kat- and i for one..LIKE IT! its good to see u postin again....so what are you going to do to keep urself on track while you are at home kat...i hear all the time its harder for you working ladies when u do get home and off your normal schedule?

Mel- u will need a fill eventually u know u will and thats okay....just take it SLOW...like .2 if u have too. until you get where u want to be. gina has a very sensitive tummy too...i wish she was here and could tell you what she has done for it...

[newlifeat57]

Hey Mel, thinking of you. Don't get discouraged, kiddo. It's not a race, its a destination....
Ya know.....Kat, I know that this isn't a race, but dang it!!! I so wanted to be further along than where I am right now. I will most likely be having a knee surgery this may/June and I wanted to be 'lighter'--a lot lighter-- so that I could get right into some heavy duty exercises.... but, it looks like I will just have to LEARN to be patient.....


....We all have to play the cards we got dealt, even the crappy ones. Your hand includes a weirdly fickle band and pouch. Now you just have to figure out how to play it.
NO KIDDING.... I have been working on changing my pill taking time, and so far it seems to be working....instead of taking my pills as I run out the door in the morning to go to work, I take them with me and take them at my break about 3 hours later.....after breakfast, during my coffee/tea/hot cocoa break.

....success breeds success, so if I (we) can just get into a losing mode again, it will spur the confidence to keep going......Let's report to each other every day for at least a week and hold each other's feet to the fire. What do you think?.....
OK.... I'm in.... Lets be sure to keep on loggin our food and we can discuss problems....or cravings....or whatever.....K????


......i hear all the time its harder for you working ladies when u do get home and off your normal schedule?
Kris....It really is harder...at least for me. When I am at school/work I don't have a fridge full of last night's leftovers, a cupboard full of the makings for homemade cookies, time on my hands because I am unable to do much of anything due to chronic pain (back and knees). I really need to get out my sewing and work on that....At least keep my hands, and mind, busy.

.... Mel- u will need a fill eventually u know u will and thats okay....just take it SLOW...like .2 if u have too. until you get where u want to be. gina has a very sensitive tummy too...i wish she was here and could tell you what she has done for it... You know the fill itself doesn't make me nervous...it's the aftermath. I'm hoping that this new schedule I'm on, for taking my meds works. I will be contacting my Nut. today (email) to see if she wants to see me before I get a fill. I'm hoping for one maybe next week or the week after. I convinced, that I really do have to take a less aggressive fill--be satisfied and go from there.

[kristina]

Mel--ur band is def. telling u something...take it easy...u will get there..and stay there...that doesn't mean that u cant be frustrated, cause any of us in your shoes would be.

guess what? i found an eating disorder therapist..and she has had the gastric...and she takes my insurance..and i hear she is wonderful...i am excited!!! i need some counseling right about now. in more ways than one..i am calling her now. :)

[wingsfly825]

hey thats great kristina....how did you go about finding her ? I would love to find someone like that here. Cant wait to here how your first session goes. keep us posted

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

So happy you found someone to talk things over with Kristina.. it really does help. Keep us posted on what she says, and we'll compare notes on our therapists.. :)

[kristina]

sorry for hyjacking mel...but my very dear friend that is getting banded soon..she is on here lurking..she wont talk yet...anyway she saw her for her psych eval and couldnt say enough about her! so i am going to try her out. i called today and left a message...i will let u know how it goes.

Mel- how are u? hows your restriction?

[newlifeat57]

my restriction???? today I hardly had any then this evening i felt really tight. now i could eat a steak.

[kristina]

LOL!!! so funny--these bands, huh?
when i get that stuck feeling..which i have every time i have tried to eat..i just stop eating. it takes away my appetite. usually i try and wait it out...lately..i have just said forget it.
i know this is soon....but when will u be trying another fill?

[newlifeat57]

i dont know...kind of feeling shy about getting a fill for now. i was told to wait 2 weeks. having to travel so far makes me feel a bit apprehensive. i'm in a funk right now.... hoping that this is just because of what happened last weekend. also trying to control the want to eat all the wrong things.....

[kat]

Hey Mel. Hope you're feeling better today. Living with these bands is like living with a newborn - every day is different. I'm finding the unpredictableness difficult. Oh well. One day at a time, right?

[newlifeat57]

Yes, you're right.... One .... day .... at .... a .... time!!!!

[maggieD]

Mel... thinking of you today... Hope you are feeling better today. :)

[kristina]

Kat-u hit it on the head...it almost seems like every meal is an adventure. sometimes i like it...sometimes i dont...mostly i am curious about whats going to happen next, ya know?

Mel-how can we get you out of a funk? how do you normally get yourself out of one? me- i take lots of bubblebaths....u can bet my whole body is shriveled up right now! LOL!! what do you do to feel better?
2 weeks huh? maybe longer...thats up to u....no one is going to force u to get a fill..just do it when ur comfy....try and drink hot fluids...like decaf coffee, or hot cocoa to fill you up....
anywho---just checkin in with ya....it'll get better...pm me if u need to talk.

[newlifeat57]

Mornin' all..... Kat and Kristina, I'm not sure I'm out of my funk....i'm still feeling mad that my body is being so fickle. But we do have sun today so maybe my mood will "brighten" up some. Last night went to a friend's house for ladies night with lots of finger foods. I posted what i ate on the log your food thread.... I'm bloated from the foods I ate and need to get moving to see if i can work some of it off.

Kristina, I'm going to try for a fill next week some time. Don't know for sure....but we'll see. Right now I'm really hungry...haven't had breakfast--just coffee--I got a late start this morning and need to get moving along.

This week, I need to focus on getting in some solid protein--my refrig is a bit bare. i have three days off so, I am hoping that I can do a little catching up with my cooking and with everything in general.

BTW, My first appt for my knees is at the end of this month. Did I already mention this??? Oh well. Hopefully she'll give me a referral to a knee doc. and then I can start the ball rolling for surgery in May/June--meaning another unfill---yeesh!!!

More later....

[kristina]

no mel, i didnt know about upcoming knee surgery...why will they have to unfill you? i dont understand....

[newlifeat57]

I'm thinking that since I am so sensitive to changes in my body, and the fact that i will be undergoing surgery to replace my left knee (with anethesia), they will probably do an unfill. But that's oK. A new knee will mean that i can become active. Which is what i want. But, that's not until may or june sometime. But by starting the process now, hopefully the Dr. will let me set the date for this. I think i can handle another few months--these few months will give me the opportunity to lose more weight--that is if i can get a decent fill.... Also I'm hoping to get an upright stationary bike to begin the process of strengthening the muscles around the knee. i can't do a recomubent bike...it hurts my back...

I'm telling you....i'm just falling apart...... It all started when i turned 40... Then it all went down hill......LOL If I had had WLS earlier, I may not have had all these problems..... oh well, better late than never.

[bgrand]

Mel, I have been in a funk lately as well, so i am feeling your pain...lol. But, i can say that going out the other night with Diane and Kelli is just what i needed. I had gotten so into a funk that i was enjoying the funk. I would cancel all plans with my girlfriends which is not like me. I got very comfortable coming home and slipping into jammies and chillin. On weekends, i had to make myself hit the shower and most weekends just hit the shower and just had no energy to do anything else. I took 2 weeks off for the holidays and did absolutely NOTHING! I gave myself permission to do nothing and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Well since going out with the girls i am feeling the old me coming back. And yesterday i got out all day. It felt great!
I also feel what you say about getting older. I would do anything to not be 53!!!!
So many times i feel like what's the use in trying, your too old. Then I see someone older than me living and enjoying life and I love it. We maybe getting older, but we also could have 30 more years to go. Getting your knees done and being able to be more active will thrill you. I am enjoying following your progress. Keep up the good work girl.

[GirlyGirl]

Hi Mel! Just saying hi real quick, I hope you are out of your "funk" by now. (i had to go back and look at that word again to make sure I got it right!) We had such a beautiful sunshiny weekend! Mike and I went hiking yesterday and today. We walked along the ocean with the mountains on the horizon, what beauty we get to experience in your part of the country! That brought me right out of my funk!

Well, I will be back in a week and hopefully we can get together. I think I told you I am moving to the Silver Beach area. Just about a mile or two from where I was living. We specifically wanted to be near the water, we can see the lake, water always brings life to me....! I had to have it!

Mel, let's get together soon!

take care everyone. be back in a week!

[newlifeat57]

Thanks Betty for your pep talk. I wish my progress was a little more to celebrate. Being on a plateau for so long i think is what has me where i am. Then, i ended up with a horrific headache most of Saturday and all day Sunday. Don't know what caused it but ended up staying in and laying low during our sunny days. I got up about an hour ago 4pm and am feeling better...headache is somewhat gone...not quite as severe. it wasn't a migraine...i've had those before. I'm making an extra effort tomorrow to get up and get out ...hoping that will help.

Jeralin, glad you're able to get out and enjoy the area. it is a very beautiful place to be--when the weather is cooperative. Enjoy your time back in Chicago... Keep warm. Call me when you get back.

[newlifeat57]

I think I am out of my funk....I woke up on Sunday with my body feeling all achy and with a big headache. Monday I felt refreshed and much better--no more headache or body aches. And now I'm at work doing this instead of writing a report.....

Well, today I go in for a fill. I can honestly say I'm a little afraid (for lack of better words) of the fill. When I had my last partial unfill the on-call Dr. was able to locate my port without any problems. So this fill will be done without flouro.

Earlier this week, I had sent an email to my nutritionist explaining the problem I had just after I had my last fill. I asked her to talk to my Dr. about me possibly getting a fill in town instead of me driving 90 min to their office south of where I live.

I got a call yesterday and they are going to try to give me a fill today, here in town!!!! Sooooo.... now I begin the wait...as I sit here writing I can feel my self swelling up and getting tighter and tighter.....LOL ahhh It's amazing what our minds will do to us, isn't it.

More this evening....after I get back from my fill and my support group mtg.

[bgrand]

Good Luck Mel...maybe they can just give you a little fill???

[newlifeat57]

Betty that's what I'm sure he will do. I think they are just as aprehensive as I am. I'm sure they have no desire to see me a day or two after my fill. More later.

[kristina]

okay girl...i am going to be praying for u to have just as much as you need right now..no more no less..and thats what God always supplies us right? exactly what we NEED- not want..but NEED. enjoy your meeting, enjoy your fill..and i am totally looking forward to seeing how it all worked out this evening!! stay positive my friend!!!!


Isaiah 58:11 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=29&chapter=58&verse=11&version=31&context=verse)
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Philippians 4:19 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=57&chapter=4&verse=19&version=31&context=verse)
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

[kat]

So...........how was it? I've been sending good fill vibes to you all day.

My neurologist (at the Headache Center at our university hospital) says virtually ALL headaches are migraines if you're a 'migrainer'. For years I thought I had occasional migraines but frequent sinus headaches. When I finally got a good eval, I learned they weren't 'sinus headaches' (he doesn't think there is such a thing) but a different kind of migraine. Now that I know what meds to take, I rarely have one, and when I do, I can treat it and move on immediately. A huge relief!

[maggieD]

Mel... i am hoping that all went ok today. I was once asked why my port is in my shoulder/breast area (just like chemo patients) instead of the stomach like most and i think i told Kristina that i would ask... so last week when i was there for my second fill i asked why they didn't use that Floro stuff like i read about online... :)... and she said that since the port is located in the shoulder/breast area they never have to use Floro, the access is easier etc... even in emergency situations that even an ER room could remove our fluids from our ports. He gives us a card to carry with us always to give to all Drs etc... (sorry just thought i would share that while it was on my mind.)

I hope everything today is successful for you with no issues... You deserve the best!!

[kristina]

maggie---i know i have said this before but i think ur doc is def. leading the way w/ port placement...every newbie port will prob. end up there!

mel- i hope everythings okay...oh yeah its only 4:44 there.

[newlifeat57]

I'm home and God really did meet my needs in every way. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers.... i was really nervous. I was very antsy waiting for my turn in the waiting room.. I could hardly sit still. I went in and was weighed... i have lost 3 lbs since my fill on the 6th of Jan. Woot Woot!!!! Surprised the Heck out of me (I haven't been a very good girl)!!!!

It is so odd how the two Dr. in this practice are so different. My Dr. really struggled to find my port. My port is about 3-4 inches just left of my middle and above my waist. Today's Dr. is my Dr. that did the surgery. He approached my port from my right side. felt around and pushed and felt and pushed and then poked and poked and poked... I could feel him hitting the port and then finally, he hit it right on. The other Dr, when he dis a partial unfill on the 10th, approached my port from my left, felt around a little, poked around a few time nd found it...so weird how different they are.....

OK... so I got my fill. Dr. was more than willing to put in what had to be taken out on the 10th, which was 1cc, but I chickened out. I would rather go a bit slower. He gave me the OK to come in in 2 weeks if I wantd more. So, that's good. Now I'm on liquids for 2 days and it was suggested that I go easy and proceed with mushier foods after the liquids.

I now have 8.5 in a 14cc band. When I go my unfill in oct. I had 10.5 and I thought I was at my sweet spot then. so it looks like I've got a ways to go.,,,

[maggieD]

I am so glad you had a successful day...

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

So happy that things went well for you today Mel. I also had a fill today, but it was a small one, which was fine with me. He gave me .5cc so I'm at 4.5cc's now in my 10cc band. I feel good restriction at the moment.. tea is going down slower, but it's going down. I'm like you.. I'd rather take it slow.. (I know I'm complaining more too cuz I'm not losing), but the all the complications scare me.

Great job on your weight loss!! You're doin good girl!!!!

[wingsfly825]

way to go mel 3 pounds..im glad your fill went well 2..keep us posted on how you are doing...big hugs

[newlifeat57]

Donna, i'm able to drink my Crystal light without feeling any restriction. When my Dr. had me drinking water while the needle was in me with an added 1 cc, I could feel the restriction--almost to much--so he only put in .5cc. Now i can't feel any at this moment. But it always changes for me as soon as i start eating reg. foods. I'll know by Sunday just how restricted i am.

Teresa......Thanks for the good wishes....how is the job going? Are you due for a fill soon?

[kristina]

3 pounds!!!! awesome job Mel!!!! so happy for you!!!!
glad u went slow with it..and you have learned many lessons...now tell me how your taking ur meds right now?

[newlifeat57]

Kristina, I take a bunch of meds. There are at least 7 prescriptions. plus I am on aspirin therapy, vitamins, and since they took me off my nsaids (anti-inflammatories), i now take 2 big honkin arthritis tylenol pills for my knee pain. So this is how i attack these suckers....

I take one tylenol, split in half in the morning before i leave for work, then about 2 hours later I take 5 other pills plus my chewable vit. and another split tylenol. Then in about 1 1/3 hrs. i eat my lunch. Then i take 3 more at night. So far, it is working. I will find out tomorrow just how restricted I am when I take my meds.

I so wish I didn't have to take so many pills.....

[wingsfly825]

mel got my fill today . he added 3cc for a total of 6. boy do i have restriction. I just have to remember i have it cause i was able to gulp b4 ( ouch) and i just had some pudding and kinda felt stuck..not complaining cause b4 i was able to eat anything. im just forgetting to eat sloooowly.

[newlifeat57]

That's right.... take your time and be sure to chew slowly and enjoy each and every bite, just in case you find that you can't take another bite. My motto, back in Sept. was to treat every bite as if it was going to be my last....that meant that i never knew when I would not be able to eat another bite. I felt that This way my taste buds didn't feel cheated. When i first felt really restricted, i often came away from my dinner (lunch/breakfast) as if i wasn't satisfied and felt cheated that i didn't get to take one more bite. For now, I won't know how restricted i am until Sunday. Then we will see.....

[kristina]

Mel-the more u lose..the more u can toss those pills girl..and your doing wonderfully!!!!!

Teresa--me too chica. u shoulda seen me try and eat some crackers and milk last night. whatever- wasnt going to happen. i was mad too. i cooked dinner all day and got stuck on one bite. however- i was still hungry...so i waited an hour...got my crackers and milk...and even that wasnt moving...last night- i had a candy bar for dinner. the calories were written in german..HA! so i don't have to know the damage.
i do have a date with the gym this morning..and i plan on killin myself up there!!!

[newlifeat57]

Kristina, I can't wait to lose the pills. I get so tired to taking them.

On another note.....The mention of miracles came up in another thread (June Bandsters) and I thought it worth a bit of thought and worth revisiting.

I received a bracelet for Christmas, from my sister. It's silver and it has the words..."miracles happen to those who believe in them." written on it. I read it everyday and i keep praying for my miracle to happen. I would consider my miracle to be, that I am successful with my weight loss.

I believe that miracles do happen every day.... I witness it everyday here on b2g....i read the experiences, struggles, fears, and the great successes that each and every b2g bandster has gone through....and i'm truly amazed. I'm not just talking about those that have reached goal, but also those that have had a modicum of success. I truly believe that everyone I have read about has experienced their own miracle. But then i look in the mirror and my mind does a 180 and I wonder if i will ever recognize my experience as a miracle worth mentioning. I think I may need to define what successful is to me in order to see the miracle.

I even ask myself this question.... Would i have lost this amount on my own? my answer.....NO!!! So why don't i see this as a miracle?

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Mel honey, you're sooooooooo right on seeing miracles on here each time someone posts. We have the miracle band, without this it would be harder than ever to lose weight, and really LISTEN to our bodies. I for one Never listened to my body before. I am more in tune with myself than I ever had, that's my miracle. I love that bracelet.. I might have to get one of my own, wear it each day and remind myself that I am a miracle.. and I will be successful.. and everyone on here is successful too!

Great post Mel.. you have me thinking and motivated and inspired!!! Hugs!

[bgrand]

I agree with Miracles too!!
Girls just remember when you this tight to drink your New Whey Bullets. They saved me for a very long period of time. Still drink one each day now. Drinking one now.

I miss having that kind of restriction. I am scheduled for the end of Feb. YIKES

I can eat a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter and can eat it in about 10 minutes.
I can eat an entire fish sandwich from McDonalds....freaking me out that i can eat the whole thing, cause at first i could only eat the fish with a few bites of bread, then I could eat the fish with one slice of the bun, and now the whole thing!!
Taco Bell, can eat 2 crunchy taco's. I use to be able to eat one, and feel full, now 2 and comfortable but not full.

So what's the deal? Is the pouch stretched or the band just loosened???

4 more weeks and I will get a very small fill. I don't want to be as tight as I was before where I lived on protein shakes and chocolate.

[kristina]

here ya go everyone...i love this!!!!!
Mel..ur a doll thank you for writing that...
i only wish you could see yourself the way we see you...
strong, beautiful, youthful, encourager...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIXnfIPJshU



Betty-sounds like u need a tiny fill love!

[brwneyedbeauty]

Betty I'm with you there! I still cant eat bread but anything else in my path. I can't get another fill until March. thank God for the gym!

[jezziegrace]

Kristina,
I don't know where you find these things!! My husband and I laughed and laughed and laughed!!! (and boy did we need to laugh, we were shooting daggers at each other before!) Thanks for sharing, girlfriend!
Jez

[kristina]

all in a days work Jez! LOL! glad ur argument is over!

[newlifeat57]

...... remind myself that I am a miracle.. and I will be successful........ you have me thinking and motivated and inspired!!! Hugs!
Thanks for the reminder, donna. I am a miracle and what i'm going through (this band thingy) is a miracle--something wonderful-- in itself!!! I'm glad i was able to say something to motivate and inspire you.

I agree with Miracles too!!
Girls just remember when you this tight to drink your New Whey Bullets. ....I miss having that kind of restriction. I am scheduled for the end of Feb. YIKES......4 more weeks and I will get a very small fill. I don't want to be as tight as I was before where I lived on protein shakes and chocolate.
i don't mind drinking these. They aren't exactly dessert...but they are easy and quick. Good louck with you upcoming fill. Thk God, i'm not very tight. I can still eat a hamburger--i think......

here ya go everyone...i love this!!!!!
Mel..ur a doll thank you for writing that...i only wish you could see yourself the way we see you...strong, beautiful, youthful, encourager...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIXnfIPJshU
Thank you Kristina. I LMAO with i saw this. i was a little disappointed at the ending... but it was still funny

Betty I'm with you there! I still cant eat bread but anything else in my path. I can't get another fill until March. thank God for the gym!
I long for the day when i can go to the gym. hopefully this summer....

Kristina,
I don't know where you find these things!! My husband and I laughed and laughed and laughed!!! (and boy did we need to laugh, we were shooting daggers at each other before!) Thanks for sharing, girlfriend!
Jez
I agree... it was a great find!!!

.....LOL! glad ur argument is over!
mee tooo.

[kristina]

so glad u posted Mel. i am sitting here wondering where everyone is!!!! with a very full tummy btw...how are you? how is your restriction level? how does ur tummy feel? got over that almost sickness?

i love that lil mouse video...the end is the best part. i hate mice. wooot!!!! wooot!!!! i have a favorite one...i will pm u if u'd like...

[newlifeat57]

i am very full too, not above my band full but below my band full. i just drank about 32 oz of water. it went down pretty easily. I am sooo thirsty.... i'm just completly dry as a bone. not sure why...

i'm feeling ok. A new storm or something is headed towards us and it's cold outside. I'm on my couch wrapped in a blanket and holding a heating pad. I spent this morning making cookies for a dear friend of mine. She was diagnosed this fall with MS (multiple Sclerosis). We are all just sick over this. She has been having problems for about a year. but it wasn't till this fall that they finally found what it was. She has a lot of difficulties dealing with medications and some of the meds they gave her aren't doing what they are supposed to. So they put her on an agressive IV stuff yesterday and it sent her into a tail spin and her temp. spiked. So now she is just a little loopy from all the meds. So i took her over all the ingredients for chili and a box full of cookies. it was a good visit...

I would love to see this favorite one (video on youtube??!!) that you love. i don't mind it posted here.... or is it private??

[kristina]

i will post it...so very sorry about your friend. but what a great friend you are!!! i am sure she is grateful to have you in her life. and so am i! :)
heres another laugh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybXrrTX3LuI

[newlifeat57]

kris. the link didn't work......

[jezziegrace]

Kristina...How funny! How do you find these things?

[bgrand]

Mel, so glad you have some restriction. I am jealous...lol
I do have restriction, but I am just able to eat more than I have since being banded. I ate almost half of a large thin crust pizza last night. Of course it was over a 2 hour period, but yikes!

Kristina, those videos had me cracking up this morning!!

[kristina]

jez-i have just seen them in emails before....arent they cute?

betty- glad to have u laughin!

mel- sorry u couldnt open the last one--guess what? i had 1/2 cup of Life cereal this morning. first amount of solids i have had in the morning since my fill. i am def opeing up some. i know now for a fact i dont need an unfill. i am able to eat solid proteins for lunch and dinner...so excited! i hope this is it..and i hope i dont open up anymore!

[GirlyGirl]

Hi Mel, sweetheart, haven't been able to see you for a while! All this bad weather and then with my travels and all.

I'm thinking about you, glad you're feeling better! Won't it be nice to get this winter over with? This is no way to welcome a guest to your state! All this nastiness! Rain, snow, floods! Oh well, should start getting better soon...shouldn't it? Tell me it will...!

I'll check back later... take care hun... can we try to do lunch or something soon, I'd love to just spend some nice quiet relaxing time with you... what do you say?

[GirlyGirl]

Today's Feb 1st and no new posts from you on your thread! just thought I would poke my head in to say hi Mel...

Looks like from your posts on other threads that you are dropping right now... good for you!

Hope you are doing well, I am, but a lot to do right now to get settled, with our stuff coming from Chicago, just a lot to do to get reorganized.

See ya soon Mel! Take care and keep us posted as to how you are doing!