10/30/09 Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Have a GREAT weekend!

















...and PUT DOWN that Halloween Candy!

10/29/09 Happy Weight

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

10/28/09 Pumpkin Patch

Halloween is a big deal at our house. The house has been decorated for weeks, the front porch has been ablaze with lights nightly and the giant web is up in the two story foyer. We've got our electronic bats, spiders, and ghost ready to hang on the front porch, the black light ready to shine on the web, and the scary music CD's ready to blast out the window.

The neighborhood is rife with giggles as we 'Phantom Ghost' each others homes secretly leaving goodies on each other's porches. We finally got ghosted last night and DS2 is so excited to be able to ghost two new houses tonight with the plastic pumpkins we bought and filled with goodies.

We went to the pumpkin patch two weekends ago with our 'kids'…there's a huge orchard/pumpkin farm nearby and there are corn mazes, pony rides, cider making and all kinds of activities for the kids. We were laughing as rode the hayride out to the pumpkin patch this year…we were the only ones without a small child, but our 22 yo DD and 14 yo DS2 wouldn't have missed this for anything…my kids love family traditions. They picked their pumpkins, ran through the maze, and drank their cider just like every other year.

Every year we have pumpkin carving night. We each carve a pumpkin while we drink hot cider and I wash the seeds and toast them. I'm always looking for new pumpkin carving kits and ideas to inspire our work.

We've done this kit...kind of like the old-school light bright that works with colored pegs you hammer in. We've also used a regular houshold drill to make cool designs.

We've done lots of 'silhouette' ones like these...a cat against the moon, a spider, a skeleton, and lots of faces. They're easy if you buy or print a pattern online...you can carve right through the paper pattern as you go. You can also carve words (we've done "BOO" and "OSU" before).

Picking the right pumpkin so you can use the stem as part of the design is also something we've done...they make for a pretty interesting faces.

I'm looking for some easy clever ideas this year. Here are a few I found. Pi...

These masks add a nice touch...

Love this...

Clever food...

Cute, but not sure how it would play out at night...

Or if you're really good at carving...

I think I found my design. The PBing Pumpkin...it's just too fitting...

10/27/09 Goal Limbo

I'm coining a new phrase here on LBT. Because I'm going to need it. Soon. How many threads, posts, and blogs have you seen here about LB'ers who are getting close to goal (usually starting about 30 lbs. out from goal, depending on their BMI) and are facing a whole new set of challenges. Their BMI is lower, as is their weight. Although they're at their Sweet Spot the amount of food they can eat and still lose weight is no longer working for them. The same goes for exercise. Yeah, they've hit plateaus before, but that doesn't even come close to this…it's much worse…the weight loss stalls and slows down to a painful crawl…a death march even.

I'm paying more attention to all those '30 and Goal' posts (sounds like a football commentary, doesn't it?). They feel guilty for complaining or even asking for support here…How can they not feel guilty for even seeking support when they've lost a ton of weight and are now in clothes sizes they haven't seen in years…for some, since grade school? How can they justify needing support when others are struggling just to start losing their weight? After all, they're so close to goal…and look at all the newbies here just starting their 6 mo. diet…or those that are now in 'Bandster Hell' and are just trying so hard to maintain and wait for those fills. What right do they have to complain? They'd look like FOOLS for complaining! They've lost a ton of weight…they're almost at goal…they look better…they feel better…they are so happy with their weight loss…I'm with you…WHAT THE HECK DO THEY HAVE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT? Except…now…I'm almost there…

These Banders get that. They feel the same way…they feel happy and frustrated at the same time…they're happy with how far they've come, but they're frustrated with their slow progress getting those last 30 or so pounds off. Should they feel happy or sad? They don't even know how to feel about it…and it's not like the NSV's are still pouring in to make them feel good as they've now been this weight for awhile. Maybe they even feel a little like a failure and as though they've let others or themselves down with their slow weight loss. These Banders feel like they have to apologize for even complaining. Over and over they feel like they had to justify why they had a right to be frustrated at all.

So how do you go about explaining how horrible it feels being so close to goal and for your weight loss to stall. You lost the bulk of the weight at least somewhat steadily, but now the scale is barely moving and at this rate it might/is taking years to get to goal.


Those people generally get sympathy from others who are in the same position they are, or others that have already been through it (and we know there not as many 'old-timers' here…maybe this is why some disappear even?). Don't we all give great sympathy to those going through 'Bandster Hell'? It's because we've all been there.
I kept thinking…heck, when I was going through that period after banding and before restriction and I was feeling down and needed support all I had to say was 'I'm going through Bandster Hell' and I'd get all kinds of support…'Oh, I've been there too'… 'This is normal' … 'Don't worry it will end soon' … 'Try this…' Mention just two words 'Bandster Hell' and you need not have to explain any further…we get it…we sympathize.

Here's the thing…I've decided I'll need an acronym or at least a term for this period in my Band journey. If I can say PB, Slime, Stuck, or Bandster Hell and I don't need to explain or justify these terms and my being there, then why isn't there one for this tough, usually longest phase in the Band journey? I looked on several sites and there isn't one.

I need a term so that I can talk about this without having to give a lengthy explanation and justification each time…something like 'Bandster Hell'. I figure the best time to come up with this is even before I start into this phase. I don't need your support yet for this, because I'm not there yet, but I will be soon. I looked at words and I found one that really struck home…LIMBO, in limbo: a state of uncertainty or of being kept waiting; a state of oblivion or neglect; a condition of uneasiness or aprehension; a state or place of profound anxiety brought on by the unknown; indeterminate state; a condition of unknowable outcome. Well that works.

So I'm coining a new phrase for myself (and anyone else) here so I won't have to explain or justify why I need support. I'll soon be 30 lbs. or less from goal and I'm sure I'll need to continue getting support here. You'll read this phase name and you'll just nod your head and know exactly what I'm talking about and hopefully give me the support I'll still need (because if your not there yet, you know you soon will be). You'll understand that I have the right to be frustrated or upset because this phase of the journey brings its own set of challenges and it's own set of emotional issues. I'll need the same support you give all of us at any point in this journey. You see, I'm headed into that last phase of Weight Loss…and I may be there a LOOONG time so I'll need your patience and understanding. I'm headed into 'Goal Limbo'.

10/26/09 My Best Feature

What's your best feature? How many posts have I read here from obese women saying they're sick and tired of hearing they've got 'such a pretty face'. I've always been told it's my eyes, but they're not my best feature.


OK, I'm not usually a 'cutesy' or what DH would call a 'hokey' person (he's dating himself...and what does that mean LOL). I haven't named my cars or my houses. I've seen lots of people here who've named their bands…weird? Maybe. After all, we have names for all our other body parts right? I haven't shared my band with anyone but DH so how could I openly call it 'My LB'? Out of necessity (or so I'm telling myself, well, and you) I gave my band parts names…naw, they're more like code words that happen to be names. After all…when I was having a problem with my band in front of others and DH would ask me 'WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?!!' How could I answer (and no, I haven't had to use the code names much at all, maybe twice ever)?

Shhh…don't tell anyone…and I'm NOT being cutesy, or hokey, or weird (OK, maybe a little). I answer in code (depending on the problem)… 'I forgot to call Phil!' or 'I need a Fluffy pillow for my back!' I'm sure you've guessed…Phil is my port (I know, no elaboration necessary on that one)…and Fluffy (my first Avatar phrase here was 'I'm not Fat, I'm Fluffy!' It was something my DS2 always said about me…cute, but it hit home too) so Fluffy…yeah, she's my band and gets even Fluffier with each fill as I get…well, less fluffy. Phil and Fluffy…they're a good couple…sure they fight sometimes…first one is happy, but then the other one isn't…then vice versa…then they're both unhappy…but mostly they get along (sorry, it's the drugs talking). It's like having new family members…they're there to help (sometimes annoy) and support me and that's just what they're doing. I think they're my new 'best feature'.


---------------------------------------------
*In response to Comments:

Thanks gals!

Dear Lord Mechelle...too much pressure LOL...I still learn something new here every week from others.

Fever's gone finally, just sleeping like twice as much as normal...on the mend, thanks for asking! -BG

10/24/09 My Family Rocks

Just a brief update. As you know, the ancient laptop I've been using (used one we got for DD to use while she was in France since she has a desktop-now in her room) has been giving us fits all along. It has been in and out of 'computer rehab' for a year now and the latest intervention sent it to rehab for more psychotherapy about a month ago...there's a desktop in the basement, but I've been missing the convenience of the laptop.

My family just called me downstairs (so I drug my bum out of bed). They'd gone out, bought me my very own new laptop, and set it all up for me (they wanted me to 'Give it a try!' so here I am)! DH said he'd found out Friday that the hard drive on the old one wasn't worth fixing this time (I hope the rehab facility gives it a nice memorial service). My first computer that's just mine (and they didn't even know it was my 6-mo. Bandiversary this week LOL)!!!

My Family Rocks!

10/23/09 Shooting Myself in the Foot

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

10/22/09 Six Month Bandiversary!

Sorry, I can't share my 'cake'

Today is my six month Bandiversary! I can't believe it's been six months already! The six month diet pre-op seemed to take foreverrrrr (sorry newbies)...this past six months...OK, Bandster Hell was a little slow, but time just sped up after that. I wonder when I'll ever stop feeling like a newbie? I still learn something new here every week...the band journey is consistent in its inconsistency so there's always something new to learn.

OK, you can have just a bite of this one (it's SF).

Let's see, what's happened in six months with the band? I've:
- Become an April 'Bunny' (and Hef still makes us weigh in weekly)
- Had 4 fills and now have 5.9cc/10cc LB
- Had to return to the hospital the week of banding; overnight on my 50th birthday (no problems)
- Gone from a size 22/24 jean to a size 16
- Made it through Bandster Hell while starving (but still losing weight)
- Had a few gain weeks
- Lost 46 lbs. since banding (65 total)
- Had a few plateaus
- Gone from a 34.8 BMI (37.7 originally) to 27.2 and moved from an Obese to Overweight BMI
- Paid my full insurance deductible
- Moved into Onederland
- Learned how to slime and PB like a pro
- Reached weighing less than DH
- Attended the Semi-Annual SWA (Scale Whores Anonymous) meeting
- Made lots of LB friends
- Reached my Sweet Spot
- Developed Acid Reflux
- Stopped 'Dieting'

What's happened in six months in my life? I've Celebrated:
- My 50th Birthday
- Our 27th Anniversary
- Our DD's College Graduation and her first (and second) 'real' job
- Our DS1's HS Graduation and his move to college
- My father's 80th Birthday

and I've:
- Seen my DD buy her first car and get her first speeding ticket
- Visited my Alma-mater- OSU game- and watched them lose in the last minute
- Watched DS1 get on another Honor Roll and in his second expensive fender bender
- Been on vacation twice (SC and AZ)

The LB is like life...there are ups and downs, highs and lows...it's a lifestyle...and I'm loving it!

P.S. FYI-I posted what I found out about hair regrowth as a comment to that blog. Click HERE

10/21/09 Feel the Burn

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book






Bet you didn't know you have another 'sphincter' hee-hee