BYOC

BYOC Friday

BYOC is 5 little questions – some funny, some serious – that we answer to get to know each other better and it's a free blog topic for Fridays when our blog brains are fried before the weekend! Feel free to join us! Post the questions and answers in your own blog!

1. Seeing that it's a patriotic holiday of sorts I thought of this one: Where were you on September 11th?
I was in sales at the time and was calling on a customer at the Sheriff's office. His secretary ran in and said a plane hit one of the Twin Towers, so we went in to the break room to see it on the news. Right when we walked in the room, the second plane hit. I just cried and prayed and was so afraid for the future of our country. I left work early that day and picked my kids up from school. I went home and sat with them on the sofa and prayed with my boys for healing for this country. I remember as a child my mom saying she would never forget the moment she heard that President Kennedy had been shot. I feel the same way about 9-11.

2. What is your idea of fun? If given the chance to skip work/life for an entire day, what would you do? (assume you'd be by yourself)
I would clean my house, take a shower, sit in front of the TV and be in control of the remote, for a real change. Then I'd watch a chick flick, take a nap, drink a glass of wine get dressed and wait for my sweet hubby to come take me out!

3. Suggestion from a follower. Some blog questions.


How many blogs do you follow? I'm not sure, probably 120.
Do you read them all or just your faves? I don't read them all, but I read my dashboard at least. There are about 20 that I always read.
Do you comment a little, a lot, on all? I comment pretty often. I like to let people know that I'm reading, even if my comment isn't very inspiring.

Have you ever unfollowed someone because of something they said or you didn't like their blog? For some reason, blogger seams to unfollow people for me all the time. I've never stopped following because I didn't like what someone had to say.
Do you routinely unfollow and why? Not routinely, but sometimes, if they quit blogging or are very inconsistent, I'll stop to keep my dashboard under control.

4. Repeat question. Pick one day and one healthy thing you'll do for just that day next week.

I will resume my walking. I have a bobo on my foot, so I haven't walked at all this week. Next week I will walk at least 4 days…promise!

5. Repeat "Make someone a superstar" question. Whose blog or blog comment stuck with you this week and why?

There are so many, but this week, Tina was the SOB and her quote about her weightloss: "For the first time in my life, I feel normal and I want that gift for everyone!" well, it just made me cry. I felt her gratitude and understood what this process has meant to her. She's one of my favorite bloggers and I just feel like I know her. Anyway, there are so many others, but that one really struck me.

Thank you Pearl!

My official weigh in was yesterday and I'm down 29 pounds. I'm really happy with the results. I also took my measurements last week and was shocked that I've lost 22 inches. I feel really good and feel like I have a real shot at losing all the weight I need to loose. I'm actually 53 pounds from my heaviest weight and that to me is amazing. The fact that I got the lap band before I had gained back all of the weight I had lost is amazing to me too. I find each day I'm a little more comfortable with the band. I'm a slow learner, but at least I'm learning. It's taken me a considerable amount of time to figure out the "user error" portion of this gizmo. I am 71 pounds from my goal weight, which sounds way better than 100 pounds from my goal. In October of last year, I made the decision to have WLS, I was at the end of my rope, I felt completely helpless, I was devastated that I had so little control over this area of my life. It's been a long haul, but I'm so glad that I got banded and so glad that I found this wonderful means of support. You guys are the best! Happy Friday Eve!

Big Hug!

T

To fill or not to fill...

That is the question!?! I have fill appointment next Tuesday and I just don't know if I should get one. As I've told you guys, I have gotten stuck quite a bit since my first 2cc fill. I don't want to be too tight. But, how can you know? I mean the band is certainly a fickle little thing isn't it? Some days I feel like I could eat a cow, some days I can barely eat. I don't push it though and can enjoy lots of different foods. I do know that I don't want to be so tight that I can't eat in front of others. I do know that my food choices generally dictate my satisfaction after a meal. If I make good choices with a protein rich meal, then I stay satisfied. It is also important for me not to drink with a meal and to wait at least 30 minutes after to drink. When I am true to those two things, then the band does just fine for me. I do get hungry, but can I really expect not to get hungry? I don't get hungry right after I eat, that is if I don't drink with my meal. I'm just so torn about this decision to fill or not to fill. Okay bandsters....I need some sage advice.

I forgot that Friday was my 3 month bandiversary. As of Friday, I was down 28 pounds, when I do an weekly average, that's 2.15 pounds per week or 9.33 pounds per month. That makes me feel better since I feel like my weight loss is painfully slow. Anyway, I'm just plugging along, I'm glad that I made the decision to have WLS, I'm glad I found all of you to share my journey with. I really think that I was pretty well prepared for what it would be like to have the lap band, but then I suppose I believed somehow that I would lose quicker than I am. I get a little disheartened sometimes by comments from my friends and family about my progress, like...duh...you have a lapband. It kind of hurts my feelings when people don't understand that even though I have a lap band, I still have to do my part. It's not magic and frankly, it's damn hard sometimes. I know people who have a lap band and are still just as overweight as when they started. Oh, enough of my rant already! I am very thankful that I made this decision and I am increasingly more hopeful and less skeptical with each pound that I drop. Thank you all for sharing this journey with me!

Hugs,

T

My trip to DC was great!

This is me, doing what I do best....hamming it up!

This was taken on Saturday in DC at the American Indian Museum

This was last year in New Orleans, I'm wearing the same shirt.

I thought that the comparison was pretty good. I really don't think like I look like I've lost much, but when I look at how my shirt fits, I can see a difference. I can certainly feel a difference, I'm much more comfortable these days. We had a wonderful time in DC, aside from some awful airline experiences. It was wonderful to catch up with our friends and we had a wonderful time visiting museums and sightseeing. It was hot as Hell in Washington DC, which surprised me a bit, I thought I'd get a little break from my way-South heat and humidity , but no such luck.

On the band side of things, I'm happy to say, I did not gain any weight over the weekend. My official weigh in is on Wednesday, so I'll post then, I'm dangerously close to 30 pounds down, keep your fingers crossed for me. On the trip, I only had one stuck episode and as always it happened when I was so hungry I could have eaten a horse. Our flight was delayed and we were planning a late dinner, which we didn't get to make, so we had to order in and I had 2 bites of a chicken wing and was stuck for about 30 minutes. I was so upset....I was tired and starving and no go on the food. But the rest of the weekend went great with food, I was able to eat just about everything and really enjoyed myself. It was really fun. I hope everyone had a great weekend and I wish you a fabulous week ahead!

Hugs,

T

But there's always a butt!

I'm feeling a little uninspired today. I was thinking, it's time for a post...one that's really funny or heartfelt and thought provoking. But, I'm not feeling it. I'm feeling a little bummed out right now. I'm going on a little trip to DC tomorrow which is very exciting. I'm going to see some friends and spend a weekend with my most excellent husband. I have a wonderful life and so much to be thankful for. I truly am thankful.

But....there's always a but isn't there? The but right now is the BUTT, my ex husband. I'm having some anxiety about leaving town and leaving my kids with their dad, because...well he's a butt! He's been such a jerk as of late, which makes me believe that he's having some personal issues. I can't believe that 5 1/2 years later he's still jacking with me. My kids deserve so much better in a father. The upside is, they have so much better...in their step-father. I'm glad I'm in the place I'm in today. My life is good, my health is getting better each day, my butt, is actually getting smaller, even though my ex-butt is constantly on the grow!

I hope everyone has a great day and a great rest of the week. I'm so lucky to have you guys.

Big Hug!

T

This is the devil!

My worst stuck episode ever....and this is the culprit. OY! Talk about bad. Admittedly, I'm a slow learner, though evidently not a slow eater. I just, without thinking popped a piece of cantaloupe in my mouth and boy was it a bad experience. I was stuck, worse than ever before. It was a 30 minute ordeal with lots of puking and sliming and gagging and regret!

I'm still hurting from it. Okay, so this is really only my 3rd time to PB, but each time it gets worse and my question to you banders is this....after you PB and have a bad stuck episode, do you feel super hungry? I do and it's weird, maybe it's because it's so traumatic and I need to be comforted, but still it manifests itself in the old "stomach growling fiercely, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" kind of hungry. I don't get it, because after such an episode, I would think that the last thing I really would be interested in is more of what caused my pain.

I hope everyone had a great weekend. My poor husband had a crappy Father's Day weekend, he got food poisoning and has been terribly sick since Thursday. I hate when someone you love is sick and you can't do anything to make it better. Poor baby....he's better today though.

Did everyone check out Joey's pictures on her blog? OMG, she looks like a model and I want both of those dresses, but I want to look like Joey does in them. Okay, enough rambling. Have a great Monday! Hugs!!!
T

BYOC

First let me tell you how much I appreciate all of your sweet and encouraging comments yesterday. It really makes a girl feel good knowing that so many people have her back emotionally and...well physically as well...knowing that Joey, Carmen and Amanda are ready to go "all kinds a street and cut someone!" LOL. You guys are really the best. Thank you.

Now on to BYOC

1. If your heart had a singing voice, whose would it be?
These questions are so hard people, just one? Probably Ethel Mermen, I know that sounds crazy, but she could belt out a tune and make you forget where you are. I think her voice suits my personality.

2. What is your most disgusting habit?
Okay, I'm a free gagger, like when I read Jess describe her tonsils I gagged uncontrollably and my eyes were watering, it was bad. I have a very vivid imagination so if someone is describing something gross, I just can't help it!

3. Carmen and Drazil were talking about Chicago and their fears...for those of you going (and those of you not you can answer as if you were going)...what is your biggest fear?
I'm not worried about meeting you guys. I'm a little worried about traveling alone and that I won't lose the weight I want to before then.

4. This isn't so much a question but a challenge. Name one thing you will do for just one day next week in the name of health and commit to it on your blog and to us.
I'll bring my lunch to work and plan better.

5. Whose blog or comment stuck with you the most this week?
All of the comments yesterday for me. I love you guys!