I am working on a holiday project for Marine Recruits who are sick or injured and having to spend time in Medical Rehab Platoon. Many of the recruits don't know if they will get sent home or they will get to see their dream come true. Below is a letter if you can read it and help out that would be great. Thanks, Jenn I am with a group call Marine Moms Online (MMO). We are an Internet support group for thousands of families of the Marine Corps. Each holiday season we turn our attention to sick and injured recruits at the Training Depots in both San Diego and Parris Island . These young men and women, approx 750, have been removed from regular training and will be in the Special Training Company (STC) over the holiday season. On Christmas morning MMO delivers a patriotic holiday stocking to each of these recruits. The stockings are filled with items that have been donated from various sources. In the stockings the recruits receive phone cards, envelopes, stamps, note pads and pens. But the key "gift" in this stocking is a bundle of letters that we collect from children all over the country. Last year each recruit had 12 letters in their stocking. That is over 8000 letters! Our goal is to bring cheer to these special recruits on Christmas Day and to show them how much we support them and stand behind their determination to become a United States Marine. And you can be part of that impact - in a very simple way! Would you please help by collecting letters and/or drawings from children of all ages? The subject can be patriotic, holiday wishes, or even a simple thank you for serving our county. It can be from schools, Sunday schools, clubs, and just your own kids. The end result is letters. However you decide is the best way for your class or school to participate is greatly appreciated. Following are simple guidelines for the letters. - Notes, letter, pictures and cards accepted. - Salutation should be "Dear Recruit" - Envelope for each letter/drawing is not necessary - send it all in one package to the address below. - NO personal return addresses. - Mark the back of each note with a classroom sticker or stamp with the school address, if they desire possible responses from recruits. Please mail your letters to arrive by December 5, 2007 to this address: MMO Holiday Project c/o The Avery’s

I was banded in 2005, this past June I started having frequent vomiting. I was in the process of moving and thought this was r/t stress. Well finally got sick of all the vomiting and found a surgeon in Anchorage. He with drew the fluid in the band and did an X-Ray. Removal of the fluid didn't seem to make any difference, the doctor called today to say that "the x-ray show a high probability of band slippage". So now I have to have an upper GI. My problem is I had acute coronary syndrom and had a stent placed in Aug. so now I can't have surgery to fix the band for six months.  Has anyone had a band slip? Is the repair similar to the band placement, do they put in a new band? Anyone know?

Gail