Fairly new guy checking in

Okay, men. I saw the posts from Brian, exhorting us men to come on over and start participating. So here I am. I am four months post op. I am almost a geezer at 58 years old. I know nothing about professional sports. When some of you all are watching the game, I am in the man cave reloading ammunition for my next range trip. Other hobbies include shooting, casting bullets, leather working, and reading sci fi. I also like to cook. I thought that might be a thing of the past, but it is just changing. So hello to all who haven't seen me hanging around in the other forums. 

Howdy from East Texas!

I have carried a .45 ACP for over 20 years of Law Enforcement.   Started on a Glock 19 9mm then transitioned to a 1911 for both on and off duty.  Had a single stack Beretta .380 for off duty at one point but opted to keep a second 1911 for that now. 

Be sure become a regular for the Sunday Weigh-In!

I've been a .45 ACP guy for many, many years. One time our youngest daughter was home alone (as an adult) while we were traveling. She told me she had heard some noises one night, so she got one of the guns out of the pistol safe. Out of curiosity, I asked which one she chose. She said, "I grabbed the .45 Daddy."

"They're all .45s!"

"Oh!"

She had shot them all, and was familiar with them enough to use any of them, but had never thought about the caliber. 

I normally weigh myself on Sundays anyway, so I will be sure to pay attention. 

Oh yeah, I'm in PA. We have a town called East Texas about 20 minutes from where I live. 

Greetings LilBill, and all,

I am fairly new too.  I saw the post also and figured I should stop here more often.  Bill, I am not nearly as old as you, I am 56 :-)  Hobbies are the outdoors, camping which I don't do nearly enough, cooking, computers, and electronics.  I am not a hunter, but I can cook up a lot of venison and other game.  My older brother is an avid hunter and his wife and my wife won't eat game, so we get together and cook out with our buddies.  I am very happy as just recently I have been able to eat venison smokies!   I'm hoping to have questions answered as I progress and answer questions where I can.  I was sleeved 11/28/2016 In Cleveland, OH.  So greetings to all!

Whippersnapper!   Camping around here is a relative term. Mrs. LittleBillJr grew up camping in hotels. I grew up carrying everything I needed. We compromised with a pop up for many years. I anticipate doing some of the more primitive stuff again as my grandsons get older though. 

I don't hunt anymore either. It is too scary in the wood with all the city people around here. We're in the sticks, but here is where they come to shoot at anything and everything. I do enjoy wild game meat whenever possible - except bear.  I wasn't really fond of bear. 

I was born in Cleveland, but we moved within months, so I don't recall much about the place. 

I only like bear as sausage. It just isn't enjoyable otherwise. Hunting is at least reasonably safe in Oregon. If you like looking at does and squirrels while wishing for bucks and bulls then this is the place for you! 

I've never had opportunity to try bear sausage. This was a roast, without a lot done to it. That might have been the issue too. 

I and many men here had the RNY surgery.  We have a little pouch and have very little stomach juices.  Food pretty quickly goes into our small intestine.  Because of the lack of break down of the food; pork, deer, and bear can be the hardest food for RNYers to digest.  VSG...You have a lot more freedom.  Brian

Was there a VSG choice in 2006?  I went to a seminar about 10 years ago and they talked about the lap band, but I decided not to do it.  Then last year my Gastro doc told me about VSG just before I was due for another colonoscopy.  That is when I started to look into it.

Just curious why people got the type of WLS they did.

-Bob

Bob, what I am about to tell you is only me speaking.  People can and do get into huge KNOCK OUT DRAG OUT FIGHTS concerning which surgery is best...And for what reason.  If you ask this question on the General Discussion Board you will see what I mean.

This is just me and over 10 years ago.  About 11 years ago my cardiologist told me I have congestive heart failure.  My heart was pumping at 35% (injection/fraction rate).  I was dying.  I needed to move quickly if I wanted to live long.  I went quickly to get my RNY...Paid cash (about $23,000) and had the procedure done.  I was 50 years old and about 300 pounds (see photos on my cabin111 page).  My doctor didn't do the VSG at that time.  The VSG was being done more in Europe than in the US during those days.  I know I didn't want the lap band.  Also the internet was dial up at that time.  It was really hard to find current information.  But looking back it still is the surgery (for me and me only) that suited me the best.  I also had IBS...I would have had the surgery to relieve the IBS for that reason only.  It did work for the IBS and the weight loss.  It also improved my heart.  I went to the top 5% for my age group in injection/fraction and on the treadmill.

Concerning which surgery is best...I say ask on all the forums here...VSG, RNY, DS, General Discussion...You can even ask here on another thread.  I would not consider the Lap Band...It has shown to have too many problems over the years.  Also your surgeon (with all your information) would be able to guide you into which surgery should be best for you and why.  I'll just leave it at that.  Big time battles go flying on choice of surgery...We are more of a support group here.  We'll give our input, but we tend to accept each other's choices they have made or will make...Brian