HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO ME !! Hard to believe I'm going to be 34 on Sunday (Wow - guess that's tomorrow now, eh? *lol*) or that I've been on OH this long, but time does fly! I'm just freakin' grateful and happy to have lived this long and still be here! Well anyway, on with the update!

I plateaued, as I may have mentioned, at around 267 lbs. for the LONGEST time after surgery not quite 4 years ago. Then one of my biggest fears was realized - I regained around 35 lbs!!  Yes, I was over 300 lbs again, and it didn't seem like I was ever going lose again. But lo and behold, I've somehow managed to do it. And I hate to say it, but I've really not been doing much differently. Only change has been a decrease in appetite thanks to the Topamax I've been on since April. It can have the pleasant (well - in my case, it is pleasant! *lol*) side effect of decreasing one's appetite, and be it a psychosomatic thing or a true, honest-to-goodness side effect, I've just not been eating as much. The result? I'm down from 301 lbs to 268 lbs since late April ! As an early birthday gift today, my mom bought me a Bali bra - size 44DD... Let me back-track for a moment.

About 2 weeks ago, I purchased a size 46DD bra (so I can pull in all the post-op "leftovers" - I think many of you know what I mean by that! ) from Lane Bryant, thinking "This should fit perfectly!", as the 48D I'd been wearing had become, um - a bit LARGE? Well, guess what? The 46DD was too big, too! So upon sharing this with mom, she journeys out to Belk today and buys the 44DD Bali. I looked at this thing and told her, "Well, if I CAN wear it, it'll be a festivus miracle. I can't remember the last time I've worn a bra that wasn't from Lane Bryant, let alone a 44." So she left it with me, and I braced myself to try it on a couple of hours later. As I was undressing, I told my husband, "You know, I think the last time I wore a 44DD, I was in my early to mid twenties. This should be interesting." Well, I'll be damned - the S.O.B. FIT !!! I thought I'd fall out - a size 44 Bali bra fit ME! And it wasn't uncomfortable! I just needed Rory to help me with some strap adjustment, but otherwise, it fit great! Talk about a self-esteem booster! So now I have bras ranging in size from 44 - 50! *lmao*

Also in the past couple of weeks, I've gotten some size 2X tops from Dillards and even a 2X "Pirates of the Caribbean" night tee from Walmart. I sure don't  mind Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow sleeping with me at night! What really blew my mind, though, and made me break down in a little "happy cry" (though I know sizes vary and this would NEVER fly over at Lane Bryant!) was when my mom bought me a pair of 22/24 capris from Walmart that were a bit big in the belly. Not TOO bad, mind you, but big. So she had to, of course, run back and get a pair in 18/20 "just to try" - they FIT ! I've not worn ANYTHING in the "teens" in over 10 years, from Walmart or anywhere. So I was thrilled to bits over this achievement. 

Just do me a favor, dear friends - keep your fingers crossed that this trend of success continues for me. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers, and I'll do the same for you!!!  

Oh, and yes - I AM GOING TO HAVE CAKE!!!