Some of these things people take for granted everyday, but for someone that is morbidly obese like myself  they can be completely out of reach:

1.  Walk without waddling.  DONE, 02/2008
2.  Wash dishes or cook standing up. Done Oct 2007
3.  Stand for over 15 minutes at a time.  DONE
4.  Walk without getting winded.  DONE
5.  Use a regular bathroom-not the handicap one.  DONE
6.  SHop at regular stores for clothing like Target or WalMart, not the speciality shops.  DONE, BOUGHT SOMET THINGS FROM JCPENNY 02/08
7.  Take a shower standing up.  DONE 05/25/07
8.  Get out of the house and not be ashamed to be seen.  DONE
9.  Get out of the house period.  DONE- doing this regularly now.
10.  Sit in a regular chair without fear of it breaking.DONE
11.  Clean my house myself.Done Oct 2007
12.  Sweep, mop and vacuum my floors myself.DONE Oct 2007
13.  Make my bed by myself.  DONE 03/2007
14.  Walk to the end of my driveway and back. Done
15.  Walk at my son's graduation.  DONE 05/19/07
16.  Go the to the movie theater.
17.  Go to  a concert.
18.  Take a walk thru the park.DONE 08/25/07
19.  Walk on the beach.
20.  Go swimming in public.
21.  First of all. put on a bathing suit to be seen in public.
22.  Go to the mall and walk around.
23.  Go shopping with my friends.
24.  Go garage selling  all day.
25.  Get rid of my wheelchair. Trying to find someone that need it!!!
26.  Plant my own flowers in my yard.
27.  Be under 500 lbs.  DONE- 
28.  Be under 400 lbs.  DONE-
29.  Be under 300 lbs. DONE
30.  Be under 200 lbs.
31.  Tie my own shoes.  DONE 02/2008
32.  Be able to put my own socks and shoes on. DONE Oct 2007
33.  Be able to run if I needed to.
34.  Excerise. Doing it now..
35.  Dance without it hurting.
36.  To just go out the door without thinking and planning ahead   about where I am going.   DONE  03/25/07
37.  Wear sexy underwear.
38.  Wear regular shoes, sandals or heels.  DONE 6/2007
39.  Wear pants or shorts again.
40.  Wear a dress above the knees.
41.  Fly on a Plane and not need the seat belt extension
42.  Get a pedicure again
43.  Be social again.  DONE
44.  Eliminate the seat belt extension in my car. DONE  01/01/07
45.  Not be afraid to go places alone. DONE 02/07/07
46.  Walk up and down stairs with no problems.
47.  TO feel sexy and pretty. 
48.  To consider dating again.  DONE 04/2007
49.  LIke having my pictures taken. DONE 04/2007
50.  Be able to take care of myself.
51.  Feel confident. DONE
52.  Not rely on others to do things for me.  DONE
53.  MOw my own yard.
54.  Do my own shopping. DONE
55.  Be able to carry anything, heavier than my purse.  DONE
56.  Wear blue jeans again.  ** DONE NOV 3, 2007
57.  Wear something sleeveless.  DONE 05/2007
58.  Go to a Royals Game.
59.  Go to a Chiefs Game.
60.  Walk into my Surgeon's office.  DONE  04/05/07
61.  Go back to work outside of my home. DONE 08/22/07
62.  Be able to get inside my son's 4x4 pickup truck.
63.  Walk for more than 5 ft, without having to sit down to rest. DONE 04/05/07
64.   Get rid of my high blood pressure medication.
65.   GOt inside a pickup truck and went on a date  DONE 05/05/07
66.   Went on a Date with a MAN.  DONE
67.   Went to the drive in Movies and was able to sit there thru the 
        entire movie.  DONE  04/28/07
68.   Make the trip back home to SE Missouri without any problems.  DONE  05/22/07
69.   ABle to get inside my mother's house, climbing her stairs that do not have hand rails.  DONE  05/23/07
70.  Go to my class reunion for my High School (27 yrs) without being ashamed of being seen.  DONE  05/26/07
71.  Drove back to Kansas from SE Missouri by myself without any problems.  7 hr trip  DONE  05/30/07
72.  Pumped gas in my car all by myself and then walked into the facility to go to the public restroom.   DONE 05/30/07
73.  Walk without using my wheelchair in public-  DONE 07/28/07 walked at the Farmers Market, shopping with my son.  
74. Going on Interviews, trying to get a job outside of my home.  DONE 07/16/07
75.  Wearing smaller clothes that I had purchased prior to my surgery-clothing that fits me, currently wearing size 3X.  DONE  07/2007
76.  Wore a pair of shorts and a Tank Top outside on my deck to get some sun.  DONE 06/2007
77. Walked from Nina's driveway around thru the yard to her backyard, climbed up three steps onto her deck and then into the house.  DONE 08/25/07
78.  Walked from the Car in the parking lot at the Kill Creek Park to the Pavilion across the lawn and down hill for a birthday party for Samantha.  I then had to walk back uphill to the car.  I DID IT without any assistance from anyone.  DONE 08/25/07

I had a fellow Gastric By-Pass patient tell me back in Oct that I would be receiving soon alot of WOW's and OMG's and that I should smile and take the compliments even if I didn't see it myself. that eventually I WOULD.  That day has happened and it is overwhelming.  All these years I have been a yo-yo dieter and unsuccessful at ever reaching my goal weight and giving up on  ever being my ideal weight.  That is starting to change, I am continuously losing weight and shrinking, making it possible for MY EYES to literally see that I am smaller, I am being successful at  losing weight and getting closer to my ideal weight. 

I for the first time ever, have had an onslot of WOW!  LOOK AT YOU.... and OMG's...  that I do not know how to handle it. At first, I thought they all were just being nice and saying that to make me feel better, which I knew deep inside was not the case, but when you are obese, better yet morbidly obese, you don't get many compliments coming your way very often.  I do not take compliments very well, and to hear them directed to me is hard to accept.  I know the scale is indicating the numbers but to feel it on my body that I am smaller is another thing.  It is an awesome feeling to know I am getting there one day at at time.  

Just the other day I was able to wear a dress that I have not been able to even think about wearing, due to it being grossly tight on me.  I slipped that dress on with ease and it hung down over my body and showed no sign of being tight anywhere.  It is just an old demin dress that I have hung onto for who knows why, other than it is already broken it and was at one time very comfortable.  It may not look pretty and has worn out demin in places but it was the beautiful to me, I could wear it again.  That day I had 3 different people said something to me about how much weight I had lost, that I looked great!  They couldn't believe how different I was looking and how happy I was.   Here I am in this ratty, old demin dress that should have been pitched years ago, and I am being told I look great!.   I look great..... ME....  wow!  

I am starting to run into people I have not seen in a long time.  I had become so reclusive that I had detached myself from others, so people I knew had not seen me in awhile.  I am getting out more often now since I am feeling better and losing weight.  I am out there being seen and people are taking notice.  They walk up to me and hug me and say OH MY GOD, look at you, Kim... I can't believe it! I had heard you had your surgery and WOW.... look at you!  HOw much weight have you lost?  It is really  embarrassing  to me since I am not use to this type of response from others.  Over the years it's been negative comments not positive, and all I know to do is smile and say thank you. 

  It is a feeling I can't really describe accurately, because it is so overwhelming to feel so good  finally about myself.  What is bizzarre is I am not any where near my goal weight, I have over 200 lbs yet to lose and people are reacting to me like this now, lord only knows what will happen when I lose another 100 lbs..  I can't wait to get there.. THANKS to all of you who are making my day, making me feel like a million bucks, for  giving me my WOW's and OMG's.  THanks from the bottom of my heart.   KIM 

Oh my goodness!  Today I walked into Dr K's office for my monthly check up.  I WALKED!!  I normally have someone go with me and I usually have to rely on my wheelchair to get around due to not being able to walk any distance or to stand any length of time.  I went to my appt alone and I WALKED into the office and did not use my wheelchair!   THis is a huge accomplishment for me.   I did it without any problems.  I did pray and ask GOD to help me and to hold my hand.  It was as though I had never had any problems before with walking.  It was weird to see things from that height outside of my home and other places I am familiar with.  I felt 10 ft tall ( of course I am only 5'4 and no where near 10 ft) LOL 

  I also lost 22 lbs and I am blown away at the numbers.  I am shrinking and for the first time in who knows when I feel good about myself and I am starting to like myself.  I look at some of those recent pics that I just posted that my sister took this week and I actually like what I am seeing for the first time in a very long time.  I do not see a freak, a loser or this ugly fat gal.  I see ME (KIM)... someone who is moving forward, something positive,  I see happiness, hope, and success.   

THis surgery is the best thing I could have ever done for myself.  I look at what I am able to do now, and I am no where near my goal weight, I still have over 200 lbs to lose and I will do it.  The tiny bit of freedom and self confidence I have at this point is huge and enough to keep me moving forward and to think ahead at what I have to look forward to next year.  I can only imagine what I will be capable of doing this time next year.  I look forward to that day and nothing will keep me from getting there.   They want me to walk and not use my wheelchair,, no problem, done, get more exercise, done.  WHat ever it takes to get there. I will NEVER go back to what I was before. 

   I hope my experience can help someone who is considering the surgery and just not sure.  Yes you can!  Invest in your health, otherwise you know you will do like I did, gain more weight, become more miserable, depressed and immobile, relying on others for the everything.  Take the steps and go visit a seminar and ask questions,  and never give up even if your insurance denys you..  Obesity is an illness and the sooner people accept that and acknowledge it, the sooner others can get the help they need.    Regardless of what size you are and how padded you might be, we all have a beating heart, we all have feeling that can be hurt and deserve to be respected as an individual.   BE kind to people regardless of their size, show some empathy toward others.   

Kim