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Goals

Dress, look and FEEL sexy for my husband and myself

15 People
 in progress, 
3 People
 achieved this

Get down to 150 by my birthday 8/18/2008!

0 People
 in progress, 
1 Person
 achieved this

weigh less than my husband

380 People
 in progress, 
408 People
 achieved this

go out in public without being ashamed of how I look

71 People
 in progress, 
32 People
 achieved this
View The Goals Page
Surgeon Testimonial

Jonathon Spitz, M.D.
Dr. Spitz is simply fantastic! I actually went to three surgeons in my area so I could choose the one with whom I felt most comfortable. I never had surgery before and was pretty terrified before and after speaking with the other two. After speaking with Dr. Spitz and his staff, I felt totally at ease. He, along with his staff, explained everything to me step by step in a way that was more personal than medical. Instead of sticking solely with doctor-speak, he made things easy to understand and I knew choosing him was the right decision for me within just a few minutes of talking to him. When I left the first appointment, I was actually excited about the surgery instead of terrified like I had been after talking to the other surgeons. rnrnCentral Dupage Hospital has a good aftercare program and they have support group meetings and exercise classes at Wheaton Sport Center. The only negative I can think of is that I have had quite a long wait for my appointments (one time I was sitting in the waiting area for over an hour), despite arriving a few minutes early each time. I hardly think that's a reason to pass up such a great doctor. He and his staff are really fabulous!
CariH's Journey

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Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I tried so many times (basically throughout my entire adult life and much of my teen years) to lose weight, only to gain it back plus a few extra each time. It seemed like a downward spiral. The harder I tried, the more it hurt to gain it back. I could never have a normal relationship with food. As much as I loved it, I hated it at least ten times more. It seemed like I was never full, so eating small portions of healthy food always turned into me being starving and grumpy. I would end up pigging out, usually starting with healthy food, and then progressing into things like chips and cookies because they're easy snacks to grab in a rush. I would try so hard and it would all go downhill after I got to a point where I was just plain sick of feeling hungry all the...
Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by judyanne on 11/2/07 8:17 pm
    Monday is your day! Just remember you are on the journey of a lifetime. Try to enjoy every minute. It may sound weird now, but know that you are cared for and prayed for here, and all too soon this will be but a memory and you will be an inspiration to someone else. I am waiting for you on the losers' bench!
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CariH's Blog
CariH's Blog


R & R Forum Gone? YAY!
on December 4, 2011 9:24 pm
That forum was the main reason I lost interest.  I know it's easy enough to not go there, but the same jerks that frequented that forum tended to spread their idiocy through other forums as well.  It looks like I'll be around more! :)
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Been over a year....
on November 6, 2011 7:42 am
I haven't posted here in over a year now, and I didn't even realize it.  I never had a huge presence on here, but I checked it at least daily for a while.  It seems that I've become one of the people who simply want my "fat life" to be a thing of the past and coming here only seemed to reinforce that I was always the fat chick.  Now that I'm not, I really don't like to think about it and OH became a part of that past.  I made a few friends here who also became part of that past.  I did not intend for that to happen and am sorry for alienating people, but I really don't want to dwell on the past, because it really was not a happy time for me.  I like who I am now and constantly reliving my miserable years does nothing for me.  Maybe it inspires some people to keep going, but it only proves to drag me down.  I still check up on things here from time to time (mostly recipes and workout tips), but don't see myself becoming as active as I once was.  If anyone is looking for an update on my weight loss, I am 4 years out and went from 252 on my surgery date to hovering between 120 and 125 now.  I stay healthy, though I likely eat more than I should.  I am active, which I think has kept me from gaining despite what I said in the previous sentence.  Though I don't look great naked (a little saggy and baggy), I feel good and you'd never know when I'm clothed that I have excess skin in some spots.  My husband doesn't seem to care and it doesn't bother me enough for plastic surgery to be a priority right now.  If it becomes an issue for me, maybe I'll go that route in the future, but right now I am happy and have too much on my plate to think about my saggy belly or droopy thighs all that much.  I have a daughter who is turning 5 next month, am in law school, and have nothing to complain about.  If I could do it all over again, I'd definitely have WLS.  It has changed my life.  I just like to live in the now instead of dwelling on the past when the past was such a miserable time for me.  

Anyway, I got an email from OH asking me to update my profile since it's my surgiversary, so there you go.  I haven't regained, went from 252 to around 120, size 20-something to size 3 or 5, developed the confidence to LIVE my life instead of just existing within it, and am a considerably happier person now.  If you have any questions or anything for me, feel free to ask them.  I do check things here somewhat regularly.  I just don't spend a ton of time here anymore.  I will get back to you though.  I promise! :)  
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It's been a while.
on August 30, 2010 8:34 pm
I haven't been around much for the past couple of years due to a variety of things, but I'm back now and really need to get back on track!
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Dogs need love too.
on March 27, 2008 6:28 pm

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My Story

I have been overweight almost all of my life.  I was a pretty normal-sized kid until I started elementary school.  By third grade or so, I was the chubby kid that all the parents thought was cute.  They would say things like, "She's going to be so pretty when she's older and loses that baby fat."  In junior high, I was in tons of sports and a highly active kid.  Despite that, I still managed to be a little fattie.  By high school, I was no longer the chubby kid...I was the fat girl.  I was never huge in high school, but I was at least 50 lbs above what I should have been. 

Throughout high school, my weight went up and down depending on whatever unhealthy "diet" choice I had made that particular month.  I would go for long stretches living on cigarettes and coffee.  Now I can't stand either of those, but it seemed like the only way I had any success losing weight when I so desperately wanted to fit in.  I'm not sure what made me realize that I was going about things all wrong, but I came to that conclusion sometime around the end of high school.  I gave up the Marlboro and coffee diet and tried to move towards a healthier lifestyle.  It seemed like no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't be able to lose more than a little bit of weight at a time. 

After high school, I decided to move to Hawaii.  I had no car there and was forced to either take The Bus or rollerblade (or walk, but it was a little far to be walking everyday) to work.  The bus route I lived on wasn't the greatest, and was often late, so I opted to rollerblade most of the time.  I was lucky enough to find work in a "healthy living" store.  It was the best job I ever had.  I lost some weight working there and rollerblading 5 days a week, but never could break the 180 barrier.  I'm pretty short, so that's not even close to my ideal weight.  I was also at my happiest out there, but due to an unfortunate family situation, I was forced to return.  Since I didn't know how long my trip back to the Midwest would be, I couldn't really expect my roommate to wait for me to return.  It's an expensive move, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to afford to go back for a while (assuming I was in the Midwest for more than a few weeks, which was quite likely). 

Needless to say, I'm still in the Midwest (5 years later), and really hope to have the financial means to move back to Hawaii someday.  I have a husband and a daughter now, so it will take considerably more planning than the first time around, but I know I'll be able to eventually. 

With regard to weight loss, I decided to have the lap RNY after trying so hard (sometimes in healthy ways and sometimes not) to lose weight for essentially my entire life.  I'm really glad that I took that step.