For private reasons, I went away, not on purpose, just seemed like I slowly went away, from not posting much, then checking on every once in a while and finally not posting at all.  Not sure how it happened, but it seemed like the more my personal problems grew the less I came for support, probably when I should have been coming here even more. 

I didn't do my 2 year bloodwork, I just kept forgetting that it needed to be done.  Now it's been almost 4 years, I am sure my surgeon has marked me off as non-compliant.  I didn't want to be non-compliant.  I still watch everything I eat, I walk and exercise.  I get all my liquids on, I take my vitamins.  Iv've maintained my weight for almost 2 years!!  But I stopped checking in with my surgeon and nurse.  I kept thinking I will do it when I am done doing this, then when I was finished with whatever I was doing I would forget that I needed to call them.  A few days went by, then weeks, months and now 2 years. 

I am going to make it my goal to contact them, get my labwork done and get back in to seeing my surgeon. 
Then I am going to work on going back to the monthly support group meetings in Little Rock, and start posting on the AR forum again. 

And in all this, I am going to be working on my personal problems. 

So to all my friends on OH, I am sorry if I just disappeared, I didn't mean to, it just happened, and I hope to speak to everyone again.

This past year went by so much more quicker than the first.  I hate to admit, but I didn't really accomplish much the second year.  I didn't exercise as much as I should have.  I haven't lost any weight, and have 50 more to go.  I have to wonder how much of that 50 is skin and fat.  Most of my body is where I think it should be except my hanging belly.  Yeah its much smaller than 200lbs ago, but I still have a belly.  I have a 14/16 top but an 18/20 bottom because of this hanging belly.  I have looked a little into liposuction, wondering if just getting this fat sucked out would fix the problem.  Perhaps some situps would do it.  But my back is to messed up to really do that, and walking just keeps the bottom half of me in shape not the belly. 

I started doing TaoBo again, maybe that will help.  I really hate to go into my 2 year post-op appt weighing pretty much the same as I did the 1st year appt.  But even though the scale says the same number, my body in the mirror (and clothes size) say something completely different.  I wasn't wearing this size last year, and I look thinner all around than last year. 

Hanging on the wall is my pre-op photo taken at my surgeons office, and next to it is my 1 year post-op photo taken in the same spot at my surgeons office.  Well there is a big difference between the two, but looking at my pic from a few months ago there is a big difference between now and 1 year ago. 

Hmm, guess I have mucles in places I didn't have before, and perhaps that may account for some of the reason I weigh the same but don't look the same.  I will try to update in a few weeks how the weight and look goes working out with Billy Blanks with my TaoBo for over 40.  I will work up to doing the beginners and then which is next after that but I decided the over40 one would be best considering all my back troubles.

Seems that weighing 400 lbs did damage to my spine, my sacrum is pushed out slightly and my hip is crooked.  Instead of it being horizontally straight like it should be mine is a bit diagonal, I guess is how to put it, as well as the spine or neck bones in my neck are not right, but I don't know what the medical word or anything for that is.  And one leg is shorter than the rest but I am wearing inserts in my right shoe to help balance it all out. But I am going to the chiro 3 times a week.  He does what he can and hopefully in time, things will work their self back out right.  I don't want to be taking serious narcotics forever, and as it is I have been taking them for almost 3 years now. 

Well sorry for not updating in a few months and I will update again soon.

I took this same pic right before I had my surgery.  I went and spent the weekend in Tunica the last weekend of January first weekend of February.  You can really see the difference in my the way I look! 

Well I am just over a year post-op.  I have lost "almost" 200 pounds.  So many great things have happened to me in the last 365 days.  Many triumphs, many goals, many new things.  Also many hurdles, many setbacks, many mess ups.  All learning experiences. 

But I am sure you all would rather see the changes and not read about them, hehe.  So I will cut to the chase and post a before pic and a now pic.
They may not be crystal clear.  I use my cellphone for all my picture taking needs, so they don't always come out perfect.

My roomie took this of me in front of the bathroom a week or so ago.  I have gotten to wear I mostly wear button up shirts now instead of the t-shirts.  I seem to like the button up shirts.  I am now wearing XL (sometimes a L depending on brand and such) in shirts and a 20 (sometimes 22) in jeans.  The other day I bought my first pair of jean shorts, I them at Cato's on sale.  They right to my knee, and have little knotches in the side, and their black and cute.  I also tried on other clothes that I haven't worn before, but since I didn't have to much money I only bought the jean shorts and also some metal bracelets on sale and some rings on sale (only like .99 cents for the bracelets and also .99 cents for the rings). 

So here I am in light blue jeans and a button up shirt.


And also since it has been a LONG while since I posted a pic of me in my post op jammies, I will post another one, this is for 10 months.