Without getting into long stories, in addition to my weight issues, I have dealt with panic attacks and depression for most of my life.  My panic attacks turned into agoraphobia.  There was a time when I couldn't go outside of a 7 mile radius.  As I gained more weight, it became easier and easier to just stay home.  When I decided to have gastric bypass, the biggest hurdle I had to overcome was that the surgeon was 30 miles from my house and the hospital was 35 miles away.  As some of you remember I chickened out of my pre op testing because of the distance and the fact that I had to go up 5 floors in an elevator.  I seriously wasn't as nervous about the complications of the surgery was much as I was the panic attacks I was afraid of having being that far out of my comfort zone.  God was so good to me during that time and saw me through everything. 

This last weekend I took my kids on vacation to Virginia.  We were gone from Friday morning until Monday night.  It was incredible.  I have not left New York State in 30 years.  Not only did we go, but because of the weight loss, I was actually able to enjoy myself.  I can't tell you how excited I am about this surgery and how God has used this in my life.

AS YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN FEELING VERY DISCOURAGED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT LOSS THAT I HAVE HAD SINCE SURGERY.  I LOST 14 POUNDS THE FIRST WEEK AND NOTHING SINCE.  WELL, SO I THOUGHT.  I FINALLY BROKE DOWN AND CALLED THE DOCTOR TODAY.  THE FIRST THING THEY TOLD ME WAS STOP STEPPING ON THE SCALE.  IT SHOULD BE A TREAT NOT AN EVERYDAY THING.  SECOND IS I AM NOT EATING ENOUGH FOOD AND HAVE PUT MYSELF IN STARVATION MODE.  I AM PRETTY SURE THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE TELL ME I'M NOT EATING ENOUGH.  THEY TOLD ME TO EAT A LITTLE SOMETHING EVERY TWO HOURS TO GET OUT OF STARVATION MODE, AND GO GET WEIGHED AT THE DOCTOR.  WHEN I DID INSTEAD OF ONLY BEING DOWN 14 POUNDS I AM DOWN 26 POUNDS.  I WAS WEIGHED 2 DAYS BEFORE SURGERY. 

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY GIVING ME ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE SAME INFORMATION MY DOCTOR TOLD ME TODAY.  I SHOULD HAVE JUST LISTENED TO YOU GUYS AND STOPPED WORRYING.

I AM ONE MONTH OUT.  I AM DOWN TOTAL OF 42 POUNDS BUT THAT BREAKS DOWN AT 27 POUNDS PRE-OP AND 15 POUNDS POST OP.  I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM DISAPPOINTED AT THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THAT I HAVE LOST.  I LOST 14 POUNDS THE FIRST WEEK.  THE DOCTOR SAID THAT I AM RIGHT ON TRACK BUT TIME WILL TELL I GUESS.  IT SEEMS LIKE I HAVE SO FAR TO GO.  WELL I WILL JUST KEEP ON GOING.

WELL I AM 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS POST OP.  I AM SO DISCOURAGED I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.  I LOST 14 POUNDS THE FIRST WEEK AFTER MY SURGERY AND HAVE NOT LOST ANYTHING SINCE.  I KEEP GAINING AND LOSING THE SAME 2 POUNDS ALL THE TIME.  I WAS HAVING SOME TROUBLE GOING TO THE BATHROOM, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMEWHAT RESOLVED.  I KNOW I'M NOT OVEREATING IF ANYTHING I CAN'T POSSIBLE BE EATING MORE THAN LIKE 600 CALORIES A DAY.  I THINK I'M LOSING INCHES BUT NOT FOR SURE.  I NEEDED THIS SURGERY SO BADLY AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO HELP IF I DON'T LOSE ANY WEIGHT. 

I AM HOME FROM SURGERY.  PRAISE GOD.  HE HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME.  I AM DOING EVERYTHING I'M SUPPPOSED TO AND I AM DOWN 4 POUNDS ALREADY.