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In 3 days it will be 6 months since surgery.  January 6th 2010 is a milestone for me.  I could not be happier with my progress.  I am down to 164lbs.  Amazing.  I truly could not envision reaching this weight.  I have to do a double take when I look at the scale. 82 pounds of weight makes a huge difference in my health.  I feel so much better have  more energy. It is second nature now to take my vitamins, calcium and iron pills daily and give myself a B-12 shot once a month.  I have been very fortunate other than some stomach acid problems in the beginning which the doctors put me on the right medication for immediately.  And has since resolved I have had a fairly well adjustment to my new lifestyle.  I have only dumped one time a couple of months ago and learned my lesson from that.   Certain foods make me need to lie down and take a nap then I feel better.  That does not happen often though.  It also teaches me to stay away from them.  I haven't had the sugar problems most have either.  Knock on wood.  The weight just slowely melts off it is truly amazing.  I sit in a chair and there is room for another person.  You really get use to doing things differently.  No eating and drinking together.  Eat off of saucers instead of a dinner plate, teaspoons are your friend and really small bowls.  Create you own table place setting  buy cute little pieces just for you and use them when you set the dinner table. 
Good luck to everyone with their own progress towards a healthier, happier life.

I have changed so much in the last 14 weeks.  Sometimes I walk past the mirror and do a double take because I look so different.  I have reached 190 lbs yey.  At this point I feel like I can go out in be social in a restaurant and it is OK and not awkward for me.  At this point there are very few choices on a menu to choose from but you learn to navigate it.  So much of menu's  choices are fried or pasta or breaded.  I love trying new restaurants now because you might find more healthy choices to choose from.  I never noticed this before the surgery.  I still do not like to order a meal since I know I can not even make a dent in it.  But soup, salad,  and the appetizers (though a lot of appetizers are fried)  offer some choices no matter where you go.   It is funny when they ask you what would you like to drink and I say no thank you.  They are puzzled the rest of the time I am there.  Eating has very much been a social thing for me and I have missed lunching with girlfriends.  But I have made the adjustments to this new lifestyle and come to realize I can still have an enjoyable time without all of the food.  Sometimes I just order a glass of juice and enjoy that while everyone else eats.  And that is OK.  You have to make changes that will last a lifetime if you want to succeed post surgery.
On a good note I am off all my pre surgery medications. I have gone from a 24 to a 14 in pants, a 2x or 3x to a large in shirts and from a 9 wide to a regular 8 in shoes.  I have so much more energy now.  And I love seeing extra space on a chair when I sit now, it is a great feeling.  I am so glad I had this surgery for myself.  Every day it gets better and better.

It is a happy Labor day for me.  I am down to 202lbs.  44lbs gone.  Just like that.  I seem to be losing it 2 by 2 by 2 but I probaly gained it 2lbs at a time also.  So things are going well it is great to be back to normal foods no more liquids or mush.  The first 6-7 weeks are not easy it is a huge adjustment.  But I am settling into the routine and you do get use to it.  Now I have to really start excercising and add that to my routine. I have been walking for weeks but I mean more than that.
Clothes are falling off and sizes dropping regularly.

It has been 2 weeks today and I am now 20lbs lighter.  I haven't written as much as I wanted to post surgery.  Things have been very busy around here.  My best friend's mother past this past week and that has kept me pretty busy.  As well as in the kitchen cooking for their family.  One of the things I was worried about post surgery was how I would feel about cooking since I am not participating in the eating part.  But as it turns out I am OK.  I still love to cook and that has always been a huge part of me. Holidays, birthdays, events and family functions I am the caterer.  The best part is that I do not feel any sort of hunger at all and have not since before surgery.  The hard part was not taste testing to see if everything was OK but my son handled that job for me.

On another note it is an adjustment to master a protein driven diet.  And to find food choices in this pureed stage of recovery.  I have the liquids down.  Just keep sipping.  A tip: Do not bring the liquids to the table it will help you to remember to not drink while eating.  Ta Ta for now till the next time.

Yey I did it.  It has been 1  week  today since surgery.  Everything went well out of the hospital in 2 days.  The pain is not that bad have not had to take any pain pills since coming home.  But I so needed it in the hospital. I slept alot the first couple of days home by Saturday was getting around alot better.  The hard part is getting all of your fluids in.  It takes so long to drink a bottle of water but you feel better after you have.  Last night I slept pretty ggod and this morning I finally feel pretty normal for the first time,  until I am reminded byI rubbing my stomach and feel all of my little bandages.   well that is it for so much to tell but I will later on on.

Well everyone July 6th is finally here.  And I am off to the hospital.  Thank you all for your support.  I will update soon.

The subway commercial has been running through my head all day today but instead of 5 5 dollar foot long mine is 5 5 days till surgery. LOL  I would say last week I was a little worried here and there running through what ifs in my mind.  Also making sure all the paperwork is straight and in place just in case something were to not go so well.  Unfortunately  we have to consider these things as this is a major surgery.  But now that the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed I have mentally moved on to sheer excitement.  I may seem fairly calm on the outside but man on the inside I am bouncing around like a little kid this week . Every minute of every day and even in my dreams I am thinking of next Monday. 
I count down like every hour every meal this week is the last one for that day that I will have the same way ever again. 
Yet at the same time I am so busy with everyday life and preparations for before, during and after surgery.  I am stocked up on my multi-vitimans, calcium, and protein for after I come home.  And my girlfriend gave my agood idea for after she said go buy yourself  a good thick plush bathroom rug since you will be spend more time in the bathroom  with the ever avoidable dumping.

Well here begins my journal.  I have 11 days to go before surgery only nine till the lovely bowel prep and liquid diet.  So looking forward to that.   Through the whole waiting to get approved process I was constantly wondering and worrying will it happen what else could they possibly want me to do that I haven't done already. Then the magic phone call came saying yes your approved and wham a flood of emotions poured out of me I was crying happy tears.  After that day though a calmness just took over and and a weight was lifted and a peacefulness settled over me.  Then a couple of days later wam more paperwork, appointments, pre-op tests and  phone calls bam bam bam back on the busy rollercoster that had been the last 6 months.  But definitely for a good reason we had a date July 6th 2009 to look forward to  so a smile has been on my face.
I have been pretty busy this last month.  Meetings and appointments.  Getting everything ready at home, shopping for my pre and post diet, wading through all of the information about the supplements needed and ordering them. Now here I am 11 days to go and it is sinking in that this is finally going to happen not just a hope and dream anymore it is really happening.  It is so exciting and sobering at the same time.  There are so many changes that come with this and trying to learn them all at once is quite a task, but, I am up for the challenge and the prospect of a healthier happier life is a great incentive.