Read Please

I was going through recent profile updates and came across this. I thought it was such a strong careing plea for those of us who are at a place where we can make sure that this doesn't end up being us. 07/07/06 - IMPORTANT!!! PLEASE READ!!! A MESSAGE TO ALL: A year after my weight loss surgery I had lost 110 pounds & was just 20 - 25 pounds away from my goal weight. I never reached my goal & have since gained back 70 pounds. Whoever you are, you have got to do it! And, make sure to maintain it maintain it! Or, you will regret it for the rest of your life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I know this first-hand!) I am as serious as a heart-attack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you need motivation, I'll gladly send you my before weight loss surgery photo, my 1 year post-op photo [my lowest weight], and my current photo!!!!!!! I beat myself up about this everyday! I am ashamed & embarrassed to see family & friends who knew about my surgery & saw me at my lowest weight. I went through major, life-threatening surgery & a painful recovery. I have a 9-inch vertical incision scar with 23 staple scars on my abdomin from this surgery. I got a large abdominal hernia along my WLS incision requiring a 10" X 12" gortex patch! This also was a very painful recovery. Still, it would have all been worth it, if I had kept the weight off. Instead, these scars are a constant reminder of my failure. I actually out-ate my WLS! I emplore all of you to NEVER give up!!!! If only I could go back to being one year post-op, knowing what I know now!!!!! I would have stuck to my post-op eating regimen religiously!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take heed!!!! Please don't make the same [extremely emotionally] painful mistake that I did!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want anyone, especially you, to have to experience what I do on a daily basis, because I care. If my advice can help at least one person, then at least my suffering will have not been in vain. To your health, Kathy =^..^= P.S. - Again, I'm as serious as a heart-attack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hazel

OUCH!!! That was a huge slap in the face with reality huh?? Thanks for posting that Hazel. Dawn

A very real scary thought that it could be anyone of us who do not make the right decisions!! Thanks Hazel, that is a real eye opener. Take care of you. Steph

Thanks for the post Hazel..... I have much to think about it. What do you need to do to gain all that weight again after feeling so succesfull???? Alex

Thanks for posting this Hazel. I hope it's a wake up call to everyone that WLS isn't a magic pill. We will have to keep working at this in order to keep what we are getting. I feel so bad for Kathy Thanks again, Ronna

Thanks for posting that, Hazel! That very thing scares me everyday. I have failed at every diet and I'm afraid I'll fail at this too. I weigh myself everday and if the scale goes up one pound I eat only a salad that day. I'm losing weight slower than most on here anyway so it's even scarrier for me. I've really been having a hard time dealing with head hunger lately..I want to eat all the time.. NOT GOOD. Anna

Thank you Hazel, I think I needed to see that. It has been my experience in life that once I get down to a decent weight I feel like " I'm not FAT so why should I diet all the time". Well here is the answer.

Thanks Hazel! Wow what a wake up call and like Dawn said a slap in the face back to reality. Thanks again for posting it. Suzette

Thanks Hazel, This was a good post. It shows that the decision is up to "you" We were all told before surgery that this was not a permantent fix. This is only a tool to help us. I think about that all the time. I am doing so terrible with my eating. Today I had a cherry, a protein latte, a protein coffee and a piece of cheese and a bite of one of the kid's cheese sandwich. What the heck????????????????? God Bless, Jen