Ms. Ruth, wow you look amazing lady....congratulations...tomorrow is your anniversary, can you believe it, a year already . You've had a great year lady....I remember you early out saying you were a slow loser, goes to show everyone that no matter how fast or slow the weight comes off......we all get there in our own time. Congrats on getting below your surgeon's goal. What is the latest on PS for you? Hugs, Dana

Hi Deb, congratulations on a wonderful year, Happy Anniversary to You. May you continue to experience the joys and victories you've had in 2005. Hope your 2006 finds you in continued good health. Best wishes, Dana

Hi Friends, someone on the Texas Message board copied this from another WLS group she is in and I wanted to share it......really puts this journey in perspective....that life goes on but our decisions will affect the outcome....let's remember the honeymoon period was the quick weight loss, now the rest is up to us and using our tool wisely. Hope you enjoy! Dana The Housekeeper One day you discover that you've won a huge mansion and with it comes a live-in housekeeper who will reside there and keep that mansion perfectly clean for about a year. Wow, how lucky you think you are! This huge home, it never gets messy, no matter what. Even if you don't see the housekeeper (she/he) is constantly right there to clean up any mess, intentional or otherwise. Neato! You are in bliss because your surroundings are so impeccible that it doesn't even occur to you after a while that your huge home can even GET messy. That's how efficient your housekeeper is. It's funny because you see other people's houses and forgetting you have this live in housekeeper, you wonder how the hell they can have such a messy house? Shoudn't *their* house be as perfectly clean as yours? You believe with certainty it should, because it's easy to have an impeccably clean home (hey *you* have one, they should too). You get pretty critical and high and mighty about it even. Your friends might try and explain that they either don't have a housekeeper, or they had one and she left after a year....but it falls on deaf ears. Because your home is still being cleaned by your perfect housekeeper. In a small moment of clarity you think (maybe after 10 months of having the housekeeper), maybe I should pay a little attention to what she does, because she's scheduled to leave soon. But POOF, soon as that thought comes it leaves....NAW....she's *dedicated* to me, I know they said I'd have her for a year, but I'm gonna be the lucky one, she'll wanna stay with me forever. So the thought leaves and you allow her to continue cleaning at a feverish rate. You are so busy that sometime after a year, you notice bit by bit your house is......a little messy? What? How did this happen? You call for your housekeeper. Wow, she left and didn't even say goodbye. Well, a little mess is probably ok. You've lived in far worse cir****tances before. You'll just clear a path here and there and try and not notice it. The mess gets bigger and bigger. You don't have a clue what to do, because the housekeeper was so effecient and your mansion seems so large. This wasn't supposed to happen. After all, you always made messes in the past year and they got cleaned up lickety split. You are making the same exact messes now, but instead they are PILING up. It seems so unfair. You want to hang your head in shame. The mansion which was the center of your world is now a mere building which is filling you with fear and shame. This is the process many of us go through with the honeymoon, the arrogant phase and regain.

I can not believe that one year ago, I was going in to surgery to change my life forever!! I am down 154lbs (a total of 184lbs) and life can't be better!! Went to the doctor last week for my checkup and everything looks great! I go for blood work in a few weeks. Good news is I do not have to go back to the doctor until May!! Instead of every month now, its every 3 months. I want to lose another 47lbs to reach my personal goal. I think if I really put my mind to it I should be able to do it before the summer! Id like to have to buy new bathing suits because the ones I wore in Aruba in October are too BIG!!! I need to Thank God, my surgeon, my family and especially my wonderful husband for sticking by me through all the testing, surgery and my recovery!!! Lisa 371/341/187/140

Happy anniversary/re-birthday to you!! 120lbs is fantastic! you'll make your goal in no time! i know what you mean about this past year being "all about me"! i've been the same way but i think that helps in a way to keep us focused on the goal. i've lost a few friends now that couldn't deal with it this year, but such is life! Great job...and happy anniversary to you again! Steph 350/142/140 (5'8") working on personal goal...made surgeon's goal of 143!!