wow Alice, are you kidding me here? You weigh 159 down from 285 and you think you are a failure???? I am overwhelmed at how much you have lost. I started at 296, was 280 at surgery and am 206 now. I think compared to you, I am a big fat failure. You are a champion. hugs from down under Helen

And a happy one to you, too, surgery sister!! I read your profile and you have had a fabulous success. WooHoo! Hugs, Vicki

Joy of Joys. I wish I could be more upset about this. I'm surrently down 150 pounds and my anniversary is on the 18th of this month. That is next Tuesday. Well on Friday of next week I get to have my surgery redone. Not because they screwed up the first time, I'm just (un)lucky. I fall into that 1 to 3% portion that develops one of the weird risks they talk about. right at the jucture of the intestinal track and the part leading out of the pouch (rny) the intestine has herniated. There is a very good presentation about the risks of this surgery on OH's main home page. I think everyone should see that presntation it is excellent. Why I'm not more upset is for a very good reason. It means there is no more fat in my intestinal area. This happens when you lose weight and the fat deposits disappear. It leaves a gap in the spaces they had to enlarge to do it laproscopically. that is where the intestine herniated. So good news is I'm now fat free, bad news is the surgery to correct it. This time they say they might have to open me up instead of doing it lap. Oh well at 52 I was not going to wear a bikini anyway. I just refuse to ever let this surgery go to wast and regain any of the weight. My family eats healthy and I do not have sugar products or refined carbs in the house. No more sodas cross our threshold. Hubby who is scared of needles and refuses to even think of bariatric surgery, is now losing weight just by having switched eating habits. This surgery helped more than just me, it helped my whole family!

Today is my one year surgery anniversary. I have been thinking about what this all has meant to me and it is very hard to put into words. I have lost 178 lbs since my first consult in Jan 05. I can't even wrap my mind around those numbers. In the past, I have been able to describe my weight losses in single digits mostly, and double digits maybe once or twice, but triple digits--never! I have lost more than a whole person, a large person at that. I no longer have to worry if I can fit in a booth at a restaurant, or if I will break a chair at a friend's house. I can paint my toenails and even wear socks. It used to be too hard to reach my feet to even consider socks. I've lost 30 points on my BMI--although still SMO for another 1.5 points! I don't require a seatbelt extender in my car, I lowered the steering wheel, and I moved up the seat, and yet when I look in the mirror, I still see the same fat girl I always was. The mind is a weird and funny thing, isn't it? I know I still have far to go on this journey, but I am excited to see what my future holds. I am 160 lbs from my goal and know that from here on out, it will be harder to lose, but I am not disheartened. I am anxious to follow my journey wherever it leads me, and I am excited to have you all along for the ride. Hugs to my lovely OH family, Vicki

It's so funny that this topic should come up today, because I was doubled over in pain earlier. I had pain shooting up my right side and an RN I work work with wanted me to go to the ER becasue she thought it might be appendicitis. I had my appendix out in '97. And I just knew it was gas. When this kind of thing happens, I go into the rest room, and do some stretches: forwards, backwards and side-to-side. This always helps to get things moving and I feel better shortly thereafter. I hope I helped!!! L*