Hi Everyone!

I know I don't post often on here anymore.  Life is sure busy for me!  I am really enjoying my life now and loving every minute of being healthy!  I cannot believe it has been two years since my surgery as of today.  Where does the time go?  The journey is full of ups and downs but in the end I would do it again in a heartbeat to get the quality of life that I have. 

The upsides:  Being able to shop anywhere I want and fit into trendy clothes, no longer having diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, high cholesterol, stress inctoninence, low back pain, plantar fasciitis, being winded when I walk or not being able to breath when I laid flat in bed b/c of the weight pressing down on my chest, not worrying I won't wake up in the morning as I might just die in my sleep (not kidding, I had this fear).  Being able to run!  I love to run now.  I have done 2 5k races and plan to do more in the spring.  Being able to lead a local support group.  Being chosed to be the bariatric coordinator of my hospital (I had to step down due to wanting to start a family soon and too much time involved).  Having an almost 7 year postop at my side each and every day (my rock.. my husband - I love you!)

The downside: I dump like a truck on sugar, I have reactive hypoglycemia really pretty darn bad.  I crave carbs like big time when I get to in over my head with them and play a huge blood sugar roller coaster game and want more and more like a crack addict so I have to limit them and will always have to.  It keeps me in check so I am not so sure its really a "downside" as it is a blessing.

As far as any updates...my husband and I are in the process of looking into adoption for kids and me going forth with plastic surgery.  I am weighing anywhere from 140-145 most of the time.  I wear size 4 in jeans and 6 in dress slacks.  I am a medium top. My top weight was 328 preop and got down to 280 on surgery day.  I got to goal in 11 months at 140 lbs.  133 was my lowest and I realized that is too small b/c after I saw the plastic surgeon I was told I have 10-15 lbs of excess skin so my goal is to just maintain where I am at.  He wants me to have a LBL, breast implants and lift and arms done (im debating that one).  I needed more documentation before insurance would cover the pani portion so I will resubmit in January.  They will cover the panni portion and I will be responsible for the rest.  I just want to finish the process and keep moving forward with life.

I can't thank all of you enough for the support over the years.  I have been on this board a very long time and would not have been as successful as I am now. I do lurk some but for the most part I am just enjoying my life and do bop my head in from time to time.  This journey is very much a mental process more than it is a physical one.  I have struggled with family dynamics changing and even lost some friends along the way but gained others.  It hasn't been an easy ride mentally for me especially from 1 year to 18 months out.  The past 6 months have been a lot better but I have reached out and received help.  I encourage you to do this if you need it.  Our postop coping mechanisms come back into play a lot.  I was a binge eater preop and I continue to struggle with the desire to want to do this even as a postop.  We are now left to feel our feelings or transfer addict to something else.  I encourage you to explore your preop demons and understand why they continue to want to come into play postop because surgery did not fix our brains. Transfer addictions are real and happen to more people postop than even like to admit to it.  I know from being a support group leader. Being aware of its possibility and learning to cope with stress in more healthy ways is the hardest part for many. Just learning to live postop is the biggest change for me personally, not the pouch or the surgery itself.  If we can overcome that, we have no choice but to continue to be successful. 

Thanks again!

Hello Beyondthesea7 and Michelle,
Beyond....you need to just jump right in and get things started.  You can always back out at the last minute if things don't feel right but once you decide you want to move forward you will be happy that you started sooner than later.  I think that once you decide to do it everything feels like it is SOOOOO far away.

Michelle....how exciting that your date is coming up.  I know that seems like a long ways away.  I get my first fill on that date and it seems like forever!  I guess we just need to be patient.

Happy week ladies.

Wow, I haven't been on this board in 4 years...lots of new faces! Back in 2004, I went to information sessions in Cedar Rapids (Dr. Keating) and Davenport (Dr. Christopherson). I never even pursued University of Iowa, and was leaning towards Davenport (Genesis Hospital) mostly because I had heard it was a year wait to get into the "U" here in Iowa City, and I had a better feeling about Genesis than the program in Cedar Rapids.

Well, here I am 4 years later and STILL haven't complely pursued this. (Read my profile if you want the whoooole story!)

So now I'm just curious about the program at the U....is the wait still really long? Genesis is doing lap now...they weren't when I looked into them before. Since I live in Iowa City, the U would certainly be closer, but I just worry about it being so BIG, and feeling like I won't get much personal attention from them. I'm sure they do a great job, but I've heard wonderful things about Genesis too.

Has anyone else struggled with deciding between these two?

Sorry if this reply isn't timely, but Dr. Glas**** did my RNY 9 days ago, and I couldn't be happier.  Hodges covered for him on the weekend after my surgery, and at my one-week appointment when Glas**** was delayed in a difficult surgery.  I can say that they are both terrific.  The staff are great, too. 

Hopefully she will have her site up by the end of next week.  I will be sure to let you know.

Best wishes on your weight loss!  Happy Thanksgiving!
Rhonda