I though this would make every one share their WOW's

and I want everyone to share theirs with me if possible. I have had many many WOW's in this WLS journey. I am on the boards everyday but I always learn something new everyday. This was my latest WOW--This was posted by Maura and I broke down in tears when I read it.....
 

I came to Barix 2.5 years to hear Dr. Pupkova speak and Shilpa (my inspiration) spoke about her journey and I made the decision that night. I scheduled an appointment, and fought insurance back and forth, til finally a year later, we started saving for self pay.    I am 4 months out, am close to 60 lost, love that I don’t even recognize myself in the mirror and love these boards and the folks on em!!!

Maura

SO how about you share your biggest WOW's

Shilpa,

There are so many WOW moments that I have had over the last year, I am struggling with which one to share.

Most recently we went to Disney and I fit on ALL the rides and in the airplane seat and was able to buckle my seat belt with NO problem. I think the thing that struck me the most was that I could walk and walk without being out of breath or sweating! The only downside to all the walking was my feet were killing me! I was wearing supportive sneakers, I just think my feet were not used to all of the walking.

Another WOW is meeting fine people like you, Shilpa!!

((hugs)) Beth

Thanks Beth for sharing your WOW's and likewise I am so blessed to meet good people like you as well!!

Well my ongoing wow is the fact that I am 37 weeks pregnant. I was told pre-op that I wouldn't be able to conceive because of PCOS and insulin resistance. After my miscarriage in June I feared that they were right. Well guess what - WRONG!! Baby is FULL TERM (as of tomorrow) and doing perfectly!! 

Liz,
Thanks for sharing the BIGGEST WOW a woman can ever have!! I still say it's a girl and she will have your red hair. I also say mother's day is your day my dear:)

What a fantastic WOW for you Shilpa to know that you affected someone else's life in such a positive and dramatic way. There have been so many WOW moments. I think that biggest one for me is the change in the way I feel everyday. I have Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue and although losing weight is not a gaurantee  of feeling better with those illnesses I figured it certainly couldn't hurt either. I can't even put into words how different I feel. I have energy! I don't have to sit down every ten minutes to rest when doing dishes or light housework. I don't get out of the shower and immediately sit down on the toilet because I am too tired and weak to dry off and I need a rest. I am moving and grooving all day long. I walk, I shop, I clean, and I am looking for a job. This is all just amazing to me and such a major blessing! Of course wearing a size 8 pants instead of a 26/28 is pretty darn awesome, and I still think my pants are my son's when I am folding laundry cause my butt could never fit into something that small. LOL I tell everyone who will listen how great my new life is. I try to educate anyone I can about what WLS really is and how much work it is and the fact that it is a huge blessing.

My most recent one waas my neighbor had asked me what diet and gym I used to lose weight. Now since I didn't hang a sign on my front door I had RNY surgery not all neighbors know so I said oh I had gastic Bypass and use Retro Fitness. Her reply was OH you did it the easy way ....Well I she caught me in monet and I snapped back harsh that there was NOTHING easy about it and walked away.

Well about 2 weeks later I saw her and she had to know she offended me because she apologized for the comment and did not mean to offend me by what she said.  I told her that it was ok and explained about the surgery.

So the fact that she knew she was offensive when so many don't was a WOW to me.

Also at 2 years out not many WOWs happen but we were out 2 weeks ago and I ran into my best firends SIL and she had not seen me in 2 years She had no idea who I was at all then when she found out it was me she said OMG No offense you lost a ton of weight . ...I had to laugh and siad well yes I did thanks! 

I'm only two months out, but I'm almost 40 pounds down (since suregery, that is) and one of the police at the university I work at has taken to calling me "skinny". He (as well as most of my coworkers) know I had the surgery, but when he hadn't seen me in several weeks and saw me with a few pounds lost and a new haircut tjoked that I looked like a stranger. I know I'm not "skinny" yet, but I've never been called that my entire life. So to date, that's my favorite wow moment.

First of all - Congrats on the 40 pounds!  WAHOO!!!!  Your story just made me smile.  The police officer in my building died suddenly three weeks ago from a massive heart attack at 60 years old.  This year he took to calling me "bones" as I shrunk....it always made me giggle - and he knew I loved it!  Thanks for making me think about him as I am trying to help my students grieve their loss as well as mine! :)

Thank you!! I'm glad I could make you smile! I know that no matter where you live or work, many police officers are a treasured part of the community, (my dad is one of them!) and I love joking around with them and being part of their "family". The fact that these people that love and admire are noticing and supporting me means the world!

Thanks for posting this Shilpa - I was also moved by Maura's comments - I guess we touch people without even knowing it - Pam has done that for me - although by now, she knows it - becuase...well...I AM SOOOO SHY?!?!  :)

Anyway - I was just thinking about this a few days ago - I had a wow that I thought was absolutely hysterical, and didn't post it because I was posting so much that I thought people would be tired of hearing from me....anyway....Larry does all the laundry in my house whi*****ludes folding it and then I put everything away.  The other night I was helping him fold the whites and was folding my underwear and was shocked that the little ones were mine.  I just giggled to myself - I mean - I bought them, I know what size they are - I know the old ones - which I have NOT gotten rid of BTW - no idea why - are huge....but, I still couldn't believe these little underwear were mine and fit over my butt....just a silly wow for me! :)

There are so many "wows" in daily life, especially when I think of where I was a year ago!

A couple of recent ones:

My hairdresser said to me today, "You know, since you have lost weight, you can have ANY hairstyle. You don't need to think about covering anything up any more."

My trainer told me that I was an "inspiration" to work with and asked my advice on counseling an obese client. (Even though she herself has lost 110 lbs.) She has also said to me, "You are no longer a prisoner of obesity."

I took a 5 mile training walk on Sunday afternoon with teammates for the Susan G Komen 3 day Walk for hte Cure. It was my first outing with teammates....and I TOTALLY kept up the entire distance. 2 years ago, I could barely walk a mile.

A daily wow - NOTHING ON MY BODY HURTS. My feet don't hurt. My ankles aren't swollen. I don't need tylenol just to get through the day.

Leading to the next wow:

A friend at work was showing me some socks she had knitted. She urged me to try one on and see how the design looked. A year ago...I would have worried about this because my ankles would be so large that most socks wouldn't fully pull up, or would be tight. But not now!

Shilpa great post

My wow is no medication!  no diabetes meds - i was on them for 121/2 years, now nothing.

Next is being comfortable on the Harley, riding was so uncomfortable 7 months ago

Then being able to walk 3 miles everyday on my lunch break

waking up and nothing is hurting anymore, i can get out of bed and not gingerly put my feet on the floor cause I knew something was going to hurt, now i jump up out of bed - just like the old days before i got heavy

Everyone calling me tiny, or telling me I'm so tiny i don't need to loose anymore weight.

another wow is, never once hearing from anyone i have told i had WLS that I took the easy way out - everyone has been very supportive and wanted to know why i decided to do it and would i do it again

all the awesome people I've met on here on OH and at Barix - you guys are my rock when I feel blah!

Shilpa - I am glad that my post had that impact

I am amazed at every time I put on a piece of old clothing that fits, as soon as I pick it up I think " this won't fit, but I'll see how far off I am"... 

Every time the scale changes I run and pounce on my husband in bed (who always wakes up later than me.... ) with a big cheesy grin on my face and announce my new weight - this from a woman who wouldn't tell him how much I weighed even when we got in to a canoe and the heavier person was supposed to be in the back.. he said , well I'm 220, so I'll get in the back and I thought HA, you have NO perception of weight whatsoever.. um, yeah honey, you go in the back (all the while thinking - I hope we don't capsize!)

no swollen feet and ankles and can by medium width shoes instead of WW
am no longer in "W" clothes (which my husband thought meant Wide... nice!)
am able to keep up with my husband without constantly telling him to slow down
I no longer sleep til 10 on the weekends (we don't have kids)
I do more in a 1/2 day than I used to do in 2 on the weekends
I can fit a regular towel(not a bath sheet) around me
I am spending more time with my very athletic husband (working out together, riding bikes, walking)
I don't think about my weight 9,342 times a day anymore
I want to look nice, instead of looking in the mirror and saying, well, it is what it is - I'm fat and this is as good as it gets!
My # 1 wow - I am proud of myself (haven't felt that in a long, long time) - I am sticking to it and haven't cheated or challenged my new tool.

Well - am now heading outside for a bike ride with my husband :) 

XOXO

Maura

Maura,
Thank you for making my day by giving me credit when it's not due. You did all the hard work and deserve every WOW you have listed above. I truly am blessed that I have been able to share my journey with you. I truly believe Dr. P saved my life. If I did not believe it I would not stand in front of all those people telling them about how this surgery has changed my life. I truly only existed before WLS now I LIVE my life. I have no doubt that you will do Dr. P and yourself proud by respecting the tool she has given you. Love Ya!!