Hi Kaye..great to hear from you too. And yes you do have much to offer. You know we are all in the same boat and hearing how we are doing and difficulties we are going through helps others. Weather its good or bad. We got where we were by making poor choices and when we made the decision prayerfully to have this surgery Heavenly Father was there and held us in his tender care. Now the tough part is staying with the new things we've learned. Donna sent me a wonderful email reminding me of how much work there is to this. Just the kick in the Toosh I needed Thanks Donna. Melody sent me great words of encouragement and help too!! Anyway you hang in there and just take a deep breath and start back on the basics. Thats what I've done. I'm drinking protein drinks...eating mostly protein during the day with a salad in the eveining. My hubby had to have open heart surgery in October and when he was in the hospital anytime he had a salad they gave him lemons instead of any type of dressing to put on his salad. I've started doing that and I really love it. I've also started walking again. Water is one of the hard ones for me but I'm working on that too. You know my sister had the same surgery that I did 6 months before me and she is so much further down in weight than I am...drives me crazy and I have to be really careful not to compare myself to her. But I have to be honest too...she has worked a lot harder than I have to get to where she is and I am so proud of her. But the key is we have to do more ...more...more than others to get to where we want to be. Thats the task ahead of you and I ..we have to do more. For me I just can't hope it will take care of itself. I have to pray for strenght and then do something that requires strength..moving. I have to pray for wisdom in what I eat..and for me that means having things handy and prepared that are things I am supposed to have not things that the old me wants to have. So Kaye please don't be so hard on yourself. We love you and know just like the rest of us you'll get there in your time to where you want to be. God bless you and now come with me and get up off your favorite chair/couch and go for a walk Alfie

Wow, Alfie! Let me start saying it is good to hear from you. I missed you. I just don't post much anymore as I will explain. I find myself just sitting here and staring at your post. Have been, off and on, since you posted. I can really relate! Unfortunately!!! The depression is just crushing! I swear, I WILL not go back to where I was but it is happening and I don't know what to do! I am so glad you posted the way you did. I have sat here wanting to post for months and have not been able to verbalize what is going on. So I don't post anything. I am happy with my "new" life but stopped losing 50 lbs above my goal weight and now have even started gaining. I gained some over Christmas etc and then lost down to almost where I was and then went "home" for a week when my Dad got married. All of a sudden, I am back where I was. I KNOW I wasn't very naughty and was still very careful but... Here it is. I can't believe how I gained 10 lbs in a week without pigging out! I didn't eat sugars or many carbs. So how could it happen? Well, I can't get it off! I really just want to give up. How can so many people get slim and my BMI is still high? I hadn't lost anything since 8 months out. Oh well, maybe I am just doomed to be FAT all my life. sigh Good luck getting back on track and let us know how you do. Sorry to go on and on. This is why I don't post much anymore, I don't have much to offer. Grins, Kaye

Well, where does one start when making the most live changing decision ever??? This year started out with a lot of changes..The two most important were and are WLS and life after 'big' the other was making the choice to be active in church again.. I have to say that WLS was the easier of the two. I had my first meal of tuna salad today and it was heaven. (just so you know I don't eat fish!) I am also able to get down about 50oz of water a day now! Who ever thought that drinking an entire water bottle in 4 hours would be so hard? I am just so glad and thankful to be here. Glad that I made the choice to be healthier and thankful that God gave me a family that is so supportive. I would love to hear from any of you that have had experiences on how the church has helped them on their journey with WLS..

Gala, thanks so much for sharing this sight with me. I would never have known it was here. Sharon