Oh CONGRATZ! Know that we are always here for you! Good Luck on your preop and surgery! You can still answer the question if you feel like sharing how planning to have WLS has affected your relationships. Or how your family and friends are taking the news. I know before I had surgery I had a slew of opinions roll in from all my family and friends! Hehehe.... Brightest Blessings for a Wonderful Day~ Jamie M. aka Lady Autumn Weight- 257/204/146 BMI- 44.1/35/25 Height- 5'4" Total Weight Loss: -53 lbs. Surgery Date- 1/19/05 Visit my OH profile or stop by My Weight Loss Journey Website at: home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-LadyAutumnsWLSjourney

Well my progress this month has been GREAT! I thought I was becoming a slow looser for awhile but I have discovered that my problem with dehydration has not been repaired by my surgery (long story... they tried to "wake up" my large intestine while they did my WLS b/c it is not reabsorbing water like it should) so I have to stay on top of my water intake and I still have to go in once in awhile for an IV. Luckily my hubby is a paramedic so we can do it from home instead of going into the hospital every few weeks. ANYWAYS, this is a problem that I have delt with all of my life so no big deal. I just have to really stay on top of the fluids and I loose at a good rate! I did managed to tackle the last month and a half on my own without my hubby since he was deployed (he is finally home) so I feel that I did pretty good recovering and returning to my normal routines plus adding lots of exercise! My stats are listed in my signature so onto the Question of the day! Many of my relationships before surgery remained the same or got stronger (I have more energy to donate to them now) but I have had a few obsticles and compromises. Personally my family has been more supportive than I expected. However it is not without problems or compromises. Take my baby sister for example, she has always struggled with her weight, yo-yo-ing more than I ever did, she'd go from a 10 to an 18 in six months with no problem! Well to her benefit (or detriment) she is tall, she's 5'11" so even though she has been gaining weight and can no longer keep it off so easily, she does not qualify for the surgery. When I broke the news that I was having it she was happy and envious at the same time. Mostly, she was scared that she might loose me. Thankfully I came out alright and I have been successful. Our relationship has always been close and strong so she has been able to admit that hearing my progress makes her happy for me but pissed off at the same time, since she cannot loose anything. I remindher each time that surgery is not the answer for everyone and it is definitly not for her so there is no reason to be envious of the surgery. Her lifestyle is definitly not condusive to a successful outcome if she had the surgery. (She is young and still unwilling to make sacrifices on behalf of her own health... in time she will learn that she needs to come first.) So now when we talk I have to be really concious of how "excited" I get. And she is concious of her reactions towards me. We agreed to be happy for one another and try to continue to help one another. Now my other sister has always been skinny and has never struggled with her weight. We have not had the best of relationships but recently she has begun to come around a bit. She thought surgery was an easy way out and did not want to hear my woes with dumping or anything. She felt that "I did it to myself." However, her tune has changes a bit since she started looking at my pictures and reading my journal entries online. Now she can't wait to see me and I think perhaps she might be ready to patch up some of the hole in our relationship. So this one seems to be turning out for the better! LOL! Now one of my "fat friends" right now is really pissy with me all of the time. She claims to not know why and she is trying to work on it but I laid it out for her the other day. I reminded her that she did not want me to have the surgery (she went with me to the surgeons info seminar and by the time she left she had formed an opinion on WLS) and once I did our relationship's dynamics changed a bit. I told her I hoped that she would be happy for me but obviously my success bothers her and that if she is unwillingt o reach a compromise like my sister did that I am unwilling to maintain an unhealthy relationship. So far, I have not gotten a response from her on the matter. She has continued to treat me as if noting has transpired, so I am plying the waiting game. These are just a few of my relationships that have been affected by WLS. I was told over and over again by the shrink (that sees WLS patients preop) that my relationships would be changed but I never imagined to what kind of dynamics. LOL! It has been interesting and I hope that I can make it through without loosing the people that I love. Especially since I had this surgery to help me enjoy life again! Brightest Blessings for a Wonderful Day~ Jamie M. aka Lady Autumn Weight- 257/204/146 BMI- 44.1/35/25 Height- 5'4" Total Weight Loss: -53 lbs. Surgery Date- 1/19/05 Visit my OH profile or stop by My Weight Loss Journey Website at: home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-LadyAutumnsWLSjourney

MM & BB Barbara~ Wonderful! Wonderful! Got to spend the day with family... How I love those grand kiddos!!!! Hope yours was wonderful too!!! HUGS~Deb

I just wanted to pop in and say hi to everyone! HUGS~ Deb lapRNY 2/4/05 Dr Curry 252.5/217/140

ok... i'm 2 months out...as of today. i'm down 40 pounds (YEEHAWW). i feel wonderful. i can breath...i can move...i'm not diabetic anymore (YEEHAWW). i can even work out. my biggest fear was my life ending at a time when it was just starting to come together...either from the weight, or from surgery complications. but, that didnt happen...and isnt going to any time soon. and i think this is a fabulous idea. brightest of blessings to y'all. moocho smoocho paula