Gail's Story Part 2

Nov 13, 2006

12-27-04
OMG!!! My doc is a miracle worker!!! My new titties are perfect! Pointy, Perky, Perfect!!! I love them! I can not believe how good they turned out. The surgery included a reduction, a lift, and implants under the muscle and really the pain was not nearly as bad as I thought. I am 4 days out today and haven't been on pain meds for 3 days. I look sooooooooo different, clothes and bras, and swimsuit tops look so much better... I swear they look like an 18 yr olds... they ended up being a small D and I am so pleased with them. I still have nipple sensation, so of course I am happy about that Ü I sweated this decision and waited to do it last... I have had 3 plastic surgeries in a year's time, actually to the date because my TT was the exact same date only one year ago... $20,000.00 later and 133 pounds lighter I feel like an entirely new girl. I couldn't be any mnre pleased with my body, well of course there is always room for improvement, but I am a very happy camper. Anyone on the fence about this surgery, I say GO FOR IT! It was most asurredly the easiest plastic surgery I had, and it is my last.

gail 140 and Perky & Perfect



1-11-05
Still very pleased with my breasts results. I plan to put up a before and after pic soon here... discreet of course : ) Still are sore, feels more like a sunburn then anything else. Still having to wear the surgical tapes over the incisions, but I will see my PS next week and am hoping they will be removed for good. Sure rode the fence on this surgery decision... anyone out there in doubts, I say go for it! My results have been awesome... I mean from tube socks with rocks in em' to pointy, perky, natural looking size small D titties.

gail happy, healthy and at goal



1-21-05
These are after pics of the new girls : )






02-22-05
Breasts have healed completely now. No pain what so ever... have all sensation. They have gotten softer and have dropped slightly to look very natural. I am very pleased with them... even catch MYSELF looking at them as they are so darn good looking! Ü Maintaining with no problems... still working through some personal issues with my marriage... WLS can really screw a marriage if you aren't careful... of course, I find myself at fault, hubby has been great through out all the troubles. Will post again soon.

gail @ goal




03-31-05
Life is moving right along and I will celebrate 2 years out in a few weeks... wow! Two years... still maintaining my weight with no problems. I've noticed that I am hungry more often and can eat more than I thought I would, so I have been using self-control lately. I read about others who write so often about gaining and having to get back on track, so I weigh myself daily and it helps me to keep straight. I bounce around from 140 to 145 and am in a size 4 pants and small tops. My breasts have healed nicely, still have the scars but they are fading, not sure if they will go away completely but I am so pleased with the results that I am not letting the scars worry me. The implants are so natural feeling and have dropped slightly to give a really natural look. I love going braless when I can but keep to a support/underwire bra the majority of the time. TT is still looking great and my thighs, well they aren't perfect but they are better. That is the physical me... the mental me is still a mess. My marriage is continuing to have problems. I have put a lot of pressure on it from my recent actions and at times actually hate myself for what all has gone on... I beat myself up quite often about it... I am hoping to get my life back in order and move on to a stable future... sorry to be so vague, but I really don't feel comfortable sharing the details... so the outside gail is ok, but the inside needs more work. That is where I am today, working on the inside me. Anyone reading along my journal... just know that marriages MAY have problems, even the best of them... I look back at the beginning of my story here and see how much I was in love with my husband... where did it go??? I've yet to figure it out... will update on my anniversary.

gail @ goal: happy on the outside, miserable on the inside



5-03-05
Out two years now!!! WOW!!! It has been 2 years! Spent the special day with a friend, as I was out of town on that day. Had a wonderful anniversary, a very special one. Anyway, the outside me is great... my weight bounces around from 140 to 146... I keep a close eye on it when it gets to 146, but don't mind that weight at all... 140 is a bit skinny on me. Still in size 4 jeans and small tops. Feeling great and still gettting tons of compliments!

Now about the inside me.... have done a lot of soul searching in the past two weeks, and realized what a HUGE mistake I am making in my marriage... my husband absolutely worships the ground I walk on and so why have I disrespected him so??? I lost myself for awhile; lost my conviction to God, my marriage, to myself. I am working very hard to fix my marriage problems... how do you move on from making such HUGE mistakes in a marriage???.... I dunno, one step at a time. My husband is willing to forgive me and that makes me the luckiest girl in the world, not sure if I could be as gracious if the tables were turned, but I know deep in my heart what a wonderful man I am married to and so I have to make this work because he really is the only person I know who could love me so uncondtionally.... but can it be done???

Traded the ski boat and bought a new pontoon boat and named it "Beach Girl"... why not? Ü LOVE it, such a smooth ride out in the bay and on the canal... great party boat to have friends aboard! Took it out this past weekend and had a blast!

Did see my doc, my iron was a little low so I am back on those lovely iron horse pills I used to take... but only every other day so it could be worse! But besides that and my protein levels being a tad bit under the norm, all is great!

gail @ goal @ two years and not such as sad of a girl



May 17, 2005
Well school is almost out and in fact I am leaving for the beach this Friday for several weeks... not sure when I will want to come home. I really need to decide what I am looking for at this point in my life... the recommitment with hubby isn't going as well as I hoped... I need some time away from him to figure this thing out.

Still doing great on the outside... going to wear a little black dress today.... not overly sexy for I am wearing it to school for an end of the year program... size 6 "lil' black dress"... ahhhhhhhhhh, WLS is the greatest!

gail 143



6-08-05

Summer hasn't been as much fun as I had hoped. I have been in the hospital having a kidney stone surgically removed.... not fun at all. Today I went for a followup x-ray and the uriologist found gallstones.... great! I have an appt to see Dr. Schmitt (my WLS doc) on this coming Monday to determine what to do... facing ANOTHER surgery.... that would make 6 surgeries including my wls with my plastics and all.... sure didn't expect of all of this and not the least bit happy about it... but taking it as it comes. Also, my doc is concerned about my right kidney, says it is much smaller than normal and he is not sure how much usage I am getting from it.... more tests later this month to determine that.... Could be worse, and at least it is summer while I have the time off.... will update when I find something out.

Spending a great deal of time at the beach alone... trying to get my head straight... really worried about my marriage...

Here's the latest of me...

gail 142









06-29-05
Saw my WLS doc about the gallbladder stones... he wants to watch it for now and NOT take the gallbladder out mainly b/c I am not having any apparent problems with it... great... that means I am sitting on a time bomb.... not trying to be negative here and who knows I may never have trouble with it, but to see them on X-Ray... ouch, they are huge stones that would make you think you'd have problems from. Guess I'll just have to trust his opinion on this one. I had an extensive X-Ray done on my kidneys yesterday.... my right kidney is visibly about the 1/4 of the size of my left one.... I'll see my urologist next Tues to see what he thinks of the tests results... they had to put a nuclear dye into my veins and it produced a golf ball sized hemotobin (sp?) where the blood pooled up under the skin... very sore and purple today. Went to the dentist to have two crowns put on... I have broken 3 teeth now since my WLS... wonder if it is related??? I don't think it's a calcium problem b/c obviously I am getting too much calcium according to my kidney stone... unless that is a different kind of calcium, I guess.... so I am falling apart...LOL Not really, but I feel like I am.

I am enjoying the summer. Had a friend come visit me a few weeks back at the beach... really enjoyed the time we spent together. Headed down there for the 4th and having some friends come down... going to take the boat out to see the fireworks that night.

My marriage is survivng for now and that is about all that can be said for that... I really don't think we are going to make it... we have had so much on us this past year and our teenagers haven't made the ride any easier. They can really test your patience and it takes a real toll on your marriage. However, I think I am getting better at handling the attention I get from other men... I am learning how to not let it go to my head or react on it everytime I get hit on... in fact, I find it rather a nuisance at times... we were out the other night and I had a man grab and hug/hold me... I had to force myself loose and the second time he did it I heard Tim behind me asking him to back off... it is flattering, don't get me wrong, but it does make you feel like a piece of meat... oh well, I know, I know, there is much worse to complain about...

Not having any problems maintaining my weight... sure I go up and down a few 5 pounds or so, but I cut back when I see it tip the high end of the range. I am still eating very small portions, ex: I can only eat 1/2 a sandwich at a time, but I eat often, ususally every 3 or 4 hours and it is working for me.

Will update once I find out what the urologist wants to do with my "itty bitty" kidney... I suspect it has been small all my life and if I am getting some usage out of it then I vote to leave it alone.... if it aint broke, don't fix it right???

gail 140



July 6th 2005
Had a difficult 4th... BIG fight with hubby... but we spent it on the boat docked to an island for a cookout with friends and stayed to watch the fireworks which were spectacular. My marriage is still on the rocks... and I am sinking quickly... so sad and I am not taking it well...

Found out yesterday that my right kidney has 27% usage and the urologist says they don't consider removing a kidney until it has only 25% usage... so we are going to watch it for now. He thinks I must have had some kind on trauma on it as a young child from either recurrent infections or some blunt force or hit... I have no clue, but he said that it had considerable scar tissue and it is 1/4 the size of my left kidney. In fact, my left kidney is larger than normal so that is why he thinks it must have happened when I was very young because he thinks that the left kidney knew to grow larger than the right because of it's damaged size... so anyway, we will have to keep a close eye by x-ray every six months on them to make sure neither gets a stone... that is why I hurt so badly from the stone because when I got it in the left kidney, ie the good one, it made the right kidney do all the work while it was infected and the right one just couldn't keep up. So I feel I have a dark cloud hanging over my head with it and the gallbladder stones... life can suck sometimes BUT I am not the kind of person who will let it get me down. I will learn to drink water like I use to and keep a watch on it.... he also said I had to get off the calcium I take for WLS. I am sure my WLS doc won't be too happy about that one.

Still enjoying my summer. I plan to meet a friend for the first time in late July... I met him here on the site and am looking forward to finally getting to meet him. Also spending 2 weeks in the northeast with a friend I met here as well and am looking forward to the trip... then it will be back to the classroom.... not looking forward to that. I love teaching BUT love being off all summer too : )

gail 143



August 24, 2005

Feeling good lately... did have another kidney test recently... no fun at all... but didn't find what they thought I had, which their thinking was that I might have a "reflux" problem where the bladder sends urine back to the kindey... that was both my docs thinking, but the test showed that I don't have it... that is good, but still makes you wonder how the right kidney got so much scarring on it....

Anyway, I am back at school and have the cutest class... I did interview for a lead teacher position and am hoping to hear back on that anyday now... keeping my fingers crossed.

Not going to comment on the marriage thing... have had some snooping inlaws reading here, so I'd better refrain from it... IF you are experiencing problems in your marriage and just need to talk about it, then email me and I'll be happy to share what has gone on in mine... I hope no one is going through the things I have had with my husband... but you do hear of so much divorce after WLS... I think the stats on the divorce rate are at a whopping 70%.... that amazes me.

gail 141



12-28-05

I had a great Christmas. We enjoyed the holiday at the beach. Got some new clothes, jewlery, stuff for the house. My teenagers got some great stuff this year... I-Pod, cell phone, new Dell computer... they are both doing great in school too.

Feeling great and maintaining my weight with no problems at all. It will creep up a few pounds every now and then, but I have no trouble getting it right back off... I can cut back and can see results in just a day or two. Still very pleased with all my plastics... the "girls" are a year old now and still just as cute and perky as ever : )

I am really enjoying the New Year's diet commercials this year... Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig etc. ... I have come to realize that I will NEVER make THAT New Year's resolution again... I will never be fat again, never have to diet major weight off, or ever starve myself again.... WHAT AN AWESOME FEELING!!!!

I am still married... my husband is learning to handle the "new me" and it can be very challenging at times : ) His business continues to do well and I am so thankful for that!

I am in Real Estate school and hope to get my license in a month or so. I want to dabble in that field some now and continue it in my retirement... I have five years left in the public school education field and man do I hope I make it! My retirement would afford myself and my family many benefits for years to come, but... teaching gets harder and harder every year to deal with... so I hope I make the last five! I marvel sometimes at myself with all the new things I have done lately.... I would have never had the confidence to meet strangers and try to sell them a candybar much less a house! I have WLS to thank for that!

I have many people write me and tell me that my story is an inspiration to them... I can't take that credit... this has been the easiest journey for me. I really feel that I just lucked up on this thing by not having major complications and such.... really the only difficulty I have had was with my kidneys which had nothing to do with WLS and my gallbladder stones which may or may not have had anything to do with WLS. My hair and skin look healthy as I continue to take my multivits each day. Coming up on 3 years out soon and I just can't imagine life any better than this.

gail 143

Here are some new photos of me:











1-31-06

Tomorrow I will be 44 and I can't help but wonder how many more years I would have had at nearly 300 pounds... I have WLS to thank for the incredible quality of life I have enjoyed this past nearly 3 years. Anyone on the fence about the surgery who is reading this now.... I can't promise that you won't die on the table, or that your journey will be as smooth as mine, I can't promise you that you will lose all the weight you need to lose, or that you will learn to enjoy food the way it is suppose to be eaten, BUT I can promise that if you don't give this serious thought, then you will never know the joys I have experienced since my surgery. I could come up with a serious complication tomorrow and die and would still have said it was worth it! Life is just that damn much better size 4 than size 24!!!

Happy Birthday to any other Aquarius friends out there!

gail 146



3-13-06
Spring is in the air and man do I have the fever. I have next week off and plan to use some of that time with a friend in MN (my best friend actually) and the rest at the beach. My school year is coming to a close soon and I look forward to hibernating pretty much all summer by myself at the beach. I hope to meet some new friends and give myself some time to just "chill". I am looking forward to some job changes next year.... I will stay in education to get my retirement, but try to get out of the classroom fulltime, so we will see how that goes. I am studying to finish up the Real Estate course/test I started, so hopefully that will be passed and finished soon... then I am not sure what I will do with my license... we'll see.

My weight continues to stay off. I am determined not to let it go back up... I was shocked recently by seeing a friend who is five years out... she has gained 60 pounds since I last saw her.... THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME!!!!!!!! I will stay focused and determined!

gail 142



7-15-06

All is well and I am enjoying my summer! Got a chance to go to NYC for the first time and wow, is all I can say about that awesome city. Enjoyed some time in upper MN on Lake Superior and Canada... was an awesome time. ( I am in love with my best friend...ooooops, did I say that?) I am teaching summer school down at the beach. I just enrolled my 16 year old into college yesterday and wow, that is expensive! My son is a senior in high school this fall so my nest will HOPEFULLY empty soon : ) Love my kids, BUT man, teenagers have bad attitudes! I plan to go back into the classroom even though my heart isn't completely there.... nothing else has opened up for me so I will just keep going on with it. Don't get me wrong, I am a great teacher, just a little burned out.

I saw my WLS doc back in May and all is well except that I have low iron. I am chewing 2 of the Bariatric Advantage iron tablets each day. They don't taste bad at all, and believe me, I am a real sissy when it comes to meds.... so if you have a low iron problem, I highly recommend them. They can be found on Bariatircadvantage.com. My weight is stable and my doc is pleased with me.

I plan to see my kidney doc sometime soon... I had a stone last summer and he wants to x-ray me every 6 months. Fine by me, I never want a stone again! Mine was 8mm and had to be surgically removed... I have a friend whose stone is 22mm, an inch in diameter... it is stuck in her kidney and hasn't passed yet.... with the pain I endured, I can't imagine having one that large!

3 years plus out and have no regrets!

gail 146






10-26-06

Gosh, it has been a few months since I updated. I am back at school... no, no job change : ( and the year is going okay. This makes 21 years for me and I hope I can make 4 more to retirement where I hope to permanently move to the beach.

Life is getting better for me. We are in the process of selling our home here and I have already moved into an apt with my son. My husband comes over nightly, but returns home to the house to stay with my daughter. Long story, but I had to get some of us out of the house to repair the "teenage marks" in the walls etc. and to paint. My son turns 19 this summer and hopefully he will be moving out and then we will move my 16 yr old into the apt with us and live there until my retirement. It is a great apt complex with my own car garage and all so it is just like living in a home. With all the upkeep that 10 acres of land can bring and going to the beach every weekend (3 hour one-way drive) it was killing us, so that is why we decided to go ahead and try to sell. My 19 year old will most likely not go to college : ( and my 16 year old already is in college so hopefully by 18 she will be moving out as well. Sounds like I am kicking my kids out LOL, BUT it has been some hectic teenage years!!!

My marriage: It is more than survivng, I am happy to report that my precious husband hung in there with me while I tried to "find myself". You know, that is the very one thing I wasn't prepared for... the changes you go through as you lose weight and build confidence. I am sure not all go through this, but man did I... having the plastics I've had and regaining somewhat of a decent figure, the men coming on to me as they do (not to mention the big flirt who I am), the stresses of normal day life raising teenagers, all have put a real strain on me the past two years at goal weight. Luckily, I have survived this change of my soul and am beginning to love me again. I refuse to beat myself up over my past mistakes and to learn to forgive myself for them... not to forget them, because forgetting would only allow me to open back up that door down the wrong road, but to remind myself where I have been and where I want to go. I have a precious, precious husband and am the luckiest girl in the world to have had him stay by my side through all of this.

Anyone feeling as I have, please feel free to email me and I would happily help you through some of what you may be going through or at the least, be an ear from someone who has gone through it...

At 3 1/2 years out, I am alive, happy and healthy. Best wishes to all who read along my journey. I promise not to be like some of the long term post ops who stop updating, I will keep posting in order to help others who are on the journey with me.

gail @ peace finally : )
146

Jan. 18 2007

Happy New Year!

Life is ticking right along.  No real news to report.  I do see that my appetite is bigger at nearly 4 years out.  Some meals I can eat a lot and some I can't.  A whole sandwich is still a bit too much... I won't get sick, but it gets me close to being overly full.  I have yet to throw up these past years... haven't even had the stomach flu or anything like that, so that is good.  

I see that alcohol really effects me differently now.  I used to could put them down and not feel it as quickly or strongly, but now, if I over drink I am GONE.... : )  I have to really watch it.

I am drinking with my meals, I know, a big no-no... but it hasn't seemd to have bothered my weight too much.  I have put on a few pounds more than I would like to and will work on the snacking I have been doing.  That should get them off.

I did recently do something for myself... I am seeing a massage therapist once a week for an hour.  It is some of the best money I have ever spent on myself!  He can really work you over and I literally feel the stress come out of my body. 

All in all, life is great.  I feel great and have a better outlook on life then I have had in a long, long time!

gail @ goal Ü


April 18, 2007

Yesterday was my 4 year anniversary.  I am doing great, no problems what so ever.  I'll see my doc next month for a check up and hopefully everything will check out well for me.

I was recently asked, do I regret having the surgery?  99.9% I say, no way... but sure, I'd love to sit down to a big bowl of icecream and eat until I have had my fill... I miss eating large amounts of food... that would be the only reason I would go back.... but heck, that is why I had this surgery, because I couldn't control my eating. I love food, always will, still fantasize over it, want it, all of that.  I recognize the fact that I have a food addiction and always will.

So what is up with all these people who are having revision surgeries because of weight gain....????  I  don't have that answer; perhaps they never got all the weight off, perhaps they didn't use this surgery as a tool.... I really don't know.  I do know that I risked my life to have this opportunity to have the thin body I had before I had children and I know that I must use self control at times as this is no quick fix and I have to be in control of it at all times.  

Best of luck to anyone on this journey and know that it can work! 

gail @ goal


September 13, 2007

I had a great summer!  Went to Mt. Rushmore with my best friend : )

I have gained a few extra pounds that I need to get off.  I've developed a taste for red wine and I think that is where the weight is creeping on me as I have not changed my eating habits.  The weight doesn't look bad or at least I don't think so, (I've added a recent pic to my photos) but it is making my clothes tight and so I need to get it off.  Will have to put up my wine glass I guess : (
Besides that, life is great.  I feel good and have no health problems!  My daughter is living in the dorms at school and my son graduated and is working for my husband in our business.  Now, if I could just get my son (19) out of my house, then things would be perfect! : )

gail @ a few pounds up with an empty wine glass : (



April 17, 2008

Wow, I didn't realize that I have been so MIA... today marks 5 years of my life change!  There have been some ups and downs, but I am doing great, feeling good, and keeping the weight where it needs to be.  I am a size 8/small and my plastics have held up nicely : )  the "girls" are perky as ever, tummy is flat, all is good.  Thank you to so many of you who read my journal and compliment me as well as thank me for keeping it updated.  There aren't many long-term people who keep their file updated, so it is my goal to do it.

If I can help anyone with any questions, please feel free to email me.

Life is great at 5 years out! : )

gail @ goal



Sept. 16 2008

Life is moving on along.  Nothing great to report.  Getting close to retirement with 2 more years after this school year.  Keeping my weight off.  My marriage is still making it.  Hopefully the bad times are finally gone for good.  Take care everyone, any questions please feel free to email me.

gail @ goal


APRIL 17, 2009  6 YEARS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6 years ago, I took the BIG step.  NO regrets, does take will power, but I will NEVER be fat again.  Good luck to all on this amazing journey!

gail @ goal





September 14, 2009

Nothing much new to report.  Keeping my weight off, it jumps around 5 or 7 pounds, but I think that is normal for anyone, much less WLS patients.  I keep a close watch on it.  Hope all of you on this journey are healthy and happy.  Please contact me if I can be of any help!

gail @ goal



October 9, 2009

Just wanted to say that I have found the PERFECT vitamin for me... I have been very bad lately taking my horse pills, so a friend hooked me up on what he is taking..... they are called Vitafusion and can be found online where some places will even ship for free.  They are very inexpensive and come in adult or children brands.  They are fruit flavored gummies and taste just like candy!  Seriously, no nasty vitamin taste, and I am a picky vitamin taker : )    I take the multivitamin, the power C, and I bought the calcium... but not sure it is the citrate that we need.

Anyway, just wanted to share my findings.... life is still ticking along, I feel good and am having no problems.  My blood pressure has also gone back down, so I am off BP meds.  Funny thing too, is that I developed high blood pressure AFTER losing all the weight.  I contribute that to stress and going through menopause.

Take care and holler at me if I can help you in any way.

gail @goal : )



April 5, 2010  Nearly 7 Years Out

I haven't viewed my profile in awhile so I thought I'd reread my journey.... I am amazed at the writings I have made over these past 7 years.  The journal entries of my marriage problems amaze me and I sit here and  honestly say that the problems are not any better.... I know this site is not about marriage problems, but I didn't develop any OR they were not brought to light until the weight loss.  It pains me to reread these entries as again, the roller coaster ride of marriage problems really hasn't stopped.  Some weeks are better, some very much not.

Without going into specifics, I just want to share that if you are going through problems in your marriage, you are not alone.  I can share little advice on the subject, but will offer an ear to anyone needing one. 

For those of you who are currently losing, stick with it!  As I hit the 7 year mark in a few days, I want you to know that maintaining the loss over several years IS possible... not all of us regain all the weight back.  It really hasn't been that hard for me... sure I watch it if the scales tip up, but really have had very little trouble keeping it off.  I eat several small meals a day... try hard not to graze, and avoid high calorie foods.  Chips are a rare treat for me, I actually just don't care for junk food.  I eat sweets every now and then, and ice cream REALLY gives my tummy trouble which is a good thing as that was my downfall when I was heavy.  I have so much more energy than when I was heavy... of course being 48 doesn't help, haha; some days I feel VERY old.  But all in all, the weight loss has added years to my life.  I know for a fact that had I not gotten that weight off, it would have sooner than later killed me.

For those of you researching this surgery and want to hear what life 7 years down the road is like, give me a holler... I'd be more than happy to chat with you.

Take care.

gail still @ goal



Dec. 1 2010

I am one of the statistics of the 70% divorce rate AFTER WLS... or at least I was told that rate going into it.  Dec. 3rd would have marked my 27th wedding anniversary, BUT as of late Oct. I am now single.  I'm NOT blaming WLS, but it did have something to do with it.  I guess besides the fact that we grew apart, my new size and image of myself made me see that I wanted more from a relationship and since I had regained the confidence of my looks, I felt I deserved what I wanted, so I moved in the direction my heart took me. 

NOT trying to scare anyone but understand that the statistics are real, or at least for me they are.

This is my last year to teach, so after 25 years I am closing the classroom door this coming May.  I am moving into my home near the beach.  Life is different being single, scary and somewhat challenging, but I have the confidence to succeed.  My weight is still off; I feel great and look forward to the rest of my life.

Good luck to everyone out there and if I can help you in any way, please feel free to contact me!

gail @ goal



March 24, 2011

I got remarried to the most wonderful guy on Valentine's Day 2011!  Life is going great and i am doing well.  I retire from teaching in just a few months and am moving to the beach!  Still keeping my weight off; it bounces around 5 pounds from week to week.
I wish all of you the best of luck on your journey!

gail @ goal

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