Gail T.
124 Lbs, size 2-4 ....I can't believe it!
Jul 16, 2021
It's amazing life is great! And my weight little by little is still coming off. I married the most wonderful man 2/14/20, John Meriles. He is soooo wonderful to me. I am very blessed to have him in my life. Steph is in Cosmotology School and is doing very well. She colors my hair now and does a wonderful job. I have been working as a medical assistant in a pain management office, assisting the doctors to perform epidurals and other forms a blocks for the past 10 years. I love what I do!! I hope everyone is doing very well with their weight loss journies.
150 Lbs...Still 100 Lbs down ...88 weeks out Still Size 4/6
Apr 16, 2008
Well it's been 3 months since my goal was reached but I wanted to post an update to let ya'll know that I'm still maintaining and actually a couple of times I have gotten down to 147 but as far as maintaining and keeping an honest program here... my happy weight (the one I am the most of) is 150.
I've made another big decision to finish completely what I've started.... and all post op goal makers I know can relate to this (although it was tough on family to accept).... even tho I'm in a size 4 and look gr8 in my clothes.... it ain't purtty what's going on underneath the clothes. And what is going on NEEDS TO GO.... although goals were met... I'm still so self conscience of what my belly looks like and without a tummy tuck it will not go away. To me it just wouldn't be fair to do all that I've done to get to where I am today but to still feel this bad about myself.
Now the update on this newest adventure is I do have a surgeon picked out and I feel totally confident that he will do the best for me. He was reccomended by my friend who happens to be an anethesiologist and has worked w/ many plastic surgeons and he felt Dr Gardner was the right choice. Now, there is a glitch in this story and it's been mighty frustrating trying to fix and overcome it but actually my surgery date was April 11th and yes I was already on the operating table in preop getting ready to go in and they took a CBC test and I came back 8.8 which is extremely low in iron so yes my friends I am now anemic and can't have the surgery till my iron count comes back up..... yikes that can take up to 3 months!!! I am starting back in school starting May 5th and I was so hoping to get this over with and recovered by then but looks like there's going to be a need for a plan B. I know you must be wondering why we didn't know this in all the preop testing well.... let's just say the blood tests got omitted in error but thank god they take those same tests in the preop room before going in... or maybe they noticed then that I didn't have any labs taken.... nonetheless.... it stinks big time!!! For now I'm taking more iron pills and eating soy beans, edemame beans, fish and spinach likes it's going out of style!!.... oh well .... more news at eleven... I'll keep you posted!!
150 Lbs...100 Lbs down FINALLY...74 weeks out Still Size 4/6...
Jan 09, 2008
Well gang I finally reached my 100 lb lost goal and it feels mighty fine!! I'd like to thank first God for protecting me thru this, Dr Perez and his staff because they were so awesome, my personal trainer Jon who I've been with for four years and has been my sounding board for a long time and my support for keeping me motivated to keep on exercising, my family for being supportive and that includes my exhusband because he did alot and went thru alot to see me thru this....thanks Tom, Special thanks to my daughter Stephanie for being my lil cheerleader everytime I lost even a pound... she would cheer me on.... sweetie you have no idea how much that meant to me and it helped me to keep going!!
Now it's the maintain the weight time game!!! I'm ready....bring it on..... my one tool I will be using is to hop on the scale every Sunday morning and make sure it stays there or goes lower... I wont fight that feat!! My other tool will be to stay motivated in staying in an exercise program. Well if any new news comes up I'll be sure to blog it but till then thanks again to everyone without you I couldn't have done it!!
154 Lbs...96 Lbs down...64 weeks out Size 4/6
Oct 31, 2007
My dear friend Katie and I / Oct 2007
I know I know it's been 4EVER (4mos practically) since I've last posted!! Super Sorry for those who check in with me to see my progress.
I can't believe it has been a year and a few months since surgery and 4 lbs away from goal!! I so wished I could have hit that before my year was up!! Oh well... I am thankful for every pound gone and for every month I have sober..8 months currently!!!
A N D..... (Steph is so happy) I quit smoking bout 3 weeks ago and I am currently trying very hard to not cross back over to any of my recurring addictions... like food or alcohol!! Or any new ones for that matters!! Although sex addiction sounds pretty good right now!! (OH did I SAY that out loud!) Actually I have 4 months more to wait till I engage in that as recommended by the program to not get involved with anyone till you have a year of sobriety under my belt. OK... I'll wait because they are right some of the guys in the program can be SO DISTRACTING to my program of staying sober and in my case "not eating or smoking" either!! Besides hopefully my divorce will be final by then and I'll feel better about that to wait. I have to say the one thing my marriage did have was faithfullness on both sides!
Here's another cute picture of Katie and I wearing my pricelessly named jeans ... Called
NYDJ (Not Your Daughter's Jeans). And they do feel so good on!!
Can't believe they are a size 4!!! And only the BBS patients can relate with the agony of being a small size but still have the lose skin that loves to billow up above your waistline!! Oh well time for a tuck!!!!
Well I gotta go for now... hope all is doing well and take care everybody!!!
Just an added update...
Jun 17, 2007
Even though it's been only four days since my last post.... I wanted to add in this comment so that any survivors of cross addictions can read / relate / or possibly learn. People with the disease of addiction like myself.... have what is called cross addictions. Once the gastric bypass patient can no longer emotionally eat this sometimes occurs. For me after crossing over to alcohol and for now 4 1/2 months sober unfortunately I have now crossed (back) over to nicotine. SMOKER!!!!!!!! UGH!!! God I thought after seven years of not smoking I would never go back to this nasty habit. So mark my words it will not be a day too soon to get back off these nasty sticks. Steph is SOOOOOO upset with me and rightfully due so. I mean my gosh these kids are so pumped up with information about all these bad things we can do to our bodies and God forbid if one of their parents are indulging in these bad habits ... whether it be alcohol, drugs or smoking cigarettes.... us as parents are scaring the crap out of our kids because they think we are going to die TOMORROW due to our habits. I had to explain to her that "No... if I go back to drinking I could die tomorrow ..... Smoking would only allow it to occur sooner than wanted and/or having to endure surviving lung cancer." Obviously this comment didn't make her feel all that much better... I know it's not convincing me that I've done the right thing.
I do know one thing!!! I am a survivor of the disease of addictions and this survivor is only trying to take it one day at a time and to live a happy life as much as possible.
This week I'm off to a good start ... today I made it to two program meetings and even visited God's house. (Ya know He has such a nice home!!) And I went for a bike ride in between rain storms. And of course I fitted in some retail therapy.
This week Steph is going out of town for 5 days with her Dad to a wedding up north so I will probably besides volunteering at a local vacation bible school... I will be hitting as many meetings and working out as much as possible.... shoot I'm even joining a friend at a church function on Wednesday night. So between the workouts, the meetings and the church functions.... this is how I am confronting my depression and my disease of addiction head on while at the same time will be missing my daughter Stephanie big time!!!
163 Lbs...87 Lbs down...44 weeks out Size 12/10
Jun 13, 2007
My exercise program and my program has fallen to the waist side big time due to my most recent hectic schedule of trying to relocate myself into a new home. Although you would think I would be at risk of falling off the wagon .... I haven't even THOUGHT of having a drink at this point although you would think if I would this would be the time to do it. But at this time I have way too many other things on my mind to even consider relapsing.... I have a daughter to look after.
I have made a commitment to writing (typing) in this blog regarding my weight loss program and I will continue to do so but I do have to say that my self-afflicted stresses comes from leaving my husband after a 14 year marriage. And that of course explains the most recent weight loss. This is not the forum for me to explain the reasons why but to just know I did what I thought was best for all of us concerned. And in the end... it actually will make our family have a better relationship while under two roofs.
And like in the infamous words of "Forest Gump".... "That's all I have to say bout that!"
Here's a pic of Steph & I at her Dance Recital.
172 Lbs...78 Lbs down...38 weeks out Size 12
May 03, 2007
Here's a vanity pose!! LOL
Here's a pic of Stephanie that she allowed me to share with my WLS friends!! I guess she's "cool" enough in this pic!!
Here's a sweetie!! She is Stephanie's friend that joined us at Universal Studios. KH ...we are so glad you joined us!
Oh yeh... on a last note on May 1'st I was able to pick up my 3 month chip from my program. Feeling good at this point day by day of course.
Just adding an ironic pictutre
Mar 28, 2007
179 Lbs...71 Lbs down...31 weeks out Size 14
Mar 15, 2007
Hey all.... not much going on on my end. I'm trying desperately to get done with my chores of life so that I can finally breathe. I'm still trying to keep up with a 5 scheduled exercise sessions per week. I am still going to my program meetings and just a couple of weeks ago ... I picked up my 1 month chip in sobriety.
184 Lbs...66 Lbs down...27 weeks out Size 16
Feb 14, 2007
Yeah!!! Finally a lil movement in the right direction!! Four more lbs finally decided to leave this gal's body!! Although it has a lot to do with I am now doing again what I should have been doing all along in taking better care of myself.
The pictures that I am including is of my makeup artist Clay who did an awesome job at bringing my face back to the 70's with the heavy eyeliner and false eye lashes. Oh my If I fell over that night at a PTO function of a 70's themed dance... it would have either been from my heavy eyelids and huge earrings or my 3 inch platformed Go-Go boots.
The next picture is of us hosting the gambling chip table. With me is Kristy a dear friend and Darcy my beautiful sister-n-law.
Well here's my latest story on my journey and it's not pretty!!!
Unfortunately without being able to emotionally eat I wanted to I turned to alcohol. BIG MISTAKE!! I actually had a couple of instances due to my diabetes, of having extreme low blood sugars that I nearly did myself in. For those who don't understand addiction don't even try to understand why I did this to myself. I unfortunately know why... once an addict always an addict. If I didn't have the diabetes I probably wouldn't have stopped drinking because it was a perfect opportunity to get a quick fix when I needed it. With the surgery I was able to be actually drunk within a few minutes. But with the diabetes what would happen is that my blood sugars would reach extreme lows at night. And in two cases I almost didn't recover without serious consequences. My guardian angel just happen to be working some overtime those two nights and I did recover but not from the guilt I had the following day knowing what I almost did to myself and my family....and for that I am truly sorry. Gee if only I loved myself better or as much as others do... I would be a "normal" functioning person.
The positive is that besides going to a program that has meetings for the past two weeks and being sober every day, I have started praying more, once in the morning praying for a happy, calm & peaceful day and for a day of sobriety.... then at night to thank him for the gifts he had given me that day. I never have done this before... I have always done what some call fox hole praying in which you only pray when you are in need of Him. You know we always try to figure out what are plans are in life and now I have a new plan to ponder on which is ... wondering if the diabetes was intended to actually save my life one day instead of just being my obvious burden. Cause I'm serious if it wasn't for my diabetes "interfering" in my attempts for a high I would still be out there and I am sure of it!
I am very sorry for disappointing a lot of my family and friends and I'm sure Dr. Perez isn't going to be too happy with me on next Tuesday either!!! Yikes
Well.... here's to another day of sobriety, exercising and eating right!!
Amen and Good Night!!
