J M.

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I can't believe that today I had surgery 2 years ago..... where does the time go. I'm so thankful and grateful for believing in myself that I could be a thinner/healthier person by having this surgery. I have lost 161 pounds and have kept it off. At times it is still hard to believe that the person in the picture is me.....I never thought that I would ever be this small.
I actually just bought a pair of size 6 dress pants!!!! To me that is insane.... I'm still thinking that I'm a size 24/26 at times.
I do have some skin issues, but nothing that clothes can't hide and someday when I get enough money and nerve I may have some plastic surgery.
It is now my goal to keep my weight off and maintain an healthly lifestyle.

It's been forever since I've posted, life is so crazy busy and it doesn't seem to be letting up. I'm still at my goal weight of 150 pounds. I've been here for months, and thankfully it does not move very far either up or down. I still get crazy when I think that I'm able to eat far more than I could in the past, but Dr. tells this is normal and I should be able to eat like a normal person.  I also keep hearing that people gain back their weight, i'm paranoid about that..... it's been over a 1 1/2 years since surgery and I have not gained any back...... phewww. 
I just started looking into Plastic surgery...... my arms bother me the most, i can't wear alot of short sleeve tops and definitely not slvless.... i felt so self conscious this summer, that I started to think about plastic surgery.  i would like to get my arms done and have my chest done as well. I'm afraid that if i get one done w/out the other, I'll never go back....
I've had one consultation already.... the price quoted was crazy..... 25,000.00 for both proceedures. I have heard that is very high and was told to keep researching, which I am.  I'm not in any kind of a rush, so I'm taking my time and trying to figure it all out.
I'm so thankful for this surgery, my life has change so much for the better. I'm happy about myself. I feel confident when I go out and i don't feel ashamed of myself. i still get a little gunshy about the questions and comments.... but i guess I will always have to deal with that.
It is so funny when my kids tell that people ask them who I am - Is that your mother? or is it an older sister we didn't know you had? Isn't that a riot...... i'm 42 years old. 
on that note i'll sign off.

Yup - it's awhile again.....
I'm down another 5 pounds from last time I wrote. I'm 5 below my goal weight and still going...... slowly but I'm not really trying to lose, just living my new lifestyle and eating the correct healthy way.
I've seem to notice within the WLS community people are really defensive about the surgery they have choosen. It's odd, should'nt we just be happy that people are really trying to give themselves a healthy lifestyle? I truely believe that no matter what surgery you choose, it will be an amazing adventure. I hate it when people compare RNY to the lap band. They are 2 competely different surgeries with the same result. Why does one have to justify which surgery they choose. It is completely the individual that makes the surgery work or fail. There is weight gain on both sides of the fence. I 'm so tired of people saying....." there is more weight gain for RNY'ers once they hit goal". Honestly for that matter I have heard that a large majority of Lap banders never even make it to goal. Regardless of what surgery you have,you have to relearn how to eat, whether it be slow and small bites, or avoiding foods that will make you sick. Ok, so I'm only 16 mos. out from surgery , so maybe I'm still jaded about how great it has been. I also know that I choose to have this surgery and that if I gain weight back it is because I'm not working at it the right way, not because I choose the wrong surgery. Eating after bypass surgery is really not that hard. I don't know why everyone makes such an issue about it. 
I know I'm rambling on, but it just find this irratating..... I could give a crap at what surgery someone has.....if it works for them - why bash others.
This surgery is not a cure all, it takes hard work and commitment - like anything else that is worth acheiving.
I'm done ranting for now......

It's been forever since I updated my blog. Life is so crazy busy. I have finally reached my personal goal of 160 pounds. It is unbelieveable, I can't ever remember weighing this ever. I can wear a size 8 jean - the same size as my girls, how crazy is that.
Since losing all this weight I have had to have knee surgery in January '08 and now in March I have to have my gall bladder removed. The Doctor warned my that having my gall bladder removed is a great possiblility after losing so  much weight so  fast. So.... I'm going in to have it removed next week. I hope that this will be the last of surgeries for a long time to come.

I have no complaints about having this surgery, I just very thankful  that everything has gone so smooth. I have no problems with anything that I eat, but I do stick to the doctor's rules.....everything in moderation.

If anyone would ask me if i thought I made the right decision i would say absolutely.... but that is for me. People really need to look into and research this process as much as possible. It truely is not a quick fix to losing weight, but a lifetime a changed eating habits. 
I can only hope that the next year will be as great as the one that i just went thru.

It has been quite sometime since I posted here. I'm so busy living life that I'v neglected to update.
I'm so happy I did this surgery. So far - at almost 10 months out I have had no problems at all. I can still eat basically everything that I try. I'm really selective about what food I eat. I stay away from rice, pasta and bread of all sorts and really limit sugar intake. I find this to a realistic lifestyle to follow.
I have lost  a total of 122 pounds and I'm almost in a size 12 ( regular missy) clothes. It's crazy. I'm constantly borrowing sweatshirts from my hubby and shirts/tops from my girls and vice verse now. The girls are loving be able to share clothes.
I have to admitt sometimes the extra attention I get from people is a little overwhelming, but i'm sure that will die down and everyone will be looking to see if I gain it all back. 
I have 29 pounds left to my DR's goal weight. I'm not losing as fast as I was but I will still take 10 pounds a month. I know that it gets harder the closer you get to goal. I don't even excercise. I wish I could find more time in my day to do it, but my days are so crazy busy and long that right now I don't know where I would fit it in.
My ultimate goal is to be at my goal weight at the time of my 1 year anniversay - not sure if I'll make it , but it will be close. 
So right now life is good and hopefully it will keeping going good......

I just updated my ticker.... I adjusted my goal to be lower than I originally had. I now only have 39 more pounds to goal. I have finally hit the 199 # milestone. I have not been under 200 pounds since my wedding 17 years ago. I finally bought new jeans and they were a size 14 from old Navy. I'm on cloud 9. I can even raid my girl's closets for t - shirts. At this moment if I don't lose another # I will still be so thankful for this surgery.

Wow - where does the time go..... 6months ago I was planning for a life changing event and today I've been living it for 6 months.  I have lost a total of 102 pounds so far - it so inconceivable to me. I have about 50 or so to goal.
I have been so fortunate to have such a positive experience with WLS. It is still have to think other than a large size person, but I"m trying. Everyone is amazed at how small I seem to be getting.....I never would dream of myself getting to the same weight I was in college or when I got married. When I hit goal it will be a weight that I don't think I have ever remembered being at. 

It is so great to be able to sit in a Movie theater seat w/ room to spare, to be able to sit on the bus and not be squished by someone else, as well as sit on beack chair and not have the break.

I still have to figure out the shopping thing..... I don't fit in large size clothes, but I'm socautious about shopping in regular stores....my mind just can't seem to go there.

I have my 6 month check up in august( more like 7 months) hopefully all will be good and the doctor will be happy.

Well it's just few days past my surgery anniversary, I thought I would give a quick update. Things are going very well. I have lost 89 pounds and I'm 11 away from 100 pounds. I want to see if I can be at 100 on my 6 month anniversary. I have had no major complications, everyonce in awhile something will get stuck and I'm be miserable for about 4 - 6 hours, but that is few and far between. I'm so glad I had the surgery. I have not weighed this since college. My clothes are just hanging off and I can't seem to get it thru my head that I don't have to shop in large size stores anymore. I can even fit in one of my daughters clothes at this point. 
I can eat anything and don't feel deprived at all. I only hope that my success will continue so I can reach my goal weight. I don't think I have ever weighed my goal weight even as a child.
My husband and kids have been so supportive I don't think I could have done this without them. 
It's funny - well not really - but quite any eye opener, I was swimming and all of a sudden I looked at my hand and noticed that I had lost my wedding band and engagement ring !!!!! Thankfully I was in my sister's pool and we were able to find them, but I can  no longer wear them because the fall off..... who would have ever thought? Hmmmm maybe the hubby will have to buy me a new one soon !!! yeah right  - I'll just have to wait and make them smaller.
I'm so excited for the warm weather. I can finally go out and not sweat like a pig and fell comfortable in short, sleeveless is a problem - my arms are gross. I will defintely need surgery on those babies. 
I also can't wait to go to the beach and just feel comfortable in my chair and not worry about breaking it as I get in and out of it. That has happened - how embarassing.

That is it for now - hopefully I will check in again soon

Today it is exactly 4 months since surgery. Things are going great. I have lost 77lbs. so far - in only 4 months. I can't believe how much better I feel since January.  I went to the movies for the first time in ages and I was able to fit in the seats - no problem !!! I used to feel like i was going to end up taking the seat home w/ me -since I felt really squished. I can fit in a size 16 pant !! i haven't worn that size since about 16 years ago.....it is crazy. All of my clothes just hang on me.... I really need to get new ones, but I hate to have to replace them in a month.
I'm starting a new job next week. I'm so excited, so many new things are going on in my life and all of them are positive. 
I can only hope that I continue to have great success - I have never reached a goal on any "diet " program - I really hope that this is finally the one that gets me to the weight that all doctors want me to be at. I have agout 50 more pounds to go.... so I hope that by my 1 year anniversary I will be close to goal.

Thanks for stopping by..... 

I cannot believe that in almost 4 months I have lost 74 pounds. How is that possible. It took me years to pack on the extra weight and years of frustration to try and remove 1 pound at a time. I'm so in awe of this whole process. I'm so grateful for this new chance at life that was given to me. 
I actually cannot wait to do things this summer w/ my family - like amusement parks, the beach, walking tours on vacation...... I no longer have to say No to my kids when the want me to join them in an activity.

I no longer get tired when I climb the stairs in my house ( the washer and dryer are in the basement). I used to make everyone else do the wash because I hated walking down the stairs. Not any more!!!!!
I was able to do a 1 hour cardio kick boxing class this weekend and still make it up my stairs when I got home.

Again - I'm so happy for all the new found things that I'm able to do now.
I bought capris this weekend is a size 16!!!! I was a 24 b/4 surgery. I have not worn a 16 since I was pregnant for my 1st child. My one daughter asked if I might even become as small as her...... who knows where I'm going to end up - but it is a possiblity.