M2G

When:
Your boobs are bigger than your belly
You take up sewing just so you can cut 3 inches of fabric off each side of your favorite shirts and resew them and wear them
You don't have to shop in plus size anymore
You can comfortably wear a pair of sexy high heels

When:
Your boobs are bigger than your belly
You take up sewing just so you can cut 3 inches of fabric off each side of your favorite shirts and resew them and wear them
You don't have to shop in plus size anymore
You can comfortably wear a pair of sexy high heels

Why don't you spend some time reading here;
http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/694-gastric-sleeve-veterans-forum/
It's the Vets Forum here for sleevers. We have a LOT of 3+ year sleevers a couple who are 4+ years and a lot of the 3+ will cross over into their 4th year being sleeved this year. I believe we have a 5+ year (OregonDaisy??) The vet's forum is specifically for people who are a year plus out from surgery so you can't post in there, but you are more than welcome to READ and gain insight, and you are always welcome to PM people with specific questions if you don't see them being addressed.
Regain happens to a lot of people regardless of surgery type, and regardless of how you lose the weight. It's probably the single biggest issue with ANY type of weight loss at all!

Pretty Cool!!!   I love it!

Banksy, is a street artist (google him), he appears in the night and puts his art on walls - usually it will have a message included in the picture. No one has officially seen him but there are rumours as to his identity. His art has become quite famous but obviously not in the USA. Well it is quite exciting for Cheltenham to have one.

Missed you Kim! You are an artist. What a wonderful example you are for your husband. Maybe just maybe one day he will learn to apologize. There is hope don't stop believing my friend. I have had ppl tell me this about the things that have made me feel hatred in my hubs in the past. Hugs to you.

Yes! Thank you, Kelly. Thank you. Hugs.

OK, I have been sick, and just not feeling like coming here,or much of anything else... but I'm back. I have been eating a little crazy, over by 700 cals yesterday... have been writing it down...making myself do it... Hanging around the tippy top of my bounce range. Missed two days of work and two dance classes...I figured I'd better get my butt back her to catch up before there were 100 pages between where I left off and the new end of the line. My fasting has been pretty pathetic... maybe one real day in the last 10. Thank you all for sharing. You are such real women. Love ya all! I am still working on the family tree "book" and its pretty fun. I am finding out our little renegade, ragtag, mainly agricultural salt of the earth DNA doners come from some blue blood. Of course most of them were scoundrels, warlords and a few even were beheaded and poisoned... not to mention the plague. Who needs Braveheart or the Tudors? Bit by bit I am identifying some of the photos in the family albums... some great farm shots, horses pulling plows, pulling carriages, being ridden by farm ladies and gents. chicken coops, green houses and garden fields... What ever the family found dear. 
Last night my husband told me I should "get over" the idea that Im an artist... that I'm not. When he's mad at the world, he doesn't mind taking a low blow at me. I have been "on the shelf" for almost a year, however I am in a show opening tonight, and have offers of several more if I want them. My ideas/feelings are just too big for my work right now. I hope to change that soon. Learning to use the camera, my birdwatching adventures, my family history research for the book... have all just been more interesting, and i hope they will inform my new work when it comes. Only I can say when I am or am not an artist. It took me years to commit to calling my self an "artist" and not just a person who makes art or likes art, or  the like... I take the profession too seriously for that...for heavens sake, Michelangelo was an artist .... it is more than just making x amount of objects, and is a way of seeing the world as well. I asked him if he thought it was a good idea to insult me in ways that makes me hate him. He sort of slowed down and went back to his business... and in a few minutes was putting on a better mood.... he does not know how to apologize in a straight forward manor. Its a shame.

Isnt it funny how insight can strike when you least expect it - I was cleaning the cat boxes and realizations, or words I guess started to flood.
I wont go into gory detail - but I had a horrific childhood, filled with terrifying violence and sexual abuse from my alcoholic step-dad (he died from cirrhosis long ago.) I have done a lot of time on the couch, and on meds and am good. I usually keep it to myself, but it is also not a secret with those closest to me.
I guess I feel like I am starting to wake up - 50 this year. Feels like I am just opening my eyes - I too must be getting into some of the serious stuff. This just poured out in the last 30 minutes - I apologize if this feels triggering to anyone.
"Always living with a vague expectation that enlightenment and a healing of the old, old wounds would strike one day like a bolt of lightening - or maybe gently like awaking from some bad dream. The longer I am alive I am coming to understand that this probably isn't going to happen.
That everyday we fight, some days we gain ground - some days we lose it - a little on some days, some days a lot. It is little victories over time - each adding up.
All the years of therapy, self-help, support groups...its one moment at a time - over time.
Years of hiding in pain, burying yourself under blankets, under hundreds of lbs of unburned calories, behind the walls and doors of your home - seeking solace in your surroundings- being made fun of for being different by the people you trust the most.
again, and again, and again.
Just be numb
Just don't look
maybe then it wont be true
what is real and what happened will cease to be so
Learning to not turn away - not to hide is hard work.
Bravery is not for sissies.
What is courage?
Why so much fear of what happened lifetimes ago?
What you put up with from others
How poorly you treated yourself for so long.
This is like learning to see
to speak
to walk
to feel
for the first time maybe. Is that old me true? Is that still me? What am I? Who am I?
I looked at a snapshot of the August 2009 Goddard residency and I can finally see how malignant my despair and mistreatment of myself is - in my weight - the symptom that becomes the focus and the problem. A heavy horse collar of shame - its like being imprisoned in the stocks - immobile, every step pain, every glance from others cruel - like being flayed alive every moment of every day.
Maybe if I am lucky this fire of shame will burn me right to ash.
Deep, deep sadness and hopelessness
Try so hard to change - and it never seems to stick - I cant win. I could never win.
I am doing the same thing to myself now with my belief in my abilities as a teacher and an artist - hardly a day passes that I am not wracked with fear, doubt, and the battle against my own weaknesses. Here you are again, more exposed even now. No matter how hard you wish you had that magic lamp that would take away the anxiety, the panic, the terror you feel everyday at just breathing - there is no such thing.
It is part of you
it IS you
Where is my strength? Do I even have any?
The only respite will come from within yourself - for yourself.
How the f**k do I fix the broken stuff
I weep now at even being able to access these feelings.
Fraught
Frightening
Breathe
Dig the knives out of the back and stand up straight.
Look it right in the f**king eye
step forward
step up
Let go"

Oh and I almost forgot:
I earned a 4.0 for the entire year. That means that every single class I took I got an A in. Wow, makes me feel confident!

When:
Your boobs are bigger than your belly
You take up sewing just so you can cut 3 inches of fabric off each side of your favorite shirts and resew them and wear them
You don't have to shop in plus size anymore
You can comfortably wear a pair of sexy high heels

I totally ^^^agree^^^ with this.
Also Pure Protein has a pretty good line of bars that you can find at Target, Wal-Mart, most grocery stores, etc.
GNC sells Quest otherwise you have to order them online (not sure if any other stores are carrying them.)
My advice is to only use them as necessary. I met someone at support group who was eating them as his primary source of protein.
Also remember you can cut them in half and only eat half a bar. The other half won't go bad, and you can save it in a snack size ziplock for another day. I keep a Protein Bar in a hard-shell eyeglass case in my purse (not that you have a purse but maybe a glovebox in your car?) that is filled with a Protein Bar as an emergency in case there is just no other good choice around. I keep it in the case so it can live there for a few months without turning into a crumbled mess for carrying it around for so long.

I totally ^^^agree^^^ with this.
Also Pure Protein has a pretty good line of bars that you can find at Target, Wal-Mart, most grocery stores, etc.
GNC sells Quest otherwise you have to order them online (not sure if any other stores are carrying them.)
My advice is to only use them as necessary. I met someone at support group who was eating them as his primary source of protein.
Also remember you can cut them in half and only eat half a bar. The other half won't go bad, and you can save it in a snack size ziplock for another day. I keep a Protein Bar in a hard-shell eyeglass case in my purse (not that you have a purse but maybe a glovebox in your car?) that is filled with a Protein Bar as an emergency in case there is just no other good choice around. I keep it in the case so it can live there for a few months without turning into a crumbled mess for carrying it around for so long.

Just popping in here ladies with some good news....
I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!!
As of yesterday, I had my last class. So now, in addition to my bachelor's degree (from oh, 20 years ago) I will now hold a Certificate of Web Tools! Woo hoo!!!
It's been a long time (a year basically of school) and I won't actually have my certificate until May, when they will mail it to me. Now my biggest obstacle will be finding a job....sigh. I'm going to continue to freelance until I can find a full or part-time job and I'm actually thinking I will apply at some temp agencies.
Anyway, that is my big news, my big update. Sunday was a really great eating day then sort of notsomuch yesterday. I can't seem to be consistent. Ugh!
Florinda, I hope you don't get hung out to dry over your complaint...I really wish you could get out of there, and soon! Hugs!
Denise, good luck with the CPAP hunt and sleep studies, I think Bill sounds like he worth ironing out the the kinks with this whole thing in order for you to get a good night's sleep!
I know I'm missing some other posts...sorry!

Oh and I almost forgot:
I earned a 4.0 for the entire year. That means that every single class I took I got an A in. Wow, makes me feel confident!

Just popping in here ladies with some good news....
I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!!
As of yesterday, I had my last class. So now, in addition to my bachelor's degree (from oh, 20 years ago) I will now hold a Certificate of Web Tools! Woo hoo!!!
It's been a long time (a year basically of school) and I won't actually have my certificate until May, when they will mail it to me. Now my biggest obstacle will be finding a job....sigh. I'm going to continue to freelance until I can find a full or part-time job and I'm actually thinking I will apply at some temp agencies.
Anyway, that is my big news, my big update. Sunday was a really great eating day then sort of notsomuch yesterday. I can't seem to be consistent. Ugh!
Florinda, I hope you don't get hung out to dry over your complaint...I really wish you could get out of there, and soon! Hugs!
Denise, good luck with the CPAP hunt and sleep studies, I think Bill sounds like he worth ironing out the the kinks with this whole thing in order for you to get a good night's sleep!
I know I'm missing some other posts...sorry!

I totally ^^^agree^^^ with this.
Also Pure Protein has a pretty good line of bars that you can find at Target, Wal-Mart, most grocery stores, etc.
GNC sells Quest otherwise you have to order them online (not sure if any other stores are carrying them.)
My advice is to only use them as necessary. I met someone at support group who was eating them as his primary source of protein.
Also remember you can cut them in half and only eat half a bar. The other half won't go bad, and you can save it in a snack size ziplock for another day. I keep a Protein Bar in a hard-shell eyeglass case in my purse (not that you have a purse but maybe a glovebox in your car?) that is filled with a Protein Bar as an emergency in case there is just no other good choice around. I keep it in the case so it can live there for a few months without turning into a crumbled mess for carrying it around for so long.

Oh and I almost forgot:
I earned a 4.0 for the entire year. That means that every single class I took I got an A in. Wow, makes me feel confident!

Just popping in here ladies with some good news....
I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!!
As of yesterday, I had my last class. So now, in addition to my bachelor's degree (from oh, 20 years ago) I will now hold a Certificate of Web Tools! Woo hoo!!!
It's been a long time (a year basically of school) and I won't actually have my certificate until May, when they will mail it to me. Now my biggest obstacle will be finding a job....sigh. I'm going to continue to freelance until I can find a full or part-time job and I'm actually thinking I will apply at some temp agencies.
Anyway, that is my big news, my big update. Sunday was a really great eating day then sort of notsomuch yesterday. I can't seem to be consistent. Ugh!
Florinda, I hope you don't get hung out to dry over your complaint...I really wish you could get out of there, and soon! Hugs!
Denise, good luck with the CPAP hunt and sleep studies, I think Bill sounds like he worth ironing out the the kinks with this whole thing in order for you to get a good night's sleep!
I know I'm missing some other posts...sorry!

Oh and I almost forgot:
I earned a 4.0 for the entire year. That means that every single class I took I got an A in. Wow, makes me feel confident!

Mrs RRn
You are a dear sweet young thing, so let me give you some idea of how I, as a less sweet, take-no-prisoners, 50 something, respond to people who bring sh1t to my door...

This was my fav response:
"I totally understand & agree that everyone is aloud their own opinion so with that said here's mine.... The "reason" someone says they had wls is irrelevant as long as they had it by their own free will & for their own reasons, the fact that they got healthy is what should matter. People tell others especially non wls others all kinds of reasons (that may not always be true) that they feel will be excepted to help others justify their decision because of comments like this of the fear of "letting a friend or love one down" BC they don't fully understand how hard it is to be overweight or any negative responsive to something that was supposed to be a positive life changing event for them. We ALL go through our own struggles & the fact is that no matter the details of why we do what we do to fix those things as long as we are happy & can live with the results of our decisions is all that matters. I'm truly sorry u were crushed but to hopefully help u maybe understand ur friends life changing decision to add years to their life & to enjoy a healthier way of life by having surgery go google what they had to go through after surgery & have to deal with everyday to maintain that lifestyle. Like it was said in a pervious comment surgery is just a jump start for a better life. & thankfully a healthier way than diet pills, adderall, starvation, or throwing up which is the route many take in private BC wls still has such a negative stigma about it. I feel bad for anyone that looks at me or my weightless different due to how I got that way BC besides them having no clue about the struggles I have & still face they are missing out on sooo many other great positive parts of my life that have happen thanks to my weight loss."
I no one actually put a negative comment about wls. Wow.

Ya know, seems to me, given that this chick chose to put something like this out there on fb, that it's really not about her getting disappointed. It would be more about her having an oppotunity to make a public dig at you. If she was really disappointed she should have discussed it with you privately. So imo she has just made herself look like an ass. Your reply to her was beautiful. If it were me, I would now pretend she no longer exists. Who needs friends like that?
Smh. Can't tolerate catty girls

But I'm really surprised by all the pro wls comments it provoked. I feel really supported. LOVE it.

Ahhh "The Easy Way Out" syndrome.
Yeah, tell them they need to go on a 2 week liquid diet, followed up by removal of 80% of their stomach, recover from surgery, start working out, figuring out how to eat with 80% of their stomach all while addressing food addiction and emotional problems.
Yeah, it's the easy way out...
Or maybe respond with something like, "That moment when you realize you thought you had a real friend then realize they judge a decision you made to better and prolong your life...CRUSHED."