KaitlynnHughes

Thanks everyone! As for the excess skin, it's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be! My arms and boobs are probably the worst of it! I hide it with spanx and tummy tuck tank tops pretty well! Oh and push up bras! Lol. I'm def going to have some plastic surgery in the near future but I wanna wait until I've maintained at my goal weight for at least 3 months before I go under the knife again! My starting weight was 284 day of surgery and today I'm 169. I'm hoping to lose another 30lbs and then I'll be at my personal goal! Thanks again for all of the nice comments!!! It feels so good being here!!

Thanks! Yea I actually had an emergency surgery 1 month out! My staple line opened and I had one hell of a leak! But since then it has been smooth sailing! I hit my surgeons goal in January and I'd still like to lose 30 more pounds!

Just a quick update.... I am now 8 months post op and I am down 115lbs! I went from a size 4x top and 26/28 pants down to a large top and size 12 pants! And actually at work I fit into medium scrubs!!! I feel as though I've been given a second chance at life! I'm going through a divorce (and please no I'm sorry's it's the best thing to happen to me since this surgery) and I give all of my newfound self esteem and courage to my sleeve! It helped me find myself! And the best part is...I get to experience dating after my divorce is final!!! Lol Keep it up everyone!! PM me if you have any questions!!!!

YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!! Congrats to you!!!

It was funny...the other day both of my kids wanted me to carry them up to bed! So i put one kid on each hip....and at the top of the stairs i was like "my goodness you two are heavy" but their combined wieght is 30 lbs less than what i've lost!!! It blows my mind that i used to carry around all that extra weight....no wonder i was tired and cranky and sore!!! I am so thankful that i never had a heart attack with all the excess weight. 100lbs is crazy when you think about it...hell 10lbs is crazy....go to the store and buy a 10 bag of potatoes and carry them around for a day...it would suck. Any weight loss is amazing and everyone at any point in this incredible journey should be proud as **** that they are making life changing decisions about their health and well being!!!

Thanks everyone!!! I appreciate all the positivity and encouragement on here! As for food: Breakfast(9am)- 1/4 cup egg beaters with either turkey bacon or sausage or on days i'm rushed i'll grab a Breakfast sandwhich at work and just eat the egg and meat!!! Snack (11am)- usually something crunchy like nuts or turkey pepperoni chips and its only about a handfull Lunch(1pm)- If i work i'll take a healthy choice and eat the meat and veggies first and then right before i'm full i'll eat a bite or two of the Pasta. If not its chicken, or like 1/4 of a sandwhich with lunch meat, cheese, lettuce and HUMMUS instead of mayo (thats my new addiction) Snack (3pm)- this is where i'm usually bad...its after school with the kids and i'll bite whatever they are munching on but I try to do granola bars and healthier snacks for them but its not high Protein...i'm working on this!! dinner (5pm)- I cook a regular dinner for my family and usually just eat the meat and veggies....just a lot less then them....lol my 2 year old eats more than i do now! Snack (7pm)- Hummus and veggies or what ever new addiction i have at the time!! I try to fill in gaps of missing protein with shakes and supplements but i have a hard time eating all that i just listed so no i don't usually meet my goals on protein and Water but i'm trying my best to get it all in!!! I am now aware of what i put into my body and am making good healthy decisions. When i track on my fitness pal i'm usually around 800-1000 calories a day. As for exercise...i need to step it up a bit and actually join a gym. i've just been walking and doing wii fit! But i NEED to get in a gym and talk to a trainer about toning....up until this point i've been really lucky with things not sagging too much...well except the girls...def see a breast augmentation soon....lol

June 27, 2011 and 100lbs gone!!!!

I have officially lost 100lbs since my surgery on June 27, 2011!!! I feel like this should have taken longer....its almost an unreal feeling!!! I've never been happier and healthier in my life!!!! I have gone from a 4x top down to a Large/XL in some brands. My pants size has gone from a 26/28 to a 14!!! I love shopping now!!! I remember reading others post pre-surgery about how much fun shopping was after the weight loss and i thought "yea right" thats going to take forever for me to get to that point!!! BUT I"M HERE!!! 6 months later I'M HERE!!! I still have about 40lbs until goal and now i'm stepping it up a notch with the exercise, especially going into my first holiday season since surgery, but I already feel like a success story!!! So here's a few pics....

Since i've last been on here so much has changed...i'll start with the bad!!! My husband (who if you remember was an ASS) has left me and our kids!! He is seeing someone else now and yes he was seeing her before he left me!!! I have filed for divorce and the process has started and its an aweful mess!!! I've never been more stressed over anything in my life but I know this is in mine and the kiddo's best interest!! Luckily my mom is moving here to help me through everything!!! Its bittersweet...i as you know wanted to leave him (not sure if i would've ever had the guts to do it) but he left first making things easier on me!! But i really didn't think another woman would be brought in as quickly as he did!!! Hello....at least TRY and hide it until after we're divorced or until after the seperation date....lol...he's not the brightest bulb!!! But enough sad depressing news!!!! I got on the scale today to see the number 197.7..............i'm officially in ONEderland!!! and i feel ONEderfull!!!! This is amazing i'm down 86.3lbs in four months!! I've included pics of my face and body....but the best pic is my profile picture!!! I'm just not sure how to get that one on here!! I went shopping because i had NOTHING to wear and i'm out of plus sizes!! i shopped at kohls in their misses section!!!! It was such a good feeling!! I'm in an XL top and 14/16 pants and jeans!!! And i have to add so far not as much skin sagging as i thought at this point!!! My hair is falling out...my hair dresser said it was awkordly thin in some spots but its only temporary i keep telling my self!!! she gave me a very nice cut that you can't even tell how thin it actually is!!! Everyone i know is telling me how great i look.....it is such a confidence builder especially with everything that is going on in my life right now!! I am so happy with my sleeve...words can't even express!!! It has opened so many doors already i can only imagine what else is to come!!! lol especially since i'm single and looking/feeling amazing!!!! I LOVE MY SLEEVE

Thanks Ladies, I have contacted the attorney....I got a day shift job that will allow me a set schedule with four days off per week in a row (i've been waiting a long time for this position and I finally got it!) Its almost like the stars are aligning! I hope nobody thought i was whining but I just really felt like I had to get it off my chest! Now for the hard part....physically and legally removing him from my life....not my kids...my life! I am looking for an apartment to rent for me and the kids....and i think i may just follow the legal advice to keep my plans hush hush until i'm out!! He's very vengefull-sp? My family is willing to help as much as they can but they all live 4+ hours away!! I'm going to visit them this weekend for a bridal shower and hope to make some plans for them to help me get out!! I've known for a long time to get out...it has just been an eye opener since the surgery how insecure he is becoming and I don't want my kiddos around it anymore! I already have so much damage control to do with them! I"m thinking after I start my new job and get settled next month i'm making my move!! Thanks for your support!!!

So, here's the thing....this is a sticky situation! I figured i'd see what everyone here says because my family and friends are very biased in there opinions! Brief History: My husband and I have been together for a very ROCKY 7 years....married for only four of those! We have 2 boys aged 2yr and 5yr...who are amazing...hehe!! Things have never been good....i chased him in college while he dated other girls (blinded by lust) and then ended up preggers! We moved in together trying to make it work for the baby....lots of shitty things were done to me at that time but once again i was stupid, insecure and i had a baby with him and wanted it to work! He cheated on me...cops were called once....my family grew a hatred for him during this time. Long story short....i always took him back!!! He graduated college and got a job in FL and insisted we were moving (we lived in PA our whole lives) and so me and the baby could be on his health insurance we thought we had to get married...so we did!!! FL was good...just typical bickering! THEN we moved back to PA and in with HIS PARENTS!!! They cause lots of fights between us constantly....but on night i let my guard down and hello baby #2!!! So we lived with them until he was 6months old and FINALLY bought our own house and moved out!! Well...that was 1 and 1/2 yrs ago and since then our relationship has been going down hill!! Alot of mental abuse from him towards me.....and lately towards the kids (which makes me sick)!!! In the past few years i've thought about leaving him numerous times...tried twice and went back! I think my lack of self esteem mixed with his manipulations has always been the stopping force!!! Present day: I had my surgery in June and he's been no help...actually the opposite...like going to our favorite wing place the day i got home from surgery....ignoring my mother when she asked for help with the kids while she was taking care of me post op! he goes out when ever he wants!! he just bought a jeep after we talked about getting a mini van bcz we are bursting out of my little car!!! Its like he's pissed that i'm getting happy and healthy....he puts words in my 5yr olds mouth...like "mommy, you only buy food for you..none for us!!" Just because i'm cooking healthier...i still buy the kids their kid Snacks and fun foods!! i'm just more carefull...i don't want them to go through what i went through!!! Everything I do is wrong, and NOW he's acting suspicious of ME!!! I do my hair and make up more now than the past few years bcz i like the way I look....i dress cuter bcz i can!! i don't flaunt it or rub it in!!! and no i am not intimate with him....haven't been for awhile but I don't know how anyone could emotionally bring themselves to be intimate with someone who has repeatedly hurt them!! He thinks bcz I leave early for work that i'm having an affair, every phone call i get he's listening in, and i'm going away this weekend to my girlfriends bridal shower and he's freaking out that i'm gonna cheat on him while i'm out there....BTW his cousin is going with me....he's acting insane and its almost like he's chasing me now like i did him in college! I talked to a lawyer....they said to get my eggs in a row before doing anything drastic like leaving him. I have so much confidence now that I'm ready emotionally to take that step but i'm still scared!!!! I don't want people to think oh she got skinny and left him!! Bcz thats clearly not it!!! I grew confidence!!! I guess what i wanted out of this post is to see if anyone else has gone through this or any advice would be helpful! Sorry this turned into a long rant but i really needed to get this off of my chest!!!

I agree...they told me i would be awake when they removed the tube to follow commands and I don't remember how it felt...i have a faint memory of someone saying "swallow" but thats it and it could just be my imagination!!! Trust me...you'll go to sleep and wake up sleeved....i did it twice...first with the sleeve then my emergency surgery after!!!! DON"T CANCEL....it is so worth it!!!

LOL I was required to go to support groups that consisted of pre and post ops at my hospital!! It was an open forum and the first gentlemen to get up and speak was a post op with the sleeve and he hadn't lost all that much weight in my opinion but within a few minutes of answering questions he was describing how to add sauces (high calorie ones at that) to anything to make it "slide" on down...i was appalled and in disbelief that the program i was going through actually forced us to sit through something like that!!! Needless to say, i went to my two required for the insurance and haven't been back since!!! Although part of me wants to go speak and share my success from following the rules!!!!

i hear ya!! I sit with my legs crossed ALL the time now!!! It is such a great feeling!!! GREAT NSV!!!!