Mindy!

Thank you. I definitely agree with you. Sometimes I let others sway my opinion or shake my confidence so when I see such negativity I get really discouraged, but you're right; it is very mental. All of it. And I just got banded on the 15th. Best decision I've made in my life so far. Ten pounds down and 47 down since I started my journey and I've never been happier. Or healthier. I hope you have a good holiday and congratulations on the surgery! The staple removal was easy-peasy. Not painful and it was really fun because I got to see my stomach without the Patches on it for the first time, haha.

Oh woohoo! You're 19! I was starting to get the feeling that I was the odd man out because the teen board is so deserted! Haha. Welcome, Jeo. It's awesome that you made this decision and it's going to be worth every single ounce of work you put into it.

That's not boring! Sounds like you have a pretty busy and exciting life to me.

Besides my parents, I have told my four close friends and my two sisters. Earlier tonight I told one of my oldest and best friends that I only know on the internet. That was the hardest thing to do, I think, because she always knew I was overweight but we've never met so she's just had my pictures to go off of, which doesn't really translate size too well all the time. She was extremely supportive and had nothing but positive things to say! She asked a lot of questions, including but not limited to "So, if you eat very very little with the band, does that mean you only poop once a week? Or like hamster pellets?!". Now that's a good question! I love her. I really lucked out on my support system, didn't I?