Lucy

I think it's so important to not view the progress of others as a negative comparison to your own. We are all different and the way your body deals with food/exercise/weight, etc is completely different from everyone else. What might work for some people will not work for others. Focus on YOUR body and your goals and forget what other people are doing, especially if it only brings you down. It took me 27 years to put on all this weight and it's not going to come off in 3 months no matter how much I exercise or how little I eat. The band is not magic, it is a tool to help with weight loss. But everything I have learned about the band is points to the fact that it is not the only factor in my weight loss. I've only made it halfway to my goal and I have been banded for a year. Sometimes I am discouraged, but then I remember that I have lost 50% of my excess weight and that is completely amazing to me. I have never been this "thin" in my life and I have never been so motivated to continue. Focus on the positive things and don't look around at other people on this site who are losing faster than you. This isn't about them, this is about you.

I was a self-pay with Dr. Eddie Gomez at Mercy Hospital in Miami and my BMI was about 35. I don't know whether they definitely take on patients at a BMI of 30, but it's certainly possible. He's a great doctor and there were no issues whatsoever. I had surgery about a month after my first appointment.

Boo Boo, I haven't been on the site in a while, but I just wanted to tell you how amazing and inspiring your journey has been to me. You have made so much progress and I am so proud of you! It's awesome to see you at the top of the page looking fierce and amazing. I wish you continued success and happiness in your journey. All the best l

Agreed with everyone. Incision infections can be NASTY....I don't even want to think about having the port site infected...

My doctor strongly advised against it for about 6-8 weeks. Even though pools are chlorinated or "clean", they are still full of bacteria and your incisions can easily become infected. Stay out of the pool until they are fully healed so you don't risk infection! Hope this helps.

My husband and I are planning to expand my little company into our little company someday. I work out of the house and he often telecommutes into work, so there are many days where we are both working at home, albeit on different projects. We met while working at the same company, so we do have some prior experience with working in the same space. We're both very independent people and part of what makes our relationship work is that we spend a lot of time together and a lot of time away from each other. It's really important that you both find ways to make time together while you are not working where you don't discuss work so that your personal relationship does not just become an extension of your office relationship. It's also really important that you each have your own time alone -- find ways to kindly, but honestly say to each other "I need my alone time". We also have separate offices, I think that's key. It's also very important that you compartmentalize your personal life -- what happens at home should stay at home and what happens in the office should be office-related. I used to work for a husband and wife who hated each other and they would have these awful fights in the middle of the office and all of the employees would end up getting caught in the middle of this personal argument that did not belong in the workplace. If you have employees, don't make your personal issues their problem. Keep the arguments private and keep them work-related. Good luck!

Also, I've never had the paper diaper. My place does it bare. I think the diaper would only make it more weird. I mean, they are waxing your vagina. It's not like they aren't going to get in there anyway...:rolleyes2:

I am a huge fan of waxing and love having it done. Yes, it hurts a little, but it's not that bad and it's totally worth it. Like some others have mentioned, make sure you get it done at a place that specializes in waxing, not a hair salon. Try to get some reviews of the place online before you go. I'm not embarrased to get it done because I figure the waxer has seen every vagina in town and there is always someone bigger or weirder-looking than me that she has seen. As for the little-kid thing, I always have them leave a little landing strip so I don't look like a 10 year old. The whole totally bare thing weirds me out a little. Oh, and DON'T shave down there! You are asking for itching and ingrowns! And it just makes your hair thicker! Waxing, over time, actually thins the hair out.

I tell everyone that I'm working out more, eating more protein, and less of everything else. All of those things are true. I'm very private and no one else needs to know my business. Talking about my weight loss with others is in the same boat as talking about sex or talking about money -- I'm willing to have a conversation about those things on a very vague level, but the details are no one's business (unless I choose to tell them!). Oh yeah, and it helps that I, too, am losing pretty slowly. Dammit!

Ashley and Suzzie, you guys both look awesome!

Hi Ackmaui! Once you give up Diet Coke for a while you won't want it anymore. I seriously think there are addictive chemicals put in there -- for the year prior my surgery I lived on diet coke -- now that I don't drink it, I find even the smell of it to gross me out. Thankfully Christmas is almost here and the traffic in Miami will get back to normal -- or, as normal as it ever will be. But it's nice to have some time off to be at home with my husband and share some love and gifts. Happy Holidays to everyone.

Rhonda, you look so good! Keep it going!

Bigbaby and Missy, you guys look so good!!! Okay Stef and Suzzzzzzzzie, stop the chitchat about BBQ and get your pictures up here! :confused:

mmmm...Henry Rollins....

Danbo, you look incredible! And I have the same car as you except mine's an '07. I love my Jeep

Hi everyone, welcome to the new kids! Tanner -- I had a LOT of gas pain after surgery. Walking was the only thing that really helped. Mine took about a week to really go away, but I feel your pain. Boz and Dorr, you guys look great. Dorr, if you look this good BEFORE surgery, I can't wait to see your after! Congrats on your approval, Anthony. I love the LES/East Village bears!

Stef, you look fabulous!

Musical Momma!!! HOT Momma is more like it! You look great!

Woo hoo!!!! I'm so happy for you, boobs and all!!!

Thanks, guys! It's going slowly, but at least it's going! It's encouraging to see these pictures, everyone looks so great! Let's see some more!

I'll take a billion scars for that body. You go, Julie!

Yesterday was my 6 month anniversary, so here are my pix:

Dr. Eddie Gomez at Mercy Hospital in Coconut Grove. He's great.

Yes...well...that, too, is a possibility.

Ha ha ha, I've never heard that one before... Seriously, it's probably a target for military practice. That's my best guess.