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Good morning! April is here!!!!! Are you all ready to start our new healthier life's?!?! I might be letting my nerves get to me a little but I am ready! I'm excited for all of us and can't wait to hear all about your successes! :)

Hi. In this four year journey that has finally lead me to scheduling surgery I have been in two major relationships. Both men were not really on the train with me which didn't help me at all and I think actually helped me drop out of my program towards surgery twice. I am now single and doing this for me because it's what I want. I want to be a healthier happier me. I'm tired of aches and pains due to being over weight. I don't want my weight to hold me back any further and maybe regret it later and doing the what if game. What if I would have done surgery what if my life could have been so much fuller.

Love is meant to endure. The only way a relationship wouldn't work is because it wasn't meant to. If your given what you need in a relationship then surgery won't change that.

I myself am vain about my hair too and I'm almost positive that I will lose it. I have lost hair in the past with rapid weightloss but hey hair grows back and we shall gain so much for the price of a little bit of short term hairloss. I for one am ready!

What a great reward for us to look forward to. It's hard to stop at one or three I think I shall wait until goal as well.

Coming up on the two week mark for surgery. My mind is going crazy thinking of all these questions. :/ What will my life look like in a year? How will I feel? What will I have accomplished that I couldn't have right now? So of course I'm throwing it all out to you guys my wls surgery family. Yes yes I'm already attached to you .

My life has been a whirlwind the last couple of years. I gained custody of my niece and went from a single girl in an apartment with a dog to a single mom with a child and two dogs!

I tried internet dating on and off for years and man oh man has that been a crazy ride! Funny that now my confidence is higher than it's ever been and my New Years resolution was no more dating for 2014. I wanted to concentrate on myself with surgery and I just started looking for a house to buy for my expanded amazing little family!

That being said I'm getting older. I'm 34 and I'd like to think that someday I'll find that someone! I had a fleeting moment last summer where I thought I had found the one but it was just that a moment. How long do I wait before I get back out there? How is dating after wls? Any crazy stories?

I didn't have endoscopy. Wonder if they are going to do that the day of? I did my labs and EKG all in about an hour since they both were drop in appt the day I'm excited for you to get your day booked.

So there is one thing as a big girl I have always let's myself indulge in and that was shoes. No matter what size I was they always looked good . So now that I'm on this journey my girlfriend tells me that she lost two shoe sizes! Um noooooooo! I own over 50 pairs and I love them all. say it isn't so? Curious did you all lose shoe sizes? Sigh......so new clothes and shoes? Hmmmm just might have to take both clothes and shoe shopping to a whole new level! lol!!!

I have the whole top of my right foot with a lotus flower coy and waves. A huge butterfly on my bag and a lil tiny itty bitty lady bug on my bikini line. not sure what I was thinking there. Lol. I'm getting a peacock sleeve. Was thinking maybe just doing a bird sleeve since I like sparrows and owls too! Waiting in that though until after weight loss has come to a slow. Maybe a year from surgery.

So excited for you! I hope mine is May.

I think as long as you are at goal you can count on being scheduled within a month from that date

Im not a dr. but I think you shall be fine. My Bariatric Program only request you to be on liquid two days before and clear liquid the day before. You just have to remain at your goal weight or lower. Get your head back in this game girly and start over. You can do this!!! You have come so far! This is going to be a journey full of bumps and hiccups. This is just one of those. Back to liquids and no cheating. Remember food can no longer be your comfort after Surgery when you have disappointments. You will need to find a new comfort whatever that may be (healthy, I hope) You will be fine. Good luck to you with your surgery!

I am at Kaiser South Sac which I like way better then Richmond when I started this four years ago. I havent had surgery yet. Scheduled for 04-16. It went so fast after the psych appointment.

02/03 psych appointment

02/10 nutrition class

02/24 did all blood work and EKG

02/27 psych appointment when within 5 lbs of goal

03/11 went to a support group meeting

03/14 weigh in at local dr so i could schedule appt with nurse to schedule surgery

03/14 appt with nurse able to get me in same day to schedule surgery

03/21 appt with Surgeon

03/26 pre op class

04/16 first available surgery date

It goes super fast once you hit goal. I did all my testing meeting with the surgeon and nurse in two weeks and scheduled the next available date which was four weeks out. I had to wait those four weeks anyways because you have to quit your birth control pills 30 days in advance. Im excited for you.

I think that we all have felt that way. "What if this doesnt work?" "This is my last chance" "There is no do over" This will work as far as we let it. If we fall back into those old habits and dont take care of the initial reason why we became this way it wont work. My issue is I find comfort in food. Its a constant. Its something that is always appropriate. I eat at my desk, in my car, even while getting ready for work in the morning. The problem is food is everywhere all the time. Someone dies we eat. Someone breaks our hearts we eat ice cream. Someones birthday we eat. Someones wedding we eat. Its the norm to eat when happy and celebrating and when emotionally down. We just have to be ready for this. I for one am ready to tote my meals around with me everywhere and have a list of healthy alternatives to eating when having these feelings. Food and I have already started to part ways. Im finding that Im not really craving the usual stuff anymore which is GREAT! I think that if we get our head in the game WE are bound to succeed!

I think that staying connected is a key too! Sure the surgery help us to lose it but we have to be the ones to keep it off. Im here to be supported and support. I plan on coming here for a long time to come. I know there will be bumps but the prize of a long healthy life is worth it all! This is a life long battle and remember that we did not get obese over night so we cant expect to lose it all that way. It took me four years to finally make up my mind and schedule surgery. This is going to be a great beginning to the rest of our healthier lifes.

If you(anyone reading this) ever want to chat please feel free to message me! Remember we are not in this alone!

YAY YOU! This is very exciting. Thank you so much for sharing!

YAY You! I love seeing this success! You look great from the inside out! CONGRATS!

@Terribj Congrats! That 19 lbs must feel amazing! I had a feeling that the liquid would be hard. I am finding that I dont chew too much and Im having a hard time getting all my chews in so maybe that phase wont be too too hard for me:) Im hoping to squeeze into a sports bra so no wires. Maybe that will help out. Congrats again on your journey

@@Zoey716 YAY! You are almost there. I just love this site. I feel like I have all the support and family I need from here. Might be a little clickish but Im just sitting over here in my corner with my fellow sleevers, LOL actually not even just the sleevers but my fellow wls peeps

Congrats?!?! I think. Im looking forward to at least one moment like that! Good thing Im good at laughing at myself. I just hope it doesnt happen at work where I may have to relive it with my coworkers.

Hi,

I feel like my surgery day is speeding up fast!!!! VROOOOM! I was curious as to how some might answer this question be it brand new sleevers and old sleevers. What had you wished you had you known before surgery? This isnt just for negative stuff but also the positive. I am so ready for this journey but I want to be prepared in every way possible.

Im also curious about social media. How much did you share? I started a private group and invited what I like to call my support team. 40 people I thought would like to be kept posted on progress and cheer me on. Im also going to do a video diary and invite those 40 people to share in it if they would like. I know that people can be negative and positive but how much should one share about this whole journey on social media (like outside my 40 people)?

After starting this journey four years ago and jumping on and off this ride I am ready. Sometimes as time gets closer I feel like screaming YAY ME!

I like the idea of an inspiration board.. I might just make one .. My husband wants mevto do video a message to me for me ... Any of u do such a thing?

That sounds like a great idea happy girl! I have a video I made for biggest loser that I watch from time to time. I may just make another one since it would be just for me. it really good thing for reflection on growth as a person.

YAY! Just had my last appointment before surgery. They informed me of my preop diet of modified liquids two days before and clear the day before. Looks like each place has their own. Also, I didnt even think about having to pay my copay. Thought that would call just come after but apparently they want it the day of. I called and made arrangements to pay a deposit and payment arrangements after. All that is left is to pack everything on my list to take to the hospital that they gave me today.

Im so ready for all this. I have my game hat on........actually my new life hat. I also told my whole class about this site. Im getting so much use out of it already. I have even told my friend who is a year out and having a little bit of issues staying on track. I love how supportive you all are. ITS GREAT! Its keeps me heading in the right direction and has my eyes set on the prize. I life with no limitations but how much and what I can eat. Ill take it! Eating to live and not living to eat. Right?

Ive decided to start my inpiration board to keep myself on track through all this. To remind me on days when its rough why Im doing this!!!! I also dont want to forget to take some full before pics. I have some from when I started this at 305 but Im a bit smaller now.

Are we all ready for the improved selfs?!?!! I know Im ready!

Lol! I've been thinking the same thing. I'm a 42 ddd. Looks like a push-up bra is in my future.

I havent been told about a liquid diet until after but I did find a great recipe site for the Protein Shakes you may want to look at theworldaccordingtoeggface. She has all kinds of recipes on there. I dont like the plain flavors of the shakes so far. Another thing that I have scene on multiple sites is gas-x strips and a small pillow for when your in the hospital. My surgery is scheduled for April 16th. Good luck! Im sure your going to do amazing!

_{My Surgery is Scheduled for April 16th. Im nervous excited anxious. I have been in and out of the Kaiser program for over four years now and this is the first time I scheduled a date. I wish I would have just gone through with it then. I cant imagine how the last four years woudl have been. Now is the right time though. We are going to do great!!!}

Just booked surgery last week for April 16th. I have been exercising but probably not as much as I should. My hardest thing is chew chew chew. Im getting nervous but excited to see what the future has in store. I got my surgery day bag packed with what I learned on youtube (small pillow and gas-x strips). Everything is ready at home, as in post opdiet supplies for the first week, Vitamins, and Protein Shakes with some sugar free syrups just in case I dont like the flavors I got.

Thank you Mikee! I think I just need to keep hearing it from support people and friends who have experienced it.

As far as I have read and although I had the lap-band, it is normal to have doubt's, but even though I am only 8 weeks post op...I am happy I made this choice. You will be too I promise...I so know my joints (knee replacements) only with 29lbs off of them feel better. I just need to get into the habit of exercising...then I know I will feel even better then. Hang in there and move forward with your decision, you'll feel so much better!!!

I have a friend that had the gastric sleeve and she looks wonderful!!! You will too!!!

I must say I started this journey about four years ago. I started the process for gastric surgery then but ended up losing over 50 lbs on my own and thinking that I could do it all by myself so I dropped out. I then started it again about two years ago and the same thing happened. So I dropped out again. I dont seem to have a problem losing that first 50lbs but keeping it off is the issue. Everytime I gain the weight back I just feel worse. I hurt worse. My joints just are not made to carry this much weight! I have to admit that the first two times I was doing this all for the wrong reasons. Well, at least to for me it was the wrong reasons. I just wanted to be thinner and look better. I wasnt so much focused on the health portion.

Now, this last year I have really been working on myself. I have the best self esteem I have had in my adult life. I can look in the mirror and actually like who I am and what I see but the health thing is a concern. I really want to be able to run with my little girl and have no hold ups. That is more important to me and being there for her for life. So, now surgery is finally booked for April 16th and Im so nervous. I dont want to lose the new self esteem I have gained and not like what I see in the mirror! I know that it may just give me more self esteem but the fear of the opposite is consuming me. Is this normal to have so much doubt after your surgery is finally booked!?!?!