nraeh

I don't have young children but I have young grandchildren. I'll get my two cents in anyway. I have had absolutely NO complications from my surgery even at my age of 63 when I had the surgery. However, I have tried to follow the guidelines set by the Bariatric Center as closely as possible by taking my vitamins and drinking my water. I can eat anything I want to eat now just not as much as I had eaten before. I don't feel "deprived" because when I get up from the table I don't feel stuffed and ready for a nap now. You won't believe how much easier everything is when you don't carry around an extra 150 lbs. It makes a world of difference. I never realized that until I lost the 150 lbs but I sure realize it now. Yes, there are risks in having the surgery but there are also risks everytime you get into a car or on an airplane. Life is full of risks. You just have to trust God that you are doing the right thing and let him do his part in taking care of you.

I just got my passport out today ready to go on vacation. My passport is dated just a year ago. My picture doesn't look anything like me at all. I sure hope I don't have any trouble traveling.

I could have easily taken a trip 4 days after surgery. The only thing is you will have to make sure and have plenty of water and your protein drinks. If you are traveling it might be wise to invest in the canned protein drinks just to make it a lot easier for you. Good luck and have a great trip.

Good evening! As I'm settling to bed and ready to say my prayers, I am thinking of all the kidness I have been witnessing here on this site (member for 2 wks).
I've never 'blogged' before but I have to say... You all TRULY deserve to pat yourselves on the back for all the support you show to the rookies and veterans here.
I'm very thankful to all and will include you, as a group, in tonight's prayer! xoxo

Hit Ross, TJ MAX, H & M, Target, Walmart and consignment shops for those in between stages before you start buying nicer stuff. I had tops lasted for a long long time, it was the pants that kept getting too big; so I opted for just a few basic pairs of pants, then started wearing skirts with leggings. The interesting thing is that I buy so much less now that I am a size 10-12, than I did when I was larger. I think the reason is that my clothes look so much better on me that I'm not searching constantly for something else.....this is the fun part of the weight loss......getting dressed each day and feeling like, hey, I look OK! So have fun with it and buy the discount stuff for a while, but keep it basic. And when you grow out of it, pass it on to someone else who can use it; no more keeping multiple sizes in your closet any more!

What a difference just ten months has made in my life. The pictures below says it all. The first picture was taken just before my surgery. I had already lost 41 lbs before my surgery on June 1, 2011. The second picture was taken April 1, 2012 - just ten months later. I have lost 148 lb in all now and have just 46 more to go. This journey has been totally amazing. I could not be any happier.

What a difference just ten months has made in my life. The pictures below says it all. The first picture was taken just before my surgery. I had already lost 41 lbs before my surgery on June 1, 2011. The second picture was taken April 1, 2012 - just ten months later. I have lost 148 lb in all now and have just 46 more to go. This journey has been totally amazing. I could not be any happier.

Thanks, I feel great. Not bad at all for 64 years old.

What a difference just ten months has made in my life. The pictures below says it all. The first picture was taken just before my surgery. I had already lost 41 lbs before my surgery on June 1, 2011. The second picture was taken April 1, 2012 - just ten months later. I have lost 148 lb in all now and have just 46 more to go. This journey has been totally amazing. I could not be any happier.

What a difference just ten months has made in my life. The pictures below says it all. The first picture was taken just before my surgery. I had already lost 41 lbs before my surgery on June 1, 2011. The second picture was taken April 1, 2012 - just ten months later. I have lost 148 lb in all now and have just 46 more to go. This journey has been totally amazing. I could not be any happier.

The Living XL catalog just arrived and I took one look at it and realized that I don't need to buy from it anything anymore. Woo Hoo. This is exciting news to me. It is the small things in life that really count.

The Living XL catalog just arrived and I took one look at it and realized that I don't need to buy from it anything anymore. Woo Hoo. This is exciting news to me. It is the small things in life that really count.

The Living XL catalog just arrived and I took one look at it and realized that I don't need to buy from it anything anymore. Woo Hoo. This is exciting news to me. It is the small things in life that really count.

What phone are you using please ? I tested the site from my iPhone moments ago and couldn't replicate your issue.
We hope to release our own native iOS/iPad/iPhone and Android apps within the next few weeks.

I can't tell you how important it is for you to keep a personal journal of your thoughts and feelings during this life changing process. Before I had surgery I wrote a journal entry nearly every day. I haven't read those entries until today. What a difference a year made in my life. The struggles I had a year ago are not even in the picture now. I wish I had been more diligent in journaling since I had my surgery because the NSV's that I have had are amazing. I was totally unaware of the extent of the NSV's that I would experience. I have kept of daily record of my weights tho and even that is astounding. Again, I want to express how important it is to journal.

Since I have had my surgery I have had so many people volunteer to give me excuses as to why they can't lose weight. I tell them I only have one reason as to why I was so heavy. I ate too much of the wrong foods. That is the only reason I have. It seems like everyone wants to justify to me their situation. I don't ever say anything to them about their weight but they seem to think they need to let me know their situation. I get amused sometimes and a little irritated at other times listening to all those crazy excuses. I could probably write a book.
On another note, I went to my dentist the other day and after he had worked on me for two hours he asked if he could take a picture of me. He said the picture they had in my file did not look like me. They sent me a copy of the two pictures. I'll try to attach them below.
I am not at goal but I have lost 142 lbs and have about 52 yet to go. I could not possibly be more pleased with the results of my surgery. I have had absolutely NO complications and I can eat whatever I want to eat - just not much of it. I can't say enough good things about the VSG. It has changed my life forever.

Since I have had my surgery I have had so many people volunteer to give me excuses as to why they can't lose weight. I tell them I only have one reason as to why I was so heavy. I ate too much of the wrong foods. That is the only reason I have. It seems like everyone wants to justify to me their situation. I don't ever say anything to them about their weight but they seem to think they need to let me know their situation. I get amused sometimes and a little irritated at other times listening to all those crazy excuses. I could probably write a book.
On another note, I went to my dentist the other day and after he had worked on me for two hours he asked if he could take a picture of me. He said the picture they had in my file did not look like me. They sent me a copy of the two pictures. I'll try to attach them below.
I am not at goal but I have lost 142 lbs and have about 52 yet to go. I could not possibly be more pleased with the results of my surgery. I have had absolutely NO complications and I can eat whatever I want to eat - just not much of it. I can't say enough good things about the VSG. It has changed my life forever.

Whoa girl! Man what adifference in the pics! It does NOT look like the same person. Congrats - keep up the good work!

WOW....truly amazing photos. You look so healthy and I am sure that you are feeling a lot better. I am sure that by now people have begun to treat you differently also. That is the most amazing part to me as I have not changed as a person inside but the exterior dictates how so many people treat you.....expecially when you are overweight and not considered the norm. Thanks for sharing.

Since I have had my surgery I have had so many people volunteer to give me excuses as to why they can't lose weight. I tell them I only have one reason as to why I was so heavy. I ate too much of the wrong foods. That is the only reason I have. It seems like everyone wants to justify to me their situation. I don't ever say anything to them about their weight but they seem to think they need to let me know their situation. I get amused sometimes and a little irritated at other times listening to all those crazy excuses. I could probably write a book.
On another note, I went to my dentist the other day and after he had worked on me for two hours he asked if he could take a picture of me. He said the picture they had in my file did not look like me. They sent me a copy of the two pictures. I'll try to attach them below.
I am not at goal but I have lost 142 lbs and have about 52 yet to go. I could not possibly be more pleased with the results of my surgery. I have had absolutely NO complications and I can eat whatever I want to eat - just not much of it. I can't say enough good things about the VSG. It has changed my life forever.

Thank you so much. My husband is an engineer and I just asked him to make me a spreadsheet. Thanks for the advice!

At first I had the same problem. I made myself a spreadsheet and checked each time I took a vitamin or had protein. Now, I don't have to use the spreadsheet because it is just second nature to me to do what I am to do. However, the spreadsheet really helped me keep it all organized. Good Luck with your surgery. I know that you will be SO SO SO happy that you did it. It has made a world of difference in my life and I couldn't be happier.

I had my surgery May 9th of this year. Like the other's I researched and had lots of planning, classes and testing done (I am a Kaiser patient). Anyway I NEVER had once ounce of regret EVER!!!!!!!! AND being 6 months out now and being so close to my goal weight is something that I could have never done on my own! I also know that I will never be 280lbs EVER AGAIN!
No way do I ever have once ounce of buyer's remorse. I would do it agian tomorrow if I needed to. I love my sleeve!!!!
Kelly

We have found when we go out to eat that ordering just one meal is plenty for the two of us. He has plenty to eat and so do I. Sometimes I just order a couple of items from the side order menu and that is perfect for me. At home, I was so used to cooking for 4 even when there is just two of us so that has been an adjustment for me to try and limit what I am fixing otherwise we eat leftovers for days and days and days. The other day he noticed that I finish eating at the same time he does now. I used to still be eating long after he was finished. He has a regular size plate and I use a small plate. I still fix balanced meals just as I always have but I take a much smaller portion for myself. As for health issues or complications - I have had none so that hasn't even been a worry on his part. I came home from the hospital and never missed a beat. I started fixing meals for him just like I always have the day after I came home. So basically, he has had no adjustments to deal with. However, the grocery bills and the dining out bills are certainly a lot smaller. We do eat at home a lot more now too. I guess because I have more energy to fix good meals. The only other thing I have noticed is that all of a sudden my husband has become VERY aware of the clothes that I am wearing. If he thinks something is too big he wants me to change and put that into a box to donate. He has never been that conscious of the clothes that I was wearing before. Now, each month on the anniversary date of my surgery he wants me to go through my closet and purge items that are now too big. All in all having the sleeve was one of the wisest decisions I have ever made in my life. My only wish is that I could have had it many years ago instead of waiting until I am 63 years old to have the sleeve. Sometimes I wonder how my life would have been different if I would have stepped up to the issue long ago. I believe everything happens for a purpose and in God's timing so I thank God every day for this surgery and my quality of life.