Two days to be exact. It is so hard to believe how quickly that year has flown by for me. For the most part, I am thrilled with how well I have done and how well the band has worked for me. I am so proud of my weight loss and so happy with how many advances I have made in my health. My blood pressure medication I had been on for the last few years, gone. Cholesterol medication, gone. All blood labs, NORMAL for the first time in my adult life. Gained mobility from reduced pain, so I have been getting out more and doing more things with my husband and family. I am better able to keep up with and do things with my nieces, they mean the world to me and I have gotten so spend so much time with them lately, especially this past summer. Getting a sleep study done next month to find out if I still have sleep Apnea, which I am thinking I likely do not, just judging by how I feel when I end up falling asleep without my mask on. I wake up still refreshed with no headaches, etc. I used to have to use daytime oxygen through a nasal canula, even if I was out and about I had to take along a portable. NO LONGER, I was approved by my respiratory Doc to come off of it, and haven't had to use it in months. (although I still have to use 4 liters at night through my bipap) My moods are better (although still slightly off due to perimenopause and moodiness. lol). But I am never depressed, that's for sure. I have a better outlook on life and feel more positive. I feel more like being around other people and taking part in LIVING. I am thinking of possibly signing up to volunteer at either our local Animal Shelter or another local charity organization when I feel up to it (the pain again).

I have gone from wearing a 5x in clothing, to now where I am wearing a 2x and can fit in SOME xl shorts, I am wearing some of my hubbys old shorts! lol... And hoping I will be into a 1x by next year sometime. I can still wear some 3x things if they are things like tshirts, etc. However, alot of 3x tops now are too large and hang off of my neck and shoulders too much. What a great feeling. I recently this summer had a dear Aunt pass on which was not such a great experience for me, but as a result, I have been gaining posession of all of her clothing little by little (she was a clothes hoarder) and I have many many sizes, she had great taste in clothes and so a good many of her things, I will be keeping. The rest is being given out where I can give them to those that need them. I mention this because I wont even have to buy clothing for quite a long time unless I see something I absolutely have to get (which is likely to happen soon anyway).

I CARE how I look now, which I didn't really much a year ago. I rarely wore makeup, wore my hair in a ponytail almost constantly, hid under giant tshirts, mostly all dark clothing. I still love my dark clothing, dont think I will ever get away from those. But OMG miracle of miracles, I am finding a new found love for COLORS lately, who would have ever imagined I would like something like PINK. And I take care to keep my hair nicely dyed now, I wear makeup, prettier jewelry, etc. And am loving every bit of feeling like a woman again. It is nice to have that pride in myself again that had been lost to me for a long time. And I know that my husband is delighted as well to see me so happy and enjoying myself so much.

I got to do some running around this summer activity wise. We went to an Irish Festival last weekend and I got the chance to meet and get a photo taken with one of my very favorite bands (Gaelic Storm), did lots of walking around that day. Went to the annual Folk Festival in town here in late July/early August for two days in a row, more walking walking walking which I am thrilled I can finally do. Saw some other bands live, went and watched my nieces at swim lessons, many picnics with family, went to a local Animal Park. Most of these things I would have never been able to do a year ago because my pain and fatigue would have stopped me and I would have not wanted to take part in them. I still have to walk with a cane some of the time due to the hip pain, but I do leave it at home more often than not these days, even though I walk with a pretty prounounced limp. Next month my husband and I will be taking for us what is our annual Halloween trip to Niagara Falls, Canada, and I plan on doing lots and lots of walking around, and getting together with some friends while we are there to take in a show and dinner together. I will pay for all of that pain wise later in the evenings, but what a blessing to feel better about doing it this year and knowing that it will be easier for me.

Where I am not so happy has nothing to do with my band or my loss but with me on a personal level. I am still trying to kick my hiney into gear to get moving as far as exercise goes. I do have severe chronic pain stemming from Osteo/Degenerative arthritis, I have bone on bone pain for which I have been seeing my local pain management center for years. They are helping me med wise as much as can be done but at this point, all that will eventually help is surgery, looking to have that done in January. HOWEVER, I definitely could be doing things that would not affect the hip. I need to start doing some upper body cardio and some weight resistance movement. I am getting the hanging down skin on my upper arms, stomach breasts. And my weight loss has slowed quite a bit, which my surgeon tells me is due to my metabolism slowing up so I need to not only start the moving, but increase my intake of Protein as well (something where I have been slacking a bit).

But anyway, I am struggling with forcing myself to do those things. I have babied myself for years and years and trying to break out of that mode of thinking is something I am finding difficult. But I know I will get there in my journey and once I do, even better days lay ahead.

Other than that one thing, I am happy with all aspects of this weight loss journey and happy with my band. No issues with food tolerance, no issues with taking pills, no issues with liquids, no nausea, no vomiting. No problems at all band wise.

My Lapband surgeon is having me speak the monthly support group meeting next week, so I will get to share this last year's experiences with others who are just starting out or who are awaiting surgery. That is pretty exciting and I am working on putting a speech together because I am not so great with public speaking, I will do better reading from piece of paper and they said that was fine.

Overall from my highest all time weight, I have lost approximately 160 pounds, 83 of that has been since my surgery last September.

I just wanted to share my happiness in reaching this first year's milestone and let others know that are just starting out what my experience has been like. It has been amazing and will only get more amazing as time goes by. Celebrate!!!!!

Happy Bandiversary, Tracie. Keep up the good work!

I am so happy for you! Thanks for sharing. You have done so well. :clap: Keep up the good work and enjoy life!

Thanks kindly, I am so proud of myself and although I tend to have some slips along the way food wise (I am sure we all do), for the most part I am really pleased all around with how well I have done.

As a side note, got some great news today. My Mom has been hospitalized, she presented to the ER with extreme respiratory distress and they felt her CHF had gotten much worse, she was put on O2, a bipap and medications, her BP was off the charts, her pulse and respiration were haywire. They felt she most likely had suffered a mild heart attack as well but today they feel she did NOT have a heart attack. She has a leaky heart valve (which cannot be remedied) and if often causes false results on heart tests for her. Today she is out of ICU, off the bipap, just on a nasal canula for oxygen and they say she most likely can go home on Sunday. Really happy about this news, we were all so worried about her. She almost died some years back from a Dissecting Aorta and spent about 2 months in ICU under heavy sedation, this is where the leaky valve issue stemmed from. She does however need to QUIT smoking, which she doesnt seem at all determined to do, I wish she could find the strength though, she will just end up in this same situation before long otherwise.

Anyway, she is doing wonderfully today, sounds so chipper and happy on the phone today and I will head up later this afternoon to visit.