I'm a poster girl! In return for allowing my before and after pictures to be used in my surgeon's ads for three months, I got a professional photo sesson and two dozen pictures. I started out at 240, weighed 158 when the photos were taken, weigh 156 now with only eight pounds to go to my goal of 148 pounds. It has taken me two years and two months to get to this place and it is worth every minute of the struggle. My BMI is normal, my arthritis pain is vastly improved, the sleep apnea is gone, my knees don't threaten to give way at odd times, I can get on my horse without a mounting block, and I can sit with my knees pulled to my chest without gasping for air. I can even look down and see my toes without leaning forward.

Even though I taught dance throughout the time my wieght was so high, I quit dancing in public performances and hid myself as well as I could in class by wearing black pants and a shapeless black top. Two weeks ago I performed a solo at a regional dance festival and got my fair share of "attagirls" from sister dancers. Two years ago, I wouldn't have had the breath, the knee strength, or the nerve to get up in front of an audience again.

Not bad for a grandmama!

Life is good. If I could do it, anyone can do it.

Congratulations! That is a fantastic reward for a wonderful achievement and you deserve it.

That's fantastic! You should be so proud of yourself and your amazing results. What an inspirational achievement

Congratulations! I just viewed your picture. very prettty, an dyou should be proud! Karen

Congrats! You have definitely got something to b proud of. Keep up the good work!

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Way to go!!!!!

Thank you all. Folks on this site have been inspirations for me when I needed an inspiration and I hope I can pass that on to someone else.

Wow! Great! I'm so happy for you. It's nice to get that self esteem boost and compliment from the surgeon.

I'm so freaked out by my "before" pic I can't even post it here at LBT.

That is really fantastic, way to go!

Wow! Great! I'm so happy for you. It's nice to get that self esteem boost and compliment from the surgeon.

I'm so freaked out by my "before" pic I can't even post it here at LBT.

Having survived many years living in my own "before" picture I reckon it doesn't scare me all that bad... unless I think about returning to those days!

Are you in Denver? I'm just a few hours north of you in central Wyoming.

Congrats on your success! You look amazing!

Congrats! I love a good success story! You look great!

Having survived many years living in my own "before" picture I reckon it doesn't scare me all that bad... unless I think about returning to those days!

Are you in Denver? I'm just a few hours north of you in central Wyoming.

No, I just had my surgery in Denver. I'm in Woodland Park. It's a small mount. town west of Colorado Springs ...... on the way to Cripple Creek.... if you have any idea where that is .... lol. I'm in the woods really, not even in the small town.

Thank you, Natalie, Mandi, and 2me. I appreciate the attagirls.

I do know where Woodland Park is, Hummingbird, though I have never taken that particular road on my meanderings through Colorado. Does no one do LB surgery in Colorado Springs?

Yes, there are many LB surgeons in CO. Springs, and some very good ones from what I hear. I went to Denver because I was self-pay and a surgeon was offering much lower prices. I went to my consult with him and we really clicked, so Denver it was.

Glad it worked out for you. You have a remarkable achievement there!