A little background - my husband and business partners own a marina and resort here in east Texas. It is 175 acres, and we run around on the property on Kubota vehicles (like tiny pickups). I hadn't been around on the property much since before my surgery - last spring I didn't feel like it right after my surgery - and was really busy on the weekends (I had a full time job that kept me away from the property 12 hours a day).

So this spring, things have changed work wise, and I have been running around with my husband over the property. One of our customers came up to us today and said to us "I'm going to tell your wife about this good looking woman you are running around with". I think he was kidding - but it made me feel great to be mistaken as "the other woman", and to be thought good looking enough and thin enough to be "the other woman".

THis happen to anyone else after goal? Be mistaken for someone else totally?

I haven't been mistaken for someone else, although I would be tickled if I were, but I have not been recognized by a co-worker. I had lost about 50 lbs and she had not seen me for a few months. I said hello and she gave me a funny sort of smile and nod. I heard later that she asked someone who I was.

It's so amazing how different we look after we lose the weight...total transformation! I feel exactly the same inside but sometimes people just don't recognize me, it's hilarious. I'm like it's me!!!! LOL!

I went to a family wedding and hugged an uncle I hadn't seen since before surgery. He acted very odd during the exchange. When we sat down for dinner he admitted that he didn't have a clue who I was when I hugged him. Loved it!

I saw a former student for the first time since surgery (and I'm down a total of 147 pounds, 116 since surgery). He smiled and nodded, but I could tell he didn't "get" it--then he did a double take and actually stood open-mouthed, after which he went kind of ballistic with the "oh, my gosh, you look fabulous!" stuff. It was pretty cool. :-)

But (and is this just the devil on my shoulder or what??) I really sort of secretly can't wait until my next high school reunion. :-)

My 20-year high school reunion was in 2009 (before my WLS). I had someone do that to me at the reunion -- ask behind my back who I was and then get all gape-mouthed in shock to learn it was me who had gained so much weight.

I've had it happen twice since my surgery. The first was a co-worker who didn't recognize me. It was kind of cool because another co-worker witnessed it and found it as amusing as I did. The second time was more recently when a guy thought my husband had replaced me (with me!). :-) That felt pretty good.

And I wouldn't mind another reunion to show off my smaller self to that gape-mouthed person. LOL

I recently started a new job at a High School from Middle School. My old Principal was in the hall and i gave her a hug she asked me where I worked and what I was doing. When I left that job it was because a promotion so she new I worked there. She didn't realize iit was me. I never told her it was because we got so busy throughout the day.