Just reading and reflecting on how things have gone over the 2 plus years since having my surgery and the people who really influenced, encouraged and offered their story when I was seeking information about the sleeve surgery. I posted, tell me "the good, the bad and the ugly", I read and read. I prayed, I got to really understand that things can go wrong and do with people and this surgery. I never thought it would happen to me, because I follow the directions to the letter, and now maybe that was a fault. I ended up with an abscess that was caused by my JP Drain being left in for 10 days. Now, my doctor gives antibiotics before surgery and only leaves the drain in for a day (last time I saw him). So, folks even though I am posting in the Vets forum, for now I know others are reading this section.

Just curious if we have heard from Irene...LittleMissDiva (aka Diva, and will always be the Diva to me), Tiffikins (first one to help me), Libby aka, Me...Me...Me, (who bravely shared her leak story) or Lissa (aka Melissa, who was featured in the spot light), I know Cheri has been on the boards (hope you and your family are doing well), what about Sleeve of Steel; I know Kim is now a host Feed Your Eye (so cool), PDXman (also featured and always brilliant), Coops (showing dedication can get you there and I have seen her around recently ), umm BlackBerry (remember she had a body building picture)' remember when it was just Avitars on the site, no pictures...(digressed sorry), Sleeve For Me (new name, but always, i mean always recognizing others), Peg in the Woods (made a list of those with complications so you could read about it) and others during the 2011/2012 early time frame? I hope these folks know they forged the way and helped many of us, and even the NEW vets. Folks just know, all your contributions are/were appreciated. For me, I have been on and off this forum. I find when I am active, listening/reading and in some cases helping others, I feel successful, I tend to do better for myself and I sometimes feel I have contributed in a small way.

Make way for the new wave of big contributors, Laura Van (hostess with the mostess), Susan (you have been such a solid staple for the board, certainly a real person), ButtertheBean (host with clear and direct suggestions and advice, you pull no punches)...and more. Seems we have more hosts than before and thank you for your time. I know I have missed many and as soon as I post this, I will think of more, but for now, I am just "remembering", if you have or were offering advice.... Just know you are appreciated!

Thanks for reading this from a professional woman, mom and wife; who, thanks to her sleeve and incredible stories, direction, advice and input from folks like you all on this forum, has changed her outlook in life and the way She can now see herself growing old with her husband and enjoying life.

Make the most of everyday, eat healthy, exercise and make sure the people in your life know how much they mean to you.

Take care.

I will always be ONE HAPPY CAMPER :-)

Edited January 7, 201412 yr by Happy Camper

I've been here since 2010, sleeved in May 2011. Little miss diva and tiffykins were the board leaders. I couldn't wait to get sleeved and they seemed so experienced and knowledgeable. Now, I am much further out from surgery than they were at that time and I've been at goal almost two years. I really appreciate having fellow veterans who are still here posting. I have to work to maintain my weight and this forum is a big help to me.

Lynda

So excited! Because of the support of this forum and the new friends I have made....(swizzly you have been so supportive-thanks a million!) I just finished my 2nd day of the 5:2 diet this week and I feel so much better. After the holidays I felt like an excited puppy out of control; and now I feel so much more calm and focused. I did Thursdday and then on Monday I started only to find out that we had an unexpected guest from out of town, so in the middle of the afternoon I stopped and fixed a nice dinner. So did my second day on Tuesday. Today I am down almost a kilo. But the best part is just after those 2.5 days I feel my restriction is back and my brain is more mindful. It wasn't hard at all. In fact for me, my lunch and dinner are the same as non fast days. The difference? I realized between my coffee milk, my cookie in the afternoon, snacking on nuts and a glass of wine at night, I drink or snack over 500 calories a day. That on top of 3 300 calorie meals is too much for me. Especially now that I am not exercising much. So thanks everyone.....love this forum. It's a great support for me. I gained 4 kilos since last October and now need to lose it to get back to where I feel most comfortable. (about 132 lbs).

Hello Happy!

Oh yeah, I still darken the doors here. Everyone you mentioned has been integral to my success, too. As you may remember, I am also an active member of AA and I try to use their tenants here, too. Step 12 summarized as trying to carry my message to others. That is why I try to stay around. As in that program, when I share my experience, strength and hope, I am constantly reminded of where I came from and where I can so easily go back if I do not follow the suggested guidelines. Also, when I listen the struggles of those early in the program, whether it is AA or VSG, I am reminded of my own struggles. I do believe you only get what you give.

The last I remember of Blackberry, she had dumped her fiance and was on a mission to be getting some. As was pointed out, Diva went to FB after a stint on MFP. I miss Lissa, too. She and I connected as her surgery date was right around mine. I do not know where she is now, but HERE is one of her last posts.

Good to see you around and look forward to hear how you have been doing.

It is so funny, finally today I uploaded in my profile pictures (I use iPad and had a hard time) and when I finally found the old information, I saw my "friends", and of course you were there . I did really well when I stayed active on this board, there came a point when just like others have said it was the same thing over and over but, I get it new folks come on they desperately are looking for success (first I hope) and failures so they know what to expect. I know I did and many of you, had the patience with me. I did not remember your AA, but appreciate your knowledge and steps. I remember your overall strength in your responses. Also another very articulate and thoughtful person is Cheri. She really sticks out in my mind, along with Swizzly (sorry I knew I would forget some, and had hoped you all would jump in and share) . Granny has come such a long way and ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS is positive! OD, I felt a kinship with because in the beginning I was looking at having surgery in Oregon. Lynda, yep you too have been there, and what a success story. I hope someday to meet my goal, what about TN...um, from Tennessee? Also there was a lady, who was tall, like me 5'11 and very active. I also know when Alex changed the site, I had a hard time remembering all my log in, wonder if that sways folks too? Anyway, I feel better, more accountable maybe on the board. When I had the surgery hubs, got me the iPad so I could keep it close while recovering and I was reading about 10 hours a day on here, just trying to keep faith I would heal, get ideas and learn.

Please know if I have forgotten some names, post so we can reconnect. It is great to hear from you all!!!

Edited January 9, 201412 yr by Happy Camper

How sweet this is! I know when I came onto VST, I was so happy to find it. Tiffikins and Diva were the real drivers with so many other great contributors in the mix... so generous and knowledgeable, and cheerleaders for us all... tiffi had a list as long as your arm of great medical research papers talking about every aspect of the sleeve, and lots of experience with the band. Diva was a great cheerleader, positive and helpful... I see her posts on MFP. I do miss them, but seriously, they did more than enough for a lifetime here. Grateful. I have stayed around because :

1. I still need the support myself! There is no end to this journey...Talking with you helps me see my own story.

2. I want to give back where I can, Others have done the same for me, and others will do it after me....

3. I have friends here now, and it means more to me than just a weight loss website.

I feel like the vets are a little goupe (getting to be a bigger group) of researchers, mapping out and reporting back on the road to success....Recording the times we get lost as well as the times we find our way.... not a fairy story, but a real story with all the thrills of a roller coaster at times... ups and downs (honestly, it could be a book...). But no option of getting off the ride if you want to stay slim and healthy! The statistics say the average EWL from the sleeve is 57%. But who here signed on for 57%? I know I want 100%, and so do you. So how do we do that? That is the goal. And it can be so hard at times...

I feel exactly like Feedyoureye! I too still need the support (actually Year 2 was so easy for me....kept at goal weight, really ate what I wanted, thought I was out of the woods....but now here I am starting Year 3, 10 lbs heavier than I want to be and facing the reality of the old demons. So being back here is keeping me honest.

And I too, feel like I want to be an encouragement to others; especially those in their 50's and 60's who think they may be too old....you are not!

So many stories....I never thought I would be one of the pioneers in this surgery but looking back, it really was pretty new a few years ago. So glad I took the leap of faith!

I think the real advantage of having longer term vets hang around is that stats show that the weight regain happens over time. If we can support each other to keep that "in check" I think it is of great help. I think being able to read about it is also great help to newbies.

I am entering my 3rd year and am very "attentive" that this is a high risk time for regain and honestly if it werent for others sharing this, I would not have really understood that.

Yes, Actually, we are part of statistics. They don't have a lot of information on people who have been sleeved very long. I can't believe in April I will be sleeved

5 years. I am still learning how to not get too full cause everything is good .Being too full is very uncomfortable. I have been doing way better and this a.m. I was 2 lbs under goal.

Yes, Actually, we are part of statistics. They don't have a lot of information on people who have been sleeved very long. I can't believe in April I will be sleeved

5 years. I am still learning how to not get too full cause everything is good .Being too full is very uncomfortable. I have been doing way better and this a.m. I was 2 lbs under goal.

OD, you might just be our most "experienced" vet. I have to say, my regain has impacted me in many ways. Mentally, I started down a dark road of "oh well", the clothes difference is what REALLY got me. I went from size 10 to 14, felt like overnight. But...I am back. I must be accountable, and just because I take new medicine for my new condition (seizures) I will fight it. I WILL hit goal.

It is so wonderful to hear from you all, each of you adds so much and you are appreciated. It may be a bit here or there, maybe a life situation that we all have in common, or simply a moment in time. Oregon Daisy, you have shown that even with a gain, you can lose, reach goal and maintain. How freakin awesome is that! You are here now to inspire those "vets" "ole-timers", or however we are referenced, who had a gain, and want to get back and lose.

Thank you all again for reaching out and sharing.

And LilMissDiva is always active on myfitnesspal; daily

Does anyone know tiffykins facebook name? I am 16 weeks pregnant and struggling. I would love to get some advice from her or Cherie or anyone else who has had a successful pregnancy and postpartum experience.

I don't think Cheri has given up her membership here. why don't you send her a pm?

Yes, Actually, we are part of statistics. They don't have a lot of information on people who have been sleeved very long. I can't believe in April I will be sleeved

5 years. I am still learning how to not get too full cause everything is good .Being too full is very uncomfortable. I have been doing way better and this a.m. I was 2 lbs under goal.

OD, you might just be our most "experienced" vet. I have to say, my regain has impacted me in many ways. Mentally, I started down a dark road of "oh well", the clothes difference is what REALLY got me. I went from size 10 to 14, felt like overnight. But...I am back. I must be accountable, and just because I take new medicine for my new condition (seizures) I will fight it. I WILL hit goal.

It is so wonderful to hear from you all, each of you adds so much and you are appreciated. It may be a bit here or there, maybe a life situation that we all have in common, or simply a moment in time. Oregon Daisy, you have shown that even with a gain, you can lose, reach goal and maintain. How freakin awesome is that! You are here now to inspire those "vets" "ole-timers", or however we are referenced, who had a gain, and want to get back and lose.

Thank you all again for reaching out and sharing.

Thank you so much! I have to come here every day and be accountable. I'm still here, I just don't post nearly as much in other areas. When sleeve talk first started, there were so many newbies. Now, there are a lot of people around to answer questions.

I love sleevetalk. I would never leave. I am sleeved for life. I need my sleeved friends.!

Wow - what a great post - thank you Happy Camper! And thanks for the shout out.

Great to see so many names, that were inspirational for me too; Tiffykins was a shining light! Lets not forget M2G - she held me up many times along with many others; you know who you are! And Globe Trotter; great to have people who are on the same page.

I am 3 1/2 yrs out now and STILL not at my surgeon's goal! But soooo close! I know - will it ever happen? Erm, yes because I've decided not to give up! This sleeve is for LIFE (not just for Christmas...lol).

I keep coming here because I have made some really good friends; friends who understand where I am; who believe in me and we offer each other support through this mad journey. They pick me up when I am down, make me laugh and sometimes make me cry! We don't just talk about food, ya know?

This place really has been a fantastic resource to me and many, many others. Glad I found you all ...

I'm really glad there's always a dedicated group of vets to post and that there are newer people that are very active and picking up when we're ready to move on. Fiddle, FeedYourEye, Laura-ven, Butterthebean - that's a really great group of very active posters and I'm sure that after a few more years roll around those will the the old, old timers.

Those were very kind words and I miss some of those names, too. I was never active in the forums they're a part of so it's extra nice to see some of them pop in once in a while. I saw Diva posting in a few places today, which was nice.

Tiffikins was a huge part in my choosing the sleeve over the band. I was sure I wanted a band until I saw her posts (and Oregondaisy's and Diva's) about revision.

It's so nice that you thought to post this. I miss some of the really great posters that don't come around anymore, but I do understand that life happens.

For me, I just can't find many discussions I feel I can add to at this point. There's no question that can't be answered by someone else and there aren't questions going unanswered. I think vets are useful and important and I think that this particular group of vets that posts regularly are realistic and open about the challenges of life post op. I've just found that making time to sort of mentor or assist other people is more challenging with a baby and my ongoing health issues than I had expected. If I have an hour of down time I spend it working out (still hate exercise, though) or cleaning my house!

But I do miss seeing all of those and these faces around. It's like a reunion party in here.

~Cheri

A reunion party with all of my favorite sleeve people either posting or being mentioned, I might add.

~Cheri