Hello, BP friends. I've been ~MIA when traveling (a 10-day solo road trip to Boston and back, from the southeast; stayed at friends' along the way up and back). The new BP app doesn't work in my iPad, so I've been gone from here and I missed checking in!! I find this site so very helpful.

Some friends I'd told about the surgery (and who didn't want me to have it)...I showed them the pictures of humongous me before surgery, and then they understood!! "Damn girl....! Whoa!! I would NOT have recognized you. Wait...is that really you? Now I see!" Mind you, I'd not emailed ANY of those worst pics to anyone, so they only envisioned me "a bit heavier" etc., not truly clinically obese as I was (and depressed, which showed in my eyes in the photos). I took pictures with folks, and didn't go through the repositioning, trying to hide this or that fat.

Anyway, losing the weight since VSG has given me such wonderful, new confidence--even beyond any that I might have had before. Freedom--in picking clothes; just grab this and that and out the door. Looking good, sexy, shapely, confident. Smiling. Eye contact. Nor more angst, etc.

When northbound, I stopped into the Duke Diet & Fitness Center (DFC) where I've spent many weeks/months off and on, and spent goo gobs of cash. Great place; nice people. etc. (though they do need to make some program changes). But I was sooooooo happy that I don't have the daily emotional grind and struggle anymore!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG. I don't have the fight anymore!!!! I wanted to shout out to the clients there "You don't have to do this/don't keep up this fight like this; go get WLS!!", but I held my tongue :-).

Overall: my highest weight: 271.2. Surgical weight 257.2 [Dec. 4, 2013]. Left on my trip at 186 pounds; returned the same (when did that ever happen!!?) and today, am 184. Mind you, I could've been less, but I am not an exerciser. [Also I had ~ 3 months of carbohydrate sins, with potato chips and ice cream. I do have a Lay's potato chip thing; they are my traveling snack...still. But at least the big yellow bag lasted the entire 10 days, not 2 days. (That's good, right?)]

But, alas, last night, as the light from my nightstand shone on my naked boobs...they are saggy, deflated sacs. My voluptous, full boobies are gone. Damn. But, while in Boston, I had some intimate time with a great guy, and he didn't seem to mind, so... I guess all is well!

Anyway, just touching base. Hope my BP app works again soon, though I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. That trip wiped me out. 59 y.o. not the same as 29 y.o.--when I last took such a road trip. Have a good day, all.

It's great to hear from you, don't be a stranger!

woo woo...i won't be a stranger. I actually missed not reading and posting. I hope my iPad app works soon.

Now, I need to post some pictures. I love seeing others pics; but I'm shy on public message boards. But we'll see. I think they'd encourage others, as other's pictures have truly encouraged me. My surgeon and I are thinking about writing a book, but we'll see. I was such a reluctant WLS surgery patient at first, but now... I am a bona fide advocate. It has saved and blessed my life. I have found me again...if not for the first time.

Woo hoo!!!!!!!!

PS: I was reluctant, not because I was afraid of surgery per se. [i love the OR, but then again... I would.] But I was afraid of 1) permanently altering my stomach's capacity because I "love to eat a lot of food!!"; 2) I love to cook and am damn good at it and I didn't want to stop being able to cook great food, etc.

But I needed to not eat a lot of food...and I can still cook. I also can still eat pretty much whatever I want, I just can't eat much of it. It's all good. And when I felt like fixing a really huge feast, I did it, and I gave it all away, sans 2-3 spoonfuls, or put some in the freezer.

Edited October 7, 201411 yr by Dr-Patient