Hello and good morning my friends. Welcome to Banders #7. So, I guess I'll start it off by saying how grateful I am today and every day for the new lease on life that I have. I walked to the office today from the train station. That was something I couldn't do before the surgery. I always say how light I feel and I realized it's not a state of mind, but a physical reality. We are weighed down by the excess weight and all that goes with it. When we don't rumble and jumble as we walk, our steps are lighter. I was listening to my ipod and started to dance a little as I was walking. I'm sure I looked ridiculous, but who cares? When one is thin, even looking ridiculous seems OK.

I am grateful for my for my beautiful grandson who I was able to tuck into my lap last Saturday morning so we could play while Mommy and Daddy got to sleep in a bit. I'm grateful that I fit anywhere and everywhere. No more worrying if I will break a chair, or be able to navigate a booth at the restaurant, or walk down a narrow aisle without having to suck it all in just to get past someone/something.

I'm grateful for my health. I take alot of pills, but many of them are supplements and not prescription for chronic ailments. I'm grateful that I can walk again...that I can swim, bike, climb, and yes....enjoy sex. I am surprised at how flexible I can be now that I'm thin.

I'm grateful that I earn enough money that I can indulge my new found love of shopping. I really think I'm one of the best dressed ladies in the office these days...and I know I've upped the game for others. I am definitely seeing more dresses than I did a year ago.

I'm grateful to Alex for having this site available...and I'm grateful to all the folks on it who are part of my success. I know I would not have been as successful as I have been if not for all of you. I talk about things here that I don't talk to anyone else about. You all know the struggles of being fat, and immobile, and feeling like a failure regardless of what we've accomplished..and I know now how much we 'hidden' people have accomplished. It's helping me to not turn that self hatred towards others still struggling with obesity. It also reminds me that I will always struggle with obesity. Under this thin person still lurks the fat girl. She is the one who whispers in my ear all the time that I'm not worthy of the good things out there and I should just order a pizza and eat the whole thing. She and I clash daily and it's why I still go every Tuesday to the therapist who listens and helps me to navigate this new world I inhabit.

Well...I think I've posted enough for today. Feel free to comment on the above, or share your stories, or say hi, or just lurk. Enjoy your day today...enjoy the upcoming holiday, and looking forward to a wonderfully robust Banders #7 thread.

Liz

Just letting everyone here know bariatric pal , Alex & his team are updating again so if the site looks different it's because it is.

Debbie3sons

The 180s are so close!!!

I went to a karoke birthday party last night , & this is what I wore you have seen this dress on me before but since I lost more it seems to fit even better now .

Debbie3sons

Debbie3

Love the frill and the sparkles! You look like you want to go out dancing.... I know you like that. Life is so much better at a healthy weight

@@Debbie3sons love the color and the flower in your hair! Hope you had an awesome time!!

I just have to share this with somebody and you guys are the lucky winners. Ha ha. I have wanted to get my teeth fixed for a long time and I never felt like I could justify spending the money. I have two so-called "peg teeth" which are basically underdeveloped teeth. Most of my life it didn't bother me too much, but as I have gotten older, they appear even smaller and darker, especially in pictures. So much so, in fact, that from a distance, it sometimes appears as if I am missing a tooth. Consequently, I stopped smiling widely a long time ago. Anyway, two things prompted me to get it done now. First of all, I always thought it was many thousands of dollars to get these two teeth fixed. Turns out it only cost $1800. Second of all, I found out that the wasband just decided to drop 11 grand of marital assets on dental implants for himself. Totally cosmetic dental work. I guess he's planning to date after the divorce is final. So I decided to use my tax refund and get two veneers. Below are before and after pictures. The before picture was kind of hard to find, because I rarely smiled widely in photographs in recent years. I'm not telling my daughters or anybody around me. I'm waiting to see if anybody notices.

what a pretty smile you have...

Debbie no better way to spend your money.. Everyone deserves to have a beautiful smile.. I had to spend about 6,000 this year because I had some issues with my teeth too. You need to focus on what makes you happy and confident. You look great by the way. You don't have to tell your children how you spend your own money.

what a pretty smile you have...

Thank you!

Debbie no better way to spend your money.. Everyone deserves to have a beautiful smile.. I had to spend about 6,000 this year because I had some issues with my teeth too. You need to focus on what makes you happy and confident. You look great by the way. You don't have to tell your children how you spend your own money.

Not Debbie, but thanks. Not telling my daughters is only to see if they notice a difference is all. So far nobody in my life has noticed. That's fine with me. I'm happy with it.

@@JustWatchMe the only person who has to be happy about the way you look is YOU my friend. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that is so true. So gaze into that looking glass and see the beauty smiling back at you!! Smiles are contagious...so keep smiling and pass it along, before long I bet someone tells you what a beautiful smile you have to your face and they don't need to know why...just because your beautiful!!!

@@JustWatchMe the only person who has to be happy about the way you look is YOU my friend. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that is so true. So gaze into that looking glass and see the beauty smiling back at you!! Smiles are contagious...so keep smiling and pass it along, before long I bet someone tells you what a beautiful smile you have to your face and they don't need to know why...just because your beautiful!!!

Thank you !

@ Justwatchme , Thank-you for clearing this up that it's your mouth & NOT mine .

Debbie3sons

Ugh not going to be able to get out & Go dancing or even just walking for about 3 week's unfortunately I just found out because my Left leg was on fire & hurting me , so OF COURSE I went to my PCP & She did X-rays & We found out I have athoritus all in my legv& on my tendons , might have fibromyalgia but we're not testing that yet , so now I'm having to apply for Disability & I already planned & got my tickets for vacation to Louisiana & Texas before this happened , but I'm still going my Boy's will help me , it will all be good.

Debbie3sons

Ugh not going to be able to get out & Go dancing or even just walking for about 3 week's unfortunately I just found out because my Left leg was on fire & hurting me , so OF COURSE I went to my PCP & She did X-rays & We found out I have athoritus all in my legv& on my tendons , might have fibromyalgia but we're not testing that yet , so now I'm having to apply for Disability & I already planned & got my tickets for vacation to Louisiana & Texas before this happened , but I'm still going my Boy's will help me , it will all be good.

Debbie3sons

I'm sorry to hear this. I hope you get relief soon.