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Ya know Neal, it really is sad that it is socially unacceptable for guys to have a belly button ring, cause you belly button deserves some Bling! :rolleyes:

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Neal: You're looking good. The belly button looks to be healing well. Isn't it great to feel normal!? As far as exercise, I feel the same way as you. I'm probably back about 90%. Still have lots of little tweaks in the muscle repair. Patience! So hard! Anyway, you're looking great. KUDOS!

Thanks Karey. It does feel great to be normal :biggrin:

Ya know Neal, it really is sad that it is socially unacceptable for guys to have a belly button ring, cause you belly button deserves some Bling! ;)

Thanks BBK! It it was acceptable, I would. In my past life, I've had my nipples, tongue, and ears pierced, so I am not opposed to peircings. :smile:

Have any of you seen the old movies "Summer Rental"? It has John candy in it. Anyways, there is a female character who got a boob job and goes around showing them off and asking everyone what they think of her new boobs. I have turned into that character with my belly button and tummy. I am always pulling up my shirt and showing people. I have become a freak. lol

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;) "Have any of you seen the old movies "Summer Rental"? It has John candy in it. Anyways, there is a female character who got a boob job and goes around showing them off and asking everyone what they think of her new boobs. I have turned into that character with my belly button and tummy. I am always pulling up my shirt and showing people. I have become a freak.":laugh:

TOO FUNNY! That'll be me - I already pull my shirt up and say look at this flab - and I show my band scar. OK not to everyone just family and very close friends.

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Thanks Karey. It does feel great to be normal :thumbs_down:

Thanks BBK! It it was acceptable, I would. In my past life, I've had my nipples, tongue, and ears pierced, so I am not opposed to peircings. :cursing:

Have any of you seen the old movies "Summer Rental"? It has John candy in it. Anyways, there is a female character who got a boob job and goes around showing them off and asking everyone what they think of her new boobs. I have turned into that character with my belly button and tummy. I am always pulling up my shirt and showing people. I have become a freak. lol

OMG that movie is so freaking funny! I am going to do that with my new boobs and new belly! My DH bought me a TON of belly shirts, tank tops ect this week as a surpise. I know he is excited about the new tummy comming! lol...

I like piercings too Neal, in fact I just got the Monroe done a few weeks ago (NOT WHAT YOU ALL ARE THINKING!!!)

It is a TINY diamond on my cheek above my lip below the nose, where Marilyn's beauty mark was!

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Well, haven't posted in quite a while, but I went in for a revision on my TT today. It went well. She did a lot more than I thought she would. It took her about 2 1/2 hours. She fixed the dog ear first. It wasn't too bad. Then she started on the front. She cut about 10 to 12 inches across and took about 4 to 5 inches more of extra skin. She pulled mainly up, and not down, so I don't know how much of a difference it it make with clothes on. It was very surreal. I was awake the whole time, no drugs, just a local. My wife was in the room during the procedure and watched the whole thing. While it was painless (except fot the dozen or so shots of local in the upper pubic area! ouch!!!), is was weird to feel the pressure of her pulling and cutting. Then seeing the smoke rise up from my groin area when she carturized it several times. Good thing I am not squeemish. I am at work now. I might leave early when the pain kicks in when the local wheres off, but for now, I am feeling pretty good. And she didn't charge me a dime for anything.

I am still not really happy with my weight. I am not gaining any more and have been going to the gym regularly again, but my Dr said no gym for 4 weeks until I am healed again. I had a great moment last weekend. We went to a waterpark and I went shirtless in public for the first time since I was a little kid - 30 something years ago. I struggled with my confidence, but survived. lol Hope everyone else is doing well.

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Neal!

i was just thinking about you yesterday!

so glad the revision went well. hope you arent in too much pain when everything wears off.

keep us posted!

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Neal!

i was just thinking about you yesterday!

so glad the revision went well. hope you arent in too much pain when everything wears off.

keep us posted!

Thanks Christine.

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Good to hear from you Neal. I was thinking just the other day that everyone in the Feb/March plastics group should check in with each other. I hope you'll post some pictures soon. Glad it wasn't too painful. I'm sure you'll be happy with the results! Congratulations on your public viewing. It is a moment of truth!

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Thanks Karey. hope all is well with you too. The Feb/March group was great. I was really nice to be able to go through this with you guys and hep each other and get encouragement.

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Neal

Glad to hear your revision went well. I was told as well that TT revisions were done in office, I had no idea how! I hope you heal well and look great! You already do!

:lol:

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Here are some pics, though not great ones. They are self pics with my phone. Keep in mind that i still have some love handles because I opted for no lipo and didn't do the lower body lift, just the tummy (because of costs).

These were taken several days poost op. They have steri-strip where she cut me. The strips are off now and I will try to take more pics later. Hope I cropped the pics enough not to show too much The middle may not look much different, but it really tightened the upper pubic area, more for me than what can be seen with clothes on.

before of dog ear - not a great angle

9weeksdogear.jpg

After - much smoother (in reverse - taken in the mirror, right side is the back)

2-2.jpg

Area of front revision. The scar line is in the middle of my pinch:

9weeksrevision.jpg

After. She cut the whole middle section.

3.jpg

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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