As I have reached yet another milestone , I have discovered a whole new life and a new person. It has been almost a year and half since I began this journey and I have been able to accept change as a part of my daily life. I have accepted the fact that I have an addiction to food and this is something that I am going to have to work on for the rest of my life . I feel like I have taken this time and I have grown within myself. With all the sucess from my weight loss , I have gained a certain amount of respect for life in general as it has shown me that you shouldn't take it for granted as you never know what tomorrow will bring .

One week ago , I went in to have my EGD done and to my amazement , I had a dilation. For the first time since I was banded , I had a complication. For the moment , I saw myself as that 476 lb person again , and I knew then that I had to regain control of myself . I had become comfortable with the person that I had become and almost forgot where I had been before .

After removing half of the fluid in my band , I was back on liquids and told that it was up to me to correct this problem .. How unfair is that I thought . For so o long I have been dependent on the "band" to control my addiction and this is not the right way to think or to even live ..

Even as a banded person , we still have to control ourselves. We are in control of our destiny and we are in control of the ending result .. With that being said , I have regained control , and reached another milestone . This week I stepped into 100 nder land at 197lbs in which I haven't been there since I was a kid , which gives me yet another insight to what the future holds for me .. today , tomorrow and always ..

For all of you that have taken the first steps towards the rest of your lives , I wish you all the best .. and for those of you who are where I am today .. I want to say that I have very proud of all that you have accompished and I encourage you to keep up the good work !!

~~MUAHZ ~~

Julie