It was a little over a year ago that I even heard the word "lap band". Oh I saw the commercials on TV where the woman said the band helped tame her Lion hunger into a kitty cat. Well I had the LION hunger and then some. I have said it many times, I could eat half a cow and still eat more. It is amazing the amount of food one can consume at one sitting. I would spend $5.00 on breakfast, $10.00 on lunch and then go pick up hambergers for dinner. And it was a super size fry, not that whimpy small size. Gallons of Diet Pepsi a day, I had the stomach to prove that it WILL eat your lining.

And then that fateful day. Timid I went to my Dr and laid my cards on the table. I was SO SCARED. But I had an HMO and did I go through the ringer. The first consult was a bust. The Dr had me in tears and I never mentioned the lap band again for months. My next visit my reg Dr asked how it went and I cried. I was so disappointed. But he sent me for a second opinion and that led me to a seminar where I found other people just like me.

And so the journey began. Oh there were hoops and fears and tears and more hoops. But in the end September 23 my life began again.

And now here I am. My highest was 105 pounds ago. Funny I lost 18 pounds due to IBS from being nervous about seeing the second Surgeon.

I have my ups and my downs. Right now I feel like I am going to burst. Another mistake to learn from. But my band keeps me honest.

I have learned a few lessons.

#1 it is VERY important to eat slow, small bites and CHEW CHEW CHEW. We are not makeing this part up. It is truely important.

#2 Stupidity is part of our learning. Funny I didn't get it the first time my Surgeon told me that when (not if) I get stuck do A B C. And then go back to liquids. Later he told me that is how we learn our limitations, by experience. So, we make mistakes, hopefully we learn before we do the same mistake for the 3rd time.

#3 You will have hanging skin. If you are over 100 pounds overwieght you will have hanging skin. But you will grow or should I say SHRINK to love it.

#4 Better health is right around the corner.

#5 Try on new clothes before you buy them.

Okay that last one is important. We as heavy people don't realize our true size. We think of ourselves as not as large and then when we loose, we think we are not as small. Well I am now a size 14 pant but an XL shirt. Seems I lost my tush and my tummy is going to stay forever. But that is okay too.

I never thought I would ever be a "normal" size. But I am.

And now for the emotional part - I took a picture with my Daughter. When I showed it to her she begun crying. She told me she never knew who she looked like before and now she knows. She looks like me. And through my tears I can tell you that is the most beautiful touching thing she could have ever said, because my daughter is BEAUTIFUL to me.

You know what? When I look at that picture I realize for the first time in 50 years, I am not ugly after all. I may not be beautiful and that is okay, but I am not ugly. Now that is a milestone.

Thats a really cool statement cause I dont feel like I look like my parents but I do think I look like my sisters so I know we have to belong to at least one of my parents...lol... Thats a cool statement by your daughter though, and you are as beautiful as you feel so dont let the magazine and tv fool you!

oh you made me cry - I have a young daughter and I want her to know the same thing. You are doing great and are beautiful!

Great post! Cheers to the band. Our best friend!

Thanks for sharing this! What is the ABC when you get stuck? -BG

Debbie, thanks for sharing. I am touched by your daughter's statement and the revelation you have that you are beautiful (I think you know you are beautiful, just have trouble saying it). Congrats and thanks for the inspiration!!

Thanks you for this post, you made me cry happy tears for you! COngrats and keep moving forward!