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Last year this time I was just about to start my journey into the long list of Drs appointments, evaluations, testing, and finally waiting. I am so happy to say it is a year later and I am 80lbs lighter. My journey was not just for vanity reasons but it was a new beginning for me. As I began to regain control and focus on the root cause of my weight loss I had to really focus on what else in my life had I just let overrun me. I sometimes felt as if all of the air was being sucked out of the room and it had nothing to do with my weight. Well needless to say I have started to face the pink elephant in the middle of the room. It hasn't been easy but it has been real and as I lost the physical weight I began to look at what other dead weight I was carrying around for other people. My life is not easy, nor has this surgery been a piece of cake but if you ask me would I do it all over again. The answer is yes!!!!!!!!. I sometimes pass by windows and look at myself in disbelief or its really funny when I post pics of my new self on facebook and I get comments back like "When did you take that picture" or the best one is " How old were you when you took this". LOL!!!!! I encourage anyone that is contemplating the surgery. Do it for you and you will never regret it. P.S. My 18 year old daughter did it two months after me and she has lost a whopping 84lbs and you can't tell her nothing!!!!! For the first time in her life she is wearing clothing that concide with her age and she is so excited. I can hardly keep up with all the new guys who are interested in her... It is the best gift that I ever could have given her...

Thanks guys. Be encouraged LezzieLez.

Well wait no more and do what I did and give your insurance company a call. I knew before my doctor did.By the time they called to notify me I had already had a hallelujah party in my workstation. !!!!!

Calm down, we all hit the stall at 3 weeks and then again at 3 months. Its normal trust me the weight will start rolling off once it gets started again. I am almost 9 months out and I stepped on the scale today and I am actually 10lbs under my goal weight, a place I never thought was possible. Keep your head up it will get better.

Like Nike " Just Do it"!!!!!! It will be the best decision of your life....

It so gets better with time. I agree with everyone else. LIQUIDS are so important at this stage. I am eight months out and almost 80lbs lighter and I wouldn't change my decision for the world. It is true that it gets worse before it gets better but when the ball starts rolling the results are phenomenal!!!!!!

In my last blog I was complaining about not having clothes that fit due to my new weight loss, well God heard me and I was sitting in church not even two days later and I get a text that says " Hey got some clothes for you come and get them". I could hear the church bells ringing... LOL . Well I got there as soon as the Preacher said Amen and needless to say, she had a variety of clothing that went from size 14 to size 4. Suits, dresses, jeans, dress pants, shoes, boots. I had hit paydirt. I got home and began to try on the clothes and to my suprise I am a fit size 8. No more double digits for me!!!!!!. I have been strutting my stuff ever since then. I thank God and my girlfriend who has outgrown her clothes... LOL I love my sleeve and all the new sizes that come along with it.

It seems like just yesterday I stumbled upon vertical sleeve talk and I became obsessed. I read all the blogs and looked at all the pics. Finally it was my time to have my surgery and it all became real. I thank those who prayed for me and those who emailed me to checkup on me. I am proud to say after five months that I am now 153lbs and I was 211lbs at the start of my journey. I know 211lbs may not seem like much but I am only 4"11 tall. The sleeve has transformed me from a size 18 to a size 10 and I feel great. Now I won't say it has all been peaches and ice cream cause that would be a lie. I have horrible heart burn after eating spicy food, I still can't drink alot at a time, and I wasn't prepared for the rapid diminishing of clothes in my closet that fit. I literally stood in my closet the other day and wanted to cry cause I couldn't find anything to wear to work. I didn't know if they were tears of joy or frustration. I can say one thing and that is I wouldn't change anything for the world. I often think when I was young I took my weight for granted and I treated my stomach like a trash can but now that i have been given a second chance, I think twice before I eat something. To all of those who are contemplating it Like Nike says "JUST DO IT"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!