gr8pyrmom

I would LOVE to have a cooper.... my monsters won't fit in one though

What a cool post!! I hope to learn all the things you mentioned. You look fab and I don;t just mean the weight - you can see it in your face and poses! Just fab!!!

WOWZERS!! How fantastic is that?!? You are going to have to change your id to micro-mini me!

Hi all! I just found this site a week or so ago - I have been on OH mostly but really like this site as well - nice and organized! So, I don't have much of a "story"... yet. I am having a revision from a slipped & eroded band to VSG on 3/12. All at the same time I am nervous, excited, scared out of my mind, hopeful... well you know. Most of you have been here already. A little background on me: I'm 37 and as most, have fought my weight my whole life. At this point I need to lose anywhere from 80 to 110. The BMI chart says 125 but I know that is way too much. I have never been thin - I honestly don't think I am meant to be and I'm cool with that. Even at my most athletic in high school (cheer leading & gymnastics mainly) I was still not skinny. At my thinnest (during my clubbing days) I still had meat on my bones. I think back to that time and laugh because I thought I was fat!! Well, 30's me has sure shown 20's me what fat is! :001_tongue: Anyway, I gained a ton in my late 20's and had the lap band in Jan of 01. I lost about 70# but In Feb of 02 it slipped and my stomach prolapsed up through it so I had to have emergency surgery to have it replaced. Ever since then things have just not been right. I gained it all back, pain every day, throwing up all the time, now have high bp & cholesterol, etc. The last year has been pretty bad where the pain and throwing up are concerned and the last 6 months have been sheer hell. I ditched my old doc because he is a f***ing idiot (ya, I said it), and found a great surgeon who is going to fix me (his actual words). I'm not afraid of the actual surgery even though anesthesia makes me ill. I'm not afraid of the pain that comes with healing even though I can't take most good pain meds. What I am afraid of my weak will power, but I have already started fighting that battle. I am completely and utterly terrified of looking like Jello under flabby skin after losing the weight though. Even though I know I'll be a madwoman at the gym once cleared for exercise that is in no way a guarantee I wont look like a big mess and I have no clue where I will find the money for plastics. I know I'm getting waaay ahead of myself and I'm sure it will all work out in the end. I guess it's just the anxiety of the unknown! :001_tongue:

Thank you thank you!!!!!

I'm right there with you! Isn't it crazy how we perceive ourselves? 125# fat - HA!!! You are 110% correct about the positive attitude. That counts for 1/2 the battle - whatever the battle may be! I am afraid of missing food, like you were. I think though that again, like you, once I start to see the scale move I probably wont miss it too much! I'm using this as a turning point for a lot of things in my life - money, neatness, activity, nutrition, etc. 2010 will be the year of Michelle 2.0, new and improved! I apologize to all those out there who love their bands but you were very smart NOT to get it. From what I have read on these boards people are in love with it the first couple years then want or need it removed. I have found very few long term band people on the sites. I try to look at their stories with out comparing them to mine but so many are the same. It is sad. I'm sure you will continue to have amazing success with the sleeve!

Awwww! Thank you so much!!! You know, when I was a little, little girl I always said "I do it my own self" whenever I wanted something. That has translated into adulthood which is, overall, a very good thing. If I hadn't been so stuck in that mantra though I may have found these boards sooner and realized that not only are there alternatives for me but that I am, by far, not the only person who has gone though all the things I have. I read some of these posts and feel like I wrote them! Not that anyone ever blamed me for the problems I had (at least not out loud), but I have received some justification by reading excerpts from other peoples posts with similar stories to my friends and family. This extends into reading other peoples journeys with the vsg. For example, if I never read about stalls I probably would have freaked out once it happens! These boards are great!!! :welcome:

Hi and thanks! I know - it is coming soooo fast and I have so much to do between now and then, it's unreal! This site is indeed really great for information and every one seems very nice which is not always the case with on line forums.

Hi! Thanks for the kind words!!! I know, I'll just be happy when the weight is off. I obsessively over think things and try to jump into the future way too much! I believe I 'know' you from the OH groups.... you have had fantastic success! I will certainly post on my progress.... these forums are like living diaries and can be quite cathartic!