gmanbat

79 degrees. Kuerig coffee on the patio, (Yuban), IPad, birds serenading, nice breeze, citrus flowers smelling in the neighborhood,...it doesn't suck.

http://www.amazon.com/BIG-Book-Gastric-Sleeve-Gastrectomy/dp/0988388235/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392146708&sr=1-1&keywords=The+BIG+Book+on+the+Gastric+Sleeve Yup, by the founder of this forum. Can't lose with this one.

Your post reminded me of a re-occurring dream: I have garnered the ability to fly with nothing but the power of my will. I fly around friends, relatives, and strangers and they just look at me indifferently. I am screaming in self promotion, "I can fly..I am unique...no one else can do this!" No dice. Nobody cares. I am swamped by the feeling of frustration. What I am missing in my dream is the sheer joy of flying. I have risen to a challenge that I had considered impossible. I am doing what I thought I could never do. But I am missing the joy of my new freedom to see the world from new perspectives because I waste my dream trying to get elevated approval from the earth bound. Back into the conscious world, I have experienced this. My wife got the gastric bypass a short time before I got sleeved. Our weight loss was similar and we reached our goals. We moved to Florida and met with relatives here. They went absolutely nuts about how great my wife looked...to me they just said, "Good for you." Mrs.Astounding Transformation and her husband, Chopped Liver. If I weren't the mature man that I am I would have been jealous but I was happy for her and didn't let it bother me. Peoples is peoples. Grab your joy where you can find it.

Ya, I remember buying that. In Macy's with that cutie pie, it was even my idea! Shopping took such a drastic turn after shedding the fat. Before it was sure to bring on depression and many times going home with nothing. It was traumatic for both of us, I felt so bad for her. Now the depression comes only after we realize how much money was burned!

Fantastic!!!!! So happy for you!

Good one, Fiddleman, especially for me. Flexibility is a major issue at my age, joints are more of a problem than muscles at this point. I will give this a shot. Thanks!

I agree with you, Fiddleman, about obsessing about what the scale says. I think the vets here weigh everyday just as one gauge of how they are doing rather than going bonkers about it like newbies. I weighed every day during my first year but more out of curiosity as to how my body was doing it rather than if it was doing it. In my mind it was already a done deal. Not losing the fat was impossible. The mirror and clothing are indeed more accurate about fat. The scale weighs everything.

I loved my mother so much. She was the kindest person I have ever known. My brothers both lived close to her, I was the traveler in the family. I came home every few years. When my brother called and said she didn't have long I drove back to Iowa. She was out of it but waited until all three of her sons were present. Then the angels came.

And welcome to you, Unbesleeveable! I love how inventive people are with their forum names. Now I wish I had spent more time on mine... ...Gary Batchelder...gmanbat....yawn.

Welcome, Jenny! This forum is like a second home to me. Odds are it will be for you, too!

I am glad you guys are questioning the 6 month doctor comment. I wonder where these guys get this stuff sometimes. My surgeon was one of the best, worked at a center of excellence, studied at the best bariatric center in America. Words like that never came out of his mouth. I lost well the first 6 months but lost nearly as much the second 6 months. I never have sweated stalls. I figured they were scientifically doomed. I was right. They were just a curiosity to me. Having an active lifestyle, eating right, living right, becoming a life hound instead of a food hound, these things bolster your success.

We used to buy our vitamins and calcium chews from Celebrate all the time. They are a great company, the fastest shipping I've ever seen if you order over 100. at a time and get express for free. We just ran out out cash and have to get cheaper stuff now. When our ship comes back in we will be on board again.

You are far from being alone, Jouselle. This is a man problem, too. Many men feel an advantage with a large body even if it is obese and unhealthy. Their size gives them an intimidation factor, at least in their mind. We all learn to cope with our circumstances by accommodating ourselves to them. When change comes, especially the fast change that comes after this operation we must change our self perception and go against what we were once somewhat comfortable with. You are more than your body, whether it is heavy or slim. You have a personality and a mind. Making your body healthy is what you need so your personality can freely express itself. You are on that road.

Please go see a doctor right away and tell him what you told us.

Man, I love these kind of restoration stories! Very heart-warming to me. I can almost hear George Harrison in the background singing.."Here Comes The Sun"!

I have been on this forum for years and at support groups and have yet to see someone die of not getting enough to eat. Your nurse friend is not giving you the whole story.

http://www.muhealth.org/documents/bariatric/bariatric%20booklet%20vsg.pdf http://sunrisehospital.com/util/forms/Nutrition-Guidelines-for-VSG.pdf Here are some pretty good booklets. Welcome! There are lots of Mexico surgery sleevers here.

I remember when I started running after losing weight. It was a strange feeling when, for the time that passed into my run, the heavy breathing had not started. No walls presented themselves. I soon realized that my heart and lungs were not going to stop me. It was my 64 year old hips, knees and ankles that wanted to quit. I felt like I was that skinny pre-teen that used to run everywhere, not because I was late or in a hurry, just because it felt good.

If there is a secret to my success it would be changing my thinking about goals. I kicked out any remnants of half-way goals such as.."I'm losing weight so I'll look good for the reunion" , "I'm getting in shape so I'll look good", etc. My goals became permanent life directives. Health and power for living became the primary goals. The implementation: For the rest of my life: eat smart...train like an athlete. Simple but set in stone. Eat smart always, always in training. No more yo-yo. The sleeve gave me a powerful tool. I'm using it. A mind made up creates a body made right.

My gall bladder acted up bad 2 weeks before my scheduled sleeve surgery. My surgeon would have liked to do them together but felt it was too dangerous so he took it out. I had my sleeve out weeks after. I have not missed my gall bladder at all. Everything turned out fine and I'm 2 years out.

So sorry, Cheri, rough time for you. Seems everyone is telling you to be gentle and kind with yourself. I must agree. If you are anything like me then you let things pile up on you. That is a big mistake. Take things one at a time as they occur. Don't be oppressed by the past or intimidated by the future. Live wisely in the moment you are in. Be your friend. Hang in there, my dear friend!

Hi justabill, and Welcome! You will find the responses to your questions here will vary from tell everyone to tell no one and all shades in between. Whatever works is ok, no definitive policy. I have an 85 year old eccentric brother-in-law that decided for me. Wherever we go together, especially restaurants, he announces loudly to all about my banana sized stomach. Happily, I am a guy that doesn't give a rodents posterior what anyone thinks so I am merely amused by it. It would infuriate some people and I can understand that and sympathize. I am amazed at how humans can be so similar in so many ways yet react in so many different ways to the things in our world including drugs, foods, situations, and stimuli. What causes trauma to some people can cause a belly laugh to others.

Welcome Kate! There is vast information here and some nice people. Feel free to ask questions anytime!

When I go to my nieces house for holiday gatherings she puts out the massive food variety like you wouldn't believe, and every last bit of it is killer delicious. I caught myself saying out loud, "Sometimes I wish I could have my old stomach back!" Then I look down at my flat stomach and say to myself, "Liar!"

What Linda said. Also, don't pass up going to Siesta Key Beach while in Sarasota, one of the highest rated beaches in the world. It has always been our favorite beach. Whitest sand possible, beautiful. I will check out Destin, Linda, always up for new beach exploration. You can live in Florida for decades and not see everything.