Chickie

Hiya Kellie!

Bumping to see how everyone is doing.

Yeah, it is. But if you have any family in transport (rail, public transport, truck drivers ect.) you might be able to join. R&T kicks ass. I walked out of the Wesley hospital in Brisbane, one of the most expensive hospitals in Australia, had a private room, and paid no gap at all for the room or pharmacy (or anything else for that matter)

I am in Rail & Transport Employee's Health Fund. They are awesome.

Hi Sharyn! Congrats on the 18kg. Look forward to chatting with you.

Woah! Is this really happening? I have really put myself out there in the last few weeks, and if people here are indeed mocking others, I can say that I will no longer feel like this is a safe place to share my progress.

At the moment, my weight will go up and down anywhere up to 5lbs, but usually a 2lb fluctuation is totally within the norm for me. Knowing this, when I do weigh daily, I weigh in at the same time every day.

When they do a TT, not only is the excess skin removed, the skin they don't take, is separated from the body (kinda like skinning a piece of chicken) and pulled down to tighten the skin. It moved down a little with the loss, but was still well above my belly button. My port site scar was about 5 - 10 cm above my belly button pre op TT, now it resides just below, almost in it. :clap2:

I would be banded again in a heartbeat! All I have learned, everything I have gained, all the weight I have lost, I credit to my band.

I was asked (via PM) where my port site scar is. So here is the port site scar. Just below my new belly button. Thanks to everyone who left positive comments :huggie:

I HATE it when people are condescending. I HATE it when someone who has lost 24 flucking pounds, and becomes a guru on weight loss. And have the nerve to tell you that they are doing it the old fashioned way. And imply that your weight loss is somehow less valid because you have had wls. I HATE that people think that they are somehow BETTER than you because of this!! :rofl: I am so pissed off.

I drink coffee all day. Real coffee. I just make sure I have no fat milk.

It's ok.. I have wicked PMS and I didn't put it quite as nicely as you did!! :heh: It's a good thing (said in best Martha Stewart voce)

I had a big reply all typed out, but Anna summed it up nicely.

I was wondering if anyone had any idea's on what form of martial arts is the best form of self defence. I run, on my own a lot. And lately I have been feeling a little insecure (despite the can of deodorant in my hand at all times) So I am thinking of finding somewhere to learn some form of martial arts as soon as I am healed.

I wish I had thought of this first! LOL

Hey ladies and gents! I thought I would start a thread for those of us at goal. A place to put our heads together, and share our experiences, and new challenges.

Fantastic idea! There are more and more of us at goal, and we need a forum.

Cozzie ~ Thank you! I had the drains out on Monday, and my weight has remained steady at 61 kg / 134 lbs. I was under goal to start with, so I am not really hoping to lose any more weight at this stage. Thank you Teresita! I have been enjoying my bod (well all the tiny clothes anyway! lol, My shopping is a wee bit out of control!) But I think that losing the pani / flap will make a huge difference in the summer. Kim ~ Thank you. Anna ~ You are going to make me cry here! ((hug)) Dianne ~ I think the loudest screams are coming from my husband! lol, He is just so impressed by my new bod. He married me slightly chubby, so he has never known me this thin - or flat, lol. The short answer to "did insurance pay?" is yes. I am in Australia, and we have socialised medicine, so things are slightly different. My out of pocket for the whole thing is about $1800 -$2000 ($2000 is soo much better than the $25,000 I have seen others pay for the same thing!) Thank you Heather, Tricia, and Pat. Thank you all. I do feel wonderful.

Where would one learn to knit? A book? A class? I would love to learn.

Yeah, always fresh cut pumpkin (we don't even get canned pumpkin here, I think) Everything gets roasted, apart from the spinach. I throw it all on a pan with baking paper, season with garlic salt, peper, and anything else that takes my fancy. I steam the spinach (or defrost , lol) and in a shot glass, half fill with extra virgin olive oil (I use the best oil I can get) crush some fresh garlic and throw it in with the oil, and whisk. Sometimes I will use some chilli, and / or ginger in with the oil.

It's funny you ask that. He saw the two pics I put together a few post's above, and he said "Wow, you really were big, huh? I never realised how big till now" He just never saw it. We were both fat, and lost weight together (he lost 40kg / 88 lbs just eating what I did, and doing the same exercise as me) I never saw how fat *he* was till I saw pics of him. I guess our love was blind?

As soon as the PS gives me the OK, I am getting a tattoo on my belly. Either a water lilly, or lotus. I still have to find something I like. ETA I already have a butterfly and scroll work on my lower back. I had it done at my high weight, and am really surprised at how well it held up. I will find a pic.

A little (my boobs, on the other hand appear smoother... More filled out? It's odd) I really don't hate my thighs or anything. I was only kidding. My arms and legs are really muscular, and I like that. I think the skin will tighten up a little more, but I was very close to 300lbs to start with, so I have to expect that I will have some lose skin. And I am cool with it. I look, and feel a million times better now, than I did at 297lbs. And that is worth all the lose skin in the world. But the strechmarks? I have halved my strechmarks! If you look close, the one's above my belly button, are now below it :clap2: That has to be the next best thing to getting rid of them.

Yup. No sticks or tazers. Hell, I think I could get into trouble for the can of deodorant! I do run late afternoon whenever I can, but because of DH/DS I usually end up going early in the morning (usually just after the sun comes up) So there are not a lot of people about. Thanks for all the idea's!