I AM DORA WATSON, 63 YEAR OF AGE. I STARTED MY JOURNEY WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS SURGERIES IN 2009. I HAD THE LAPBAND AND DID VERY WELL FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS LOOSING APPROX. 60 LBS. BUT BEGAN BECOMING VERY SICK . I WAS TOLD, BY MY SURGEON, THAT IT NEEDED TO COME OUT, BUT I CHOSE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH IT FOR A WHILE, BUT IN JULY, 2013 I HAD IT REMOVED AND HAD THE GASTRIC SLEEVE SURGERY. I FEEL LIKE MY NEW STOMACH IS MY BEST FRIEND. PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER STRUGGLED WITH WEIGHT ISSUES WOULD THINK, WHAT A SILLY STATEMENT, BUT THAT IS THE WAY I FEEL. MY WEIGHT HISTORY HAS BEEN 264 LBS.IN 2006 BEFORE ANY WEIGHT SURGERIES, AND AT PRESENT I AM AT 178. I STILL WANT TO LOOSE ANOTHER 20 TO 25 LBS, BUT I FEEL GREAT. I AM SO GLAD THAT I HAVE FOUND BARIATRIC PAL AND LOOK FORWARD TO GREAT WEIGHT LOSS STORIES AND EVEN ENCOURAGING HELPS WHEN THINGS START BECOME A LITTLE HARD. EVEYONE HAVE A GREAT DAY.