Today Is My One Year Surgiversary...

[margarita81 4]

Just thought I'd post a quick update for my family here at VST. Today I am exactly one year out from surgery. On August 30' date=' 2011, Dr Patrick Domkowski changed my life and introduced me to Rex, my new sleeved tummy. The short of it is that I'm now 117 pounds lighter than I was last year. I'd have given my eye teeth to lose that weight before surgery, but I just never managed to do it! Rex and I have had one heck of a ride and I couldn't have predicted how this year went if I'd have tried.

I lost a best friend. She died suddenly in January, but she was one of my biggest supporters every single day. I'm proud to tell Lynn that I have lost more than her entire body weight. I've lost a couple of other friends along the way. They are still alive, but jealousy has eaten both of them alive. I wish them both well on their journeys. Mine is going a different direction than theirs apparently.

I've gained a TON of family, right here on VST. I want to thank all of you for your support and well-wishes this year and I will continue to try to give back to those who are following in my footsteps. It's wonderful to come here and post the absolutely most bizarre questions and KNOW that someone here has experienced the same problem. You guys have been MY support group even when no one else in the world seems to understand! Thank you all!

So, I'm still about 50 pounds away from my surgeon's original goal for me, although he thinks I'm completely successful. I've lost over 1/3 of my total body weight, more than 72% of the total weight I wanted to lose, and I'm still working my plan. I will get to my goal...then I'll reach the goal the plastic surgeon set for me.

I'll post pictures tomorrow. My house was hit by a tornado on Monday and I've spent most of this week cleaning up from that. I am very lucky that my damage is minor and that no one in my community was injured. My final act of clean up was to go through my closet, which got drenched, and sort through my clothing. Everything that's in there now is either the correct size or too small (for the moment) and I'm sending another six bags of freshly washed, dried and folded clothes off to bless someone else.

I have to work tomorrow, so I'll take and post some pictures after I get dolled up for that!

Again, big hugs to everyone here and, for the newbies, THIS is why I had surgery. So that I could live my life without being held back by anything. All this week I have worked from sunup to sundown on cleaning up, repairing and helping others. Pre-surgery, I could barely walk from my front door to my car. This week, I've proven that I am capable and able to do ANYTHING I need to do, from hauling tree limbs to climbing on a roof to help patch it. I'm living, not merely existing. I love life!!! [/quote']

Wow, so sorry for your friend..

Congrats on your weight loss

[Tipintx 41]

Lissa, thank you for continuing to post and answer questions and especially for the encouragement you bring to this group:). Congrats on a job well done!

Sent from my iPad using VST

[NDN_RN 527]

Thank you. You are an inspiration and sage to us pre-sleevers

[DZ1RMQ 20]

Amazing!!! :-)

[suzcomptime 17]

Lissa,

Thank you for being a source for the rest of us. Sorry for all of your tragedies and losses. It takes strength to not fall back to our old ways during these times of sadness and/or stress. I just started back on my heavier schedule (summers are lite, school year crazy busy) and have not made it to the gym this week since I've been getting out at 6 or 7 everynight from work. Now is the time to buck up and do the right thing. Thanks for the inspiration.

Also, for you or anyone that is willing I have started a poll that I would love to see people that are 6 months or more out to participate in. I belong to a group of sleevers that were all done in May this year and we have all started our hair loss journey and they brought up some questions and so I decided to start a poll to see if I can get some answers for them. THANKS

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/51194-hair-loss/

[Happy Camper 266]

Lissa,

Congratulations beautiful woman! I too have found not only through your posts but responses, you have helped me and many others along in this journey.

You were the first, I found, to coin the phrase "rockin that sleeve", and I have loved it since!

Take care

And I am sorry about your home, if I recall it was a new home for you? Silver lining is no injuries and you are helping others...yet again.

[xavtay2 85]

Congratulations Lisa, so sorry for your lost of a good friend. Thanks for the inspiration, I will have surgery on Monday!~ Can't wait to be on the loser's bench beside you....

Love reading your posts

[Illusionalta 150]

Way to go Lisa! Def waiting on photos!!!!! Sorry for your loss...

[Indymom 132]

Way to go fellow August sleever! How far we've come!!! Sorry to hear about your friend and also the storm damage . . . hang in there.

[imafatty 1]

Congratulations!!!! What a milestone!!! Keep going strong, you have the right attitude!!

[x4achange 3]

I'm happy no one was injured and I hope your home is back to a comfortable space of living. Congratulations and HAPPY REX DAY!

[Lissa 2,631]

Thank you all for your good wishes! My home is okay. I'll have to do some roof work and I plan to have the electrician in as soon as he's available, but I got really lucky!

I promised a pic for my one year and then I forgot to post it. Here it is!!!

[cherrybombknits 184]

Woot! Looking marvelous!

[weight_no_longer 64]

wow you look awesome Lissa, congrats on such amazing results xx

[BellaRoma713 46]

Lissa, congratulations on your 1 year anniversary. You look fabulous and have made an amazing transformation. So sorry on the loss of your friend. Best wishes to you on the remainder of your journey.