Deb, Thank you so much!! And right back at you!!! I am very glad that this surgery has went as well as it has. I know about the moving that is for sure. This will be our 10th move with the Army, in almost 16 years. Needless to say we move often. Keep up the great work it looks like you are doing, -255 WOW!!!!! Take care, Becky

hi becky! you are just beautiful! congratulations on your wonderful success. i'm really glad your latest surgery has turned so well and you are happy. geez, i hate to move within the same town...another country must be quite an undertaking. good luck with that! take care. deb -255

Rhonda, I developed a hernia in January when I was almost a year out from WLS. Well I should say this is when I discovered it. I was leaning back on my bed when I noticed this place, about the size of a fist, sticking out of my stomach. This area was just below my breasts where my open incision was from my gastric byass. I could only see it when I was leaning backwards. By the time a month had passed when I first found this I could see this place without bending backwards. Mine grew. It was painful and it did wake me up at night hurting if I layed wrong on my stomach. I had mine repaired on April 25, 2006. The surgeon told me that mine was the size of a softball when he went in to repair it. Hernia's aren't something to just let go. From the research that I did they can be dangerous if not taken care of. Please go to your doctor and let them tell you what it is. They will be able to tell you if it is a hernia or not. Keep us posted!! I hope this info has helped in some way. Becky

hey Pat Stacy here. I started at 255, 5 ft 7, and now I am still 5 ft 7 but 179 lbs. Was a size 18 and now a size 9. Shoes were a size 9 and now a size 71/2. I have about twenty more pounds to go till my goal is reached. I am 41 and I have no signs of needing plastic surgery. I am not opposed to it. I thought for my age that I would be dragging myself behind me, but the only area of concern is the arms, and they are shrinking. So we will see how I finish with my journey. Thank you for your support and response to my posting. We are official friends. Huggs to you, Stacy

Thank you to all who have updated and posted in reply to my May 27, 2006 post. It was so very nice to hear from all of you once again!!!! For those of you who have not posted, or did not see my post, remember it's never too late!!! I'm sure that everyone will agree that it was wonderful having everyone's support after we had our WLS in January, 2005, and we continued to receive everyone's support after. It was so reassuring to be able to post on a daily basis if we just needed to vent, or if we had a question. As I said earlier, I guess after being almost 18 months post op. Can you believe that? Actually, for me it is almost unbelievable. I know that everyone is busy with their own lives and tending to our loved ones, but let's never forget the people that stood by us during those difficult days after our surgery. I know I never will! If you still want to post and stay in touch. Here are the questions that were part of my May 27, 2006 post: 1. How much weight have you lost? 2. What is your height and your starting weight prior to WLS? 3. Have you reached your goal, and if not, how many more pounds are you from your original goal? 4. Is anyone thinking of, or possibly already had any plastic surgery? As for me, I have lost 115 pounds so far. I am 5 feet tall and my starting weight was 261 pounds. I have not reached my goal, and have another 20 pounds. I had a TT on March 6, 2006. Someone asked me why I went ahead and had the TT if I had not reached my goal. After having been overweight most of my life, I needed to do that for myself as the next step to my life change. I do still intend to lose the rest of the weight. But as we all know, the further along we become, the harder it is to lose anymore weight. Actually, my surgeon told me that the "window" was between 12-14 months post op. But, I never regret having the WLS, I am a healthier and happier person now even if I never lose the 20 pounds. I have so much more energy now, and my health problems have all disappeared. My attitude about everything is much more positive now. Please post and keep in touch if you have done so already!!!! Take care and lots of hugs to everyone!!!! God Bless you and yours always!!!! Love and aloha, Pat