HAPPY RE-BIRTHDAY & "NEW" PHOTO'S!!

Hello to all my FEBRUARY 2004 WLS SISTERS & BROTHERS!! I just want to say HAPPY RE~BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF YOU I am Alicia, known to most as ~PRETTY KITTY~ This is my personal story about my journey to find "LIFE". I was born to this world on March 22 and I was a very beautiful baby so therefore one would only expect nothing less than a beautiful woman to come to fruition. I was unfortuantely plagued with being obese as I grew older into my teenage and adult years. As we all know being a "Fat Girl" has some serious ramifications no matter how pretty you are, how clean you keep your body,how sharp you dress, or how fly you wear your hair it doesn't matter when you are obese. People go by appearances first. They don't care if you have a good heart,how kind you are, intelligent you may be, what your interest are, or what you think. They judge you by what they can visually see. You get that "Girl you have such a beautiful face" kind of thing? Hmm sound familiar? Anyway I went through life thinking I was this Super Model who somehow got trapped in this obese chick's body...LOL and "Oh, My Goodness", I didn't know how to get out. I tried everything to escape; Weigh****chers, Jenny Craig, Meridian, Fastin, Xenadrine, should I go on? I'm sure you can relate to what I'm saying. Oh wait! Dont get me wrong now I did lose some weight on all of these diet atempts only to gain it all back plus some because it was a ~TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO A LONG TERM PROBLEM~ I developed many health issues being obese and as a result of taking some the the medications on supervised diets that were suppose to help me but did nothing but deterioate my health to the point that I had heart failure on December 11, 2003. I had been researching Bariatric Surgery many years while seeking other options to lose weight thinking I could conquer this weight problem on my own only to find myself in Sinai-Grace Hospital the youngest person on the Cardiac Unit there. I knew that I had to make some serious changes. I have a wonderful husband who together we have weaved the strongest fabic that that has been the foundation that has held our relationship steadfast for over 13 years and 2 beautiful daughters that I love with the very essence of my soul and could not imagine life without them. So I called the CORI CENTERS from my hospital bed and set up an appointment for a consultation. I was 280 pounds standing at 5'4" , 30 something with Type II Diabetes, Orthopnia, GERD, Hypertension, Anemia, Angina, Major Depression, Stomach Ulcers, Degenerative Disk Disease, and Weight Bearing Joint Pain. Nothing pretty about all that but it's true. Where I was not on any medications at all I left the hposital with RX's for 8 different kinds. Fastforward...I had Open-RNY (Micropouch) on February 12, 2004 at Harper-Hutzel Hospital (Detroit, MI) My surgeon's name is Dr Kerry Kole of the CORI CENTERS (Garden City, MI). I am currently 11 months out I went from weighing 280 pounds to 145 pounds and I am Living & Loving Life! Some people say I have "ATTITUDE" maybe I do but I think you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does and that's what makes me a SUCCESS. The Prettiest "DIVA" Kitty

Happy Re-birthday, Alicia! You are just breathtaking! And I know you are HAVING FUN! Keep up the good work, beautiful lady! Wanda

((((HUGS)))) Alicia

WOW, WoW wow!! You look great. Always great to hear from others that have taken this journey and had great results. Did I mention you look great! Your Hubby had a wonderful wife before WLS, Now has a Hot wonderful wife! We all have to have an attitude, it comes with the territory and the way our fat lives have been and will no longer be! We change physically and emotionally too. Enjoy your new re birth and what ever else life has to offer! Dale

Awesome tranformation. I loved your comment that when you looked in the mirror you now see a beautiful black butterfly. I have always associated this journey with the butterfly too: Caterpillar stage: running around with a million tasks to do to get approval and ready for surgery; Cacoon stage: Approval in hand, waiting for surgery to happen Butterfly: we start emerging from the cacoon the minute we wake up from surgery. It takes time to break free and test our wings but soon we are flying free just like a butterfly. Congratulations. Mary