Hey, Hey, Hey!!! Howdeeeeee Yawl!!!

Hey Joy... Thanks for the email and sorry I am just now posting... You were eggsactly right in your email, galfriend!!! The *key* to success after WLS is ongoing support and commitment to the new lifestyle..... As a 3 1/2 year post-op, I can certainly *try* to answer any questions that this newer group has - I don't know ALL the answers but I have certainly *been-there-done-that*!!!!! A year ago this coming Sunday, I dealt with the death of a CLOSE friend who had WLS in the spring... I found myself stress eating as well as eating lots of peanut butter crackers while I was on the 45 minute (one-way) drive to the hospital frequently (this was off & on for 5+ months). The pounds started creeping up on me. I have struggled with the emotions of that plus other things going on in my life.. but ya know, when bad things happen to good people, you reach out to those who have walked in your shoes and understand... Right now, I need to lose 15 pounds and as I see it, *back to basics* is in order and that's my commitment. fitday.com is an awesome website for tracking food, activity and gauging what it takes to get to any goals that you set for yourself. A GOOD rule of thumb (that I obviously didn't follow) is to get BACK to basics when you see the scale creeping up 3-5 pounds.. that's when it's easiest to deal with the weight gain. OK - enough yammering.... Let me know if I can be of any help to you guys because, ya know, we are ALL in this together!!!!! Hugz n Texas Blessings, Cath

Hi Cath! Glad you dropped in! We Marchers need to stick together, regardless of our year! So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. That is a tough thing to get through. We all tend to turn to stress eating at these kinds of times! I'm going to try to eat right this week. I'm at 144, up 7 from my post surgery low. I'm not upset about it, but I will be upset if I keep gaining. And if I don't eat correctly, I know I won't feel good. (I'm really struggling with energy level.) So it is protein and vitamin focus for me! We can do this! Welcome aboard! Joy

Actually, your email to come visit this board was very *timely*..... Thank you. When I am struggling with maintenance, it is helpful to me to try & help others... that gets me back on track I find my energy level varies with my water intake. When they tell us we need 60 ounces of water, I personally find they mean JUST that... not tea, not minutemaid lite... WATER Also, if I have too many carbs, I get lethargic... SO the bottom line is MORE water MORE protein LESS carbs for maximum energy level (for me) Thanks for your note of sympathy.. I ask that everyone take a moment this coming Sunday to pray for Diane's daughter & family - it will be an especially difficult day for them.. I have found that somehow a year is a *magic* number for grieving.. not for everyone, but statistically it pans out... so we will be able to move on from there. I have a little daily calendar on my kitchen window sill that you flip the dates and each day has a quote or a story from Mother Teresa. It's still on August 14... but I will turn it to August 15 and move on this year. Hope your day goes well!! Hugz n Texas Blessings, Cath That Something... "Once you find it, your life will never be the same!"... Paul J. Meyer

Cath, thanks so much for dropping in! It's always good to hear from one who can provide a new and necessary perspective on what we're all dealing with. The euphoria of losing the weight is over for most of us 2004 Marchers and I for one am struggling with how to continue living in this new body even though my head hasn't changed a bit! It's a struggle every day - it's as if Dr. Frankenstein removed my brain and dumped it into a size 6/8 body -- and I'm clueless as to how to maneuver it through these iffy waters called LIFE. Thanks for sharing -- by the way, how did your friend die? Was it WLS related and how long out from the surgery was she? I'm very sorry for your loss and wish you peace in your memories of her. Reenie

The vast majority of us relate to all of the feelings you expressed... I STILL don't see myself in a size 10 and when I pick up something that size, I say *NO WAY*.. but try it on and it fits! The secret to maintenance is between our ears.... We are not unlike alcoholics... we MUST tell ourselves each & every day that we put our lives on the line having this surgery and we MUST commit to loving ourselves enough not to get back into the old habits. It's easy to make excuses for putting the garbage in our mouth, but ya know, there is no excuse good enough to allow ourselves to go back. I look at the ads on the tv for weight loss and remember pre-surgery how I wished I could somehow/some way get the pounds off. I am seeing SEVERAL people coming forward that have replaced the food addicition with alcohol (since surgery).... that is SCARY. My PCP gave me some *sage* advise pre-op... "REMEMBER that the surgery is ONLY a tool... and get a GOOD face cream!" She died laughing when I had my first yearly physical and I commented that my boobs went from a 36D to a 36-LONG!!! Thank you for your words of comfort... I will add the link to Diane's profile below... it explains it all. Please make sure that you are in a frame of mind to handle it as it's a major *downer*. BUT the positive side is the surgery page posts over the 5 month period post-op.. what HUGE supporters OH people are for each other!!! Amazing..... I miss her tremendously. OH MY GOODNESS!!! I just realized that Diane would have been a part of this message board!!! Divine Order OBVIOUSLY sent Joy & her email to me..... http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=T1012163405 Hope your day & week goes well!! Hugz n Texas Blessings, Cath

The vast majority of us relate to all of the feelings you expressed... I STILL don't see myself in a size 10 and when I pick up something that size, I say *NO WAY*.. but try it on and it fits! The secret to maintenance is between our ears.... We are not unlike alcoholics... we MUST tell ourselves each & every day that we put our lives on the line having this surgery and we MUST commit to loving ourselves enough not to get back into the old habits. It's easy to make excuses for putting the garbage in our mouth, but ya know, there is no excuse good enough to allow ourselves to go back. I look at the ads on the tv for weight loss and remember pre-surgery how I wished I could somehow/some way get the pounds off. I am seeing SEVERAL people coming forward that have replaced the food addicition with alcohol (since surgery).... that is SCARY. My PCP gave me some *sage* advise pre-op... "REMEMBER that the surgery is ONLY a tool... and get a GOOD face cream!" She died laughing when I had my first yearly physical and I commented that my boobs went from a 36D to a 36-LONG!!! Thank you for your words of comfort... I will add the link to Diane's profile below... it explains it all. Please make sure that you are in a frame of mind to handle it as it's a major *downer*. BUT the positive side is the surgery page posts over the 5 month period post-op.. what HUGE supporters OH people are for each other!!! Amazing..... I miss her tremendously. OH MY GOODNESS!!! I just realized that Diane would have been a part of this message board!!! Divine Order OBVIOUSLY sent Joy & her email to me..... http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=T1012163405 Hope your day & week goes well!! Hugz n Texas Blessings, Cath

Cath, Welcome to our family!! It's a great place to be. I am very sorry to hear about your friend & hope you learn to live at peace & no she is in a much better place being without all that pain. I have had a very good friend die last June waiting to get approval for WLS & didn't make it in time. He might have died even with the WLS, but, we will never no now. I miss him terribly as he was my true Love of my Life, but, I also no he is in a much better place right now & no longer in any pain. That is what gets me through. This board is amazing & we thank you for your insights you will bring to us & look forward to hearing much more from you. Thanks again for updating the info on your friend. It was very sad to read, but very well written. Good luck with your quest to be back to basics. let us know if it works for you. Marilyn, the Bearlady

Thank you for the sweet words/complements. I am truly sorry to hear of your loss. It's not easy but, yes, we both share the same feelings that they are no longer in pain. Life surely throws us some curves at times, doesn't it... I am about to fall face first onto the keyboard but I wanted to be sure my faux paus had been corrected tonight and it was Take care! Hugz n Texas Blessings, Cath