WHERE'S CONNIE? DINA? WHERE IS EVERYBODY???

Hi girlfriend! I just worry when folks stay away too long. Life happens and the thought of losing track of each other distresses me, so like an over-protective hen, I try to gather our flock when we've strayed too far for too long! Yes, boobies. I got up the nerve to show the new set to my husband last night and he was stunned. Even though my entire upper torso is totally bruised in ugly shades of black and blue and purple, and despite the very red and angry looking slashes where he cut all over the place, Jim could not believe the difference. I think once the swelling goes down I will probably end up wearing a size 34B -- from a 50F at my highest weight! It's unreal. I really don't know how the guy accomplished this when truly all he had to work with was a very long, stretched out pair of tube socks with a marble at the end of each. As for the TT, it will be 7 weeks on Tuesday. I think he could have done a better job, frankly. I still have a lot of loose skin and all along the horizontal incision (hip to hip) there is a roll of skin, just like an overweight person, that is very unsightly. I still have considerable pain, which I don't think is typical at this stage, especially just above the pubic area and below the naval. It's subcutaneous pain, well below skin level, so it must be associated with internal stitching. It's a burning, searing sensation whenever I move a certain way or cough or sneeze, God that's painful! The other issue of concern for me is the loss of sensation and hardness all around my new belly button. It's not a good hardness, like being fit. It's a 'this doesn't feel right' kind of hardness and it encompasses much of my mid-section. As for the loss of sensation, I must have considerable nerve damage and I don't know how much of the feeling will ever come back. Listen, guys, I don't at all want to sound ungrateful or like I'm whining, especially when so many of you are struggling with getting your work covered. I just hope that by sharing my experience, I can help inform those of you who are planning to have the work done. It's major surgery with potential for complications. Don't slack on your surgeon of choice. Make sure he/she has plenty of experience in performing the work that you are seeking and, most importantly, make sure they have lots of experience with the morbidly obese and our significant weight loss. Dina, I'm so happy to be talking to you again! Have missed you...Maureen

I am alive & well again. I was computerless for over a week. Thats what happens when you have your phone diconnected along with the internet. Just one more thing added to the long list of wonderful stuff in August that I am not sorry to see go away. I sure hope September is better. So far its not starting out real great, got some really bad new this a.m. found out that one of my friends I use to work with only 30 years old died yesterday. Not good, for sure. They still don't no what happened to her. Still fighting food deamons . Went back to the gym, but haven't seen any of the 7 lbs go away yet that I have gained. Bad Girl Here!! O.K> So I have depressed everyone now, so I will go away again. Not too long! Marilyn, the Bearlady