Wow and contratulations on such a great job You have worked very hard for all your accomplishments, and this is your reward! Enjoy your ride. Rosemary

Hi Mary- Don't let loose or extra skin keep you from the most important part of your journey. I have lost 258# in just under one year and I have lots of loose skin BUT it is showing some signs of tightening up. My doctor says to wait about a year after you near your goal weight to decide on more surgery just to remove excess skin. Most people will not notice the loose skin unless you dress to show it off! Your overall health and well being is WAY more important.............good luck to you, aloha. Mike Buck

Hello & happy 1 year birthday to me! 1 year ago today, I was in the hospital preparing for my surgery. My life has changed so much. I have lost 102 lbs. & over 140 inches! I have gone from a size 24 to 12 & 14's! I wear medium & large. My life is so different then it was just 12 months ago. I am normal. I am healthy. I am in love. I am going to ***** Cana in the Dominican Republic next month to celebrate my new life. I only need to loose another 18 lbs, or so, to hit my personal goal. I am the thinnest that I have been in almost 15 years! Loosing all of this weight has made many changes in my relationship with my daughter. In some strange way, it seems to scare her. She thinks that her life has changed because I am dating. But, I believe her life has changed because she is going on 14, in her last year of middle school & her Mom has become an emerging butterfly. I am no longer building my whole world around her & food. I am actually having a fulfilling life of my own. The life that God intended for me to have. Life still is hectic. Yesterday, my basement flooded because the hose to my ice maker had a hole in it. I heard water running 15 mins before I had to leave to go to a Memorial service for 1 of my dear girlfriends. I called my boyfriend, he talked me through what I needed to do. My Dad & I got it under control. I went to the funeral. He fixed it when he got off of work & life marches on. Having the surgery does not make our lives stress free. Yet, somehow, we learn to handle things better. Incidences, like my home flooding, become more manageable... I am able to handle things without blowing them completely out of proportion. I am at peace with myself & my life. Would I have this surgery all over again? YOU BET! Congratulations to all of us, wherever we are in our personal journeys. May God continue to bless us all! Peace out!

Well, PCOS is polycystic ovarian syndrome. Basically it has to to do with insulin which in turn effects everything else. I have acne, hair on the face, weird periods, and I'm insulin resistant. The IR is really the driving force behind all of it and unless I can kick my sugar addiction then the cycle of high and low blood sugar and out of whack hormones will continue. I have also hit a plateau. I only lost 10-12 pounds in 5 months

I totally understand. My hormones are whacked too but I have PCOS and my ability to eat sugar does not help. My mental hunger is such a problem that I am seeing a therapist tomorrow. Surgery does not change the mind, that's for sure. Somedays I feel the same way I felt when I was fat