Happy yes - still a bit anxious since I'm still in the "overweight" range for BMI (by like 2 points). Stupid numbers hang-up! Thanks for the good wishes!

Ok, so as the one that owes everyone a card that was in the Christams card exchange maybe it should not be me that starts this LOL (but actually I already have cards ready) .....but who is interested in an Anniversary card exchange? If you are interested send me a PM and I will be happy to get the email together of all the addresses. I know we are already into the month but there is still time. What do you think? Donna

Congratulations April and welcome to the club!!!! donna

Cyndi Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!!! Wow you have done amazing!!! I know how happy you must be!!! Donna

I was nervous, excited, a little scared but happy more than anything else, that I had decided to make this commitment to becoming healthy. The first obstacle was that I discovered I was to be the last surgery of the day, at 4:00 pm - who wants to be the last patient of the day - I know I'm tired by then and I sit at a desk! Anyway, confidence in my surgeon spurred me on. The other complication came a day or so after - it appears that something got "nicked", at least my surgeon things that's what happened. He was honest and forthright about it, and hey, it's possible. I lost enough blood that I had to have two transfusions. Not terrible except that I have HORRIBLE veins. That was the worst part - the HUMONGOUS hematoma I got from them trying to get those needles into my veins. My arm, from halfway down my forearm to halfway up to my shoulder was deep purple for weeks! All in all, I had not real problems with the surgery or in my recovery...the one issue there was trying to get those protein shakes down - never did find one I could tolerate well, even through I drank them. Went to my surgeon's office for my one week out visit and found I had lost 25 lbs!!! Wow, I knew that it wouldn't always be this amazong, but I felt encouraged by such a good start. I'm verry fortunate (in many ways!) but I have a lot of sick time from my job and I took 6 weeks off. Every morning I'd get up, take care of the basics, get my shake ready, then boot up my laptop to spend hours on this board. I can't tell you what a comfort it was to come here and just read, ask my little worrisome questions and get responses, and, throughout, receive and amazing amount of suport and encouragement from people I didn't know. Since then, I've come to know quite a few of you online, and was even fortunate enough to meet Terri in person (Yeah!) but through it all, I still feel this is my family. It has not been easy, navigating the physical changes and challenges, the coming back of head hunger, the solving of the emotional issues that got me to obesity in the first place - that still goes on and I think it will till, well, forever. But through it all, I am incredibly greatful, even though I did not reach a silly number goal that I had in my head (although, thank goodness things started moving again after about 2 months!). I work out on a consistant basis, and feel stronger and healthier than I ever had in my life, and again, I am greatful. Thanks to all of you, whether you responded to my posts, provided sustenance in the form of recipes (oh Michelle, you have NO idea!) or for all of you who shared your own thoughts, fears, hopes, so that we could all work through this together. I am a better ME as a result of this journay, and I thank you all for being part of that, more than you can ever know. "Have you lost weight? Or a limb?" Sully in Monsters, Inc. Surgery Consult: 271 Pre-surgery: 261 Current: 142 Goal: 140