this is what I posted on the Texas board this morning 8/3/06 The morning of 8/3/04 was the beginning to a new life. The last two years have been a roller coaster ride... the ups and downs but for the most part it has been an amazing journey... not the easy way out as some people put it. I have to thank my husband Rudy and my sons - Little Rudy, Mikael and Johnny for always supporting me and being there for me when I dump and know how to take care of me. Rudy my honey especially for supporting me having the meetings and being a support group leader, he really does understand how important it is for us to have each other. Love you guys with all of my heart. What surgery has done for me....hmmmm well I have always been a confident person and I never had any health issues but I have NEVER IN MY LIFE weighed 123 -130 pounds...when I was a senior in high school I weighed 135 and wore a size 13... today I am wearing anywhere from a 2,4,6, or 8 all depends on the clothes.... Some of the things I have done since surgery... well skydived 2 times...climbed one of the mountains in Hawaii walked all over Hawaii ...went to New York and walked and walked and walked which I wasn't able to do when we went right after 9/11/01.... Rode all kinds of roller coaster rides in Orlando...guess you can say I am a thrill seeker.... I never in a million years thought I would be leading a support group. We started out as a small group with Penny Abate who went to Iraq and I volunteered to have the meetings at my house and we have grown to anywhere from 15 - 25 people a month. I have met some of the most wonderful people in the world who go through the same things that I go through... the emotional and mental part of this... To me that has been the hardest part seeing the smaller person. I still see the big girl, probably always will but I never want to forget where I came from because believe me I do not EVER want to go back to weighing 227. I know Erika posted the other day about her 4 year anniversary and she is one person who I followed her profile and posts when I signed up on TMB got to meet Erika at both conferences and have had her come stay with me and skydive with me... She is a true inspiration, love you girl... another one was Yvonne I followed her profile also... and then got to meet her in Nov. 2005 at the Houston conference and again 7/06 at the San Antonio conference... and of course Ramon who took over a year to email me back but we have become the best of friends... got to meet him at both conferences and get to know him and we are only 1 month apart surgery wise... of course I could name so many others... who had surgery after me and are in my support group who I love seeing the changes each month in them... Maggie my daughter I never had...love you girl... Ann who we would not let give up... Diane C, Stacie, Mary, Delia my skydiving buddy... Debbie who is at goal...Mark, Becky, Charlene, there are so many in my support group to mention and all the ones on the board Janice my sexy woman, Dana, Jennifer in SA, Russ, Rickol, Gina's - all of them...and got to meet so many people when I went to the Dallas dinner in Jan. 06...thanks to Charlene for putting those together....hope to make another one soon.. You know to me its amazing that I have met just about most of you in person the ones from Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, even Louisiana people got to meet here in Houston... I know I shouldn't name people but I believe in paying it forward as Ramon says... I know I read so many profiles when I started out with my revision and it was great to see the progress people were making...and the ups and downs they were having...knowing it wouldn't be the easy way out.... Those of you just starting out take pictures I know we hate to do that being overweight but believe me you will be glad you did... and take your measurements... cause when the weight loss slows down the inches keep coming off...and most important get involved in a support group you will not believe how much more successful people are who have the support.... I always say no one understands another weight loss person like another weight loss person. I will end on this note... ALWAYS NO MATTER WHAT WALK AROUND WITH YOUR SHOULDERS BACK, CHEST OUT AND HEAD HELD HIGH... Love you guys and thank you all for the support. Debra 227/205/127 at goal 1st Surgery/Revision/Today 8/98 - 8/04 - today 8/3/06 Pasadena Support Group Leader OH Chapter Leader

since it was my second surgery actually i had the vbg in 98 and then open hernia repair in 00 and then my revision in 04... so I knew what to expect or else believe me I would have been in bed much longer.... and I knew how important it was to get moving.... How are you doing????

Debra, we are all happy you had a nice day before the surgery. You said you were walking 1 hour after you got to your room. Lady, you are a worrier. With all do respect. Always happy you are doing great. Congratulations.

Hi Louis, Great question! The day before my surgery, I worked until 4:00, when I drank my "clean you out" drink. I then drove home and waited for the results. A couple of friends came over and we had a good time, watching TV and laughing. My anesthesiologist called me to tell me what he'd be doing the next day, which was very nice. It was like Christmas Eve - I was SO excited! My surgery was two weeks after I got approval from insurance, and the week before surgery, I was supposed to be on shakes, so I didn't have a lot of time for those last meals. I did, however, hit a couple of Mexican places I really loved (both of which I've returned to and enjoyed, albeit less quantity but still enjoyed, since surgery), and a few other restaurants I particularly liked. If I had had two months before surgery, I would have eaten myself silly. It's a good thing I didn't have that time. Not only would I have gained weight, but I would have been operating out of a scarcity state of mind. All of those places are still there post-op, and I can go and enjoy the same stuff, for the most part, that I used to. I am just more reasonable about it! I will post soon about the Summer Challenge. I have been doing pretty well on mine. Nothing earth shattering, but hey, we're two years out - things move a little more slowly in the weight loss department! Happy anniversary month, everyone! Kathryn

Hello.... What was happening to you on the day before the surgery? actually I really cant remember...I know that my husband and both sons went to the hospital with me that morning and when I woke up that afternoon they were all there in my room.... and helped me up..... What was your last good meal? I never did the last meal with this surgery...it was kind of different for me since it was a revision...I couldnt really eat that much anyway...was always throwing up... What was going through your mind? Is it going to work this time... and I am happy to say that I am at my doctors goal... from 205 to 125 - 130 wont go above 130... and now I am seriously looking into plastics... cant wait to finish this journey What did you do that day? got up at 5 am to be at the hospital at 6 am and surgery at 8 am... got to my room around 1 pm and was up walking within an hour....