Good morning I ran across this and had to share I hope all are well.bless. Out of Hell: Reflections on Losing 150 Pounds So many nights, I whimpered and cried, Thought that my prayers had all been denied. Stuffing my feelings, ashamed of my plight, Trying to stop, with all of my might. Shoving in cold spaghetti, at three in the morning, Frying shrimps by the time the daylight was dawning. Drinking gallons of soda, my heart wildly beating, Hating myself, 'cause I couldn't stop eating. The monster in me would come out to play, And as much as I begged him, he wouldn't go 'way. Morning would come, and that is when, The whole vicious cycle would start once again. Tears would be streaming, I felt like a cow, I wanted to stop, but I didn't know how. Boarding a plane, and seeing the fear In the eyes of the others..." Don't let her sit here!" Walking a block, and feeling such pain, That I went right back home to start eating again. " Your face is so pretty! Start using your head!" "Just eat smaller portions , " my family said. " Put down the fork! Push back from the table!" That's what my friends said...But I wasn't able. " Willpower's the secret! We'll help you get through it!" " TRY HARDER, " they urged...But I couldn't do it. I tried every diet to get back on track, I'd lose weight and then just gain twice as much back! Every morning I'd pray, " God let me be good..." Then I'd fail once again...and no one understood. Each new day would bring another attempt, Each evening would bring still more self-contempt. Filled with self-loathing, such awful remorse, Simply unable to get back on course. Overwhelmed with this state of awful depression, Giving in to this dark, paralyzing obsession. I thought to myself, " You'll always be fat.. Accept it, move on! Learn to live with that fact! " Questioning God and wondering why, Positive that I was destined to die. Yet something inside me was whispering, "No.. There MUST be a way..It HAS to be so." I felt a new person was waiting inside me, And it was their voice, I permitted to guide me. I knew I could no longer go on this way, Desperate and dying, bit by bit, day by day. So I got on my knees, and prayed for relief, Then God sent a miracle to lessen my grief. A way to stop eating, so crazy I thought, Went against everything I had been taught. This was my last option, I felt like a jerk If this didn't do it, then NOTHING would work! So I trusted the doctors, wholly and blindly, And my God smiled down, completely and kindly. An unorthodox treatment, but working so well, To help lift me OUT of this ongoing hell. A surgical wonder, that acts as a tool To battle the fat, which has made life so cruel. So as scared as I was, I knew I'd get through it... Since I was so much more afraid not to do it. And it went very smoothly, and I'm convinced that That pain was less than the pain of this fat. Nothing could hurt more than being this size, While seeing the pity in everyone's eyes. That part of my life is over and done, But I'll never forget the place I come from. I'll always be grateful, I'll always be driven To bestow upon others the support I've been given. The obsession has lifted, I'm whole and I'm free, God and my surgeon gave my life back to me. I 've learned to eat slowly, I've learned how to chew Enjoying my food, as normal folks do. I eat when I'm hungry, I stop when I'm not, Being fat, in this life, will not be my lot. I eat not for sport, but just to survive, My whole life is changing...I'm glad I'm alive! I will reach the goal that I'm aiming toward, I've truly been blessed...Thank You, Dear Lord. The peace that I feel is calming and true, And for those who still suffer...I wi**** for you. -Author Unknown

Hey Jackie, you have the same aniversary as I do. I have also lost 80 pounds. It feels great ad I just want to be a size 12 also. I am now a 16 bottom and 14 top. My weight loss has slowed down but I know a lot of it is my fault. Karen

Can you believe it has been 6 months already? I sure can't. There are so many things I can do now that I haven't been able to do in a longggg time. I first had WLS Dec. of 1997, weighing in at 396 lbs. I'm not even sure what size I was at the time. I was just wearing whatever 6x stuff I could find. I got down to 255 within a year, but then gradually started gaining until I found myself at 314. I dieted back down to 288 then back up to 310 at the time of my revision to RNY on 10/23/2003. At that time, I was wearing a 30-32. My weight loss has been steady. The first month, I lost 22 lbs. Every month since.. .I've lost either 12 or 13 lbs. I hope I can keep that up! Right now, I'm at 225... wearing a comfortable 20 and a tight 18. That's -85 lbs since my revision and -171 thanks to WLS. I weigh less now than I have since elementary school. As for goals, I want to wear a size 12... I've never been a 12. I want to maintain this way of eating for the rest of my life. Thanks to all of you wonderful WLSers that have supported me along the way! Here's to the next 85 lbs! Jackie

That is awesome! I am just getting into 16's now. I am so excited for all of us! Hugs, Maria

Ok... This is my usual work week daily intake ? Breakfast - S/F carnation instant breakfast with skim milk ? Snack - 2 slices of wasa bread with butter ? Lunch - starkist tuna with light mayo on crackers ? Snack - 1/4 c cashews ? Dinner - cheese & crackers or chicken breast & some mashed potatoes ? Snack - 2 s/f choc chip cookies I try to get all my water in. Some days I just can't do it. Hugs, Maria