The NEW Girls on the Block!

DH has always said he thought belly button rings were hot, but I could never see the point of sticking it in between 2 fat rolls! So now I will wait til after the tummy tuck. As for tattoos I currently have 2. I have a winnie the Pooh on my ankle, had it for about 10 years now. My newest is 3 stars on the back of my shoulder with my kids names in 2 of them. That was my 100 pounds down reward. I would like to get a tramp stamp (lower back) once I reach goal and after TT. It will be a large butterfly and very colorful. I will warn...Tattoos are adicting!

I haven't seen my belly button in a long time. You're right... no sense having one, if it's between the skin folds. BTW, the older TT had a very "quarter-like" belly button; round and large. I was hoping for one that looked a little more natural; even a bit asymetrical...an innie. Is that an option? The star tattoos with your kids' names sounds adorable. Good Idea. Does Winnie need to be touched-up every now and then? My son's on-again-off-again girlfriend has a fantastic tattoo. It is the tree of life with a foot hidden within the roots, as a sign of being grounded. It is quite detailed and starts over her left hip, crosses over her spine, which she said was a little painful, and spreads out and up her back. I never saw one like it before, but I haven't seen too many female tattoos. In my earlier years tattoos were taboo and the girls stereotyped...biker chick...etc. So glad that that has changed. I'm gathering that the colorful butterfly really relates to your WLS journey...it makes a perfect choice. Are you going with an actual butterfly pattern or letting the artist go free with it? I think that tattoos are sexy, but I'm probably a bit too old (nearly 51); maybe my new bod will give me a change of heart about going for it. I wish I could get used to rewarding myself...why is that so hard to do for me? Don't know, but I should do it. Ro

Tattoos are not nearly as painful as I would have thought. I say youo go for it there is not too old for a tattoo!! As for Winnie the Pooh I have never had to have him touched up and the color is still great. There is a picture of my newest tatoo in my profile. Check it out when you get a chance.

Oh, Amy ...Very Cute Stars! Love the family pics too... so when is the 3rd star going to be "named"... boy or girl??? Now that's family planning! Ro

You 2 are cracking me up!!! Too Funny! BTW, If you do decide to use the adhesive, Iv'e been told that many "women" complain that taking them off is a pain... ouchy! Sorry, Steve, it would probably hurt you too. The salesperson said that over time, after many washings, the adhesive does start to get worn-off. I mentioned that they probably end up like the magic lint (pet hair) rollers that have adhesive and are washable which are also made of silicone. That would still be too much adhesive for me. Joy...Joy... No escapees with my Press 'N' Seal modified set! PS: No I didn't name "mine" Joy...Joy... but since I'm that happy with the results, I just might do so!.... Ro

::cracking knuckles:: Awrighty girlfriend...this subject is RIGHT up my alley!!! You have heard me whine about my lack of boobage plenty here on the mb. I had reduction surgery in 2000 and the PS said that I'd stay the same size no matter how much more wieght I lost. Uh, yeah...right! NOT!!! Talk about feeling disfigured. I really, really have issues with this and my self-esteem. And as much as I want to look and feel like a girl again I resent the fact that I'm going to have to have foreign objects installed in my body to do so. I'm carrying around enough extra medical cr*p in my body already and don't really want more!! So now I look like I've had a double mastectomy and then skin expanders removed. It is revolting. Also, I need a 32 band in a bra which Wal-Mart doesn't sell. Not gonna pay for more pricey bras right now so I just buy the 34 band bras and then take a big tuck in them in the back. Not the most comfortable but whatever. I make sure always to buy the kind that are well padded and are labelled 'pushup' since they have a built in bump pad at the outside bottom of each cup. Lately a 34B seems to be working well enough. I got some nice sew-in type pads that are the bump on bottom type you described (at JoAnn Fabrics) and sometimes I put them in with the bump on top when I want to vavoom up an outfit but it also causes some upper spillage. Again...oh well. Have you seen the new silicone-style pads that Wal-Mart is carrying? They are NOT adhesive and are a full-coverage cup style. They are $15.99 locally and are returnable. I just haven't put the money into them yet because I really needed some new shoes for work and also needed a few warmer long-sleeve tops first. Anyway, with this style cup I think it would work to use a microfiber-type padded bra that isn't a pushup style and just go up one cup size. I'll be trying this in a few weeks and let you know. Personally, I think that what *I* really need and would visually look best would be to go to a specialty boutique and buy a mastectomy bra. But talk about $$$! Probably most of us with boob issues post-wls wouldn't need that because of the excess skin issues. My excess skin is really just an empty, sad little pocket. Sorry you have such adhesive problems. I have icky scars from my reduction because the surgeon wasn't able to use any adhesive tapes on me for the same reason. So my incisions pulled quite a bit and are pretty large. It bothers DH, I know. At one point when I was discussing my then-upcoming RNY surgery with him he expressed a bit of disgust that I already look like a 'patchwork quilt' and it was only going to get worse. That little comment spoke volumes to me. Well, that's why they make nice lingerie. LOL! Thanks for letting me vent.

I can totally relate to the reduction, I had one in 8/2000 too. Went from a gigantoid G cup to a nice D, however, now the poor girls look pretty flat when I lay down especially. For now I guess I will just tuck them into the 34C with extra padding. The new padded bra does not look to bad under the new shirts, on clearance even, from Target. I love shopping in the missy sizes!!

Amy...I'm checking out Wal-mart as Molly mentioned...much better pricing. Perhaps the Dec '06 Gals could get a special rate from John LoMonico. His ads gets me everytime. Just seems to good to be true. The reduction issue seems so unfair, as I mentioned in my reply to Molly. I really hope that the techniques available today can give you both a better shape. Me too! As I'm coming to Florida this winter, I am having bathing suit anxiety. Even if I can contain all of the skin under a swimsuit, my legs and arms have sagged too. Any suggestions? Ro

I have swimsuit issues as well. I definitely suggest one with a skirt or boy short cut. That hides my saggy thighs. Unfortunately, no ideas on keeping the girls perky in the suit, but a racer back stlye helps with back sag too

Molly, You can whine as much as you want. Having one operation to reduce and then needing another to get you out of the body crisis is a shame. One salesperson mentioned the sew-in pads (sounds good) and the mastectomy bra (sounds $$$$$) to me. Why doesn't someone make bras for WLS patients? Everyone knows that they'd sell like hotcakes for women with pancakes. I was just at Wal-Mart with my son, 23, and wish I had read your info before hand, but DS would have flipped-out to buy the pads with him. (Blusher) LOL I am going back to check them out next week! At $15.99 without adhesive that's a bargain. I'm with you on the empty, sad little pockets. Mine have puddled into my bra. At night, they fall overboard and I look and feel like a boy! Very discouraging. I think that is part of my "dead sex syndrome". I need to get my passion back, but I gross myself out. Sorry to hear that your hubby didn't think twice before he spoke. He probably regrets it, Molly. I am going to have to wait on the lingerie. Covering up is more my thing now. Since you mentioned your surgery, I realized that I may have a problem with PS too. I'd be so upset if I was "allergic" to the implants. Could that happen??? You probably figured-out that I am afraid of PS, but I can't live happily looking like this or worse. Ro