My one year anniversary post, early due to my other surgery

Well, I'm posting my one-year anniversary 2 days early as I'll be having my hysterectomy tomorrow and won't be able to post on the actual day. What an amazing, incredible year....I had given up on ever loosing the weight I needed to lose...I knew conventional diets would never net the results I needed. I was resigned to dying young, trapped inside a body that didn't totally seem like mine. Then I learned about WLS and found out it was covered by my insurance. I was very scared.......I was a mess the days before. I wanted it so bad and I knew I had to go through this surgery to get my dream. I cried when I left my children to travel 3 hours to have the surgery. My hubby was with me through all of it. I thank God for all He has done to give me this gift! He is my Rock! In the last year, I have blossomed back into the person that I felt was trapped inside of a body that had "deceived" me by gaining weight. Oh yes, I had something to do with it too...but truly, I came to the point where I felt I had no control...that was was just going to get bigger and bigger and more unhappy about it. Then, this year I became the person I knew I was all along.....confident, happy, energetic. I can't even tell you all the cool things that have happened but a few of them are: getting onto carnival rides with my hubby on my 17th anniversary and cinching up the seat belts, doing the same when I got on planes, having my step-son come home from Iraq and see me (at the time) 93 lbs. lighter. Ok, this one is naughty, but the same day, his mother, my hubby's ex (who is not nice at all) "had to" also see me 93 lbs. lighter. I've gone off my b/p meds and my cholesterol meds..both those are normal without meds now. My knees don't hurt. I can walk 3 miles at a time with no trouble (could go more but don't usually have time). Before surgery, I could barely do 20 minutes of walking. I can CROSS my legs! I love clothes shopping....which I totally hated before. This has been a sad year too as I lost my brother on Nov. 2....BUT I was able to have the confidence to get on a plane and go see him the weekend before he died....and I did so at the stong urging of my wonderful friends on obesityhelp....so you all are angels in so many ways! I've lost 126 lbs and have 9 to my dr's goal and another 6-10 to my own goal. I'm hoping my lack of eating after the hysterectomy will jump-start the weight loss. It would have been nice to be at goal at 1 year but I'm still VERY happy. I'm a big-boned gal and tall so I'll never be tiny but people use the words "thin" and "skinny" when they refer to me! That seems surreal! I'm grateful to my wonderful Dr., Brent Steward and his staff. I emailed him to tell him that and also told him that I knew his family also made sacrifices due his busy schedule. He is such a nice man, in addition to being so skilled at WLS! To all my fellow travelers on this journey....what would I do without you? So many of you gave me courage, hope and love over the last 2 years.....the research year and the post-surgery year. To those just beginning.....stay the course.....it is so, so worth it. I have my life back. May you have the same! Hugs, Jenni -126, 9 to goal (I'll get there) 2 days till 1 year anniversary

This posting is such an inspiration to old and new losers.. this is so wonderful.. you deserve all this happiness.. good luck to you now and always. Hugs, Fran

Hi Jenni, I wanted to tell you how wonderful you have done in the past year. It is so nice to read your postive words...it helps so much to know where people are at one-year after surgery. My one year moment is right around the corner also...I can relate to all the wonderful things you have shared..it's just awsome how life can be so turned around when a person finally feels better about how they look and FEEL!! Well keep up the good work and keep posting on your progress. Hope all goes good with your up-coming surgery...I will be praying for a fast recovery...you know you can't be down to long..got to keep up the exercising. Love, Michelle -135 Open rny 12-22-03

THANK YOU FOR YOUR POSITIVE WORDS !!!! i am just on the verge of having my consult and setting the date...probably early February. I am soooo grateful i found this Kansas message board.... lots of WINNERS in the Land of OZ!!!! (and it's OK to be a little 'naughty' re: your hubby's ex... but it is an EMPOWERING moment, they do say that SUCCESS IS THE BEST REVENGE!) KEEP POSTING! all of us that are 'newbies' NEED YOU!!!!!! anita