HAPPY SURGIVERSARY DARLA!!!!!!!!!

Hey everybody!!!  Darla's FIRST SURGIVERSARY is Saturday!!!  Please give her a !!! She's done an amazing job!!!!  I hope she doesn't mind me sharing this - The very first time I met Darla, she was hooked up to oxygen, clearly uncomfortable as she walked and was dressed in a huge flowered caftan-like dress.  No more!!!  She's come such a long way, and even though she'll be the first to tell you that she's a continuing work in progress, she is to be commended for taking charge of her life!!!  She's a total gym rat, now, too, and I bet the Darla I met at Blue Fins would've laughed at that until she peed!!!! I am so proud of you - thank you for your friendship and support and for pulling me off the ledge more than once!!!!  Love ya girl!!!!! Tia

YAY DARLA!!!!  happy Surgiversary!!!!!!!!  And here's to many MANY more surgiversaries!!!!

Thanks Aaron and Congrats to you too :  keep up the good work

Congrats to Darla at her progress so far!!  She and I were in the same pre-surgery class and I recall her oxygen tank.  I can't wait to meet you guys one day and see her in person again.

Tia:   Thanks so much for the thumbs up;  I have been thinking a lot about my life preop- and the Oxygen tank was the last straw so to  speak -  During a preop test it was discovered that my oxygen level was low so for 4 months preop and 6 weeks postop it was my shadow- and when we met at Blue fins that was 1 month post op.  so it was still  with me. The caftan dress is long gone thank God:  Mom went out  right after my surgury and bought three of them -  She was worried about pants rubbing the incisions.   You are right the Darla at Blue fins is so different from the person I have  become today :  I am still about 75 Lbs. from my goal but like you said I am a work in progress =).  I would have never believed I would become a gym rat; but I have thats for sure.

As so pulling you back from the ledge on occasion you  have done  the same for me many times:  Thats what friends are for .  I don't know what I would have done or continue to do without your friendship    Love you too Darla

Oh Tia, I remember that day too.   Darla is doing great and I am so very proud of her. She is a sweet friend that has been there for me and my family. She deserves nothing but the best that life has to offer.    I wish I was there to give darla a big hug on her surgiversary but she knows that although I am not there I love her and I am in spirit with celebrating her new life! HAPPY SURGIVERSARY MY DEAR FRIEND! Love you always!

Happy first re-birthday my friend. I am so proud of you, and so inspired by you! I didn't meet you till after you shed the oxygen tank. However, I saw from month to month at our support group meetings, how now only your weight changed, but your outlook changed so positively as well. You have been a wonderful source of information and support, and I feel very honored, and fortunate to have become your friend both on, and off the boards. I had a dream last night about our upcoming cruise, and you were even thinner. You would have especially loved the look! You WILL  love the look as I know thinner is in your future.