8 months out and new pics posted!

Wednesday was my 8 month surgiversary. It is SO HARD to believe it has already been that long! A year will be here before I know it!  I've lost 148 pounds total and 109 since surgery. I know I say it often, but I have so much energy! If it wasn't for the RA, I'd feel the best I've ever have. The RA is probably better with the less weight on me, but it's still there and it gives me a fit sometimes. I am losing about 10 pounds a month. I guess that is about normal, but sometimes I wi**** would move faster. I guess it is moving so that's good. I know I'd do better if I'd exercise, it's just so hard to get motivated!!!  Anyway, I've uploaded some new photos, so check them out if you want to. James is doing well. He is just ready to be "normal" again. I keep telling him it's coming, but we all know how tiring it is those first few weeks.  He's getting the "head hunger" now and a little bit of cabin fever. It takes so much energy to just take a shower! Well, that's the update from our area of the world... Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! Melinda

Look at You Mindy !!!!!!! Looking good GF. Glad to read James is on the mend and as for the head hunger thing well I dont think it ever goes away in my situation the pouch rules and wins everytime.                                                  Annie

Thanks, Annie. I agree that the head hunger never *really* goes away, but we learn to deal with it better. You are doing great also! Now if I can just get some of your motivation to exercise, I'd be really great! :)

CONGRATULATIONS GURL!!!!!!!! You're looking greattttttttttttttt............ Happy for you and James................

Thanks so much. It NEVER gets old to hear how you are doing well... You look great also!!! Keep up the good work!

Hi Melinda,

You look great and I'm so glad to hear that you feel wonderful too. I'm sorry that the RA is still so difficult, but I hope that it gets somewhat better with your continued success. I think that your weight loss is still really significant. When I got to where you are in my journey, I think I was down to about 5 lbs a month. I use www.thinnerself.com and it really helped me because it allowed me to compare my loss pattern to those who match my demographics. It allowed me to see that I was indeed doing well and if I continued, I'd loose to my full potential ... and here I am! Give it a try. I think you will be pleased with the progress it tells you that you have made and are projected to make based on your loss patterns.

Wishing you and James continued success on your respective journey's. I so long for this for Ben and I.

Warmly,

Barb

Thanks, Barb! I'll check out that website.  I've started tracking my foods again (on Daily Plate) and it's helping... I can then at least SEE what I'm eating and make adjustments as needed.  What's the status on your hubby's surgery? Is he going through his preops? He will be with you on the loser's bench very soon! P.S. Thanks for the pic comments!

Hi Melinda,

Thanks for asking about Ben. He has his first clincal appointment on June 25th, the day after I have my 1 year check up. Duke gives you a list of the pre-ops that need to be done prior to submission for insurance and he's had all of those done. He has to meet with the nurse practioner, the nutritionist and the psych to have his psych eval. After that's done, then Duke will gather all of their info and as long as they don't want him to have anymore studies done they'll transcribe the notes from the RNP, Nut, and Psych and get the package ready for submission to insurance. Because his primary insurance has a specific exclusion, it's going to have to through the insurance mill twice. Once for the primary to decline due to the specific exclusion and a second round for the secondary to make their determination. I'm assuming the worst and figuring that Ben probably won't be getting an approval until some in late August or early September and then Duke is taking about 6 weeks to get people in once they get them on the books after they've been approved. So I'm thinking he won't have the surgery until sometime this fall. We're just putting one foot in front of the other, but I sure will be glad when we are on the other side of the surgery.

Thanks again for asking about him. I hope that you and James will be able to come up sometime for one of our get togethers, I would love for Ben to have someone to commiserate with and to have another couple who is going through this to talk to as well. Maybe we can arrange to meet sometime.

Hugs,

Barb

You are looking fabulous, keep up the good work!! Lisa

Thanks, Lisa!!!