Hello

Hi everyone.  Been a while.  I just wanted to pop in and say hello to everyone.  Oldtimers and newbies.  I hope everyone had a great Holiday season.....Im doing ok.  I had my surgery 3 years ago on Halloween.  I have been able to maintain pretty much most of my weight loss, gained about 10 pounds back but thats ok.....some weeks im up a few others down a few.  This holiday season has been a little tough for my,  I lost my Grandpa this week and that was hard.  In the old days i would have eaten myself to death but over the last 3 years because of this surgery have learned other copeing mechanisms....many who know me know that one of those mechanisms is getting a tattoo lol....My gramps was actually sick for a while and when he was getting really bad  i went to get one..  The day i originally went the place was to busy so i rescheduled for Monday.  I went in the afternoon and my gramps passed that evening.  It was a picture of black roses i had wanted for a while.  I am going back and adding Gramps to it in a couple of weeks as its his now.  The point im trying to make is as you take the journey alternative copeing mechanisms is so important.  It is just as important as learning how to make right choices with foods on a daily basis.  The things that got us heavy to begin with are always going to be there, its us and how we handle them that will determine our success. 
I want to say Hi to my old friends here and welcome to all the newcomers and wish everyone the best of luck on their journey.  Support is very important and you get much of that here.....Luv ya

Hi Lisa! I'm so sorry about  your grandfather, good for you on the coping though! Know my thoughts and prayers are with you. Andi  ps.  you look great

THank you.  I wish i could get here more often but once work starts back up again its nuts and dont get a lot of time to post.  I try to read as much as i can and as often as i can.....hope you are doing well also...

Lisa.... I am so very sorry for your loss.. We also lost my 91 YO granmother unexpectedly New Years morning... So these past few days have been horrific for me as well.. I just wanted to let you know that I sincerely feel your pain and sorrow...

Hugs from one lonely grandaughter to another..
Lisa

Thank you everyone.  Im so sorry for your loss as well.  Hanging in ....its not easy but have to hold it together.  Cannot let the stress of life send me back into old bad habbits.  I see some sneaking up on me and it worries me.  I will try to make it back here more often.  This place has been such a great place for me to get my support. 

LM,
I'm so sorry to hear about your Grandpa. That is a hard loss, especially if you had a close relationship. I hope your final days with him were peaceful.

Many pats on the back on your continued success after WLS. It is a hard road, but such a satisfying one. Are you working? How are the kids?

All's well here. I've maintained all but 10-15 pounds of my 130 pound weight loss for 2.5 years. I'd like to try and beat it off again, but maybe as the warmer weather approaches, it will be easier. I'm just happy to be a relatively stable maintenance phase.

I'm in my 3rd semester of graduate school and it is going well. The kids are awesome and things with my ex are improving, so all in all, life is good. Been doing a lot of music lately (singing, piano, guitar) and it feels better than anything I've done for a long time.

Weight loss surgery changes have been vast and positive, but certainly hard at times. Worth the pain and effort.

Big hugs to you!
Aim