Well this is something I wouldn't have done 5 years ago.

 A month ago, i saw an old schoolfriend's name on Friends Reunited. I went to school in the north of England but my father died and we moved so my mother could get a decent job and so we left when I was 15. We kept in touch for a few years but then drifted apart and had heard nothing of each other for over 42 years.

  I contacted her, we are e mailing, sending photos and planning to meet. I am really quite emotional about it!  

But here's the thing. I hated myself so much when I was big. I wasn't a happy large person as some say they are! I was confident and strong in my working life and people probably thought I was socially. But inside I was cringing all the time.    At 20+ stone, I might have e mailed her, but I would never have sent photos or arranged to meet. I hated what I had brcome physically. 

I see Liz's photo of her aged 60. She is slim and smart. Well, guess what, folks! SO AM I. I can't wait to meet her.   Thank you band!   Kate  

 
Yes you are! You look awesome!!! So glad you have reconnected with your friend, and hope you have a great reunion.

Btw, have you had the UK WLS get together yet?

 
Thanks, Maria.

And, yes, we did. 14 of us turned up and five sent last mintue apologies.  Ranging from 6 months post- op to over 5 1/2 years (me!). We probably were to an extent self selected as we chose to attend a meeting but it was clearly announced as being for support not just mutual congratulations. We were all happy bandsters!

We have discussed this before, I really do not understand this difference. I think WasaB thought I was inventing it, ( in fact, I know she did, she told me so and then blocked me!), but over here, we really do seem to get on better with bands! There clearly must be people like N.M, you, Hislady, Zee Starlite and so on. I just haven't met them! But I do wonder if what we don't have is the people sucked into band surgery by get-rich-quick docs who take the money, don't do the education or the follow-up. So creating a group of people who don't know how to eat with the band, who expect rapid weight loss without effort.

Kate

 
Kate you have mentioned that before, about how the UK bandsters seem to be more succeessful. I think there are 2 bandsters on the FB failed band forum that are from the UK and have revised or are about to revise. The other UK WLS'er that I know are RNY.

As far as me, I went to a band mill, but the Dr. that they hired to do the surgeries is an excellent Dr. However I only met him the day of the surgery and never again. I do have issues with the band mill and their integrety, but I feel the surgeon did a good job. I will say that the aftercare there sucked. 

If the UK bandstes are generally more successful, I wonder if they might use a slightly different surgical technique there???

I will say that I see lots of comments on the Lap-Band forum from so many ppl that are obviously uneducated about the band. I think that is prob. a combination of not researching theirselves, and having it done by Drs./band mills that do not educate about how the band works. I have seen numerous times some of these posting that they just got their first fill and have no restriction and very upset about it. Or ppl that have restriction and lose weight and then say they don't have restriction. Like they don't know that once you lose some weight that you can need a fill b/c things may be looser b/c of the weight loss.

Regardless of why, it's sad to see so many bandsters here that either don't know how the band is supppose to work, or that actually have bands that don't work.

So glad yours is working for you and that you are happy with it. You look great!!!

 Maria, OT, just using you to check that you can now quote from an ipad. Ignore this!

Kate,
I am with you on the never would have before. I, too, hated what I had become. If I could avoid gatherings I did, if I couldn't avoid them I made my hubbie go along becouse I needed someone to bolster my courage. I agonized for weeks about what I would wear, hoping something would make me suddenly slim. I would try to diet in order to at least lose a little so I could say that I was on my way down or take some of the puffiness away.

Along with you I projected a confident work persona, yet socially though I pretended to be confident I was a mess.

I will be eternally grateful to my band for giving me the fighting chance to really live life before it was too late.
Sue

that is really cool!  I reconnected with all my elementary friends on facebook and, like  you, I was embarrassed at how I looked.  But, many of them (especially the boys) gained weight.  At the end of the day I sucked it up and it's been nice talking to some of them.  it's like time never moved.