XP: Time flies...pics, and a public service announcement...LONG

chasing the buzz is my problem as well. i was recently out at a bar w/ friends and decided to have one drink. i wanted to see if i could do that without bingeing on it. I ended up drinking my drink very fast then wanting another one. all in all i had 3 drinks and was sober in 30 minutes. i had to sit w/ that and not keep drinking. getting sober so quick is why I keep drinking. we can easily become toxic so i try to remember just cuz i feel sober doesn't mean the stuff isn't in my system!

We should get together for a drink and talk about it--kidding! There goes that sometimes inappropriate sense of humor of mine! I have really thought about buying one of those little personal breathalyzer things. Probably not perfectly accurate, but maybe it would give an idea of where we stand when we really think we are sober, which we are likely somewhat skewed about.

I wanted to do my daughter's science fair project on the metabolism of alcohol in the post-bariatric surgery patient. Can you imagine taking that idea to the teacher? But I am really interested in knowing. The police do those tests where they have several people of different weights drink several drinks then test their BAC. I'd LOVE to do that with some WLS patients as well as repeating the test at timed intervals to see how fast it leaves our system. I need to make some cop friends!

Have a great weekend! Drop me a line if you ever need to chat!

Thanks for the post. Sorry you have struggled but look how far you've come!

And I too love your ability to remain positive in the face of everything...and you help others stay positive also.

You have done an awesome amount of work. Congrats!

It's funny you mention my being positive. I've often considered myself to be a more negative person--a glass half empty, worrier--although I do consider myself as being a fun person to be around. Kind of a conflict I've dealt with through the years. Conversely, I do feel like I can be very positive and encouraging when dealing with others, so it is nice to hear it is being received that way. It has been a lot of work and unfortunately, I think lots of folks go into this process conciously or unconciously thinking that surgery is the magic bullet, myself included despite the fact I swore I knew better. At the end of the day we still need to eat well, exercise, and nurture our emotional selves. I'm glad that I can now say it has all been worth it because there were many days this past year I surely didn't feel that way.

Thank you for the kind words!
 

 Denise, You have a heart of gold. You have been so helpful for so long to so many. Peaches and cream from here on out. By the way, the money was damn well spent!!!

Steve

Thanks Steve! I love hearing that I look great, but hearing that someone thinks I have a heart of gold or that I've been helpful to someone means the world to me.

Always a pleasure dealing with you too!

Thanks again!! 

You look tremendous!!! The girls are FAB!!!! We started and ended at almost the same exact weights. Your acceptance of yourself at the weight you are has really helped me with accepting the fact that I will probably never get down to that 150 range. But I love the me here and now. A first time.

I really hope you have a class reunion coming up soon. You are gorgeous!

LOL! Between running into the old highschool crush of mine and running into about 6 people from highschool at an outing a few weeks ago, that is about as close as I am getting to a class reunion, but it was fun! I introduced myself to the one girl I knew back in the day and she looked at me and said (actually shouted) "NO F**KING WAY! You look amazing!" Too funny how people respond! My favorite is when people literally do not recognize you.

I think my acceptance of my weight comes from thinking for so long that I'd never see 250 again, let alone 150. Once I hit a weight with a 1 in front of the number it was like freakin' Christmas and I just felt so grateful to have come that far. Funny enough I was taking a walk today and had this fleeting thought that maybe I'd make a concerted effort to lose another 15 or so pounds. Go hard at the gym and really reign in my eating until my revisions. Then another thought came--you should be going hard at the gym and eating well because it makes you feel good not because it will bring you to a lower number. Then yet another thought came--crap, if I lose weight as a side effect of eating well and moving, will I screw up my plastics? Then I realized I was talking to myself and should I continue that my neighbors might start talking. LOL! Now that I'm feeling better iron wise and released to exercise from this seroma business, I'm just going to get back to doing what I do and whatever it is that my body does as a result is what will be. I know I'll be stronger and leaner and feeling good as a result.

I'm so glad I have in some way played a part in helping you find your way to a place of peace with your weight. It brought a tear when you said that you love yourself--here and now--a first time. What a wonderful and powerful place to be!! So happy for you!

Thanks for all the wonderful feedback. You guys are the best! 

Happy Surgiversary!!!!I cant wait for my 2nd year which will be in June.. I am glad you got the help you needed. I have had these days lately when I really wonder if I need some drug intervention... The healing part from Plastics is wearing me out. I see my PS again tomorrow. for the belly button pain.. God I pray no infection or hernia..

Any way, you look very Happy and great and awesome. I always appreciate your insightful posts..
This board is one of the few places I feel safe to complain, rant or rave about my current condition. Thanks Denise for being part of this board!

Michelle

Let us know what the doc says. Crossing my fingers it is easily remedied and not infected!

Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate them.