Lapband/RNY wedding day is here.

Well this is my last day at work before I get married. Many of you know our story for I've posted it over the years here. I'm 3 1/2 years post op and I never reached goal. Not for lack of trying, but I just never got there. I started out at 646 lbs and I lost over 330 lbs of which I've kept it off so I don't feel like I'm a failure for not reaching my goal YET. And I stress the word yet. I am still working at it and loosing slowly, but it is still coming off. My Fiancee Michelle has the lapband and has done so great with it and has lost about 150 lbs herself. Like me she has had her ups and downs, but overall is very happy with her choice as I am with mine. Now onto the post. I posted a story here about 3 years ago about a young boy. I had lost nearly 200 pounds by this time and feeling pretty good about myself and the boy looked at me and said, "Boy is that man fat." His mother didn't say a word to him and just looked at me with pity in her eyes. This really hurt me and Michelle just happened to post back to me offering words of encouragement and support which I got a lot of from this site. She lived in Tennessee and I live in Washington so I didn't expect anything to happen here, but as time went by I knew I had to meet this woman. So I flew to Nashville to meet her and the rest is OH romance history. I've never met anyone like her. Pre-op I had become a shut in only leaving for work and groceries, but Michelle has taught me how to live life again. She has made my life complete A year ago I asked her to marry me and on Saturday July 1st we will be married. This is our first for both of us and I've waited a long time to find the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, but that day has finally arrived. So wish us luck and happiness and we'll post pics after we get back from our honeymoon in Hawaii(Another first for me.) Thanks to all of you for your support and advice through the years. Calvin Post a reply View Calvin K's profile View Calvin K's web site Send email to Calvin K

Dear Calvin, Much happiness for you and Michelle. I pray that everything goes well and that you will have a wonderful life together. Linda

Thanks Linda, I appreciate the well wishes. Aloha for now. Calvin

Hey Calvin--Congratulations to both you and Michelle. What a wonderful story. She used to post under the name 'southernbandgirl' or something like that--right? Good luck with the wedding and enjoy! Your story puts a big smile on my face.

Thanks Lynda. She did post under southernbandgirl, but she has been really busy with the wedding and hasn't had time to do so lately. We'll try and post some pics after the wedding. Calvin

Best wishes for a long and happy marriage. You will love Hawaii and file that in your bank of memories forever. Your love story is beautiful, may it always remain so. As for the # on the scale I think some of just have to accept that our weight will never match the insurance tables. My surgeon told me before surgery I could not have gotten up to 410 lbs without a metabolic problem. He said you might over eat, eat things that aren't healthy but there is a metabolic problem too. He assured me I'd be healthier, feel better and look better at the end of my wls journey. All the things he promised have come true, but it took me a while to accept I'd always be considered obese. I was eating less calories than most people on the boards (800-1200), keeping my carbs below 20 gms, exercising twice a day for 45 minutes, 7 times a week, following all the rules laid out by my surgeon, but the weight stopped dropping at 210 lbs. After plastic surgery it dropped to 188 and refused to move down another pound. My surgeon, PCP, and plastic surgeon have all told me I have nothing left but muscle and it's dangerous to lose muscle. I kept thinking are they all wrong when they tell me enough is enough? Today at 29 months out from surgery, 60 years old, I celebrate wearing my size 10 cotton pants, 14/16 tops and know I've done all I could do. I've regained my quality of life, take no prescription drugs, have perfect blood work. I see each day as a new adventure for the first time in my life. My observations are most of us who started out with very high #'s don't usually reach the insurance table ideal weight. Why? Who knows maybe it 's the yo-yo dieting, metabolism, genetics, etc. For whatever reason there seems to be a place our body stops losing. We then have to accept ourselves and celebrate our success.

Pat, I will never be skinny. I know that, and I've always known that. But I'm happier, healthier than I've ever been. Like you, even if I never make it to the insurance table weight I will always consider my surgery a success and I'm very proud of what I've accomplished. Thanks for the well wishes. Calvin

Hi Calvin ... CONGRATULATIONS!! You've come a long way ... and what a great "next chapter" of your journey! I think most of us can relate to "not getting to goal" ... it is rather frustrating, but sometimes we forget how far we've actually come (pot calling the kettle black here). Best wishes to you and Michelle. Karyn

Thanks Karyn, I try never to forget where I came from for it keeps me focused on getting to where I want to be. It may be slow, but I will still get to my goal someday. I will just have to keep working at it. We'll try to post some pictures of the wedding and hawaii. Calvin

Best to you and Michelle, Good things come in all size packages