almost 4 years! oh my!

Hey Girlfriend.... Hugs Charlie

Hi, JoAnn! It's so great to see you!!! I've been wondering about you! Best to you and yours, Vanessa

Hi sweet JoAnn, glad to see you posting. Hope this next year gives you some quiet time, I know you've had a really busy year. Congratulations to you on feeling normal and living life. I hope eventually I'll get there, I still feel consumed 24/7 with WLS but know that being 17 months out it is still new. You have always been an inspiration to me. When I first joined OH in Dec. 04, many of you still posted on the main board and I gained so much information from all of you, thanks! As for the newbies and surgeons, I agree either surgeons aren't telling their patients what to expect and do or they just aren't listening. I to a certain degree wasn't given the information I needed but I researched, researched, and researched again....thank God for all of you that lead the way and offered the insight I needed. Happy 4th of July! Hugs, Dana

JoAnn--Thanks so much for posting this today. Some of my favorite people have come out to say hi to you. I do miss the 'old days'--cracks me up to hear myself say that (I hate it when people go on and on about the old days). Ya know I lurked on OH forever before even joining--never mind posting. Then it took me forever to finally get a picture up. I spent this week sorting through pictures--my goodness I cannot believe what I looked like. I do remember,however how I felt--like crap. Looking forward to getting together soon. I hope things are improving for you personally. Speaking of typing skills--my keyboard is having incredible problems. I am very tempted by all the ads for laptops this week-end. There look to be some great deals. Why do kids have to download stuff on our computers all the time?

You will always be our favorite Contessa, Bella ... We just have to live our lives a day at a time and take whatever comes our way and do the best with it. In the meantime, like Sharon says: "Keep Reaching for the Stars" ... You are loved and treasured on these boards and for those who don't ... Well, yknow the saying: "Screw 'em if they can't take a joke!" & {{{HUGS}}} & Your Ever-Lovin' Mermaid

JoAnn, I just have to join in with everyone else to say "hey" and just let you know how much, AS USUAL, I loved your post. When I see one from you, I never can resist opening it and reading your "shootin' straight from the hip" comments. I don't post too often but do get on and read nearly every day. I can't believe I'm getting close to 2 years post-op--and it almost makes me nervous to say it, but I do sometimes dare to feel "normal"! No, I'll never forget the devastation of being morbidly obese, and won't ever take for granted the differences in my life--but I'm beginning to not feel totally defined by having had wls. My weight fluctuates by about 5 lbs. I'm not skinny, but for my age (56), I'm proud of myself and happy as a clam. Would love to do plastics--esp. now in the summer with my gross batwings. Capris cover up my saggy thighs, and for some bizarre reason, my panni isn't as bad as some. But I'm still just at the "wishin' & hopin' " stage. I'm STUNNED at some of the threads on the main board. I'm not saying I'm some know-it-all who never made mistakes, but good grief, the kind of flagrant "cheating" (& then not wanting or accepting criticism, even when given in a decent, honest tone) by the short-term post-ops just blows me away. Maybe it's just cause I'm older and went thru so many years of misery w/ my weight--but I knew exactly what I was getting into w/ wls (as much as it's possible), and I accepted that I was going to have to make drastic changes--and to the very best of my ability, I did. I love the grads board. I'm glad to see Charlie's back! I always check this board first, then if I have time, spend some time on the main board. I'm among the "old azzes" that is taking a long time to like the new format, and I dread when this one changes over too. Take care--love to "read" you! Jo 295/150ish (at goal)

Hello JoAnn LOVED the message(s) within this post - lol, and count my lazy butt in w/a big huge DITTO, verses typing it all over again. You've had an amazing journey that brought you health, energy and the ability to live and enjoy life again, hell - we've all been blessed with it, and you're right - I think sometimes people lose focus on all the positive and good and dwell too much on the negative or what they perceive is MISSING in their new lives. ...although Ive been known to miss the ever tantalizing tastes of a "Cool Ranch Dorito" ...I don't remember *****ing about it as a "headliner" 2 weeks post up, trying to find people to say it's okay to have one! Sheeeeeeeeeez, that's what us Americans needs more "coddling" ...NOT!!!!! I was yappin' to Natalie (Irish Pixie, um, or is she going by Tinkerbell, now?) I dunno - but I was yappin' with her in an email last week and part of the conversation covered WLS of today - vs - WLS of just 3 short years ago. The EDUCATION, or completely LACK of, nowadays is damn right scary. I'm freakn amazed at some of these "mills" that are popping up everywhere - herding people in like cattle, chop chop, next!!!! ...no education, no post op care and bottomline - both the medical team AND the patient are to blame. Who the hell in their right mind would EVER undertake major high risk surgery that entails not only the challenge of getting off the table ALIVE, but then the LIFETIME (forever) changes that come with it, to survive, with little to no research first? Amazing. When people don't take this second chance at life SERIOUSLY, it really aggra's me - talk about being extremely SELFI****'s all about numbers and statistics with the insurance companies. Those that come out of surgery resuming all the bad food habits, oh and then add dangerous levels of alky'hawl to the mix, 2 and 3 months post op? They're setting themselves up for FAILURE, or worse. Which in turn will be making it harder for others to get approved. Eventually statistics will catch up with the gastric bypass world and quite frankly - there are gonna be a LOT that fail this surgery, by self induced sabatoge which in turn skews the statistics of how the surgery COULD [should] work. LOL - sorry, sweet lady, didn't mean to get off on a tangent. Someone brought your post to my attn and I wanted to be one of many to congratulate you on 4 years of health and success!! [and nope, Im not gonna proof this to make sure it makes sense, most of my rambling doesnt!] Hugs - Lei ...who's NOW heading to da' beach, clear skies, great breeze, nothing but sun sun and more sun, and one of my bestest girlfriends, Wendy G. Wanna join us? .

Oooops, forgot to mention this part of your post ....."Kim with her fridge pictures which was a work in progress" ..... Several of us are going to Kim's house tomorrow for a BBQ/Pool Party, Ill be sure to tell her that you were looking for and missing her. She's doing great, staying busy, life keeps getting in the way - which in this case is a very very good thing!

I read thru all the responses and of course I do not remember many of you but I still have to reply. Before I even went in for consultation I had been researching the surgery for many years. I remember watching a show on TV mannnnny years ago where they performed the surgery and actually lifted up the rib cage and that just totally freaked me out.....but I kept researching and actually picked my surgeon by reading post from this sight. I believe a few years back people were still a little scared of the procedure and did the research to reassure themselves. I have a hard time reading the post on the main board but also find unless I stay connected somehow thru this board I tend to drift. I discovered this board and visit daily, faithfully. I may not post alot, but I make myself visit to remind myself what I went thru to get to this point and how I still need to use my tool. I have had alot of people ask me for the phone number of my surgeon, ask me if I would do it again, ask how I feel, but have they asked how hard it actually was to go thru??? I think it has become so common now that people just think it was the "easy" way out. Oh my, I don't think any of us ever thought that. The emotional rollercoaster, the emotional eating habbits, the pain of loosing friendships because "YOU CHANGED".....so many things that I had researched but had no clue as to what was going to happen until it happened. One of my biggest fears was I would change.....and not change to a sexy hot momma, but my attitude would change......and guess what? It did. People have to be prepared for everything that is going to happen to them because it is going to happen soooooooo quick. You have to be ready to go thru a major surgery andddd get on the biggest, baddest rollercoaster you can ever imagine. Has it been worth it....YESSSSSSSSS..........BUT these are topics I don't think the new people are prepared for because of the popularity of the surgery. And don't take this wrong, I am sure there are many people who are researching like I did and you may have....but I must admit, when people come up to me and the first thing they want to know is my surgeons phone number I get a bit concerned......I would rather tell them that I am not on any blood pressure, diabitiese or asthma medication......but most of them don't have time for that...... Please do not take this post in the wrong way, I am just venting my feelings. I may be looking at it all wrong. But I do think people need to be very very educated before they take the first step, which I still feel was the best decision I ever made in my life. Thanks for all your support thru the last couple years.....

Pull my finger!!!!!! Happy 4 years out. kp