Aloha Everybody!

I got back from our family trip to Hawaii. My daughter was in a gymnamstics meet - so we decided to all go and cheer her on. I'd never been before. Everything I had ever heard about it was true! It really is paradise! We were having such a great time we didn't even miss the dogs (for my kids that is saying alot!!). From the minute we got there until the last hours before going to the airport we were in the water. I included a picture of the beautiful bay where we went snorkeling because it not only shows the beauty of the day, but also because it was taken up where we parked. There is a paved path that you walk down to the beach. After walking down it, swimming way out over the reefs with fins for two 30 minute sessions, lots of playing in the water and the walk back up to the car....I turned to my husband and said "there is no way I could have done this before surgery". I continue to have the WOW moments almost two years out. This trip had so many. We body surfed, rode a catamaran boat while laying on nets over the water getting splashed (me lined up with bunch of babes all in our bathing suits!), walking in the markets. If I would have even agreed to go on a trip like this at 330 pounds, it would have been so difficult starting with fitting in the plane seat. I went with the mind set that the only rule about eating/drinking was to not push myself into not feeling good. I really didn't give a hoot about carbs, calories, protein. It was five days in paradise - forgettabadit! With the exception of the tropical umbrella drinks with names like monkey goon, typhoon itch, blue lagoon, etc. of which I had one each night, as always when I step back and think about it I didn't really eat more than normal. With all of the excercise I really expected to even lose something, but I didn't. I think of all of you - at your various stages of WLS. The early months will someday seem so short compared to this rest of your life stuff! Patty http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/djsizors/hawaii/DSC05729.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/djsizors/hawaii/DSC05727.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/djsizors/hawaii/DSC05726.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/djsizors/hawaii/DSC05596.jpg

Aloha Patty! Wasn't it hard to leave paradise! I went to Hawaii in October 2005 and like you, practically lived in the water. We stayed at a place that was located on "Turtle Cove" and there was a family of sea turtles that lived in the cove. We could see these five huge turtles every morning from our lanai (balcony) swimming along the shore line. My quest was to find them while snorkling. I did finally find one of the babies. He was eating a fish when I happened upon him. We were probably 10 feet apart staring at each other. This was definitely something I could not have done before my surgery! Glad you had a wonderful trip and welcome home! I tried to look at your pics but couldn't get them to come up. Thanks for sharing......Wanda

Thanks for the pics! We are going in March and I can't wait. That must be Hanauma Bay. Next time you go, travel to the west side of the island to the Marriott Ko Olina resort. They have several little coves that are open to the public and the snorkeling is good( man-made coves but it's been there long enough that the fish have established a "home" and there are shark nets and safe swimming) and not crowded at all. I'm actually going to my third day in a row step aerobics class tonight(major accomplishment for me). I will get into those size 14 bathing suits, I will, I will, I will! And size 12 clothes too. Can't go smaller than a 14 in the bathing suits---too much left up on top .