Question:
Just a comment really

The other day, I met with a friend from on this site who wanted to meet with me because she is having surgery next week. She proceeded to tell me that her husband keeps telling her that all of the before and after pictures are probably phoney. She finally got to see a person in the flesh and can now tell him that this is all real. The pictures being phoney part could have insulted some of us but I took it as a compliment. He says that the before and after pics look nothing alike.....GOOD FOR US! When someone says that, I think that we have come full circle. She was shocked to see my before picture and she also said that it didn't even look like me. I just didn't care how I looked at that time. I wanted to tell you ALL how proud I am of each and every one of you and what an inspiration you all are not only to me but to all of the newcomers. Hopefully I will have my pictures on here very soon. Barbara-BPD 6/99-280 lbs. 5/00-117 lbs. 163 pounds gone forever    — BARBARA R. (posted on May 25, 2000)

May 25, 2000
WOW Barbara!! What a thoughtful, inspiritional post. It has made my day. Congratulations on such successful weight loss. Thanks for helping someone else be more comfortable with this surgery. If we all help one person, think of all the people who will be able to live a happier, healthier life. Have a great day!!
   — Dot W.

May 25, 2000
Hi Barbara...funny you post this, because I just went through the same exact thing with my sister-in-law. I was showing her the site and my before and after pics, when I thought I would show her Michelle Curran & her husband, and what they look like post op. Well, low and behold, she says to me, "that's not her, that's the guy but that's not the same woman." At first I was shocked that someone would actually think another person would doctor up their pictures to all of us on this site, basically saying that some of us on here are lying about what we look like. But then I thought about it and said to her, "this site is a 'brutally' honest site and for someone to lie by posting a fake picture would be horrible." I tried to explain to her that in the situation we are all faced with as a morbidly obese person, showing off our new selves is a way for us to rejoice at our successes in weight loss. For others to see where we started and where we have come to is a big milestone, especially when so many of us have faced failures with weight loss in the past. Although, I don't think she fully understood where I was coming from and probably still believes Michelle Curran's picture is a "fake", I too am so very proud of us making it as far as we have. And to those in between or just starting out, we can show them that there is hope. When I was pre-op, I used to spend HOURS looking at before and after pictures praying for the day I could post mine on here. And here I am 110 pounds lighter and happier than I have been in years. Good Luck to all...
   — Marni

May 25, 2000
Thanks for your post. I think it's wonderful to see before and after pics. There are several people I use as my "heroes" because it gives me hope that physically, I can become a different person one day. I am only 2 weeks post-op and took my "before" pictures with pride becuase I know soon I will have pictures that show real improvement.:)
   — Paula G.

May 25, 2000
Dear Barbara & honey, our pix are real. Gimme a snail and I'll send you all the in betweens, if you want. There are a few more on my web site, www.vitalady.com. Only the turquoise dress is a professional photo, the rest are just snapshots. If I was brave, I'd have us both pose with our scars showing, but don't hold your breath! There's no questions that my befores look like the mother of my after. Heck, having working lungs and feet WILL make a difference! I know that I couldn't walk a few feet without having to rest, and now I can. Don was just as bad, even though he wasn't as proportionally heavy. Our idea of a hug was touching fingertips when that's all we could reach! We can do lots better than that now. Thanks for your vote of confidence and congrats, Marni. Anyone who has the same surgery we did and follows our post-op regimen would have good results. Some will elect other surgeries or not have as good a post-op program and they will not fare as well. But that is not to say that the PERSON failed! Any permanent weight lost is to be applauded and considered successful!! Many do use "glamour shots", but I can't imagine ANYONE cropping their hips or anything for this! The whole idea is to celebrate the surgery and how our lives were saved and to admire our docs or whatever so that we encourage others. Now, go back and look at all those pix again.
   — vitalady

May 25, 2000
Well, no one will make that mistake with my pictures since I am standing in almost exactly the ssme position in both the Before and the After! I must stand that way alot -- I just didn't realize it. BTW, I went before my surgery and had a Before picture professionally done. I had been hiding from cameras for so long I didn't have anything! Then after losing 107 pounds I went back to the same place for my "Afters." They then put both of them on a disc for me so I could post them for you! I encourage all pre-ops to go get a picture made. It wasn't all that expensive (I went to your friendly neighborhood Motophoto - they have a small studio in the back) and it is a nice thing to have for comparing... even though I can hardly stand to look at the "Before" now that I'm "After"!
   — [Deactivated Member]