My Weight Loss Goal Is Written In Ink!

Today it’s official. I’ve reached my goal weight! In fact I’m one pound under goal. Dr. Wongsa didn’t think I’d make it. He wasn’t pleased with the quickness of my weight loss. I knew I could do it and part of me now wishes I could look him in the eye and say “so there!”.

More likely I’d look him in the eye and grasp his hand and say ‘thank you, thank you, for giving me back my life!”. Thank you God for helping me every step along the way. Thank you to my family for their love and support. Thank you to my good friends for their love and support and their encouragement and positive comments. Thank you me for being stubborn and determined and for finally taking control. I wish I could see John seeing me now. He always saw me as better than I was and I know he’d be so proud of me now and I’d be better able to accept it.



It hasn’t been easy and anyone that thinks that gastric bypass surgery is the easy way out is an ignorant fool. The whole ordeal from the time I observed my daughter’s fantastic weight loss progress, through the rigors of getting approval, to being wheeled into the operating room wondering if this was a good idea, to today when it’s official has been life altering. I’m not the same person now that I was in June of 2005 when I first saw Dr. Wongsa and begged for his help.

My whole life I heard about the thin person inside of fat people and now when I look in the mirror I see MY thin person and it’s surreal. When I’m walking by shop windows and I catch a glimpse of “her” I have to double take to grasp what I’m seeing. “She” looks a lot older than I remember her being. She has tons of loose skin, but I don’t see that as much as the marvel of where did it all go? It’s as if it melted off of me and now my body is like a candle and the loose skin is the wax that runs down when the candle is consumed. Wow, how’s that for imagery.

I guess I should get into the figures now. It’s taken me 1 year, 4 months and 27 days to lose 107 pounds. I know I was at least 7-10 pounds more than that at one time. In April of 1992 I was 27 pounds less than when I started this time and managed to gain it all back and then some which is why I decided going under the knife was the last resort I had. When I started my BMI was 41.7 (OBESE) and today it’s 24.0 and considered NORMAL. My diabetes is in remission and my A1C test is NORMAL. My sleep apnea is greatly improved. I'm not using the CPAP even though it probably wouldn't hurt to keep using it because I know I have episodes during the night, but not nearly as bad as they once were.

I’ve lost 4 inches in my bust (sob!), 7.5 in my waist, 8.5 in my hips, 5 in my thighs, 2 in my calves and 3 ¼ in my arms!

I’ve got photos, but I’m not comfortable displaying them. Most of them are for my eyes only or maybe mine and my daughters if they want to see them.

I feel good. I went to the Gulf Coast Blood Center today and gave ‘em a pint so I’m kinda tired tonight, but all in all it’s been a wonderful day and a good year. I’m pleased with my success and I’m dedicated to making sure I stay on this side of the diet teeter-totter.