Happy Anniversary to Meeeee!

[Guest guest]

I am finally legal and able to post on this list, having just reached

my one year anniversary!  I have been a lurker though for a long, long time

because I joined this list when I was just learning about WLS.  My rationale

was that the recent post ops on my other lists were in the honeymoon phase

where everything was wonderful about this surgery, and I wanted to know all

the pros and cons about WLS.  I figured that the place to obtain a realistic

view about WLS was on a board like this, and I am so glad I found all of

you.  What a wonderful service this email list provides for pre-ops and

post-ops, alike.  My heartfelt thanks go out to each and every one of you.

I wanted to introduce myself.  I am 39 years old (and holding;

with a death grip) unmarried self employed professional in the medical

field.  I have been fat all of my life and can remember vividly how scared I

was the first few times I logged on to ObesityHelp.com.  I would look over my

shoulder to make sure no one could see what I was looking at.  : )  I can

remember how unnatural the whole operation seemed, and how scary it was to

even consider it!  In retrospect, my life before this surgery was scary.  The

surgery has been a blessing and I have no regrets.  Not one.

      I had Lap rny at Mt. Sinai in New York City after my surgery date with

another more local doctor fell through.  After much confusion and many

unacceptable responses from my first Dr, I high-tailed it to the phone and

set up my appointment with Dr Pomp at Mt. Sinai, and am so very glad I did. 

They say everything happens for a reason, and I have come to understand that

I was led to the place I was supposed to be, although my first surgeon has a

wonderful reputation and would have done a fine job.  Who knows what my

guardian angels were up to?

          To date, I have lost about 118 pounds.  I started out at 358 and

now weigh about 240.  I feel really wonderful and can't believe it

sometimes.  The weight loss has slowed down ALOT, and Vitalady has

recently reminded me to do my protein first, then water, then other stuff.

And of course, it would be a good thing if I got my butt moving... Ahem.

     Anyway, I wanted to jump in and change my status from non-lurker to

occasional poster to this wonderful grad list.  I have learned more from this

list than from any other list I belong to, though all the lists have so much

to offer.  Everyone has been so helpful, and continues to be.  I tell anyone

considering surgery to look into joining this list.  It has been invaluable

to me.

Oh yeah, one more thing...I have a recipe that I have to share with you.

I haven't been online in a while, so if someone has already shared this,

just hit " page down " . LOL

Sugar Free/ Fat Free Pumpkin Ice Cream

Any brand of sugar free, fat free ice cream from the supermarket.

A can of mashed pumpkin

nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, splenda or nutrasweet

Just mix it all together, and add the seasonings to taste. Freeze or eat as

is.

My niece works in our local Ice Cream shop, where Pumpkin Ice Cream is

legendary. I gave her some of mine and she couldn't tell the difference.

Hmmmm

Arleen

-118

lap rny