Eligible to post -- at last!

September 17, 2003

Hi! I'm Sharon in D.C., and I'm a year out today. It's a magnificent day in

Washington, as we await a hurricane. Two of my belly buddies and I (we had WLS

on the same day, same surgeon) plan a celebration at a crab place near the

Chesapeake Bay tomorrow, tempting fate. But we agreed that a mere hurricane

could not keep us from celebrating our wonderful year! I've been reading the

list for almost a year, and feel you are my sisters and brothers.

I'm 59 and have been MO all my life. Surgery was an open rny by ph Afram in

D.C. I started at 358 and now am around 216, a loss of 142 pounds. My waist has

gone from 62 inches to 40, hips from 69 to 47, bosom from 59 to 44. Whew! I went

through the early upchucking adjustments, the increase in mobility, and the

joyous fitting into smaller clothes. I got a new hairdo. I still haven't been

able to get a job as an editor, despite many interviews, top-notch experience

and a lot of enthusiasm. I think it's because now I have wattles under my chin

to match my gray hair, no matter how fashionably cut my hairdo!

Here are my challenges: I don't exercise enough, even though I enjoy the sense

of using my body well, and the sense of virtue that comes with sweat. But I

can't get myself to do it. Second challenge: Eating when I'm not hungry. I

manage well during the day, lots of water and protein and take my vites and

calcium and iron, and my bloodwork is good. But after a nice supper, I just want

to eat. It's the damndest thing. Third challenge: I feel my loss is almost at an

end, and I need to get onto an eating plan (I don't use the word 'diet.') to

last the rest of my life. I like South Beach, and have joined the new OSSG-South

Beach list, and I encourage others to do so... I think we need PLANS to follow,

not just haphazard eat-what-we-want-because-now-we're-skinny. Fourth challenge:

Get a job! Or... start a business, which my husband encourages. I'm scared of

that - that's why this is a challenge!

So, I'm just like all of you, struggling here and there, appreciating my new

life, looking forward to what's next. I'm glad to have you all for friends!

Sharon in D.C.

Open rny 9-17-02

358-216-170

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