been extremely busy with various projects

I have been extremely busy with various projects. It is nice that I am what you can say picking up where I left off prior to where morbid obesity stole my life and imprisoned me for close to 5 years. It has been almost 8 months since I had my surgery. There has been NO rollercoaster ride that has impacted me negatively. Just nicely paced and controllable. Once I did hit my 7th month, I did have a condition that I do not want to eat. Why? No idea, it just happened. I am not anorexic. I do make it that I consume food, whether I want to eat or not. I make my intake be food of high protein values. I make sure I do drink my milk with Unjury, as well as drink water and ice tea for my fluid intake daily. I haven't been up to par with my vitamins and supplements. I do take a few here and there, but for some reason and I am sure it happens to many, you get tired of the regime of popping 10-15 pills/fluids/chewables vitamins a day. I alternate using swallow form and chewables pills, as well as vitamins in fluids format. I am just in a funk phase right now. As long as I am aware of my situation and doing what is right to take matters and have it corrected, I am ok.

I do not do physical support groups, not my thing. I am been to 2 different ones. My support system are my friends that have been my mentors and I known for 3 years or more. If you are into going to support groups gathering, good for you. What counts is you have some type of support and someone there for you, even if it is 1 person that understands the phases you have. Alone and without not known 1 person and going through certains emotions that is all normal to experience would have been a difficult road and even psychological, if as I said you are all alone. I have WLS friends (RNY and DS), who I can share experiences with. My closest friends are there for me and prior to surgery, know the ups and downs they have gone through and myself. Even now, some are 3 and even 6 years post-ops and they come to me who is only 7 months post-op for advice and support. Honestly, it doesn't matter that I am 7 months and consider a beginner to all this. We all need some sort of anchor and someone to tell it like it is to help out with the struggles and inquiries we have, even if you are years post ops. I may not be over a year out, but I can understand their challenges because we all been through one, one way or another and prior to surgery although I did not know what it was like, I can understand and help them work out their dilemna. I have 4 WLS post op friends (Shawn, Janice, Erika and Rebecca), who I connect to and when I have an issue or they have an issue can count on each other for support and not limited to WLS. There are other post ops that I interact with, can talk,or relate to and even joke around with.

I had a duodenal switch, my 4 friends all had RNY. So what we have different procedures. It is all bariatric surgery. I am not one to glorify or get into discussions about one WLS vs. another WLS and is better than another. Give me a freaking break on that. The main concept is that they all are bariatric surgeries to help improve medical conditions and it is up to the individual to decide what it best for them.

I was considered high risk to have bariatric surgery and after surgery, spent 3 days in a step down ICU and it was not easy for me. I stayed 4 days in the hospital and my post op recovery was HELL due to 27 days of nonstop pain within. This is not normal, but it was expected due to my circumstances. I have taken the pain killers, but it wasn't enough to make the pain go away, it was always there. I dealt with the horrible experience and although as I said it was HELL during that time, I made it through and recover from it. I did not have complications or risks. It was just internal sensitivity to the surgery from rearrrangement and alterating of my organs. My 4 friends were there for me and even seen them. I am extremely selective who I want to meet in person and it takes time to size you up as to what your intentions are, is it platonic friendship or you wanting something beyond that.

Moving on, I think alone, I would have been depressed and even confused as to what in carnation did I do and why is this happening to me. I did called my surgeon's office a few times and he has been very attentive to me every single time. I have not been depressed since having surgery and I haven't had any doubts or complications with my surgery either. So, whether you go to a physical support group or have friends online and take it a step further as to talk on the phone and even meet them in person, that is what counts, having someone there that you can share your ups and downs with. My postops friends I have had a pleasure to see and become good friends with. Although, we all live in different states, they are the ones I count on and can call when I have an issue and vice versa. They can contact me whenever they want and like I said, it is not limited to just post-op topics.

On a side note, I have been contacted and offered 2 very prestigious jobs. One is teaching undergrads in an Ivy League University and the other as a consultant to a very well known organization. The salary for one of them is in the $100,000+ figures, the other one is in the upper $90,000+ range. I will interview both and may accept one of them, if it suits me and my criterias. This will be a key to placing myself back to where I was prior to this deadly disease of morbid obesity almost taking my life in more ways than one.

One thing that happens to many is they forget where they were before they had their surgery. I am not only talking about paying it forward, I am talking about their sincerity and compassion to others that are in the same boat they were and remembering what it is like. Some seems, once they have the surgery and appear more acceptable to those that see them whether in person or online have a certain arrogance, selfishness, narcisstic, become aloof towards others and become cliquish to those that are post-op, even have a certain sexual prowlness and provocative attitude about themselves since losing the weight. Those out there that reads this, don't forget what it was like being MO and how people shun, mock and even ignored you compare to now that people want to be connected to you and even friends since you have lost the weight and look appealing to their eyes, but didn't before. Be true to yourself and don't let this post-op thing get to your head that much, that you forget what and how you were prior to it all and you yourself judge beauty and who you want to interact with based on their physical aspect as well. We are all humans here and it is true people judge you by your outer shell (your body) and looks. Don't forget to understand and remember what it was to struggle with MO and even SMO and how people treat you now because you "look acceptable" compare to then that you did not spark their eyes, mind or interest. Think about it, when someone compliments you or even try to flirt with you. Would they, if you were S/MO?

7 months post-ops

Well, I am 7 months post-ops. I am glad to say, I have no cpmplications or negative side effects whatsoever. I do not experience diarrhea or constant flatuence issues as many state. I think, it has to do with what you eat and consume. I know almonds are a bad choice for me, since I am compared to a lethal gas chamber. So, no almonds for me. Still, cannot eat poultry. I will give it time, for I might one day be able to tolerate it and not regurgitate it. I cannot do any carbonated beverage. It give me pain from hell in my belly. Other than that, I am doing very well. I don't have any skin issues to worry about. My inner thigh skin isn't that bad and seems to be sorting itself out. As for my breast, well, At this stage, I have lost some volume. They are still full, but not as volumptous filled out like before. I still have mass and all. But, not as perky and out there. I am content and it isn't so bad. I can go braless and my mass and volume still looks good.

I have lost about 70 lbs and weigh 180 lbs. I am currently wearing a size 9-10 and some 11-12 clothes. It depends on the brand, how it is cut and the style. I still have my big latin booty on me. It has not shrunk, gone down in size or sag on me. Ok, it has gone down in size, but it is proportional to my body frame and not dragging or sagging on me. My tummy has gone down alot and is not saggy or have any loose skin. I am currently wearing sleeveless tank top and spandex type biker shorts and those are nicely fitted on me, since my skin tone looks good.

Other than that, I am going through a phase that I know it is normal, but still. I am going through bouts of not being hungry at all and don't want to eat. Right now, I am forcing myself to eat my food. It isn't bad, but I make sure I do eat and have my fluids intake. Since, I am battling with eating, I consume food that has high protein intake, in which I eat on a daily basis either salmon, shrimp, fish, lobster, crab or steak. At least make 2 of those my daily intake for lunch and dinner. I do keep myself focus and in control to what needs to be done to avoid any deficiencies and other related health problems. That's all for now.