Well, I guess I had so much to say, the first blog space just wasn't big enough.  I hope you enjoy going through my journey with me, and I've posted the rest of my original notes here to share with anyone who cares to read them.  Thanks always for listening!
  
10/4/2004 - Well, finally I stopped being lazy and got some new pics added to my page. For any of you out there still reading up on me, I apologize for not being more dedicated. It has been one heck of a year and the summer has been just fabulous!! I think back over the past few months, and I can't tell you how many times I stayed home! Of course, it didn't really hit me that we were doing so much away from home until I looked around one day and thought I lived in a junkyard! I had to crack down and do some actual housework! Anyway, the slide show (courtesy of the marvelous Michelle Randall-OH webpage help volunteer) is just a couple of pictures from my trip to Jamaica in July this year. The first time I've had on a bathing suit in a bazillion years! We went as a trip for our anniversary (even though it was a couple of weeks after the actual date) and we renewed our vows on the beach. This is actually the wedding/honeymoon my husband wanted the first time around, but I didn't want to get married and not have all my family and friends be there so we did the regular old pull your hair out thing right here at home. Now my journey is on to having my hernia repaired and reconstructive surgery for my abdomen and breasts. I have recently been approved for all of these procedures - hernia repair, bilateral mastopexy (breast lift) and a panniculectomy w/abdominoplasty!!! Woo Hoo! No more slouching forward, sweating, smelly crevices,or paste in my bras! No more holding up that skin flap to use the potty and various other things you don't need that skin in the way during; and most importantly, no more hernia bulging out in front of me so that even though I've lost a little over 100lbs, someone has still asked me if I was pregnant!!! This time, I actually wasn't offended, because it does look kinda like the beginning stages of something there, and I could actually smile and say, "No way! That's just a hernia!" My doctor and I both had to submit letters (upon the first request BC/BS denied all of the reconstructive surgeries; my doc & I wrote appeal letters and it was approved within 2 weeks!). Don't have much else to report right now except that I am waiting for a date for the surgeries, so I'll keep you posted on that progress. I'm a little more nervous about these things than my actual WLS, so I'm sure I'll have a lot more venting to do coming up and once again, this will be my sounding board/diary. Stay tuned! Peace!
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