Hi Barbara,
I met you at the Opelousas, Louisiana seminar you spoke at a few months ago Right now I am 11 months post-op. My surgery date was May 9, 2003.  At the time of surgery I weighed 348 pounds, I'm 5'2" and my health was horrible. I had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, asthma, allergies, and bad knees requiring knee surgery on both because of lack of cartilage. Thank goodness I was not diabetic.  The RNY surgery was my last chance at having a life again. 

At the time of my surgery I was 50 years old. I was told by my doctor to either have the surgery or face death before I was most likely 60 years old! That was the final straw!  My surgery was May 9, 2003 and it has been a journey that changed my life completely.   I have lost 181 pounds thus far. I now weigh 167 pounds. 

In June I had plastic surgery on my arms and legs to remove excess flapping and hanging skin.  The surgeon removed 4 pounds of skin. There was very little fat, the result of all the exercising I have done. I am still recuperating from the surgery.  When my stitches are removed, I will be able to start exercising again. I am glued and stitched like a teddy bear.  It's amazing to see my arms and legs!  There are no more flapping "wings" on my arms, and my husband says that my legs no longer look like a Shar-Pei puppy!

For those interested, my insurance company considered my plastic surgery cosmetic so they paid nothing.  I'm in the process of appealing, but the $12,000 cost had to be paid up front prior to surgery. That included everything and to me, it was worth it!  I am facing still 1 or 2 more surgeries.  The next will be my stomach and breasts!  The surgeon thinks he will remove 8 to 10 pounds of skin just from my stomach area.  I will work at dropping another 20 pounds before that surgery.  The final surgery will be on my "turkey neck". That’s a small surgery, so either it will be performed at the same time as my stomach/breasts or it will be another surgery later.

Gastric bypass surgery saved my life and gave me back a quality of life that I have not known for at least 35 years!  It's not for everyone. You must be willing to do your part; including looking at food differently and you must be prepared to exercise for life.

Barbara,  thank you for all your support and continuing newsletters and recipes.  I look forward to one day meeting you again!

Bonnie Boudreaux