it was yesterday!!! and i didn't realize it until this morning when i was SNOWSHOEING!!!! with the dog who really didn't want to be outdoors doing all this!! but she was a trooper, even with all those little tiny snowballs crusting her lower half, and her muzzle.

what a difference. from walking with a cane and stopping every few feet to SNOWSHOEING in 12 degree weather. hmmmm. have i simply changed one form of irrationality for another??? <don't answer that, peachie!!!!>

and debk was in a coma during this time. it's a bittersweet week.

Wow - two short years and a whole world of difference! I'm so proud of you Jif - sniffle, sniffle.
I really want to hear about your plastic surgery appointment this week too.

And, Ms. Deb - I'm so glad that whole coma thing is a distant memory. You two women are simply inspirational!

Your not-so-secret admirer,
Chickadee

Congradulations Jiff, you should be proud.

Congratulations you brave chicksters! Jiffy, I would be SO interested in hearing about your plastic surgery!

We were away for Thanksgiving, in Lancaster, FOOD capital of the world as far as I'm concerned and the place where we have standing reservations every year. I was practically comatose when a show I had never seen before came on. It was called "Extreme Makeover" or something like that. I was barely keeping my eyes open and even fell asleep a few times but I HAD to see how this one story ended. A man had lost a lot of weight, I think about 150# and he was having plastic surgery to remove skin from his ENTIRE body! The blasted program ended without a conclusion, on that day. They were going to continue it on another day and I never managed to remember to watch the show again.
So Jiffy, since I so wish that I could have the plastic surgery but can't, I'll have to live vicariously and be with you in spirit.

Thanks Jiffy - you have learned a lot in these 2 years. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us.

P.S. I mentioned that my sister now has a date of June 2 for her surgery.
Now that I know that the wait is sooo long, I was thinking I should go ahead and start the process and I would still have time to lose some weight after I get a date. Besides I am having a lot of trouble losing and I thought have an actual date looming in front of me might be enough to get me kick started. I'll let you know how it all progresses.

p.p.s. Has anyone heard anymore about those new stomach "pacers" that are supposed to send signals to your stomach. Does anyone know how to find out which hospitals are testing those new devices? I think there are only a handfull of hospitals testing them, but I thought maybe NYC would have at least one.

http://abc.go.com/primetime/extremem...09/Jeff/1.html
Still, follow the link and see th mans picture....
Tahnks for the spelling lesson too

Oh L., thank you!!! WOw, isn't that remarkable? About the only thing that I don't need lifted is my hands! I really appreciate the link; made it all so easy. Nice to get caught up with the fate of this man.

So you like MY version of your word? I was being very, very naughty, wasn't I? AND I was skating on thin ice with Jiffy. I like to play with language and hmmmmm went for the suggestive but don't tell Jiffy, ok? I like it here! Hey, if you're not careful she will ban YOU for giving me openings like these

Yes, just kidding! Reeeeelax...
have a good weekend,
-L

Darn L., I had a better version than that!

Congrats, congrats - sweet Jiff! You are STILL my hero!



Kel

WAY TO GO JIFF!!!

Ole Alvin's 2nd anniversary will not be until April, but it seem like only yesterday we were posting away about WLS under the heading of "Weight Loss SCAMS" Remember that? We've come a long way in these two years. At this point 2 yearts ago we were going through the "waiting game" leg of the journey. As everyone else has said what a difference 2 years have made. Alvin's electric scooter that he had to use everywhere he went is now a "bed" for the cats at work and he is actually playing golf again.

Again I say congratulations, and I'll check in on you in another 2 years.

Jiffy, give it up girl, tell us all about the plastic surgery appointment. Jiffy, you are a role model and an inspiration to those of us just starting, and for me that you had to lose as much as I have to lose is important. I realize that it will take probably take 50 to 100 lbs before anyone can even notice that I have lost, but I will be getting healthier and happier thanks to your guidance.

oh ladies.. you're making me cry!!! so let me switch gears and babble on about the plastic surgery.

bottom line: we all know that all this excess skin will not snap back. not possible. not happening. so last fall, i saw a PS who works with at the same hospital where i had the wls. and i liked him. but i wanted to get a second opinion. hackensack university medical center, one of the best magnet hospitals in nj. the doc: colen; the chairman of the dept. mid-50s, tall, hasn't had a face lift [unless, of course he's actually 90!!!], autocratic. arrogant. but he was nice to me [and his nurse said that he liked me... she could tell!] the office staff was LOVELY. very helpful

now, we have to remember that hackensack is the county seat of bergen county, one of the wealthiest counties in the country. so he's got women coming in there who can pay for huge amounts of work out of their petty cash. his attitude is - although put politely - that he's getting his money from somewhere, and whatever the insurance company doesn't cover comes from the patient. his fees aren't cheap, but not outrageous, at least for this area.

he'll get rid of the shar-pei leg problem, and the lower body lift [butt and belly] and the breast lift as well. pros: he knows his stuff... he's done more than 100 of these. cons: won't help get insurance approval.

he offered to give me a referral to a surgeon who is in my network, but said that these guys are younger - not worse surgeons, just younger and less experienced. that can work both ways: sometimes the inexperienced ones are actually more careful than the experienced ones.

but i'd rather go to the first guy. he'll orchestrate what has to happen to get insurance approval and all the docs in that area send their wives and children to him. can't get a better recommendation than that!!!!

so i'd better get started. both docs, by the way, when i tell them that i want to lose another 20 pounds say WHY? look at what you've done! don't worry about it.

soooooo. if i want to schedule this in the spring, i'd better get moving!!!!

This all sounds so exciting. It going to be a whole new Jiffy.
Did they say anything about recovery time for this operation?