and things are going very well. She went off her diabetes medicine the weekend of the surgery, and her blood sugar is well regulating. She'd been a diabetic for two years and was on metformin for the last year. Her blood pressure is also coming down, though she still has to take meds for that, but the doc expects her to be off those by the end of the summer.

The surgery was done laproscopically, so she was only in the hospital for 3 days afterwards. She is only able to consume 30 ml of liquid 6 times a day, plus water in between. Each serving must be consumed over a 15 minute interval. Eventually she will be able to eat twice as much at one time, and consume it quicker.

The reason I post this here is because I wanted to convey how hopeful I am that this will help my wife to get back into a condition that will let her participate with me in life again, including going out into the wilderness and exploring without the risk of her health being a limiting factor. We are 40 years old, and I don't want to be stuck puttering around the house. If any of you have any other questions, please let me know and I will try and address concerns/interests.

Best Wishes regarding You and your Wife. I'm Glad you've Had some Good News there to Relay. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]benjammin[/email]

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure 2 weeks ago. (Actually, it was 8 months ago - it just took until two weeks ago for me to face reality and accept that it wasn't going to go away just because I wanted it to <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> ) The following weekend, I cancelled all the "important" stuff I "needed" to do at home, took a day off work (in lieu of overtime) and went backpacking in the Rockies for three days - something I have been promising myself for several years, but kept finding excuses not to do.

A friend of mine, who also suffered from hypertension (much worse than mine) suggested strongly that it was caused by (a) too much junk food and pre-packaged food; (b) too much stress in my life; and (c) not enough exercise. Backpacking 5 miles into the woods, spending an entire day relaxing by a mountain lake, and then hiking back out again at a nice, leisurely pace, is the most enjoyable way I can think of to address (b) and (c). <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

A lady I work with had the same surgery a few months ago. The change has been amazing. She is a much happier and healthier person. I think that the psychological improvement is as great if not greater that the physical.

Good Luck!

Here's to a new life for you both. My wife took it upon herself to lose 40 pounds about 2 years ago through diet and exercize, and prodded me to finally get my act together. I lost 38 pounds, and have kept about 30 of it off. It's been a lifestyle change, as we were both carbohydrate freaks. It wasn't easy to break old habits. We're in our early forties, too, and I wanted to set a better example for my kids. There is no greater feeling than seeing your belt size shrink. Good luck.

Good luck!

I hope everything will be fine... (no complications after surgery). I'm sure you will both be able to appreciate life better soon.

Cheers,

David

To JOE GREEN. (As Well as Anyone Else). On your "NO Greater Feeling than to See your Belt Size Go Down!", -I Heartily Agree! During my Own "Success Times" in Weight Loss and Maintenance, (Which Are More the Majority, -Though the Process be Gradual), -It Gets to the Point where you Actually've Got to Awl Additional Holes in the Belt! Thats an Added Good Feeling to What you've Said!

I was as Skinny as a Rail (Well, Sorta Such), as a Kid, Thru my Teens, and up to Age 26. And Able to Yet Eat All I Wanted, -Never Putting on any Flab! I Thot it would Never End! I'd Hear People Talk on How Metabolisms can Change toward Weight Gain, -as One Gets Further Up in Age. But I Just Couldn't Picture or Conceive This EVER Happening to me! "How Could it Possibly?!", -I'd Ask! "It's Never Gonna Happen to me!". Well,

Age 26 had Something to Say about that! And I Fell Well Short of Nipping it in the Bud! Didn't Puff Up like a Balloon, -But Still Put a Good Lot on! It Did Indeed At Last Happen to me!!!

So Years Later, -Which are the Last Several, -I Made a Real and Continueing Effort, to Gradually and Eventually Get it Down!

A Lot IS Down and Off! Half or More of my now Longstanding Overage. I of Course Want to See This Thru to Finishment!

Something of a Fatso Just Isn't me! To Say just One Thing About it! I, -the Real me now, -Am What I used to Be! Physically Speaking here. I Want to Finish Bringing myself Back in Accord with That!

To See Former Shirts and Pants which Formerly Wouldn't Fit, -Now Fitting! And Comfortably! To See Belt Sizes Go Down, -and To Actually Have to Awl In New Holes!.......

Intelligent Nutrition and Cooling It Significantly on the Food!, -Coupled with Significant Enuff Exercise and Activity! These are of Course So Very Much of the Bottom Line Keys here! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]