SO, WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?:

DECEMBER 2001 PRE-OP: (back to top)
Proportionately I have an hour glass figure... it's just... an hour and a half!!! Ha, ha!

MY DECISION:
I have battled weight since I was a child... had ups and downs as a teenager... and since I've been out of high school (celebrating 10 year reunion in 2002) I have climbed to the "morbid obese" position and have been in a holding pattern for 10 years.   I once said by the time I turned 21 I would be thin. I've repeated that every year since then. My 28th birthday is Tuesday, January 22nd 2002. What I am saying now is that I WILL be thin by my 30th birthday. The next two years my goal is to have WLS surgery and lose 130 pounds. I do not have children, but my husband really wants them (I'm still getting used to the idea). Anywho, when I married that gorgeous man 6+ years ago I did promise that I would give him the gift of children before I turned 30. If I stay the weight I am now and got pregnant, I am almost sure I would be bed-ridden by my 6 month. SO... THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT!!!  I've already had to have one surgery because of my weight... I had to have my gallbladder removed by Dr. Mark Taylor because I had gallstones.  If I stay this weight, what else is going to fall apart???  I have a gorgeous 125 pound, 18 year old sister cheering me on. I'm ready Lord! I just pray that you will watch over every square inch of my body as I start this journey.

EMBARRASSING MOMENTS:
I want to share with you some moments in my "fat" life that have caused me pain and embarrassment. I've been overweight since childhood, having just a brief moment of "skinniness" (size 14) when I was in high school.

1) Waterbed 1998: In 1998, my husband and I had a waterbed. We lived in a second floor apartment. We weren't allowed to have a waterbed, but rules were made to be broken, right? To try and counter our decision, we did not fill the bed up completely with water. Instead, we filled it just enough so that if both of us were in it, we would float. Well, one morning my husband had to get up earlier than normal for a meeting. This left me asleep, on my side, for two hours, sunk to the bottom of the bed. Unfortunately, this was also the side the waterbed heater was on. Due to the amount of fat in my thighs, I stayed asleep for those two hours without feeling the heater sizzle a third degree 3 inch long, 2 inch wide, 1.5 inch deep, hole in my leg. I got up as usual, brushed the teeth, washed the face, and walked by the mirror. "OH MY GOD!!!!" I had a blister the size of an apple on my leg. IT WAS HUGE! I couldn't even fathom what had happened. So, I did what any normal 24 year old would do. I POPPED IT! THAT'S WHEN THE PAIN BEGAN!  Well, to make this long story short, even after seeing a doctor, the area became filled with hard yellow infection and the doc said I was at risk of loosing my leg. LOOSING MY LEG? WHAT?!!! I endured several excruciating weeks of physical therapy where I was electrically shocked while a nurse took a scalpel and cut layer after layer of infection out of my leg. Yes, WITHOUT ANY PAIN KILLERS OR LOCAL ANESTHESIA!!! When they finally got to the bottom of the wound, new skin buds were coming up.  Let me tell you, it was the weirdest thing I had ever seen.  Did you know our skin forms buds? It reminded me of sea-grass in an aquarium.  All these long skin buds came up and then formed together. I now have a scar on my thigh that looks like the continent of South America.

2) White Water 1999: I got stuck on a slide ride at White Water amusement park in Atlanta. I don't recall the name of the ride. You come down a tunnel slide, plunge into a pool in the middle, and then the water will take you down another slide. When I was coming down the tunnel slide, my inner-tube came from underneath me. When I plunged into the pool, it was deep. The ride was stopped for 30 minutes while the employees waded in the water to try and get my fat butt back in the inner-tube so I could go down the next slide. People were crowded around at the bottom of the ride... on-lookers watched, including my husband. I was more embarrassed for him than for me. To top it all off, I had this horrible swimsuit on. It was a one-piece black/white stripped tank connected to these grey shorts. It was made of terry-cloth. VERY UGLY but the only thing I could find in the store to fit me.... it looked just like what you would imagine a fat girl swimsuit to look like. Anyway, when the employees finally "Freed Willy", my husband held my hand and walked with me like nothing was wrong. He's such a good man... don't know too many men like him.  Think I'll keep him a little longer.  :)

3) Six Flags 2000: Each year, my employer sends its employees and family to Six Flags over Georgia. After standing in the Challenger ride line for 45 minutes, we finally were able to get on. I get on, sit down, and... the seat belt doesn't fit. I couldn't get the darn thing to even get half way across my belly. The attendant then tries to shove the shoulder harness down on me. The darn thing wouldn't go! I WAS SO EMBARRASSED as people looked on.. they whispered about my weight. Want to know the bad thing? I had to get out, stand back in line until the ride completed before I could go across to exit. Talk about double embarrassment!  My husband never showed an inch of embarrassment.  I love him!

So can you see a trend in just these three examples? I take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. I love amusement parks! I just need a body that will let me enjoy them.

1/9/02 BATTLE WITH PCP:
My Primary Care Physician refused to provide me with a referral (required by insurance) to see the surgeon. He told me that the surgery is only done on person's who are 500+ pounds and that it was deadly. OBVIOUSLY I need to find a new physician because he doesn't know what he is talking about. Instead, he referred me to my Gastroenterologist to discuss my reflux further.... WHATEVER. I'm hoping that the gastro doc will provide me with the referral I need. I contacted my primary physician's office to provide me with copies of my medical records. They will be ready for pick-up on Friday at a cost of $15.00. I'll have to review the records myself so that I can provide the surgeon with all the diets I have been tried on. Once I do get a referral (from somebody!!!) to see the surgeon, his office will write the insurance company for approval. I talked to my benefits rep at work today... she explained as long as I had a letter of medical necessity... it will be covered. Keep you posted!

1/24/02:
I received my copies of my medical records. My PCP put some ugly statements in my records including "he didn't think WLS would be good for me... and that the risk is greater than the benefit... that I will be tried on a diet again" AARRRGGGHHH!!! I go tomorrow to the gastro doc. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he will be more educated on WLS because he deals with the digestive system.

1/25/02 REFERRAL:
My gastroenterologist doc gave me a referral to see Dr. Champion in Atlanta! 1) He thinks that I'm a good candidate, 2) He is familiar with Dr. Champion and says that he is the best of the best, 3) His brother, who is also a gastro doc, works in the same building as Dr. Champion. So how do I feel now? Scared, anxious, excited. I know that I still have a long road ahead of me. What are the next steps? Now I have to wait until Wednesday, 1/30/02, to pick up my written letter referral from the gastro doc. Then I will fax all of my packet information to Dr. Champion's office and the waiting begins again. Right now, I am assuming I will have surgery sometime between April and June. I'm not real sure.

1/29/02:
Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!! Received the referral letter today from my gastro doc. I faxed 20 pages of info to Dr. Champion's office. If you are interested, here is what was in my info: (1) All of the packet forms that you must complete for Dr. Champion, (2) My letter of referral from my PCP to my gastro doc, (3) My letter of referral from gastro doc to Dr. Champion, (4) Signed contract that you can print from Dr. Champion's website, (5) Letter addressed to my insurance company from me requesting that they pay for Dr. Champion as "in-network" as there are no "in-network" lap-bariatric surgeons, (6) My Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) forms from my employer so Dr. Champion will have them ready to go when the time comes, (7) An enlarged copy of my insurance card, and (8) a typed list from me listing all of my medical issues whether they were weight related or not. Dr. Champion will dictate a letter over the weekend, send it to the typist on Monday, and I should have a letter for the insurance company on Tuesday or Wednesday. Once the letter is ready, it will be faxed to my Benefits Manager at work. She will then forward the information to United HealthCare Care Management who will do the underwriting and decide on approval. Benesight actually handles our insurance... but they are just a third-party administrator. So now the waiting begins again.

2/8/02:
Called Dr. Champion's office today. My letter has been dictated and has been sent to the transcriptionist. The letter should be ready by Monday or Tuesday. I'm just anxious for this to be approved and to get a surgery date. I'm booking weddings and don't want to turn down a booking... but also, don't want to have to hold up my surgery if I don't have to.

2/11/02:
I went to Dr. Champion's office today with my "angel" Melissa Sievers. Her 6/7 month follow-up appointment was today. She's doing great and has lost almost 100 pounds. I got to meet Dr. Champion and he seemed like a good 'ol down to Earth country boy. He was dressed casually and seemed relaxed. I liked that. My letter is still with the transcriptionist... so I'm still waiting.

2/15/02:
My letter has been faxed to United HealthCare Management for review. I spoke to my benefits manager and she stated that she expects to hear something early next week. Sounds good to me (as I sit here and eat my Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies).

2/25/02:
I AM APPROVED!!! I AM APPROVED!!! I AM APPROVED!!!
I can't believe it!!! In less than a month of faxing the paperwork to the surgeon, the surgeon doing a letter, and the insurance reviewing the case... I'VE BEEN APPROVED!!! I've been so blessed because I know many people wait months and sometimes years battling to get approval. The tentative date given to the insurance is May. The insurance company will also pay the hospital and surgeon as "in-network". SO MUCH THANKS to my Benefits Manager at my employer. She has been terrific at getting everything finalized. I sent her some flowers today to show my appreciation. I can't wait until May!

3/5/02:
I'VE GOT A DATE! I could have taken April 4th, however, due to the fact I'm photographing a wedding on April 6th, I was unable to take that date. SOOOO.. the date is May 9th. I go for my first appointment and Pre-Op with Dr. Champion on May 6th. I have been elected as my 10 year High School Reunion Coordinator. I have planned the reunion for August 10th, 2002. This gives me 3 months to recover from surgery and my hopes are that I will be down 50 pounds by then putting me at 208.... we'll see!

4/1/02:
Happy Fool's Day! I only have 38 more days to go... The entire month of March I kept having these feelings of "what if this happens" or "what if that happens" or "you know, if I just tried a little harder"... well guess what... after going to a nightclub with some friends a week ago (which I had not done in at least a year), I realized that my knees were not gonna hold up any longer. I could barely move the next morning. Also, I've noticed now that when I sit in a chair, I have this huge stomach in my lap. I don't have rolls like normal obese persons... I have this huge stomach that makes me look pregnant. If my face wasn't so fat, I could honestly pass for being 9 months pregnant. So! I'm going forward with the surgery!!! I've had a lot of encouraging words from other WLS patients who have now become my friends. Onward we march!

4/9/02:
ONE MONTH TO GO!!! I can't believe that my surgery is only one month away. I know that the time will pass fast as I am totally booked up with photography appointments this month. I'm sitting here in front of the computer thinking of the things I will miss the most after I have surgery. I will miss my frozen Cafe Carmel Chillers from Coffee Beanery, Mudslides from Scooter's, Virgin Cappuccinos from Speakeasy, and "Julie's Concoctions". I am a cappuccino lover to heart! And believe it or not... I HATE hot coffee... it's got to be frozen for me! As I type this, I'm drinking "Julie's Special Concoction". That's what my friends call it. It's Bailey's Irish Cream, Sabrosa, and Skim Milk over ice. Except, tonight, I said to hell with the wind and replaced Skim Milk with heavy whipping cream... yeah.. I know... fattening as hell... but it's OH SO GOOD! and a month from now I'll never be able to enjoy "Julie's Special Concoction" again. Bye for now!

4/22/02:
Okay... call me crazy... but for some reason that old song "Breaking up is hard to do" just came in my head. Is it because I keep thinking about the "breaking up" I am about to do regarding my relationship with food? Ya know, food and I have had this long lasting relationship for many years... it's been there for me in the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think I'm in mourning over my cappuccinos. I had my last official Baskin Robbins cappuccino on Saturday night. Columbus does not have any Baskin Robbins and I just happen to be in Atlanta shooting a wedding and came across one. For the past week and half, I've had this strange craving for seafood. It's like I can't get enough of it. And I don't eat it fried, so it's not a "fat" craving. I've been eating broiled shrimp, fish, scallops, and too many tuna sandwiches to name. WHY??? and my buddy Pam Kelley (she's having surgery 1 day before me) is going through the same thing. Maybe we're just weird/crazy southern girls... who knows. Sidebar note: I'll be glad when that napkin in my lap will be of use instead of my boobs. Alright kids, guess it is off to bed for seeing that it's 1:08am.

4/30/02:
Howdy-ho! Looks like just another 9 days or so. It really has not hit me yet. I have been so incredibly busy doing my full-time job and photography, that I haven't had time to think about the surgery. I took a vacation this past weekend though. One of my best friends, Gayla, and I left Friday morning (husband was off at a convention in NC). We drove to Chattanooga, TN (3.5 hours away) and went to the Aquarium, Ruby Falls (what a disappointment), and Rock City Gardens. Rock City was a blast! There was nobody there! We got there 2 hours before close and it had been sprinkling all day. We only saw one other couple during our entire hike. I was out of breath though... and the "Fat Man Squeeze" was just that. It was a squeeze for me. I almost didn't make it through. Good thing there wasn't anybody around to see this amazing stunt of fitting a two feet thick girl in between a 12 inch rock opening. I don't know how I did it... but God made it happen. From there we drove to Richmond, KY where we met up with a friend. We stayed overnight and then went to the KFC Sanders Cafe Museum. We headed back to Chatt, TN and took a ride on the Incline Railway. We had a blast!

I've got so many emails to answer from wonderful WLS friends that I have made... I'm off to answer them! See ya later!

5/6/02:
Good Morning Kids! It's 3 full days away until my new skinny life! If you're reading this as a pre-op, let me tell you about my emotions: I feel emotion-less. I'm not excited, I'm not scared, I'm not nervous, I'm not happy nor sad... I'm really feeling like it's just something I've got planned... something I've got to do... sort of like a business meeting or something. It's very strange. I really can't explain it any better than that. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts as I start this journey.

5/09/02 - SURGERY DAY:  (back to top)
I've been asked to provide an account of my actual surgery day... so here goes: My Mom, Dad, "angel" Melissa, and my husband Cary were with me the day before and day of my surgery. We stayed at the Comfort Suites, 2 exits up, about 8 minutes from the hospital. I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 6:00am (first surgery), so we all got up around 4:30am and started to get ready. I was easy... I had taken a shower the night before, I couldn't wear makeup, jewelry, and such... so I just washed my face, brushed my teeth, threw on some clothes, and I was ready to go. We left around 5:40am to allow us travel and settle time. Once we arrived at the hospital, we were all directed to my "holding room". I was asked to remove all clothing, use the bathroom, put on a gown big enough for three football players, and get in the bed. Once in the bed, my vitals were taken, I was given a name wristband, and an IV was placed in my left hand. I wasn't there no time when a man nurse assistant came to get me. That's when the crying began. I guess I was just scared, nervous, everything rolled into one. Up until this point I had felt no emotions... zero... so I guess they had been building up and decided that this was the perfect time to let loose. I asked my Dad to say a prayer and I was rolled to the doors of the Operating area where my family said there "love you's". Once inside the "Operating area", I was asked my name, allergies, etc. a million times just to make sure that I was really Julie. :) I was in this area for probably 10 to 15 minutes as the nurses checked my comfort level, gave me extra pillows, and started some of the "good stuff" in my IV. I finally stopped crying once the meds kicked in... they'll give you that "I don't care if you cut my arm off right now" feeling. I was rolled to the operating room where I scooted across to the operating table, I said "Good Morning" to Dr. Champion, was asked to breath some oxygen... and next thing I know... I'm in the Recovery Room. The one thing that you can expect in recovery is to be extremely thirsty with dry mouth and throat. I was cold too, but not for long, the nurses covered me with plenty of warm blankets and I guess I went back to sleep because I do not remember being rolled back to my room and being helped into my bed. I had been in the room about 45 minutes when I woke up and had to go to the bathroom.... just a little tinkle, but I was wide awake. I had already made up my mind that every time I go to the bathroom... I will go take a walk down the hall... so I did. Walking is the very best thing you can do. I never had one ounce of pain from anesthesia because I got up and walked that stuff off. After my walk, I went back to bed, and my family and Melissa left around 2:00pm or so. My husband and I stayed at the hospital Thursday, Friday, and left around 1:00pm on Saturday. The first day you are allowed to have all the ice chips you want. On the second day, after you've had the barium swallow with X-ray to ensure that there are no leaks, you will be brought a liquid tray with broth, tea, popsicle, Jell-O, etc. This will continue until you leave. During my stay, I had a drain coming from my stomach because I had scar tissue from my previous gallbladder surgery. Dr. Champion came in around 12:15pm Saturday and removed the drain. Let me tell you... that is the weirdest feeling in the whole wide world... there must have been 4 feet of drain tube looped up inside my body. The only pain/discomfort that I experienced while I was in the hospital was my back. I have two slipped discs and one that is cracked. I believe from the position they put me in during surgery that it caused my back to act up. Once you get home and in your own bed, you will feel 110% better. As the days pass, you will begin to feel normal again.

POST-OP:  (back to top)
5/12/02 - 3 DAYS POST OP:
The Designer Protein shakes aren't too bad. I haven't thrown up, which is a good thing. I did have a drain. Dr. Champion took that out on my release day. I'm feeling tired, but overall feel good. I've lost 11.5 pounds already!!!! I have had NO PAIN. I can't believe it. I've taken no pain meds at all. Feeling great!

5/14/02 - 5 DAYS POST OP:
Down 13 pounds!!! I haven't been in pain... no throw up... feeling great! I went to the mall today and walked from one end to the other. Got me some new shoes and some more protein mix. I then went and got some Egg Drop Soup.. YUM!!! Thank you Jesus!!!

5/15/02 - 6 DAYS POST OP:
I've always been a rule breaker... so now will not be an exception. My week 1 & 2 diet consists of 6 meals a day. Three of those meals are protein drinks... I'm getting those in as you don't play with protein. The other 3 meals are suppose to be like mash potatoes, grits, oatmeal, pudding, Jell-O, soups... yada yada yada.. BORING! The 3 to 6 week diet consists of fish, eggs, bananas, applesauce, etc. So I took it upon myself to move onto week 3 as it sounded more tasty. For lunch I had a piece of broiled fish. I chewed real good, it went down good, I'm full, no throw up... I'M HAPPY AND SO IS MY BELLY!

5/16/02 - ONE WEEK POST-OP:
What? Did you think today would be different? Heck no! I had 1/2 of a grilled cheese sandwich. Tasty!! Feeling so good that I wonder... DID I HAVE SURGERY??? Down 14.5 pounds!

5/17/02 - ONE WEEK ONE DAY POST OP:
I ran errands all afternoon and was not going to be home anytime soon... so I pulled into McDonald's and ordered 4 of the new Chicken Select Strips. I ate only two of them and boy I was stuffed! And this is coming from the girl who used to order a 20 piece Chicken McNugget for lunch, with fry, and would eat it all by herself!!!

SIDE NOTE:
My surgeon's nurse said that scrambled eggs made most post-ops sick. Well I loved scrambled eggs pre-op with cheese so I thought "No way.. I will continue to love my eggs!!!". I took two bites this morning and I felt queasy. I didn't throw up, but I had to go lay down because I felt sick. SO, I guess no more scrambled eggs.

5/18/02 ONE WEEK TWO DAY POST OP:
So, what did I try crazy today you ask? For dinner, I had a Tyson Buffalo Chicken Strip and half of a ham sandwich on rye bread. Sick to my stomach? Yes. Throw up? Still no. What is it gonna take? Am I pushing myself to that limit? Well, kind of. I thought that "built into" the surgery was this automatic "throw up" mechanism if you ate too much or something you're not suppose to. Maybe I'm doing neither and just think that I am. Then again, I'm not suppose to be on soft foods until week three and I just jumped right into the rough stuff. Am I crazy? Yes! It's not the first time I've been called crazy. Onward we go. Well, you know that I love cappuccinos... so I was getting the craving and decided to be creative. I mixed some cappuccino powder (from International Foods Coffee) into the blender with my protein powder... hey.. not bad... I could live with this... THE NEW AND IMPROVED PROTEIN CAPPUCCINO!!! I'm down 17 pounds. I think when I get skinny that I'll buy me one of those naughty nurse outfits and go out to the clubs. HA, HA!!! I'm just kidding ya.. well... maybe... then again... :)

5/20/02 ONE WEEK FOUR DAY POST OP:
My "angel" Melissa just called and threatened to give me a spanking if I didn't stop the madness. Today I vow to stick to my liquid/soft diet. I have been making myself sick eating bad stuff so I will be a good girl today. I'm still at 17 pounds. It is so pretty outside today.... the air is crisp and smells so fresh.... I think I will go take a walk.

My walk was great! It was absolutely beautiful outside today. With clearance from my "angel", I tried some Sushi California Rolls and a bite of octopus tonight... Mmmmmmm it was so good! And, might I add... FULL OF PROTEIN!!! For those of you too scared to try octopus, it tastes like bacon to me.

5/23/02 TWO WEEKS POST OP:
The official weigh in this morning put me at 246 lbs. That is a loss of 18 lbs. Not too bad for 14 days. :) I decided to branch out and try grits again this morning. I had a fried egg with runny yolk mixed in with it. I ate all of the egg and left about half of the grits. THEY DIDN'T HURT THIS TIME!!! I'm going today to have some "pampering" done. I decided that every 20 lbs. I will go for "pampering". I'm having a facial, firming body treatment wrap, one-hour massage, manicure, and pedicure.

5/27/02 TWO WEEKS FOUR DAYS POST OP:
My fridge sits full of half eaten foods... My eyes are bigger than my stomach. Use to, if I had leftovers, I would eat them again the next day. Since surgery, I haven't wanted anything twice. I've been trying to pawn the food items off on my husband when I cook his meals. I've been to the grocery store 6 times in the past two weeks for a total of $270... just trying new soft foods. I'll get something home that I've always loved, take a couple of bites and the stomach does not like it. Before surgery, I had always read that your tastes will change after surgery. I've got the answer to this mystery... it's not that your tastes really change, it's that your stomach will disagree or let you know it is unhappy with certain foods. Once you've been sick a few times... you don't want that food any longer.

MY GOALS:
I've finally sat down and set some goals for myself after reviewing the weight calculator on the ObesityHelp.com website. I've listed my goals below. Over the next 12 months, let's see how close I come to hitting them:

BY THIS DATE.... I WOULD LIKE TO BE THIS WEIGHT
05/9/02..................264
06/9/02................. 237
07/9/02................. 210
08/9/02................. 196
09/9/02................. 189
10/9/02..................183
11/9/02..................176
12/9/02..................169
01/9/03..................162
02/9/03................. 156
03/9/03................. 147
04/9/03................. 142
05/9/03................. 135
I know these are some drastic goals, but I know if I put my mind to doing the exercising, I can make it happen.

5/28/02 TWO WEEKS FIVE DAYS POST-OP:
Today was my first official day back to work. I had been out three weeks. This morning started out terrible. It was definitely the worse morning I've had yet. Here goes: I normally take my "super calcium" pill (ordered from Vitalady) after I eat in the morning. Well, this morning I decided to take it before. BAD MISTAKE. It seems to have gotten stuck and was causing some terrible pain in my chest. I fried me an egg, ate a couple bites and drank some water thinking this would dislodge it... no luck. I stood over my sink with the water running and saliva pouring out of my mouth for a good 10 to 15 minutes. My chest was in excruciating pain and I was extremely nauseous. Finally... I threw up. Yep, this is the first time I've thrown up being a post-op. So I started to feel better and got ready for work. On the way to work, I started getting sick again... I could feel every bump in the road... sort of like morning sickness (of course I'm not pregnant). When I got to work, I hung over my garbage can shaking for 45 minutes until I got to feeling better. I don't know what made me so sick the second time. Maybe it was getting up 2.5 hours earlier than normal.... I don't know. I just know I don't want to have another morning like that again.

5/29/02 TWO WEEKS SIX DAYS POST OP:
Well, I get up this morning... everything is going good until 10:00am. Ten o'clock hit and I was nauseous as I could be. I just felt like if I could throw up I would feel better. No such luck. At 10:44am I started to feel better. At 12:00pm I eat my little chicken spread sandwich... still feeling good. At 1:15pm, I went home to take a nap on my "official" lunch time. When I woke up around 2:00pm, I was hungry but needed to get back to work. So on the way to work I stop by KFC and got a small mash potato. I took 2 bites and that was all she wrote. I have been severely nauseous with excruciating pain in my chest since 2:00pm and it is now 7:15pm. I called Michele at Dr. Champion's office and she thinks that I just ate too fast... two bites???? of mash potatoes??? I don't buy that. So I came right back home and laid down. I got up around 4:00pm, my stomach was screaming "I'm hungry!!!" but my chest was screaming "I'm in pain". I heated up some Spaghetti O's thinking okay... maybe this will make me feel better. I took two bites and here comes the nausea and pain again. After thirty minutes, I went to the sink, and threw up the two bites. I went and laid down. Now you think that by now I would have learned my lesson right? That the eating for today would be over??? Guess I'm hard headed. I got up at 6:30pm, the nausea had subsided... still having a slight pain in my chest but my poor stomach is screaming "Please feed me!!!!". I take two bites of sugar free pudding... HERE COMES THE PAIN!!! I swear it feels like you could just open up my chest and there would be an explosion. Something is going on.. I don't know what.. is something stuck in there????? I go take a shower with the shower head massage on full blast pounding hot water on my chest. As long as I was under the massager... I couldn't feel the pain. Of course I stood there as long as I could. The pain was still throbbing in my chest... and here it came. I threw up three times in the shower... pudding and mash potatoes. The mash potatoes had just been sitting there since 2pm. I got out and felt a tiny bit better, but still pain in my chest. I took a couple sips of water and the pain increased. Okay, now I knew something was stuck in there. While typing this, I've been back to the bathroom twice and have thrown up a total of 5 times. Everything that could have been in there I hope to God is now gone. My pain in my chest has lessened and I want to sip some water... but I'm scared. Dr. Mom called and has been trying to diagnose my problems. Her diagnosis? Too much stress on my job the first two days. Way to go Mom! I agree... I wish my problems were that easy. I am suppose to drink a protein and have two more meals today since I've thrown everything up.. guess what? Hell no! I'm going back to chicken broth tomorrow. Back to week one until I get to feeling better.

Later on this evening:
Okay... well you know me... glutton for punishment.  So I got to feeling really good... Was drinking my water... going down real good... so I decided to punish myself some more tonight because I guess I just haven't had enough yet. My stomach was hurting so bad from hunger though... I cooked some Ramen Noodles and chopped them up real real good. Here we go again... I took two bites and immediately felt the tightness in my chest. My stomach rejected the bites at least five times throwing up... So I'm just drinking my water and I'm about to go to bed. I took my temperature and it's 97.8 which is low so I'm pretty happy with that... I was afraid of a fever. I've been reading on ObesityHelp.com where other people started having similar problems at 3 to 4 weeks... Their stoma or "opening" started to close up from scar tissue and they had to be dilated. If I'm feeling bad again tomorrow I will call Michele back at Dr. Champion's office to see if they have encountered this problem before.

5/30/02 THREE WEEKS POST OP:
Well this morning was no different. I ate half of a fried egg and the tightness in my chest immediately happened. I ate the egg extremely slow with tiny bites. I threw up the egg and my chest stopped hurting. It's 8:01am now, and Dr. Champion's office opens at 9:00am. It looks like I may be taking a trip to Atlanta today because I'm gonna need some X-Rays to see how big that opening is. I've got a history of over producing scar tissue, so it's likely that I've got scar tissue closing my opening up. I'll be back to report more later.

6/1/02 THREE WEEKS TWO DAYS POST OP:
Let me tell you what's been going on the past few days since my last post. When I got in touch with Dr. Champion's nurse on the 30th, her and I both were concerned about me becoming dehydrated. I was informed that Dr. Champion was on vacation and that his back-up, Dr. David Rock, was in Winder/Athens, GA (about 3 hours from me). Dr. Rock called me and we both agreed that I needed to be put on IV fluids and have some X-rays done. I was admitted to Barrow Community Hospital in Winder/Athens, GA where I was put on IV fluids and stayed overnight. On the next morning, I was taken for a barium swallow X-ray test that showed two swallows of liquid completely filled my pouch and backed up into my esophagus. The fluid did eventually drain after about a minute. Dr. Rock said liquids should go right through and two swallows should not back up in the esophagus. He decided to do an EGD. He put me out in twilight zone while he took a scope down my esophagus and into my new pouch. He discovered that not only did I have a "stricture", but I also had what looked like a calcium tablet stuck near my opening. He removed the foreign object and ballooned/dilated the opening to 10mm. After liquids went down okay, I was released to go home. This morning I'm drinking my protein shake with no problems, my throat hurts, but that's to be expected. I'm weak, but hopefully will improve as the day passes.

6/3/02 - THREE WEEKS FOUR DAYS POST OP:
I had my 3 week follow-up visit with Dr. Champion yesterday. He said my weight loss was right on track (I've lost 24.5 lbs.). I'm feeling a lot better and can keep down foods. No more pain in my chest... it's almost like I don't even know I had surgery... sort of like it was in the beginning. :) I am able to wear some size 22's now... still in most of my 24's though... but definitely out of the 26's. I have a friend, Lisa Waldrop, who is fighting with insurance currently to have surgery done. She has such a great personality, terrific spirit, and deserves to have this surgery... it is ashame that insurance companies are allowed to exclude surgeries even if they are medically necessary. Best of luck to her!

6/5/02 - THREE WEEKS SIX DAYS POST OP:
We will call today "Bottomless Pouch" Day. Okay... it just seems that way... but you will have days where you feel like you're eating too much or eating more than you're suppose to. However, the truth of the matter is... if you were truly eating too much, you would be sick or in pain. Today just feels different because I have tried new foods just about all day. I had my normal fried egg for breakfast and protein shake for my 2nd meal, but lunch was different. I had a "Lunch & Learn" class at work today and the instructor brought in pizza. Okay, now normally, I would have been first in line, and I would have been able to consume at least 4 slices of pepperoni.. my favorite. Today, I was last in line, and I ate half of a veggie slice. Yes half, the small triangle piece at the bottom and I chewed forever... but it was GOOD!!! For my 4th meal, I was out running errands and passed by my favorite BBQ stop "Smokey Pig". I went through the drive-thru and ordered a 4 ounce Brunswick stew (not much folks... just a 1/2 cup. I would normally order the 16 ounce stew and a BBQ plate and eat it all). When I got to the window, this young punk says "Is that gonna fill you up???" as in.. you're a fat girl, you got to be kidding ordering this little cup. My response to him was "Well, as a matter of fact, yes it will". The Brunswick stew was delicious! My 5th meal today I ate 1/2 of a Lean Cuisine Fish & Macaroni meal (yes, normally I would have ate a ham sandwich and the Lean Cuisine... topped off with a bowl of ice cream or chocolate milk). Then finally, my 6th meal has been about 4 saltine crackers with whipped peanut butter. So what point am I getting to? Even though I felt like I ate a house today or too much, in reality, if you compared it to what I used to eat, all of today added up to just one old meal. Tomorrow is official weigh in day... stay tuned.

6/6/02 FOUR WEEKS POST-OP:
I used to love grits... now post-op, they don't love me back. Strange but true. Official weigh in this morning put me at 239 pounds for a total loss of 25 pounds. My goal is to be 237 by Sunday (6/9 - my one month anniversary). Will it happen? I dunno...

6/9/02 ONE MONTH POST-OP:
It happened! It happened! The official "one-month" weigh in this morning put me at 237! I've lost 27 pounds and I've hit my first goal! I pray that I will continue to hit each goal each month. I have yet to start an exercise regimen. I can feel my muscles getting weaker... so I better start soon. I took my measurements and I've lost 12 inches total from all over. My BMI has changed by 4.8 points!!! I've lost my appetite. I don't crave foods anymore. It's like a switch has been turned off... let's hope it stays off.

6/13/02 FIVE WEEKS POST-OP:
So much for the "switch" staying off. I started craving pizza about three days ago. I bought a microwavable pizza... before surgery I could have ate two. I had this little triangle slice and I was done. No more pizza craving! The past two days I've been sick. I've come down with a summer cold. My throat is sore, my nose is runny, and I am coughing up yucky stuff. I guess my immune system is down right now. Today is Thursday, which means "Official Weigh-In" day. This morning I weighed 234.5. That is a total of 29.5 pounds lost. I've got 24.5 more pounds to hit my second goal. I am a little concerned that I will make it... we'll see.

6/16/02 FIVE WEEKS THREE DAYS POST OP:
I'm still sick with this summer cold. Coughing up yucky stuff is not fun. My "switch" turned itself back off. I haven't been hungry since I ate that pizza three days ago. I started my menstrual cycle FINALLY. I haven't had one since October 2001... yes... that's correct... 8 months ago. It's the craziest thing, but if I'm over 240-245 pounds, I don't have a period... if I'm under 240, I have one. So, I know that now they will come right on time every month. I think not having a period was the only bonus of being obese. Still got a ways to go to hit that second goal of 210 by July 9th. I weighed in at 232 this morning. I'll keep my chin up and we'll see what happens.

Update: Went to the clinic this morning at work (we've got a doctor's office on site... pretty cool, huh?). I got a prescription of antibiotics and cough suppressant... both are liquids as I requested... can't swallow no horse pills. Let's hope these meds knock this cold out.

6/18/02 - FIVE WEEKS FIVE DAYS POST-OP:
Went to the Columbus WLS Support Group meeting tonight. I enjoy attending these dinners once a month. Is so good to see everyone and how much they change. I was craving a rotisserie chicken salad (it's shredded rotisserie chicken over a bed of lettuce, topped with cheese and raisins). It was great, but when I got home, I got sick from it. It was just sitting in my stomach like a rock. I ended up throwing every bit of it up. I vomited so bad that I pee'd my pants. Okay, I know, too much info... but this my journal... right? :) So much for dinner. I'm sipping on a protein shake right now dreading the thought that I've got to stomach down some bubblegum crap tasting penicillin and cough syrup in just a second. The cold is still holding on...

6/20/02 - SIX WEEKS POST OP:
The cold refuses to give up... it's fighting like a bat out of hell. I've walked on the treadmill three times this week. The first time for 10 minutes and the other two times for 15 minutes. I've got to build myself up. I can remember when I used to get on that thing for an hour at a time... hmmmmm... maybe again soon. Well, another Thursday passes us by. Today is "official weigh-in" day. I weigh 230 pounds, for a total loss of 34 pounds. I need to lose 20 more pounds to hit my second goal of 210 pounds by July 9th. I'm feeling a little disappointed because I just don't see it happening. Maybe with the treadmill walks... stay tuned.

Today I have just been totally disgusted by food. Just to look at it makes me want to vomit. I am viewing my food as something I have to do to survive. I no longer enjoy food. I eat only because I have to. I am not hungry at all. The "switch" is definitely off today. We'll see how I do as time passes.

6/23/02 SIX WEEKS THREE DAYS POST-OP:
I wanted to let you know that I CAN tolerate sugar. I have not "dumped" on any sugar that I've tried. The only reaction I've had is that my heart races when I eat a large quantity of sugar, but I can drink two glasses of Tropicana Grovestand "Lots of Pulp" Orange Juice with 21 grams of sugar per glass and it not affect me at all. I've had a brownie, Banana Pudding, Jell-O Pudding, Gum, Candy, Ice Cream... no problems. It's not like I eat these things all the time though. I don't crave sweets... never had. However, I do enjoy a taste of them from time to time. As far as "real food" goes, my "switch" is still in the OFF mode and food grosses me out. Wow, what a difference that is from 7 weeks ago.

6/27/02 SEVEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official weigh-in" this morning put me at 228.5. That's only a loss of 1.5 pounds since last week. I'm totally bummed over this. I was really expecting to lose at least 5 pounds. Oh well, I'll keep pushing along. It doesn't appear that I'll be making my 2nd goal of 210. :(

6/30/02 SEVEN WEEKS THREE DAYS POST-OP:
"I'm a little throw-up, short and stout, tip me over and watch it come out". That's me... the little throw up girl. Dr. Champion's office started me back on Prilosec for the next month to see if that helps to coat my stomach. I can't eat anything without my tummy doing flip flops... well, actually I can eat refried beans, crackers, and of all things, Brunswick stew... but that's it. Nothing else. Anyway... just popping in to give a report. I had to go and buy myself some smaller size underwear tonight... my panties were getting way too big on me.

7/3/02 SEVEN WEEKS SIX DAYS POST-OP:
Hmmm... let's see... where to start. Well, last night my house was struck by lightning. I came home to a fried phone, computer, monitor, modem, router, stereo system, and of all things, my landscaping lights outside were blown up into little plastic pieces. Thank you Jesus that the house did not burn down and that I have insurance. I will be down for about 5 to 7 days until a computer tech can come out an access the damage to my computer. Until then, I'm using my husband's computer which was just slightly damaged. Next, I called Dr. Champion's office again today. I'm still throwing up about 50% of what I eat and liquids are slow to drain. I'm going for a barium swallow on Friday to see what's up.

7/4/02 EIGHT WEEKS POST-OP:
Would ya look at that BMI (39.3)... finally under 40! Official weigh-in is 222 lbs. That is a total loss of 42 pounds! It's been rough sailing though. I'm sure as time passes, I'll get to feeling better. I've got to increase my potassium... I've been having leg cramps.

7/9/02 TWO MONTHS POST-OP:
Official weigh-in is 221 lbs. with a total weight loss of 43 pounds. My goal for two months was to be 210 lbs., so I missed the goal by 11 lbs. I'm not sad though, I think 43 in two months is awesome! I'm still throwing up sometimes when I eat. But I had a barium swallow/upper GI done four days ago and everything seemed to go down with no problems... so I'm just going to have to take my food progression very slowly.

7/10/02 EIGHT WEEKS SIX DAYS POST-OP:
Mom took my "two month" measurements today. I've lost a total of 9.75 inches off of my waist!!! Go to my website to see my measurements.

7/12/02 NINE WEEKS ONE DAY POST-OP:
Eating sucks! Is it really a requirement to live? I would rather do without.

7/14/02 NINE WEEKS THREE DAYS POST-OP:
I forgot to post my "official weight" on Thursday... so I'll just give you what I was this morning. I weighed in at 218 lbs. That is a total loss of 46 lbs.

7/18/02 TEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-in" is 217 pounds, total loss of 47 lbs. My goal (see week 2 for chart) is to be 196 lbs. by August 9th. I've got 21 lbs. to lose in 3.5 weeks.

7/21/02 TEN WEEKS THREE DAYS POST OP:
Well, well, well, the "switch" has finally been turned back on. I have been doing nothing but eating. I just can't stop. I think they call it "grazing". I've gained 2.5 lbs. in the process. I'm back up to 218.5 from 216. The madness is going to stop today and I'm getting my fat ass on that treadmill. For some reason, I've been craving and eating sweets. I never craved sweets pre-surgery... why now? And the fact that I can tolerate any amount of sugar doesn't help. My "angel" Melissa's mom (Kay, who also had the surgery) warned me that I would crave sweets even if I didn't before. Well she was right and now it is out of control. I've been baking cookies, eating pies, cake, what the hell am I doing???? Okay, I'm gonna go beat myself up and I'll report more later.

Okay, it's 12 hours later. I didn't get on the treadmill today, but for the first time in about 12 months, I cleaned my house. Yes, you heard me, I mopped, dusted, scrubbed toilets, the whole shebang. This past year I've paid my sister to come over bi-weekly to clean for me and I would just tidy up in between. I was too tired and out of breath if I even tried to pick up a mop... so she's been there for me. I cleaned everything and wasn't tired at all. This is such a difference from just 2.5 months ago. Once I had a shower, I decided to be a little adventurous and try one of "Julie's Special Concoctions". Before surgery I didn't think I would ever be able to enjoy them again because of the sugar factor... but because this 'ol girl can take the sugar like a man (hee hee), I went ahead and mixed it on up. So I take two swallows and 5 minutes later.. BAM! I feel a little drunk??? Hey, this surgery could very well save me some money on Mudslides when I go out for some drinks if I'm gonna get drunk this fast. Anywho, as I digress... I decided to get back on the scale. And guess what? It said 215.5!!! Crazy... I know... and NO, before you ask, I didn't not go to the potty, so that's not the answer to this mystery. Well, I'm gonna go finish my drink and go sleepy time. Later gator!

7/23/02 TEN WEEKS FIVE DAYS POST-OP:
I use to have to pierce extra holes in my belt just so I could get it on... this morning, I had to pierce an extra hole... but in the opposite direction! :) Looks like it's time for a new belt.

7/25/02 ELEVEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-in" is 214 lbs. this morning for a total of 50 pounds lost. I have 18 more pounds to lose in 15 days to meet my goal. Likely? Not really, but we'll see what happens. My little pouch woke me up at 4:00am making this weird noise that it does when it's trying to process food, sort of like a pumping sound. It was making the sound over and over again. I finally had to get up and put some water in there to get it to shut up. I don't know if my two bites of dinner somehow had gotten stuck and it tried to digest it all night or what? What ever it was, the water pushed it through (which does not always work). So I'm up at 4:00am and realize that some of the 20's I bought a couple of weeks ago are starting to hang & I needed something to wear to work. So I went digging through my boxes of clothes that my "angel" Melissa gave me and I found 3 really nice suits. Something you got to know about Melissa... she is always sharp! I'm going to be styling and profiling over the next 3 business days. Well, I'm gonna see if I can catch some more sleep.

7/28/02 ELEVEN WEEKS THREE DAYS:
Eating desire is still in the "off mode". Food? What is food?

7/30/02 ELEVEN WEEKS FIVE DAYS:
Here it comes like clock work... it's period time. Can you say Vicodin?

8/1/02 TWELVE WEEKS POST OP:
"Official Weigh-In" is 211.5 lbs. Total loss equals 52.5. I need to lose 15.5 lbs. over the next 9 days to hit my goal. Yes, I know... impossible. I keep beating myself up every night... I just can't seem to get my butt on that treadmill. Eating has gotten a little better, I haven't thrown up in the past few days.

8/6/02 TWELVE WEEKS FIVE DAYS POST OP:
I'm down to 207.5 this morning, total loss of 56.5 lbs. I'm now wearing 18's and 20's are too big on me. Also, I started wearing my contact lenses because friends tell me my glasses are too big for my face. My BMI this morning is 36.8 which is considered "Severely Obese"... but thankfully I'm no longer "Morbid Obese". On Friday, I threw up breakfast, lunch, and threw up stuck water for hours. So, I decided that on Saturday I would go on a total liquid diet. I did three protein shakes. When I got to the third one for dinner... it got stuck and I threw up. Thereby proving a point that the cause of throw up is not always due to lack of chewing food or chewing too slow. I believe that the pouch has a mind of it's own, and no matter what time of day or what you eat... if it doesn't want to digest what you put in... then you will throw up. Well, after the liquids on Saturday, I went back to solids on Sunday. Everything went great! I had no throw up and even ate four good bites of a prime rib, a bite of delicious bread, and two bites of a baked potato for dinner. The prime rib was so good that I ate a little more for lunch and dinner on Monday... but if you looked at the leftovers, you swear the steak hasn't been touched. I may be eating off of it again today. Well, I'm off to work.

8/8/02 THIRTEEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In" is 206.5, total loss of 57.5. I will be weighing in again tomorrow and doing measurements as tomorrow is three months.

8/9/02 THREE MONTHS POST-OP:
Three month weigh in is 206, total loss of 58 lbs. I've updated my website with my measurements. My goal for this month was 196 lbs. I missed the goal by 10 lbs. I'm eating so very little... I get full very quickly. I can eat one Chicken McNugget and three fries and I'm full to the brim. Tried to eat fish from Captain D's last night... but just threw it up. Maybe today will be better.

8/15/02 FOURTEEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official weigh-in" is 204.5, total loss of 59.5 lbs. When I woke up this morning, my "hunker dunkers" were gone. What are "hunker dunker's" you ask? Well, that's what I call that chunk of meat that you can see from your back. It sort of starts at the waist and creates an overlap on top of your butt. Check out my clinical photos on my website to see what I'm talking about. I am definitely in size 18 now and coming out of it fast... I can put some size 16's on.

People at work have been very positive and supportive. I haven't had anybody saying anything negative or talking behind my back that I know of. I think it has a lot to do with me being a positive person. I've always been outgoing, crazy, and funny... fat or not... so my personality hasn't really changed. Family, friends, and co-workers have been calling me "skinny" and "What's up slim?". It's kinda weird... but I like being the center of attention. :) I attended a work gathering with my husband last night. Normally, I would have wanted to leave right away and I would have shied away from him introducing me to people. My husband is so good looking, and I was always so fat. I used think people were wondering "What's that sexy man doing with that fat ass chick?" Last night I was a little social butterfly though, talking and laughing it up with his co-workers. We had fun.

I still have problems eating some foods. Like last night, I had a cracker with some spinach dip. An hour later... It came up. The dip just didn't sit good on my stomach. I talked to Dr. Champion's nurse and she thinks that I may be constipated high in my intestines. I don't have a bowel movement but every four days. She thinks that when I eat, the food has no where to go because I'm so "backed up". I have been eating a lot of cheese though. I'm starting on a stool softener this afternoon and off to Panama City Beach, FL... maybe that will help. 

8/21/02 - FOURTEEN WEEKS SIX DAYS POST OP:
It seems like forever since I updated... but it's only been 6 days. This journey changes so much in such a short period of time. I went to Dr. C's office on Monday and was told that I am eating too many "soft foods". My staple foods lately have been Kraft Cracker Barrel Sharp cheese and Chinese Egg Drop soup. I explained that when I eat meat, I throw up. Basically I was told that I've got to keep trying until my stoma stretches a little more to tolerate them. Anywho. Tomorrow is official weigh in day... seems like the weight loss has been slow this week. I keep telling myself to exercise... but I don't listen. :( My arms look like huge flaps of flab. I could rotate my arms real fast and take off.. I'm almost sure of it. One good thing is that I was fitted for a bra on Monday. I've gone from a size 44DD to a 42D. Wow! What a difference 60 pounds will make!

8/22/02 FIFTEEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In" is 202.5, total loss 61.5 lbs. I have 13.5 lbs. to lose in 18 days to meet my September goal. With as slow as it's been going lately, that actually looks impossible. I'm eating bacon again this morning... at least I'm trying to get some type of meat down. Let's see if it stays down.

8/24/02 FIFTEEN WEEKS TWO DAYS POST-OP:
I'm starting to lose my hair. When I washed it last night, I lost so much hair that I had to stop in the middle of my shower to empty the drain. It was about two handfuls. Thank goodness that I have a full head of naturally curly hair. Curly haired people can get away with less hair I think... we can make it look full. I got on the scale this morning and it was 200.5. I'm going to work outside a lot today, so I'm hoping that it will jump start me weight loss back.

8/26/02 FIFTEEN WEEKS FOUR DAYS POST-OP:
Okay, strange things are starting to happen... let me just throw them out there in short sentences: I am beginning to tolerate meat... I'm getting more sex... My husband called me "skinny" today... If I'm walking down the hall at work, folks have to get right up on me before they recognize me... Shoot, I didn't even recognize myself tonight. I was browsing through a department store and caught my image in a kinda weird placed mirror. I thought it was another person, but the outfit caught my eye... it was lime green like mine. Then I noticed... IT WAS ME! I stood there for a minute and just looked at myself. I think that moment was the first time I really examined what I now look like. I can definitely tell that I've lost weight. I said to myself "Wow, you really look skinny". Now granted, 200 lbs. is not "skinny", but I actually have a shape now instead of the big round Oompa Loompa look.

8/29/02 SIXTEEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In" is 198.5 lbs., total loss of 65.5 lbs. To meet my September goal, I must lose 9.5 lbs. over the next 12 days. Let's see what happens. I'm taking my first airplane ride this Saturday. I am going to see a friend of mine in Arkansas. Please pray for me.

9/4/02 SIXTEEN WEEKS SIX DAYS POST OP:
Well I survived my first airplane ride. I fit comfortably in the seat and did not require a seat belt extension... even had about 5 inches to spare on mine. I tell ya, don't think I could have hauled my twenty pound bag through the Atlanta Airport 66 pounds ago. I actually have a bruise on my shoulder from carrying the darn thing. It's amazing to me that I struggled to carry around that 20 pound bag and to think that I was carrying around 3 times that just 4 months ago. Anywho, the trip went good and I was happy to see my girlfriend that I had not seen in a little over a year. She was happy about my weight loss. I'm still struggling to eat meats, but it is getting a little better. I'm starting to have a little bit more variety when I eat. My hair is falling out profusely. I can't brush or wash it without handfuls coming out. I even had a coworker notice it last week. She said, "Did you cut your hair or is it thinner?". Unfortunately, it's thinner.

9/5/02 SEVENTEEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In" is 198.5 lbs., total loss of 65.5 lbs. To meet my September goal, I must lose 9.5 lbs. over the next 4 days... not gonna happen people. I didn't lose not one darn pound this past week. I can be a impatient person... I want this like yesterday.

9/9/02 FOUR MONTHS POST-OP:
I can't believe it! I've lost 70 pounds in 4 months!!! My "official 4 month weigh in" put me at 194 lbs. This is incredible. I am still in size 18's and can get into some 16's. I missed my 4 month goal by just 5 pounds. I only have to lose 11 pounds over the next month to hit my 5 month goal. I went to my Primary Physician this morning because of a wasp sting. I haven't seen him since back in January when I was trying to get a referral to Dr. Champion that he refused to do. Then today when he saw how much weight I had lost, he was acting all happy and crap. I felt like saying, "yeah buddy... thanks for nothing, this has zero to do with you." Anywho... I'm on cloud nine today.

9/19/02 NINETEEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In" this morning is 193 lbs., total loss 71 lbs. I need to lose 10 more pounds in 20 days to reach my October goal. I need to get my fat ass on the treadmill. My arms and legs look like jelly. However, my stomach seems to be flattening down nicely. I am doing some basic exercises every night like "the twist" for my ab area and working with weights on my arms... but that's not making my legs shape up. I've got to get busy.

9/26/02 TWENTY WEEKS POST-OP:
Happy happy joy joy happy happy!!!! "Official Weigh-In" this morning is 190 lbs.. I weighed 190 lbs. when I got married seven years. Yes, that's right, it's been 7 years since I weighed 190 lbs. I've got 7 more pounds to lose in 13 days in order to hit my October goal. Who knows... it just might happen. I'm still loosing my hair pretty badly. I've got to where I only wash it once a week now... but my hair is not oily so I can get away with it. This morning I had a handful of hair. I swear that as much hair as I have lost, I could have made a wig for one of the cancer children patients in Atlanta. Anywho. Talk with ya soon!

9/28/02 TWENTY WEEKS TWO DAYS POST OP:
Well kids, I went to the hospital earlier this evening. For breakfast, I ate two small bites of hamburger and immediately knew that it wasn't staying down. I did not eat nor drink another thing all day. Why? Because I threw up "crap" all day. Yes, I said "crap". I threw up large amounts of brown liquid all day long although I hadn't drank or ate ANYTHING brown. It looked like and tasted like sewage. Finally around 5pm I called Champion's office. Dr. Williams was on call. Dr. Williams said what I was describing was the contents of my smaller bowel. Yes that's right kids, I have officially earned the name "potty mouth" or "doody head". Not wanting to take the 2.5 hour hike up to Emory, I went to my local ER here and was instructed by Dr. Williams to call him once I got in Radiology. I got in ER, and yes it is a Saturday night. I was told that there was a 6 hour wait. Ummm... I don't think so. So I came back home, threw up some more and now I'm writing in my journal. I'm not in any "pain" which was a major concern of Dr. Williams. He told me that if I were in pain, he would have insisted on me staying. So, I'm just sitting here nauseous wishing I had some of that good 'ol Phenergan. Did I gross you out enough?

10/01/02 TWENTY WEEKS FIVE DAYS:
I got up on Sunday morning, ate two crackers, and they immediately came up. I knew that I needed to be seen about or I would begin to get dehydrated. I called Dr. Williams and let him know I was coming up to Emory Dunwoody. I got there around 5pm, had a few simple X-rays done, and Dr. Williams admitted me to the hospital. Monday morning I had a barium swallow, upper GI, and small bowel follow through tests done. Dr. Williams explained to me that my opening was the size of a pin hole. This explains why anything more than a liquid was not going down. The barium sat on my stomach like a rock and I threw it up. Dr. Williams explained that he would do a EGD. Basically go down my throat, through my little pouch opening, and dilate it with a balloon. However, when he got in there, the barium that was still in me had hardened like cement and clogged up their scopes. So I had to stay over another night. Dr. Williams did the EGD again this afternoon and everything went well. I'm on liquids for the next 24 hours but should be fine. This is the second time that I've had to be dilated. Dr. Williams said that it is not uncommon to see it three or four times. I just have a history of over-producing scar tissue. As always, the hospital staff was top notch. I couldn't of ask for a better place to stay. Also, Dr. Williams is super! I really appreciate him and everyone being so sweet and nice.

10/3/02 TWENTY ONE WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official weigh-in" this morning is 186.5. That is a total loss of 77.5 pounds. I only have to lose 3.5 pounds in the next six days to meet my five month goal. You know what? It's okay even if I don't. :) I feel fantastic!!!

I've just got to share what a wonderful time I had this evening. My husband and I went to our County Fair that is in town this week. I rode all of the rides, had room to spare, and not once while standing in line did I think "wonder if people are looking at me and saying "Fat girl you can't ride that!!!"". Had so much fun that I'm kicking it to Six Flags on Sunday!!! For the first time in our relationship, I actually weigh less than my husband. There is a renewed energy in our relationship and we're acting like kids again (I know.. I can hear my older friends now... "You are a kid!"). I have to tell ya, Dr. Williams fixed me up good. I was able to eat a Gyro on a stick tonight at the Fair (all except one bite). That's the most amount of meat I've eaten since May! I followed it up two hours later with my snack for the day... a Candy Apple. A whole Candy Apple? Yep! Don't get me wrong, don't think I'm gonna go on some eating binge, 'cause I'm not. It just feels great to feel "normal" again and not throw up 90% of the time I eat. Also, let me add that the "hiccup inhaling sound" that I had going on has disappeared!!! I don't regret this surgery one bit and would do it again in a heartbeat. I thank Jesus & God for the blessings I have been given and an opportunity for a new lease on life. I'll end with this: I never knew that pajamas could actually be too big. Out with all the Lane Bryant 3X night gowns! In with my husband's size Large T-shirts! I'll wait just a 'lil longer before I buy the sexy nurse's outfit. :)

10/6/02 TWENTY ONE WEEKS THREE DAYS POST OP:
I headed to Atlanta today and kicked it to Six Flags with my sister... we rode everything! My butt fit into every seat, I had room with my seat belts, and I felt great! I even rode the Challenger/Looping Starship!!! I didn't get tired not once and I didn't have any problems climbing any hills. It was wonderful!

10/9/02 FIVE MONTHS POST-OP:
I am five months today.  I weighed in at 187 pounds. This is a loss of 77 pounds and just shy of my goal weight by 4 pounds. I feel great! I pass people in the hall at work and they don't recognize me. It is awesome!!! I can tell a big difference. I'm now wearing 16's and can almost get into a 14. This surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself.

10/16/02 TWENTY TWO WEEKS SIX DAYS POST OP:
TWO WORDS:  PLATEAU CITY!  My goodness... I haven't budged in two weeks!  Yes... I know, this happens.  This is not the first time.  I'm just irritated and needed to tell somebody so you are the lucky winner.  I swear right now that I feel like I will be 187 lbs. forever.  Me?  Impatient?  I don't know what you're talking about???  My goal weight for November is 176 pounds.  I will NEVER GET THERE!  (Thanks for listening.  I'm going to bed now seeing as it is 1:32am.  Tomorrow is "weigh in" day... let's see what happens.)

10/17/02 TWENTY THREE WEEKS POST-OP:
PLATEAU!!!!  Official weigh-in is 187 lbs.  I haven't dropped a single pound since 10/3/02!!!  Okay, I've got 3 weeks and two days to drop 11 pounds.  That is a pound every other day.  Don't know what to do???  Any suggestions are appreciated (with the exception of exercise... that is a very dirty word.)

10/21/02 TWENTY THREE WEEKS FOUR DAYS POST-OP:
Okay, my friend Keller who is researching the surgery and strongly considering it told me that my journal sounded depressing... so I decided to write some good tonight.  :)  I'm loving life!  As a matter of fact, I was just dancing my little butt off.  Dancing is the easiest form of exercise for me.  I turn up the music and shake my booty.  I'm pretty good at it too.  My black girlfriends tell me I've got some soul in my family tree somewhere... :)  I've been eating like crazy, craving carbs, carbs, and carbs.  I've had some good advice from some post-ops that are 2+ years out and I am putting it to good use.  I bought a cute very trim pair of black pants in size 16 and a really cute black & white stripe shirt in XL to go with them.  My husband said I looked skinny and that I looked good in my outfit.  Yea Baby! (as Austin would say).  Today is my seven year anniversary.  I weigh less today then I have in the past 7 years... VERY SWEET!  So, how am I doing?  GREAT!  I feel great and look great!  I don't regret the surgery at all.

10/24/02 TWENTY FOUR WEEKS POST-OP:
Oh how the weight loss is just a crawling now.  Earlier this week I weighed in at 184... today's "official weigh-in" I am 185.  That is a total loss of 79 lbs. with 50 more to go to hit goal.  I need to lose 9 more pounds over the next 16 days in order to meet November's goal.  Read my lips:  "Not gonna happen!".  This has been a bad month for all of my 5 month post-op friends too.  We're all sort of at a plateau right now, so I guess this is normal for 5 months.  On to more exciting news... The little amusement park girl is going to Orlando this weekend.  That's right!  Me and my husband are going to Orlando / Universal Studios for 4 days.  I'm looking forward to it. :)

10/29/02 TWENTY FOUR WEEKS FIVE DAYS POST-OP:
Hey Kids!  I'm back!  I have found the magic cure for anyone on a plateau... Walk through Disney World from 9:00am until 10:30pm any one day, and you'll lose three pounds!  My husband and I had a blast!  We went to Universal Studios, WonderWorks, and Disney World Magic Kingdom.  We had so much fun... and my feet never hurt.  I could not have done any of this 83 pounds ago!  There was even one ride at WonderWorks where each passenger had to weigh less than 250 lbs. to get on.  I couldn't have done that 5 months ago!  What a wonderful feeling it is to get on a ride and not wonder if the belt will fit... or not wonder if others in line are thinking "Damn, look at the fat girl trying to shove herself in that seat".  It's almost a feeling of freedom!  My hair is falling out by the handfuls still.  I've had to get creative with my bangs as you can see my scalp.  I lost so much hair on Saturday night washing my hair at the hotel, that I stopped the drain up in the tub.  My shower at home has a hair catcher.  Oh well... I'll just be skinny, bald, and beautiful!  Hee hee..  My husband bought me a laptop for our anniversary, I LOVE IT!  Yes, now the Hedges family has three computers for just two people... I guess we ARE computer geeks... 

10/31/02 TWENTY FIVE WEEKS POST-OP:
HAPPY HALLOWEENER!  Today is "Official Weigh-In" Day... let's pass lollipops out to the kids.  "And in this corner, weighing in at 181.5 pounds, she's going bald, she's got a big butt, it's the lean mean fighting machine.... JULIE HEDGES!"  I am finally away from that horrible plateau that I was on.  I've got 5.5 more pounds to lose in 9 days to meet my November goal.  What I have learned is that the smaller you get, the harder it is to lose weight, AND, two or three pounds at this stage can make a difference in size.  See, use to I never understood when a "skinny girl" would say "Oh my goodness, I've gained 5 pounds.  It will take me weeks to get this off!".  I always sat there thinking "Look lady, it's just five pounds!  You'll lose it in a days time."  Anywho, I'm only 46.5 pounds away from my official goal of 135 pounds.  I know that it's going to get tougher and tougher, but I'm keeping my head held high.  I went to the tanning bed last night... gonna try and get a base tan by Christmas when all my in-laws see me who haven't seen me since last Christmas.  I'm off to work! :)

11/9/02 SIX MONTHS POST-OP:
Official six month weight is 181.5 pounds.  Physically I'm doing great!  I feel good and if I could just get my irritable bowel (had before surgery) under control, I would be good as peaches.  No complaints.  I just want to get out of these 16's.  14's are too tight and 16's are too big.  What gives?

11/14/02 TWENTY SEVEN WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In" today was 179 pounds.  That is a total loss of 85 pounds.  I have to lose 10 more pounds to hit my December 9th goal of 169.  I spent the night in Atlanta on Sunday, 11/10/02 with my WLS buddies Pam Kelley, Kimmy Buckman, and Tina Wolz (all Hot Babes on this website).  We had a blast!  We went to the Cheesecake Factory and then had a pajama party.  Monday, we all went to Dr. Champion's office for our 6 month follow-up visits (except Tina, she had surgery on Tuesday, 11/12/02).  All of our weight loss was ahead of schedule.  I had lost 59% of my excess weight and Dr. Champion said I should be around 145 when I see him again in 6 months.  I say let's shoot for 135!

11/21/02 TWENTY EIGHT WEEKS POST-OP:
I still weighed 179 lbs. this morning.  However, I am constipated and trust me, that can make a two pound difference.  Yes, I know, YUCK!  I have just nineteen days to lose 10 pounds.  I really doubt that it will happen.  I've been kinda bummed out the past few days.  In the beginning, the weight just melted off.  Now that I don't have the stricture, it seems to be taking FOREVER!  I want to be 135 lbs. so bad... what is it like to weigh 135???  I'm anxious to hit the goal.  Also, I've been in size 16's for over a month now.  That's a little depressing.  I've got some size 14 pants that I can put on, button, and zip, but if I sit down... THERE SHE BLOWS!!  It's this big 'ol ghetto booty that I've got.  My waist is smaller but my booty just goes for days.

If you've received an email from me in the past week and/or have visited any of my websites, you too may have contracted the virus.

I do apologize for any inconvenience, but to be safe, you must perform a virus scan security check on your computer. Please click on the below link to perform the check to see if you have the virus: http://tinyurl.com/7od2

After the virus scan, if you do have the Nimda Virus, click on the link below to get rid of it: http://tinyurl.com/7od9

BE WARNED that this may not be the "be all" fix for you. If you've had the virus a while, like I did, you may have to wipe out the hard drive, run Norton Anti-Virus Scan 2003 software and start again. My hard drive was completely gone and corrupted beyond repair!!!

3/20/03 FORTY-FIVE WEEKS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In" was 156 again this week.  I'm cool with it though.  I haven't exercised a bit this past week and I've been eating like a freaking cow!!!  I have had a serious case of the munchies.... eat, eat, eat, and eat some more.  Good Grief!  I've got to stop!  I actually ate so much at a restaurant last night that I threw up!  I haven't done that in a long time.  Anywho.... I'm at a point right now that if I didn't lose another pound, I honest to God would be completely happy.  I look great, feel great, and I'm in a size 10/12.  Who could ask for anything more???  Ü

3/27/03 FORTY-SIX WEEKS POST-OP:
Plateau City!  It's okay though!  I'm having fun.  156 pounds again this week.
I am very very very busy.... I promise to update my journal soon.  Topics up for discussion:  1) Two weekends in a row...  2)  Plateau again...  3)  Snacking beyond belief  4)  Dancing in the club.

4/1/03 FORTY-SIX WEEKS FIVE DAYS POST-OP:
Okay... here we go... I'm finally updating my journal!  You crazy kids just can't stand it when I get delayed, eh?  Alright... as promised, I'll hit the topics listed above:

Topic #1- Two weekends in a row -  Well, Julie is learning her alcohol level.  Two weekends in a row, Jules had too much to drink.  The first weekend (3/15) was a co-worker's party.  Let's see... I had two mudslides and two Jell-O-shooters (I made the Jell-O-shooters... first time... and everybody loved them!).  I was spent and sick!  I had one friend getting the garbage can while the other washed my face with a cold rag.  I managed to walk to the truck where my sister drove me home.  Cary (hubby) put me to bed and I slept good.  This was the worst that I had been drunk since surgery.  Well, guess that wasn't good enough.  Weekend #2 (3/22) my best friend Gayla came to town.  A bunch of our friends met up with us at the local club called Memory Lanes.  I was looking like a hottie I must say.  We had a freaking blast!  We were dancing the night away... well... at least an hour and half of it until Julie got drunk.  Let's see.  I had one mudslide (now, these are Julie concoctions, so they're probably equal to two) and two glasses of wine.  I was D R U N K!  I passed out in the club... don't remember how I got to the truck.  Thank God my friend John was with us (he's a tall, big, and strong guy) 'cause he had to carry me like a baby into the house.  I was out like a light!  When I came to, I hugged the trash can for 3+ hours with the dry heaves while everybody else partied outside my house... WITHOUT ME!  The draw back about drinking after surgery is that you can't throw up (or at least I can't). There is nothing for you to throw up...  there's nothing in that little pouch because it has already been absorbed by your intestines. I can only assume that we are at a greater risk of alcohol poisoning because of this. There was nothing I could do but suffer through. I know that I don't want to experience that again.... SOOOOO... that ended up being the worse that I had ever been drunk.  Weekend #3 (3/29)  Went to Memory Lanes again... was a good girl... only had one mudslide and one glass of wine.  I danced for 4 solid hours!  10:30pm to 2:30am!!!  I had a freaking blast!  I danced with lots of guys, but I especially enjoy dancing with my good friend Brandy's man.  His name is Johnny and he is such a great dancer!  When Fifty Cent "In Da Club" came on, I jumped up on him with my legs around his waist and he held me the entire song while we danced.  Oh my goodness!  We had the club going wild!  They couldn't believe it!... and it didn't hurt that Brandy was behind him spanking his ass!  LOL!!!!
Topic #2 - Plateau again.  Well, this is a simple one to touch on.  I've been at 156 for a few weeks now.  It's not the first plateau I've been on.  I'm truly happy though... I look great... and I've bought some really cool clothes.  Several of my male friends have been feeding my ego lately... so right now I could give a rat's ass if I lost another pound.... I'm just enjoying life.
Topic #3 - Snacking beyond belief.  Well, this was a problem I was having a week or so ago... this problem comes and goes.  I seem to have things under control this week.  I've been on an emotional roller coaster and this week I've had to make myself eat.
Topic #4 - Dancing in the Club... well, guess I covered that one earlier, eh?
Bonus Topic - MY HUBBY.  I have the best hubby in the whole world.  I have been on an emotional roller coaster the past three months with an issue I wish not to discuss with America.  My husband is completely understanding, allows me to be me and crazy, and just says, "You know what baby, I love you.  I know you're going through crazy feelings right now... but things are gonna be okay.  You're just one of those crazy "Ludy" girls anyway"  :-D  GOD I LOVE HIM!  And if I could tell you what it truly was all about... you girls would want a clone of my hubby 'cause he is freaking PLATINUM!  All the rest of the men in the world can't compete... we'll just call them Tarnished Sterling Silver.  (that one is for you Gayla... wink wink).  Want another analogy?  My hubby is "Hot Shit on a Silver Platter"... all the rest of them are just "Cold Piss on a Paper Plate".  (The hubby wrote that one about himself!)  Men... you got to love 'em... but think I'll just stick with the hot daddy that I've got and leave the rest alone.... Cary is a keeper girls!

I'M GOING TO BED.... TOMORROW IS OFFICIAL WEIGH IN DAY!  GOODNIGHT!

4/3/03 FORTY-SEVEN WEEKS POST-OP:
Well what do you know... I lost 2 pounds.  Official weigh-in is 154 pounds this morning.  I only have 19 more to go to hit my ultimate goal of 135 pounds.  That just sounds crazy.  Only 19?  I must be dreaming.  The scary thing though is that I sometimes have a hard time remembering what fat felt like.  I sometimes think, okay, let me be fat again for just 5 minutes so I can remember what it felt like then put me back skinny.  I know that sounds pure crazy.  But I do sometimes remember... little scenarios will happen to jolt my memory.  Take for instance yesterday.  I was in a historical building that I had not been in a quite sometime.  I passed by this huge old mirror.  In years past I can remember walking by that thing tugging at my shirt because my shirt would be stuck between the fat roll that connected my butt and back.  Yesterday I stopped in front of the mirror and just stared.  There was no shirt to pull down.  I looked great!  Weird...... anywho.  I'm about to get ready for work.  I've got me a hot new outfit with some cute wood summer shoes.  Bye!

4/4/03 FORTY-SEVEN WEEKS ONE DAY POST-OP:
Me, my sis, and friends have had so much fun today!!!!  I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly exciting it is to laugh!  It's great!  I love being skinny!  I love all of the attention!  I get SOOOOO much attention that it becomes a little overwhelming at times.  Attention is like a drug though... the more I get... the more I want.  People at work are fantastic!  Everyday... EVERYDAY... folks from all over the company are saying things like "Darn girl you are the freaking diva!".  People are telling me that they like me the size I am now and that I shouldn't lose anymore weight.  Don't think I have control over that though???  I've been such a slacker in the exercise department.  Other than all the dancing I've been doing... I haven't got on that darn treadmill in almost 2 weeks!

We had a little party at my house tonight / this morning... as it's currently 3:30am.  We played "Naked Twister".  How do you play Naked Twister?  Well, if someone falls down, or if a color is called and all the spots are taken up... that person loses.  If they lose, they remove an article of clothing.  It was a blast!  Mr. Conservative (that would be my hubby) actually participated too.  It was so much fun and I wasn't sitting there freaking out the whole time thinking.... "Am I fat?".  "Is someone looking at me thinking I'm fat?".  NOPE!  I just went with it!!!  Oh how crazy life changes in just one year?  A year ago I would not have gotten naked in front of any cute guys... nor their wives!  I'm just having a blast!  My mother reminds me that my clock is ticking.  You know.... concerning having a baby.  She said, "Well Julie, you missed your twenties due to your weight, so, what are you going to do?  Party all through your thirties and have a baby when you're forty?"  Hmmm... 40 sounds like a darn good age to me Mom!  However, Cary (hubby) has said, "Honey, we really need to decide on this soon.  I don't want my children thinking that I'm their Grandpa".  Ahhhh Horse Doody I say!  He's ONLY 30!  Another 5 or 6 years ain't gonna make a difference.  I've worked hard to get this cute little body over the past 10 months.  Why go and get pregnant now????  I feel young!  I certainly don't feel like I'm 29 years old!  I've reverted back to that 17 year old teenager who was a big flirt and partied all the time.  A year ago.... I felt 50!  I wore old women's clothing, was out of breath when I walked, and constantly tugging at my clothing.  Now I'm in short shorts, high heels, and cute tops.  Oh, here's a story for ya:  Last night my sis comes in with a new mini skirt she had just bought.  She was showing me her new duds, and I was like, "Gracie, that skirt looks like it would fit me".  It was a size 9 Junior's... but... I was feeling confident.  So I picked it up.  She says, "Don't stretch my skirt out!!!".  I said, "I got your "stretch"".  I put that thing right on... zipped... and buttoned.  BAM!!!  "KISS MY ASS 'LIL SIS!"  WINK WINK.... I couldn't believe it!  There I was... wearing one of my sister's skirts... not tight... completely buttoned and zipped.  NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS!!!  I got right on the phone and called my Mom and Dad.  I just had to tell them!  Cary was like "What?  I can't believe it either!"  See, little sis has ALWAYS been the diva with the body from heaven.  You can't take her sassy butt anywhere without guys staring her down... she's always been cute and skinny... and to think that I was in her skirt... well... let's just say it was a big accomplishment appreciated by all of my family.

4/9/03 ELEVEN MONTHS POST-OP:
Official eleventh month weigh in is 154 lbs.  I only lost 4 pounds this past month.. but that's okay.  I haven't been exercising, so I can't be disappointed.  I swear, if I never lost another ounce, I would be completely happy.  NOW if we could just do something about these droopy boobies.  Good grief!  Take the 18 hour Playtex bra off... and we're in trouble!!!

4/13/03 FORTY-EIGHT WEEKS FOUR DAYS POST-OP:
I just got back from flying to North Carolina for the weekend to do a wedding.  I worked ALL WEEKEND long.  That was the longest wedding I've ever shot.  The rehearsal dinner was very upscale... five course meal.  I worked 4 hours Friday night.  Then on Saturday, I worked for 13 hours.  I shot over 445 photographs!  The wedding was beautiful and elegant... just like out of the movies!!!!  My plane rides were very bumpy.... a whole lot of turbulence... so much, that I almost got sick at one point.... and I'm not one to get sick on rides or anything... but I made it through.  I went to a club with a cousin on Friday night.  It had valet parking and security stationed at the door determining who got to go in and who got to wait.  WE GOT IN!  I had so much fun!  I've never been to a club that was so high class before.  Wall to wall... sea of beautiful rich people.  Okay... not sounding like I'm bragging... but you are reading my journal, right?  I had attention from lots of good looking men.  It was great!  I did not lack a dance partner.  I also discovered a new pick up line while I was there... must be a North Carolina thing.... On three different occasions, from three different guys, they told me that I had really pretty hair, and then would have their buddies to come over and touch it.  Too weird... never had a guy tell me in a club that I had nice hair.  Anywho, I made it back in one piece.... now I'm gearing up for a California trip this coming weekend... going to Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe, and Reno.  I'm sure you'll be reading about it next week.  :-D 

Now to address a concern that I've received from several of my avid readers:  Many of you have emailed me voicing concerns that I've gotten a wild hair, that I don't seem like myself, that "Whoa buddy... Jules is out there!".  Yep, maybe... maybe you're right.  I have gotten a wild hair.  But you know what?  I'm enjoying life for the first time in over 10 years!  I missed my 20's (as my Mom would say), so I guess I'm just making up for it.  Granted, I agree, I need to tone the potty mouth down and probably should put down that nasty habit I picked up at week #40, but all in all... I'm not doing anything wrong.  Okay, so I love to go out dancing, I love to flirt, I love the attention, and I may have a few drinks here and there... but, this girl also has a full time career at a Fortune 500 Insurance Company, has extra responsibilities of maintaining the Cultural Events Committee for Employee Appreciation Week which is responsible for three events this year, owns her own photography business that she works 30+ hours a week on with appointments, emails, maintaining a website, and all of the accounting for the business, answers 6+ emails a day about WLS and also maintains the WLS website, maintains a household to include dinner every night, cleaning, washing clothes, and all of the financial matters for the family, maintains a personal loan company with four clients, in the process of starting a greeting cards company, just took on the responsibility of a WLS Support Group Meeting at work, and still manages to talk to her best friend for 14+ hours a week (I LOVE YOU GAYLA!).  SO..... there you have it!  Have I gotten wild.. maybe so... but I'm still a very responsible girl with a lot on my plate.  Love me or leave me... this is me.... OKAY OKAY... I'm off the soap box now.  :-D

So, how have I actually been feeling lately?  It's sort of weird I guess.  Everyday seems like a dream state.  I feel like I've taken a good pain med like Percocet or Vicodin and I just haven't come off the high or something.  It's really weird.  Everyday seems unreal and it just fades into the next.  I guess the best way for me to explain it is that my head feels swimmy.  It was really bad this weekend when I was on those four planes.  The only thing I could do is just lay my head back and wait for the ride to end.  I go to see Dr. Champion next month for my one year check-up.  I'm gonna mention it to him.  It's probably nothing, and it's not really a bad thing... but I just wish I could wake up out of this state some time... it really feels like I'm in a dreamy state... sort of numb to my surroundings.   I'll be driving down the highway and won't even notice that I'm going 100+ miles an hour... or that I'm crossing over into the other lane.  My driving has gotten really bad lately because of this whole "dream state" that I'm in.... but... As much as I've been going lately, who knows.  Another thing that I've been experiencing a lot of lately is foot and leg cramps... like Charlie horses where my foot will cramp up, it's painful, and I can't move it.  I looked the condition up on Yahoo Health and this is what it said:

Spasms of the hands or feet may be an important early sign of tetany, a potentially life-threatening condition. Tetany is a manifestation of an abnormality in calcium level, which can be linked to the following:

Well, that doesn't sound too positive, does it?  "Abnormality in calcium levels"?  HELLO!  but I don't understand 'cause I take my calcium every day AND my blood work just came back showing normal calcium levels.  I'm gonna talk to Dr. Champion about this too.  Sometimes you can get leg & foot cramps from lack of Potassium... but I've been taking that too and again... my blood work showed normal.  Well anyway, didn't mean to scare the doody out of any of you who are researching... but, I'm not gonna hold back... I'm gonna tell you like it is.  Well, seeing as it is 1:31am on Tuesday morning, I'm heading to bed.  I'll catch ya on the flip side!  :-D

4/17/03 FORTY-NINE WEEKS POST-OP:
This entry is gonna be a quickie... getting ready for work, then dashing home, heading to Atlanta to fly out to California.  My "official weigh-in" was 154 lbs.  What?  Did you expect something different?  Boy Howdy have we been Plateau City or what?  However, I have to tell you that it has a lot to do with me.  I haven't been exercising like I am suppose to.  Maybe when I get back from all the madness I'll get my butt in gear.  Anywho, I hope everyone has a fantastic Easter Holiday.  Lots of Love!  Jules

4/22/03 FORTY-NINE WEEKS FIVE DAYS POST-OP:
Well... I made it back in one piece! I flew out to Sacramento, California on Thursday evening to visit with Gayla. Over the weekend, we did a road trip of Northern California.  We started our journey on Friday morning by heading to Fairfield, California where we hit the Jelly Belly Factory and a tour of the Budweiser plant. We then headed to Napa Valley. It was absolutely beautiful with green mountains, cows, and of course miles and miles of grape vines. We did a complete tour of the Beringer Winery Vineyard. WOW is all I can say! Beautiful landscape and rich with history. The weather was an incredible 80 degrees! We ate at the Pinot Blanc... thank goodness we were able to hit the "Late Lunch" menu... whew! The food was incredible... but... so were the prices! :-D Our waiter use to own hotels in Chile. He asked us if we would like some "Non-Vintage Cabernet Tap Water". It threw us off at first... LOL!   After our tours, it was then a four hour drive to South Lake Tahoe, California where the weather was a wee bit different. Try 40 degrees! The ground was covered in 6+ feet of snow. WOW! Friday evening we crossed over the state line into Lake Tahoe, NV and hit Caesar's Palace. Very very nice!   Saturday morning we hit the "Dixie Cruise Ship" where we dined for two hours enjoying the beauty of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Mountains. The beach at Lake Tahoe was covered in snow. Ever seen snow on the beach??? We then headed over to "Heavenly Ski Resort" where we took a ride on the Gondola straight up the mountain 3 miles. The landscape below was unbelievable! We then jumped in the car and headed to Reno, NV passing through the state's capital of Carson City. Saturday evening we hit several of the fancy casinos: El Dorado, Fitzgerald... but my favorite was the Silver Legacy. It was huge on the inside with beautiful sculptures, restaurants, clubs, and of course three floors of casinos.   Sunday morning, it was time to head back to Sacramento... but not without a few stops on the way. We hit a few Vista Points and Auburn Ski Resort where we played in the snow. I've never personally seen that much snow.... you know... Columbus, GA may get an inch... but not 15+ feet!!! When I was climbing up the mountain, I fell in up to my waist in one section.... Oops!  Good thing I didn't go all the way through! I saw a few bunnies frolicking in the snow too... not sure if one was the Easter bunny or not. 

4/24/03 FIFTY WEEKS POST-OP:
I have been so incredibly busy.... and I won't be settling down until after July.  I've got projects going on at work, photography out the ying yang, and in the process of getting ready for my big California up the coast road trip (more info later).  My weight has been fluctuating between 154 and 158 pounds.  Four pounds at this stage of the game does make a big difference in your clothes... it's amazing as when I was overweight.... I could have a four pound difference in just one hour.  Anywho, I've got to get busy on that treadmill.

4/27/03 FIFTY WEEKS THREE DAYS POST-OP:
Well yesterday I said "FORGET IT!" and decided to have a "ME DAY".  I put all my work to the side, cancelled a few appointments, and took care of myself.  My neck has been so stiff lately... my feet have been cramping up... I'm just running myself ragged.  Yesterday I started the day with getting my hair highlighted.  I had chocolate fudge brownie roots three inches long coming out of my head.  I have to watch that 'cause my friends Gayla and Keller will rag me until I do something about it (Keller calls it root rot)..  Next I went and got an hour and a half full body massage.  My massage therapist is yummy!  (Oops, did I say that out loud???)  He is very cute.  I've been going to him for years.  He did say that my feet had a lot of knots in them.  From there, I went to the tanning bed, took a shower, then onto getting my nails done and a pedicure.  Finally, I met my husband for dinner at Cheddar's.  I ordered a mudslide, but the bartender made it too sweet or something... I couldn't drink it.  Too much sweet makes me sick.  Anywho... that was my Saturday.  Now back to the grindstone today.  I've got to put in about 4 hours at my employer to complete a project, about 3 hours into photography, 2 hours into this website updating photos, and about 1 hour into my California trip planning.  Seeing as it is now 11:00am.... hmmm.... I'm going to bed late.

4/28/03 FIFTY WEEKS FOUR DAYS POST-OP:
Well I was scheduled for my one year post-op appointment on May 7th.  However, it is was going to be almost impossible to get off from work in order to drive to Atlanta for 2 hours, spend 15 minutes with the doctor, then 2 hours home.  I called Michele, the nurse in Dr. Champion's office, and asked if I could do a phone consultation like they do for folks that live out of state.  So, we had a nice chat.  I asked her about my feet and legs cramping up.... because my blood work shows good levels of calcium and potassium, then the next thing is dehydration.  My massage therapist told me the same thing too.... that cramping in your feet can be caused by dehydration.  So I guess Jules will be increasing the water intake.  I also asked her about me being cold ALL THE TIME even when it's like 80 degrees.  I also shiver a lot when others are completely comfortable in a room.  She said that my body's thermostat will take about a year to adjust to not having the 110 pound layer of fat for insulation.  Anyway, she said that my weight loss was way ahead of schedule and that I should expect to lose my 19 pounds I have left over the next 12 months.

05/01/03 FIFTY-ONE WEEKS POST-OP:
WHAT???  COULD IT BE??  NO WAY!  YES WAY!  I STARTED LOOSING WEIGHT AGAIN!!!!  The "official weigh-in" this morning is 151.5!  That's a total loss of 112.5!  I'm so excited!  I just can't hide it!  I know... I know.. I know...  okay... it's 6:53am in the morning... I'm not sure I know what I know.... and seeing as I didn't get in bed until 1:40am... I'm half asleep.  After attending a play at the Springer Opera House (sponsored by my employer) last night, me and several members of my committee checked out a new club that opened here in Columbus.  It was pretty busy for a Wednesday night.  We had a blast and danced until 12:30am!  Well... off to get ready for work. 

05/09/03 HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!!
The girl is back at it again!  I lost another pound!  I'm currently at 150.5..... more info later.... job interview and celebrating with friends.......

Okay... here's the update as promised.  Friday, 5/9/03, was my one year anniversary.  I just felt great all day... I was on a natural high.  At work, I'm surround by friends who love me, and they're all just so encouraging.  They all keep my head blown up three times it's normal size with all of the compliments... but you know me... I love being the center of attention and I just eat it up!  LOL!  In the afternoon I had a job interview for a supervisor position.  I felt really positive about the interview... I'll update the journal when I know something more.  Friday evening, a bunch of my friends met at my house for  a few cocktails and a little dancing.  It was so great because while we were all chilling in the living room, they started a toast and went all the way around the room.  Each person talked about the "old" Julie, the "new" Julie, and what I mean to them.  Oh my God!  It was so heart warming... I could have just cried.  We then all headed over to the "Firehouse" nightclub.  We had so much fun!  We danced all night!  I was heading to the restroom when one of the bartender girls came and grabbed my arm.  She said, "Will you come dance on my bar?".  I said, "Dance on your bar?".  She said, "Yes, you're so pretty, I want you to come dance on the bar... we need some more business over here".  Oh my goodness!  I've done crazy things... but whew!  The bouncer guy picked me up and put me on the bar.... so... I started dancing.  LOL!  My husband came over to the bar and tapped me on my foot.  He said, "Honey, you need to get down".  He thought that I was drunk and had just gotten up there on my own or something.  I said, "Sweetie, they told me to get up here.".  So, he said "okay", but then stood there as if he was standing guard and protecting me.  I love him... he's so great.  How 'bout I made $10!  LOL!!!!  I gave it all to the hubby though... he's a good pimp... he gets 100% of the profit.  LOL!   Well, we had a blast and my clique of friends always makes me feel special.  I love you guys and gals!  Y'all are the best!!!!

05/13/03 ONE YEAR FOUR DAYS POST-OP:
I've come down with some kind of cold.  My nose is all stopped up, my head is stuffy, my throat hurts, and I can't stop coughing.... I'm going to bed.  I've got my First WLS Support Group Meeting that I'm conducting at my employer tomorrow.

05/16/03 ONE YEAR, ONE WEEK, ONE DAY POST-OP:
I'm still sick.  I faxed a request this morning to my primary physician's nurse begging for them to call me in a prescription.  Usually he says that everyone must come in to see him before he'll write a prescription.  I told the nurse in the letter that I am heading out of town and absolutely have no time to come in.  If my doctor won't do it... guess I'll have to go to my employer's clinic this morning.  I've got a wedding to shoot in Atlanta on Saturday, and one on Sunday.  I work on Monday.  I pack on Tuesday.  Then flying to California on Wednesday for a week.  Whew!  This girl is on the go, isn't she?

05/27/03 ONE YEAR, TWO WEEKS, FOUR DAYS POST-OP:
I'M BACK FROM CALIFORNIA!  HAD A BLAST!  PHOTOS AND DETAILS LATER.... after a five hour plane ride and a two hour shuttle ride back to my house..... I'M GOING TO BED!!!  12:17am

05/27/03 ONE YEAR, TWO WEEKS, FIVE DAYS POST-OP:
Okay, the moment we've all been waiting for.... details of Julie's trip.  Gosh... where do I start?  First of all, I had so much fun!  I didn't gain any weight (which is a bonus), but my hubby gained 8 pounds.  :-(  It's okay, he does that... gains, loses, gains, loses... he's so darn sexy, no one is the wiser.  Me, my hubby, and our friend John (a.k.a. John Boy or Johnny) took a shuttle from Columbus to Atlanta, then flew from Atlanta to Los Angeles, California on Wednesday morning, 5/21/03.  Good grief!  I just realized that's been one week ago today!... certainly doesn't seem like it.  Anywho... onto the story.  While we were in the air, my best friend Gayla rented a Grand Jeep Cherokee and drove from Sacramento down to pick us up from the LAX airport.  When the four of us met up, we drove down to Anaheim where our hotel was right across the street from Disneyland (talk about convenience!!!).  We chilled by the pool for a bit (in my new sexy Tommy Hilfiger bikini with the cute little skirt.  Sis liked it so much that she bought her one too!  Of course you can find my 'kini shot in the photo gallery... LOL!).  After the pool, we got ready and headed to the taping of the Craig Kilborn Late Late Show to be members of the studio audience.  We had reservations, however, our 45 minute Mapquest trip from Anaheim to Hollywood took 1.5 hours... who knew traffic would be from HELL!  We were two minutes late, so they gave our reservations to someone else.  However, they did say if we came back the next day, we were guaranteed to get in.  So... we cruised down Hollywood Blvd., Sunset Strip, took a look-see at the Hollywood sign, and ate Chinese food from some hole in the wall in Hollywood.  We headed back to our hotel, made a few drinks from the spirits we picked up, and crashed!  Whew!  We were TIRED!!!  Thursday, 5/22/03 morning, we headed to Disneyland's California Adventures.  The park was dead... this was great for us!  We did the whole park in four hours!... okay... so we don't have kids, so no kiddy rides, and we didn't watch any shows... but we rode all the adult rides and that's what counts!  After Disney, we headed back to the hotel to get ready, yet again, for the Craig Kilborn taping.  Our original Thursday night plans were to have dinner at Medieval Times, but due to the mishap with Craig Kilborn and Medieval Times being totally booked solid for the other nights, we just had to skip that one.  They have a Medieval Times down in Orlando too... so I'm sure we'll get to do that sometime in our lifetime.  Okay... on with the story.  So, we left the hotel 2 hours before the taping and made it with 15 minutes to spare.  WE GOT IN!  Turns out there were some other Georgia folks there too from Augusta, GA... they sat right in front of us... how cool is that?  The show was great.  The guests were Daisy Fuentes, um... some other chick, and then... um.... Marilyn Manson's girlfriend who is a Playboy centerfold... she did a strip tease in a huge martini glass.... anywho... we were on camera... but just for a second or two.  After the taping, we headed over to the Farmer's Market where we had dinner at Maggiano's.  Nice... expensive... we spent right at $200.  I couldn't eat worth a crap.  I was having a little pouch day.  A "little pouch" day is where you take one bite of something and you're stuffed.  It's where your tummy feels like it has shriveled up and any bite of food is gonna make you nauseous.  Well... the others in the party enjoyed what I didn't eat... and I didn't hear them complaining.  :-D  We headed back to the hotel and crashed yet again after watching ourselves on the Craig Kilborn show at 12:30am.  Friday, 5/23/03, we got up really early and drove to Marina Del Ray where we were picked up by a shuttle to be taken on our 8 hour "LA City Tour".  WOW!  This was sooooo much fun!  Our tour guide was a hoot!  We started with a tour of Marina Del Rey, Muscle Beach, Venice Beach, Hotel California, Santa Monica Pier, then headed to downtown where we saw the Staples Center, City Hall, Union Station, Olvera Street (oldest street in LA since 1780), then onto the Hollywood Sign, Mann's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Kodak Theatre, the Farmer's Market for lunch at Johnny Rocket's (yet another "little pouch day"... I ate two bites of Chili and was stuffed to the max), then onto Beverly Hills, Melrose Avenue, Sunset Strip, seeing all of the celebrity owned restaurants and nightclubs they frequent... the Viper Room, the Rainbow room, Skybar... etc.... the nightclubs all looked like "hole in the wall" type establishments... oh well.... guess the stars have to have fun too.... Our tour continued with 45 Celebrity Homes, then ended with a nice shopping trip down Rodeo Drive visiting Versace, Tiffany's, and the only thing we could afford were a box of Gummy Bears that a man was selling on the side of the road.  The diamonds in the windows were so beautiful!  ONE DAY GAYLA!  ONE DAY!!!  Our tour guide got us back to our SUV in Marina Del Rey.  The four of us headed down to the Santa Monica Pier where it was COLD!  We had to go to the fair on the pier... what trip to Santa Monica would be complete without riding on the roller coaster over the ocean?  This is the same pier and fair that was featured in the vampire film "The Lost Boys".  It was so much fun!  It was starting to get late, colder, darker, and the freaks started to come out... so we headed back to get some dinner in Anaheim at the good 'ole Outback.... of course we then headed to the hotel and crashed yet again.  Saturday, 5/24/03 was a day of road trip travel.  We piled in the SUV and headed to Santa Barbara Beach.  How BEAUTIFUL!  The cliffs overlooking the ocean were breathtaking!  We laid on the beach for an hour while Johnny played football with some random beach folks.  The weather was a bit on the chilly side.  We then ate lunch/dinner at the original Carrows in Santa Barbara, made a pit stop in King City, and hit the road to San Francisco where we spent the night.  Sunday, 5/25/03 we headed to the Fisherman's Warf in San Francisco where we took a three hour bus tour of the city.  We visited Post Card Hill with the painted Victorian homes, America's steepest street, China Town, Palace of Fine Arts Exploratorium, Financial District, Civic Center, Presidio, Marina, Cliff House, Nob Hill, North Beach... and many more areas too many to name.  After our tour we walked the streets of San Francisco shopping, had lunch at Rainforest Cafe, did more shopping where I bought my leopard print fleece pant and jacket set.  Oh yes... this was an impulse buy with the help of Gayla.  Yes... she did encourage me.  Little did I know she would later dis-own me when I decided to wear it through the streets of San Francisco.  OH YES I DID!  I changed at our car and proudly pranced in my black high heels and leopard print fleece suit.  And by the way... the answer is "yes", it was cold enough to be wearing fleece.  We took a trip down the pier to look at the Sea Lions and Seals.... there were hundreds of them honking!  Around 4:30pm we took a boat ride out to Alcatraz and then an audio tour of the prison.  It is quite a climb up the prison hill equal to climbing a 13 story building.  If you ever go, don't wear heels and a leopard print fleece outfit.  LOL!  After our Alcatraz tour, we drove down Lombard Street, America's crookedest street.  The steep, hilly street was created with sharp curves to switchback down the one-way hill past beautiful Victorian mansions.  The street is paved with bricks and is an amazing site to see.  From Lombard we headed for a quick trip over the Golden Gate Bridge.  The fog was quite thick and we couldn't see 15 feet in front of us.  We couldn't even see the bridge until we were on it!  We ate at the "In and Out Burger", then headed back over the bridge one more time for fun.  Then... back for another road trip heading to Sacramento!  We spent the night in Rancho Cordova, right outside of Sacramento and just two streets down from Gayla's apartment.  We had breakfast Monday morning, then Gayla followed us to the Sacramento airport to return our SUV.  Our plane took off at 11:45am PST and when it was all said and done with, we arrived back in Columbus, GA at 9:30pm EST.  What a fantastic trip!  I miss Gayla already... but knowing us... we'll be road tripping again soon.  We're gearing up for another big trip sometime later this year.  What will it be?  The Grand Canyon?  Las Vegas?  The Smokey Mountains?  You never know with us!  Okay... THE END.  :-)

05/31/03 ONE YEAR, THREE WEEKS, ONE DAY POST-OP:
I had two "moments" yesterday.  The first "moment" came when an employee came to my desk and spoke to me for about 15 minutes regarding the struggles of weight loss.  We discussed food addictions and how they effect our lives.  WOW!  While I was sitting there speaking with her, I realized that I had suppressed all these feelings about food... that I had laid that demon to rest (which is a good thing).  All of a sudden I could remember the feeling of that demon inside that just couldn't get enough to eat... the demon who thought about food 24/7.... the demon that enjoyed consuming large quantities of food...  WHEW!  I couldn't wait for our conversation to be over.  I DON'T EVER WANT TO FEEL THAT AGAIN!  That whole feeling of allowing food to control my life... the whole feeling of an urge to eat like a mad monster... NO THANKS!  It actually scared me for a minute... like the demon was trying to raise it's ugly head.  Shortly after, I went to lunch and ate Sushi with my lunch buddies.  Yes, I ate everything on my plate (minus the rice) which is not normal for me.  Normally I'm having to beat John and Josh off of my plate 'cause they can't wait 'till I'm done.... they always get what's left.  They love it when I'm having a "little pouch day" and they always encourage me to eat all of my soup & salad before my main meal comes out.  LOL!  Anywho... back to the story.  After lunch, I laid the demon back to rest.  I don't want to be that person again who is consumed by consuming food.  Okay.... 'nuff 'bout that... on to "moment" #2.  My second moment came yesterday evening while shopping at the mall.  I purchased a pair of short shorts from Express, then popped over to the Body Shop to purchase a cute top to wear later in the evening.  As I was leaving Body Shop, the "moment" came over me.  I look down, and here I am carrying a bag from Express and a bag from Body Shop.  My mind stopped!  WHAT!???  WHAT IS THIS???  My dreams have been fulfilled!  I can remember back in high school longing to shop at the Body Shop with all of my high school girlfriends... they always dressed so cute... and I was always had to shop at the department stores for larger sizes.  It's all kinda crazy to me right now.  I sometimes don't understand it and I really don't think that my mind has caught up with all of this yet.  Here's a quick example:  My Mom had picked up several orders from the lab for me while I was gone in California.  As I was going through the boxes looking at my client's orders, I came across a box with photos of a girl in them.  My very very first thought was:  "Wow!  I don't remember taking these.  Who is this client?  I must have someone else's order".  My second thought as I began to open the clear plastic bag was "This girl is very photogenic and has a nice body."  What the heck!  As I started sifting through the pics... it hit me... THAT'S YOU!!!!  OH MY GOD!  I didn't recognize myself!  Over three weeks ago my friend Angel Stubbs came over and did my make-up and my sis took photos of me.  I had forgotten all about the roll film order 'cause we had done most of the pics on digital.  It was too crazy!  I was shocked later that I didn't recognize myself.... BUT WAIT!  IT GETS BETTER!  The next day my hubby comes to me and tells me about "his moment"..... I had NOT told him about my "moment" at all.  I had laid all of the boxes of client orders, including my own, on the dining room table.  Cary decided that he would just browse through the orders to look at some of my work.  He told me that when he came across the box of photos with me, that he stopped, said to himself "Wow, who is this?", and opened the plastic bag to look at the photos.  He said it wasn't until the third photo did he realize that he was looking at pics of me.  I LOVE IT!  WHEW HOO!!!  He then began to tell me how beautiful I am.  Ahhh.... girls... let's clone him and sell him in the stores.... we could make lots of money.  Who's with me?  You know, use to when I would look at photos of me, I was shocked at how big I was because my mind always thought of me as smaller.  Now, when I look at photos of me, I am shocked at how small I am because my mind always thinks of me as larger.  Craziness isn't it?

SIDEBAR NOTE: 
Oops!  Forgot to update the journal.  Nope... didn't get the supervisor position but was told I had a great interview... sometimes others just beat ya out.  It's okay.  God will put me where he wants me.  I'll keep my chin up and keep on truckn'!  :-D

06/04/03 ONE-YEAR, THREE WEEKS, FIVE DAYS POST-OP (WHEW... THESE TITLES ARE GETTING LONG!):
I've probably talked about this in my journal before... but... anywho... Okay, prior to surgery, I can remember "sabotaging myself".  You know... when you lose a few pounds... you're feeling good.. and then for some damn reason.. you start to eat again.  It's like your subconscious is afraid of you loosing weight... so you eat to maintain.  Makes no freaking sense, but I'm going through that today.  Yep, got on the scale this morning and had lost more weight.  So, what did I do today?  Well, I had a protein shake for breakfast, a fifth of a taco salad (just the guts, no lettuce) for lunch, then came home and ate another fifth, followed that up with a Dinty can of Chicken & Dumplings, followed by 1/2 cup of sugar free ice cream, two snack bite size Three Musketeers, and ended with six Ritz Crackers topped with Peter Pan Peanut Butter.  A lot of food?  No... not for the obese Jules... but as a post-op, that's a crap load!  One meal too many!  I feel guilty... but I don't... but I do!  OH MY GOD... I THINK I'M GOING INSANE (as I eat another Ritz cracker).  Tomorrow is "Official Weigh-In Day"... I'll probably get on there and have gained 115 pounds!  OINK OINK OINK.... Okay... I think this is turning into a Fat Day too... wait a minute... the clock just struck midnight... that means it is a new day... so... Thursday, 6/5/03 will be Fat Day!  "Fat Girl.. da na na na na na na na FAT GIRL!"  (sing to the tune of Batman).

06/05/03 ONE-YEAR, THREE WEEKS, SIX DAYS POST-OP:
"Official Weigh-In", I lost half a pound... yep... just a half.  Oh well.. I FINALLY made it to my goal of 150 pounds though!!!!!  Pre-surgery days... the days before I knew surgery existed... I use to say "If I could only get down to 150 pounds I'd be happy".  Well guess what?  I am happy!  If I didn't lose anymore weight, I would be completely satisfied.  I can buy Mediums from Express, Larges from the Body Shop, and size 10/12 from Lerner.... who could ask for anything more?

6/9/03 THIRTEEN MONTHS POST-OP

6/15/03 ONE YEAR, ONE MONTH, SIX DAYS POST-OP:
Well, I've been the little slacker in my journal.... and I always have Michaela to remind me.  LOL!  Love ya girl!  ;-)  WOW!  I've just been incredibly busy.... and I've had some kind of funk.  It's been going around as my friend Natalie and my sister Gracie have also both been really sick.  Thursday night I woke up at 2:00am soaking wet from sweat... it looked like someone had taken the garden hose and wet me and my bed down for an hour.  GROSS I KNOW!  I had to change the sheets.  Then... if it didn't happen again on Friday night.  Soaking wet from head to toe.  You could actually wring the sweat out of the sheets that's how bad it was.  I have been running a fever of 100 degrees so I guess my body is just trying to break it.  I don't know but the whole waking up in a pool of sweat and I haven't even been up to no good is just yucky.  Well, here I sit, 3:20am on Sunday, 6/15/03.  I started the day with working twelve hours on a wedding.  WHEW!  ME IS TIRED!  I got home around 10:00pm and my friend Brandy &   both applied peer pressure to get me to go out to the Firehouse with them.  Yes I was tired.  Yes I am still sick.  Yes my back was killing me.  However, you would think as I am almost 30 years old I wouldn't suffer from "peer pressure" anymore... but.. well... it happens.  I rested for an hour then reluctantly pulled myself from the bed to apply some fresh makeup.  I was so tired that my eyes were red and glassy.  You would have thought I'd been smoking something.  Oh well, I pulled myself together and made it up to the club.  Much to my surprise, that place was packed out.  For any of you folks reading this from Columbus, it was like the "old Al Who's"... body to body... "Club La Vela" theme.  WOW!  I don't like for a club to be dead, but I also can't stand it when it's packed out either.  Yup, Jules always wanting her cake and eating it too.  I was so tired, but I managed to pull about 45 minutes of dancing out of my butt and luckily my friend Brandy's man "Johnny" was there.  He held me in his arms and allowed me to rest for the remaining 1.5 hours I was there.  He's such a great guy.  I hope that girl will marry him some day.  We'll see.  Anywho, let's get to what everyone wants to hear.  I did not "officially weigh-in" on my 13th month anniversary, so I weighed in just a second ago.  I'm at 148.5.  That's a total loss of 115.5 pounds with just 13.5 more to go until I hit Dr. C's goal.  Wanna know how I can get there?  Anybody?  YES!  GET MY BUTT ON THE TREADMILL!  Okay, I'll need encouragement.... so... someone send me an email:  Julie@JEHedges.com  If everyone who reads this sends me an email telling me to get on the treadmill... maybe I will.... hmmm... we'll have to see.  It's so hard at this stage in the game.  I'm just completely content with my weight & looks that I'm actually getting frustrated that all my cool pants are starting to fall off of me 'cause there too big.  Oh well, like my friend Kimmy would say "That's just another excuse to go shopping!".  Guess I'll need to.  Well, off to bed kids.  Me is tired!

6/17/03 ONE YEAR, ONE MONTH, ONE WEEK, ONE DAY POST-OP:
Well I did it!  I got on the treadmill for 30 minutes!  I ate all freaking day Sunday and Monday though.  That little pouch is starting to hold more.  Kinda scary.  I'm about to hit the bed.... as technically it's Tuesday morning at 12:16am... however, physically it's Monday night time to go to sleep.

6/19/03 ONE YEAR, ONE MONTH, ONE WEEK, THREE DAYS POST-OP (this is getting ridiculous... gonna find a better method):
Today is Thursday and that means "Official Weigh-In".  When I got on the scale today, it hollered back "One at a time please!!!!".  Whew... I'm having a fat girl day.  The past few days I've eaten everything in sight.  I'm a little piggy.  I think I like the little pouch days much better.  Anywho, I'm fluctuating between 148.5 and 150.... so... just roll your dice, pick a number, and maybe you'll come up a winner.. or... maybe a wiener... who knows.

6/23/03... I'VE LOST COUNT!  TODAY IS DAY #410.
Well let's see here.. in four short days I've gained 4.5 pounds!  Oh yes... as you can imagine... I am VERY UPSET at myself.  I've gone from 148.5 to 153.  Let's back track here:  I was at work where a co-worker gave me five pieces of Dove Dark Chocolates.  She knows how I love them.  Well... that's all it took.  The ugly food addiction demon creature from deep within rose his head.  I stopped off at the store on the way home and bought two huge bags of Dove Dark Chocolates.  They are so damn good... and for some reason, semi-sweet dark chocolate does not make me dump.  Yes... I've eaten one entire bag... however, thank God the second bag IS still sealed... it will not be opened as I've decided to take it to work tomorrow for a grand distribution.  However, at a wedding I shot this weekend, guess what they had????... OH YES!  Hershey's Special Dark mini chocolate bars.  Looking back it totally grosses me out the way I acted.... filling my pockets full of mini chocolate bars.... like some pig that just couldn't shove the candy in fast enough.  It's totally sinful to be hoarding chocolates and eating them like some savage beast.  What the hell has gotten into me????  GOOD LORD!  I guess I'm reaching that point in the surgery that all my 2+ year post-op WLS buddies have warned me about; Where the appetite starts to come back... you can hold more food... and gaining weight is so much easier now because your metabolism is out of whack.  HOLD UP JULES!  SLOW YOUR ROLL!  YOU WILL NEVER GO BACK TO BEING FAT GIRL NOW GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!  I've got to get my ass back on that treadmill, I've got to increase my water content, and I've got to get back to pouch basics.... fill that sucker with thick meat and don't drink anything with my meal for at least an hour.  Starting tomorrow it's back to pouch basics and I freaking mean it!  Now someone come kick me straight up my ass then beat me down until I surrender.  I'M TAKING MY FAT ASS TO BED!  UGGHHHH!!!!  I JUST FEEL GROSS!!!!

6/25/03... DAY #412
Just popping in for a quick note... I'm back down to 151.5 this morning.  NO... it's not 148.5, but it's not 153 either.

6/26/03 ... DAY #413
Look at me... being the good little girl and updating my journal.  :-)  The "official weigh-in" this morning was 151.5.  Nope, it's not my 148.5... but is sure ain't 153 neither.  At this point, with all the eating I've been doing, I'll take what I can get.  I have just been non-stop lately... eating everything in sight!  I'm not being a very good example to my girls that look to me for advice and here lately I feel like Keller has been more of my angel than me hers.  I'm gonna get better... I promise.  I've just got to get this food demon addiction to go back to hibernation.  Anywho, something I meant to mention about a week ago... but just forgot... my before & after photo is now on the "Tricks with Pics" page on ObesityHelp.com.  You can see it here:  http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bnfseries.phtml?Dir=Next&Time=1055949496  Just roll your mouse over the before & after buttons.  Fun!  :-)  I've always received a lot of email from persons that find my website.  I average 2 to 3 emails everyday.  However, when my photos went live on the "Tricks with Pics" page.... whoa Mama!  I had over 35 emails the first day and it hasn't stopped.  But you know what?  I love it!  I really do.  I enjoy getting emails from people commenting on my website.... so... keep 'em coming!  ;-)  Oh yeah, sidebar note:  I've added a new "clothed" photo to the "front" clinical page.... hee hee.  Alright, well, let me get ready for work.  Bye!

6/28/03 ... DAY #415
HALLELUIAH!!!  I DID IT!  I finally got back down to 148.5 as of this morning!  I'm telling you... if you just follow the pouch basics... IT WORKS!  Eat three times a day with a snack of fruit.  I personally love pineapple.  Anywho.  Your three meals have to be dense protein... good 'ol fashion meat.  I love pork tenderloin 'cause it's so tender and easy to chew.  That's what I've been eating the past few days.  Thank you Jesus!  I really scared myself there for a few days.  I was scared that the honeymoon was all over and that the scale was gonna take a turn.  On to more exciting news.... I went to Body Shop again yesterday.  I walked in and right away the sales clerk says "How can I help you?  You looking for something specific?"  I must have had that mad dash look on my face as it was 15 minutes before they closed.  I told her I was looking for a jumpsuit.  She says "I got the perfect thing for you!".  I saw the jumpsuit on the rack and thought "Oh my... that will never fit me.  The waist look so tiny... the top looked so tiny.  Darn!  The whole thing just looked too darn small.  BUT... I wanted to amuse the sales clerk so I went and tried it on.  BAM!  IT FIT!  PERFECTLY!  This is just mentally too crazy for me.  You really won't understand unless you've lost 100+ pounds.  My brain can not understand that I am small... I can't handle it.... well... I can... but it's just crazy.  Well, I'll have to continue this story later about our night at the Firehouse.... I've got to go get ready to shoot a wedding in an hour... so... talk at ya later.

7/07/03 ... DAY #425
Wow!  I went 10 days without a journal update!  What's that all about?  Goodness grief!  It's a wonder y'all haven't come to kick my butt.  Oh sure, I've received the nasty emails from some of y'all who haven't got their weekly "Jules Reality Series" fill... LOL!... but I'm still alive... The series just went on hiatus for a week.  SMILE!  Y'all know I love it!  Well, let's see.  I spent all Fourth of July weekend pretty much sleeping.  My best friend Gayla flew in from California, but spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning with her family.  I got her Saturday afternoon and night.  I'll take what I can get, seeing as I see her more than her family AND I've talked to her everyday since October of last year when she left.  Saturday afternoon we had our favorite; Mexican food at El Carrizo!  I love me some Taco Salad, with Ground Beef, Guacamole, Sour Cream, No Lettuce, Chopped Tomatoes, and no shell.  Did you get all of that?  Before surgery, I would sit down and eat an entire taco salad with lettuce and the shell AND a side of rice in one sitting at the restaurant.  Now I can make many, many meals off my taco salad.  Let's break it down:  I had Taco Salad for lunch and dinner Saturday... for lunch and a mid day snack on Sunday... some for breakfast this morning...  then I finished the rest off for dinner tonight.   DAMN!  Just pure craziness ain't it?  Who'd have ever thought a couple of ounces of taco salad would fill this girl up?  (I've got the Fat Girl theme song playing in my head right now.  Y'all know how it goes: "Da na na na na na na na.... FAT GIRL!  (sing to the Batman theme song)).  Jules has a little secret to tell... but you can't tell anyone yet, tay?  I'm currently being considered for the 2004 American Beauties Calendar.  This calendar is distributed throughout the Atlanta and Columbus area.  The girls that are selected will of course have a photo shoot done and get cool free stuff from the sponsors.  They will also do tours signing calendars and stuff at different Atlanta and Columbus locations.  I had an interview on Monday 6/30/03.  It sounded promising, but I'm not gonna get my hopes up.  There are a lot of girls in the running and most of them are early 20's with great bodies.  Seeing as I'm almost 30 with a well... hmmmm.... a body that is just now seeing better days.... we'll have to see.  I faxed a letter to Dr. Champion's office today asking if he would sponsor me.  Of course they would like all of the girls to try and solicit sponsors to cover the cost of hair, make-up, wardrobe, photos, limos, etc.  Anywho.  If I DO get in, the girl that sells the most calendars wins some prizes.  So you kids get your check books out 'cause Mama's gonna be soliciting you to buy her calendar!  ;-)

7/08/03 ... DAY #426..... into early morning 7/09/03
I meant to tell you that I did get on the treadmill last night.   Yeah, that's right... I'm cool.  Let's see... got lots of miscellaneous topics I'd like to write about tonight.  It's 11:33pm now... let's see how long this takes me.  Let's start by discussing my current favorite food.  Yep, you know me.. always going through phases.  I've been through the chicken & dumpling phase, the taco salad phase, the egg drop soup phase, the bacon phase, and let's not forget the recent Dove chocolate phase.... my new food right now is Trail Mix.  Oh yeah... loving it!  I don't like the Chex Mix stuff... I'm talking about the good stuff that you buy in the dried fruit section of the grocery store.  It has peanuts, raisins, cashews, walnuts, dried cranberries, and just a few random peanut M&M's.  Oh man it's so good!  Yes, I do realize nuts have a lot of carbs... but... they have a lot of protein too... so they're not a bad carb like pasta or potato chips.... but I know... still gotta watch the carb intake.  Okay, what's next... well.. let's talk about Capri Sun's.  I bought some the other day... love me some Capri Sun's, but guess what!?  They're too sweet!  They didn't make me sick... I just had a hard time drinking them 'cause they just tasted too sweet.  It's been a while since I had something really sweet tasting (Dove Dark Chocolates are not the same kinda sweet... so don't even start.  Smile!)  Anywho, feel like I'm gonna have to dilute them with water... like a baby!  Maybe I'll get me a baby bottle too... heck... I may even bring that in as a fashion statement!  Okay... next topic.  Here's a quickie:  I can now wrap a regular size bath towel around me.  (For you skinny 'lil peeps that read my journal (Caryn... hee hee), wrapping a regular size bath towel around your body and being able to push in the end and it stay wrapped around you is quite an accomplishment!)  I can remember buying industrial size whale towels just so I could pretend that a towel actually wrapped around me.  Okay... next subject.  For dinner tonight I was a bad girl.  I thought I would be cool and eat a couple bites of the Cream of Chicken rice I made for hubby.  I made that with some chicken kabobs... green peppers, onions... you know the drill.  Anywho, instead of eating my chicken first, fat girl mentality here dug in for a heaping tablespoon of the rice.  Oh yes baby!  It was good!... tasted like heaven!  So, what did I do?  I dug the fat girl spoon in there again.  "One more heaping tablespoon for the fat girl on aisle three please".  So what do you think happens?  Well of course... my little pouch was full to the brim... no room for any PROTEIN like... um... chicken!  Hello!  So... I sat in the office in agony and chest pains for 30+ minutes until I finally looked at Cary and said "well... it's gotta come up".  So, I went and threw it up.  (Ahhh.. the good 'ol throw up days.... Oh how I miss them sometimes.  I know that sounds weird... but unless your 1+ years out from surgery... you won't understand.  I'll try to explain more later).  So, I throw the rice up... it didn't even look like I had chewed the stuff.  Whole rice kernels came back up.  So, not only did I do bad by eating rice... I also didn't even chew!  See... you can cut my stomach down to nothing.. but I still have a food addiction.  Why did I eat the rice when I KNOW that it's gonna make me sick?  Why?  Because I have a food addiction and stuff just tastes so damn good.  Heroin addicts don't want to live in poverty and lead the lives they do... it's just that the addiction provides so much pleasure, that the pleasure out weighs the consequences.  Only folks with addictions will ever understand them.  My Mom who doesn't have any addictions doesn't seem to understand.  She always asks questions like "Well, why can't they just walk away?" or she used to say "Why can't you just walk away from the table?".  If it were only that easy.  Addictions are addictions are addictions.... when the pleasure out weighs the consequences, why give it up?  Good grief, look at me getting all psychological on y'all.  Who gave me a degree?  Well anyway, I upchucked the rice and ate one over easy egg for dinner followed by of course... some Trail Mix... followed by of course... some sex.  LOL!  I tell y'all too darn much, don't I?  Alrighty, one last thing I wanted to write about... something I've been thinking about for months, but just failed to mention it... it's not the most wonderful thing to talk about... but... if you've read my journal from start to finish... what I write by now shouldn't shock you at all.  Okay, here we go.  This is for the ladies... especially the ladies that are 255+.  When I got up over 255 pounds, I noticed that when I would sit down to pee, that it NEVER would stream straight down... you know... like in the bowl where it's suppose to go?  Instead, it would pee/roll down my butt, then into the bowl (like when you're trying to pour a liquid into another container and it streams down the side of the glass instead of coming straight out).  So.. when I wiped, I'd have to clean all the goods up.  I now notice that I pee like a normal adult.. straight into the pot.  Okay, did that make sense to everyone?  Like I said.. unless you were a big/short/chunky gal like I was... then you may not understand.  Well... let's see.. what else is new?  We've got three new "Hot WLS Babes":  Judy Smith, Karon Adams, and Miss Diva Rosa Fennie.  Go out and check out there profiles on the "Hot WLS Babe" page.  Okay, I've written a freaking novel here.  It's 12:11am... that's a total of 38 minutes.  Later!

7/9/03 FOURTEEN MONTHS POST OP:
"Official 14 month weight" is 148 pounds.  Right on target!  Now... let's see if Mama can lose three pounds this month???  So, what's new with Jules?  Well, I've got GPC (Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis) in my eyes again.  GPC is an inflammation of the inner surface of the eyelids, most frequently associated with contact lens wear and persons with hyper sensitive allergies.  GPC is not an infection, but a hypersensitivity of the membrane covering the inner lids and the whites of the eyes,  GPC appears like numerous tiny bumps on the inner surface of the upper eyelids.... it looks like cobblestones under my eye lids... yeah... I know.. just gross.  The typical symptoms of GPC include red, irritated eyes, often with itching, blurred vision, and light sensitivity.  The cobblestones are kinda rigid, so every time I blink, it grabs the contact lens and pulls it off of my eye... makes it a little hard to see and irritates the mess out of me.  I had GPC about 8 years ago and had to come completely out of contacts.  That's why I went to wearing glasses for almost 8 years... until the last year when I went back to contact lenses... you know... for more of the diva look.  Well sure enough, I knew it was just a matter of time before I would build the allergy up again.  I had to go purchase a new set of eye glasses to wear... my old frames are very large and round.  Wanna hear a funny story?  When I walked in, I explained to the lady that I was looking for new frames because I had lost some weight... that I felt that the pair I am wearing now are too round and big for my face.  She says, "Honey, those frames have never been right for your face, unless you've lost a hundred pounds!"  Well she was trying to be a smartass, but I turned it right back on her! :-)  I said, "Well as a matter of fact, I have lost a hundred pounds!"... SHUT HER UP!  LOL!!!  She was very helpful and helped me pick out about 7 pairs that I thought looked good on me.  When I went in, I refused to look at the brand name or prices.  I was determined to get the frame that looked the best on my face.  Of course when I finally narrowed it down to the pair I really liked, they ended up being Gucci's and the most expensive pair!  The frames and my lenses came to $326!  Holy crap Batman!  Thank God for my Flexible Spending account at my employer!  But hey, if I'm gonna have to wear these things 98% of the time... and I'm gonna continue to be a sex bomb... then I must have frames that compliment my beauty... know what I mean?  LOL!  I can hear Gayla and Keller now... "Good Lord Julie, are you talking about yourself again????  You are your biggest fan!".  "You girls know you love me though... yes you do... yes you do... who's Mama's little babies?  Huh?  Mommy loves her wittle babies.. hers does... yes hers does."  CHEESE!

7/13/03... DAY #430:
It's been a full weekend.  I took Friday off from my employer and went with hubby to Atlanta.  We went to the Deftones / Linkin Park / Limp Bizkit / Metallica Concert.  We had great seats!  It was freaking awesome!  All of the bands sounded just as great in person as they do on CD.  Fantastic show!  Limp Bizkit & Metallica both put on a concert that was simply amazing.  However, there was enough marijuana smoking at the concert to make you high without smoking.  They were smoking the Mary Jane in front, side, and back of us.  I smelled marijuana all day Saturday too 'cause that mess must have singed my nose hairs.  I'm telling you... It's so crazy to me that Cary and I got turned away at the gate for trying to bring in bottled water... but these little rat bastards can bring in drugs!!!  Well anyway, I listen to just about everything... country, rock, jazz, classical, metal, r&b, rap, and dance.  I don't think there is any kinda music that I don't like and hubby is that same way.  Of course... he was a music major in school... so, he rubbed off on me.  Anywho, we spent the night in Atlanta then headed to his Mom's house in Dahlonega on Saturday morning.  On the way, we stopped at the Tommy Hilfiger outlet store in Dawsonville.  We all know I'm a Tommy freak and I've always loved going into this store... but it's always been to buy Cary something OR me an XXL shirt from the Men's section.  GUESS WHAT!!!!  We went in... didn't even look at stuff for Cary... I was pulling all kinds of stuff off the racks... stuff that fit!!!!  Size 10's and 12's and MEDIUMS!!!  I bought me some cool stuff.  I was so excited.  This was the first time I shopped in the ladies section of the Tommy store.  I must have looked like a kid in the candy store (all the while I was wearing my Tommy logo summer sweater.... LOL!)  Well, after my shopping spree, we headed to Dahlonega where Cary's Mom and Step-Dad have a beautiful home on the Etowah River.  We like to go tubing on the river.  It's so cool.  Now normally we drive two minutes up the road, drop our tubes under the bridge, and it takes us 2+ hours to float back down to his parent's house.  However, it had rained so much the past week, that the water was deep and the rapids were fast.  It only took us 45 minutes to get back down to the house.  If you keep going... and accidentally miss their house, about a quarter mile more up the river is a water fall... so... um... don't miss the house... like we almost did.  Usually the water is shallow and slow, and you can jump out and walk to the steps, but like I said, the water was deep and rapids were fast.  Cary jumped out of his tube and was able to swim/drag us to the bank.  THANK GOD!  Okay, now, let's discuss the spider that ended up in my tube with me about 20 minutes into our tubing.  Our tubes have bottoms to them so you don't scrape your butt, so if something gets inside, like water, you have to turn the tube upside down to get it out.... okay... so.... I look down, and swimming right in between my legs, not even an inch from goodies was a spider 5 inches in diameter, gray, furry, and legs as thick as pencils.  Now I know that Tarantulas do not harvest in the waters of Georgia... but this damn thing was close enough!  Quick side bar background note on Julie... Julie's biggest fear in life (other than drowning) is spiders.  So Saturday, we were combining the two fears in one... drowning... and SPIDERS!  I first went into shock.  I jumped my ass up on the side of my tube.  Now if this had been 116 pounds ago, the tube would have tipped over, spider on my head, and I would have been treading in the Etowah River rapids.... so... thank you Jesus for allowing me to lose this weight.  Onward we march with the story.  So I hopped my ass up on the side of the tube all the while screaming and pointing.  Cary and his mother just kept screaming back:  "WHAT?!  WHAT?!"  They didn't know what had happened or what it was... was it a snake??? but I was in shock and couldn't get any words out.  Finally I said "Sppppppiiiiiidddddeeeeerrrr!".  Cary got to where he could look over into my tube (he was being a stud at the moment, but come to find out later, he was scared... he knew it was damn big ass spider), he started scoop/splashing/slapping the spider to get him out.  Well every time he did, he slapped the thing up against my leg.  I swear I was about to pass out from shock.  Finally, Cary slaps the spider real hard, I never see it leave my little boat, but now Cary's tube is upside down and Cary is in the rapids.  We were finally able to get him back in the tube... but he's like... "sheesh... I nearly drown trying to save you from the spider!".  Ahh... isn't love so special?  Needless to say, I rode the rest of the rapids sitting on the top side of my tube.  I honestly could have handled a water moccasin easier than the spider.  Oh well... 'nuff 'bout that.  Over the weekend I got into another bag of Dove Dark Chocolates... think I'm gonna sue the Dove company for making those things so darn good. 

7/16/03... DAY #433:
Here I am!  Sorry I didn't update... been busy.  So, let's dissolve the mystery:  Where did Julie get the fur from?  My sweet precious girlfriend Pam Kelley in Auburn, AL who had surgery the day before me (she's in the Hot WLS Babe Gallery) gave it to me as a gift.  She inherited several fur coats when her Aunt passed.  She called me on the phone, whispered sweet nothings in my ear, and asked me if I would like a fur coat.  What shall a girl to do?  OF COURSE I WANT IT!!!  From the first moment I met Pam, I've always known that she was special.  We've shared many hours on the phone together and have been on a few dinner dates... not to mention the three days we spent in the hospital together.  She's the greatest and she will one day reap all the riches in heaven.  I want to share her email with y'all.  It meant a lot to me and made me cry:

-----Original Message-----
From: Pam Kelley
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 12:53 PM
To: Jules

Julie,
You know you are important to me if I would send you a full length fur coat over someone in my family.  My sister in law and niece would have killed for it, but I feel like you are part of my family.  From the first time we met I have felt like I have known you all my life and I feel like I can share anything in the world with you.  You are a very special spirit, The Lord works in mysterious ways at bringing people together.  I cant wait till winter when we can get dressed (or undressed) with our furs and go out.  I told Jim we were gonna get in the vette.  Of course I didn't mention we were gonna drive away.  Ha Ha.  Love you very much.  Cary may give you diamonds but your true love gives you fur.  Love, Pam

After I sent her pics of me in my fur... Pam wrote this:

-----Original Message-----
From: Pam Kelley
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 11:39 PM
To: Jules

Darling you are so beautiful!  You look absolutely gorgeous.  I sure am glad you are MY girlfriend.  The coat looks wonderful on you, don't you feel like a million dollars?  Wait until you run out to the 7-11 in your tennis shoes, jeans, with your fur on, whoo hoo!  My overeaters anonymous group fell out of their chairs when I told them about putting my fur over my flannel pjs to go to 7-11 at midnight for munchies.... At least I had on something underneath!  I am soo proud of you.  You are such a beautiful sexy creature.  Have a good day.  Love, Pam

So there you have it.  I felt it was easier to share the emails with you so you could see what a beautiful giving person she is.  She truly is special and I love her with all of my heart.  Well, let me move onto some other topics to cover.  I added pics of me in my new Gucci glasses under the Fourteen Month Gallery.  Yes, yes, there are also some risqué checkerboard photos out there too... well... don't tell me you're surprised.  Nothing I do should surprise you anymore.  Anyway, next topic.  Okay, I'm here to ask a favor of all of you.  I've received hundreds of emails over the course of my journey from people all over the USA telling me what an inspiration I have been to them.  I don't see it... I'm just me ya know... I type what I feel and put crazy pics up.... but... if I truly am inspirational and have the ability to affect so many people's lives, then will you help me get on the Oprah show?  Oprah is accepting stories regarding persons that have lost weight.  Click on the link and fill out the bottom portion if you're interested in writing to her about me.  CLICK HERE FOR OPRAH Of course include my name and my website address (http://www.juliehedges.info).  Include in your message how my website or me have affected your life or how I've been an inspiration to you.  I know all of this sounds really forward, but I really enjoy helping people, and I feel like if I've helped y'all, think of how many others would be given the courage, strength, and education to go forth with the surgery and change their lives too.  This surgery is the best thing to have ever happened to me.  I feel awesome and I want to tell the world!  Let's go change America and make all Obese people healthier and happier!!!!!  I'm so glad Melissa shared this surgery with me!!!   Good night and sweet dreams.

7/23/03... DAY #440:
Uh huh, I know you're out here looking for a journal update.  You're screaming "JULES!  IT'S BEEN A WEEK!".  Well, let Mama go take a shower and I'll get you all updated.  (10:36pm EST)  Smooches!

Well, we find out on Saturday, 7/26/03 at 1:00pm if I made the "2004 American Beauties" calendar or not.  It's a little nerve racking.  I'm excited, yes, but I also have the "fat girl mentality".  Once a fat girl, always a fat girl.  Why would they want this 29 year old stretched out body with saggy boobies over those blonde, bubbly, perky 20 year olds I saw applying?  Sooo, if I come back to you on Saturday and say "Well, boo hoo, I didn't make it", just write me and say "Julie... HELLO... did you really think you had a chance?  Please girl!  You missed the "modeling" days while you were sitting around eating Girl Scout cookie Thin Mints on your fat lard ass".  I think that will make me feel a lot better.  Ü  Hey side bar note, how 'bout as I'm typing this, they just announced on the news that Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies are the #2 cookie seller.... well I'll be dog.  I probably made up for 75% of that percentage a year ago.  Okay, so what's been up with me lately?  Not much really.  I've been holding steady at 148 lbs. for the past week.... really... no ups or downs... right at 148 lbs.  I'm hoping to wake up in the morning and magically weigh 135.  We'll see.  ;-)  Hey, I've been getting on the treadmill.  Ya proud of me?  No?  WHAT?!  I should have been doing this all along?  Well, who are you to talk?  (unless your Keller reading this... hee hee... crazy gym freak!)  Anywho, let's talk about our favorite subject.  No no no... not sex.  Our MAIN favorite subject... what we think about 24/7.... FOOD!  I love cheese.  I don't care what kind it is... I just love it.  I love the Kraft Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar that you cut into slices.. YUM!  However, my most recent addiction is crumbled Feta Cheese.  Yes, I realize it tastes like Cary's feet smell... but for some reason I love it.  We've been making Gyro pitas lately and you can't have a Gyro without Feta!  Of course though, as I type this, I have a 1/4 cup of Feta in front of me that I'm eating by itself.

7/24/03... DAY #441:
No magic.... ;-(  Still 148 lbs.  Well, I'll take that over 264 any day.

7/26/03... DAY #443:
(8:37am) Well, today is the big day.... I find out about the calendar.  Got to go get my nails done, wash my hair, and run some errands.  My meeting is at 1pm, I'll update you after then.

(3:13pm) So the moment we've all been waiting for.  My drive to the meeting was nerve racking.  I kept picking my nails, wringing my hands, yes... while driving.  When I got there, the room was already filled with beautiful girls.  I felt a bit intimidated.  Not only was I the oldest girl there, but, also the biggest (hmmm... I should be used to that by now, huh?).  We waited a while for girls to show up (females... always running late!).  They then called each girl up individually and conducted a second interview (we had first interviews at the very first meeting attended).  After the wait of going through each of the girls with a 1 to 2 minute interview, my heart hurting, my stomach in knots, my legs sweating where my legs were crossed, the calendar people met again to make their last decisions on who they would select.  Out of 500+ girls that applied in Columbus and Atlanta, they narrowed it down to 15 girls total for both cities (after this meeting, they were headed to Atlanta to meet with the models that made it up there).  They called each girl to the front, handed them an envelope, asked that you not open it until you got outside, and you were asked to leave.  When I got outside, I immediately opened my envelope.  It said "Congratulations, You have been selected to appear in the 2004 Southern Angels Calendar.  Please stay for the next meeting to begin in 5 minutes"  Can you believe it?  How can you go from being almost 300 pounds a year ago to a calendar bikini model????  EMAIL ME!  SOMEBODY PLEASE!!!!!

7/27/03... DAY #444:
I boogied my tale off so much last night at the Firehouse that I woke up this morning and had lost 2 pounds!  That's right!  I'm down to 146 lbs. now!  Yes baby!  Yes!  I've added a new photo to the 14 month gallery showing me from last night.  I'm also showing off my new rhinestone bracelet I bought from Rich's.  I've been eyeballing it for a few weeks now.  Well, I've got to get busy busting my ass over the next two weeks.  My photo shoot is August 10th.  I've got to get in the tanning bed, work out everyday, increase water intake, no sweets, put cucumbers on the eyes every night, and really truly be on the official "WLS Diet" over the next two weeks... (stuff I should have been doing all along).  I hate that exercise is something that you HAVE to do for yourself... 'cause if I could pay someone to do it for me... whew... I hand over a stack of 20's in a heartbeat!

7/28/03... DAY #445:
Yes, I realize that the little statement on the front of my website now regarding the plastic surgery seems a little "leave me alone"... but... here's the deal.  If you've read my journal and looked at my nude photos, then you know that I have not had any plastic surgery.  However, I'll get emails from people "claiming" that they've read my journal and that they really enjoy my website, then they turn around and say crap like "well I know you've had plastic surgery" or "have you had plastic surgery?".  First of all, let's look at the facts:  To even have plastic surgery, you must be 18 months out from WLS.  I am only in month 14.  Second, look at my photos.  Do you see any scars?  Can't you see that wrinkly skin on my lower tummy?  Yes, I realize that it's only about a 1/2 inch, and that compared to most folks, it's nothing... but it still doesn't give people the right to argue about whether I've had plastics or not.  CRAP!  Give a girl some props instead of downing her.  My tummy is about the only part of my body that I have worked on religiously.... now if we could only get my ass in shape... all would be well.  :-)  The only plastic surgery I am even considering is having my boobs lifted.  However, I won't do that until after I've had children, so that may be a while!  Okay, I'm off my soapbox.  I always, always, always, welcome anyone's questions, so please don't let this little temper tantrum that I just threw discourage you from emailing me.  Smooches!

Let's talk about the calendar for a sec.  I do not get to pick out my own swimsuit.  I've been instructed to show up at the photo shoot with hooker heels and a toothbrush.  They have already selected a suit for me.  I won't know what it looks like till I get there.  Now... to all my WLS buds, have you EVER put on a swimsuit that someone else picked out for you and it look good?  Holy crap!  This could be a disaster?  Do they know how low the boobs hang?  Do they know how wide my ass is?  Do they know about my wrinkly thighs?  This is scary!  Well, I busted my tail yesterday and walked 45 minutes at Flatrock Park.  I am out of shape!  I was breathing hard and didn't know if I was gonna make it.... but I did!  And look.. now today is ANOTHER day to exercise.  Oh joy!   Hey, side note real quick:  If you're reading this within a few days of me posting, then you MUST check out the new shoes I just bought off of Ebay.  I will probably wear these during my photo shoot.  Whoa Mama!  I ain't ever worn nothing this vampy!!!!

7/30/03... DAY #447:
As much as I hate it!!!!... I've been getting on the treadmill!!!  Nuttin' like knowing your fat ass is gonna be plastered across billboards, posters, and a calendar in front of thousands of people to get you a little motivated... know what I mean?  Use to... they would have had to make two billboards... one for each ass cheek... Oh LOL at myself... ho ho ho hee hee hee ha ha ha... Oh I kill myself!  Anywho... I've been going to the tanning bed too.  Hey, I know what the guys want to see... they don't want to see no white girl... nah.. they want a French Vanilla Cappuccino!!!!  We'll change my name to Sha Nay Nay.... (Rosa, are you laughing at me by now?)  Any of my dark chocolate girlfriends would tell you I'm half black anyway.  Hell, back in Junior High School I was the only white girl on the cheerleading squad!!!!  Those sisters taught this white girl how to dance though!  I learned the snake, the Reebok, the Cabbage Patch, and the Pee Wee Herman.  I was the coolest damn white girl that school had ever seen.  LOL!  My nickname back in school was "Tuitti Fruitti".  It rhymed with my maiden name:  LUDY.  The kids use to sit in the stands at the basketball games and do a cheer "Julie Ludy Tuitti Fruitti get on the floor and shake that booty.  Go Julie!  Go Julie!"... Oh the memories... HA!  Seriously though... I'm a very versatile person.  I get along with just about everybody and I can conform to just about any situation and social activity.  Well, enough about me.  Let's talk about you.  How have you been doing?

Just what you always wanted... new nude clinical photos of Julie!  I've added a page called "Side by Side" which compares my first photo with my current photo for easier viewing of the major difference.  Remember, you may have to delete cookies, delete temporary Internet files, refresh the page, and clear history on your computer in order to see the new version of the page sometimes.  If you've looked at a page before, your computer will sometimes save it and you have to do all the "clearing" and "refresh" to see any additions.... just a little tech advice for ya!

7/31/03... DAY #448:
Up and Down... Back and Forth... My weight fluctuates!  "Official Weigh-in" this morning was 148 lbs.  I keep going from 146 to 147.5 to 146.5 to 148 to 146... it keeps fluctuating.  Oh well.. I can live with it.  I got my shoes in the mail today.  I LOVE THEM!  THEY ARE SO SEXY!  I would have never worn anything like these before when I was overweight.  This is great!  I feel like a whole new person... well.. .not really though... 'cause this person has always been deep down inside of me... I was just physically unable to let her out.  Now she is out!  Her name?  "Jules".  When I was obese, I was "Julie", now that I'm skinny (okay, "technically" not skinny... but... skinny for me) I am "Jules".  Just about everyone at work calls me Jules.  I love it!  I have to tell you... Cary (my hubby) and I are having so much fun.  We are really enjoy each other's company.  He loves to pick me up now.  He'll tell me to "run and jump"!  LOL!  It's great!  It's fun!  He had never ever picked me up before until recently.  He picks me up and carries me around the house.  He feels like He Man!  And hey... I can't tell a lie... the sex is so great!  Is it because I'm approaching "30" and supposedly I'm hitting my prime or is it because I've lost 118 pounds?  Who knows, but I ain't complaining.  I almost can't handle him.  He's become quite the wild man.  I have to stop and take a break sometimes.  :-|  You girls don't getting any ideas... he's mine.. ALL MINE!  LOL!  Wait till he comes home and sees these hooker heels.... think I'm gonna lay it on him!  hee hee.....  Okay, I'm gonna get sappy for a moment... I just can't tell you how much I love him.  You know, after 11 years of being together and going on 8 years of marriage, I am still madly in love with him.  He just makes me happy, so complete, and my God... there is no other man in the world that would stand behind me and allow me to be the crazy ass, wild, sweet, complaining, bitchy, organizing freak, on the go, allergy asthma camp kid that I am!  He's the best!  Let's talk about babies for a second... Why can't I get my hubby, Mom, and sister off of me about having babies????  HELLO PEOPLE.. I've fought my weight all of my life.  Please, just for a little while, allow me to enjoy this new life.. this body...this new attitude before I go and get fat again.  I have a fear of getting pregnant, gaining weight, and not being able to lose it.  It scares the hell out of me!  I've worked so hard.  AND, let's just face it.... working full time at my employer, full time with photography, and keeping up with all of the extras I do, who has time for kids?  I'm saying now that I am on the two year plan.  July 2005 sounds like a great time to get pregnant.  Do you agree?  If yes, email me and tell me so.  If no, then don't tell me... just call my Mom and y'all can talk about it.  :-)

Oh, I thought you would like to know some interesting information... my journal, from this point backwards is equal to 43 printed pages, 36,231 words, 216 paragraphs, and 2,075 lines of text.  It takes approximately 4 hours to read from beginning to this point here.  Cool huh?

8/4/03... DAY #452:
I've been faithfully getting on the treadmill and going to the tanning bed everyday.  I can tell a difference in my size.  My measurements have drastically changed over the past few months, but let's focus on the overall change.  I've lost 14 inches total in my bust, that's an average of an inch a month.  I've gone from a 42DD to a 36D.  All my life I've been known for big breasts.  Now granted, a "D" cup ain't nuttin to shy at, but, folks have really been making comments like "Wow!  You've lost a lot in the top!".  To that I say, "hey, thanks for noticing!".  LOL!  I've lost 16 inches in my waist.  That's just pure craziness!  I tell you what else I find amazing is that my pre-op "thigh" measurement is about the same as my waist measures now.  And, you wouldn't think loosing 1.25 inches off your ankles would make a difference, but now I can buy anklets with no problems at all.  I am so incredibly happy.  I checked my BMI today.  My pre-op BMI was 46.8 which equals "Morbidly Obese" and is only 3.2 points from being "Super Obese".  Now let's analyze "Morbid Obese".  Morbid means "gruesome or grisly".  Obese means "extremely fat or grossly overweight".  So basically, I used to be a gruesome gross fat girl.  YUCK!  My BMI today is 25.9, which is considered "overweight" and just 1 point (or six pounds) away from being "normal".  It's getting more and more exciting for me.  I have much more confidence now and I am looking forward to my photo shoot this weekend.

8/4/03... DAY #455:
HALLELUIAH!  HALLELUIAH!  HALLELUIAH!  I can't believe it!  In one week's time I lost 3.5 pounds!!!!  My "Official Weigh-In" this morning was 144.5.  I ONLY have 9.5 more pounds until goal!  This is crazy!  This is incredible!  This is unbelievable!  This just goes to show that if you do the basics:  Lots of water... Treadmill 30 minutes everyday... and protein, protein, protein... that the weight WILL melt off!  I am so proud of myself that I could just do cartwheels.... now it may not be pretty... but I still want to do them.  WOO HOO!!!!  Let's see... let me catch you up on this past week's happenings.  On Tuesday, I got my hair highlighted.  I had about an inch of growth.  It's so amazing how fast it grows now.  My friend Keller calls it "taking care of the root rot".  My friend Jennifer calls it "root restoration".  Very cute.... very cute.  I just call it taking care of the hot brownie fudge.  Anywho.  Let's see what else.  Last Saturday I went for my swimsuit fitting.  I am wearing a black vinyl two piece set.  It has boy toy shorts with silver studs across the top and a zipper in front.  The top is matching with a deep plunge neckline, zipper, and studs along the edges.  It's very sexy and accents my pups.  The website that the outfit was ordered from has this contest where they ask for you to send in sexy photos of you wearing their clothes... then people vote on the pics.... and they choose a monthly winner.  Well you know me... I WILL be putting my pics up and I'll let y'all know where to vote.  Hee hee... Well, got to get ready for work.  Oh happy day!!!!  :)

FIFTEEN MONTHS POST-OP 8/9/03:
I lost 1.5 inches off of my waist in one month.  GO AB TWISTS GO!!!!  "Official 15 month weigh in" is 144.5.  Just 9.5 more pounds until I hit goal!  Yes!!!!

8/10/03... DAY #458:
I just got back from my photo shoot in Atlanta. It was so awesome!!! It was just like you see in the movies; old warehouse huge studio loft photography/apartment... Wall to wall magazine photos that the photographer had done. We had a professional make-up and hair artist. I have to tell you... when they were done with me... I looked like a million bucks. All of the girls (and yes... I mean girls as I am the oldest at 29... they are all 18, 19... early 20's) were gorgeous. However, I've got one up on all these little chickies... they may be young, perky, and pretty... but this gal has sex appeal! LOL!  While the other models sat, drank, read magazines, and goofed off... I was steadily watching and learning... trying to pick up some new photography skills myself. The photographer really didn't pay any of the girls compliments. However, when I was out of hair & make-up, and in one of my outfits, I came walking down the stairs and the photographer stopped... he said "Damn... you are hot!". Whew... you talking about grinning from ear to ear. What an ego booster!!! This is CRAZY to the think just 15 months ago someone would have been asking "Are you hot? Need to sit down?" LOL! I was working the camera... the photographer was like "yeah yeah.. you know what you're doing"... hmmmm... well.... I'm not really used to being on the front side of the camera... but... I guess I've practiced a modeling photo shoot over and over in my dreams a million times in the past.  I wore two outfits. They had me in my bra, panties, and a guy's blue button down oxford shirt for some photos. Then I was in my black vinyl suit for other photos. I did a group photo with three other girls, then I did my individual shots. The photographer had me on the stairs, in the bed, and by a huge warehouse window. It was great. When he had me in the bed, he was standing on this 15 foot ladder above me.. it was awesome. It was a real freaking model photo shoot! Do I sound stoked?  Anywho, I won't keep you. It was awesome... I had fun... and I can't wait for the calendar to come out. Oh yeah... ever heard of Underground Columbus magazine? We'll be on the cover in October if I'm not mistaken.

8/19/03... DAY #467:
I know... where's my journal update, right?  I got busy again... :(  I'll make this quick and dirty 'cause me tired and want to sleep.  :)  I've updated my website with a FAQ's section.  Good handy dandy stuff to know.  It answers the questions I get emails on most.  I even get asked about my scars.  Where are your scars?  They are barely there!  You can hardly see them.  Check out the pic link in the FAQ's section for an up close pic of scars.  Okay... more new news... I did it... I finally lost more boobies.... this is a sad sad day.  Yeppers.  I've ALWAYS been a "D" cup from Junior High up.  Then, when I started gaining weight, I was a "DD" cup.  This past weekend I tried on bras and the "D's" were too big.  I got measured, and sure enough, I am a "C" cup.  What in the hell is a "C"?  I've NEVER been a "C"!!!  A "C".... WHAT????  That's like... "average"!!!  Good grief!  Oh well... one day after I pop out a few liter of puppies, I'll get them suckers lifted and um.... padded... yeah... padded.  Well, sorry so short for being over a week.  I'll update soon... Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie Honor!  ;-)

8/24/03... DAY #472:
I'm sorry that it has been so long since I've updated my journal.  I stay so busy with photography, my employer, maintaining my household, and my social life.  Anywho... so, what have I been up to lately you ask?  Well, I'll start with this past Wednesday night (8/20).  Me and my friend Natalie went to the Firehouse.  I've never been on a weekday night, so this was new for me.  So, why did we go?  Well, they have a bikini contest with a $200 prize, so I figured I would give it a shot... why not?  Well, I tell you what... I will NEVER EVER EVER be apart of another Firehouse bikini contest ever again.  It was terrible!  There was about 8 other girls that competed.... all of them.... um.... hmmmm.... well... let's just say they were trashy.  We were required to ride the bull first, then get up on the stage and do a quick dance.  I rode the bull like a lady, then did a basic dance... these other girls were pretty much having sex with the bull then following it up with a sex dance on the pole.  I've got much more class then to be associated with these trashy girls.  Oh well, needless to say, I didn't win 'cause I didn't act slutty enough for the judges.  No love lost... trust me.  Okay, well, what's next?  Me and Natalie hit the Firehouse again on Friday night.  It must have been some type of Body Builder's convention in town 'cause that place was swimming with big buff good looking men.  I got hit on a lot.  When I would walk by, a friend of a guy said "there's ya girl".  HA!  I never get tired of that.  And yes, before you ask, I always wear my wedding rings, but I don't think most men care.  I wore my new hip hugger blue jeans and my white American Star t-shirt.  Towards the end of the evening though, the guys started acting like piranhas... we would be on the dance floor, guys would dance up on us, we would walk away, then they would follow us.  We finally just ended up leaving.  Let's move onto Saturday.  The Southern Angels Calendar Girls had our car wash on Saturday.  I didn't get to stay long though due to photography commitments.  It was fun though.  Saturday evening me, Cary, Natalie, Cassandra, and my friend Brandy, met out at the Firehouse again.  I wore my new black vinyl pants.  I'll upload a pic so check the 15 month gallery.  We had fun.  Unfortunately though, I lost my rhinestone belly ring.  I didn't know it until I got home.  I'll just have to order another one.  I buy them from a girl on EBay.  Her site is www.bodycandy4u.net.  She has really nice jewelry for excellent prices.  So you're asking, "Um Julie, what is up with the bubble bath pic?"  LOL!  Actually, our friend John Lowe (He went with us to California.  You'll see pics of him in the twelve month gallery.) said he was tired of seeing pics of me in front of our door... he wanted some more interesting backdrops... and told Cary... "Put her in a bubble bath!".  So... we did!!!  Of course... we'll only share the sweet little PG rated pics.... but I had fun.  My friend Natalie shot them for me.  Cary gave me permission to share one with ya.  Okay, today is Sunday.  I'm a little sick to my tummy.  Why?  'Cause I made a rather large purchase today.  I bought a new professional digital camera.  It was around $2,000.... but I tell ya... this will really create a new avenue of profit for me.  Being able to go digital allows me not to be tied down by film.  I also just purchased a professional printer a few weeks ago.  The printer and camera will allow me to offer event photography with "photos while you wait".  It will be awesome!  Anywho, new topic.  I was in Circuit City today.  I was talking to one of Cary's co-workers.  It's an 18 year old girl who is just cute as pie.  So, just being me and being funny, I asked her, "So, does Mr. Hedges flirt with ya and all the other hot mama's that come in here?"  She said, "Actually, no.  All he does is talk about you.  He is always showing everyone your photos and telling everyone how pretty you are and how sexy you are".  I was like, "What?  He's such a good husband."  I love him!  He may not give me a lot of compliments to my face, but I'm always hearing from others, like my co-workers that shop in Circuit City, that my hubby is always talking positive about me.  I can't tell you how good that makes me feel.  I really do love him with all of my heart and we have such a great marriage.  We completely understand each other.  He has been so supportive of me through all of my craziness... and trust me... my life has been nothing but complete craziness the past few months.  Oh yes... I'm loving it... I'm just glad I've got a husband who is strong enough to ride this roller coaster with me and hang on for dear life.  He is fantastic and I just can't talk about him enough.  I wish I could clone him and sell him 'cause the women would line up with thousands of dollars to have the marriage and man that I do.  Okay... I'll stop talking about him... I LOVE HIM!

8/25/03... DAY #473:
Okay... quick journal entry here at 12:29am on Monday morning.  I have been eating all day!  I have eaten so much that my tummy is full and compacted!  It is hurting!  I can feel the food in there stretching my pouch!  I tried to drink some water... and... it hurts!!!  I've got to wait until this food slides down some before I can put any liquids in.  OUCH!  That's the only thing I hate about the weekends... it is so easy to get off the diet and out of my normal eating patterns.  Whew!  My wittle pouch is so dog gone FULL!!!!

8/27/03... DAY #475:
Okay, we're gonna talk about Cary, my hubby, some more.  He went to the doctor yesterday for some regular maintenance.  He came home and was telling me that the doc asked "Have you had any major surgeries?".  Cary said, "well, not me, but my wife... blah blah blah blah".  Cary said that he talked about me for around 5 minutes when the doc finally said "Well, enough about her, let's talk about you!".  LOL!  How sweet was that?  I find out more and more that he just talks about me all the time.  Last night when he got off from work, he called me and said that him and a bunch of co-workers were going to Cheddar's to eat and that he wanted me to come.  I was tired, not feeling well and kinda blew him off.  He called back 5 times and then put a co-worker up to calling me.  He really wanted me there.  So I pulled myself together and made it up there.  I noticed that when I walked around the corner to their table, Cary looked up, but then back to the people he was talking to.  When I got to the table, he then had a surprised look on his face and said "HEY HONEY!".  He later told me that he had not even recognized me when I came around the corner.  Too cool, huh?  He was profusely thanking me for coming up there to spend time with him.  Ahhhhh.... me loves him.  Okay... then we went to Wal-mart to pick up some items.  When we got to the check out counter, we were laughing so hard.  Why?  Check out what we put on the counter to ring up at 11:30pm at night:  Tampons, Condoms, Ex-lax, Pepto, and Protein Shakes.  LOL!  The cashier was like, "Hmmm, y'all are in for an interesting night."  LOL!!!!!   As I was walking out of the store, I caught my reflection in the door, it was weird, I couldn't believe that little figure was mine.  I can look at myself in the mirror at home and be fine... it's just when I see my reflection in places that I don't expect that it just blows my mind... like... "is there someone behind me 'cause that just can't be me!".  Anywho.  Okay, enough about him.  As you know from my previous journal entry, on Sunday, I had really ate too much.  On Monday morning, I still felt that full, discomfort/pulling feeling.  I called Michele at Dr. Champion's office (sidebar note:  This is her last week there) and she said that I probably was pulling on my suture lines, and yes, they are healed, but overeating can pull on them.  She also thought that I may be backed up or um.. "constipated" again.  Lack of drinking too much water can make you constipated.  I told her that I've been regular, but she was telling me that it sounded like I may be blocked up high in my intestines like what has happened to me before.  So, Monday night I did a laxative suppository (I know... y'all just LOVE reading my journal and hearing about my "personal" stuff... don't ya?).  Well, I got a little bit out... but I was still feeling pain.  Again on Tuesday night, I did the same thing... but no help.  So, I decided to buy some laxative pills and put them in the other end to try to blow this stuff out.  It finally kicked in this morning around 10am at work.  However, because I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I was in GREAT PAIN and AGONY.  I got some stuff out... but, I am still feeling faint pain in my left side where my little pouch is.  If I don't feel better in a few days, guess I'll have to take a trip to Atlanta so they can ensure I haven't torn anything.  :-(  Here's a clue... DON'T OVEREAT!  Dr. Champion only did tummy surgery... not brain surgery, and I'm still trying to recover from a 29 year eating disorder.

09/01/03... DAY #480:
Well, I'm still alive... so this is a good thing.  My little pouch still feels weird though.  Friday night I put in a call to Dr. Champion.  He DID NOT sound like a happy camper to be calling me back.  Oh well... he did say that he felt like I had not done any damage and that I would be fine.  My tummy is still suffering some discomfort and it sounds like a factory of men in there working when I eat & drink... I'll just go with the flow 'cause I can't get to Atlanta anytime soon.  So, what did I do this weekend?  I cleaned my house, got caught up on 4 months worth of back issues of Photography magazines, visited with my Nana (it was her 74th birthday), worked on misc. photo stuff, and got through half of the book on how to use my new digital camera.  I swear that thing is a mini computer!  I can actually hook it up to the computer and take photos form the computer!  Zoom, shutter release, everything, and the pics download right to the computer!  Way too cool!  Well, starting tomorrow it is on!  Dr. Champion's function is on the 20th of September and my calendar signing parties start the first of October.  It's treadmill and tanning bed everyday during the month of September.  I've got to look good so peeps will buy calendars from me... me want to win the 'lil contest ya know.  :-)  Well, guess I'll get in bed.  Sorry this was short but I did want y'all to know that I am still living thus far... although you I can feel mountains moving in my intestines and the Ooompa Loompa's working in there.  Hey, real quick... this is a shout out to my "Hot WLS Hunk" Paul.  Hey Paul!  Smooches!  ;-) hee hee... Love ya mean it!  Okay folks... it's off to bed!  Goodnight!

09/04/03... DAY #483:
FINALLY!  My "Official Weigh In" this morning was 144.5.   It has been up and down for the past few weeks.  I had even gotten back up to 149 last week!  Let's just be honest about the surgery.  Loosing the weight is the easy part.  Exercising is the easy part.  Maintaining and not gaining... now that is the HARD PART!  Why?  Because, the further out from surgery you are, the more you can hold... the less you get sick on stuff... your metabolism is out of whack... and eating anymore than 1000 calories a day will cause you to gain weight.  There it is folks!  The hard ass facts about WLS.  Would I do it again?  Hell yes!  Anywho.... so, the last month, after my calendar photo shoot, I just took it easy.  I slacked on my exercising, started eating like a pig, and just had the whole "I don't have time to think about weight loss" attitude.  The past two days I've worked late, so... today is it!  Today is the beginning of my tanning and exercise regimen.  I've got a photo shoot this evening.... but I SHALL NOT let that get in the way of what I have to do for me.  Okay... real quick... we're gonna talk about me for a second (sound familiar Gayla?)... I'm still trying to get on the Oprah show.  If you haven't written her yet to tell her about me and my website, will you do so?  I get an average of 15 emails a day from folks saying that I am an inspiration to them.  I'm just me... wacky, nutty, and crazy... but folks like it?  :-)  If I am truly inspiring and have the ability to affect so many people's lives, then will you help me get on the Oprah show?  Oprah is accepting stories regarding persons that have lost weight.  Click on the link and fill out the bottom portion.  CLICK HERE FOR OPRAH Of course include my name and my website address (http://www.juliehedges.info).  Include in your message how my website or me have affected your life or how I've been an inspiration to you.  I know all of this sounds really forward, but I really enjoy helping people, and I feel like if I've helped y'all, think of how many others would be given the courage, strength, and education to go forth with the surgery and change their lives too.  This surgery is the best thing to have ever happened to me.  Okay, well that's enough of my solicitation.  My friend Judy had surgery on Tuesday and my friend Rosa will be getting a surgery date soon.  I am so excited for everyone!!!!  Y'all make me proud!   I'll talk to you soon....

09/07/03... DAY #486:
I don't have much time to write tonight.  I feel sort of guilty.  I rested most of the weekend with some real sleep.  I slept until 3pm on Saturday... disgraceful!  I have just worn my body ragged.  I am tired and needed the sleep.  Thank goodness I didn't have a wedding scheduled on Saturday.  Friday night (9/5) Cary and I had a spur of the moment "party".  A few of our special friends that showed that I would like to mention are Josh, Christy, Khadija, Natalie... everyone had a blast.  We did something different this time.  Normally our parties are on our back porch.  However, Cary had dug up the tiki torches, the porch light was blown... and... well.. the grill was in the way.  Soooo... we had the party in the front yard.  Oh yes... I'm sure the neighbors thoroughly enjoyed watching us play Pictionary on the huge Dry-Erase board, drink, and get loud under my carport.  YEE HAW!  LOL!  The party later got pretty wild in the house with the digital camera... but.... um.... we won't go into that.  ;-)  Anywho... Saturday, when I finally woke up, I worked on photography.  Today, I had a bridal shoot at 8:30am, in which the bride was 30 minutes late.  I then came home and slept until 2pm!  MY GOOD GRIEF!  What is wrong with me????  I went over to Josh and Christy's house to celebrate Christy's 25th birthday... and now... I'm talking to you.  I had over 25 emails regarding WLS surgery that I also have been catching up on.  I love you guys!  You keep me busy!  My friend Rosa Fennie finally got a date!  YEAH!  She is having surgery on 12/19/03.  She is a "Hot WLS Babe".... be sure to email her and tell her Congrats!  (I'm sure she'll love that!)   :-)  I've got to enter some text here for a friend of mine... quote "Julie, you are the neatest chick in the world."  LOL!  I dunno 'bout all that... but... I am pretty cool.  ;-)  Well, let me go... I'm gonna get started airbrushing some proofs.  Have a good evening... Jules

09/08/03... DAY #487:
Well... I suck,.  I haven't exercised nor been in the tanning bed in the past nine days.  BAD JULIE!  BAD JULIE!  Sad news... my new digital camera has a system glitch... so.. it's got to be exchanged for a new one... I'll be down a week.  :-(

SIXTEEN MONTHS POST-OP 09/09/03
Well... here I am.. experiencing a fat day.  I can hear the theme song now "Da na na na na na na na Fat Girl!".  I didn't lose any weight the past month.  This is the first time since surgery that this has happened.  I can only assume that I am approaching the end of my honeymoon period.  OF COURSE... I can also assume that lack of water, exercise, dancing, and an increase in alcohol consumption didn't help either.  I've been very busy with photography... appointments with clients every night... and this past weekend... I was so tired... I couldn't even see straight.  No excuses though... Water is something that I can get in regardless.... I just need to try harder.  Being so tired and not being able to hold my eyes open after I get done with work and Photography (which is around midnight) does have some bearing on the treadmill.  I definitely will decrease the alcohol intake.  AND.. I've got to get my ass in the tanning bed.  That always motivates me to get on the treadmill.  However, I will tell you this.  As long as my ass stays below 149 pounds for the rest of my life... I will be completely content!  Even without any weight loss... I did manage to lose a 1/2 inch off my thighs and calves... so that's cool.  Well... I won't keep you.  I'm tired, it's 11:12pm, and I still need a shower!

09/14/03... DAY #493:
I became a "Silver" member on ObesityHelp.com today.  I've tried to join several times since the beginning of my journey, but their debit card form was always messed up... and... I was just too lazy to mail it in.  Anyway, they're up and running so I contributed $50.00.  That site has been so helpful and beneficial to me over the past two years.  I've been busy all weekend trying to get caught up.  I've got a long week ahead of me.  I did manage to get in the tanning bed on Saturday.

09/22/03... DAY #501:
Dearest Friends... I am so sorry it has taken me over a week to update... I have been going strong every night AND I've had so many friends with drama in their life... that I've been helping them deal with that too.  Let's see... where to start?  My friend Paul, who is a "Hot WLS Hunk" came down on Tuesday, 9/16.  We had a really nice dinner and shared WLS stories.  He's gonna start trying to come down to Columbus once a month for support group meetings.  Hmm.. well, I've had lots of photo shoots... it's getting Fall time and families love fall photos.  On Thursday, 9/18, I had a hair appointment for 4:30pm.  However, I got a call that morning that my girl called out sick.  OH NO!  So, they stuck me with this other guy... who was trying to take short cuts... and he turned my roots red!  My hair is so naturally dark brown, that if you don't let that bleach sit, heat, and penetrate for 45+ minutes.. you can forget it!  It was so bad he said "I'm not even charging you today... just make an appointment with your regular girl for next week."  Oh great!  Thanks!  I ONLY have Dr. Champion's party to go to!!!!  I was livid!  Anyway.... Sis and I got up on Saturday morning 9/20, and drove to the Mall of Georgia.  It was so great getting to spend some time with her.  I rarely get to see her.  She works full time (on the opposite side of the building from me), she goes to school full time, and any extra time is split between homework and her new boyfriend.  When we got done at the mall... we headed back to the (to be continued... check back later)

09/25/03... DAY #504:
(continued) hotel where we got ready for Dr. Champion's party.  The party was at the Evergreen Resort in Stone Mountain.  It was so beautiful.  The party was down at the covered pavilion.  Dr. Champion had a BBQ spread of food, cash bar, and a live band.  It was so great getting to see all of my WLS buddies.  We danced, sis took pics, and I got a little... umm... a lot tipsy.  Thank God my sister is so smart!  I just love her!  She was able to get us out of Stone Mountain and back to our hotel in College Park, 45 minutes away, with no problems.  She is the best.  Hey... I danced with Dr. Williams.  It was great!  How often do patients "back that ass up" with their doctor?  LOL!!!  I love it!  Dr. Williams is too cool.  He's such a great person.  Anywho, I'll work on getting the pics up.  I really have been incredibly busy.  So I went back tonight to get my hair redone by the regular chick.... and... I STILL LOOK LIKE A CALICO CAT!  See... my actual "regular" hairstylist of 4+ years just moved to Florida, so she hooked me up with this other girl named Stacey.  The first time Stacey did my hair, she did a great job.  However, since that guy got a hold of my hair, guess she didn't want to over process it tonight.. so... it's still isn't right!  It's EVERY COLOR OF THE FREAKING RAINBOW!  Red, Gold, Dark Blonde, Medium Blonde, Platinum Blonde, Dark Brown, Medium Brown... CRAP!  I've got to go back AGAIN to have her try and fix it!  I DON'T HAVE THAT KINDA TIME PEOPLE!  Anyways.... well... I'm gonna work on getting some photos updated.  No... I haven't been on the treadmill... no... I haven't lost anymore weight.... yes... I've been to the tanning bed.  Smooches

10/02/03... DAY #511:
My life is too fast paced right now... even for me.  I sat in my office and just had tears running down my face the other day.  Now, for any of you that know me... you know that this girl is tough as nails and that getting emotional is just not my game.  However, I am overloaded right now something crazy.  Full-time job, Full-time Business with weekly weddings, daily photo shoots, Calendar Signing Parties, planning a party, planning a trip I'm taking soon, making a video with my friend Sharon to be on Amazing Race, going to school, answering emails (which I have 47 piled up right now concerning WLS that I need to get to.  Be patient.. I promise to answer every one), and still trying to have a social life with all my friends.  It's CRAZINESS!  I'M TIRED!  For the past four weeks, on average, I get in bed at 2am and up at 6am.  It's taking a toll on me.  Well.. guess I'll get over it.  Hey, listen, on Friday, October 10th, the calendar girls will be at the Velvet Room in Atlanta.  I can put friends on the VIP list to get in free before midnight... no $20 cover charge... no waiting in line.  If you're interested in coming... shoot me an email.  The entire bar staff will be decked out in a heaven's theme with Angel's wings to welcome the "Southern Angels".  I was also told that the singer Jessica Simpson and her new hubby from 98 degrees were gonna be there.... so... email me ASAP if you're interested in going.  I am on the center page of this month's "Underground Columbus Magazine".  It has my photo and a complete bio about me.  Pick up a copy if you're in the Columbus area.  I am also on the B101 website.  Go to:  www.B101Columbus.com and click on the "B101 Girls".  You may have to register to get in... but the pics of the calendar girls is really cool.  I've added a few more calendar pics that I was given access to in the 15 Month Gallery... go out and check them out.  Okay... Well... guess that's enough talking about me today.  ONE MORE THING!  If you've ordered a calendar, I will be getting them to you within the next week... hang tight... I am extremely busy... but love you all the same!  ;-)

10/08/03... DAY #517:
Well.... we can sum the last three weeks of my life up with one word:  "DRAMA".  Oh good grief!  I will update soon... I promise!  It may take me a few days... got lots going on... but I promise to take some time soon to update you.  Love ya!  Jules

SEVENTEEN MONTHS POST-OP 10/09/03

10/14/03... DAY #523:
I don't have too long to type.... got a full plate today.... but my fan club has been emailing me to update my journal... and update my journal I must do!  LOL!!!!   ;-)  Last Tuesday, 10/07/03, I was terminated from my full time job.  I worked at the headquarters of a Fortune 500 Supplemental Insurance Company in Columbus, GA.  I was an Assistant Supervisor in the Customer Call Center.  I had been with the company 7.5 years.  I was terminated due to my appearance in the 2004 Southern Angels Calendar along with my distributing the calendar.  The company stated my appearance was unprofessional, not a good judgment call, and that they considered the calendar to be "soft porn".  Soft porn?  Hardly!  The Swimsuit Edition of Sports Illustrated is more risqué.  Anywho.  I've always had good job performance and always received excellent evaluations, however, they stated that this was not based on job performance.  So that's it.  That's why I was fired.  With 3500+ employees at the company, you know how rumors circulate.  I've heard everything from that I appeared on a porn site, to that I beat somebody up, to that I was carried out in handcuffs.  LOL!  People kill me!!!  Anyways.  For right now, I'm going to take a few weeks off, get caught up on my photography, get my head on straight, then seek employment again.  I really loved my job.  I loved the company and the people.  It's been part of my life for a long time and I am certainly gonna miss it.  My employees have been emailing me and calling me... telling me that they miss me.  Lot's of people have called throughout the company and I've had lots of visitors.  It's like I died or something!  LOL!  But... it is so great to know that people care and love me.  I am such a giving, caring person... I hate that some people only saw my changes on the outside.  It's sad that things had to end this way.  I faced discrimination when I was fat, now I face the jealous haters as a thin person.  But... I am way too optimistic of a person to let any of this get me down.  I truly believe in my heart that everything happens for a reason and when God closes one door, he always opens a bigger and better one.  All I ask is that you keep me and my husband in your prayers and that I will find another reputable company to begin a career with.

Okay... onto the much controversial calendar!  We've had Calendar Signing Parties out the ying yang.  We went up to the Velvet Room in Atlanta on last Friday.  The club was really nice... but the music was not my cup of tea.  It was very techno rave... and I'm into the more R&B, Rap, Booty Shaking music.  On Saturday we made our rounds to three places:  The Oyster Bar, Muldoon's, and back to Firehouse again.  Last night we were at the Sports Page, and on Wednesday we're arriving in a limo for the huge Muldoon's Block Party.  It's been a lot of fun being a "mini celeb" signing autographs.  People ask me:  "Do you regret doing the calendar?"  Not for one second.  To finally be accepted by others... to turn a few heads... all the attention... it's awesome and definitely different than 125 pounds ago!  I'm enjoying life, having fun, and if some people can't understand that... then... well... they need to look deep into themselves and find out what it is that they don't like... it's not me that they hate... I'm just an outlet for their inner anger.  The pastor was talking on Sunday about dealing with anger and all I could think about was the many haters at work.  Anywho... they need to find Jesus.... 'Nuff said.

10/16/03... DAY #525:
Know what's amazing?  It's been 525 days since my surgery, and there hasn't been a day go by yet that I haven't thought about my weight and/or discussed my surgery with someone.  WOW!  Anywho... Guess what?!  I started school tonight.  Yeppers... I'm taking an advanced Digital Photography Class at Columbus State University.  I'm hoping to learn some more techniques and really get the photography business going.  I've done very well the past two years... now I'm looking to double the income.  Who needs their picture taken?  Anyone?  Anyone?  CHEESE!

10/17/03... DAY #526:
I tell ya what... I have been a lean mean eating machine!!!  I have ate everything in sight!  Luckily I haven't gained anything.  Damn the Peanut M&M's and the Chocolate Mint Milano cookies to hell!  Much thanks to my girlfriend Brenda for introducing the Milano's to  me.  LOL!

10/21/03.... DAY #530 (goodness... is anyone actually keeping track of that anymore???)
"I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener...."  Okay... so that is the tune playing in my head.... dunno why?  I was so intrigued that I went to the Oscar Mayer website and learned the history.  Did you know that there is a Wienerwhistle?  You must go to their website to learn more!  Anywho.  I have been steadily working my photo biz.  I was really behind on some work, updating my photo website, and such.  I'm almost caught up... yeppers I am and I'll soon begin my job hunt!  Please let me know if you hear of any openings.  Today is me and my hubby's 8 year anniversary!  Whew!  Who would have thought he would have kept me around this long???  LOL!  I tell you... he is the best damn husband in the whole wide world.  I love him, and hug him, and kiss him, and call him wittle Cary.  I love him bunches and bunches!  He has put up with tons of crap from me.  Yes, I treat him good, very good, but I am not the hostess with the mostess if you know what I mean.  Anywho.  He treats me good and I'm enjoying spending my years with him.  Now... if he would just leave me alone about babies... then everything would be just peachy!  LOL!  Okay... well... guess I'm gonna scoot.  More photo work ahead!

10/28/03.... DAY #537
Where has Julie been????  Is that the question you're asking?  Yeah, yeah... I hear ya!  ;-)  I've been busy, can ya believe it?  When did I EVER have time for a full-time job and a full-time business????  But... I did it!  AND I was damn good at it too!  I always got good evaluations at the 'ol Fortune 500 job.  Well, anywho, no sense in wallowing in the old stuff.  I have been one "Lean Mean Eating Machine".  Whew!  I have put away the food the past few weeks!  Good grief!  In one day I gained 5 pounds by eating a whole bag of Hershey's Dark Chocolate Kisses.  So, for the record, ONE 16 OUNCE BAG OF KISSES ACTUALLY = FIVE POUNDS OF FAT!  LOL!!!  I've since lost 3 pounds... but still... whew!  I think I'm over the chocolate for a little while.  My weight fluctuates.  My lowest has been 139.5 and my highest in the past three weeks has been 147, but I average around the 144 range.  Ya know, if I could just encourage myself to get on that darn treadmill I would have been a size 4 by now!  Oh heck, who wants to be a size 4???  I'm happy as a lark being a size 9/10.  Me and the hubby are gonna do an "US" day tomorrow.  I had some massage visits left on my card with Patchouli's Day Spa.  We're gonna do a "Couple's Massage".  They serve you wine and cheese while you relax in the therapy room for 30 minutes, then you both get a full body one hour massage.  Greg will do me and Lisa will do Cary.  It will be very nice... sort of a celebration of our 8th Anniversary... one week late.  :-)  AND HEY... IT'S ALREADY PAID FOR!  WOO HOO!

Okay, well, here I am again, asking you to do something... I'm pretty good at that, huh?  Over two months ago I submitted my photos to a website.  They display your photos modeling their clothes (something you've bought from them), then they ask customers to vote on a monthly winner.  The monthly winner wins a $100 gift certificate.  Okay.. so here goes.  Go to this link:  http://www.wickedtemptations.com/customers1.html and click on my photo.  You'll see all my photos displayed... then if you click on each individual photo, you can see what the company wrote as a caption below each pic.  ANYWHO, to VOTE for me, click on THIS link:  http://www.wickedtemptations.com/vote.html and then click on my picture.  It lets you vote one time a day... but, if you have multiple computers, um... you can vote more than once!  LOL!  Um... also... um... don't look at the other girls pics.  Um, some of them are a little "dirty".  I personally think my pics are classy and clean... other girls I think are trying to show all the goods.  Bad girls... bad!  :-)  Hee hee... okay.. 'nuff 'bout that.  I'm heading to the mall to get an interview suit!!!!  SOMEBODY HIRE ME TO STAY AT HOME AND DO MY OWN STUFF!!!!  LOL!!!!

Okay... back from the mall... AND GUESS WHAT!!!!  I'VE LOST DOWN ANOTHER SIZE!!!!  WHEW WHOOOO!!!!  I tried on five different suits and every one of them was a size 8 and everyone of them fit!  Yeah baby yeah!  Now that is what a girl is talking 'bout!!!!  ;-)

10/29/03.... DAY #538:
I got a wedding this Friday that should be interesting..... they're dressing up in medieval costumes and will be married by a monk!  Spooky!  I faxed my resume to over 25 businesses this morning... maybe I'll catch a bite.  Got a big weekend planned with our friends Josh and Christy.... details later... got to get a shower... heading to my massage!  ;-)

Well the massage just about slap wore me out.  Whew!  Cary and I had a glass and a half of wine a piece... and you know me.... since surgery, three sips of wine and I'm feeling tipsy.  I was like putty by the time my ass hit the massage table.  As always, Greg and his fine ass did a great job.  Cary said he really enjoyed the massage and told me "thank you" for sharing with him.  Ahhh... how sweet... Me wuvs him and wuvs him.  I ended up having a headache when it was all over though 'cause of the wine.  Cary drove by Panda Garden and let me pick up a pint of Egg Drop Soup.  That ALWAYS makes me feel better... and heck, for $1.06... I'm a cheap date!

11/04/03... DAY #544:
Halloween is finally behind us and Turkey Day is not far away at all!  Halloween Night we had a Pajama Party throw down.  Lots of friends showed up wearing their PJ's and Lingerie.  It was a blast!  I've upload pics under the 18 month gallery.  Yes I know... I'm not "officially" into my 18 month just yet... but, it's only five days away... so.. I said "what the heck".  Well... yes... I was gone this weekend... Me, my hubby Cary, our friends, Josh, and Christy, all went to Valdosta, GA this weekend to Wild Adventure's Theme Park.  We had a blast Saturday!  With the exception of it being 85+ degrees and we all had on blue jeans!  Anywho.  Saturday night we ate at Ruby Tuesday's, then went back to the hotel where we played on the swing-set.  Josh and Cary pushed me and Christy on the swings then we all played on the teeter-totter... Yes!  I realize that I will be 30 in January and my hubby is celebrating his 31st birthday today... but... why grow up????  We also played the Newlywed Game on Saturday night.  It was so much fun!  It's just like the TV game show where you try and match answers.  We all learned so much about each other.  Wanna hear something crazy?  Cary and I have been married 8 years and Josh and Christy 3 years... however, the four of us share the same wedding date!  We were all married on October 21st.  I think that is cool.  We all have so many similarities and Cary & Josh are soooo much alike that many of my friends trip out when they see them together.  Their personalities and mannerisms are uncanny.  Anywho.... on Sunday morning we got up and made a spur of the moment trip to Jacksonville Beach, FL.  We had a blast!  These pics are already loaded in the 18 month gallery.  Fun, fun, fun, for everyone!  Well today is Cary's 31st birthday.  All of our friends came over to celebrate with some cake and ice cream.... then we watched Julie's old Survivor audition video when I was a huge cow and my recent Amazing Race audition tape.  Again... fun, fun, fun, for everyone.  Well.. got photo work to do... I'll talk to you soon... Smooches!

11/05/03... DAY #545:
I NEED A SUGAR DADDY!  SOMEBODY TO PAY MY BILLS, BUY ME CLOTHES, AND PUT ME ON A PEDESTAL.  ANY TAKERS???  :-)

11/08/03... DAY #548:
Good Morning to ya!  Well I didn't have any "takers" on being my Sugar Daddy.  Darn!  My husband and I were really looking forward to someone taking care of my monetary needs... LOL!!!!  Oh well... :-(  I have my last calendar signing party this evening.  The calendar girls will be in full length gowns and will appear at the Ultimate Fight.  I was picked to be the "Ring Girl".  Very exciting!  I've had so much fun being a calendar girl... I kinda hate seeing it come to a close. 

I have been so exhausted and tired lately.  Well... I found out why.  My blood work was done and all my levels came back fine WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MY B-12.  It was really low.  Low B-12 is not unusual for gastric by-pass patients though.  Dr. Williams prescribed one B-12 shot and then for me to take sublingual B-12 tablets everyday.  Here is an exert of information about B-12 from the Vitalady:

EIGHTEEN MONTHS POST-OP 11/09/03

11/12/03... DAY #552:
Well... as you know... I am MISS OPTIMISTIC.... and I always said... "One day Jules will hit it big!"    I am flying to New York City, NY this morning to be a guest on the The Maury Show on Friday!!!  The show will tape on Friday morning... but I am unsure of the air date at this time.  I will definitely update my journal when I know more.  The show will cover persons who have lost over 100 pounds and have gone through a major transformation.  They will feature people who are very energetic and people who love to talk about themselves.  Hmmm...Talk about themselves??? Little 'ol me?  LOL!!!!  They are covering all expenses to fly out, spending money, food, and they will give me a complete make-over!!!  They want to cut and straighten my hair too... GULP!  I will also get some new clothes!  Heck yeah baby 'cause everything I have right now is too big!!   I'm so excited!!!!!!  This could be my ticket!  Maybe someone will discover me!  Maybe someone will give a job!!!!!!!  Maybe I'll get to go see David Letterman... Maybe I'll get to go see Saturday Night Live????  Maybe just maybe.........   GOD IS SO GOOD!  DO YOU HEAR ME???  GOD IS AWESOME!!!!   Pray for me to have a safe trip!  I am so incredibly nervous feeling right now.  My heart is in my throat.  This is like a fantasy... a dream come true... I don't really grasp the concept just yet that in less than 12 hours I will in NYC!  My hotel is less than two blocks from Times Square... I think I'm gonna throw up... in fact... I know I am... be right back.  Okay... I'm back... didn't throw up... but... gosh... You know that I am wild and crazy but crap... how much drama can one person handle in a five month period????  Good grief!  Look what all I have experienced and gone through.  Whew!  All I can say is "Praise Jesus!!!!!"   Well... seeing as it is 12:25am and Jules doesn't have a stitch packed... got to get a moving.  Lots of love to all of you!  I will fly back on Sunday.  Please pray for my safe trip!  You are the best friends a girl can have!  NEW YORK CITY - BIG APPLE HERE I COME!  I HOPE YOU'RE READY FOR ME!!!!

Okay.. as it is now 2:13am and my mind is running wild...  I'm about to say something that may be morbid, but any of you that know me, know that Jules always plans ahead.  So let me just say this... when I was terminated from the Fortune 500 Insurance Company, I also lost my big Life Insurance Policy.  So... if for any reason I were to die during my trip to NYC, I pray that all my buddies will rally together to scrap up $5000 to help my hubby bury me.  OKAY OKAY... I KNOW... THAT WAS MORBID... But... just trying to think ahead just in case.  Also... somebody take it upon themselves to write a book about me.  I would like that!  LOL!  It's all about me, ain't it????  I'm just kidding....   Okay... I'm done now.  I love each and every one of you!  Goodnight... I'm about to go give my hubby 5 nights of lovin' so he won't miss me so much.  ;-)  Smooches!

NYC UPDATE!  THE MAURY SHOW!
11/17/03... DAY #557:
Well I’m finally back!!!!  I tell ya.  I was looking over my journal and all I can say is “WOW”.  I have really done some traveling over the past 18 months.  I’ve been to Kentucky, Tennessee, California, North Carolina, all through Georgia, Florida, and now…. NEW YORK CITY!  My trip was a lot of fun.  I took my mother with me as my husband could not get off from work.  My mom had never been on an airplane… Needless to say…. It was an eye opening experience for her.  Well, I know you want to hear all of the juicy details… so hear goes:  First, let me tell you that the show airs on Wednesday, 11/19/03.  Check your local listings for an episode called “Guests lose hundreds of pounds”.  If you’re a Columbus, GA resident, it should come on Fox 54 at noon.  Okay… now onto the meat.  The trip started on Wednesday morning with an airplane ride from Columbus, GA to Atlanta, GA.  We then caught an immediate flight to LaGuardia in New York City.  We arrived in NYC at 1:00pm.  When we went to baggage claim, there was a driver holding our names on a sign.  We were driven from the airport to the Maury studio in a Cadillac Deville.  When I arrived at the studio, we were welcomed by a fantastic energetic staff.  We were placed in the Green Room and fed.  I was then taken over to record my voice, my eyes, and my lips.  This recording would be a voice-over on my series of fat girl pics they plan to introduce me with.  We were then given $160 to cover food for the next three days, $20 for cab money, and were picked up by a taxi that took us to our hotel.  We stayed at the Belvedere which was walking distance from the heart of it all….. Times Square.  Wednesday evening we visited Times Square, the Hershey store, Radio City Music Hall, the NBC Today Show, ABC Morning Show, Sports Illustrated, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Blue Fin, and too many other places for me to remember.  I stopped and got me a bite of sushi from a little Japanese whole the wall and it was so good!  I love sushi!  Thursday, I didn’t have to return to the Maury studio until 3:00pm, so we did some walking through the streets of NYC.  We went to the top of the Empire State Building.  I saw a TV camera crew, and sure enough, it was Jodee Stott, Anthony Campbell, and Ryan Rothe, who are current competitors in the NBC Today Show "Today's Superstar".  I had my photo taken with them.  We were only allowed to look out the windows of the gift shop due to high winds.  No one was allowed on the Observatory Deck due to 60+ mph winds.  You could hear it too... like a train wrapping around the building and we were swaying.  I had to return to the Maury studio at 3:00pm.  Thursday was wardrobe day.  I tried on different bras, outfits, and jewelry they had bought for me.  All looked great… but…. This one dress looked freaking AWESOME!!!!  It’s a coral red, beautiful dress, size 8 (OMG!), that was on loan from the designer.  I was told that any store bought clothes I could keep… but clothing on loan from designers had to go back.  I was so bummed.  However, the wardrobe lady, named Suzie, was so awesome.  She was a really sweet lady and told me that she would contact the designer personally and beg for the dress.  I kept my fingers.  They had jewelry for me, but were totally impressed with my bling, bling, rhinestone jewelry, so I would wear my own.  When I was done with wardrobe, I was done for the day, and was told I would be picked up from my hotel at 6:30am on Friday.  Thursday evening it was so incredibly cold and the winds were so bad, that we grabbed a bite to eat, did some quick shopping, and headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest.  The phone rang at 4:45am on Friday morning... um... the "Wake Up Service" was an hour early.  Don't you hate that?  I finally rolled out of bed at 6:00am and the BIG DAY was finally upon me.  I felt nervous, excited, scared, all balled into one.  I still wasn’t sure exactly what they were gonna do to my hair.  I was picked up from the hotel at 6:30am.  My mom would be picked up at 9:00am.  I was taken to the studio to meet the other guests.  We were videotaped while we signed paperwork stating that we allowed Maury to put us on the show and that everything we would say is truthful…. Blah blah blah… about 8 pages of paperwork.  Anywho.  We were fed bacon, omelets, coffee, and milk… then… the ball started rolling.  It all seems such a blur.  I was the first to be taken to get ready and the very last to get to the final destination of backstage… here’s how it all went down:  I first met with the colorist, Susan, who says that she has worked on lots of celebrities.  She had a very strong New York accent, but was sweet as she could be.  She shook her head at my roots.  LOL!  They were over 1.5 inches long and almost black compared to my blonde.  We didn’t have much time and she had her work cut out for her.  She bleached my roots, then all of my hair, then went back in with brown low lights.  When she was done, I was like “WOW!”  No one EVER has done such an awesome color job.  I was very appreciative.  I was then rushed to the stylists. I had one on each side of my head blowing, brushing, and flat ironing.  At the same time, I’ve got the Executive Producer in my ear running down the show and throwing questions at me.  He then said I needed to be on stage for rehearsal.  With my hair half done and a towel around my neck, I was taken to the stage for rehearsal.  We each practiced our entrance through the screen, down the hall, up the stairs, down the stairs, and down the runway.  WHEW!  My heart was in my stomach.  After my rehearsal, I was rushed back to the stylists where another girl gave me a haircut.  I got about four inches cut off the sides and three inches cut off the back.  During this time, I had Via, who works one on one with each of the guests, reviewing questions and answers with me.  I was so dog gone nervous ‘cause she kept getting interrupted and pulled away.  I just knew we would never finish and I would end up on stage looking like a dumbutt.  Once done with my hair.  I was rushed over to make-up.  Now us girls all feel that no one does make-up quite as well as ourselves.  I was not happy with the make-up.  I had a little bit of my own with me, so I snuck into the bathroom and changed it a little.  Hee hee.  Okay, so while I’m in the bathroom, they are steadily looking for me.  It was wardrobe time.  I got naked in front of too many people to mention.  I just stood there like a rag doll while one person put my panties on, another my bra, my shoes, another with my dress, and another taping a microphone pack to my butt!  It was crazy and everything was moving so fast.  The producer kept coming back saying “We need her now!!!”  I was rushed down to the set where my heart slid from my stomach to my knees.  I could hear the audience clapping and getting rallied up.  The show began immediately.  I had still not finished reviewing my lines!  I was feeling frantic!  So, they decided to bump me to appear later in the segment.  WHEW!  Thank goodness!  I was backstage, practicing my grand entrance, reviewing my lines, then they called my name and said I was up next.  “OH MY GOD!!!  WHAT???”  Then, as Murphy’s Law would have it…. I looked down and the middle, biggest diamond of my anniversary band was gone!!!!  My heart then dropped to my feet and I felt sick.  There was no telling how long it had been missing!  Where could it be???!!!  A brother of one of the first guests was backstage with me.  He saw my frantic body language and came to my rescue.  He helped me look on the floor and with his radar vision, HE FOUND IT!  Oh my goodness!  How lucky can one be????  He threw it in his shirt pocket while the assistant pulled my arm towards the curtain.  I walked through the curtain, shook my butt, then walked to the Maury stage…. The rest… is just a blur.  I will have to watch the show myself to remember what he asked and how I answered.  PLEASE keep one thing in mind while you’re watching the show.  We were told to be “all about ourselves” and to "over dramatize".  So, if you watch the show and say to yourself, “My, Julie thought she was all that, didn’t she?”… just remember…. It’s TV!  I was instructed to lay it on thick and be dramatic.  Okay, so my segment was coming to an end and Maury asks me about my high-heel shoe fetish.  He then tells me that they are giving me three free pairs of shoes from the Steve Madden store.  Little did I know they would be videotaping me on my shopping spree!  After the show, we were put in the greenroom to be fed some exotic sandwich wraps… I downed about a half of one when I heard five people calling my name.  1) Suzie, the wardrobe lady was giving me the thumbs up.  THE DESIGNER AGREED TO LET ME KEEP THE DRESS!!!  (So, I got new undergarments, fancy new rhinestone shoes, and now a one of kind designer dress!  YES!)  2)  the Producer and 3) the Executive Producer were telling me that I did a fantastic job.  4) an intern was trying to find my bag of clothes and 5) Via was telling me I had to go.  Had to go?  Go where?  She said that we were immediately leaving to go to the Steve Madden store.  I would stay in my wardrobe, walk about 6 street blocks in uptown Manhattan, to the Steve Madden store, in 50 degree weather, while a camera crew followed me.  OH MY GOODNESS!  THIS IS CRAZINESS!  You know I love the attention though!  On my way to the store, people were looking, and stopping, and pointing, like I was a celebrity or something!  LOL!  When we got to the store, we did video of me walking down the sidewalk and into the store, me saying cheesy lines about how awesome the shoes were, more lines while a sales associate helped me, and then my final line was me walking out of the store after shopping.  Basically, I did a commercial for the Steve Madden store.  We ran through everything three of four times, and they will edit and put the best on TV.  There was a crowd gathered outside of the store watching as I filmed.  It was too cool.  Ya know, I think I could do this NYC life!  LOL!  Well, Maury had promised me three pairs of shoes, the catch?  Each pair not to exceed $100.  I looked around.  They had some funky shoes… stuff that I would probably never have an opportunity to wear in good ‘ol Columbus, GA, but I fell in love with this pair of black, leather, lined, three inch heel, boots.  Oh they were sweet… but… they were $400!  Via, from the Maury Show knew I loved them, so, she said “Get them and we’ll take care of it!”  Oh, I was too excited!  When in my lifetime will I ever own another $400 pair of shoes???  They feel so good.  So, we were all done at the store, and headed back, in the cold, in my heels, in my dress, to the studio.  I loved my dress and didn’t want to take it off… so I didn’t!  LOL!  I hugged and kissed all of the staff and they had a driver take us to our new hotel.  The Maury show took care of all airfare, travel, and hotel accommodations.  However, I wanted to stay a few extra days in the Big Apple.  The Belvedere was booked solid for Friday and Saturday nights, so I went on Priceline.com and got an AWESOME deal at the very plush Marriott Financial Center in downtown Manhattan, one block from Ground Zero.  I would have to pay for hotel accommodations for Friday and Saturday, but the Maury show would still take care of transportation to the airport and all airfare.  Good deal!  Our hotel window view gazed out over the water and right at the Statue of Liberty.  What a breathtaking site!  The other side gave us a bird's eye view of Ground Zero.  It made my heart hurt.  Friday evening my Mom and I walked down to Ground Zero.  I tell ya, two years later, and besides the actual World Trade Center site itself, it's hard to see where any progress has been made.  Buildings are empty, it's so quiet, it's just eerie and there is construction everywhere.  9/11 still effects me and I still cry.  It will be a day I never forget.  Saturday would be our longest day yet.  We started the day with a ride on the Subway back to Times Square.  Good grief!  We walked all day long!  We went to Macy's, back to the Empire State Building, Saks on Fifth, the Godiva store, Grand Central Station, Trump Tower, FAO Schwarz on Fifth Avenue, Central Park, Carnegie Hall, stood outside of "The Late Show with David Letterman", the famous "Hello Deli", back to Rockefeller Center, and just way too many places to name!  We hit the Subway, at night, went for a ride over the Brooklyn bridge, then back to our hotel.  Sunday morning we had plans to take a helicopter ride right up to the Statue of Liberty.  Liberty Helicopters sent a driver to pick us up, but when we arrived at the heliport, we were told that there was a 2+ hour wait.  Bummer!  We would never make it in time... we would miss our ride to the airport.  Oh well.....  At 3:00pm we were picked up in a stretch limousine and headed to the airport.  Very nice!  I finally arrived in Columbus at 11:15pm last night and got in bed at 1:00am.  I am so glad to be home, but tell ya, I would do it all over again tomorrow.  I definitely could live in NYC.  It’s so glitzy and everything is so convenient… but… I NEVER did see a Wal-Mart or a grocery store!  How do these people survive????  LOL!  So, that’s it!  As if that wasn’t enough, huh?  On top of it all, I dropped another pound!  All pics have been added to the NYC-Maury Show gallery.  Click here to get there.

11/20/03... DAY #560:
Yesterday was an exciting day to say the least.  I made the front page of the Local section in the Ledger-Enquirer (click here for article) and my show aired.  The phone rang off the hook from people had not heard from in years.  It was great!  Unfortunately, I didn't receive any job offers.  Yep!  I'm still looking for a job. 

Hi, my name is Julie Hedges and I am a Chocoholic.
Now, if you've been following my journal for anytime at all, you'll realize that I have an "addicting" personality.  That's right, if it's good, I can turn it into an addiction.  I swear my latest addiction is Mint Milano cookies.  BRENDA!!!!  WHY!!!  OH WHY!!!!!  WHY DID YOU INTRODUCE THOSE TO THE FAT GIRL????  LOL!  Once a fat girl, ALWAYS a fat girl regardless of the jean size.  Now, let's review my journal.  I've made several references to foods I "love"... pineapple, taco salad, pork tenderloin, Dove Chocolates, Cheese, Sushi, etc.  Should I "love" food?  Absolutely not!  So... why do I?  Today I've been facing my addiction in the face.  The ugly food demon has once again raised it's ugly head.  It's so hard sometimes!  I've said this before... it's like I try and sabotage myself.  When I lose a little weight, my body and mind goes into this overdrive mode of eating, eating, eating.  It's disgusting!  Today I ate all damn day!  I swear!  Non-stop!  I didn't drink all day... just ate!  I've got to remember and here is a little tip for you too:  When we "think" we're hungry, sometimes we're just thirsty.  Obese persons confuse thirst for hunger sometimes.... and this girl does it all the time.  In reality, when I DO drink instead of eating, I'm no longer hungry in between meals.  I dunno.. feeling kinda like beating myself up tonight.  I've got the "Fat Girl" theme song running through my head.  You know the one (sing it to Batman) Da na na na na na na na FAT GIRL!  That's why I could NEVER lose weight before.  I would lose some, then my body would go into this overdrive hunger mode... GOT TO EAT!  Oh well... the fat girl is tired and will go to bed.  P.S.  I've received 118+ emails the past two days.  You know I always personally answer every email... just hold tight and I promise to get to yours.  Don't hesitate to write either.. I love your emails!  Smooches... Jules

11/22/03... DAY #562:
My "Viewing Party" last night was terrific!  I have so many friends that love me.  I am very thankful that God brought them into my life.  I cooked pork chops, broccoli, and Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese tonight for dinner.  This is the first time in over 18 months that I cooked macaroni.  I don't cook too many starches and carbs anymore.  I ate a few bites of the macaroni.  It tasted so good... of course, my tummy paid the price a little later.  Dunno why I can't handle pasta anymore... guess it's a good thing though 'cause that's what got me fat in the first place.  Use to, I would cook a large Family Size pack of Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese and eat it all myself in one sitting along with a ham sandwich.  Disgusting I know.

11/25/03... DAY #565:
My Auburn, AL "Hot WLS Babe" girlfriend, Pam Kelley, has been at it again.  I love that girl and dog gone it... she loves me!  Pam and I had surgery one day a part.  We met a few months prior and have been the best of friends ever since.  That's one thing about this surgery.  You meet people who become part of your new family.  Being a "WLS Babe" is like being in a clique.... ;-)  Anywho, that girl has gone and sent me ANOTHER fur!  Whew wee it's pretty too!  I love it!  It's a Blue Fox Fur jacket.  It's gorgeous and I've been wearing it!  Those of you pre-op may say "Good grief Jules, it hasn't been cold enough for a fur!".  However, once you shed 100+ pounds, you'll have a whole new meaning of "cold".  It takes about two years for your body thermostat to get normal again.  Until then... ya just freeze your assets off... know what I'm saying?  ;-)  Anywho, so the UPS man delivers two boxes.  The first I opened was an M&M frame (with Pam's pic in it of course) and lots of chocolate candy!  Oh she knows how to get me!  The box included a card with flowers on the front.  The inside read:  "Only a true love would send you flowers and chocolate!".  Pam, ya got me all smitten!  ;-)  Then the second box contained my new Blue Fox Fur!!!!!  Now girl... only a true love sends ya furs!!!  Smooches!!!!  I've uploaded some new pics of me in my new fur in the 18 month gallery.  THANK YOU PAM!  YOU ARE A GEM!!!  I love you forever and ever and then some!!!!  XOXOXOX

11/27/03.... DAY #567 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!:
Well, I over-ate and made myself miserably sick.  I threw up, but only a little came up.  I laid down and felt a little better, so what did I do?  I ate another piece of ham.  That was a mistake!  My tummy started turning and twisting.  I left my parent's and headed to my house where I took some pain medication and laid down for 3.5 hours.  When I got up, my stomach was still sick... I could feel it brewing... finally... I threw up again.  That piece of ham I ate had just sat in my pouch during those 3.5 hours and had not digested.  YUCK!  I was eventually able to get some Chicken Noodle soup down.  I think I'm gonna drink protein shakes tomorrow until I get to feeling better.  What a tummy sick Thanksgiving I had.  :-(

11/28/03.... DAY #568:
Pics of me with straight hair uploaded in the 18 month gallery.  Ya know... I kinda like it straight... it's definitely a different look... but boy howdy... it took 2 hours to do with a straight iron!!!  Unless I get some volunteers... I won't be doing that very often!  LOL!  ;-)

12/02/03... DAY #572:
You know... I've talked about this before.... but, as a thinner person, I still experience "fat days".  I'm telling you.. I just think it's a woman thang.... Today I just feel "fat nasty"... I feel like my gut is sticking out 7 feet and that my ass is 5 feet wide.  Ugghhhh!  "Da na na na na na na na Fat Girl!"

12/04/03... DAY #574:
I'm having a "Sexy Day".  Yes... feeling kinda skinny today.  Ain't it crazy how just two days ago I was having a "Fat Day"?  Well, I'm a woman... give me a break would ya?  Today was "Official Weigh-In" and can you say "Hell yeah"?  That's right... I lost another pound!  Wooo hoo!  I'm officially down to 140 pounds now.  Do a little dance... make a little love... I'm gonna get hot tonight... hot tonight... :-)  LOL!  AND... while we're on the subject of "getting hot"... I don't have any idea what has gotten into my husband... but whew... I hope it gets into him more.... He has been the "Hot Daddy, Spank that Ass, Love Machine"!  I don't know if it's my weight loss or the fact that I'll be 30 in a month... but... sex is just so much better now.  I jokingly say to him "Honey, I don't know who you've been practicing with... but... tell her to come over more often."  LOL!!!  Well... I just know y'all love hearing all about my sex life , but hey, you're reading MY journal, right?  Smile.  :)  You know... since I'm unemployed right now (other than my photography business, which, Praise Jesus, has been doing really well lately) I thought about setting up some voyeur cams in the house and charging $14.95 per month subscription.  Hmm... wonder if I'd have any subscribers?  I'M KIDDING!  Girls, don't send me emails chastising me!  Alright well, I'm off... got an appointment coming over.  Talk to you soon.... Your 'lil Jewel.... JULES

12/06/03... DAY #576:
Cary, Me, Josh, and Christy had a blast this evening.  We all got dressed up and took "prom" pics at my parent's house.  They then went to the "Fortune 500" party and Cary & I went out for an elegant dinner.  I must tell you about my 2 minutes of fame while we were there.  Of course I'm in my "Maury" dress and Cary is in his tux.  So, when we walk in, everyone is staring.  As we walk by other tables to reach ours, people are stopping us telling us how great we look.  Half way into dinner, it was potty time for me.  While in the bathroom I met a little girl (about 9 years old) who recognized me from the newspaper.  She complimented me on my dress and told me to have a good time.  I swear she was really 25 in a 9 year old body.  She was so mature in her speaking.  Anywho, I'm back at the table and 10 minutes later I see her standing at the door getting ready to leave.  She waved and I waved.  I then noticed several little girls surrounding her looking down at our table.  They all started waving.  Then, they all walked over to our table.  There was about seven of them all in the 9 year old age range (must have been there for some kind of event... dunno).  Another little girl in the group asks "Were you on that TV show?"  Assuming she meant "The Maury Show", I said "Yes".  Then, in a voice like she was about to prove a point, she says "How long ago?".  I said "About two weeks ago".  She then looks over at the group of girls and says "See... I TOLD YOU SO!".  LOL!!!  It was too cute!  They all smiled, stared at me for a few seconds, then said bye.  WOW!  That was pretty cool.  And of course now that the girls made a scene, the adults in the restaurant are now looking over with this inquisitive stare like "Is she somebody?".  LOL!  What a riot!  I loved it!  I'm so ready to be a celebrity it's not even funny!  :)  My friends are always emailing me wanting to know "what's next, when will you be famous, and don't forget about the little people".  WHATEVER!  I will NEVER forget my friends!  Y'all are all going with me!  Okay.. well.. back to the evenings events... After dinner, we all came back to the house and got our drink on.  Cary and Joshy watched "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" while me and Christy took turns hamming it up for the cam.  They boys paid us no mind... as usual.  Later we went to the Soho Bar and listened to a band for a bit... around 3:30am it was time to hit the hay!

12/08/03... DAY #578:
I'm in the paper again!  There is a full page article on page 24 of this month's "Underground Columbus" magazine (Issue 7, Vol.1, Dec. 2003) telling my story with my photo.

NINETEEN MONTHS POST-OP 12/09/03

12/12/03... DAY #582:
Happy 19th Month Anniversary to me!  I lost 2 pounds this past month.... but I tell ya... it's constantly up and down.  One day it's 139.5, the next 143.5, it's crazy!  Well, I did do good though this past month.... for the first time in 10 months I have actually lost 2 inches off my waist!  I was a size 33 inch waist since February... but FINALLY..... I'm now down to a size of 31 inches!!!!  Woo hoo!  I also lost another .50 inch off my hips!  GO JULIE!  GO JULIE!  Okay... I know you're tired of hearing this.... but.... I'm in the paper once again!  :)  There is a full page article on page 18 of this month's Playgrounds Magazine, (Issue Dec 2003 - Jan 11, 2004) telling my story with my photos.... pretty 'ol neat.  Also, my surgeon's office just started a quarterly newsletter.  I was the first patient to be introduced with an article in the "Meet Our Patients".  This is too cool... In the past month I've been in print four times, on national TV, and had an article on the web.  On December 19th of this month (next Friday), I will appear on "Coffee Break" here locally at noon.  I'm so excited about by life right now.  Photography is going good... PRAISE JESUS!  I have no doubt that God is and will continue to take care of me.  Thank you Jesus for all my many blessings!!!!!  Smile!  I'm unemployed but still very happy!  :-)

12/20/03... DAY #590:
It's hard to believe that a week has gone by and I haven't made a journal update.  I will get to it soon, I promise.  I've been extremely busy.

12/28/03... DAY #598:
You know, for someone who has hundreds of friends, I find myself sitting here in front of the computer... LONELY!  The hubby is at work, my best friend Gayla just flew back to California... and all my close network of friends are trying to play catch up today to be prepared to face work tomorrow.  Sigh.... Oh anywho... so... what has been going on with me, you ask?  I realize it's been two weeks since I actually updated my journal.  Things, even without a full time job, seem to get a little crazy around the holiday season.  Well, let me play catch up myself here.  On 12/19, I appeared on "Coffee Break" on WLTZ NBC 38.  I was on for about 8 minutes discussing my weight loss and providing education about the surgery to the public.  The interview went really well.  I recently did a wedding in which everyone, including all of the guests, dressed up in Civil War costumes and uniforms.  It was awesome!  In the past couple of weeks I've taken on a client that wants me to do his portfolio of model pics.  He has already been out to L.A. for several shoots, to include an appearance on the show "Blind Date" and for a Versace ad in "GQ" Magazine.  Of course he is very attractive, but here is the bonus, he is also a hairdresser at a very popular salon in Columbus.... he's gonna take care of Julie's roots... and I'll shoot his pics.  Good trade 'cause being unemployed does not allow for too much "root coverage", know what I'm saying?  Who knows... if this stud muffin makes it big, maybe other models will hire me to do their portfolio too?  Never know....  Let's see.. what else?  Well, I've been hired by a local radio station to be the photographer for a popular concert coming to Columbus for a New Year's Eve party.  That should be pretty fun.... and ya never know if it will lead to bigger and better things?  Let's see.. Christmas... Cary and I went up last weekend to see his family for Christmas.  We did Christmas at his Uncle's house in Duluth, then spent the night with his Parent's in Dahlonega.  Oh how I love Dahlonega!!!!  It's just gorgeous!  Well, far as Christmas gifts overall... I got some really nice stuff.  Top things on my list:  Money, Gift Cards, House stuff, sis gave me an INC Leather Coat (pics in 19 month gallery), clothes, best friend Gayla gave me a charm bracelet with charms that represent us... she got one too... and I bought more charms to go on them... now when we travel, will get a charm wherever we go, she also got me a Tommy Hilfiger necklace with my initial "J" in rhinestones, and a new San Francisco outfit to replace the much hated leopard print one!  LOL!  My friend Natalie went all out and bought me a Diamond & Sapphire Tennis Bracelet.... I'VE GOT GREAT FRIENDS!  ME LOVE 'EM AND LOVE 'EM!  Well... I think that is pretty much it.  Gotta get ready for New Year's Eve... holla at ya soon!  :)

01/01/2004.... DAY #602:
Well... HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YA!  Yeah... I didn't roll out of bed until 12:30pm, and that was only after sis called and woke me up.  I went to bed about 4am.  Let's see.... Well, I was hired by a local radio station to be the photographer for the "3 Doors Down" New Year's Eve Party Concert.  I took pics of the band during their Meet & Greet autograph signings and during their two radio interviews.  I've uploaded a pic of me & the band in the "19 Month Gallery".  After the concert, we came home and partied by ourselves for a while.  ;-)  Nothing much to tell ya more.... Got some photography work to do... so I'll catch ya on the flip side.  :)

01/03/2004.... DAY #604:
Well the countdown begins... I have 19 more days until my BIG 30th BIRTHDAY!  (got busy.  I'll write more later)

TWENTY MONTHS POST-OP 01/09/04

01/10/2004.... DAY #611:
WOW!  I've done really good for the month.  I am now weighing 137 lbs. with a total loss of 127 lbs.  Gosh!  Ten pounds more would be me again!  It's crazy I tell you!  Just two... yes.... two more pounds until I hit my goal of 135 lbs.  I also lost some inches this past month.  I lost a half inch on my calves, a whole inch off my hips, a quarter inch off my thighs, an inch off my bust, and a quarter inch off my ankles.  People email me talking about the fear of the honeymoon period.  The average "honeymoon period" (when you will lose weight then the weight loss eventually stops) last 12 to 18 months.  As you can see... I'm now in month 20 and I'M STILL LOOSING!  It has absolutely NOTHING to do about exercise!  Other than the stretches I have listed in my "FAQ's", I don't exercise anymore.  I haven't seen the treadmill in months!  HOWEVER, I can tell you that I lead a very active lifestyle.... I am on the go 24/7... literally!  I'm at the post office and Wal-Mart at 2:00am shopping, get my grocery shopping done then too.  Why?  Because my days have been busy with photo shoots.... just wish it was enough to make up for what I was earning at the Fortune 500.  Oh well.  So, guess what?!  I'm flying out to Sacramento, CA on my 30th Birthday!  I will be flying out on January 22nd and will return on January 27th.  I've been hired to do a big corporate Award's Banquet and Formal Event.  I'm making AWESOME money AND while I'm gone, of course I'll see my one and only, Gayla Rebecca!  I fly into Sacramento on Thursday, and will chill at the office with her.  Then that night, we are going out to celebrate my birthday!  Friday, me and her friend Craig, are going to San Francisco for some touring... maybe this time I'll get to see the Golden Gate Bridge?  Last time we went, it was too foggy to see anything!  Saturday is the day I'm working.  Sunday, we are driving to Lake Tahoe to stay at Harvey's Casino.  We'll do the ski thing during the day and then party with the slot machines all night.  We'll drive back on Monday... then I fly out on Tuesday morning.  Fun Fun Fun!  I'll get to see Gayla again in April.  Me, Cary, Gayla, and Craig are flying to Las Vegas, NV for four days/ three nights.  We will be staying at Harrah's on the strip.  Lots of excitement ahead!  I STILL NEED A JOB THOUGH!  CALL ME WITH SOME PHOTO GIGS!  Okay... a few observations of mine.  I realize that I am a size 8.  All my fat life, I always thought that a size 10 was skinny... so... for me to be a size 8... well... I should think of myself as SUPER SKINNY, right?  Wrong!  I sit here in my jammies and I tell ya... I still feel fat!  I don't get it.  I still FEEL fat, like, that bloated "Oh my God I just ate two ham sandwiches and a can of pasta" feeling I use to have... although I don't eat like that anymore... I still walk around FEELING the fat thing.  My brain still hasn't caught up.  When I look in the mirror, I see a total different image than what comes off in photos.  When I see myself in photos, I'm like "Is that REALLY me?"  WOW!  When I wash clothes, I still get confused with the laundry.... see, a couple years ago my sis lived with us.  So when I did the laundry, there were always these little teeny tiny blue jeans, shirts, and pants.  Now when I do laundry and I pull my jeans out of the dryer, I'm like "What are Gracie's pants doing here?"  I know... it's weird... they just don't look big enough to cover my big fat ass.  Anywho... observation #2.  Regardless if I am all "glamorous" when I step out of the house or if I have my hair pulled back, no makeup, and my San Fran lounge suit on.... guys still look.  That's pretty cool.  Of course, they may be looking too because without makeup, I'm just damn frightening!  Well... it's 11:09am and it's about time I get some work done.  Be good or be good at it!  Oh... P.S..... .be watching for the Twenty Month Photo Gallery.... spicy pics will be up soon!  ;)

01/12/2004.... DAY #613:
Today is my Mom & Dad's 31st Wedding Anniversary... God Bless 'em.  Yesterday, Cary and I tried out a new church called Rivertown.  It meets at the movie theatre.  It's non-denominational... it was a good service.  Later, we met my gorgeous WLS girlfriend, Pam Kelley, and her husband Jim at the Auburn, AL movie theatre.  We saw the movie "Big Fish".  It was a strange movie, I tell ya, but the ending made me cry like a baby.  We followed the movie up with a Birthday Bash for me and Pam at Red Lobster.  Pam's birthday was Friday, and mine is on the 22nd.  We had a great dinner and finished it with some scrumptious chocolate cake!  Yes!!!!!  Check out our pics in the 20 Month Photo Gallery.  Thanks Pam for a fantastic evening!  You're the best!!!!

01/19/2004.... DAY #620:
I tell ya... I must be a busy girl 'cause I didn't even realize that it had been over a week since I updated.  Me sorry.  :(  Okay... I have been in FAT GIRL mode for the past two days!!!!  Anybody care to sing my theme song???  Da na na na na na na na FAT GIRL!  Of course, you avid readers know to sing that to the Batman song... it's just called the "Fat Girl" song.  :)  Well... what has happened this past week?  Hold on and let me look at my calendar to remember.... Okay, I'm back.  Well, on Wednesday, the 14th, I went and saw Dr. Wilson... we'll just call him the "Booby Man".  See... Jules doesn't need any plastic surgery... my ass looks good (for an ex-fat girl), my legs are decent, my arms are decent, and my tummy is jam up looking hot... but good grief good Lordy has anyone seen my boobs?  Me neither?  Where did they go?  DOWN SOUTH!  That is correct!  Have you ever seen a latex balloon that his been filled with helium... and like on the second day when it's all limp and shriveled up?  Well... that is my two little boobies.  They are hanging low... "getting low getting low".  Anywho, so we went to see the Booby Man.  Here, I'll sing for you now:  "Oh do you know the Booby Man, the Booby Man, the Booby Man, Oh do you know the Booby Man that fixes women's breast?"  Okay... that was my little rendition of the "Muffin Man".  Alright anywho... so, he picked those puppies up and examined them.  "Yes ma'am... they've definitely fallen and can't get up".  So, I need a breast lift and implants.  Think I'll go for those triple F porn star boobies?  I'M KIDDING!!!!!!!  Actually, I'd just like to be back to what I was in high school.  A small "D".  I'm a large "C" right now... hell... I used to be a "DD"!  Well... when I was read the sticker price... $5000 (yes, we'll call it a sticker price 'cause dang it, you could buy ya a Ford Escort for $5000!) I had STICKER SHOCK.  Sure, I could slap it on a credit card... but good grief.. that thing still has to get paid, and dang it... the girl doesn't have a job, know what I'm saying?  Okay, I hear some of ya asking, "Julie, I thought you were gonna wait until you have babies?".  Heck, why wait?  I may not ever have babies????  I turn 30 on Thursday and babies are looking good around 35.  LOL!  Anywho, if you'd like to make contributions to my Booby Fund, shoot me an email... otherwise, we'll put the boobies on the back burner for right now.  Okay, what else have I been up to?  PHOTO SHOOTS, CLIENT CONSULTATIONS, and getting all my photography equipment mailed to California.  I have been busy and this is just the way I like it!!!!  I booked six, yes six, weddings this past week!  I'm so excited!  You know, when I was working the "Fortune 500" I wasn't home during the day to catch all these phone calls.  My business line rings off the hook during the day.  I'm here now to catch them and my photography business has been booming!!!  How awesome is that?  PRAISE JESUS!  I'm hoping that I can continue to do this full time.  We shall see... Um, what else?  Well, Saturday night me, Cary, and Natalie all went to the Firehouse.  We had a blast!  I woke up the next morning and literally could not move.  I had slipped my two discs back out again in my back.  OUCH!  VERY PAINFUL STUFF!  I guess that bumping and grinding up on the rail didn't help????   LOL!  I finally was able to get my hinny out of the bed.  Cary and I went to Rivertown Church again (yes, I hear ya... Party all night and church the next day).  I think we're gonna like it there.  The preacher is currently preaching on a "Marriage Series"... good stuff.  Sooo good that the hubby wrote me a two page letter this morning, sent me two dozen red and pink carnations today, AND I was cleaning when he got home... HE STARTED HELPING WITH THE VACUUMING!  I LOVE YOU HONEY BUNNY SNOOKEM PIE!  Okay... so that's the latest with me.  Tomorrow I will film my Survivor video.  Yeppers, I'm applying for Survivor again.  I applied three years ago back in "FAT GIRL" days, but guess what?  I wasn't picked.  So, I'm going to merge my old fat girl video with my new skinny girl video... we'll see what comes of it.  Wednesday is PACK DAY and I'll be shipping off to California at 4am on Thursday morning.  WHEW!  That's enough, right?  Okay, real quick... why am I feeling "Fat Girl" mode?  Well, Sunday morning when I got up and on the scale, I was 137 pounds.  This evening, I get on the scale and I am 145.5.  HOLY CRAP!!!!  8.5 POUND GAIN?  Why?  Because I have done nothing but eat all day Sunday and ALL DAY TODAY.  I have gotten to where I can tolerate pasta again.  NOT GOOD!  PASTA = CARBS.  BAD GIRL!  Yes, I can lose this 8.5 pounds this week while I'm in Cali... but let this be a word of advice to those researching surgery:  Once the "Honeymoon" is over... weight gain is VERY VERY EASY.  The "loosing" is the easy part.  MAINTAINING IS THE HARD PART.  I REPEAT!  SET YOURSELF SOME GOOD BEHAVIORS DURING HONEYMOON OR YOU WILL SUFFER LATER!  Okay... 'nuff preaching tonight.  I'll sip on my mudslide and start a new tomorrow.  I'll burn this 8.5 pounds of pasta and a whole bag of Pepperidge Farm Mint Milanos off on the slopes in Lake Tahoe on Friday.  ;-)  If I don't talk to you between now and Cali trip, please pray that I'll have a safe one.  Also, pray that the hubby won't go on his normal spending spree while I'm gone.  LOL!  For some reason, every time I go on a trip, when I come back, we have some type of new electronic device.  LOL!  I came home one time to a new microwave, new surround sound system, and new computer!  Will someone volunteer to watch him while I'm gone?  Thanks!  Love you!  Julie

01/27/2004.... DAY #628:
You know, not having a job… the days just sort of merge into one another.  It’s hard to remember what day of the week it is.  Well I flew into Sacramento on my 30th birthday, Thursday, January 22nd.  What a day!!!!  Let’s back track.  I woke up at 8:00am on Wednesday, January 21st morning and didn’t put my head on the pillow until 3:00am Columbus time on Friday, January 23rd.  Forty three hours of sleep deprivation.  Yeah sure, I caught a couple of winks on the plane… but you know how that goes… you don’t REALLY get any sleep… it’s sort of that half sleep where you still know what’s going on in your surroundings.  Anywho… ‘nuff ‘bout my sleeping habits…  When I arrived in Sacramento, my best friend in the whole wide world, Gayla Rebecca Baby G Johnson, picked me up from the airport.  We drove to her office which is the North California State Office of the Fortune 500 I use to be employed with.  I met Les, Margie, Deb, and Nick.  I already felt like I knew them from Gayla.  Gayla, Margie, and I went to Chili’s to eat lunch.  Well, Happy Birthday to me.. I started my period!!!  Sheesh!  I got really sick on my stomach with cramps like immediately.  We went back to the office where I was surprised with a cake, balloons, and the office singing “Happy Birthday” to me.  It was such a nice surprise and so great of Gayla and Margie to arrange it for me.  I felt so special.  Afterwards, Gayla drove me to my hotel.  I can’t stay with Gayla ‘cause she has Molly… her kitty cat and I am highly allergic.  Molly is the fattest, biggest attitude bitchy kitty that you will ever meet… she has a personality all her own…. Trust me.  Anywho.  I checked into the hotel and again tried to catch a few winks.. but my cell phone rang off the hook with bridal calls.  Oh well, I’m booked solid the week I come back so I guess I can’t complain.  Soon I got a call from Gayla.  The original plan was for us to go out on the town and live it up for my  birthday… but dang it… this ‘ol girl was tired and Gayla still had to work in the morning.  We decided to hit a Sushi Bar then head back to the hotel.  We knew we would have plenty of time to live it up at Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe.  The next morning, Friday, January 23rd, Craig (an insurance Sales Associate with the "Fortune 500" and friend of Gayla’s) took me on some sightseeing in San Francisco.  We rode the Trolley cars and walked through Chinatown and Union Square.  We visited the Golden Gate Bridge and just had fun walking the streets of San Francisco.  Lots of fun!  Friday evening Gayla and I had dinner and went to bed.  Saturday, January 24th….. THE BIG DAY!  Gayla picked me up from the Holiday Inn where I had been staying and relocated us to the Sheraton Grand in downtown Sacramento.  WOW!  This place was amazing.  The state meeting would take place in the Grand Ballroom and the formal event that evening.  We had room service lunch.  From 1:00pm to 5:00pm, I photographed the meeting which included an Award’s Banquet.  From 5:30pm to 6:00pm I set up my photo studio area then work began!  From 6:00pm to 9:00pm I photographed evening photos and printed them immediately for the guests.  The Grand Ballroom was transformed into a NYC skyline (their theme) and I photographed the entertainment and dancing the remainder of the evening.  Sunday morning we had room service breakfast then went shopping in downtown Sacramento.  From there we drove to Lake Tahoe, NV where we stayed at Harvey’s Casino.  The guest relations rep that checked us in was fantastic!  I told her that we were there to celebrate my 30th birthday so she had a bottle of champagne, compliments of the hotel, sent up to our room.  It was so great!  Gayla and I had a good laugh though…. When I answered the door of the champagne delivery, the woman said “I guess this bottle is for you?” (as she entered the room).  I said “Yeah, it’s for me and my girlfriend.”  LOL!  She then opened our bottle and poured us two glasses of champagne.  I swear it looked like Gayla and I was a couple.  LOL!  Oh well…. We love acting crazy like that.  We set the camera on auto and took several pics of us toasting our champagne.  We’re crazy!  We got all gussied up and headed down to the casinos.  Well as you know, as long as you’re playing, the girls will come by all night providing you with free drinks.  Gayla and I were down in the casino about two hours…. Four mudslides later for me and I was TOAST!  Gayla was feeling a wee bit toasty too.  We went to the room for me to “rest” for 20 minutes.  Instead, I hung over the toilet for 20 minutes.  Like I’ve said before, the downside of the surgery is that the alcohol immediately goes to your intestines… there is NOTHING to throw up… IT’S ALREADY BEEN ABSORBED!  Anywho, so I laid down… I was so cold.  Gayla wrapped me in the blankets like a burrito and covered me with my fur and her sweatshirt.  I felt like I did when I first woke out of surgery… cold, out of it, and not able to move.  Gayla ordered room service, fed me some turkey and bacon while I was incoherent (got to get my protein in, right?  LOL!) and I finally passed out.  I woke up at 6:00am Monday morning to my hubby calling on the cell phone.  Of course he is 3 hours ahead of me.  Two hours more sleep, a nice warm bath, and room service breakfast later, Gayla and I headed to Harrah’s for some more gambling.  We didn’t win anything big… just mostly had fun.  From there, we checked out and headed to Sierra Lake Tahoe Resort.  An absolutely beautiful Ski Resort!  We walked in looking like City Slickers with our hair and make up perfect, Gayla in her wool coat and me in my fur.  We were definitely not dressed for the snow.  We rented us some Snow jackets and headed to Tube World where we rode tubes down the hill.  We had a blast!  We met David, who is from Gainesville, FL.  He just graduated from University of Florida in Law and is working at Sierra during the winter season.  It’s him and 15 of his other Florida buddies in one house all doing the same thing!  WOW!  That would have been so much fun ten years ago!  He said it was wilder than any MTV Real World house.  I asked him if he ever partied in Panama City Beach on Spring Break…. Oh yes! and he has even been to Columbus.  I tell ya…. All the way across the country and it is still a small world!   Two hours later, frozen toes, and no feeling in my ass…. Gayla and I were pooped and ready to go.  The snow was really coming down too and it was hard to see.  On our way driving out of the resort, we saw a car turned completely upside down with people trapped.  The accident had just happened probably one minute before we got there.  Cars were already stopped helping, so we just went on.  We weren’t on the road more than three minutes when we saw another wreck.  We had to come to a complete stop when the truck behind us slammed on breaks and started sliding sideways towards our car.  It was really scary!  He didn’t hit us but the roads were covered in snow and ice and it was starting to get ugly.  We left the resort just in time!  A normal 1.5 hour drive back to Sacramento took us 3 hours… BUT we made it safe!  We headed back to the office where we packaged my studio equipment up to be shipped back to me.  From there we ate dinner and Gayla took me to my new hotel at the Hallmark Suites.  Very nice!  Separate living room, wet bar, king size bed, bar downstairs and free deluxe anyway I want breakfast in the morning…. Woo hoo!  LOL!  Well, it’s 1:30am Tuesday, January 27th morning as I type this and I’m gonna try to get caught up on some work.  My plane flies out of Sacramento at 11:50am and I should be home by 10:15pm Tuesday night.  I’ll be home soon and uploading pics!... you know me!  Goodnight.

01/31/2004.... DAY #632:
Hey Kids, I know I haven't updated in a few days... but.. you'll forgive me.  Right?  :)  Well, I'm a little intoxicated as I write this... it's 12:35am... Hubby and I went out tonight.  We went to "Boneheads" downtown.  It is owned by my sexy massage therapist, Greg... HELLO!  Woo hoo.. okay... 'nuff 'bout Greg.. hee hee... We got in free... nothing like knowing the owner, right?  :)  We got a couple of free shots and as you know, I had to follow that with a couple of mudslides... as if you didn't already know I'm a mudslide girl.  Anywho... well... don't have much to say.  I'll be uploading my California pics soon... I PROMISE!!!  Talk at ya later... sleep is calling me along with a wedding I must shoot tomorrow.  Peaches and smooches!  Jules

02/01/2004.... DAY #633:
Just popping in real quick.... I just wanted to give my thanks to the man upstairs... My photography business has been doing so well.  I will continue to pray that I can do this full-time.  I really don't know yet.... but February 7th will be 4 months that I've made it thus far... we shall see.  I ask that you pray for me that Jesus will continue to take care of us financially.  That's all for now... well... if you know somebody getting married, someone needing maternity photos, somebody wanting sexy Valentine's pics, or just some family pics.... hook 'em up with me.  :)

02/02/2004... DAY #634:
Well, I finally updated the Twenty Month Gallery with a few of my California pics... enjoy!  :)

02/03/2004... DAY #635:
I'm playing "Catch Up" with my emails... whew.. being gone a week will bring ya down.  Almost done... it's only 2:30am!  LOL!  Let's see.. I have 5 photo orders to tweak and send to the lab... only a couple of days work... I'm hosting my photography college class at my house this Thursday.  Eight adults in my little living room learning how to photograph a boudoir session... should be fun... especially for my female model (NOT!  POOR THING... I hope she'll be okay being nude in front of 6 grown men and two women... she'll be fine... she's a beautiful girl with a body to die for).... anywho... got to get my house spotless and bathrooms clean before they get here and get a studio set up... house cleaning sucked when I was fat and dang it... IT STILL SUCKS!  And now that I'm thin... 'lil sis doesn't feel so "obligated" to come help me as I am very able body now... hmmm.... the downside of surgery.. KIDDING!  Umm.. what else.. well, I'm still behind on my U.S. Snail Mail... got to get caught up.  Is a 6 inch high pile too much?  YES!  Well... I'll stop my bitching and complaining and get back to work.  You behave 'cause the tabloids are watching!  TRUST ME!

2/9/04 TWENTY-ONE MONTHS POST-OP

02/10/2004... DAY #642:
Okay... so it's been a week since I last updated my journal... beat me why don't-cha?  No... actually... I'd rather have a spanking.  :)  Anywho... almost caught up on my emails.... Fan Mail will really drag you down... I'M KIDDING!!!  :D  Just been busy busy with photography, and I am so glad!  Okay... so Gayla has gone on a cruise this week to Ensenada,  Mexico, WITHOUT ME!!!  We rarely travel without each other!  That little BEEP BEEP BEEP!  Nah... it's for work... but man oh man... I would have loved to gone!  She flew from Sacramento to Los Angeles, got on a bus to Long Beach, then hit the cruise ship.  They made a pit stop overnight on Catalina Island... then onto Ensenada!  Oh well... maybe she'll buy me something?  hee hee.... Well, let's talk about WLS for a change, huh?  I went yesterday to have my lab/blood work done.  The last time my labs were done, I think in October???, my B12 levels were extremely low.  Dr. Williams gave me one B12 shot, then put me on sublingual B12 for three months.  So, I'm waiting on my lab results to see if my levels have changed any.  If they haven't increased, then I will be put on a B12 shots on a regular basis.  You know, that suits me just fine.  If I could take ALL of my vitamins and calcium with just one or two shots a day, I'd rather do that than pills.  Dang it I hate taking pills!  Hate it, hate it, hate it!  I'd rather have shots!  But anywho... Okay... let's just say that I have NOT been doing good since returning from California with my weight!  In the past two weeks I have gone from 137 pounds to 146 pounds!  HOLY CRAP!!!!  I CAN'T STOP EATING!  AND... it's not that I'm eating bad stuff... I'm just eating TOO MUCH STUFF!  AND NO... I'm not hungry!  I'm just eating to be eating... eating 'cause I'm bored... eating because it's fun... and DANG IT!  I CAN FIT A LOT MORE STUFF IN THERE NOW!  I'M SCARED!  I AM REALLY SCARED!  I have watched three WLS buddies of mine who had surgery before me gain some serious weight!  One has gained about 30, the other 20, and the other 15!  I WILL NOT, SHALL NOT, BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT THIS SURGERY DOES NOT WORK FOR!  I have Dr. Champion & Dr. Williams' Valentine's Party/Ball to go to on Saturday... I HAVE TO FIT IN MY RED MAURY DRESS!  I was 140 at the show... and the dress was sleek THEN!  OMG!  I AM SO PISSED AT MYSELF!  WHAT IN THE HELL AM I DOING!  Okay... I'm getting my ass up right now... I am going to the tanning bed (heat should burn some calories, right???) and then... I am coming home and getting on that treadmill!  I will dust that thing off and get on!  I WILL  NOT LET THIS STUPID ASS EATING ADDICTION GET THE BEST OF ME!  NO I WILL NOT!  GO AWAY FOOD DEMONS!  GO AWAY!!!!!!!  I'll keep you posted on my progress this week... please pray that I will lose 6 pounds by Saturday!  It's easier said than done!  Trust me!  I remember being fat and hearing skinny girls go "Oh my, I've gained 5 pounds, whatever shall I do?".  I can remember saying in my head "Bitch, what are you talking about?  Five pounds?  I gain and lose five pounds from morning to night."  Of course... when you are 130+ pounds overweight, five pounds is just a drop in the bucket.  Loosing just two pounds now is hard work!  Well anywho... enough rambling.  Please keep me in your thoughts!  I WILL DO THIS!  I CAN DO THIS!  IT IS DONE!

02/11/2004... DAY #643:
Well... I must have done something right yesterday because as of this morning I weighed 144 lbs.... so... I'm making it happen... ALTHOUGH... I should beat that little Girl Scout that MADE ME buy a box of Thin Mints from her this morning.  First of all, why is she out selling cookies?  Trying to get ahead of the competition why the others are at school?  Hmm... we may have to initiate a thorough investigation into the matter.

02/12/2004... DAY #644:
Despite the fact that I ate an ENTIRE box of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies yesterday, I still managed to lose half a pound!  I was 143.5 this morning.  Well... that makes me happy.  Just 3.5 more pounds to go.  I should burn quite a few calories today... I'm gonna do some playing instead of working (Oh I can hear some of you:  "That's all you do is play Miss California... now get a real job!".  I just want you to know... I still love you too... SMILE!)  I'm going four-wheel riding with Paul Rivera (a "Hot WLS Hunk"), drinks with a friend at 4pm, then off to school from 6:00pm to 10:00pm.  Yawn... all in a day's work.  ;-)  Hey!  I've been working my little hinny off!  I deserve a break!  Smile!  Of course... I took a break yesterday too... went to the salon where my "Sexy Model" client fixed my roots again.  He did an AWESOME job.  He is so great!  Hey, guess what... just received a fax... my lab work.  WOW!  My B12 levels are TOO HIGH!  Good grief!  Okay, the normal B12 range is 180 to 914.  On 10/21/03, my levels were at 148.  Now, on 02/09/04, my levels are at 1187.  Jeepers Creepers!  Guess the sublingual B12 is working, eh?  Everything else is in check.  Protein, Calcium, Potassium, and all those 50 other things that I have no idea what they are.  You know what I find interesting?  My mom is ALWAYS on me about the amount of salt I eat.  However, according to my lab work, my sodium levels are 137.  The normal range is 137 to 145.... so there Mom!  I'm on the low end of the scale.  Smooches!  Anywho... let me go get a shower so I can play in the mud.  LOL!  bye!

Okay.. I'm back from Four-Wheel riding... HAD A BLAST!  Paul took me to see a railroad trestle from the 1800's.  It was too beautiful!  We then went riding fast through the woods, over trees & rocks, through the river, and he showed me where he hunts turkey & deer.  It was so much fun!  He took this city girl out of her elements!  It was too quiet out there!  He was like "Isn't it so relaxing?"  I'm like "No.. this stresses me out!  I'd rather be shopping on Fifth Avenue or on a road-trip with the radio blaring!... THAT'S RELAXING!"  LOL!  Oh how people are different.  Anywho... had a good time.  Thanks Paul for showing this city girl the country and thanks for the Brunswick stew!  YUM!  :)

Well, tonight is the last night of school... it's sort of bitter sweet.  I'm thankful, but also hunger for knowledge (that sounded about corny, didn't it?)

02/13/2004... DAY #645:
Welcome to Friday the 13th!  So... why am I up at 4:26am dancing nekkid, in my office, in front of a mirror, while listening to Outkast "Hey Ya".  Well... um... see... I ate a bag of Peanut Butter M&M's today (it's still Thursday... it won't be Friday till I go to bed then wake up again... see how that works???)... and well... um... had a big bowl of pasta.  What in the heck?  I don't even eat pasta anymore... nor can my tummy handle it?  I'm a freaking crazy ass!  Talking to myself...."UM HELLO JULIE!  DID YOU FORGET ABOUT GETTIN' YOUR BIG GHETTO BOOTY INTO YOUR MAURY DRESS?"  So... the logic is... the longer I stay up... the more calories I burn.. and if I get up and shake my "groove thing"... not only do I get Firehouse Booty Shaking practice... but I just might burn off an M&M or two.  Anyway.... Got to get in bed soon... bride coming bright and early at 10am... then I have a huge Valentine Party to shoot at The Estate... okay.. nighty night.

Still 143.5 this morning.  Arrggghhh!  Okay... NO freaking chocolate today and I mean it!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!  02/14/2004... DAY #646:
The weight this morning was 143 pounds.  So I lost a total of 3 pounds for the week... not too bad.  I'll lose the other 3 next week and be back to where I want to be.  I did do a little bad yesterday by eating some chocolate covered peanuts.  Anywho.  Well, getting ready to go to our Valentine's Party.  I'll post again soon!  :)

02/17/2004... DAY #649:
Dr. Champion and Dr. Williams Valentine Party at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta was spectacular!  Go to Photo Gallery and click on "Valentine 2004" to view all pics from the party.  It's so great to see all my WLS Buddies that I chat with online!  The most drastic change was Tonya Turman!  She looked like a totally different person!  She lost 210 pounds since I saw her last!  She is beautiful!!!  Go check out her new pic on the "Hot WLS Babe" page.  WOW!.. is all I can say!  Hubby and I spent the night at the hotel then went shopping the next day at the Cumberland Mall.  Monday morning I weighed in at 141 pounds.  YES!  Loosing that weight!!!!  Go Julie!  AND... You all will be sooooo proud of me!  I walked 2 miles last night with my "Sexy Model" client.  He worked my tail off on that track!  I know what you're saying... Does this stud have a name????  Of course... just call him Blaise... (sounds like Blaze).  We have an agreement... he is A) gonna do my hair & eyebrows and B) gonna whip my ass into shape by this Spring for my second calendar appearance.  I am going to A) do all his pics and B) continue to find him modeling jobs.  He is signing a contract to take me on as his full time manager.   With all my contacts and his good looks, we will not have a problem making money!  Okay, change of subject... I've been emailed and asked about my current eating habits.  Well, they are basically that of a normal person, just eat less.  BUT, what I have agreed to do is for one week only, I will post everyday every morsel of food & liquid that hits my lips... good or bad.  I'll start tomorrow.  Okay.. that's it for now.  Y'all be good so I don't have to!

02/18/2004... DAY #650:
As promised... I'm starting the food journal today.
FOOD JOURNAL DAY ONE: