Here is a picture of my scar

[Kelli West]

Pretty sweet eh? It goes down under my armpit about 9-10 inches in total

[Alyson]

Ouch!

[Kelli West]

hopefully this wasnt too graphic. if it is, so sorry April.

[Jamie Hamblin]

AAAhhh cool! I love scars... great stories!

[Kelli West]

yeah, i told my husband that i am not looking forward to the scar. and he said "scars are the coolest. they are hot!" he said that he is going to love my scar. what a sweetie he is. it made me feel a little bit better

[Quinn]

scars are rad! That's gonna be a really neat one! My friend has had open heart surgery several times & THOSE are tough scars to hide, in a swimsuit for instance. But yours will be beautiful! That is really sweet of your hubby! By the way, I like your photo! It's a really nice one of you! (your avatar)

[Kelli West]

thanks Quinn! i was a little shy about putting in a picture that is updated cause i don't like them as much. Over the past almost 3 years now since i have been married i have gained 75 pounds! and i am not exagerating(not quite sure if i spelled that right)! It has been kind of hard! but i have been working out really hard and have lost 7 punds, and when i was weighed the day of my surgery i was 8 pounds less than i thought i was so that put me at around 15 pounds lost! so that made me happy, but i am working on it. so you see, the pictures that are taken now i think i don't look as photogenic because i have gained all of that weight. I can see the big difference in pictures that i am in compared to 3 years ago. I have accepted the fact that it took 3 years to put this on, and that it is not going to come off fast, but it just needs to be a slow steady process. so thanks Quinn for the compliment, it made me smile. I like food, and i know that. I don't eat a lot of unhealthy stuff, like soda and candy and chips. i dont buy any of that. I just don't eat reagularly and that is a huge part. I am happy though :)

[Alyson]

Kelli, I think you look great in you avatar pic. I know how you feel though. My avatar pic is from 5 years ago. I don't look that much different, but my more recent pics haven't been as good (gained weight also). I am about to change that though. We took family pics this weekend and my mom took a good photo of just me. In fact, maybe I'll update it right now. It probably helps that I've lost 20 pounds in the last year. :)

[Kelli West]

Congrats on losing the 20 pounds! when you think about it, that is alot of weight! Keep up the good work! and tell me how to do it..lol

[Alyson]

Kelli, I don't really have any great tricks. I think living on my own helps a lot. My ex always wanted snacks in the house. When we first separated I moved in with my parents, and they always have snacks in the house. I don't buy snacks, but if they are around, I have little will power.

I also quit drinking soda (for the most part), try to eat smaller meals, drink lots of skim milk, don't eat after 7pm (8pm at the very latest) and I drink lots of water. I don't know if it was one of these things or a combination, but something is working. Now if I could just find the time to exercise...that's my next goal. :)

[Alyson]

P.S. I don't diet. I love food too much to cut certain foods out of my life. In stead, I just try to eat things in moderation.

[Quinn]

wow, Alyson! Love your new photo! It's really pretty!!!

[Kelli West]

Alyson...I hardly recongnized you. at first i thought it was a new member! I love your new picture! It is really beautiful! I am glad you updated it! The funny thing about my diet is that i don't drink soda, i hardly eat a lot of sugar! I love whole wheat and and whole grain foods, my parents are the "healty" type. What is sad is that my dad use to drink the weight gain drinks that had like 2000 calories in one serving! He never gained a pound! NOT FAIR! why didn't i get his genes? I don't know, i am still figuring that one out! To eat and not gain weight, now that is good living!

[Alyson]

He never gained a pound! NOT FAIR! why didn't i get his genes? I don't know, i am still figuring that one out! To eat and not gain weight, now that is good living!

I totally know how you feel. My dad is the same way. I wish I could eat anything I want and not worry about gaining weight. I was that way until after high school and so I had years of bad eating habits to break.

Thanks you guys for the complements on my new avatar. You make me feel so good. :)

[brookiewookie]

Your avatars are way cute! Maybe one day I'll add one... :)

[April]

Eeeek!!! Glad you are ok.