There's No Place Like Home

The ruby slippers fit perfectly, and though it was a bit more involved than clicking them three times and repeating "There's no place like home" to complete my journey, I have indeed found home again, both literally and physically.  My band was removed late Wednesday afternoon, and I am now back home recovering nicely.  Due to the late hour of surgery, I did spend one night in the hospital, and most of the next day, before going to mom's for a couple of nights.  I have the best mom and dad, and they have been with me through every mile of this journey!  I returned to my house on Saturday, and now there's nothing to do but wait for the postop pain to go away.  Not my favorite part.  But I can tell you with great joy and thankfulness that my nasty esophageal symptoms were immediately  corrected!!  Woo Hoo!!!  I am still taking it slow with introducing solid food, but so far only one or two bites have been even remotely reminiscent of the problems I had endured for weeks.  It is fabulous to take regular-sized drinks of water rather than microscopic sips.  Most of all it is wonderful to attempt to swallow something, solid OR liquid, without the excruciating spasms that had been plagueing me, and without multiple episodes of vomiting that had begun occurring at the end of the journey.  Of course now I turn my concerns to maintaining the weight loss already attained, as well as continuing the process for another 40 or so pounds to reach my goal.  Hopefully it will be easy for me to remember the Road Through Hell that I have recently traveled, and that will inspire me to work even more diligently not to gain back even ONE pound, and to continue the send the numbers downward on the scale.  I am thankful to be back home in my own cozy bed (though pampering at mom and dad's is nice too!), but I am mostly thankful for my tummy to be back "home".... i.e. functioning in the fashion that God meant for it to function.  There really is no place like home.  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, and for those of you who were subjected to my whining, my tears of disappointment, and who encouraged me to fight the good fight... you are all my heroes, and mean more to me than you will ever know.  CathyB