I think an update is in order ...long overdue. Thank you for your well wishes rose friends :-) I am doing so well weight wise - have lost 110 pounds and I am getting in better shape every month, by running, biking, swimming and weight training. I have had no complications from the surgery what so ever (Yet?) - I take my vitamin supplements and I eat very healthy - smaller portions than before. I just do not tolerate sugar - it makes me really sick (metabolic dumping syndrome - heart races - I sweat and get nausea - so I stay clear of foods with too much sugar). But loosing weight has also made me regain myself or discower new sides of myself. I have had to work hard on healing years of sexual and physical abuse as a boy - since I have become more in touch with my feelings - my core self - and it has been rough and not always pretty as roses in may. I was assaulted and it retraumatized me and gave me anxiety problems and the court case was tiresome ...to have him sent to jail. For a while I coped by drinking way too much - so I had to bite the dust and admit - that I had to quit drinking - that it was no way to cope with emotions running up and down ... it has taken and still take some therapy ...but I feel better and stronger and more grounded. I am looking for a bigger house ... so I am in between gardens - At least I will be able to keep my rented allotment gardens I use for cutting roses, propagation and veggies/herbs. It is spring so I work my butt off preparing the soil, building raised beds - but it is nice. Most new roses I buy this year I will grow in pots - so I can take them with me to the new house and garden (When I find one I can afford) and I hope that the garden will not be too shaded ...since it will limit the number of roses I can grow. I really look forward to the spring flush - 8 weeks and the roses will start blooming and 10 weeks - peak bloom! Ahh ... (hope the weather behaves the 3-4 weeks they peak!). I do the last pruning and weed these days ... I have not blogged about roses and gardening ... I have had to prioritize and work on the issues I mentioned. Roselvr: Yes - it is important to find a good surgeon that specializes in WLS surgery. And yes there is a risk of complications - but the chances of of improwing life quality is much better - and far out-weighs the risk of complications - most of which can be managed. But all surgery has risks of complications ... Doug - How blessed I was - to be able to meet you in Iowa. I often think of you and your wife and hope you are doing well - and that your rabbits do not eat all your roses. Hugs! Ingrid: If you have read this far - you probably understand why I have not posted much - but just read and lurked here on the forums the last year. The reason you have not seen pictures of me as a big guy - was that I was very good at avoiding camera lenses :-) I will post a before and after picture - this summer. Alida - Sure I remember you! I hope you and Gerbe are doing well - even though I must say that rose does not repeat well - I still love the scent of the flowers.

I wear my contacts with swim goggles or snorkel gear, but never open my eyes or let water run into the eye while a contact is in there. I've worn contacts for 17 years. Last year in preparation for Cancun, I went and bought a pair of prescription RayBans. The place I went to (LensCrafters) let me pick out a really cool looking pair of RayBan shades, and they put my prescription in them! No one knew/knows they are prescript . They look 'normal'. I then bought one of those huggy things for the stems of the shades, which wrapped around my head. Even with some nice waves and getting dunked, the RayBans stayed PUT and I could see. I just wiped the water droplets off when I surfaced. I cannot swim without being able to see, I am that blind... I'd panic, even if it was in a pool I knew very well. - darkeyedgirl p.s. there is also Lasik surgery.. no more contacts OR glasses. Once my eyes quit changing I'm going to fork over the $$$ and get it done finally.

I can't answer your questions about how long to wait for the Americoat, but in response to your question about the plaster.... To be "by the book," you should not go into a newly plastered pool for at least 7 to 10 days. During that time, you should be brushing the sides and bottom at least twice a day, every day (and three times a day is preferable). The reason you need to brush is to get rid of all of the "plaster dust" so that it doesn't calcify in place, causing rough spots. You need to get rid of all of that dust before you start swimming. Also, the plaster will still be wet when the hose is put in (so the end of the hose should be wrapped in a white towel or sock). Plaster cures under water, and if you go in too soon, you will create footprints / dings / gouges / marks, etc., that will be permanent.

Piaa, I too am very new to all things pool related as this is our first! Hopefully some pros will chime in with input! If you look at the first picture I posted (the split screen) you'll see the incredible amount of plaster dust that builds up on the surface. Our PB did an acid wash first. And the finish was beautiful after it was done. It went from the streaky mottled finish to a more even gray and the gold flecks and dark blue quartz were exposed! After we filled the pool with water, they came back and dumped 8 gallons of acid in and the PB began to show us how to brush the QuartzBrite finish. It was amazing! The layers of white dust just brushed right into the water! And well, you can see the difference after just that one brushing! We brush 3 to 4 times a day. We don't see the enormous amount of dust each time we brush, like we did the first time, but the idea is to expose the beautiful finish and let the filter remove all the dust from the water. He said if the dust particles adhere to the finish it will be rough and uncomfortable on your feet. Not to mention hide the pretty quartz that you're paying for! It's a labor of love and so rewarding! I think you have to do the acid bath and brushing with any quartz or plaster finish. I don't think you have to do this with pebble finishes. I hope if anything I'm saying is incorrect someone can correct my information!