Once in a while someone in this community touches you in a way that they never realize. There are people in the weight loss surgery community that will amaze you at every turn, and too often we don’t recognize them or thank them for everything that we do.

About 2.5 years ago I was pre-op and somehow had found myself on a website that served as a community support group for Weight Loss Surgery patients. I had so many questions about things like diet, exercise and nutrition it wasn’t even funny.

From day one there were two women on this site that were readily there to hold my hand and guide me and encourage me. One of them was a Community Leader that goes by the name Cinwa.  She had answers for everything! She could tell me what vitamins to take, she knew all the rules, and she understood and had positive feedback for almost every pre & post op newbie and an endless patience for answering all of our questions over and over again.

Cinwa is celebrating her 5th year surgiversary tomorrow and I really wanted to do something special to thank her for her.

When I had my first post op knucklehead moment and tried to chew something I should have eaten yet and got it stuck, she had the answer for how to get it down.

When my vitamin routine was stressing me out and seemed overwhelming, she had suggestions for how to simply fit. And for those days that I felt down and needed a push, she was always there with a smile and an answer.

There are some people we meet along this journey that we can never replace or thank enough for what they do for us. Every time I see one of this woman’s posts I think to myself, “I wish she was my Grandma.” One of the women I have the utmost respect for in this community her and another of the Community Leaders over at ThinnerTimes Kelz, are the two main reasons that I have been a ThinnerTimes member through my entire weight loss journey. They are also two of the biggest reasons that I have had as much self-confidence as I have had through this journey.

In honor of Cinwa I have designed my first set of Surgiversary Banners! Check them out, use them anyway you wish to wish all your post WLS friends a Happy Surgiversary!

Thank you Cinwa, for all you have done for me and all you do for this community through your participation on the ThinnerTimes Staff. You are one of the most amazing women I know in the Weight Loss Community and one of the best resources I know on all things Weight Loss Surgery oriented. Happy Surgiversary!