‘A Life Transformed’ Gastric Sleeve Surgery

TOPS Chapter 9319 El Dorado Springs met in The Firefly Services building, on Thursday, July 24, 2025 for their regular weigh in and meeting.

Our leader, Warren, called the meeting to order. Carol led us in singing “Take Me Out”

We said our TOPS & KOPS pledges.

Marilyn led us in some stretching exercises.

Warren led us in Roll Call. Fourteen members weighed in, we had a 4.6-pound gain and a 12.0 loss leaving us with a net loss of 7.4 pounds! The best loser for the week was Sue with a 2.2-pound loss. Congratulations Sue! Other great losses were: Linda C with a 1.4 loss. Erin had a 4.2 loss over a three-week period and Jan had a 4.2 loss over a two-week period.

We drew for the Free Dues for the month of June. Sue was the winner.

Warren reminded us we have one more week of the Summer Contest. We need to turn in our information to Pat next week. For those that are planning to go to Fun Day in Springfield on Aug. 16, your contest sheets need to be complete and if you gave a program during the contest, you must indicate if it was from a TOPS program. Also, if you plan to go you need to sign up and pay your fee to Linda H by next week. If you are planning to attend, remember, to bring lunch, a refrigerator will be provided if needed. Coffee and water will be provided.

Marilyn had the program today, she took it from the current TOPS NEWS “A Life Transformed.” It is about a TOPS member who chose to have gastric Sleeve Surgery. This went very well for her as she followed her doctor’s and dieticians’ advice. She was on liquids only for two weeks post-surgery and set a timer to remind herself to drink the required amount every 15 minutes. She was pleased to see she dropped seven pounds at her two-week follow up. As time went by, she had dropped from a size 22 to a size 18! She hit a period where the scales were not moving, she and the dietician went over her eating habits and found many of the things she thought healthy, such as zero sugar, decaf, blackberry tea had a lot of preservatives. They removed and replaced much of her diet with non-perceptivities and she started to lose again.

Thank you, Marilyn, we must all read those labels!

The KOPS Honor Society will have its August meeting in Springfield on Saturday, Aug. 2, at the Springfield Library, 4653 S Campbell. Our chapter member, Laura will speak about her TOPS experience and her experience as Missouri State Queen. All KOPS are invited as well as any TOPS member within 10 pounds of goal and all chapter leaders.

Marble game: The pot is in its third week and at $8. Marie won the right to draw but did not get the winning one.

With no other business we closed with our motto “IF IT IS TO BE IT IS UP TO ME”

TOPS #MO 9319 meets each Thursday morning in the Firefly Services building” at 700 E. Hospital Rd, El Dorado Springs. Weigh-in starts at 7:45 a.m. the meeting begins at 8:45 a.m. and is over by 10a.m. For more information, call Linda at 417-876-7404. Come and join us.

TOPS toll-free number 1 800-932-8677 or you can find us on the web at www.tops.org.