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Welcome to my page and thank you for stopping by!  I am Christina, 35, and am on a journey of self discovery to a happier and healthier me. I am married to my DH for what will be 10 years this year and already have received so much support from all of you OH'ers! Absolutely wonderful! I look forward to starting this amazing new chapter of my life and would love to meet new friends along the way.
 Love to all,
Christina
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13
Nutritional Class Scheduled on November 18, 2008 8:32 pm
December 4, 2008 from 8:30AM-4:30PM! It will be an all day event. The dietician said I can bring my lunch or $ for the cafeteria. I suppose I will find out everything I need to on that date! Looking forward to it...God is good! Christina
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Everything is Beautiful! on November 16, 2008 7:39 pm
It's so easy for me to get caught up in everyday life thinking why aren't things happening?! It's NOT on my time frame! Hurry up God! Hurry up! 
So, Heather from the scheduling department calls on Friday. Says that she has all of my paperwork, insurance has approved me....yadda yadda yadda. Says that I should be good to go for surgery sometime next year, so let's go ahead and get it planned. Since I am graduating next month and will start a new job in January, I asked her if there was any possible way that I could have the surgery in December, even if I had to switch surgeons. Heather put me on hold for what seemed like forever (probably only 1-2 minutes), came back to the phone and said "we're going to go ahead and schedule you on December 19th at noon with Dr. Gupta! Are you kidding me?! I didn't even have to switch surgeons! Thank God for this too!
Heather said that they will be mailing out a packet of information for me to read and do asap. Hooray! I am so blessed...I can't believe it!
When our adoption process slowed, frustration doesn't begin to describe the pain and anguish my husband and I have felt. Now I am beginning to realize just exactly how true "everything happens for a reason and according to God's plan" is; sometimes we're just not clued in as soon as we'd like to be! I am ever confident things will work out--how they are supposed to! Right now this is a time for me to really hunker down (Bill would be so proud!)  and get serious about my health issues. I don't want my husband to be a single parent, and at the rate that I've been going, I realize is where things could end up. It's so true that God amazingly works things out all according to His plan. "He has made everything beautiful in Its time." (Ecc. 3:11). I am becoming healthy for me, my family, and our future together. I want to teach our children so much...to run, laugh, play, and to show love. I am grateful to have this wonderful opportunity to do just that!
Now I see that the waiting is a good thing...all things work together for the good for those who love the Lord! Woot!
Peace ya all! 
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Yep, I'm a Happenin Now! on November 10, 2008 8:12 pm
Wow! It's been quite awhile since I last posted. Let's see here....I completed the three month counseling requirement with a therapist to discuss emotional issues related to WLS.  My counselor (HUGS) wrote a letter to my surgeon's office STRONGLY recommending I proceed with this surgery.  Woohoo!! So empowering!! In the beginning I was frustrated to have to see someone...I just wanted to hurry up and get it done.. ..move on with my life....but now I am thankful to have had the opportunity to talk some issues through.
Through this journey of self discovery, I am learning everything happens all in good time. More importantly for me, in God's time. Lately I have been asking a lot of the "why" questions for other things going on in my life. Why is our adoption process taking so long?! I know the good Lord will not take me down a path where He will not watch over me.  Knowing/doing are two very different things.
I did have some difficulty getting my pcp's office to complete my letter and get it to Dr. Gupta's office in a timely manner.  Amy, the benefit coordinator stepped in and really got things moving along. If it wasn't for her, I think I'd probably still be waiting on that doc's office! Kudos to Amy! 
Wednesday, Nov. 5th, I received a letter from Amy telling me that she had faxed all my info to the insurance company and to give them 2-3 weeks and if I hadn't heard from them to call and see if they received my paperwork. Well...I waited two WHOLE days! I decided I could not wait the ENTIRE weekend...no way!!! Well long story short (yes, I can do that, lol!)....after several minutes of being on hold, the insurance rep. stated that my paperwork had been certified??? When I inquired what that meant, the most sweetest voiced stated: "All of your paperwork has been approved by our insurance company for you to have surgery."  How wonderful! Thank you BCBS! Thank you GOD!!! This is just such amazing news! I am so grateful! The insurance rep stated that I have a "dummy date" for surgery scheduled on Jan. 29, 2009,
Fast forward to today, Monday Nov. 10th. My letter from the insurance company arrived in the mail. It reads: "We are pleased to authorize the inpatient admission referenced above." They are PLEASED to offer... Isn't that fabulous! God is so good! I'm so excited! 
I spoke to Heather in the scheduling department today and she confirmed the 2009 date being a dummy date. She stated they are still scheduling people for surgery in December, but she didn't know exactly where they are. This would be the best Christmas/graduation gift I could ever give myself! WooHoo!!   
Have faith my friends! Stay with the fight! We are so worth it!
Love to all! 
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50 things INSTEAD of SNACKING According to Eggface & now me! on September 25, 2008 9:00 pm
1. Imagine the new healthier you.
2. Walk around the block
3. Call a friend
4. List your Top Ten Reasons to Lose Weight
5. Make a To Do list
6.Turn on music and dance
7. Jot a thank you note to someone
8. Go to bed early or take a nap
9. Read a book
10. Blog or journal
11. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure
12. Plan a healthy meal for your family
13. Surf the Internet
14. Finish an unfinished project
15. Walk your dog, pet your cat, feed your fish
16. Brush your teeth
17. Balance your checkbook
18. Say a prayer
19. Chop veggies to keep on hand
20. Give or get a massage
21. Clean out a junk drawer
22. Play a game with your kids
23. Try a new route on your walk
24. Drink a glass of water
25. Kiss someone
26. Try on some of your clothes
27. Look at old pictures
28. Rent a video
29. Wash your car
30. Take a hot, soothing bath
31. Update your calendar
32. Work in your yard
33. Start your holiday shopping list
34. Count your blessings
35. Write a letter
36. Fold some laundry
37. Check your e-mail
38. Give your dog a bath
39. Send a birthday card
40. Meditate
41. Hug someone
42. Rearrange some furniture
43. Light a fire or some candles
44. Put your pictures in an album
45. Plan a trip (real or imaginary)
46. Straighten a closet
47. Clean out files
48. Visit a friend
49. Clean out your trunk
50. Do something nice for someone
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You Know You've Had WLS When... on September 18, 2008 6:16 pm
* I have a date" does not mean you're going out.
* You have baby food in the house and no baby.
* "I'm a loser" is a good thing.
* "Welcome to the other side" doesn't include death.
* New clothes fall off in a week.
* You get excited about hand me downs.
* The scale at Wal-Mart no longer says "one at a time
please".
* Going bald and getting wrinkles is a good thing.
* "Just water for me please".
* When your rear end no longer looks like a mudslide.
* When you get excited that your incision was "only 4
inches".
* When the word lap has nothing to do with a strip club.
* Other women are calling you names behind your back.
* When you are glared at in the plus size department
because you don't "belong there".
* When you really don't have a thing to wear.
* You have to prove you are the person on the driver's
license.
* You start being in the pictures, not behind the camera.
* You want to hug everyone fat and hand them your
surgeon's card.
* You are never parted from a bottle of water.
* When you order a doggy bag at the same time as your
meal.
* Being too small for your britches.
* When the only way your nipples are where they belong
is to roll them up, position them with your bra
and secure with a ponytail holder.
* When you go to the mall and take the first available
space instead of circling 20 minutes for one closer
to the door.
* You truly are a "cheap date".
* When one drink makes you flipping floozy!
* When you run to the door and don't hear a flapping
sound.
* You flip your shirt to show complete strangers your scar.
* Vitamins feel like a meal.
* You go from a 56DDDD to 32AAA in a year and didn't
have a breast reduction.
* You've just lost 100 lbs and run into a high school friend
who asks "did you change your hair?"
* You can cross your legs... both of them!
* Instead of a Wonder Bra you need a Wonder Where
They Went Bra.
* When your obsession from food turns to your scale.
* They no longer call 911 for the Jaws of life to extricate
you from a turnstile.
* No more Velcro shoes.
* When your Stairmaster is no longer used for drying your
fine washables.
* Your mother says "You don't eat enough."
* When your doctor looks you in the eye and says "I know
you will have success with this."
* Having sex your husband complains that your hip bones
are poking him.
* You can wear corduroy pants without igniting a fire.
* When you wave and your upper arms wave back.
* You safety pin your underwear.
* Someone phones and thinks your husband is sneaking
around with some skinny mistress.
* Cannot blame the cat/dog for shedding.
* Cancel your Lane Bryant Credit Card.
* 3 Lean Cuisines a week and that's your total grocery
purchase.
* The kids wonder what happened to the cake and
cookie god...did he die???
* Having to constantly BLAME the dog for your gas!
I just had to put this on my profile!!! Christina | Click here to leave a comment.
Archive
My Story Well, here goes, folks......I have struggled with weight issues all of my life. It's in my genes and on top of that, I am an emotional eater. Here I am at my all time high wondering "how the heck did this happen?" How did I become this fat? Surely this can't be me! Ugh! I guess that's not totally true though......I do know how, but it has been very difficult for me to face myself and this weight accumulation. My first memory of a problem concerning weight includes me playing with another child in our neighborhood telling her how great it would be to consume a nutritious pill once daily to allow the experience of tasting mashed potatoes, gravy, meat, and dessert without adding any calories to the body and all the while maintaining a normal weight. I couldn't have been more than 5 years old, but already at such a tender age, clearly my thought processes about food were unhealthy. What 5 year old thinks this....seriously?!
As I grew up, I constantly struggled with weight issues. How I dealt with the emotional pain and torment from others was just to eat and not tell people how I truly felt. I tried to be nice to everyone I met because I thought if I were nice to them that they would somehow overlook my flaws. I suppresed my feelings and unfortunately turned to food as my friend and comforter. Food would not talk back to me and always take my side. I felt guilty and shameful for my unhealthy eating patterns, however this was the coping mechanism I incorporated even from a very young age.
I don't ever recall being at a normal weight for my age/height. All throughout my life, I have let my weight inhibit the person I could be. I now realize over the course of time I have been so busy trying to please everyone else, I have not really taken the time to figure out who I am and let myself experience a normal existence.
As much of my life as I have spent obsessing over my weight and issues surrounding it, overall I have felt totally disempowered to do anything about it, until now. I think it was somewhere around last December where I started feeling hopeless about my weight problems. Since then, I have been working with my PCP to address my weight and unfortunately the comorbidities that go along with it. This year I have felt at least 10 years older than I am. Also because of my weight, I take medicine for high blood pressure. I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. I haven't been diagnosed as being diabetic, but if I don't get this under control soon, I fear this could be next. I'm 35 years old! That shouldn't be happening! Lately my medications have had to be increased and I just don't know how much more of this my body can take.
Other than obesity (and the co-morbidities), I have actually been a healthy person. The medicine I currently am prescribed is due to the extra pounds I carry. At this point I believe it is beyond my realm to lose this weight on my own. I have been down the path of failed diets, medications, etc., and frankly I am too exhausted to take road any longer. It has simply been unproductive. I believe that by having this surgery I will be empowered to take charge of who I know I can be. WLS is definitely not an easy fix, but only a tool. WLS is the most viable option for my life at this time. I have sat idly by and watched myself lose a little bit of me each day...not in a good way. It's taking me a long time to come to a place that I actually see the good in me and I want to become a better person. I have support from my friends and family and all the wonderful people I've met at the support groups and on this site.
As I sit here and contemplate my 36th birthday which is less than 2 weeks away, I just keep thinking that I don't want to go through another year like this. There are too many things that I want to experience, and I know I can't do them being at this weight. There is so much to live for and I want ot experience all of it!
At this point, I have committed to Dr. Gupta being my surgeon. I am seeing a therapist to discuss nutritional/emotional aspects of WLS per the psych. eval from Dr. Stote. At first I was frustrated about this, but now I'm seeing this as an opportunity for change & growth....in a positive way. I am confident that this is the right decision for me. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
Love to all,
Christina
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