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morningglory1954's Profile

Name: Brenda R.
Username: morningglory1954
Location: Portage, IN, USA
Member Since: 9/15/2007
BMI: 33.6
Post Op
Surgery Type: RNY (10/08/07)
Surgeon: Paul Stanish, M.D.

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Brenda R. has 81 Friends

Cindy P.	LaChelle R.	Julie Boyd
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Goals

find a job that I love to go to each day

27 People

in progress,

4 People

achieved this

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Surgeon Testimonial

Paul Stanish, M.D.
My first impression of Dr. Stanish was that he is very sure of himself. I liked him in the hospital during my surgery stay and he proved to be a very caring person. He was concerned when I couldn't get the fluids down and wasn't in a hurry to get me out and home. rnHis office staff is wonderful. If you have any questions they are always there to answer them. His nurse Karen is wonderful and helpful and his assistant Holly is great. I love them all. rnDr. Stanish can be very arrogant but I think that he is good at what he does and he knows it. He told me that he is going to be the best doctor for me and he expects me to be the best patient for him and to follow what he says. I am and we seem to get along very well. rnHe is a big one on aftercare and expects nothing less from his patients. rnEvery time I saw him before surgery he would stress the risks of the surgery and I appreciated that. He would tell me the risks and then would talk to me about the ones that he thought would be more important to me. rnHe takes care of the person and and the patient and I like that. I am glad that I chose him as my surgeon and wouldn't want anyone else. I would reccomend him highly. His competence is beyond belief and his bedside manner isn't really bad. He isn't always the most friendly but you can always tell he is caring. To me the surgical comptence is the most important. I can always find a friend to hold my hand if I need too.

Member Interests

Books & Literature - I love to read and do a lot of it.
Family & Friends - I love spending time with my family and friends.
Cats - I have a cat Misty and she is like our child
Writing - I like to write poetry about things in my life
Music - I enjoy country,classical and oldies but goodies
Figurines - I collect Mary's MooMoos for people and occasions in my life
Genealogy & Family History - I just started working on my family tree
Grandchildren - Bill and I are waiting patiently for grandchildren to spoil!
Flea Markets - I love going to rummage and garage sales.
Bereavement - I belong to Compassionate Friends and have lost 3 babies

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Brenda R.'s Journey

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Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I have been overweight my whole life. I can't really remember a time that I wasn't. I always felt like a second class citizen and a fifth wheel. I also thought the people around me was laughing at me when I would try things that a thin person does.

Latest Surgery Support Comments

Comment by Jenny K. on 10/8/07 10:31 am

Wishing you the best of luck today.

Comment by cowgirlwiz on 10/7/07 7:37 pm

Brenda~ Just wanted to let you know my thoughts are with you...and when you feel a bit lonely ...just wiggle your RIGHT BIG TOE and smile cause that will be me thinking of u! This is the day the Lord has given you to set out on a new journey...live it to the fullest! HUGGGGGGGGGGGS, Janene

Comment by Mariah on 10/7/07 4:56 am

Brenda, I just wanted to wish u the very best for tomorrow and for a speedy recovery. Its so exciting to begin this journey to your new life as a healthier person. My prayers are with you. Pamela

Click here for the surgery support page

When you are born at a 125 pounds I think that you know something must be done sometime! Now is that time. I must be a slow learner because it took me 53 years.I guess it's not how long it takes you but that you get to it. Thank God that I got here!

morningglory1954's Blog
morningglory1954's Blog

just over 8 months out and life is great!
on June 17, 2008 12:33 pm

I am just over 8 months out of surgery and life is so much more than I ever thought it could be. I am enjoying it now where before I was just existing. The funny thing about that one though is that before I never knew I was just in existance. It is strange how you can look back and see things so differently than you saw them before. Life is wonderful like that I guess. lol

Bill is not always happy with the new me. The other day my cousin told him that she was so proud of me and she bet that he was too. He did agree to that one but I said that I didn't think he liked all the changes. Dianne asked him what he didn't like he couldn't really tell her and she asked him if he missed his old wife and he said yes. I personally don't feel like I have changed but I guess it a natural thing to change when you have experiences so many changes in your own life. Life is not only wonderful but it is also a mystery sometimes. lol

I had set a personal goal of being in onederland by the 11th of June since that was our 20th wedding anniversary. I kept weighing and was going nuts. I stayed at 200.0 for 3 weeks~THREE whole weeks! I was going insane! I finally just turned it over to God and told him that it was going to happen in His time and not in mine. One the 11th I got up and thought well I either did or I didn't. I had and if I didn't it was alright because I would get there sometime. I got on the scale and it said 198.0!!! I was so happy. That was on Wednesday. Come Monday the 16th (Monday is my usual weigh in day) I got on the scale and I had dropped another pound! I just couldn't believe it. I am so grateful that in just turning it over to my God I didn't have to worry about it anymore. I just have to remember that God doesn't have any clocks or watches and no calendar either. Time is only important to me and not to him.

I am wanting to go out and get a job. I would like to start in on something part time and maybe go from there. I think I would take just about anything since I am under the thought that it is easier to get a job when you have a job. Part of me is afraid to do it but the majority of me is excited. I miss being out with people and now I can do so much more than I use to. I have went to several places and put my application in and when the job comes by that I should be at I will get it. All in God's time and not mine!!!

If you just recently had surgery you in for the trip of your life. I am so glad that this trip has a one way ticket and it isn't round trip since I never want to go back!!! If you are thinking of surgery, the only thing that I can tell you is to do heart searching. It is a very personal decision and one that you need to come to in your time. I am of the thought that if God brings you to it He is going to get you through it. He has never failed me. I am not saying that I get everything I want because it's not that by a long shot. I am saying that I am willing to accept His will for me and my life and when I do that things fall into place and I have such a peace and happiness.

Blessings to all who read this. Know that I care deeply for each and every one of you. I keep all of my fellow wls family in my prayers each and every day.

Remember to bloom where you are planted because that is where God wants you to be at the moment.

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Just over 6 months out and.....
on April 15, 2008 8:26 pm

Here I am just over 6 months out of surgery and the changes are unbelievable. I never thought that I would have so many and I am sure that more are yet to be.

First off I am over 82 pounds lighter than my highest weight. I can't believe that I have lost a little person already. I have set a goal of onederland on my 20th wedding anniversary which is June 11th. I know that is a little goal but sometimes I am more comfortable with goals that I know I can reach. I have 9 pounds to reach that one. I know that is going to be a walk in the park or at least I hope it is going to be.

I bought a pair of pants that are a size 8-10. Personally I think they run big but I could care less about that and I am taking the size and running with it as fast these feet will let me!!

I can finally shop and not go in the women's department to do it. I have still got a problem with the misses size tops but that will come in time. I just am not comfortable in those yet. That is alright with me because the size I am in now is not near the size I was before.

The wow moments are really something too. I have so many of them. I find them to be so much fun. I can go through the turnstyle at Menards without going sideways. There is the clothes sizes that we already covered but I never get tired of. I remember when I got the medium pants I held them up to Bill and asked him if he ever thought that his wife would fit in clothes that small and he said no. I told him his wife didn't think so either. I weigh less than my DL says I weigh. That is amazing to me since that has never happened in all the years I have been driving. I have fingernails now. I haven't bitten them since I had my surgery. I now have to keep them trimmed and I always have polish on them. I love myself now. That is something that I never thought would happen. I can cross my legs now and sometimes my foot dangles too.

I can cross my legs now!!

That is a goal that I thought I would never acheive. That goes to show you not to put limits on yourself because you can acheive anything that you want to. I tolerated myself before and sometimes that was a hard thing to do too. I actually love Brenda now and know that she is a worthwhile and loveable person.

I love Brenda!!!

I found out that I have a kidney disease that makes me suseptable to kidney stones. I also have high Ph levels too. I have to take medication for this but that is alright. So now I am on 6 meds but that is still half of what I was on before. I am no longer taking anything for the diabetes. I am always going to consider myself a diabetic but it is now controlled by diet and excersise. That is amazing to me too. My heart is doing better since it isn't having to work so hard. The cardiomyopathy is never going away but right now the heart is functioning at normal and that is a miracle. Considering I was told 15 years ago that I would be dead in less than a year. I guess I must not be done with my work yet since I am still here. Either that or God is saying that He just isn't ready for me to be there yet and all of my friends have to put up with me for awhile. Lucky you!!!

lucky you

My back is feeling better most of the time. There is a lot of damage done to it so it is never going to be normal but that is alright. It is better and that is fine with me. It hurts nowhere near as bad as it did before. Sometimes you have to be happy with what you have and that is alright with me.

All in all the road trip that I have taken these last 6 months are really something. I wouldn't trade it for the world and I am so glad that God brought me to it. He opened up a whole new and exciting world for me when I was brought to this point in my life. This losers bench is just
about the most comfortable seat I have ever been in and I never ever want to leave it. I have been given such a gift of not only my new life and better health but also so many new friends and family. I love everyone that I met on here.

I may have only met a few but that is going to come to an end soon. I just know it will. I want to thank everyone for all of the help and support that they have shown me.

I would like to say to anyone who has not had surgery yet that to fight for what is going to be the start of new life for yourself. You must become your own advocate and stick up for yourself. Love yourself enough to know that this is something that you deserve and are entitled to. Keep on trudging the road to recovery. Notice it says trudging and not skipping or romping down the road. The word trudging is a word that tell us it is going to be work but it is going to be satisfying work and work that is going to be well worth every minute of it. You will never regret it. Some people have asked me if I would do it again and I always say that I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I truly mean every word of it.

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Three Months and three weeks out of surgery
on January 30, 2008 1:09 pm

I just find it so hard to believe that it is going to be 4 months soon. I also can't believe how things have changed. Some for the better and so not.
The WOW moments are coming. I had one the other day when I sat in my recliner and crossed my legs and the leg hung down like they do on "normal" people. I wanted to do that so bad. I bought my first piece of clothes in the misses department of the store and not the womens department. I just couldn't believe that one. When my girlfriend told me buy a pair of sweat pants in that department I told her oh no I would never fit in anything from there. Low and behold I do. When someone told me that I looked like I was in a 18/20 I told her no that couldn't be either. Boy was I wrong.
For 40 years I always wanted to have long red fingernails and I never got them because I bit them all my life. Since surgery they have grown and now I have nails that I can file and polish. Well, about 3 weeks ago I got my wish and went for a manicure (my first one ever) and got my red nails. I was so excited. I got them and now I am happy. I won't have them again because they are to loud for me but I am doing my nails every week and taking care of them. I have an array of colors of polish now. I think that is one of my favorite past times.
One of the bad things is that the weight loss is bringing the green eyed monster out in my DH. He was always the jealous kind even at my heaviest. Now it seems like it worse. I think in part it goes back to now I talk more to people. I just feel like such a new person. I want to spread my good feelings to everyone. Men are noticing me now and I don't think they are looking at me because I am one of the heaviest women there. I don't know what to do about him. I try to reinforce the fact that we are together and have been for almost 20 years and I am not going anywhere. I think that the rest is something he is going to have to deal with.
I better get going. I have things to do and people to see. I am enjoying my journey so much and hope that everyone else enjoys theirs too. Now I am 68.2 pounds lighter and I am just waiting for Onderlaned to be here. I know that it isn't going to long. Another thing that totally gets to me is that for the first time I weigh less than it says I do on my drivers license. I never thought that would happen either. Goes to show you that you just don't know what life has in store for you. I love it like that since I will always be surprised and that is the fun part of life. I hope that your lives are just as much fun as mine and that you enjoy each and every minute that God gives you and yours.

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2 Months out of Surgery
on December 6, 2007 11:28 am

Here I am into my new life with 2 months behind me. I can't believe the changes that have happened. I look and even better than that I feel so much different.

I wanted a WOW moment so bad and I have had a few of them. The first one came on Thanksgiving morning when I walked the Turkey Trot at the Portage Y.M.C.A. I just knew that I wouldn't be able to do it and I accomplished it. I was the last one back but who cares - I DID IT!!!!!! Then later on Thanksgiving I was changing my clothes to go to our friends and I saw this shirt that I had gotten a few years ago and it never fit me. I thought when I got it I could use it as a shirt jacket but never did it. I thought to myself that I was going to try it on, the most that would happen is that it didn't fit yet. Boy, was I surprised that it really fit. I wore it to our friends. I got another WOW moment when I went to Dr. Stanish's office for my check up. He doesn't have a computerized scale and so when they weighed me the weight was always on the 250 and this time it had to go down to the 200! I just keep thinking that the next time it will go to the 150 and that means that I will be in Onederland and that is something that I haven't seen in so many years that I couldn't even begin to remember!

I love my life so much now and in doing that I love myself! Now that I love myself I can love others more freely now and I like that. I can see how much of life I was missing. I don't ever want to go back to that way of life. I can only thank God for letting me see what I was suppose to do. It may have taken me awhile but thank God I got here. It is only going to get better from now on.

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Sunday, October 21, 2007
on October 21, 2007 8:29 am

Here I am 2 weeks out of surgery and I would have never thought that I would be feeling this good. I have more energy and the pain wasn't anything like I thought that it would be. Boy does my imagination go wild at times!
I went to the doctor on Thursday and I lost 27 pounds. That is over a course of 22 days. It includes the 12 days before surgery too. I was kind of surprised at it. I knew that I had to have lost some but I never thought that it would be that amount. I am grateful for it.
I am able to drive as long as I am not taking any pain meds or if it bothers me not to do it. I haven't tried it but I think that I am going to try to do it later today. If things go well then I am going to drive to bible study tomorrow night. I miss not being able to get in my car and go when I want to. I do so love my freedom.
I am on pureed foods now and I am having problems thinking of things to eat. I got some ideas from some of my friends on the site and I am grateful for that. It gives me some variety and more sources of protien.
I am going to try to do one of those ticker tape things for on my site and I am not sure how but I will fiddle around with it and maybe this old dog will find she can do a new trick. lol
DH has been on vacation since I been home. He is going back to work tomorrow afternoon ( he works straight afternoons Mon-Fri ) and I am going to miss him so much. He has been so helpful to me. He takes a lot of intrest in what I am doing and in making my meals. He even crushes some of my pills for me. He likes that pill crusher I think! lol I told him yesterday that I didn't know what I would do without him and he told me not to forget it. I guess he knows me better than I know myself. He knew that I would and I would!
I am closing for now and will be back again sometime. Stay happy and don't forget to laugh.

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