Roll Call - A little early

Hi everyone, Just wanted to do roll call, as I haven't in a couple of weeks. Life has been crazy...so here we go! I'm 14 months post op and down approx. 82 lbs. and feeling great. At a plateau, as usual. This journey has had many many plateaus for me, but that's ok...I'm losing and that's all that counts. This time of year is difficult for me. On 8/28, it was the 20th anniversay of my dear sweet mom's death. She died at 53 after a 13 yr battle with breast cancer. It was one week before my 28th birthday...so this time of the year is always a struggle for me. I have found myself turning to food for comfort, and I don't like that! So I'm working on it...I haven't had time lately to exercise as much as I'd like to, but this weekend, I'm turning of a new "leaf" (if you'll pardon the pun). Life is good! It's not perfect, but it's good! I am very blessed by wonderful friends both on and off of these boards! Dr. Bell has given me a life I would never have had without this surgery! So this weekend, I am working on Sat. and taking the folks I work with (they have mental retardation) to Quassy..that should be fun! Sunday is my b'day...so I'm gonna hide and pretend I'm not a yr older and Monday is a picnic at a friend's house...so there's my weekend in a nutshell. Thank you all for all the love and support you give me each day when I am on this board! To anyone considering surgery DO IT for yourself...it's the best thing you can ever do for you! Hugs to all! xo JA

JA..and all, GOod to hear from you.... my life has been busy also...we finished moving last nite from the old apartment..now we need to get out from all the boxes in the new place. I literally have aisles for me to walk thru...its crazy and to say stressful is being nice...hubby and i have been bickering all week, but i think its the moving stress.. i am in a wedding on sunday...saturday evening is the rehersal stuff....monday is probably unpacking.. fun fun ON the weight loss front......i have been horrible in weighing myself which may not be a bad thing.....i havent been eating right, but i havent been eating that much either....i just forget cause i dont have time..im somewhere in the neighborhood of a weight loss between 90 - 100 lbs..i have to go to the dr next week and get my b12 shot, and then weigh in. i usually go there once a month to do both, well it has been 5 weeks....life needs to calm down !!....i am still feeling fat to some extent..i know i lost a lot of weight, and i look good..i can fit into a size 8-10 in some things..its all that extra skin stuff that gets to me...ive got this roll thing that if i think back to my teen years, i had then too...my stomach per say, isnt that bad, its the roll between the boobs and the lower stomach.....maybe now that we have moved and hopefully after the wedding and unpacking my life will slow down a bit, i can get back to the gym !! Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend...be safe !! Deanna

JA, I know the feelings that come with not so pleasant anniversaries. My grandpa died on Christmas eve a few years back and although I try to stay positive about his life it is so hard...he was a father and grandpa to me. I can only imagine how I am gonna handle it this year since I do not have my good friend food to turn to. On the weight loss front I am down 126lbs in 6 months, on my first platue and promising myself I will not freak out...another promise broken! LOL This weekend I have a girls night out, then a picnic for work on Saturday, then an in-law visit Sunday...so a pretty full weekend! I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend! Kristin

Hi JA Im thinking of you during this hard time~ Im sure your Mom is so happy that you are in a good happy place!!! This weekend I am excited because MaryJo and her family are coming to visit us and the puppies!!! I cant wait to meet her and give her a giant hug!!! I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!!!! Bethany

Hi JA! Keep up the good work and the optimisim. They will serve you well. Thinking of loved ones we have lost can be difficult as well as joyful. I honor my brothers memory( lost him in Nam in 1966) and My dad, (lost him in 72, Pancreatic cancer). I focus on all the good things we shared and as crazy as it sounds,think about what they would say if I asked them questions I was thinking about.I find comfort in being able to almost hear their answers and see the expressions on their faces as they say them. Those memories that they have passed on to us are the treasures they leave behind . Shareing those memories with others ensure's their imortality in our hearts. Their passing is such a small part of the time they shared with me, it helps me to focus on the funny and sometimes the not so funny parts of our time. Take Care and have a great weekend ! Julio

Hey JA, Great to hear from you again, I was getting alittle worried. I am so sorry about your mom. My mom is a breast cancer survivor 11 years now. I know your mom is definately an angel to us all. I hope that comforts you in some way. I know how sad it can get, this year was a tough one for us. My Nonny died a couple of months ago and I miss her terribly, she was my mother's mom. A wonderful woman with an amazing love for everyone. I will miss her so much. I was very fortunate to have both my nonnies later in life. My daughter was so fortunate to have a great grandmother for 10/12 years of her life too. She will be sadly missed. But I know she is our guardian angel. Losing a mom is so tough, my bestfriend Liz lost her mom to bone cancer, its been quite a few years for her too, but she still has that void of loneliness. Mothers and daughters always have a special bond that nobody could ever understand. I thank god every day he let me have my mom longer. I hope all is well with you and your doing ok. My thoughts and prayers are with you sweetie and I know as time goes by it gets a little easier but not totally. I have tomorrow off and Tuesday, I am so happy to have some time to myself. Work has been so insane. We are getting busy now with new programs for the senior center and I will be starting my holiday programs for my less fortunate families in Orange. Erin had her second day of school today, she loves Middle School and her teachers too. New bus driver today to make up for the idiot who got lost yesterday and they were 25 minutes late on their first day. But other than that she loves school. Its my mom's birthday tomorrow so we will go over tomorrow night to spend time with her and my dad. Saturday we are going to Gillette's Castle during the day and maybe Mystic Village later in the day. Not to sure yet. Sunday I am having my cousins over for a cookout. Since my cousin Jodi always has us over, I wanted to give her a break for a change. Monday is our 13th wedding anniversary. Tom and I have been together for 15 years and I am so lucky to have such a wonderful man. He is so loving and caring and so much fun. I am so blessed. Well I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day Weekend, stay safe and be happy all. LOVE YA EVERYONE!! Hugs KimC

Hi JA, First of all "Happy Birthday" I know you are a year older, but you must feel so much better this year than you did last year! I am so sorry about your mom, i know these times are difficult. The winter time is always hard for me becuase that is when I lost my dad and we were so close, I was a "daddy's girl". Remember the good times and memories you shared, she must be shining down on you smiling on your success. As far as I go, this holiday weekend will hopefully be a nice one. Sunday we are going to Tom's family annual Labor day picnic, and on Monday we are going to visit Bethany (my new best friend) I can't wait to meet her we are so alike it isn't funny. I also can't wait to see the puppies and meet her adorable children, all our kids should have a blast together. I hope we don't go broke driving around the state with the new gas prices. When I see the prices though, it could be alot worse for us, I think of those poor people down south who lost so much and the ones who lost thier lives. God bless them all. Hope Everyone enjoys thier Labor day weekend! Hugs to ALL! MaryJo