Rosey, This is how the secret pal works ! You will be given a name and address for someone. Your name will be given to someone else. For July, Aug and Sept. you send them something at least once a month.  You can leave messages on the board but don't reveal who your pal is until the 3 months is over. Then in Oct. you will get a new pal fo Oct, Nov and Dec. In Dec we will have a little get together of all who was involved. Should be fun. Thanks for the post . Joanne

I went in for minor knee repair to fix two menicus tears on my right knee.  After the procedure, the surgeon told me that I have an unusual knee.  Not only did I have two tears....but my cartlidge was completely cracked...so he removed all of the cartlidge from my knee.  Now my "good" knee is bone on bone.  He told me that I will probably need total knee replacement by next year. 

Good news.....he said that if I hadn't gotten the weight off....it would be a lot sooner. 

Does anyone have any exercises out there to strengthen my legs so that I can maybe hold off on another knee replacement. 

I had my left knee done a year after my gastric bypass surgery.  It was the most painful experience that I can remember.....and if I can hold off on doing it again....I would really prefer it. 

thanks

Rose

This is a repost from someone on OH.  I didn't think to save the persons name.

  Here it is: YOU CAN do hard things.

I know, you're saying, "What's your point?"

Sometimes, when faced with a challenge-- especially if you're a recovering addict as so many of us are, when you approach something difficult, your inner voice says, "Holy crap-- I can't DO that"...and you do an about-face-- you reach for the drug (or Ring Ding) of choice. To feel uncomfortable..and not to comfort yourself, is a hard thing --

but you can do hard things.

When it's late and you're tired, and you know you are supposed to walk, you said you would, and it's looking like it might rain-- it's hard as hell to lace those sneakers up and get out there---

but you can do hard things.

Protein shakes can taste yucky. It's hard to remember all those calcium supplements. It's hard to get 64 oz of water in. It's hard to plan meals, buy expensive and healthy choices, stay out of the cake in the lounge at work--

but you can do hard things.

You don't have to self-medicate. You don't have to eat those chips. You don't have to duck and avoid every unpleasant, difficult challenge in your path. Sometimes, the best bet is to admit their existance..."Yes, hard things, I see you trying to get in my way, but you know what? I CAN DO HARD THINGS!"

Sometimes this means having to survive a host of feelings you never felt before because you never let yourself feel them before-- stress, confusion, anger, rage. You can't numb them out or sand off their edges-- you have to stand right in your space and let them have a go at you-- and grit your teeth, and say to yourself, "Go ahead, get in my way. I'll get through this. I can do hard things."

And you will find that you will survive them. And as you survive them, you will face new ones, standing a little taller, because in time you will eventually understand and rely on the fact that you can do hard things. And eventually the "pass me some Ben and Jerry's--my boss is a jackass" response gives way to something new-- something that sounds more like this:

"Go ahead, Boss, bring it on. I'll have that on your desk by five."
"No thanks, Nancy, it's gorgeous but I really can't have an eclair right now."
"I guess I could just park back there and walk."
"It's only 8 ounces and I don't have to love the stuff, I'll just drink it quickly."
"If I spend ten minutes planning now, I won't be faced with tough choices later."

Post RNY living is no joke. It's not easy. It's not fun. It's not all "Whee, I'm a size 6!" Not everyone takes it as badly as I did, but there were days I *literally* cried because a kid at a store could have a cookie and I couldn't. I felt sorry for myself and holed up in my jammies, burning candles, and chatting here to avoid my fridge.

When I started, I could literally not walk further than my car, which is about 100 feet from my door. I bargained with myself that getting down to maybe 250 pounds would be JUST FINE, I didn't need more than that because I though to ask more from myself was ridiculous, impossible-- who the hell loses 220 pounds? That's not even humanly possible, seriously!

And I found out the answer to who does that : it's ME. *I* can lose 220 pounds-- I know it because I *did* it . I can manage my intake. I can get in my supplements. I can learn to accept my new, imperfect body. And with planning and management, I can make a post op life that still provides pleasure, joy and fulfillment.

I and I don't do those things because they are easy-- I do them because they're hard, but I *can*.
I can do hard things.

And so can you. And you will. So the next time it's all too much (and it is for me too, although less often as I grow), look your RNY challenge-- whatever it is--- boldy in the face and say, "I can do this. I can do hard things."

Then pull out all the stops and grab the brass ring-- it's there for the taking!
 

Judy, That sounds so good. I love salsa so know I will love it.  Glad to see my chicken will not go to waste. If it does it is my fault. See you lighter. Joanne

Hey Deb, Thanks for doing roll call.  You would be proud of me. I made fruit salad today along with cucumber,tomato, onion and zucchini in lite ranch dressing.  Will give you some tomorrow after it sits over night. Had a hard time making the fruit salad for Robert wanted to eat the canalope and green grapes and Alexus wanted to eat the purple grapes faster than I put them in the bowl. Hope you made it to Food Lion for the grapes before going to work.  Bet PopPop was cold with the new air conditioner.  See you Thursday for I am working both jobs tomorrow and going with Barb in between. Try to do roll call again tomorrow. See you lighter. Mom