I have been MIA... here is my update
Hi Gang!
Sorry that I have been MIA for quite awhile. This morning I woke up before I needed to and decided that I would check in and see how y'all are doing.
I am fine. BUSY AS HECK but good. I have now lost 130 pounds... I am a slow loser for being 499 pounds when I started but I am headed in the right direction. My husband has lost 180. So, together we have lost 310 pounds in the past six months!!!!! Not bad... also not sure where this addition SMO fit in our bed!!!!!
When I went to the hospital I had to use a cane to walk... I had an electric scooter that I only used a few times because it was a pain in the keester to take apart and put in the car... funny... the insurance had no problem paying $6,000 for a scooter that I can't really use but they fought me for four years to pay for surgery that would have prevented me having to use a scooter in the first place.... plus MANY MANY other things that would have SAVED them money.... just the grand a month for my medications!!!!!! OH well... I DID get to have my surgery and now I don't need a cane to walk!!!!! I am still not running marathons (I still have severe pain in my foot, ankle, and knee where I broke them but I can go for walks that are about a half mile long with the dogs). I can shop shop shop now too. I realized the turning point when we went to Colonial Williamsburg on New Year's Eve. It had been about 4 years since I have been there because it is just walking walking walking. Well, I did it and we walked for hours and hours. Six months ago I would have parked myself outside a store and told Cory to go shop. Well, I was on my feet for a good 7 hours shopping and I think we sat down 3 times all day. Now I can SPEND SPEND SPEND again LOL!!!!!!!! We came home with BAGS and BAGS of fun stuff!!!!!
Let's see, when I started out I was wearing some 5X and some 6X. There were a few things that I had in the 4X's that would work but there were some 5X things that I couldn't fit into. Well, I have still been wearing the same things that I wore before surgery but I realized the other day when I had a pair of 6X pants hiked up OVER my boobs and they kept falling down where I was tripping over them that I REALLY CAN'T wear 6X's any more. I used to shop by going online or the catalog for Lane Bryant and Romans and ordering the biggest size of things that I could find and HOPE that they would fit. Even though I was seeing that I could fit into 4X things... I didn't realize until the other day that this means the 6X things DON'T WORK for me any more (this is a good thing). Yesterday I dug out a pair of jeans that I have NEVER been able to wear before.... again, I had ordered the largest thing LB had and it DIDN'T work. Well, yesterday I was able to wear them though the waist was a little too BIG. I haven't had an honest to goodness pair of jeans on for YEARS. Now, keep in mind, they still are the biggest ones that LB had when I ordered them about 5 years ago but they work now. It makes me sad that I am excited to be able to FINALLY wear the BIGGEST drawers that they had but for me, this is progress. I also feel that way when I hear about people saying that they are having surgery and weigh 250 pounds.... well, after losing 130 pounds, I STILL outweigh them by more than 100 pounds!!!!!!!! I digress!!!!!! Cory is zipping through the sizes. The other day I was digging out old clothes and had a man's sweater that I have had for a decade and NEVER fit... well I gave it to him and asked him if he wanted to try it... he looks great in it (nice plum color!) and he told me, you know what size this is??? I had no clue... it is an XL... Cory says he hasn't worn an XL since he was about 12 years old!!!!! Most of his things are a 2X and 3X now. He started out at a 5X and 6X like me. He last lost about 16 inches in his waist. Nothing that he wore pre-op fits him now (thus why I haven't bought any new clothes but have focused on keeping him clothed... it is easier for me to just pull the drawstrings in my skirts tighter!!!!!) He gets compliments on a daily basis from people who he doesn't even know. This is a hurtful thing for me... while I am thrilled that so many people notice how great he is doing, very few people have even noticed that I have lost weight. I understand that I still have 200 pounds to lose but sheeeeesh 130 is something that should be noticeable. In the five and a half months since surgery I have probably had 5 people make any kind of comments... Cory usually has a few a day comment on how great he is looking and ask how he has lost so much weight (and a few have asked if he is ill because he has lost weight so quickly). Again, I am happy for him but I crave the compliments too!!!!!
OK... no WLS stuff.... We are both incredibly busy. Cory and I are both counselors and are both working on our doctorates in counseling psychology. I am in the midst of writing my dissertation and Cory is doing an internship this year (an extra 20 hours a week on top of his full-time counseling job). Cory also teaches religious studies courses half time (started doing that last August) and I just started teaching psychology courses half time this semester. I am having a ball teaching (though it scared the tar out of me to begin with because I didn't have confidence that I actually know this stuff well enough to be the professor!!!!!) It is a pure joy... from preparing to presenting. I teach four days a week (on top of my regular job). It is a challenge to write 4 different hour and a quarter lectures but, so far, I am managing. But, with doing my regular job, dissertation research, writing my dissertation, and preparing for teaching, it has cut my online fun time to ZERO. Thus, why I have been MIA.
Please know that even though I am a shmuck and am MIA... I do think of you folks often and pray that you are happy and healthy!
HUGS
Patti
You two have certainly been busy bees! Congratulations on all your accomplishments!
Huggs,
Ruth 
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