What goes around comes around
I've been meaning to check in with you guys... But this summer has been hell. Anyway, I hit my surgiversary earlier this month, and hit my goal weight a couple of months ago. Now working on maintaining - which is much more emotionally complex than I expected. The "must lose" mindset gets pretty strong, and it takes a lot of insight to move effectively to the next stage. Very peculiar.
I wanted to relay something that happened yesterday. A woman whom I didn't really know came up to me and introduced herself, at which time I recalled a phone conversation I had with her about 6 months after I had my RNY. I have not been secretive about my surgery, and I have talked with many, many people who were curious- and she had been put in touch with me as a friend of a friend kind of situation. I had spent close to an hour on the phone with her, relaying my experience and lifestyle changes, etc. I never met with her face to face, but apparently our mutual acquaintance must've pointed me out to her at some point. She told me she had seen me from time to time over the last year, and had witnessed my progress. And, she had her surgery in June. :)
Letting others know about your journey is humbling, and sometimes painful - but always remember that there are soooo many others who are struggling just like you. Never miss an opportunity to inspire, it feels pretty freaking awesome.
That's the main reason I am open about my surgery and my journey even with strangers. I go to a local hospital for my yearly labs and at my one year visit I chatted at length with one of the women in registration about my journey. This year when I went back I found out she has begun the process to have surgery too! You just never know. There are so many people spreading the negative stories that I use any chance I have to share how my surgery has improved my life so drastically.
