James M.

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 OK...so I'm a little late...I was on drugs...

Had a left shoulder rotator cuff repair Friday 3/9/12...not torn but impinged...and a little more extensive when they got in there. Sooooo...I'm in an arm sling for 4-5 weeks, approved out of work thru 4/15...but I'm going back 4/2...I'm going crazy! 

Weight loss is holding steady, 230-234 fairly consistently...I imagine as the weather has been better I'll resume my walking...work just got busy & I got out of the habit of the lunch walk and that led to skipping the night walk....shame on me!

Good lord...I'm 2 weeks late!

It's been a crazy month...my first cold in 3 years hit me 12/31...so I worked but NYE I was sick in bed...and 1/1...worked a short shift Monday 1/2...perhaps because I'm missing all my old insulation? LOL Chest & head pretty clear but I'm still sniffling & a bit snotty...not pretty while out walking in the cool air...

I have friends & co-workers who have been waiting all year for winter so they can tease me w/how cold they thought I'd be...but even when I was thinner YEARS ago, I've ALWAYS loved the cold...still do & quite pissed off we've really only had one little 4-5" snow storm this season...I still barely wear a jacket, keep the house cool (I've only turned the heat on a couple times this season so far...LOL) ...oil's too damn expensive anyway!

Having rotator cuff surgery March 9th...will write more about that later...left this round, had right one done 13 years ago...

I bounce between 230-234, so 160-164 lost...I've not been walking as much...can't seem to get out at lunch...I keep getting pulled back into work...always a crisis just as I'm heading out the door...and I don't really have any correctly fitting cold weather attire to be walking for 30 minutes at 11PM...they're all too damn big...and I won't spend the money till it goes on clearance! LOL (I am Scottish, don't cha know!)

Will do my best to update on time in two weeks! 

GRATITUDE

I've been given a gift and a new lease on life...I've not only added YEARS to my life...
today I'm adding LIFE to my years!

WOW....people keep coming into the bank saying "Damn James, you;re still losing weight...you better slow down before we can't see you anymore!" Secret is...I'm still settling & redistributing and I'm wearing shirts that fit...the fact is last month I got down to 222...but it was after a couple of restaurant visits and a stomach bug that had things sailing thru rather quickly (sorry for the graphics!) but a week or so later I bumped back up to 230...even crept to 334 one day...back down to 227 this morning...Seven more pounds to first goal...final goal is 205-210 w/skin removal next year....

One really cool thing...I speak at the monthly seminar my surgeons hold at the hospital...where prospective patients must attend before getting an appointment in the office. I walk up on stage either wearing my biggest suit that was a bit tight...and do a little strip tease...or carry it up and put it on to show how much I've changed...always gets ooohhhs, aaahhhsss..and a round of applause...I'm such a ham!  Our Support Group Coordinator Julie Nolan and I talk a little about our journeys, encourage support group attendance (they must attend a minimum of two before surgery) and then we field questions 'from the audience'...well...next month is actually on my 1 year Surgiversary date...12/14! It's going to be AWESOME! 

What as I thinking...a friend mentioned I hadn't posted in a while & I was SURE I had... guuurl...you were right! 

Holding steady...took a week off and vegged...too poor to go anywhere or do anything so I rested...and put on about 8#...I was sooooo pissed...but it made me realize HOW IMPORTANT ACTIVITY is....so I'm back out there walking every day & night faithfully...and shazam...it's dropping right back off...kinda funny how that works...sit on your ass, don't get out...and shit happens...or maybe shit stays (not literally...well, OK, a little bit literally...LOL) ...I was 2# from my initial goal and damn it, I will be there for 12/14 on my surgiversary...

The other AWESOME thing...my surgiversary falls on the same night as the monthly info seminar my surgeons hold at the hospital...which I've been speaking at every month as the VSG Spokesperson, to tell a little of my story, promote the support group meetings and field questions. I WILL be on that stage at goal or better sharing my "experience, strength & hope"...

My last successful amusement park adventure was 12 years ago at Six Flags New England...I had gone for the unofficial Gay Day (before it became a sanctioned event) and as I drove into the parking lot, I got paged and called...there was an emergency at my office, the server room fire suppression system had gone off and my new boss had no idea what to do...I made all the necessary calls form the car to make sure vendors & IT staff were on site to take care of the mess....I went into the park to find the group I was meeting, rode on two rides & hightailed it back to Wellesley......by the time I got back to the office, everything was well under control...my boss apologized but I knew she just needed me there...it cost her a few extra days of vacation...LOL....

Eight years ago I went to DC to visit a friend & go to Gay Night at King's Dominion Amusement Park in Virgina...as I attempted to get on the first roller coaster, it became apparent I was too damn big....with me pulling & two attendants pushing, I could not get one latch buckled or the required '3 clicks' to secure my fat ass any of  the rides...I could not ride on one ride...I tried them all...

NOT ANY MORE!!!!!! I went to Gay Day at Six Flags New England this weekend I had a BLAST...it was AWESOME!!! I rode every damn ride I wanted to, all at least twice! AND...they had a buy 3 get 1 free deal on 2012 season passes...the advertised deal was for 44.99 each, but with Sunday's admission they were offering the same deal for 24.99 each...so we got 4 season passes for $75! (including parking, normally $20/visit)....did I mention AWESOME?! LOL I'm going back on a Sunday in October for Fright Fest....I can't wait! 

OK...so I'm at the monthly Info seminar tonight that my surgeon Dr Pohl & his partner Dr Giovanni hold at Roger Williams Medical Center here in Providence where I get up & talk about support groups & my VSG Surgery....I go up on stage wearing my fat suit & do a little strip tease...it was a riot! After we do our little spiel, Julie (the support group coordinator-3 years out) and I go outside to catch up...and out of the blue she says..."James...it's your 9-month today...happy surgiversary!" Between my trip to CA & helping a friend w/some things today, I totally spaced out the date!

So I'm holding at 229-230...and I know what I need to do...watch those calories & exercise more! It's tough for me in the Summer...I HATE the heat...I exercise much more in the winter...my personal trainer has been busy w/his other clients & other job and our schedules have not meshed well at all for the past couple months...and my walking has not been as consistent with the heat & humidity....Fall is coming & I'll be out much more now...gotta drop that last 10 pounds before December! 

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO psyched....for the first time in over 15 years...I will NOT have to:
 
1. ask for a seat belt extension
2. pity the poor bastard who's unfortunate unuf to sit next to me as I spill over into their space
3. pay for checking my bags...cuz I can fit EVERYTHING i need into one carry-on & a laptop backpack because I'm  NOT wearing tents anymore...

WOW...

2nd run...1st try got wiped out b4 I could save it...damn it!

I've kinda leveled off at 229-230 for the past couple weeks...down 165 from peak...pretty damn amazing w/only 10 to go to first goal, w/another 10-15 hopeful w/skin removal. Just back to the gym 1/week for past 2 weeks since hernia surgery 7/1 along w/an aqua-robics class on Thursday....going to see if I can tweak my schedule to accommodate a Tuesday morning aqua class...the instructor is great...he's a retired marine...HOOORAH! I have slacked off on walking mostly due to heat & humidity, can't wait for the cooler and drier Fall weather to settle in, great for walking & motorcycle riding!

Still very active in the local support groups and speak monthly at my surgeon's info seminar as the VSG spokesperson to share a little of my story, my 'experience, strength & hope'...it feels good to share & help others navigate through the journey, no matter which path they choose.

Down to a 42" dress pant, and not far from a 40" (my biggest was a 60" dress pant)...all the 2XL t-shirts I was waiting to get into...are now a bit too big...down to XL & a few big L's...the weight has remained fairly steady but the body is still reshaping and redistributing...it's GREAT! A small NSV last week...my oldest brother (cancer survivor) and his wife (a nurse) were in town from Oregon for her 40th High School reunion in CT...I corralled & announced "We need to take pictures...we have all 4 brothers"! to which I got a reply...."Why, cuz you're so damn skinny now?! " Damn right I replied...LOL When I hugged him...I could barely get my arms around him...'Ah, Stu...have you put on a few...' at which point I was cut off....LOL...I saw him last year before surgery w/a ton of weight loss, but my sister-in-law had not seen me since before I lost anything...they were both blown away...

Last night I took Brother Mark & two Nephews into Boston for a performance at the Wilbur Theater of the Pink Floyd cover band The Machine...3 hours of music, it was great...but no flashbacks, damn it....LOL...I fit COMFORTABLY i the seats....yes, by the end of the show, my butt was 'comfortably numb' (yes, they did sing that song...LOL), but I was thrilled to not have to sit into it diagonally wedging into it...and the people I sat beside...could still breathe & rock out to the show!  It's been years since that happened! 

Got stitches out today from hernia surgery...2 more weeks till I can hit the gym and get back on the motorcycle...today is the PERFECT day in New England for the bike...sunny, no humidity...gorgeous! Buuuut...god forbid I needed to pick up the bike...I would not be able to, or could cause injury to my tender gut...just  a couple sore spots inside that only hurt when I cough, sneeze or laugh really hard....my co-worker Carol had me in...literally...stitches yesterday, neither of us could stop laughing & I was all curled up trying to hold my tender spots...which made us laugh even more....it's all good though...you HAVE to laugh like that as often as you can!

A few days ago I hit 233...down 161 from peak...and I haven't been in the gym in over a month...now that stitches are out I think I'm going to hit the pool and in two weeks I can hit the weights again...thank god for that clothes hanger I call a treadmill...it is getting used these days...especially on the hot humid ones....thank god Fall is just around the corner...and ...WINTER...yeah!!