margaret_marie
No Longer afraid of "THE MALL"
Jun 25, 2008
Post Date: 6/7/08 3:59 pm
Well, my step-daughter's wedding is in one week and I finally decided to make the dreaded trip to the mall to find a dress for the wedding. Mind you, I have been putting this off until closer to the wedding because I did'nt know what I would find or what would even fit me. Pre-surgery I was wearing a 26/28 (tight), so my shopping for clothes at the mall was pretty limited not to mention discouraging. I walked the mall for about an hour, looked at what I thought would fit in about 4 stores (all REALLY ugly and MATRONLY) and by the 5th store I thought "I better start trying something on". Final stop was JC Penny's and found a really cute, sleeveless dress in a size 24 on the clearance rack. Great, my size and on sale, even better. Got to the dressing room, tried it on and it was HUGE! Not just a little big, but falling off my shoulders big! Big Yeah for Me! Went out to get the next smaller size, 22, and this was also too big. Now, I'm about ready to start crying happy tears and the sales girl who has now seen me come out of the dressing room twice, with the same dress, asked me if I needed any help? I said YES and that I need this dress in smaller size! I explained to her that I've just lost over 80 lbs and so had no clue what size I even was anymore. Bless her heart, she said that I looked GREAT and helped me find a 20. A SIZE 20! It fit like a dream and she even found another dress in an 18 that she thought might fit. The last dress was alittle tight but I still got it zipped! I haven't been this size since Highschool, 27 years ago. I got home and did the "fashion show' for my husband and let him know that we might have a problem becuase I'm thinking that there might be more stores I can go shopping at now that I'm shrinking in size. I do believe I've found another use for the mall instead of just walking. YOU CAN GO SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES! Who would of thought it possible a place I SOOO avoided, is now someplace I can't wait to get back to.
Well, my step-daughter's wedding is in one week and I finally decided to make the dreaded trip to the mall to find a dress for the wedding. Mind you, I have been putting this off until closer to the wedding because I did'nt know what I would find or what would even fit me. Pre-surgery I was wearing a 26/28 (tight), so my shopping for clothes at the mall was pretty limited not to mention discouraging. I walked the mall for about an hour, looked at what I thought would fit in about 4 stores (all REALLY ugly and MATRONLY) and by the 5th store I thought "I better start trying something on". Final stop was JC Penny's and found a really cute, sleeveless dress in a size 24 on the clearance rack. Great, my size and on sale, even better. Got to the dressing room, tried it on and it was HUGE! Not just a little big, but falling off my shoulders big! Big Yeah for Me! Went out to get the next smaller size, 22, and this was also too big. Now, I'm about ready to start crying happy tears and the sales girl who has now seen me come out of the dressing room twice, with the same dress, asked me if I needed any help? I said YES and that I need this dress in smaller size! I explained to her that I've just lost over 80 lbs and so had no clue what size I even was anymore. Bless her heart, she said that I looked GREAT and helped me find a 20. A SIZE 20! It fit like a dream and she even found another dress in an 18 that she thought might fit. The last dress was alittle tight but I still got it zipped! I haven't been this size since Highschool, 27 years ago. I got home and did the "fashion show' for my husband and let him know that we might have a problem becuase I'm thinking that there might be more stores I can go shopping at now that I'm shrinking in size. I do believe I've found another use for the mall instead of just walking. YOU CAN GO SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES! Who would of thought it possible a place I SOOO avoided, is now someplace I can't wait to get back to.
Five Month's of Grateful and WOW Moments
May 28, 2008
With my 5 month anniversary of surgery coming next week, I decided to look at how wonderfully my life has changed in the past few months. I've lost 80 lbs, my stamina has increased to a level I haven't seen in 10 years, I'm back to a weight I haven't seen in 12 years, I'm 35 lbs lighter than when I married my husband 5 years ago, I can bend down to tie my shoes and still breathe, I'm down to 3 perscription medications, LD ASA and my supplements, I spent 2 hours pulling weeds and gardening where as last year after 10 minutes I was exhausted and had to quit (bad, bad garden year, it looked like the house was abandoned), I HAVE A WAIST (who knew?), my knees are less painful so I can actually go for a walk and not feel like I'm going to pass out after 2 blocks, I got on my bike for the first time in 3 years, I'm taking charge of my eating habits and wearing pants without elastic in the waist. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all sunshine and roses, the first few months were miserable. Trying to figure out what I could and couldn't eat, what would stay down on any given day (still have a problem with peanut butter and most chicken) and not to mention trying to get enough water using small sips and all my protien in. I've been fortunate though becase the only lab work that I've had problems with is a severe Vitamin D deficiency. I've had some problems with losing my hair (freaked me out when it first started falling out) but this has gotten better in the last month. Would I do all this again? In a heartbeat! I finally am feeling like ME again, not someone trapped in a body that is failing. I wish everyone who is about to begin this journey all the love and care in the world and through the hard times the knowledge that the journey will get easier down the road.
