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Crazy how time flies when you REALLY are having fun!!!  Today is the 2 year anniversary of my sleeve and what a change it has made in my life.  Last weekend I went to Missouri and went zip-lining, my new favorite activity.....right behind dancing...and skating...and walking....and LIVING my life to the absolute fullest. 

I lost my mother in May of this year, and it never even occured to me to deal with the loss with food.  What an amazing change that is.  I was always an emotional eater, but not any more.  That has been one of the greatest things about my new "tool".

Hooray!!!! What a success!!!!

Wow!!  What a year!  If anyone would have told me life could be so fun and exciting 2 years ago, I would have probably just laughed at them...I've always been a very positive person, but Holy COW this has been an amazingly fun year.  I'm down 130# with a few more I'd like to lose, and then firm up some more.

Goals for 2011...
Lose the last 10-15#...I'm going to let my body make the final goal weight decision as the year progresses.
Walk at least 4 days a week.
Start working with weights to re-find some muscles.
Live life to the fullest every single day of the year!!!!!!

I was having so much fun I almost missed it.....but Thursday 9-9-10 I received an email saying happy one year anniversary of your surgery....1 YEAR is that even possible...121 pounds 50 inches gone....in one year....no more asthma, no constantly taking ibuprofen for pain in the ankles, knees, hips, back....no more tight clothes...no more worrying if I will fit in a chair, an airplane seat, a tight space....NO MORE I CAN'T....because I'm tooo fat to do it. Life has become all about what I CAN do now.

I understood going into the surgery process, nothing will change if I don't change.....and boy have I changed.

The biggest change is that NO MORE are the words I CAN't allowed in our house, by grownups or grandchildren. Everything is a possibility, and everything must be tried at least once!!!!!Life is so exciting and everyday brings something new to embrace when you open up that 6" space between your ears and experience life. I CAN becomes a way of life quickly if you let it.

I now have a BMI of 29...........overweight...it sounds like such a cruel word....but I'm LOVIN' it.   I am not "obese" for the first time in about 25 years.   Overweight....what a ring that has ....51 years young....Size 12/14---I'll take "overweight" and run with it!!!!

Cathy

I've made the commitment to do two "walks" in the near future.  Sept 25, I'm "Walking for Jamison" to benefit a scholarship at the OCCC School of Nursing.  Jamison was the 2 year old son of a very dear friend of my daughter in law's from nursing school.  He was misdiagnosed with Swine Flu by a doctor last summer, when he really had a very ,very aggresive form of leukemia and died within weeks of being diagnosed.  A fund was set up in his name and a walk established to fund a scholarship for the school of nursing.

Then on Oct 9, I'm going to Walk for the Cure to benefit the Susan G Komen Foundation with a group from work.  Who would have ever guessed I could do two walks in a few weeks and be looking forward to it.

Life is so good.   120# gone and no more asthma, no more constantly aching knees and ankles, and I can't wait to do these walks just because I CAN!!!!!!!!  

Thank you Dear Lord and Dr. B for this miracle.

Does it get any better?????..........Anyone who is contemplating having this life saving surgery should talk to me.  I can't believe I waited so long to do this.  I might have given up a food habit, but I've gained so many wonderful things in exchange that sometimes I can't even believe it's me.   Life has NO LIMITS now.  

Well I had my first quasi"panic attack" yesterday in the dressing room at Penney's in Moore, OK.   Why is it that our mirrors at home just do not "reflect" the same things as those darn dressing room mirrors??  I've shrunk from a tight size 26/28 (June 09) to a very comfortable, almost loose size 16.   It is remarkable to be able to go into a store and have everything I try on in a 16 fit.   What a victory!!!!!!.....but then those evil swimsuits.............those tell all little pieces of material.......

I went with the intention of getting a 2 piece bathing suit.   I thought a bathing suit top would hold up the boobs (pre surgury 42 DDDD and now a mere 38 DDD) better than a one piece tank suit, so I thought well I could just get one of the "tankini" type bottoms.  The top and middle of me looks pretty darn good now, even at 195#.   I'll never be the svelt tiny little chick, I'm a curvy chick and I love the curves.   

I quickly found out they no more make a bathing suit top for a 38DDD than they did for a 42DDDD, roflmao!!!!!!!  and the tankini bottom....that was the start of a real horror pic.....The legs, the legs, what happened when I walked into Penney's...the cottage cheese look of the skin, ....the skin........50# left of skin......darn it they look good in clothes....why do they look like a 90 year old grandma in the Penney's mirror??????????  I tried on suit, after suit, after suit....the legs remained the same.......it was too good of a sale to NOT buy a one piece and try to figure out how to not wear it later on.   I bought a really cute 1 piece....absolutely no pic's will appear in my vacation photos this year, I'm resolved, lol!

I called my daughter in law, who at 25 is my fashion advisor now....and said I can't go to Galveston this year....we are going to have to go to Casper WY or Butte, MT instead.....I have to be able to wear clothes at all times.....she thought I was serious!!!   I WAS for about 30 sec!   My follow up question will I look weird on the beach wearing pantihose under my bathing suit??????  Hey Kirstey Allen DID IT on Oprah!!!!!!!!!!!!  She reminded me I was not Kirstey (cause I look way better, god I love this girl!!!!)  She also reminded me that I would be there with family like that was supposed to make me feel better......who teases worse than your own family??  WE decided I would go in search of knee length shorts that I could wear except when I was actually IN the water.  She suggested something like bike shorts, compression shorts, or just anything similar.

Of course that gave ME way to much lee-way in choices.  I decided on men's swim trunks, which do come almost to the knees, won't balloon in the water, and hey.....I'll just say I'm being "conservative" with my dress around the kids. 

WE WILL ALL know, it's cause I don't want to be laughed at out loud, by the "kids" at the beach....you know the ones....they wear a size 0, 2, 4 and their bathing suit is as big as a band-aid.....they hang with their BFF's and laugh at all the old fat ladies at the beach....oh yeah ...I remember them..come to think of it, though....I'm NOT the old fat lady at the beach this year!!!!!!!!!!!  Grace to God, I'm the so far....108# lighter, 51 year old with her life back and an incredible future ahead of her. that another year or so down the road will be able to have plastic surgery to fix up those legs ....if I choose to.....and those little meannies will still be hangin' at the beach with their BFF's being mean and spiteful to ladies that don't know about Gastric Sleeves yet and the miracle it can be in their lives......I think I'll make it my mission in life...to help those ladies at the beach by wagglin' my loose skin in pride and telling them, YES you can do it tooo.

Cathy!!!!!!!!!

I had my 6 mos post op visits yesterday with Dr. B.   I was thrilled to be able to wear a brand new size 14 dress and 4" heels (first time in 20+ years) to the appointment.   Everything went amazingly well.   He was thrilled with the 100# lost.  He said I've lost an above average amount of weight and keep up the good work.   I give him a lot of the credit, he has a great plan and all you have to do is follow the plan.   He has given me a great tool, and following his plan has been another great tool.

People make this surgery and the post op process harder than it is I think.   I'm a true believer in keeping things simple.  It's really easy.  Do what the doctor tells you.   If he tell's you not to do something.......don't do it.......don't do it and then try to justify why you did it.    Just DON'T do it.   Don't overthink it.   Don't overanalyze it.  Don't do it.    It's a simple success formula.

This is life changing stuff we're dealing with here.   I'm off all medications of any kind.   I take my vitamins and my calcium as instructed.  I'm able to do darn near anything I want to do now and not even think I might not be able to do it (for the usual fat reasons).....and I've not been able to do that for a very long time.

Movin' and Groovin'
Cathy

Whohoo!!!! 100# gone as of today!!! 3 days before by 6 month surgiversary!!!!!

Monday is Gary and my 29th wedding anniversary!!   We are still very deeply in love, best friends and love every minute we spend together.  Not to bad for two people that eloped, and EVERY friend said "this will never work".   Ain't LOVE grand.

We are celebrating this weekend with a beautiful hotel suite, dinner at our favorite steakhouse, and a evening at a casino.  I can't wait.  

Everyone have a FANTASTIC weekend!!!!!!!

Cathy