RhondaT

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As i approach my 3 year surgiversary, I reflect back on the last 3 years. I can remember every time i reached a milestone, everytime I accomplished a goal, and even the little things like being able to wrap the towel completely around me with room left over! I so struggle with my vitimins! That is the only complaint I have and it will show up in my bloodwork i have done this next week.  I stay tired so I know something is outta whack! Over the last few weeks, i think i have gained 4 pounds. Don't know why but I need to get it off! No problem....I can manage 4 pounds, it was the 120 i could not manage! 
My goals for the upcoming year will be:
1) Continue to take care of myself: water, vitimins, protein, exercise!!! I am worth it!!
2 Let God lead me into being a better wife, mother, grandmother, sister,  friend and boss.
3) Work diligently on my taxes,
4) Clean the office out and the storage building
5) Continue my walks outside in the evening
6) Continue to look for a church home
7) Read my bible more.
I am totally and completely happy with my tool for weight loss. Thankful just does not describe in depth my feelings, I pray I never forget how it was before, so that I never forget what I have to do to keep going!

I am sooooo ready for March! I have had so much snow this month I am ready for some sun shine and even ready to mow the yard!!  Got my appointment for blood work and then my follow up with Dr. Gibbs. I think I have probably lost about 16 lbs since last year. Gibbs was pleased with my weight loss lst year so I am hoping he will be even happier this year. I am still tryong to loose this extra 12lbs I have hanging around. I keep thinking soon! soon! soon! I need the treadmill more and I a=can probably achieve it SOON!

Finally  it's Fuburary!  I missed last month! Wheeew.. Lots has happened! Tommy had his surgery and all is well there...finally. we had a few extra days in ICU due to his breathing not doing so well. I met the pulmonary Dr from hell aka known as Dr. Searcy! He is a freaking jerk and everyone there in ICU knows but is afraid to say much! He is suppose to be the best but he has a bedside manner that SUCKS! He has an attitude that is as big as his ego! Anyway, T nor I liked him a bit! Neighter did any of the nurses. Finally he released Tommy and we came home. Tommy decided to get off his meds in the mean time and it has has been hell. Why do men think they cam self medicate themselves? Never will they learn you don't just cold turkey stop some meds!
Anyway, now about me! I am maintaining. Lately I find myself eating more often, probably due to me not drinking all i should and also i can work on making better choices. Meat has just turned me off lately!  i would rather just have some beans or salad. NOT healthy!  Gotta do beter. It is almost time for my labs and to see Dr. Gibbs for my 3 year check up! Overall, I guess I am happy with my weight loss. I just thought I would loose more than I have and it is a little dis-heartening. I know I need to have a better attitude and be grateful for this 2nd chance. I jsut want to strive for more weight loss. I am totally in agreement that you do not have control over how much you loose. i just feel I still have more to loose so let's get started! I am ready for summer so I can work outside and get more exercise.  
I feel myself under more stress than ever. It is not any one thing it is a combination of everything form work to no time to tired all the time to just plain old disgusted with things!  Still trying to find a church home. I think that will help things when I can find me a place to plant myself for a while. I miss that interaction with people and desperately need that positive back in my life. It sucks when things don't go your way!  I just wish for once, things would go my way a few times. I wish I could just take a vacation for about a week all by myself. Use to, I would look foreward for the few times a year me & Tommy would get away, but that just don't happen anymore  so I have to learn to just do it on my own. I woud have a better time alone anyway, at least that way I could go where I wanted to and do what I wanted to and not have to plan my time around his interest. I guess I am just tired and have reached the time in my life that i am thinking about myself for a change. It is hard when you have always put everyone else 1st. I have to do this in order to maintain my sanity. My brother is still not doing well and this last brain surgery has taken its toll on him. I am glad Momma & Daddy are not alive to see him and the physical shape he is in now. It is heartbreaking.
My weight is teetering between 159 and 163. That is a total loss of about 129 pounds. I would like to loose about 20 more pounds! Wishful thinking!  Everyone tells me I am almost to thin! That's funny! Thin at 160 pounds! Well, I never! Maybe at 130 but not 160! 
My Baby Jake is so sweet! I miss the little toot if I don't see him for a day or two. I hope to have him walking in about 3 weeks. His Daddy walked at 9 months so Ihope to have him walking at 9 months also.He just smiles all the time and is getting a little more vocal again. He loves a bath and loves to be read to. he is such a joy in my life. Well, I did not intend to wirte a book here! It has been a while, perhaps I will not wait as long next itme.
Until next time....happy trails!

It has been almost 3 years since I was blessed with RNY. I am still so thankful for my life today and especially my health. Soon it will be time for Tommy to have his surgrery, actually in less than a month. A revision, gallbladder removal and hernia repair. We are closing the store for a week so I can be with him and then maybe a week at home before he will return part time with limited activity. I am hoping a few hours a day to help build his strength back up. Dr Gibbs says he will bounce back fast......I sure hope so. Men usally don't handle pain will and he is no exception. As we are closer approaching his surgery date, I am even more confident in Gibbs and know this surgery is definately a must have. I just pray Tommy learns quickly not to over eat.
As for me, well I have lost another few pounds this month..yipee! I would love to see the 150's this year!  It still blows my mind why my body has decided not to loose into the 120's or 30's. I know I should be overjoyed with the loss so far but part of me is just a little dissapointed I did not loose more.....128 pounds is not shabby and I am so much healthier. I am not having any problems except with some meat when it does not digest. Still not drinking with mals and waiting 30 min after eating before drinking again. My vitimins are another story! I struggle with my vitimins still. I think one of the problems is the chewable vitimin makes me sick at th thought of chewing it up! I have tried changing flavors and it has not helped much. I guess I am a work in progress.
Me & Baby Jake are enjoying our time with each other! He likes to be read to and can sit alone now for limited time. He has brought so much joy  to my life. Josh & Jenny sem to b adjusting well at being new parents. Tommy and I are just stoked with the new role we have in life! He is a really good baby. Still no teeth at 6 months old. He must take that after his Daddy.... he was 9 months old before he started cutting teeth. He is finally on table food...funny I am so protective about what we feed him...I just don't want to feed him alot of sugar and create in him an overeater or overweight child. After growing up like that I just want better for him.. I hate this E key... it is still not working correctly and just pisses me off!
Overall, weight wise, i would say my satisfaction level would be a 8.5 to a 9.0.
November has been a new experience as is everyday. I am still watching the amount of food I eat as well as the items I consume. I am very leary of chicken still but at th same time, I will grab a bite of cake or a cookie! Not good. I think that is how many people fall back into the overeating and gain their weight back. I just pray I am able to maintain and not gain any.
I am so thankful for my WLS and would not change the decision for anything. If I had the choice to do again, to keep the money or have surgery.....no brainer...I would still spend the money and have the surgery. I still say I am worth it and deserve it. I am still commited to make the best outta my situation and try to get the most for my money and make it last!
THANKFUL IN NOVEMBER!

Don't know where my September update is .....whatever!!
October brings lots of great news! Tommy FINALLY got approved from the VA for the revision!  Yeeees! Dr. Gibbs forund a hernia, said he needed his gallbadder out, and would definately be able to fix his stomache, thank goodness he knew how Dr. Ozment did those surgeries way back then. His staple line has a hole in it and will need to be completely aaaaa  He is scheduled for Monday, December 28, 2009! I am so excited for him but dreading it also. His pain tolerance is very low and I know it will be hard on him. After we get thru the 1st 2 weeks, i think it will be ok.
As far as me....I just love me some Baby Jake!! I looked back and realized that since April, I have lost 15 pounds. 5 would love to loose another 10 pounds but everyone is worried i might look sick.  I had 4 people call me skinny this week FUNNY!!! I have not seen my sister for 6 months and she begged me not to loose anymore weight (15 lbs ago). We are 3 people short at work during the day.OMG it is like a freeking nightmare! I don't know how I do it! I just keep thinking that we need to close the week Tommy has surgery and we need to save as much money as we can for that week.  Work is so busy and with Jake it really makes it busy!  Tryng to get ahead before gun season starts!  I am so ready for Janurary!
These days, i find myself snacking a bunch more than I need to. I still have my Starbucks addiction and then there is the SF ice cream....Other than that, i am pretty diligent with my way of eating.  I am trying to remember everything to take to the hospital and also my grocery list for home. I will be at work the week after he comes home so he will have to fin for himself! during the day. jonboy is still not any help at work, maybe a day or two here and there, just not dependable. T complains about it everyday and blames him when things are not right....i think it is our fault for expecting something when we have never been able to depend on him....why should things change now?  Oh well, it;s my soap box....
I am still not drinking more than 4 oz of milk at one time except in my starbucks and it is 1/2 %. cant do smoke meats much and chicken still does not settle with me very easy (unless it is fried).  I will diligently try this month to get back on my oatmeal breakfast, vitimins, and log my liquids daily! I have to be very careful or I do not drink enough during the day.
Will update later, I need to go to bed so I can get up early and see Baby Jake!

Here it is August and the summer is almost over! BUMMER BIG TIME! I just hate the winter. At least this winter baby Jake will keep me company! Things are busy in my life. Tommy is about to have his revision after a long awaited journey to get there. I am excited for him. I think he will not go thru the process with as much ease as I did. I just pray for him and the surgery! Still working on 273 aka the rental from hell! It is almost finished. I will be so glad to get it rented!! Baby Jake is WONDERFUL! I have enjoyed watching him soooo much! He is a joy to have. he is talking and laughing, rolling over, eating his hands, enjoying his mobile and being really a perfect little boy at work! He has his own fan club! LOL!! Jenny worked Saturday and her Mom & Dad had Jake. So many people came in and asked where Jake was....I think it is funny! i experienced  the same thing with having both my boys in the business while growing up but Jenny is just starting to see the benifits of having kids around the store. I will hate it when we have to let him go to a babysitter, Hopefully, it wont be until he is 2 years old.  Jenny loves her job but she stays exhausted all the time. Josh is still working hard and really enjoying Jake. He is a good Daddy! I am proud of him. Jonathan, well....he is just Jonathan. Working a little and gambiling a bunch! That boy needs to grow up so bad! I hope he meets a good girl that just sweeps him off his feet SOON! Kathy is in Cuba and i miss her so much! Not scheduled to come home untill Sep. 14th. Kin & I are planning a suprise b/day party for Mo. That is exciting. I guess I am ready for deer season......might as well be it is almost here! 
My weight is 161-163. (lost 128 pounds) I am still trying to get into the 150's. It is hard but i can do it.  Well, so much for August.. i was able to loose another 5 or 6 lbs! I am still so happy with my surgery! 
Until next month!

Here I am 27 months after surgery and still loosing. I have lost 127 pounds so far and I am happy! I have been handed a new leaf on life. I feel good and constantly get people saying your too skinny! ha! NOT! I am still struggling trying to get my vitimins in. I go back to PCP for labs again August. It is to see if my cholesterol meds are working. He did a test and there is a 30% blockage on the left side. No biggie!
I am definately enjoying life and BABY JAKE. I am so blessed to feel like watching him while Jenny works. I watch him Thurs, Fri and Sat 14 hours eash day, off Sunday and then watch him again Mon, tue, & Wed. Then Jenny is off 7 days and we start over again. Tommy does not want Jake to go to the babysitter till at least October. I hope we are able to keep him till at least then. I love him so much. I know Momma & Daddy would love him too if they were here. It saddens me that they are gone but I still have them in my heart. I do not think the void will ever go away but Jake has definately helped the void.
I am definately into a large and some med shirts. My pants have to be 10's because 12's fall off. What a problem to have!! I am just 50 and lovin life here with my family. Most of all, i thank God for the opportunity to change my life and make healthy changes that will effect me the rest of my life.
Until next time....just July!

Me and Baby Jake have had a great month!  The kids have me watch him about 3 or 4 times a week and I see him almost everyday! Tommy and I are ate up with him! At 5 weeks he is 9 lbs! Wow he is growing fast! Since he was born I have lost 6 lbs! I guess running so much at work and looking after him has done it.  
I have started focusing on photography again, I mean seriously again. It has been a long time but now I am carring my camera with me everywhere.  My last shopping trip I am mostly in size 10 pants and some 8's !! Whooo hoo!!! I still have a couple pair of 12's that I wear but they are almost so big they don't look good on me anymore. My shirts are more like size large. If my boobs shrink anymore I can wear a size Medium. My shoe size is definately a 6 again.  I am thinking about having my rings sized for the 3rd time since surgery.
This month has flew by and I feel like i have been non-productive. Even tho i have  lost this month,  I still feel as tho I can do better. We will see next month. I am lovin' me some no sugar added ice cream! it is my weakness!  Tommy says he worries that I do not eat all the protein my body needs. i am going to watch it for the next few weeks and see.
My yard work is still no all done! Boy are we late this year with it! We have a rental we need to start remodeling after the 4th. I really dread that....it's a mess!  I hope to paint at work in August and then I have a long girls weekend planned to go to Dallas nad see Kathy and then to Canton and SHOP~SHOP~SHOP!!! After that we are going to Longview to see Mike and then stopping by Stephens! By that time we will al be ready to come home!!!
Well tootles till next time. I am off to exercise and take more vitimins!

May has been a VERY BUSY month! Josh & Jenny had Jake, Jacob Tyler Bryant, my frist Grandson and my first grandchild! I am flabbergasted! We are still in AWE. Jenny did fine with delivery. I told her she should have been born in the 1800's because you could not tell that she had just delivered a baby!  really, she was walking, bending, squatting...I stayed with them for a week and tried to keep her from doing much except talking care of Jake. She is such a good Momma and Josh is a very proud Daddy. Tommy just cries every time he sees him or holds him. Me...well I secretly cried my eyes out for almost 3 days. All I could think about was how Momma & Daddy wanted Josh & Jenny to get married and have them a great grandchild! I really missed them when Jake was born. My sister, Kathy, was in the Dominican Republic on vacation and could not be reached so I was without her also. I did talk to Jessie and that helped. The night before Jake was born, we were all at the hospital and my phone rang....it was my SIL Angie. She told me my brother had fell, broke his hip and had a hip replacement and was not responding well during recovery. She waited 3 days after the fact to call and Let us know. That figures. Anyway, he is in rehab now and doing better. I think that patients who have had strokes sometime do not respond well after surgery. I hope is gets better.
We are trying to stay busy at work. Our grocery company went bankrupt. We have been without a gro company for about a month now. We just cant decide who we are going to pull groceries from. I hate change!The bridge is finished now and that has helped business. We survived the gas crunch, opening of Walmart, Kroger and the neighborhood market in the last 6 months not to mention the economy! It is not anything we are doing to survive..It is God and we know it! We are humbled at his graciousness. We have not had any extra money but we have had enough to live on.  We have so many friends that have had to close their businesses in the last few months. I pray God just shows us how to use the money he sends us.
Jason & Vickie are moving out. After renting from us for almost 7 years they are going to move in with  her Parents. they need to because she has been in bridgeway 6 times this year....Stupid crap...Nothing but laziness and drugs! Don't let me get started! Anyway, we are anxious to clean and repair the place so I can get it rented. it is going to take a small fortune just to do the repairs!
My weight is doing fabulous! This month I have probably lost 7 lbs. I need to start walking again now that it is nice outside. Tommy promised he would walk with me..I will hold him to it. I am still eating sf ice cream and pudding for snacks. I need to be more diligent with my vitamins!!!!! I have3e to get better with that!!! It is serious! I have been lax in the last couple of months. My eating is pretty good. I am up to eating right at a cup of food at a time. I can now eat a whole banana.  I still don't eat anything that will make me sick! UCK....I can not deal with that feeling!. I still splurge every other week and have a piece of fried fish on Friday! OMG it is great! yep, i eat a couple of fries also. Just a little bit because I will OD and get sick. Still not drinking before and after I eat! No big deal anymore, I have done it for so long it does not bother me anymore.  This month I have been teetering between 166 and 168.
All and all.....I have adjusted very well to my new lifestyle. I enjoy eating a little and feeling satisfied. It is just not that big of a deal to me to eat anymore! Thank goodness!!
Until next month....
Rhonda aka NaNa to Jake