4 Years ago today. Picutres, Elvis-more

Nov 28, 2010

Hi all,

 **Picture at bottom

Today is my 4 year surgiversary. I have lost and kept off well over 200 lbs. I put the collage below together with what these last four years have meant to me.

In the left hand quarter-you can see me with my son, Patrick. At that time I spent many nights in bed lying awake wondering if I would survive to see him grow up and marry. And toward the bottom right-you can see Patrick all grown up, with the lovely Alyson (who is carrying my precious granddaughter baby Bernadette). And yes-that is Elvis doing the honors! LOL! What can I say-my son and daughter-in-law will carry on the family history for being slightly twisted!

I went from having to have help getting off the couch and wondering if I would wake up the next morning-to running round the house like a mad-woman up and down the stairs, finding the love of my life, rejoining life entirely. What a gift.

Middle left-is me and my beautiful Mom. She was there the day of my surgery and I remember when I got home and my first shower. I was VERY dizzy and just wanted to feel the warm water. That is the lady that stripped down to shorts and her bra and got in the shower with me to hold me up. Just imagine if I would have fell on her! LOL! I was nearly 400 lbs!! She laughed and cried me through all of it.

The moments before surgery –she sat quietly with me.  We didn’t need many words. What I said to her was this “Mom, I know I am at risk for this surgery. If anything happens to me-promise you will not allow the family to focus on this surgery-but rather how MUCH I was willing to do to live so that I could be there for them. Tell Patrick how proud I am of him and how happy I was to get to be his Mom. And for you-you know how I feel, I love you and thanks. Promise not to let them get all dramatic, I hate that!” And finally-I looked at her and said “And Mom, if I do make it out of this-please make sure my gown is covering EVERYTHING and that my lip gloss is on!” What can I say? I have priorities.

Needless to say-I awoke in my room with my Mom looking at me-holding up a tube of chapstick and smiling. “Okay? Okay-you made it, now close your eyes and rest”. And I did.

So-since then (it seems like a million years ago!)-my son grew up and left home and fell in love. I fell in love too and left home! LOL! I left the country to be with my new hubby in Britain.

Two weeks ago-Ben and I flew out to Alaska to watch Patrick get married. It was the first time my Mom or any of my family saw me since the surgery. It was VERY lovely and wonderful. I will cherish each and every moment of it.

So-what to share? I will keep it simple-even though there will be times when you don’t feel that it is simple.

1.       Do not underestimate the importance doing something today-that you did not do yesterday. EVERY step matters. You matter

2.       Log your food. I am not going to elaborate-because YOU know!! Now do it.

3.       Weigh yourself EVERY week.

4.       Get your labs done for the LOVE of Pete.

5.       If something doesn’t feel right in your body-GO see your surgeon/doctor.

6.       Be your own advocate. Trust me on this-and many others on the board who say the same thing. You have GOT to be instrumental in learning about your surgery and your body. Keep up-to-date by reading the bariatric guides-etc.

7.       Doctors and surgeons are REALLY super smart-but they are NOT GOD!!!  Ask them-they will tell you. There will be times when YOU are right!

8.       Get and keep support. You are going to need it.

9.       Share with others what you have gone through-good and bad.

10.   Don’t forget what it was like that day they wheeled you into that operating room. You wanted to live more than anything. You were willing to lose your life for it. Honor that and follow the rules and listen to your body.

11.   Finally-GET living. There is SO much to experience. Have some life!

Ok-I think that is all I have for now. I will thank you all again-because this is the place where it all started for me. There are still many people here-who were there for me when I first started posting. I admire many, many of you-and I read here every day!
 

Don’t give up. Things can change and they can change very quickly. There is always hope. Always.

Peace,
T

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