tigerlil58

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I AM 16 MONTHS POST-OP AND STILL 30 POUNDS FROM GOAL WEIGHT BUT ENJOYING ALL THE LIFE CHANGES. MY HUSBAND TOOK ME TO COZUMEL FOR AN ANNIVERSARY AND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE THINGS I COULD DO THAT I COULD NEVER HAD DONE BEFORE SURGERY AND WEIGHT LOSS. WE STAYED ON A BEAUTIFUL RESORT IN OCEAN FRONT ROOMS WITH A PERSONAL WHIRLPOOL ON OUR DECK OUTSIDE OUR ROOM. WE SPEND ALMOST THE WHOLE TIME IN BATHING SUITS AND SHORTS. IT WAS THE MOST ROMANTIC AND STRESS FREE TIME I HAVE EVER HAD. I WAS ABLE TO SWIM AND SNORKEL FOR THREE HOURS AND VIEW THE CORAL REEFS. I WALKED 130 STEPS TO GET TO THE TOP OF A LIGHT HOUSE. I CLIMBED IN AND OUT OF A JEEP ALL DAY ON A TOUR AND I ACTUALLY FELT PRESENTABLE IN SWIMWEAR. I ALSO SIPPED TROPICAL BEVERAGES THAT CONTAINED ALCOHOL FOR FIVE DAYS AND ATE AT OPEN BUFFETS THAT WERE FREE WITH OUR TRAVEL PACKAGE. THAT WAS THE NAUGHTY PART OF MY TRIP BUT A SACRAFICE I WILL PAY FOR NOW I AM HOME. OUR SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WENT WITH US AND HAD A BLAST TOO. TED AND I TOOK WALKS ON THE BEACH AND SPENT HOURS RELAXING UNDER THE PALM TREES.I BASTED IN THE SUN AT 10:OO IN THE MORNING. WE SET IN OUR WHIRLPOOL AND WATCHED THE SUN SET OVER THE OCEAN. WE FELT LIKE NEWLYWEDS AND EVEN DISCUSSED GOING AGAIN NEXT YEAR. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE THAT I OWE TO MY SURGERY AND OH FRIENDS WHO HAVE HELPED ME ON MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY. THE HUNDRED POUNDS OFF HAS CHANGED MY LIFE ONLY TO THE GOOD. MY HEALTH IS SO MUCH BETTER AND MY APPRECIATION FOR LIFE IS STRONGER THEN EVER. I TREASURE EVERY DAY THAT I CAN FEEL GOOD. I TURNED 51 YESTERDAY AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED 26 YEARS TO MY BEST FRIEND AND SOUL MATE. LIFE DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THAT. PEOPLE SAY GETTING OLD SUCKS BUT MY HUSBAND SAYS IT BEATS THE ALTERNATIVE. I WASN'T SURE I CARED TO GET OLD BEFORE MY SURGERY. I REMEMBER HOW MISERABLE I WAS. HOW SICK AND CRIPPLED I WAS. NOW MY ZEST FOR LIFE IS BACK. I AM MENTALLY THE WOMAN I WAS IN MY YOUTH. I HAVE LEARNED TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF AND VALUE MY HEALTH. BACK TO MY PROGRAM MONDAY BECAUSE IT KEEPS ME OK. WELL BETTER THAN OK. I HOPE ALL MY GREAT FRIENDS OUT THERE HAVE A TERRIFIC SUMMER.I KNOW MOST OF YOU ARE HAVING REVELATIONS OF YOUR OWN AS YOU LOOSE WEIGHT, SO YOU UNDERSTAND MY EXCITEMENT. THOSE WHO JUST STARTED CAN TAKE THIS AS ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THEIR FUTURE. LOVE AND SUPPORT TO ALL OF YOU. KEEP IN TOUCH.

ONE YEAR AS OF JANUARY 23RD 2009. I DID NOT REACH MY GOAL WEIGHT BUT I AM 100 POUNDS DOWN AND FEELING BETTER THAN IN YEARS. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT MYSELF AND MY EATING PROBLEMS. I RELAPSED INTO BAD HABITS FOR FOUR MONTHS AND WAS ABLE TO PULL MY PROGRAM BACK TOGETHER WITH HELP OF MY OH FRIENDS. I REALIZE THAT I HAVE TO BE ON GUARD FOR EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS AND TOTALLY AVOID OLD BEHAVIORS BECAUSE TO REGRESS INTO MY OLD LIFE IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE. I BEGAN TO GAIN WEIGHT BACK AND IT WAS ENOUGH OF A WAKE UP CALL FOR ME TO SEEK ADVICE AND REEVALUATE MY SITUATION. NOW I AM ON MY WAY BACK ON TRACK. FAMILY PROBLEMS SEEM ENDLESS AND I ALWAYS GET PULLED INTO THE CRISIS SO I MUST LEARN TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF MYSELF REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. I HAVE REALIZED MORE THAN EVER THE IMPACT OF SELF TALK AND HOW THE MESSAGES THAT YOU GIVE YOURSELF CAN DECIDE YOUR SUCCESS OR FAILURE. I AM PLANNING A VACATION TO MEXICO IN APRIL AND I AM USING IT AS AN INCENTIVE TO GET INTO BETTER SHAPE. MORE GYM TIME AND LESS FOOD AGAIN. GENERALLY SPEAKING I AM DOING WELL. MY SLUMP HAS PASSED AND MY GRATITUDE FOR GASTRIC BY-PASS, THIS SITE, AND MY NEW LIFE CONTINUES. MY YEARLY CHECK UP WAS GOOD. HAD TO START TAKING VITAMIN D AND WILL BE HAVING AN ENDOSCOPE DONE NEXT WEEK TO CHECK MY THROAT. FEELS LIKE SOMETHING CAUGHT DOWN BY MY TRACHEAL PASSAGE. HAD UPPER GI BUT FOUND NOTHING SO FAR. OVERALL I AM DOING GOOD AND EXTREMELY GLAD I HAD THIS SURGERY DONE.

I FINALLY MADE IT TO UNDER 200 POUNDS! THE LONG WAITED MOMENT WAS LOST IN THE WHIRL WIND OF FAMILY CRISIS THAT HELPED ME REEVALUATE MY FOCUS IN LIFE. ON FRIDAY NIGHT MY 16 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER RAN AWAY FROM MY HOUSE WITH A 26 YEAR OLD MAN SHE MET ON THE INTERNET. THIS CHILD IS THE OLDEST OF SEVEN. HONOR ROLL STUDENT, WITH COLLEGE IN MIND,OUR GOLDEN CHILD. SHE HAS BEEN STRUGGLING WITH WEIGHT ISSUES AND SELF ESTEEM PROBLEMS THAT WAS CAUSED BY A MEDICAL PROBLEM. SHE FELL INTO THE CLUTCHES OF A PEDATOR BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T LIKE HERSELF AND QUIT VALUING HERSELF AS A PERSON AFTER SHE GOT FAT. SHE WAS FOUND BY AUTHORITIES AFTER 13 HOURS BUT SHE HAD EXPERIENCED A TRAUMATIC, ABUSIVE ORDEAL. HE WAS THE MONSTER WE WARN OUR CHILDREN ABOUT. SHE IS NOW HOSPITALIZED FOR COUNSELLING AND A LONG ROAD AWAITS HER EMOTIONALLY. I AM DRAINED AND EXHAUSTED FROM WORRY AND FEAR. I AM RELIEVED AND THANKFUL FOR HER RETURN TO US. I AM AWAKENED TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF ESTEEM AND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN OUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS. WE ARE NOT PERFECT IN OUR OWN EYES BUT WE ARE AS GOD MADE US. OUR FLAWS BUILD OUR CHARACTER AND OUR MISTAKES MAKE US WHO WE ARE AS HUMAN BEINGS. WE CONNECT TO OTHERS FOR ACCEPTANCE THAT WE ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE OURSELVES. OUR BODIES ARE ONLY THE VESSEL THAT CONTAINS WHO WE REALLY ARE. ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME TODAY IS THAT MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS ALIVE AND SAFE. I PRAY THAT I REMEMBER THE LESSON THIS HAS TAUGHT ME. I WANT TO BE HEALTHY AND CONTENT IN MY LIFE. I WANT TO MAKE THE BEST OF WHO I AM BUT I MUST STAY FOCUSED ON THE INNER SELF FIRST. BECAUSE IF I DON'T LIKE WHO I AM INSIDE, NO AMOUNT OF WEIGHT LOSS WILL FIX MY SELF ESTEEM. BEING 198 POUNDS FEELS GREAT BUT BEING A WIFE, MOTHER,  GRANDPARENT AND FRIEND IS THE REASON I WANT TO BE ALIVE. TODAY I COUNT MY BLESSINGS AND CONTINUE MY PROGRAM WITH RENEWED FAITH THAT I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. I KNOW MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS NEED ME FOR WHO I AM, NOT BECAUSE I AM THINNER. BUT GETTING THINNER WILL HELP ME BE HERE FOR THOSE I LOVE.