[ Home ] [ Up ] [ WLS Pics ] [ Weight Stats ] [ Bham Support Group ] [ NC Support Group ] [ WLS Links ] [ Post Op Food ] [ My Rules ] [ Post Op Info ] [ WLS Recipes ] [ David ] [ My Stuff ] [ My Family Pics ] [ Pita The Puppy ]

"If you think you can or can't, you are right"

Before Surgery  After Surgery:   2001    2002    2003    2005 and After

January 1, 2004:    Happy New Year!  I made the butterfly above.. I am thrilled, because it is my first animation.  I know it is not much, but hey, it's a start.  Again, I cannot believe it is another year... 2004.  I remember being a teen and thinking we would not live to see the year 2000.  It was  not comprehendible.  Now, looking back, we ARE in the age of computers, cloning, all those things back then that were "of the future".. it is happening, and most of it is pretty cool.  I also start off the new year with a new hair color.. pretty scary there for awhile, before I finished I had gone from blonde to DARK brown.  Once I added the highlights, dried it and straightened it, it lightened up and actually is exactly what I wanted.  Light brown with blonde highlights... I just didn't know that was what I wanted before... I just wanted a change.  It apparently is not as dramatic as I thought though, because my husband and son have not noticed it yet... they sure pay lots of attention to me, obviously.  I expected my son to notice first, since he pays attention to those type things and is always very complimentary.  My husband would not say anything, even if he did notice.  That's just the way he is. Oh well, guess it's not too dramatic then. 

January 27, 2004:    Howdy everyone!  Well, learned to LOVE the new hair color.  Girls at work really liked it alot too (yes, they noticed, LOL).  Now, two weeks later, it has washed out... boo-hoo... now to do it again when I get in the mood.  I finally have a few minutes to breathe, and am so far behind on everything, I have lots to get done.  So spending this weekend "working" hard on getting all that stuff done.  I am helping organize my 20 year high school reunion which will take place in 6 months, so I have tons to do on that.  Bills, well, always plenty to do on that.  And my support group at the local hospital, I have so much I want to do for that.. so will spend some time "organizing" that & gathering info for the members/guests that attend that.  The brochures came in last month from the hospital. They are nice.. the surgeon's office is putting them out now.  That is great.  Hope that helps get the word out for more people to attend each month.  My son & I are planning on going & getting our pictures taken together. We have not done that since he was about 6 years old.  So that will be cool.  He graduates this year, so he has definitely changed.  And I was always overweight after I had him, so all my pics (all one of them, HA!) are of me big.  So this will be my first "skinny" picture of US.  I will post it whenever we get them done.  I can't figure out what to wear.  Causal or really dressy.  Kind of want to do both, for variety.  I went and got my new Driver's license pic taken a couple weeks ago.  That was so thrilling to tell them to change my weight from 300+ lbs. to 140!  And wow, how my picture has changed!  I will post a comparison when it comes soon.  All I have is the temp paper one right now.  As far as my weight, still maintaining in the 140's.. I let myself go up & down anywhere in that range.  When I hit 150 I start to pay attention & know I have to do something.. so far ok... I was 148 the other day while I was bloated... so figure that is fine.  Desperately need to get back in the gym.  I swear if life slows down anytime I will go.  I know I will feel so much better & really enjoy it, I just have to get myself there.  That is the problem.  I have a membership to walk the track, so it is all my fault!  Soon soon soon, sometime!  I am sure I can drop about 5 lbs. in inches (while gaining muscle/toning), so that will make me happy.  Would like those size 6's to be baggy again!!!!! 

March 31, 2004:    WOW! Has it really been two month since I last posted?  I am SO sorry, but I spend ALL my spare time working on my 20 year reunion.  I have taken on a major responsibility to make sure things get done & we have a great time.. and well, afterwards it will all have been worth it!  We have all worked very hard & done so much.  I am very excited and proud of how much we have accomplished.  This is the first time I have done anything like this.  I maintain the website for the reunion and most of the databases, so it is a full time job.  Ok, enough of that for now.   As far as an update on me, well, not much to report.  I am doing well, staying SO busy, health is still great!  I have probably gained 10 lbs., which is normal, and doesn't bother me at all. I am conscious of it, so as not to end up obese again, but eat pretty much like I want, sometimes too much junk food, but then I get back on track & that is a big improvement over not being able to control food/eating before surgery.  I still stay away from bread as a rule, eating a bite here & there at some meals, but that is all.  No milk, BUT I have found SILK.. (Soy Milk) and the chocolate is awesome.  You could have never convinced me otherwise to EVER drink SOY milk, but let me tell you, wow!  When I crave some chocolate milk, it hits the spot!  Now.. it does have sugar in it, but no where near as much as real milk and it has protein in it too.  I don't drink alot at one time, as it can make me sick on my stomach, from the sugar content, but 4-6 oz. is enough to hit the spot.  Usually late at night on the way to bed when I am craving or want something thick to fill my stomach & keep me from wanting to snack.  I still stand in front of the fridge at home & stare.. then I realize what I am doing.. boy, old habits NEVER go away!  But again, I realize it.  Sometimes I eat something, sometimes I shut the fridge door and go occupy myself otherwise.  At home I eat alot of fruit. I LOVE fruit & feel so much better when I eat alot of it.  When I lack in the fruit department, I don't feel as well. It is weird.  Oh yeah.. drum rolllllllllll.... I gave myself my first shot!  My B-12 shot & it was a breeze!  Didn't feel it at all. 

May 22, 2004:    Looks like it's been another 2 months since I posted.  Lots going on, but still doing well. 

July 24, 2004:   Well, where do I start?  So much happened this year.  And it looks like it's just the beginning!  My son leaves for boot camp for 3 months a week from tomorrow.  I have let him go & have fun all summer since he graduated.  He is an awesome kid and as long as he stays out of trouble I am ok to let him go & do.  One of his friend's moms told me last night that every girl's parents would wish for David to marry their daughter, that everyone loves him, that he is the most caring, wonderful boy they've ever known.  You know how proud that makes a mom to hear.  Not that I didn't already know it.  He's my buddy.  We are going to have pictures taken together before he leaves.  Have not done that since he was about 5 or 6 years old. 

Weight loss wise, I am doing fine.  I finally, as of a couple months ago, am no longer ruled by food.  My head finally got control & I can honestly say for the first time in my life that food is not the major part of my day now.  I eat to survive, because I need to.... now don't get me wrong, I still LOVE food... especially my fruit (I need to move where I can grow blueberry trees, as I could survive on them alone.  BUT, when lunch rolls around, whatever, get me whatever, I don't care.. as long as it is healthier food... salad, protein (every once in a while I will mix in a bread product like a tortilla shell/quesadilla or toasted bread on a sandwich, but I still try to be good).  I don't drink enough water... I am addicted to coffee... but I am careful not to dehydrate & be sure to drink enough for that.  

I am maintaining around 145 lbs. I think.. I have not weighed in many months, but seem to stay in the same clothes size.  I still have all the skin and without clothes, well, it is not attractive at all, but clothed I am fine.  And I have learned to come to be content with my body.  I have been very lucky with my surgery, success & outcome.  Of course, we all would love to be without the skin & in a perfect situation (job/money/etc.), I might have it removed and get the much needed boob job, but am ok this way.  As long as my mate doesn't mind, then I don't either.  I will just stay clothed! LOL.

I have become very active in life.  Anyone that knows me knows that I was no longer active in anything.  I did not participate at all, as mobility/functioning alone were issues and becoming more and more impossible each day.  Strange, because I was ok being big, but my health didn't like it very much.  Now I am the coordinator for a Weight Loss Surgery Support Group at a local hospital; I oversaw & did much of the work for my 20 year reunion (which I NEVER would have done before, but I thoroughly enjoyed doing it & went & had a great time.) It was a real success, which made everything worthwhile. 

So, now what does life bring in the future.  It seems that life has done a 180 on me and thrown me into this whole new world, and I am quite taken aback by it.  Some days I wonder how I keep up with it all, going going going all the time.  But I do.  I work long hours & work hard... been working since I was 14 years old. Move out at 16 & been on my own ever since.  Raising a child was my priority and he turned out awesome!  With him grown and leaving for the next several years, now a new chapter is starting and I don't know where it is going to take me.  It is quite scary actually. 

Even if only on my time, I want to build websites.. I know that much.  I need some formal training (planning on taking a class or something) or a job that would let me expand my current knowledge and let me learn/teach me along the way.  I am a quick learner, very computer literate and don't let anything beat me.  I am determined when it comes to conquering new things that I like.  I am creative, but have to get back into that aspect of my old life, bringing out my creativity more.  I used to draw...paint... write.  Want to get back into that too one day.   And get back in the gym.  I am making my self a promise to start that in the next week.  If my son is around much this week, that may be our quality time we spend together is working out together.... that would be fun.

July 31, 2004:    Well, boot camp got postponed until August 29/30th... apparently there will be a camera crew from day 1 to graduation on him to film/document his entire time at boot camp for some TV show or documentary or something.  I don't have details, but get to spend some more time with him (when he is around!).  He's my buddy. 

I didn't realize it till this week, but I have been losing weight.  I have had virtually no appetite & when I do, which is rare, I barely eat.  I think I have lived on blueberries, coffee & tea for the last 2 weeks, but I feel good!  I have dropped at least one pants size, back into my old clothes.  I was shocked the other day when I put on a pair of pants that I had not been able to wear since I bought & washed them once.. and they fit.. and by the end of the day they were baggy in the tummy area... funny, cuz that's where tons of my skin is.  I know I am boney in many places, but the excess skin in others camouflage that.  I am not unhappy to lose the weight.. so it's ok.. I had gained a few pounds, so them coming back off was pretty cool.  Now we'll see how long it lasts.  I don't know how much I weigh, because my scales broke & I need to go buy another pair.  I hope to get into the gym tomorrow and get my butt in gear.  I know working out makes me feel better, but I just have to motivate myself to get there first.  That is the hardest part.  Once I am there I love it.  Go figure.

It is 4:30 in the morning.  I went to be like 11:30 & got up at 2:30 when hubby came to bed.. guess I will stay up till my son needs to get up at 5:30 for Marine's PT and probably pass out on the couch about that time. LOL.  Drinking my coffee (yes it's decaf), but on my second cup.  No one in AMOS chat hardly... at these wee hours of the morning.  I am used to my night-time buddies... weird to go there & them not there.. oh well... I could clean, but that would make too much noise.. Being as I am an internet junkie, guess I'll just sit right here & keep myself occupied, as usual.  Sweet dreams everyone!