Words of Wisdom

Wow, this is amazing.

It's Tuesday, 8 days since my surgery, and I've already lost 20 lbs.!!

So now we can start our countdown:

Original pounds to lose: 140
Pounds lost: 20
Pounds left to lose: 120

Here I go .. hang on for the ride!

Today I was just reading something that this great girl at work gave me - her name is Jamie and she had the surgery 2 years ago and she's lost about 125 lbs. She's been a great support to me - we went to lunch when I was making my decision about whether to have the surgery and she told me everything to expect - good AND bad. It was great because she shared her pictures throughout her weight loss and it really inspired me. She's a size 10 now, which is what I want to be.

Anyway, on my last day at work she wrote this "86 Reasons Why Gastric Bypass Was the Best Decision of my Life" - they were just simple things that she has enjoyed with the weight loss. Here's some of the ones I can relate to the most. I'm sure anyone who's very overweight can relate to some of these. They are right on target:

• Not being limited to only shopping at plus-size stores
  
• No more secret scale numbers
• Can wear shoes for more than an hour without pain
• No longer afraid to see old friends
• I have a lap!
• Can sit cross-legged on the floor
• Can use an airplane seat belt without an extension
• Can fit in a turnstile without turning sideways
• Can fit into a restaurant booth without having a "shelf" over the table
• Can fit comfortably into movie theater seats
• I can cross one leg over the other when seated
• I love having my picture taken!
• I have to come up with a "NEW" New Years resolution!
• BYE BYE LANE BRYANT!!
• HELLO VICTORIA'S SECRET!!

I know those of you who are reading this and are of normal weight can't relate to any of these, but maybe it can help you put yourself in the position of an overweight person and get an idea of all the little crap that we live with and secretly hate.

And it's all stuff you take for granted, isn't it? Stuff that you don't even think about, and yet as an overweight person I have had some of these constant worries for years ... When I walk into a restaurant, will I fit into the booth comfortably? When I go to an Orlando Magic game or a concert at the Amway Arena, will I get stuck in the turn-stile? How am I going to ask the flight attendant for the seatbelt extension without calling attention to myself?

I will be SO happy as some of these things become non-issues for me.

Today I went out into the "real world" -- a girlfriend came and took me to Starbucks and I had a tall (bye bye Grande!) decaf tea and it was great to just sit there and talk and have actual clothes and make-up on. :) But after a couple of hours of being out, boy was I tired.

Told my mom on Easter Sunday. She was good about it, but she said "Good, I'm glad I didn't know until after the surgery!" I know my mommy, dammit! :)

Oh, funny thing about Easter - we went to my brothers house and they had a great spread out to eat - all the stuff our family usually has for Easter - a Honey-Baked Ham, my sister's amazing baked beans, potato salad, rolls, cheeses, lemon cake, this chocolate cake that looked heavenly, and of course lots of Easter candy everywhere.

So here was what I brought for my dinner:

• 1 1/2 oz. pureed ham salad (I pureed some ham pieces with light mayo & mustard)
• The inside (yolk mixture) of a deviled egg

And I was full. Freaky, huh?

It was fine - it's not like I really want any of the "real" food, because I'm not hungry. So I was happy just to be there and laughing with everyone and knowing the surgery was behind me.