Here's my ramble for the week....

Have you noticed that pre-plastic surgery, we tend to look like candles that have melted in the hot desert sun? Everything seems to puddle and pool around the bottom. I can spot a wls patient from 50 paces. This week I went shopping for summer clothes and found it to be just as frustrating as it was pre-surgery. This time it's the arms. I cannot possibly wear anything sleeveless without frightening small children. Everything in the stores is sleeveless or has sleeves that are just too tight. If I find something that fits in the arms, the shoulders come half way down to my elbows and I'm swimming in it. Both of my grandmothers had huge arms. My mother has HUGE arms. Doesn't it stand to reason that my parents would have looked at all the big armed people on their families and decided not to breed? Why inflict that curse on a child? What were these people thinking? I find myself gazing longingly at the big women's department. So what if I couldn't find anything that didn't have a huge flower or seed packet pattern.... At least the clothes covered my arms and I didn't feel like I was wearing a straight jacket. OK.... Shhhhhhhh... I'm afraid to say anything and probably shouldn't jinx myself, but I've been losing weight. I've lost 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks. Don't understand it, but I accept it. I've been thinking a lot about how much relationships are impacted by this surgery. I probably said this before, but of all the wls people I know in a relationship, very few have not had serious problems. The other night two of my friends came over and we were sitting out on my patio talking. They told me how envious they were of me because I was able to go through this with only me to worry about. One of them has a hubby with serious jealousy issues, the other one's husband is not sexually attracted to her anymore since she's lost the chunk. The grass is always greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed. So the band dude is still hanging in there. I don't know that we have that mu*****ommon and it probably won't go far, but I'm having a good time for now. Friday night he sang several songs to me and handed off his guitar and mike to other people so he could dance with me. Last year I would have been mortified at the attention. This year, I just went with the flow. One of the songs he sang was "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton, but he changed the words to fit me and managed to stick my name in there several times. I did not care at all that people were staring. Last year I would have crawled under the table. He leaves at the end of this month for a European tour so we'll see what happens after that. I ran a mile and a quarter this morning. It was much tougher than the mile I ran the other day. Note to self: Don't get on the elliptical trainer for 1/2 an hour before trying to run. I swear the skin on my thighs and butt was waving behind me. I could feel it flapping and slapping.

Thanks for the great way to start the week, my friend...with a good belly-flab laugh! I'm going to be performing in a gala concert in June and I'm supposed to wear high glam...beaded, sequins, the whole Hollywood red carpet syndrome...I can't find anything that isn't either sleeveless or spaghetti strapped! I can just see that theater clear faster than a fire alarm going off when I raise my arm to bring the mic to my face! Then again, it's an old vaudvellian house and I don't believe it has air conditioning. I could just wave my arm a bit to and fro while singing and cool that crowd off...Have a great day. Reenie

I've missed your ramblings! You always manage to bring a smile to my face. You should really write a column for a newspaper!!! You always seem to hit exactly where we are living in a way that makes it all seem normal and fun! Thanks for the morning chuckle! Joy

AHHHHH.....Connie ramblings......now I know that it's going to be a good week! While I don't have major "bat wing" issues to contend with, I feel your pain with the clothing issues. If I buy pants to fit my waist, legs and butt, they fit like a corset around the belly. If I make allowance for the belly flaps, they hang off of me everywhere else and I need to crank the belt tight to keep them above my ankles!! Oh Well...... at least I can buy them at a "Normal Folks" store. As for the relationship issues, I think that we need to remember that the changes that we're going through are fairly traumatic for our loved ones too and that they have adjustments to make of their own. Hey Connie, I'm really impressed that you're doing all of this running!! I think that's its really neat that the band dude is shining the spotlight on you. You deserve it......enjoy the attention!! CHEERS!!!! Mike

oooo Im so excited to hear about your band guy!! Oh how I totally understand about the bat wings. My mother also...has HUGE arms.. SOOO big and bumpy I KNEW I would be cursed. Well doesn't help when my mom actually "cursed me" verbally. at any rate... oh how I understand. LAST WEEK I was at target and picked out some shorts...and saw the CUTEST little phesant type hippie girl top it gathered around the boobs and was just the cutest thing I picked it up and put it in my cart "pretending to myself" that I could wear it. Then took a big sigh and hung it back up while looking at the teeny spaghetti straps. Thinking... "man I'm ready to do plastic surgery on myself... cant be that darn hard!" LOL my thighs and my arms... UGH! I just hate it. thats not the only place but those are the sore spots that I just cant wear clothes because of. Love your ramblings !!!! Elizabeth M

God I love this place. I've read some of the most creative writtings here. Laughed & cried & learned things that I never knew before. Cribbing. Never did hear of that one before until Reenie's new horse! And the band guy gee that sounds like fun! I can't imagine how wonderful it must feel to be singled out like that. I remember many many many ...lots of years ago being a teenager and wishing that the drummer who was in the band at the school dance would look at me. but he had eyes for all the skinny girls and way back in the 7th grade I wasn't part of that group. I living your excitement with this band guy! Please continue to post the details!