Yippee!
I just got back from a business trip to China--what a difference this surgery made!
*The FOURTEEN hour flight from US to Beijing was long, but not painful. I fit in the airplane seat comfortably, and even had some room to tighten the seatbelt--that's never happened before!
*Me and one of my coworkers spent the weekend hiking around the Purple Mountains--I climbed 300+ steps to the top of Dr. Sun's Mausoleum and kept up with my coworker's pace--something that never would have happened before. We also hiked 3-5miles through the mountain area--up and down trails--it was beautiful. We didn't even plan on doing it, but I was game and it was fun, not exhausting or embarrassing!
*The weather was unseasonably hot for China--95-98 degrees. I normally am a black pants/long sleeve shirt kind of girl, but I spent almost the entire trip in a few different skirts and sleeveless shirts I had bought right before I left. Not only were they cooler than pants, but I looked GOOD in them AND my thighs weren't *burning* at the end of the day (on other trips I've been on, I've literally had to walk bowlegged because my inner thighs were so chafed from just walking around).
Food was an issue, because my hosts were so watchful of what I ate and almost took offense at my eating so little. I tried to explain my "diet" to them over and over, but I don't think they ever really got it. It was also hard to obey the rules in a different culture--who knows what has high fat/sugar? If you are being served meals, how can you ask for more protein/less carbs? A lot of the food didn't set well with my stomach, so I ended up eating more carbs (rice/potatoes) than I would in the U.S. just because they were bland. I packed atkins protein bars (2/day for the trip), and relied on those to keep my protein level up despite the days meals. Overall, I think I handled the food as successfully as possible, and I came back to the US with a 6 pound loss, so it wasn't all bad!
If you are interested, I posted photos of my trip at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwillis/sets/1029075/.
As an added bonus, the two weeks I was gone was enough to really get people to double take on my weight loss. I'd lost 77 pounds before I left and had ONE coworker comment on my weight loss. After I came back, everyone from the security guard to the cleaning crew to my apartment front desk to friends to coworkers have been commenting about how great I look--I guess everyone needed to "refresh their cache" on what I looked like!
Just wanted to share a wonderful AHA trip with all my fellow Mayers. I wish all of us continued success and joy on our journeys!
Jem
326.5/242/165
Rejoicing 2B free
on 9/29/05 4:03 pm - southern states
on 9/29/05 4:03 pm - southern states
Hi Jem, You are doing so well! Your trip sounds /and looks wonderful. Isn't it fun to be able to go hiking??? You handled the food issue with grace. Glad you thought to bring the protein bars. ( lifesavers)
You are looking great. Congratulations on the weight loss.
Mary
Mary:
It is fun to be able to do anything physical without feeling like you are three seconds from death (and looking forward to it!). I feel so proud of myself--like each one of these accomplishments is another badge on my girl scout sash! (Hey--that's not a bad idea! WLS Scout Badge with all different patches: Crossed My Legs, Flew Without Seatbelt Extender, Walked Three Miles, Turned Down Birthday Cake! WOuldn't that be fun??)
Luckily, another WLS patient in my support group went to China on business a few months ago, and she said to bring the protein bars--and am I ever glad about that!
Jem
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