Hi there my dear friend!  Sorry I have not posted.  My life is crazy with working now and my daughter (Lord help me!).  I miss all of you very much.  I will try harder to come in here more.  I am doing ok.  Staying between 120-125.  Tummy tuck is healing but still get awefully sore in the evenings.  Definitely worse than the RNY.  Waiting for hubby to come in Feb.  It has been a real rough road with my daughter, who is no longer living here again.  It is a mess.  Too much stress for me.  Anyway, I love all of you and am so encouraged and inspired by each and everyone of you!  Let us all try to keep up with eachother better ok?  Much LOVE!

Hi all!  I know I've slowed down on my postings lately....not much time on my hands, but I thought I'd post on the weekly weigh-in today and there isn't one!  Holy moly! 

It's reached the time in our journey that we're all starting to feel "comfortable" with our new lives and are starting to maybe take it for granted...or we're at least not paying as much attention to those things we need to be watching like a hawk.  At least I know that's where I'm at.  I think we need a renewed sense of our surgery magic.

I went to our monthly support group tonight and it was such an inspirational, eye-opening experience!  There were two women there who are about to embark on the journey of their lives.  One has a surgery date of December 8th and the other is waiting on approval from her insurance company.  It made me step back in time a bit and place myself back in the shoes they are in right now.  All the questions, all the nervousnes, all the excitement.....it was all there again.  I found myself feeling soooooo excited to be where I'm at now and not having to go through some of the issues they face in the near future.  The hair loss, the experimentation with food, learning to eat again, getting in all the fluids, fighting to get enough protein, etc.....and the blessing for us is that we're all past those stages and are successful in our journies thus far!!

HOW AWESOME ARE WE??!!  Now, we have the capability, knowledge, experience and heartfelt empathy and love to pay it forward!  I found tonight that I was able to comfort the woman who's surgery date is December 8th.  One of her biggest fears is..."what if I die?"  I told her the way I got through that was to say to myself, "If you DON'T have the surgery you're likely to die a much slower, more painful death that to die in surgery...so what do I have to lose?"  And I also told her way back when she was just starting her pre-surgery journey, "If this is meant to be, it will go forth with few setbacks or roadblocks, and then you'll know it's right."  And lo and behold, she's had many blessings and answers to prayer during her journey to this point.  She was worried about the financial end of it--her insurance company approved her surgery so that part was answered--but the part of it that is out-of-pocket was worrying her also--the loan they applied for was approved, AND the amount they have to pay out-of-pocket is less than half of what they were expecting!  Her insurance company took a meer three days to approve her!! 

Her next big fear was, "what if I'm not successful? what if I fail AGAIN"  My answer to her--"what chance do you have at success if you DON'T try?--you'll always wonder and probably be sick knowing you had the chance and passed it up."

Ultimately, our success is up to us individually, but with God's help, we CAN'T fail!  I want all of you to know, that just because I haven't been able to post as often does NOT mean I don't think of each of you daily and pray that you're doing, looking, and feeling GREAT!!

I love each and every one of you!

Now....the accountability part of this weigh-in.....

I'm weighing 139 now and am inspired to stay on the right path.....I have days when all I want to do is eat and I have days where it takes everything in me to be able to eat.  Patience and perseverance, a heaping cupful of determination, a lifetime of commitment.  WE ARE AWESOME AND WE CAN DO IT!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Many blessings!

Brenda

Hello all, 

Hope everyone is doing well.  We didn't do the weigh in this week so I hope this means that everyone is maintaining on the right course. 

I am now almost 2 weeks post bilateral knee arthroplasties.  It's been a painful two weeks but I believe I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I still have some pain but yesterday I was walking and realised that I no longer have that severe pain in my knee joints.  Even 2 weeks after knee surgery I can walk and stand better than I could before.  I still have to do physiotherapy and make my legs stronger and more flexible.
 
There is actually water in the pool at my apartment!  They've been "fixing" it for almost a year now so maybe once the staples are out I'll actually start swimming again.  I had put on 15 lbs after my surgery....due to swollen legs.  My weight is back to my normal now.
  
I am off work right now so it looks like I have a lot more time on my hands than any of you.
Take care everyone.  
Fran 

Hello Everyone,

I am not sure whats going on, haven't been here for awhile. How in the world would YOU have offended anyone??? OMG, I agree with Brenda's post below one million percent.


"I can't for the life of me see anything you've ever posted that would be offending to anyone.  I certainly have never been offended by anything you've said.  I've only been inspired by you from the moment I read your first post.

You are a truly lovely woman with a heart as big as Texas.  If you offended anyone, I'd be guessing strongly that it is THEIR problem and not yours.

You are loved very much! ((((((((Kathleen))))))))"
Tara

Hi all!
I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, just been crazy busy trying to keep up with homework and work and all the things in between.  When I do have free time, I don't much feel like sitting at the computer.  Anyway, I wanted to drop in and let you all know how much I think of you and hope you're all doing well!

I am maintaining at 140 lbs and hoping to drop a few more pounds.  I also feel the head hunger thing much of the time.  Thankfully, I don't have much time to fulfil the desires of my mouth like I used to LOL.  It's a struggle and always will be, but we all knew that going into this journey.

It's ok, we're all stronger and much more aware of how we got to where we once were. 

We can do it!! 

I love you all!  Hope everyone is doing great!  I'll try to be on more!

Brenda