I'm BaaaaacK !!!

Hey everybody. I'm back form my awesome spectacular vacation to Puerto Rico and a Southern Caribbean Cruise on the Carnival Victory.  OMG What an Awesome Time I had!  I wish I could have taken everybody with me. We really do need to get a cruise planned for the group soon.

Well, traveling thin is so much better than pre-op. The excitement started at the airport. 1st it was a lot less challenging lugging 9 days worth of luggage through Hartsfield without the extra 140 pounds I was carrying on last year's cruise.  Then I was able to snap the seat belt on the plane without an extender.  Some of you may remember the embarrassing incident last year when I couldn't snap the dang thing and was threatened to have to move out of the emergency row (in a crowded plane) if I couldn't make it snap. :-( I coulda just cried.  

Ok enough of that negative stuff... that part of my life is over.

To sum it up, here is how the trip went... I spent 2 days pre-cruise in Puerto Rico. I stayed at the Wyndham Rio Mar Resort and Casino in Rio Grande PR, which is 5 star and beautiful! I must go back there with my sweetie!  I rented a car and did some shopping and sightseeing in the surrounding areas, Carolina, Laguilla Beach, Conando, and Old San Juan.   I really enjoyed Laguilla Beach where I saw some surfers, and of course the architecture of Old San Juan.

We boarded the ship the end of day 2 for a 10pm sail away.  This was different from any other cruise I've been on. They normally leave 3-4 in the afternoon...

We visited St Thomas, Dominica, St Kitts, St Lucia, and St Maarten, and Barbados.  I had so much energy!  I walked miles and miles, and rarely got tired!  I went swimming through a cave in Dominica, and saw beautiful waterfalls. I crossed a tiny swing bridge over a rushing river, I hiked through the rain forest!  I danced til 3 am and woke up 3 hours later to enjoy the islands. 

 I never could have done all that before DS.   I always saw people doing stuff like that on tv, but I never imagined I would be doing it!


My energy rush began to waver by Saturday, a day before flying back into Atlanta, and St Maarten was a lazy beach and shopping day.  I think I just started to feel like LaShelle again a couple of days ago, so if you've been e-mailing me, yes I do still love you, I was just tired, tired, tired!

My last cruise to Belize, Cozumel MX, Great Stirrup Cay Bahamas, and Roatan Honduras was a polar opposite. As much as I thought I was enjoying it. looking back I realize how much the weight held me back from fully experiencing life to it's fullest.  The time I spent nursing achy swollen feet, peeing every 5 minutes, wiping sweat, and just trying to rest and catch my breath was replaced this trip by running along the beach, sliding down the water slide on the ship, and exploring everything, and anything I could get myself into.

I LOVE MY DS, And I LOVE Dr. Houston for blessing me with my new life.


Here are some before and after wls cruise pics for comparison :-)  I also added some on my profile.


  May 2009 West Bay Beach, Roatan Honduras




May 2010  Rockley Beach, Barbados





 


                
                           




                                   Face Shots :-)

                      December 2008

                       



                                  Last Week!!!

                         
                 

 



Ok, I confess. When I just scrolled and looked at the before and after shots of myself, I cried. I can't believe how much I've changed.  When I look at myself in the mirror every day it's not as evident because the transition is so gradual, but I can't believe I ever looked like the before pictures!  Oh, how it must have hurt my family and my friends to see me in that fat, achy, unhealthy body! 

Can you believe less than a year ago, I ached somewhere on my body from the time I took my 1st steps to the time I strapped on that damned c-pap mask at night? Whether it was my feet and ankles swelling, my back hurting, my fingers being sore from *****ing to test my glucose levels, the dizziness from the diabetes being out of whack, the asthma, the peeing every 5 minutes from all the abdominal weight pressing on my bladder.  My spirit hurting from being lonely and isolated...  

               IT WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING!

That's just not how God intended me to live MY life.

I am so glad I never have to live that way again.  It's a new day and I'm loving it!


P.S.  Look at my arms and legs!  NO batwings!!! God does answer prayers!!! I so love ME

Ain't I cute y'all!  

Lashelle,

You do look so wonderful.  Your arms and legs look healthy without extra skin.  I can not wait till I have surgery.  I can see thin coming my way.

Don't get it twisted girlfriend, I'm no Tyra Banks under the clothes, but I don't look all that bad either. :-)    I bet Tyra don't even look like Tyra once she takes off her Spanx and her weave...  lol.


I am just grateful I won't need any plastics, especially since the shbp insurance won't cover it.  

This is wonderful!!! I'm boo hooing over here!!! My best friend & I went to the Wyndham in Puerto Rico for spring break (girl what about the iguanas, I was tripping out about them...LOL). We both have had surgery and were amazed at the differences in our travels. We walked a million times more and took more pics than we've ever taken on a previous vacations. We might be gettin' a little vain! It was amazing to get into a plane seat and actually fit!

You look great girl!!!

I didn't see any iguanas at the Wyndham, but did see one at the Enterprise lot when we picked up the car. That's probably for the best, because I woul dhave steered clear of the pool otherwise.


Isn't the Wyndham just awesome. It was definitely one of the nicest resorts I've visited.  I can't wait to go back for a romantic visit.  :-)

I am glad to had such a wonderful time and you do look AWESOME! 

Congrats and girl....keep on having the time of your life!!!

Hugs,

Ginger

You ARE cute~!! Very cute! I'm so happy for you!