This summer vs. Last summer (really long for me)
Ok, last summer I was waiting to get my date and have surgery. I was a very robust sized person starting at 404 in Jan. when I started my 6 month PCP paperwork and diet. (My insurance wanted me to lose at least 10% in the 6 month diet.) By the end of June I was at 356 and felt pretty good that I had lost my 10%, just barely but it was done! I met with Dr. Spaw and he talked about the liquid diet and how the more you lost prior to surgery the easier the surgery was so I got busy and committed myself to a basic one meal a day the rest of the days liquid diet and on Sept 10 I was at 321 and going into surgery!!! Yippie. However, I still wasn't able to do a lot of the things that I wanted to do even after already losing 83 pounds. I could walk around the block a lot easier, but I was still winded and my knees and hips hurt when we returned just from the extra stress and weight. I didn't go up to our 3rd floor very often in the house, because I didn't want to climb all those stairs and I was very thankful that my classroom had gone from the 3rd floor with no elevator to the ground floor with no stairs at all if I so desired. I did feel better, but was still trapped in my own body.
OK, fast forward to this summer....
The summer really started the end of May with a trip to Washington DC with 44 8th graders and I was able to keep up with them all day everyday while we were running from here to there all over the city! Was I tired at the end of the 16-18 hour days? Heck yes, but I was still able to move and get around. Then in June I just walked and went to the gym and had a great time doing whatever I wanted to for as long as I wanted to. The end of June I went to Kansas and was able to not only keep up with my brother and his 3 kids, but I still had energy at the end of the night! I went to the Underground Salt Muesum and walked for miles along with being at the ballpark for hours on end not dying or sweat or heat, but enjoying watching baseball and softball. July brought new challenges. I went into a cave and spent 4 hours walking around under walking over 2 miles and going back up nearly 200 steps!! There is no way on God's Green Earth I could have done that last summer. I would have died in that cave! I also walked in a 5K walk, again something I couldn't have done last summer. The biggest challenge came however a week or so ago with a phone call that went something like this: "Hi Tawnya, this is the parent volunteer coordinator and we need to know if you can come out and help make dinner for the drum corp starting on Tuesday thru Saturday of this week. It isn't that hard and it is great fun to see the kids and know that you are doing a small part to help them prepare for the 2nd half of the tour." Well, "OK." I said and off I went to HELP make dinner for the drum corp...Little did I know!!! I got there only to find out that I wasn't helping, but I was the kitchen crew...Head cook and bottle washer for the rest of the week!!! I asked what the menu was and the reply was, "Whatever you want to make for 160 people." I was in charge of 4 meals a days for a lot of hungry kids!! (Thank goodness my mom went with me.) Had I still weighed in at my former weight, there is no way I could have been up everyday last week from 5am until 11.30pm cooking and cleaning....BUT that isn't the most exciting part of the stroy.... On the last night there we went and watched the entire drill and one of the TUBA players passed out on the field. My son was carrying both of the tubas and they weigh 60 pounds each! When he got to the top of the stadium, I took one of those tubas and I carried the monster instrument nearly 4 city blocks up and down grassy knolls and not once did I have to stop or catch my breath!! That was my WOW moment...I could walk so far with such a huge heavy tuba! After the walk it was dinner time and finally time for bed. I got home at 2am Saturday morning and on Sunday, yesterday, I got in my car and drove back to Washington DC where I am spending this week with my cousin and going to an education meeting!!
So, there is no way I could have done these things last year or every before this year. I am thankful that God has provided people with the knowledge to help me thru this tool that I have been given and that I have been able thus far to keep wth the program and make progress. I will be back in town sometime next week...but my brother, his wife and their 3 kids are coming to visit... so I will finally slow down when school starts again 2 days after they leave!!!
OK, fast forward to this summer....
The summer really started the end of May with a trip to Washington DC with 44 8th graders and I was able to keep up with them all day everyday while we were running from here to there all over the city! Was I tired at the end of the 16-18 hour days? Heck yes, but I was still able to move and get around. Then in June I just walked and went to the gym and had a great time doing whatever I wanted to for as long as I wanted to. The end of June I went to Kansas and was able to not only keep up with my brother and his 3 kids, but I still had energy at the end of the night! I went to the Underground Salt Muesum and walked for miles along with being at the ballpark for hours on end not dying or sweat or heat, but enjoying watching baseball and softball. July brought new challenges. I went into a cave and spent 4 hours walking around under walking over 2 miles and going back up nearly 200 steps!! There is no way on God's Green Earth I could have done that last summer. I would have died in that cave! I also walked in a 5K walk, again something I couldn't have done last summer. The biggest challenge came however a week or so ago with a phone call that went something like this: "Hi Tawnya, this is the parent volunteer coordinator and we need to know if you can come out and help make dinner for the drum corp starting on Tuesday thru Saturday of this week. It isn't that hard and it is great fun to see the kids and know that you are doing a small part to help them prepare for the 2nd half of the tour." Well, "OK." I said and off I went to HELP make dinner for the drum corp...Little did I know!!! I got there only to find out that I wasn't helping, but I was the kitchen crew...Head cook and bottle washer for the rest of the week!!! I asked what the menu was and the reply was, "Whatever you want to make for 160 people." I was in charge of 4 meals a days for a lot of hungry kids!! (Thank goodness my mom went with me.) Had I still weighed in at my former weight, there is no way I could have been up everyday last week from 5am until 11.30pm cooking and cleaning....BUT that isn't the most exciting part of the stroy.... On the last night there we went and watched the entire drill and one of the TUBA players passed out on the field. My son was carrying both of the tubas and they weigh 60 pounds each! When he got to the top of the stadium, I took one of those tubas and I carried the monster instrument nearly 4 city blocks up and down grassy knolls and not once did I have to stop or catch my breath!! That was my WOW moment...I could walk so far with such a huge heavy tuba! After the walk it was dinner time and finally time for bed. I got home at 2am Saturday morning and on Sunday, yesterday, I got in my car and drove back to Washington DC where I am spending this week with my cousin and going to an education meeting!!
So, there is no way I could have done these things last year or every before this year. I am thankful that God has provided people with the knowledge to help me thru this tool that I have been given and that I have been able thus far to keep wth the program and make progress. I will be back in town sometime next week...but my brother, his wife and their 3 kids are coming to visit... so I will finally slow down when school starts again 2 days after they leave!!!
Moppie
"I thank thee, O my God, for all the graces thou hast bestowed on me." St. Therese of Lisieux
"I thank thee, O my God, for all the graces thou hast bestowed on me." St. Therese of Lisieux
Wow Tawyna, all I can say is "Isn't life good?" I have chills up and down my arms after reading your post and I understand exactly where you are coming from. I have not had near the experiences you have had, but I relish in the fact that I'm able to do things that I haven't been able to do in years - for some things, it has been so long it feels like the 1st time. Whenever I accomplish something that I just didn't think I'd be able to do, I'm grinning from ear to ear.
So, I say congratulations to you and keep on keepin' on. You are an inspiration to all of us and I for one am very proud of all you have accomplished. Just remember there is a whole lot more out there for all of us to partake of and we should do just that.
Hope you have a wonderful time in Washington. Be safe, and enjoy yourself. I would tell you to rest up because you have family coming when you get home, but girl, I think you will be dancing circles around them. (LOL)
So, I say congratulations to you and keep on keepin' on. You are an inspiration to all of us and I for one am very proud of all you have accomplished. Just remember there is a whole lot more out there for all of us to partake of and we should do just that.
Hope you have a wonderful time in Washington. Be safe, and enjoy yourself. I would tell you to rest up because you have family coming when you get home, but girl, I think you will be dancing circles around them. (LOL)
lghthsewtchr AKA Wendy Siebert
Well, this is the first time I have had to post a reply since I posted originally. It has been a very busy week thus far. I have killed on Metro card...and had to replace it at the Pentagon. That is an amazing building. I wish I could have gone in, but I don't have a pass or a tour scheduled. Just being next to it was pretty awesome. I was there around 5pm so it was kinda neat to see all the army guy, air force guys, navy guys and other guys leaving the buiding. Anyway, I have learned to make transfers on the Metro and so far, knock on wood, haven't been lost. All I seem to do here is walk, walk, walk...that is a good thing. I am excited about the next 3 days since I have them all to myself and am planning on seeing alot of DC and the surrounding area. Talk to you all when I return.
Moppie
"I thank thee, O my God, for all the graces thou hast bestowed on me." St. Therese of Lisieux
"I thank thee, O my God, for all the graces thou hast bestowed on me." St. Therese of Lisieux
Most Active
Recent Topics
