For Post-ops

Hi I am doing a survery. Please list at least 10 things you can do now since surgery that you couldn't do before. If you have more then 10 or less that's ok too. 1. sit closer to my steering wheel. 2. walk 3. no pain 4. love shopping for new clothes 5. wearing a smaller size shoe 6. being able to workout without running out of oxygen 7. Not having to take my diabetic or high blood pressure meds. 8. Love looking in the mirrow at the chances 9. enjoying being able to get out with friends w/o the wheelchair 10. not having to buy as much in food as what I cook, lasts me forever. I know there's more, but I can't think of them at the moment. Love Kathy

I remembered some more. 11. not craving junk food 12. smaller sizes 13. able to visit family and friends without having to worry about their steps 14. happier and less depressed 15. wish I knew back when about proper eating habits and keeping fit. 16. not craving snacks while watching TV 17. I feel taller since I can now stand up straight my back. Having a big stomach and breasts can really do a job on the ole back. 18. a dating life now. Kathy

I remembered another thing about being post-op. 19. the swing in the backside vs. the bounce 20. the whistles Kathy

Girl, you will have to give me a day or two. I am still excited about my date. I know I can come up with a few things. Sara.

Hey Sara, do the pre-op one first, on what you can't do because of the weight, write them down also on a sheet of paper, then watch them become a reality when you have surgery. Can't wait. Love ya, Kathy

Hi Kathy! Its good to see you up and about! I hope you're doing well I'm only 2 weeks post op so I haven't had too many wow moments. I did lose 21lbs in the first week home but haven't lost ANYTHING since. It's a little frustrating. I know before surgery, if I had dieted for 2 weeks and only shown a small loss, I would have said screw it and went and got my fav chinese dish lol and gained weight. But I can't do that now. I know I should stay away from the scales, but curiosity gets the best of me. I have started soft foods today. I've tried cottage cheese and a piece of chicken deli meat chewed to mush and both went down well. I was going to try an egg, but the smell of it made me nauseous! Though I can say I'm happy because: -I've lost 21lbs -My clothes fit much better -I'm saving money (not eating out) -Enjoying the freedom from cravings..the feeling of I gotta have blank and I gotta have it now. You know what I mean? I go back to work tomorrow. These past two weeks have been the longest two weeks ever. I'm ready for it to be months down the road and this weight OFF lol I'm so impatient! Congratulations on all your new freedoms! You're doing so great. April

Sitting in booths at restaurants Not being ashamed to wear shorts in public Not taking blood pressure or heart medicine Not having to "test" the strength of furniture in strange places (to be assured I would't break someone's chairs!) Being able to fit in a move theater seat without touching someone else with my fat Outwalking my husband Not shopping for all my clothes at Lane Bryant Wearing what I WANT to instead of whatever I can find that fits Tying my shoes by bending over, not by sitting and bringing my foot up to me. Shaving my legs without passing out from exertion Smaller shoes (and clothes...from 26/28 to 4/6) Seeing my cheekbones (and collarbones, etc) Being able to sit in my husband's car without my fat "overlapping" his space in the other seat! Eat in front of others without feeling the need to hide. Not being afraid to go to amusement parks and suffer the embarassment of not fitting in the seats, even with belt extenders Being able to see my feet without lifting my leg to the front! I could go on forever.....but the one downside I have found..after years of being obese, I never knew it would be so much harder to shave my underarms when I LOST weight....apparently there have been caves under my arms for years and I didn't know it. Now that the fat doesn't push out from under my arm, I have to go exploring in the deep recesses to shave there! But, alas, I would much rather explore than be the way I was before.