Christmas Party Outcome

Well, I made it through the parts and am intact physically and mentally.

Some parts were great and some parts were terrible and some parts were just weird.

For those of you that are familiar with the situation, you may want to skip the next couple of paragraphs.

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For those of you that have no idea what I'm talking about, I attended the annual Christmas Party that my previous job throws every year. It is a huge day-long affair and overall about 3000+ employees and their families attend at various times during the day. What is significant is that in Mid-October, just 2 weeks after I had WLS, they "eliminated" my position and laid me off. I was a 17 year veteran and believe with all my heart and soul that situation had no basis in cause, it was purely a political move. But all that aside, I have been angry and sad and have struggled with letting those negative emotions go and moving on. Add that to the struggles that come from abandoning my best friend (food) and the last two months have been quite difficult.

I was the main bread winner in the family as my husbands business had taken a nose dive in 2005 so although he contributes, my position provided a steady paycheck and the critical health care benefits that we both needed.

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So now for the party and the outcome of attending.

I have some very good friends that are still working there. They are fantastic, beautiful, kind and caring individuals. Each is dedicated and works very hard and does their best to support an agency that does not always appreciate nor does it award such dedication. They invited me to the party and I agreed to go.

A long time ago, I took a trip back to Baltimore and faced the demons of my past. It was a cathartic experience. It allowed me to put behind some very strong emotions and put to bed some very tragic and unpleasant memories. I hoped that today would be the same experience.

I prepared meticulously. I detailed my wheelchair, picked out just the right jewelry, fixed my hair just so, fretted and fussed over the perfect outfit and shoes and got my nails done. I wore full, but muted makeup and made sure I felt good about how I looked.

While on my way, I got a text from my BFF and she told me that I would not be allowed in my old unit, but was welcome to come into the main party area only. It was a slap in the face. I almost didn't go. But I had a present for her son, who is a dear little boy and he was there waiting for me to show. And I hadn't seen these good people in 3 months. These were people that I had seen daily for many years. I really missed them. So I went.

They met me outside and we went in. They all exclaimed that I looked so good, happy and rested. We talked for over an hour. People that meant a lot to me stopped by our table and greeted me. Everyone said I looked fabulous and happy. And I told them I was. I was relieved not to have to deal with the stress and frustration of the agency anymore. I would never have left voluntarily and I was also never paid what my counterparts are paid in the corporate world. But, I had stayed as I believed I was supporting men and women in law enforcement that put their lives on the line every day. Now I was free to pursue my career and use my skills for a company who would appreciate and value my efforts.

Then there were those who walked past me and refused to even make eye contact. This just confirmed for me who was behind the failed effort against me. They might have won the battle, but I will win the war. I resisted the urge to stare them down and try and make them uncomfortable. I simply enjoyed the company of the good people that I was visiting. (This was hard... Resisting that temptation was rewarding though and I am proud of myself for not stooping to their level).

Attending put everything into perspective for me. I came home exhausted, but also energized. I know now that I will be able to move on and that this is actually going to be wonderful for me. I am ready for the new year!

Here are 3 pictures.

The first is of me when I was my highest weight: 585. This was taken in the hospital.

The second is of me in early summer 2017. I was over 540 in this picture.

The last is of me today. I am 397.

Today validated for me that I have very good friends and also that there are very evil people in this world. Love the one and ignore the other.

Time to move onward and upward!

I'm impressed that you still went and that you had the emotional fortitude to continue having a good time on spite of those who would have had otherwise!!

And you look FANTASTIC!!

Thank you! I feel fantastic. And seeing my husbands jaw drop when I came out of the bedroom yesterday morning made it worth every single second of this journey. (He actually boo hoo'ed a little!) He said he sees me every day so it had not really registered on how much "smaller" I looked. Yay for me!

I am glad it went well for you. Politics and mean people are everywhere. Good for you for taking the high road. It is not always easy. In fact it's almost never easy. Congratulations on your ongoing weight loss, and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

Thank you, and a very merry Christmas to you and yours and a happy, safe, healthy and prosperous New Year.

I'm so glad that things went mostly well and you were able to focus on the positive!

First and foremost your picture is amazing! I see a very distinct difference between all three pictures. You look healthier, happier and just as beautiful. I am so proud of you for facing your fears and following through, I am not sure I could have done it. You held your head high, even in the face of your adversaries.

"When they go low, we go high..."-Michelle Obama

So proud of you! By being so strong and facing hard things you are making sure this process will be successful for you. We didn't get MO by being able to deal with bad situations and painful emotions in good, healthy ways. However, you did that TODAY! You are an inspiration to me every day and I so appreciate you sharing your story with us.

Merry Christmas,

Michelle

You are a strong person. I'm so happy for you and proud of you. On this journey, we discover so much about ourselves, a lot of surprising and unexpected, but almost always good.

Congratulations, Ladyblu! What great pics, I can see such a difference, especially in your face! You're doing so well!!

And well done at the party! You took the high road, and that is always the right one. Good for you for seeing the best in a bad situation, and holding your head high. You rock!!