PACKING IT UP ...AN EMPIRIC TOOL...

Two weeks away from my 5th year surgiversary I AM PACKING IT UP!!!! How? you may ask, or not ask or may not even care ... and that is all OK ... but for me and my maintenance I share snippets of my journey..... 4 years 11 months and 14 days ... I live it ONE.DAY.AT.A.TIME ... with attitude... accountability and a prayer and a press ... I am only human and in the back of my mind I am always thinking .... we fall down ... but we get up ...so I try not to fall ... but if I do I KNOW that I will get back up again....

That was my mindset this morning ... as I enjoyed an awesome breakfast with my spouse who once again will depart for a few weeks while undergoing a surgical procedure on his lower extremity and will spend time in inpatient rehab for some time ... we know the drill .. we have been there... we fought and now it is time to proceed ... AGAIN .. on the used to be 'good' foot... we are braced and brave and ready...

He looked at me and my new Chia Pet look ... I have awesome long flowing black hair 'overnight' and he tells me how much he likes it this way and he asks me .... when last did you fit in your suitcase? HUH? I said it was in October ...right before taking off to the OH Conference ... why? he says ... get in it again... I will take your picture ... 

Now this is my most EMPIRIC Maintenance tool ... who would'a thunk? That almost 5 complete years after WLS

I was sitting in the den just farting around with my iPad this morning when DH says... okay .. lets see you fit in the suitcase again ... huh huh I know I turned a year older last month and he prolly thought my old fart arse would not be able too ... I am thinking LOL


 

So I stood for a standing picture this morning 1/14/2012

 

and stepped into and knelt in MY MOST AWESOME AND EMPIRIC MAINTENANCE TOOL HERE...
MY SUITCASE.....
 
I gingerly squat and laid on my side for a PERFECT FIT with room to spare...
 
He closed the lid....
 
and zipped me in ... FITTING PERFECTLY JUST AS I DID BACK IN OCTOBER RIGHT BEFORE THE OH LONG ISLAND CONFERENCE... 

 
I then went to Zumba Fitness .... and came back home... and am relaxing with two of my 8 ferrets ... my lovely gals Petunia and Chiquitita .... 
 

and I did it all POUND FOR POUND ... being or I should say TRYING MY BEST to be mindful ONE.DAY.AT.A.TIME .... 

Obesity kills.... IT IS NOT ABOUT SIZE ... it is NOT ABOUT LOOKS ... I LOVED LOVED LOVED my big girl me ... but my obesity progressed to MORBID OBESITY... with 5 co-morbidities and now I have none ... where I could not climb stairs I now run every other morning with my running team at 4 am sun rain or snow ... BUT NOT ICE LOL ... I swim, Bikram, Pilates, weights, reformer I SWITCH IT UP ... some days I have to set a mental fire cracker under my arse to get into motion ... but once I am moving I am feeling better and loving it ... just like I loved me ... 5 years AGO... I LOVED ME but HATED my CO-MORBIDITIES ... MY DISEASE... 

I remember me ALWAYS because I am still this woman in a smaller frame ... her release is my deliverance and my deliverance is her release ....
 

I DRESSED BEAUTIFULLY AND FELT BEAUTIFUL AT EACH AND EVERY SIZE ... THE JOURNEY IS NOT ABOUT A NUMBER ON A SCALE OR ON A PIECE OF CLOTHING ... IT IS ABOUT SETTING LIVING MY LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND HEALTHIEST ... ONE.DAY.AT.A.TIME...

I AM OPEN AND I AM HONEST ... SHARP AS A SERPENT AND HARMLESS AS A DOVE ...

Today I embrace phenomenal women ... we all are!!!! men included here too....

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I'm telling lies.

I say,

It's in the reach of my arms

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.

I say,

It's the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can't touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them

They say they still can't see.

I say,

It's in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Now you understand

Just why my head's not bowed.

I don't shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It's in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

the palm of my hand,

The need of my care,

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

 Maya Angelou

 Wow martitalinda!!!! You did it again!!! What an amazing and uplifting post!!! Soo cute in the suitcase too!!!!

 Thank you Sonafi ... just being my goofy old self and taking up my spouse on a dare ... see the last time I did it he bet I couldn't and I won... but today I just did it ... he said he was afraid to bet LOL....

Please don't leave. You are an inspiration to all us newbies. You look F*A*B*U*L*O*U*S. Keep up the great work.

 LOL... PACKING IT UP = PACKING MYSELF INTO A SUITCASE ... my new empiric tool ... now I have a tape measure,,,, a scale .... a pedometer... a calorie counter and ... wait for it.....  a suitcase LOL... to keep maintenance in check LOL ... I was just playing with words ...   Thanks for your support and encouragement.

You look gorgeous as always! Where did you get the pink leaopard pants?? I have to have them!
So I am like 2 lbs from goal and have an upcoming total abdominoplasty. Maybe then I will be at goal.  So often I still see myself as fat, I think maybe next time we get together I can try on your suitcase?? If I can be zipped in, maybe than I will believe I am a hottie like you!

 

 Girl I bet you will fit right in too you beautiful skinny minnie don't forget we sat together just back in October at the conference you and that AWESOME fiance of yours.... These pants are awesome and sooooooooooooo warm ... I will pick you up a pair ... just what the doctor ordered for an awesome post abdominoplasty prezzie ... girl you look AWESOME already can you imagine with a full tummy tuck? I will be the one trying to fit in your suitcase....

Thank you sooooooooooooooo much ALWAYS for you support and encouragement my beautiful sista!!!

Thanks so much for your support and encouragement as well. You have made me feel much better and less nervous about  the surgery. Like me, being a nurse, you know how most surgeries are uneventful, but I get all panicked reading that informed consent.

The only thing the DIDN'T have on their as potential complications was an alien abduction and probing lol

The weather in Texas today has been beautiful and I have enjoyed it so much and then to read your post, What a way to end a great day.  You are so positive and I love your outlook on life.  You just keep on keeping it real girlfriend.

I agree, it is nice to know someone who is so positive about life no matter what is going on. Being another one of those forever smiling people and an eternal optimist I really appreciate it.