N E V E R A G A I N

I just woke up, reflecting on yesterday's travel and flight from Rhode Island to Los Angeles, my favorite city. I took 9 days off for a little bit of business, but mostly pleasure. This is my 5th or 6th time out here in the past year. If I could live here, I would. Someday, I will. 

  You know all the anxieties that come with travel. Packing, preparing, layovers, delays etc. As an obese person, morbidly to be honest, travel has always had its added anxieties. Seat belts, arm rests, neighboring passengers. WTF. 

  About a year ago when I was flying to LA, I scored a window seat with only one other person in my row. My prayers had worked and there was nobody in the middle! Ahhh, sweet Gods of Big Butts had my bac****il a pretty Boston chick ran onto the plane last minute and found her assigned middle seat next to me. Thanks for nothing, Big Butt Gods. She sat down and went to pull down the arm rest. When it bounced back up because it wouldn't go over my hip, I jokingly explained that ", I am all 3 Kardashians in one place and the arm rest will have to stay up." I also told her that it could be worse. I could be a crying baby. Because who wants to sit next to a crying baby on a flight, right? And just like that, she laughed and told me not to worry about it. No, just kidding. She didn't even acknowledge my existence and asked to be moved. Thanks for looking out Big Butt Gods, but you could have skipped the whole humiliation scene. I fastened my seatbelt e x t e n d e r  and we were off to the City of Angels.   

Now fast forward several months. As I am typing this, I just counted how many months I am post op and realized that exactly today is my 7month surgiversary. Also, it took me forever to type surgiversary because my autocorrect kept changing it to "survivor." Yup, I think I'm that, too.   

Yesterday, when I boarded the plane, I quickly sat down and quietly snuck the seatbelt extender into place and began to adjust it to accommodate my body.  To my surprise, I DIDN'T NEED IT. Oh sweet heavens. I wanted to shout to the flight attendants to come get it because my skinny ass doesn't need one. But instead I took a picture of my extender-less seat belt all buckled and texted it to my closest peeps. Followed by a picture of the armrest down. Southwest is my *****   

All joking aside, I smiled ear to ear all day. I haven't felt this good in a long time and that was icing on my cake. My no sugar, low carb, high protein cake.   

I am 7 months out and nearly 80 pounds down. 5 sizes smaller and feeling much better. I have a long way to go, but I am going.   

The days of not fitting into chairs, getting stared at, hiding in pictures, feeling lethargic, binge eating + avoiding social situations are over.   

N E V E R   A G A I N     

Woo Hoo that is one awesome NSV.  Enjoy CA.

You live in RI?  I am originally from there.

Your post is exactly what I needed to hear.  The airplane thing is something I'm looking forward to.  I'll admit embarassingly that a couple of years ago that I swiped a seatbelt extender so that I wouldn't have to ask for one, i.e., no one would know that I asked or see it.  The last time I flew a flight attendant was behind me and saw it.  He said where did you get that? You stole it didn't you? Please give it to me.  Boy, talk about awkward! 

Thanks again for your post. 

PS: Today is my first day posting so pardon any typos, etc. 

That my friend is a freakin AWESOME post!!! It's the little things that make the most impact. Congrats on a job well done....and keep up the hard work.

I did the same thing you did - I took a picture of me in just the regular belt with no extender last month.  I was excited.  What a wonderful feeling!  Congrats!

What an awesome post.  Congratulations!  

wonderful.. 

Print That and keep it safe.. one day in the  future when maintenance is a chore, - when you are tired on "eating on plan" "taking vitamins" wanting to be "normal" and have a cake... read that... it may remind you why you do need to stick to the plan...

 I was going to post the same reply. We always need to stay focused!!

Just fantastic!!  I travel a lot for business and had a whole collection of seat belt extenders because I decided years ago to NEVER have to ask for one again. I even carried one in my purse!!  When I realized a while ago that I didn't need them anymore, I finally threw every single one away!  It was such a feeling of freedom!!  And I know longer feel apologetic and embarrassed about someone sitting next to me because I'm taking more than my fair space up!

So, I understand your joy and the embarrassment that most of us have had to live with!!  YOU GO GIRL!!

Loved your post! I travel a whole lot on business as well.

My surgery is Nov 17th - my last flight personal. I was coming home from Europe on August 30th. I gifted myself with Business Class. One last time saying good bye to flying at this weight. I feel she (the fat me) deserved it!