just wanted to share..

 Hi everyone... and welcome to all the new members of the board that i havent individually welcomed.. my life has been totally hectic over this last few weeks...  but anyhow i so just wanted to share with all of u what i have been up to...

a lil background for those of u that dont know me.. i was 453 lbs 5'5" BMI over 75.. wheelchair an bed bound for last few years, my body could no longer support all that weight an i was in severe pain an had numberous co-morbities before i had my open gastric bypass RNY... on feb 23 09.. ive lost give or take depending on Day a total of 175 lbs including loss during 6months pre-op diet.. 

My husband whos 57 an in average health, had a few heart attacks begining dec.23rd didnt even know it happend.. was in no pain..  ended up waiting till after christmas to go get checked out.. cuz he felt ill.. heartburn, nasuas, achy..  dec.26th  was rushed to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa
with an on coming major heart attack..   had to have a cardiac cath put in an they found 4 severe blockages so they did open heart surgery a double bypass an put in 2 stints.. hes home now an doing fine.. recovering slowly but we are pullin through..

Now on to me... an my Recent Adventures... being as i was sorta a prisoner in my own body for so many years, im sure most of u totally understand what i mean.. i was used to my husband doing nearly everything for me.. totally dependant.. not lazy but had become accustomed to him taking care of me because of when i couldnt.. an thats just Daily needs... not counting all the outside things he did an errands etc..  so now heres me home alone with no one to take care of me... not knowing where 90% of anything is.. an so on... well i "had to wake up" an take care of me.. inorder for him to be able to come home.. an now it is my turn to take care of him..  so.. believe it or not..... i have been managing quite well.. list of new accomplishments... shoveling snow, going grocery shopping alone.. paying bills, getting gas in the car, going an picking up meds from pharmacy, going to bank to cash checks an getting told it wasnt me in my liscence lol having to provide an extra id marriage liscense an social secruity card... DRIVING in general i hadnt been behind a wheel in nearly 11 yrs.. we have a small Camero  an ya last year i had to squeeze into the passanger side.. like a sardine.. an now i fit behind wheel with spare room, with a seat belt Fastened!!!  and not only taking care of my daily  needs but hubbys as well.. SO score for ME, im not happy he had his heart attacks by any means but i do think my psych is right it was the push i needed to  get me motivated to return out into the world an do things myself because as long as he was doing them i had no need or desire to even try....  hugs all my over 50 bmi'ers  who i know can totally relate!!

Oh, Peggy!  Thanks for sharing this.  You are one helluva strong and competent woman!!!!   I love that.   Yes, my husband has taken the brunt of my weight, too.  He is quite overweight himself (scheduled for a RNY in late February).  He has medical issues and I've had to overcome my dependence too.  I totally relate.  I shoveled snow, too, and am grocery shopping more now than I did.  It feels good to know I can.  And I think he is relieved.  He did my laundry for over a year, but recently I've been doing it.  (a trip to the basement)  We can do this!!! I'm so glad you are driving, too.  Wheels are freedom.  You have come such a long way in less than a year.  Good things are in store for us!!  Groove on!

I'm so happy you're discovering you are so resilient. Being able to do stuff for yourself is so mentally freeing!

Hope hubby keeps healing well!!

Well there is a great example of every cloud having a silver lining huh? I'm sorry to hear that your hubby was so ill, but happy to know he is healing and you are helping him with that!

I hope everything continues going well for both of you. Congratulations on all of your wow moments...I totally understand the prisoner of the body comment, tearing as i was reading. What wonderful progress

I had been thinking about you since your original post. Iam glad the hubby is recovering.  And that you are living!  you have already accomplished so much and more to some.

Peggy, what milestones! You've found that you are amazingly self-sufficient and also nurturing to your husband...I'm so glad you discovered your inner strength which I never doubted existed...you are a courageous and remarkable woman who's continuing to make such positive changes...way to go!!!

~Linda

Wow I just read this!! You are such a strong woman!! It is amazing the strentgh that comes out of us.  A big hug back at you!!

Peggy I am so very proud of you.. you have come such a long way since we first started writing to each other.. You go girl.. tell your hubby to not give in when he gets better to doing everything for you again.. it's your time hun to take care of him for awhile and then after that take care of yourself.. keep up the good work .. be proud of your accomplishements.. such great WOW moments you are achieving..
I was in your same shape before starting this journey.. .. isn't it funny when we get too dependant on others how hard it is to let that go.. My poor husband did most everything too.. I never drove.(couldn't) . I had to always go with him places on the weekends or get my mom or daughter to take me.. it was so limiting to what I could do and when.. I always had to have him do my laundry, change the cat's litter, clean the bathroom, vaccuum, wash dishes, even cook.. He would cook my dinners for the whole week and al I had to do was reheat them.. He also had to shave my legs and cut my toe nails and tie my shoes. When I got to my heavest weight he was even having to help bathe me.. He did all this plus so much much more ... and worked a full time job away from home all week.. He would come home on the weekends and run from the time he got home until the time he would leave again.. I just hated it.. but I had gotten used to it, and even after I started loosing weight I still depended on him.. He treated me like a Queen and still did.. We got a shock when the insurances changed and we had to come up with $5000 deductible in three months.. that meant he had to take a long haul job and be gone for weeks.. that was when I had to start being independant.. either that or no surgery.. I had dropped 55lbs by then so I started to lern to do things..it was so refreshing to learn to be independant again.  now at 83lbs lostforever  I am doing everything for myself and laundry and cleaning house too.. I can now also drive my car... I am only 4'10" so not only did I have to squueze in before and could not fit behind the wheel but my feet never would reach the pedals because I could not move the seat up.. well now I can and I can drive again.. at first I was terrified and could not even remember how to use the windshield wipers.. lol.. but now I am doing great.. I am motivated to do new things and that makes the exercise thing easier too.. I would never ever do anything by myself.. always had to ahev someone do things with me .. but not now.. I just get up and go and do..
Yes I do relate ot you and always have.. seems we always had so mu*****ommon.. I can;t wait to get to where you are in weight loss.. I am working on it at a snails pace but it is coming off.. Down 83 lbs and 46.5 inches.. yippee..

Hugs to you hun... be proud...