My wonderful week of wows
Hi all!
Folks, I'm just so happy after this past week. In the past few days, I've had experience after experience that has underscored how much my life has changed for the better over the past year.
For those of you still considering the surgery, as you read these hallmarks keep in mind that despite my losing over 150 lbs so far, I'm still "morbidly obese" according to BMI. These changes will come into your life before you finish the journey to being thin! I never expected that, so I just wanted other people to know that things just keep getting better and better, even early after your surgery.
I was visiting San Francisco for a convention I go to every year for work. I just wanted to share some of the really great experiences I've had over the past week:
1> Getting on the plane, I was halfway down the aisle to my seat when I realized I wasn't walking sideways.
2> When sitting in the seat I didn't need to put the arm next to me up. What's more, it wasn't a tight fit - I was actually quite comfy.
3> I was about to ask for a seatbelt extender out of habit when the seat belt closed around me without one. Sure, it was at it's maximum length...but I can't remember a time when I didn't need an extender in my adult life.
4> Last year walking between my hotel and the convention was a chore. I ran out of breath, had to pause for breaks, my back hurt, and I ended up taking cabs to and from the center after that first day when I tried to walk it. This year, the walk was a joy - I took side routes to explore the city and, frankly, fell in love with San Francisco.
5> Last year I went from chair to chair, always sitting as much as possible, leaving me fairly immobile. This year I stood through meetings, walked around for the sake of it, and wandered easily from conversation to conversation just by walking between circles of people. I did easily 5 times the networking than I did last year - I even ran out of business cards.
6> I had enough self confidence to go to the LGTB social at a local gay bar for people in my industry, something I avoided last year. At first I felt awkward and totally out of place (I'm very self conscious in gay bars, I always feel unwelcome and judged unworthy of being there). I was sort of depressed that I was having a hard time finding people who were willing to talk back to me when I tried to strike up a conversation. I really started feeling bad about myself again, but then suddenly something clicked - I found a social group that not only let me into the conversation but then actually warmed to me and made me feel more than welcome. I think that one of them - a handsome green-eyed man from Atlanta - might even have been hitting on me a little. I admit I panicked a little - that was the first time a non-chaser ha**** on me in years, and I wasn't expecting it.
7> I went bar hopping with friends on the last night. No one even noticed that I wasn't drinking, and I had no problem keeping up with the group as we walked all over the place looking for different parties.
8> The woman I had to sit next to on the airplane on the way back didn't gasp in horror when she saw me about to sit in the seat next to her.
I'm feeling so positively about my life right now that I just wanted to share.
Hope you've all been well! I'm off to review the many posts I've missed since I've been gone...
Don
Folks, I'm just so happy after this past week. In the past few days, I've had experience after experience that has underscored how much my life has changed for the better over the past year.
For those of you still considering the surgery, as you read these hallmarks keep in mind that despite my losing over 150 lbs so far, I'm still "morbidly obese" according to BMI. These changes will come into your life before you finish the journey to being thin! I never expected that, so I just wanted other people to know that things just keep getting better and better, even early after your surgery.
I was visiting San Francisco for a convention I go to every year for work. I just wanted to share some of the really great experiences I've had over the past week:
1> Getting on the plane, I was halfway down the aisle to my seat when I realized I wasn't walking sideways.
2> When sitting in the seat I didn't need to put the arm next to me up. What's more, it wasn't a tight fit - I was actually quite comfy.
3> I was about to ask for a seatbelt extender out of habit when the seat belt closed around me without one. Sure, it was at it's maximum length...but I can't remember a time when I didn't need an extender in my adult life.
4> Last year walking between my hotel and the convention was a chore. I ran out of breath, had to pause for breaks, my back hurt, and I ended up taking cabs to and from the center after that first day when I tried to walk it. This year, the walk was a joy - I took side routes to explore the city and, frankly, fell in love with San Francisco.
5> Last year I went from chair to chair, always sitting as much as possible, leaving me fairly immobile. This year I stood through meetings, walked around for the sake of it, and wandered easily from conversation to conversation just by walking between circles of people. I did easily 5 times the networking than I did last year - I even ran out of business cards.
6> I had enough self confidence to go to the LGTB social at a local gay bar for people in my industry, something I avoided last year. At first I felt awkward and totally out of place (I'm very self conscious in gay bars, I always feel unwelcome and judged unworthy of being there). I was sort of depressed that I was having a hard time finding people who were willing to talk back to me when I tried to strike up a conversation. I really started feeling bad about myself again, but then suddenly something clicked - I found a social group that not only let me into the conversation but then actually warmed to me and made me feel more than welcome. I think that one of them - a handsome green-eyed man from Atlanta - might even have been hitting on me a little. I admit I panicked a little - that was the first time a non-chaser ha**** on me in years, and I wasn't expecting it.
7> I went bar hopping with friends on the last night. No one even noticed that I wasn't drinking, and I had no problem keeping up with the group as we walked all over the place looking for different parties.
8> The woman I had to sit next to on the airplane on the way back didn't gasp in horror when she saw me about to sit in the seat next to her.
I'm feeling so positively about my life right now that I just wanted to share.
Hope you've all been well! I'm off to review the many posts I've missed since I've been gone...
Don
Don,
Congrats to you on so many WOW moments wrapped up in one trip. Man, that must have really put you on such a high! I am so happy for you. I flew to SFO on Wednesday to visit some friends and the plane trip was just awesome. It was funny though that the seat next to me was empty! I had no problems fitting in the seat this time and there was tons of room. Seatbelt pulled tight with lots of slack. WOW! Keep up the GREAT work!
Congrats to you on so many WOW moments wrapped up in one trip. Man, that must have really put you on such a high! I am so happy for you. I flew to SFO on Wednesday to visit some friends and the plane trip was just awesome. It was funny though that the seat next to me was empty! I had no problems fitting in the seat this time and there was tons of room. Seatbelt pulled tight with lots of slack. WOW! Keep up the GREAT work!
Michael
High/surgery/current/goal
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High/surgery/current/goal
409/383/223/225
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