Sunday...hoping everyone is home and safe-

Happy Sunday, everyone:

I hope that you are all safe and warm..that storm sure is wreaking havoc. Here in Canada, we are so used to that kind of weather but when you are not, it can be disasterous.

Saturday, I got my hair cut and thinned and a perm as well....I feel like a new me. And I found yet another pretty outfit in my closet than I can now fit into. My body is staying at 300-297 still, but that is okay...from experience, I know that this happens and can be very frustrating but I keep my protein levels high. Sometimes not having ENOUGH protein will slow down the weightloss. Every morning, as I swing my swollen legs out of bed, I breathe a sigh of delight and say  "THANK YOU. I am so grateful to have lost 131 pounds and today I continue to work at being healthier".

This afternoon (Sunday), we are all going to our older son, Danny's house for beef on a bun (I will just eat the beef part). I still find that beef (except GROUND beef) is difficult for me to digest easily and it fills me up quickly. I made an apple crisp for the gang (and one tiny one, very low sugar for me)...then we will all play "gin rummy" (including our grand daughters- 10 and 13)....it's good for teaching math and also is a "family-bonding" experience for the girls...they really enjoy playing with the adults.

Twenty three women have signed up for my COLOUR ME HAPPY afternoon to enjoy colouring along with wine, chocolate & door prizes. I am presently writing the "hand-outs" and my beautiful new business cards should be in soon. Danny's lady, Jen, is my "techie" and she designed them...she does such lovely work!

Well, time to wrap the door prizes (some Lavender essential oil bath bombs, an amarylis bulb, a few of my colouring books and a mohair scarf)...all COLOURFUL prizes.

I have to say that I noted some of our writers in this group have been hurt by nasty/jealous and thoughtless comments. This is exactly why only a very few people know that I had weightloss surgery...especially my inlaws, who are, of course, all petite and slim.

Please let me remind each and every one of you that undertaking the risk in this surgery to lose weight indicates GREAT COURAGE and strength...stay positive, stay proud of your bravery and visualize those negative comments as fading away because they are meaningless...instead, see yourself as a beacon of true grit and stand tall &  proud. You dared when others prefer to whine and gossip...you prevailed over fear while they try to drag you down out of jealousy or ignorance. This is YOUR path, not theirs....say this to yourself "Not my moneys, not my circus"...their attitudes are not YOUR problem...they are THEIRS.

Nancy B

Good Morning Nancy!

We have not really had an opportunity to 'meet' due to my work schedule preventing me from getting on as much as I would like. However, I have enjoyed your posts. I find this coloring to be of interest, but haven't tried it yet. it sounds like you are part of the creative ladies in this group who can sew, crochet, etc. while I don't have a creative bone in my body!

It seems the worst of this storm is over, but I have concerns about the possibility of having to work/drive tomorrow. I hope they cancel bc a lot of the kids live in very rural areas. It's not worth it to risk lives to get to their program even if it is a hospital setting for the mentally ill...

I hear they are cancelling airline flights for tomorrow...I can't recall that happening on such a level in the past.

I am grateful for my weight loss. I have not lost as much as I would have liked post op or as much as my program expected, but it is what it is. I make the effort everyday to eat healthy and move...to many that comes naturally and without massive weight gain. I like what you have to say about that, Nancy...

Well everyone enjoy their day! My love to all!

Kathy,

When I was going back and forth to the surgeon who did my WLS, I remember meeting the men and women who had surgery around the same time that I had mine and some were down much more weight that I and others were around my weightless amount and some were not losing as quickly as I was, but they were all losing and that is the goal...lose a little..let your body regroup...lose a little more...and remember, above all, your body is going to try like hell to hang on to those pounds even if it means filling those fat cells with excess fluid for as long as it can...survival of the fittest dictates that we store fat during prosperous times for the famine that is sure to come.  But, eventually, your body will give it up...and you will see the scales move.  

Also, remind yourself how far you've come, what you can do now you couldn't do before, and how you feel...that's what I keep telling myself...I swear, we need to do the Before I couldn't post...I think I will start it today.

Always amazes me how complete strangers can connect *s*.

I am a Certified LiifePath Coach and an Illustrator by trade so I combined my knowledge and art to help others.

Feel free to check my COLOUR ME HAPPY webpage on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Color-Me-Happy-De-Stressing-With-Mandalas-1636733583210634/

22 FREE mandalas to colour! No strings attached....

Thank you for your kind words!

Nancy B

Nancy,

As always, you are a ray of positive energy that lights the way through all those dark and dividing thoughts and comments.  When I had WLS, I remember my doctor telling me that I would probably, due to my size and my over all healthy, lose about 100 pounds, which would have left me well over 200 pounds. I am very short and thought that maybe it wasn't worth it for me to go through the risk of having surgery for only a 100 pound weight loss and then after a few months of back and forth, I came to realize that 100 pounds is a small adult or two or three kids and I couldn't, then, lift a hundred pounds so losing a 100 pounds would mean that my legs and back might get some relied...And every stall that I hit and every  month that I only lost one or two pounds, I thought, this is it...I am where I am supposed to be.  But, my psychologists reminded me that weight loss is not a finished product until I say it is finished...and for me to remember how close I came to starving to death when  my pouch was ulcerated...so losing all that weight due to medical issues and then gaining back up to a healthy state and then getting a little healthier and going over what I should have gained back is no big deal...I still have the tool and I just had to remind my body the tool works and works well...so my process to get my finished product goes forward and I learn a new way to get the pouch to work for me.  

You, like so many of us, are doing things now that were only dreams of what you could do if you could walk a little better or a little further...And here you are...Good work and if I lived close to you, I'd attend one of your workshops just so I could learn how to do my own relaxation through coloring workshop...I have graphic programs that I can use and am taking Adobe Indesign courses so I can run the programs to create...but it's planning and implementing....Maybe after the snow storms settle, and I get some time, I can fly up and meet with you...that'd be fun

Stay warm...

Dear Jeannie...for many years after my surgery, I felt like such a failure because I had never gotten close to attaining my goal.

With chronic lymphodema in both legs (from groin to toes) and severe arthritis in both knees (surgeon has confirmed that I seriously need both knees replaced), I have been unable to walk easily and so most exercise has been next to impossible and I resigned myself to that conclusion.

As a TYPE A+++ and an Over-Achiever, I was so disappointed in myself. I felt embarrassed that I actually had WLS and STILL didn't lose enough weight, so I gave up on me. Yet, gradually over time, TEN YEARS LATER, I am once again losing weight and I am so excited.  Add to that, my recent successes in my HEALING ENERGY MANDALA Colouring Books & Workshops is keeping me in a state of "overwhelm".

I have always appreciated your sense of humour (yes, we Canadians slip in that extra U here and there) and would so enjoy connecting! In the meantime, do print off and colour my FREE mandalas on my webpage

https://www.facebook.com/Color-Me-Happy-De-Stressing-With-Mandalas-1636733583210634/

22 FREE mandalas to colour! I am so enjoying TEACHING my workshops and helping people learn how to de-stress!

Nancy B

Ladies,

I am drinking my coffee.  We are out of eggs so we are eating loaded oatmeal two days in a row and tomorrow it will be three days in a row...I am not going to get out in this cold weather for just eggs. LOL. Today, I found a package of dried cranberries left over from Christmas cooking so I put a handful of the cranberries, toasted walnuts, a few raisins, and diced apples and pears that were about to go bad so I diced them and cooked them a little in butter (for shame but just a little) and I used some balsamic vinegar to glaze them good and threw those on the tops and DH licked his bowl...literally licked the bowl.  He asked was there any left and I said, nope...it's all gone.  Hopefully it filled him up.

Today, we were going to just eat vegetables but I made a huge salmon steak yesterday and we have some left so I guess we will have leftover salmon...maybe I'll make some vegetable stir fry and use the salmon to give it some flavor...For lunch we are having cream of broccoli soup, which is my favorite soup in the world...And I just so happened to have a can of cream of mushroom soup to toss in  to the mix.   So, today's food choices are made and my husband is promising to do better with his eating too.

I am going to finish a poncho for my friend and then I am going back to making my poncho scarf that I am making for me...I freeze at work so I have made me about four or five poncho scarves that cover my shoulders and upper arms....There's a company that makes them and they sell for quite a bit at Dillards, but when I looked at the one hanging in the store, I thought, crap, that isn't worth 75 dollars, so I got yarn and made my own and it will fit me...everything I buy is meant for people who are over 5'4" so I either have to take it up or deal with it hanging off of me like I am wearing my older sister's clothes. LOL...

Ladies, for those of you in that awful snow storm going on, stay warm and don't get out in that stuff; for those of you in the warmer states, enjoy the warmth...I envy your warmer temps and dryer weather. 

Good Morning Nancy and Jeannie,

I am in the warm climate and glad of it. We are getting ready for a week at the coast...we will leave in an hour. I am anxious...not eager, nervous. There is no reason to be so...it just is what it is. I think this is my first trip since my intestinal surgery...there is nothing wrong with m body, only with my brain, sigh. Not really, I just think I am always slightly depressed. It is nothing compared to major depression, but it isn't fun either. I really try to keep going in spite of it, travel, socialize, all of it. But I recognize it and acknowledge it because I know the power. 

We will be near Pismo Bea*****entral CA. It is a beautiful spot next to the ocean. We stay in a time share that has everything we need and then some. My brother-in-law and wife are going too, and have their own apartment. It is the best of all worlds, company when I want it and solitude if that is the thing I want. I have a nice bathtub and balcony...if I'm lucky it will face the ocean. I have my coloring books and meditation app, my music, my iPad. Our daughter will be taking care of the dogs. I will miss them.

I have been following the snow storm and hope those of you in the worst of it are warm and ok. I just can't imagine living and driving in snow, but it must be commonplace for those that live with it. Since I fell and cracked my spine I am very careful about falling. I am pretty young to worry about that, but if I had been more careful in the first place I would probably still be working full time. I don't complain too much though...there are lots of worse things, like my friend with pancreatic cancer. I just can't imagine. I think I would be zonked out on Xanex for the remaining months. 

Enough of my depressing post... I am not usually like this, but as a board we share the good and the bad, right? Enjoy your Sunday...we will be driving for four hours, but I will be enjoying the sound of waves tonight!

Julia

Greetings Nancy and OFF.

I stayed home this morning.  I'm still not ready to return to my church.  Churches full of gossips, who are allowed to get away with it, usually self-destruct.  When the kids were little, we were at such a church.  We left in 1992.  That church no longer exists.  People just kept leaving, so they sold the property.  I lost all respect for the pastor, that he believed gossip and didn't try to meet with Colleen and Trent to find out why they left, instead.  The next two churches I attended, I didn't hear about much gossip.  

I went to Colleen's for dinner, and had fun playing with all three kids while Colleen worked on dinner.  It was great.  Now, I'm watching football.  

Must scoot.

Hugs,

Trish

Good afternnon Nancy and OFF-

Popping in to skim your posts and give you an update on Mom.  Nancy I love your mantra that you say when getting up and I am going to craft something for myself.  As I have shared with you all before I do feel like a fraud participating in this forum due to my regain so I struggle at times.

Kathy look for the non scale victories.  Clothes fitting better, being able to have a job that helps with the money issue, etc... and stop focusing on the scale.  Despite my weight regain I do try to focus on the fact that I have improved mobility, an exercise routine that has prevented me from having to go back on some of my old medications and that my joints feel better.

Now for Mom update.  Still in the hospital and after numerous calls back and forth I finally got a call from her medical hospitalist on Saturday.  Note she was admitted on Thursday evening so first outreach from hospital was Saturday in my opinion.  Speech is slurred and confused at times so her speech center is affected by something.  They are calling it a subacute stroke which means they can't see a bleed or blockage that would result in the symptoms but there must have been a stroke.  I don't think that they have ruled out that some of this might be caused by medications.  Did you all know there is something called aspirin toxicity?  No because most of us don't take NSAIDs due to WLS.  The bladder meds they put her on have a published side effect of diziness and confusion.  Today she told me that despite increasing the dosage she is still flooding, so tomorrow I will call the urologist and ask him to call hospital to suggest discontinuence of meds as they are not working.

Vickie-  I honestly don't know how you dealt with Butch's cancer and having to answer everyone's questions.  I'm exhausted and going through the motions sometimes.  I'm doing group text messages with brother and his sons.  His girlfriend thinks she is an expert on strokes since her mother had one.  She is pelting me with questions and suggestions.  Then I have friends of my Mom to communicate with via telephone.  I finally resorted to putting my headphones into the iPhone to reduce the crick in my neck.

I would love to spend more time responding and communicating with you all but if I don't get away from this computer I will flood my office if you get my drift.  Thoughts and hugs for all of you, I'm lurking.

Cindi B.