REUNION THREAD

Laughing about you using meditation to keep you from poking people in the eyes....hahaha! You crack me up!

Good Morning Ladies

I had my RNY in September of 2006.  I lost right at 100 pounds.  That allowed me to realized a dream I'd had since grade school.  In 2010 I went to the Galapagos Islands for a week of exploring.  It was definitely a once in a lifetime event.  I live in Kingwood, Texas and this spring I am gradually developing web feet and feathers.  We are flooding for the 4th? 5th? time this spring.  I am high and dry but there are roads close to me that are not.  I have 2 grown children, a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Staci.  Matthew and his wife Keely have my only grand daughter, my sunshine and my bright and shiny star.  She is a hot mess and very independent just as a girl should be.  My daughter and her husband Mike have my two grand sons, my wonderful, athletic, love em to death, boys.  My husband, John and I will have been married 27 years in August.  We are both retired and travel a lot.  I am 68 years old.

My first goal after RNY was to reach onederland.  I did that for about 30 seconds then settled in around the 205 mark.  My ultimate goal was to reach 175.  I never did do that.  I have gone up and down over the last 10 years and I am more up than down right now.  I did come to my senses about 6 months ago and I am downward bound but it is slow.  My tool is there and any issue with weight is mine and not the surgery's.  I don't think I will ever make the 175.  I don't think I am motivated enough.  I do want to get back to my lowest point.  I just finished my sessions with a personal trainer and now feel competent to go into any gym and be successful.  I go to the Y for weight training 3 times a week and I go to line dance classes 2 times a week. My aerobic capacity needs improvement but at the moment 2 times a week is all I can muster.  When I first started I had to sit for a few minutes after 2-3 songs.  Now I don't need to do that.  I still need to break between songs because I get overheated and need water.  I also walk on the days I dance.  My goal is to walk 10,000 steps on a walking day and 6,000 steps on a non walking day.  This all comes with a caveat.  I live in Texas, the hot and humid part of Texas.  I can't tolerate heat.  What that means is I have had an active spring because the weather was glorious.  Summer has come to Texas and I am struggling.  My walking is suffering.  I am not much of an inside walker.  Give me a hiking trail with fresh air and bird song.  On the plus side I go to Atlanta to see my grand daughter in a week and she will definitely keep me active.  I return home on the 18th and 10 days later go to see my boys in Dallas.  We leave Dallas and head to Wyoming and I will have cool weather and mountains to play in.  This year we were not able to get accommodations in Sheridan until mid September so will be staying in Cody instead during the summer months.  Yellowstone will be my playground.  We have national park senior passes and get in free so I will be hiking as many trails as I want as long as the bears leave us alone.  I will definitely leave them alone.

To sum up.  I am human.  I have had successes and failures.  My atta girl, and my fault.  I have benefitted from this forum.  In the beginning I learned a lot that kept me healthy.  Now I still learn occasionally but mostly I find support.  I am not here every day, I am out living my life.   

Linda,

I've had the great pleasure of meeting you a couple of times and you are one of those upbeat, active in many different areas people.  Glad you are here and it's nice to reconnect.

Laureen

Yes, I've met Linda a few times too, and she is a loving soul! I love having you here Linda!

Thanks for bringing me back Julia!  I did not realize I missed the gals here until I peeked back in and saw some of those old timers, people like Jeanne, Trish, You. . . .  Hope to see you again, somewhere, one day in the near future. . .

Laureen

Hi everyone:

Debbie here, think I'm still listed as Cajun Angel.

My RNY was August 24, 2004.  Currently fighting a weight gain of 30 - 40 lbs.  After I retired two years ago (April 2014), I lost almost 20 lbs of the regain in that first year (no more work related stress).  Since retirement George and I have been on a wild rollercoaster ride.  April 2015 after looking at probably 60 houses outside of New Orleans, we found one that met most of both our needs and desires.  We packed up and moved to Slidell, LA.  We both wanted a smaller single-story, smaller home.  George, ever the gardener, wanted a larger yard and wood burning fireplace, preferably in the "country".  I, more of a city girl, needed convenience, a large kitchen.  Our next door neighbor has chickens!  There are rabbits, turtles, and squirrels galore.  Yes, even an occasional snake!  This place is country enough for him and city enough for me.  George planned to retire soon after we moved.  The very next week, he gave his notice.  Everything was going smoothly, we had our granddaughter on the way after three grandsons, we were having a ball discovering our new community...  Kelsey was born 7/30/15, the day before my birthday!  George's BIL passed away on my birthday.  My Mom who was having short-term memory problems continued to decline.  Strange her long-term memory is pretty good. 

Mid October our daughter called to say after 20 years of marriage she and her husband were separating.  She is now seeing a wonderful man who treats her like a queen and her son as his own.  She has been promoted to GM at work and doing well.  Our sons are also doing well, one still in the restaurant business and the other still an ER nurse.   

In late October George found a new PC.  It's a 45 minute one-way commute to our old doctors during light traffic.  After reviewing his records, the new doc questioned why the previous doctors had been lax in checking a spot on his lung.  All said it was nothing and concurred that checking it once a year would be enough.  This spot had been found over three years ago.  New doc insisted on scan, MRI, referral to surgeon, etc.  George had surgery mid November.  It was a slow-growing malignancy.  No, George had never smoked.  After removal of 1/3 of his right lung, he has gone through chemo and will wrap up five weeks of daily radiation next week.  We still have no firm answer as to whether the cancer has spread.  We won't know until something pops up.  Regular PET scans will be done.  During chemo and since, George has gained over 20 lbs and I have gained about 15.  We were almost carb free before all this, but chemo had him wanting nothing but pasta and bread to settle his stomach.  So here we are two roly-polys.

My health is up and down.  Nothing too serious.

Also in mid November it was discovered that my youngest sister and her husband had stolen over $40,000.00 from Mom over a five year period.  BIL had previously been fired from at least two jobs for stealing.  My other two sisters and I are dealing with the backwash.  All the while I'm dealing with not knowing if I'll have George around for six more months or six years.

The grandkids are the bright spots in our lives and help us keep our sanity. 

Luckily we found a church we like and have met several people in our age group.  We attend 7:00 Mass on Sunday morning and go for breakfast afterward.  Some weeks our breakfast club has six people, and some weeks we are as many as 18!  These wonderful people are very supportive.  If for some reason we or another of the group don't show up, texts are sent to ask if everything is OK.

If not for the support of our three children and the church group, I/We would have lost it months ago.George is clamoring for lunch.  Can't wait to read what all y'all are up to!

Debbie,

I wish you and your George the best and send my prayers and good wishes your way!  Yes, grandchildren can definitely keep us engaged in living and mine give me such unimaginable joy!

Best wishes, Laureen 

Laureen, thanks.  Prayers, etc. are always welcome.

I know that you and George are going through so much. I had no idea that doctors ignored a spot for three years. Wow. It is so good to have you here! You were one of my very favorite cohorts at Laguna Beach! 

Laguna Beach was a blast!  Your laugh is contagious.  Memories came rushing back last week when my sister and her husband returned with stories of their CA vacation. 

We know of at least two others who had different doctors with a wait and see attitude with spots on their lungs who are in trouble now with lung cancer.