Today's Wow Moment (with pic)

Thanks so much!  You are an inspiration to me too, my dear.  :-)

I don't think any of us know what normal is.  Or if there is any such thing.  So trying to define it and conform to that word is going to be different for all of us.  So to look just like everyone else in a group photo... that's normal for me.  Might not be normal for the next person though.

How cool is that!  You totally fit in with the group and not look like"Which one's not like the others" if ya know what I mean.   Congrats!

Congrats on this Wow Moment!  I would be in tears too.  You are an inspiration to many of us on this board.  I always appreciate your posts.  Keep up the good work.

Sheri

Thats awesome...And its something we can all relate too.  It's things like this that when were bummmed or struggling....it can put it all in perspective...Yeah for you!!!!!

Lisa

Wow look at you blending in there with all the "normal" people!

But you will always be special instead of normal because you will have more empathy and compassion for the fattest people in the photo's - the kind of compassion that "normal" people can never possess - so although you strive to be normal - sorry - it isn't gonna happen - you'll always be just a little "better" then "normal" Congratulations to you!

You are absolutely wonderful, you know that? You look great and you are such an asset to this board and this world. I just felt compelled to share that with the OH universe.

 

Do you have the “mirror phenomena"? My family notes that I stare at myself in mirrors. I try to explain to them that this is only partially motivated by vanity. This may sound strange, but I am mostly checking to make sure I am real (those are the best words I can find). That I really am smaller. That this really is me. It’s like a hyperlink almost. My brain hasn’t quite gotten that IMAGE#smallerNikki=me. I’m a nut, I know, but it’s a real problem, especially because my face is so much narrower now. I don’t pick myself out immediately in pictures these days and I vacillate between thinking I look fat and thinking I look scrawny.

 

One of these days…

 

Anyway, enough about me. You! You look great and I am so thrilled that you achieved one of your goals. I love your goals because they speak to what really matters to you.

Thank you Nikki.  Your words mean so much!

Ok, the mirror thing.  I honestly believe it's normal. 

And according to the pysch who works with my clinic, it's theraputic.   You hear me quote him often about the fact that it takes 5 years for our brain to catch up with what our new body image looks like for real.  But the other part of his statement is:  "Unless you want to spend huge periods of time standing naked in front of the mirror, then you can shave a year or two off that 5 years."  Ok, so he laughs when he says it, but then qualifies the joke with reality.  Apparently looking in the mirror... really looking ... can help us to accept our self image more readily.  It allows us to see the reality of what our body is and helps us to clear away the distortion that being morbidly obese put into our brain.  Yes, there will be some days when the image we see looks like the fat girl.  But there will be days when the image is amazing and real and awesome to us .... THOSE are the days that help us heal from the body image issues that come along with the rapid weight loss. 

So maybe we all need an assignment?  Stand naked in front of the mirror for 30 minutes everyday and just look.  And gradually learn to accept the body we have and appreciate the accomplishments we've achieved in our weight loss. 

Oh god Pam, please don't make that our next 'homework assignment' for your support group (lol)  I don't think I could stand naked in front of the mirror for 30 minutes a day :-) 

Seriously....you, my friend, are not normal.  You are ABOVE normal.  You are not someone who just blends in with the crowd.  You are someone who others look up to.  Someone who is so caring and passionate about this whole WLS thing.  I, for one, feel so fortunate to actually have you 'in person' as my support group leader!! 

Congrats on the WOW moment!!  

Nan 

Well... now that you mention it.  I think this would be an excellent homework assignment for the group!  I'll mention it at our field trip on Saturday at Goodwill.  See how many takers I can get.  LOL!

Nan... you don't realize how fortunate *I* am that I have such a wonderful group of friends who are part of our support group.  You guys keep me going and make my life richer for being part of it.  I don't know what I'd do without ya'll!

That is Fan friggin Tastic!

What an awesome, inspirational story/picture.  Way to go you!

Stephanie