A Picture A Day... does much more than "Keeps the Pounds and the Inches...

When I started my weight loss journey and at suggestion of my oldest sister Dr. Maria Carmela (RIP) who we lovingly always called MELA, I decided to capture my post weight loss journey in a digital empowerment journal titled "A Picture a Day Keeps the Pounds and the Inches Away" ... a totally goofy yet awesome tool that has been working for me for 6 years and 6 months since my gastric bypass .... I enjoy taking pictures both BEFORE and AFTER surgery but I never thought that capturing my post-op life not only the weight-loss portion of it .. .but life in general with all the newfound health and energy has been greatly rewarding.

My journal is not only about me but about my friends and family too ... and it does just more than 'keeps the pounds and the inches away' my journal is also an awesome memory keepsakes in which significant pieces of my life are recorded too and shared as 'snippets' of my journey...

Yesterday was such a day as we said goodbye to friends and co-workers who I have worked with in great camaraderie, team work, peer-ship and friendship for over 15 years.   While we ALL remain as part of the same big healthcare organization and will see each other again and again  as we traverse the different floors and buildings and departments and the like some of us with awesome promotional opportunities in different areas of the hospital ..we bid each other and the awesome building that we worked in  farewell yesterday ..

Goodbye's are bitter sweet ... so instead I said HASTA LUEGO! ... and in my journal I recorded SNIPPETS of my journey ... with my friends and co-workers ... more than a team we were like FAMILY ... these are the very same people who cared for me post RNY surgery.... who bought me their clothes as I lost the weight ... who took care of me and cleaned my ileostomy bag following my postop complication... the ones who did my dressing changes and also helped with my dressings when I developed hematomas and seromas post panniculectomy ... the ones who cheered me along and encouraged me EVERY.DAY to this day on my journey ... they are my friends ... SO HASTA LUEGO! I AM NOT SAYING GOODBYE....

My friends and peers from doctors, to nurses, to PCAs to universal workers, to contractors and all ALWAYS had kind words of encouragement along my journey ... my flare for hair and flamboyance both BEFORE AT MY BIGGEST and NOW at my NORMAL weight ALWAYS brought smiles and compliments ... and I KNOW that wherever I go IF I remain and present myself ALWAYS just the way I am I will be accepted by most just like I will accept them too ... so I will be okay....

This morning I also entered in my journal my EMPOWERMENT COLLAGE ... A picture a Day Keeps The Pounds and the Inches Away.... 

and today Friday I wore this XS Ralph Lauren dress which I am pretty sure was not meant for an old fart like me LOL but I love it!

I ALSO took a picture with my dollies .... TWO of them gifts from my son (the broken one with the fan and the one on the stand), the light blue one was a gift from DD and the one with the blue flowers a gift from DH.  My dogs have learned to stay away from the doll ... or so I thought until I sat on the floor this morning to take a picture next to my sitting doll ... and ALL three toy poodles made a rush for my lap and a picture too LOL ... ALMOST toppling the doll YIKES .... I would have had a fit....

Once again I share another goofy thread ... SNIPPETS OF MY JOURNEY ... while it saddens me a bit that this door in the workplace  is closing I am thankful for the wonderful people I met and the awesome experiences I had and I look forward to starting my new awesome position two weeks from now in the same organization where I will meet new awesome people too while saying Hasta Luego or See You Later to my friends that we will forever keep in touch with... ...

My journey has been made so much easier and so much fun despite all life's challenges with awesome friends, and peers and co-workers AND AN AWESOME CYBER-FAMILY on OBESITY HELP!!! I have always considered myself a sista on the journey .... partaking in so many shared experiences and being grateful for the space freely provided by OH to share mine.  

Bittersweet to leave your old team...but exciting new adventures await you!

Absolutely.... I see it as a WIN.WIN .... lots of adventures and excitement ahead ... awesome memories and friendships remain...