Update on ME!
Well, it's been awhile since I've been here with my OH family. I've popped in here & there on some of ya'lls threads & I must commend you on the terrific topics. Most of you know me when it comes to lively discussion...I LOVE it!
Some of you know that I have "adopted" 157 young American soldiers that are stationed in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. I have been busy, busy, BUSY!! To date I've sent out 61 boxes to them consisting of toiletries, food items, clothing, books, magazines, crafting supplies. I recently sent out 3 boxes of Christmas cards thanks to my 2 OH Christmas Elves, Cindy & Lauren, & their lovely assistants, Lindsey, Ashley, & Peggy. Lauren acquired enough packets of powdered apple cider mix to allow me to put one in each of the 160+ handwritten Christmas cards that Cindy & her daughter, daughter's friend, & sister took a mere week to complete. As if that weren't enough, these dear ladies then got together & drove all the way to my house to deliver the cards & packets to me in person! We went out for lunch & had the best time together. So I would like to publicly thank these ladies, my sisters, for all that they have done to help cheer up my boys. And Lauren...thanks to your generous cash donation, I've been able to send out several boxes as well as purchased some much needed additional supplies. My boys are going to be so touched by the efforts of you both.
Saturday before last, my son, Matt, & I held a fundraiser at Circuit City in Winchester. Response was wonderful & I can't thank Jeff Howell, manager of CC, enough for making it possible to hold the event in his store. He has given me an open invitation to come back as often as I would like. We had a lot of activities going on all at the same time. We have letters that were written on the spot, pictures drawn by customers' children, video taped messages, & lots of still photos with folks holding up posters that said things like "Thank you", "America hearts You", "God bless you all", & "Happy Thanksgiving Heroes": I also have 4 3foot by 6foot vinyl banners with holiday greetings that customers stopped by to sign & add personal written messages on. In 4 hours time, they managed to fill up 2 banners! I have created a DVD of all the video taped messages & stills, put to music & I am sending copies to each of the 4 outposts. There were cash donations too...$69.00...that will buy a good amount of supplies to be sent. So all in all, the fundraiser was terrific.
A reporter & photographer from the Winchester Star newspaper came out & interviewed me & took photos. The article will hopefully be published sometime this week. I'm hoping that maybe it will spark more community response. I'm afraid that too many people just don't realize that there is another war going on too. Iraq tends to get most of the press so not much is known about how things are in Afghanistan, particularly in Korengal. I have been sorely dissappointed that ALL of the donation containers I set out at numerous businesses only reaped about $7.00. At first I was heartbroken, then angry. With the help of a newfound friend, I came to the realization that people just don't know that these men are needing anything. They seem to be the forgotten soldiers. Well, if I have any influence, my community will be made aware in as many ways possible that I can think of.
Sadly, I found out yesterday that one more of my guys has gone to be with our Lord. He was critically wounded several weeks ago by an IED (improvised explosive device). He's been at Bethesda for the past month, his wife, Dena, rarely leaving his side. Capt Rob Yllesca leaves behind a loving young wife, Dena, & two beautiful daughters. Rob is the 7th fatality since July.
Now, more than ever, I am determined to continue to support these brave young men. This is not about politics. This is not about whether or not American troops should be there. The fact is, they ARE there, they are part of us all, and they are DYING while doing the job they have been ordered to do. Some way, some how, I will continue to fight for them, to make sure that they are provided with whatever they need or want to make their stay more bearable. My guys do not have access to a px or store. They rely on people like me...volunteers...as well as their family & friends, to supply them with the most basic of neccesities. Restrepo, one of the outposts, doesn't have a shower & only 1 toilet for 25 men. They must hike down a mountain side on very rough & trecherous terrain to get to the main outpost just to get a shower & access to internet once ever 7 to 10 days. They wash their laundry by hand. They "bathe" in basins & rely on baby wipes to try to maintain some kind of cleanliness. There are no roads to the outposts & each time they leave the safety of their outposts, they are targets. They are fired upon on a daily basis, with no warning. All supplies are dropped by helicopter. They have electricity by way of a generator & only one of the outposts has refrigeration. I have to be very careful in choosing food items to send them because of that. Of course with it being winter now, they have Mother Nature's help in that department.
Believe me when I say I could go on & on about my boys. They are in my heart & in my prayers not just daily but minute by minute. It takes a lot of time, effort, & patience to take on a mission such as this, but I do it gladly & humbly. So ya'll don't have to wonder anymore about why I've not been here as much as I used to be. There's just not enough hours in the day to allow me to take care of my immediate family, AND look after my boys. I miss you all so very much...truly I do. I just have only so much energy to accomplish all that I want to or need to. It's been a struggle, trying to do this very nearly single handedly. I hope to change that with some contacts I've made in the past few weeks. This Sunday I have been invited to be a guest speaker on behalf of my boys to an organization called Rolling Thunder. Their primary mission is to keep Washington aware that there are still 96,000 MIAs, but they do so much more than that. My hope is that they will want to become ongoing supporters of my guys, lending financial assistance so I can continue to send boxes. Between buying the supplies, & then mailing them, I've very nearly depleted my own bank account. Family & friends have come to my aid & been very generous, but this is an ongoing mission so I must continually look for more donations.
On a more personal note, I saw Dr. Mo a couple of weeks ago & we discussed the possibility of RNY for me. His answer was simply NO. He doesn't think I would survive the surgery. So with his help, the help of my wl team, I'm going back to basics. Some way, some how, I have to make this tool of mine work for me. I don't know how successful I will be, but I'm giving it my all as best I can.
I'm also happy to report that the insomnia has gone away. Don't ask me why...I have no clue. But I'm actually getting some decent sleep. Of course, with my puny heart, I tire easily, but nothing a quick power nap won't fix, at least for awhile.
And now the holidays are upon us. I'm trying to get my Xmas gift making done amidst all this other stuff, & it's proving to be a challenge. All I can do is give it my best effort & put the rest in God's hands. But I DO want you all to know that you are never far from my thoughts. Please pray that no more of my boys are harmed & that they will all come home safe. And please pray for me, that I have enough energy to keep on with my mission, & to keep on with my wl. I'm sorry this is so long, but that's what happens when one stays away for too long. I love you all so much. I will continue to pop in when I get the chance.
Some of you know that I have "adopted" 157 young American soldiers that are stationed in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. I have been busy, busy, BUSY!! To date I've sent out 61 boxes to them consisting of toiletries, food items, clothing, books, magazines, crafting supplies. I recently sent out 3 boxes of Christmas cards thanks to my 2 OH Christmas Elves, Cindy & Lauren, & their lovely assistants, Lindsey, Ashley, & Peggy. Lauren acquired enough packets of powdered apple cider mix to allow me to put one in each of the 160+ handwritten Christmas cards that Cindy & her daughter, daughter's friend, & sister took a mere week to complete. As if that weren't enough, these dear ladies then got together & drove all the way to my house to deliver the cards & packets to me in person! We went out for lunch & had the best time together. So I would like to publicly thank these ladies, my sisters, for all that they have done to help cheer up my boys. And Lauren...thanks to your generous cash donation, I've been able to send out several boxes as well as purchased some much needed additional supplies. My boys are going to be so touched by the efforts of you both.
Saturday before last, my son, Matt, & I held a fundraiser at Circuit City in Winchester. Response was wonderful & I can't thank Jeff Howell, manager of CC, enough for making it possible to hold the event in his store. He has given me an open invitation to come back as often as I would like. We had a lot of activities going on all at the same time. We have letters that were written on the spot, pictures drawn by customers' children, video taped messages, & lots of still photos with folks holding up posters that said things like "Thank you", "America hearts You", "God bless you all", & "Happy Thanksgiving Heroes": I also have 4 3foot by 6foot vinyl banners with holiday greetings that customers stopped by to sign & add personal written messages on. In 4 hours time, they managed to fill up 2 banners! I have created a DVD of all the video taped messages & stills, put to music & I am sending copies to each of the 4 outposts. There were cash donations too...$69.00...that will buy a good amount of supplies to be sent. So all in all, the fundraiser was terrific.
A reporter & photographer from the Winchester Star newspaper came out & interviewed me & took photos. The article will hopefully be published sometime this week. I'm hoping that maybe it will spark more community response. I'm afraid that too many people just don't realize that there is another war going on too. Iraq tends to get most of the press so not much is known about how things are in Afghanistan, particularly in Korengal. I have been sorely dissappointed that ALL of the donation containers I set out at numerous businesses only reaped about $7.00. At first I was heartbroken, then angry. With the help of a newfound friend, I came to the realization that people just don't know that these men are needing anything. They seem to be the forgotten soldiers. Well, if I have any influence, my community will be made aware in as many ways possible that I can think of.
Sadly, I found out yesterday that one more of my guys has gone to be with our Lord. He was critically wounded several weeks ago by an IED (improvised explosive device). He's been at Bethesda for the past month, his wife, Dena, rarely leaving his side. Capt Rob Yllesca leaves behind a loving young wife, Dena, & two beautiful daughters. Rob is the 7th fatality since July.
Now, more than ever, I am determined to continue to support these brave young men. This is not about politics. This is not about whether or not American troops should be there. The fact is, they ARE there, they are part of us all, and they are DYING while doing the job they have been ordered to do. Some way, some how, I will continue to fight for them, to make sure that they are provided with whatever they need or want to make their stay more bearable. My guys do not have access to a px or store. They rely on people like me...volunteers...as well as their family & friends, to supply them with the most basic of neccesities. Restrepo, one of the outposts, doesn't have a shower & only 1 toilet for 25 men. They must hike down a mountain side on very rough & trecherous terrain to get to the main outpost just to get a shower & access to internet once ever 7 to 10 days. They wash their laundry by hand. They "bathe" in basins & rely on baby wipes to try to maintain some kind of cleanliness. There are no roads to the outposts & each time they leave the safety of their outposts, they are targets. They are fired upon on a daily basis, with no warning. All supplies are dropped by helicopter. They have electricity by way of a generator & only one of the outposts has refrigeration. I have to be very careful in choosing food items to send them because of that. Of course with it being winter now, they have Mother Nature's help in that department.
Believe me when I say I could go on & on about my boys. They are in my heart & in my prayers not just daily but minute by minute. It takes a lot of time, effort, & patience to take on a mission such as this, but I do it gladly & humbly. So ya'll don't have to wonder anymore about why I've not been here as much as I used to be. There's just not enough hours in the day to allow me to take care of my immediate family, AND look after my boys. I miss you all so very much...truly I do. I just have only so much energy to accomplish all that I want to or need to. It's been a struggle, trying to do this very nearly single handedly. I hope to change that with some contacts I've made in the past few weeks. This Sunday I have been invited to be a guest speaker on behalf of my boys to an organization called Rolling Thunder. Their primary mission is to keep Washington aware that there are still 96,000 MIAs, but they do so much more than that. My hope is that they will want to become ongoing supporters of my guys, lending financial assistance so I can continue to send boxes. Between buying the supplies, & then mailing them, I've very nearly depleted my own bank account. Family & friends have come to my aid & been very generous, but this is an ongoing mission so I must continually look for more donations.
On a more personal note, I saw Dr. Mo a couple of weeks ago & we discussed the possibility of RNY for me. His answer was simply NO. He doesn't think I would survive the surgery. So with his help, the help of my wl team, I'm going back to basics. Some way, some how, I have to make this tool of mine work for me. I don't know how successful I will be, but I'm giving it my all as best I can.
I'm also happy to report that the insomnia has gone away. Don't ask me why...I have no clue. But I'm actually getting some decent sleep. Of course, with my puny heart, I tire easily, but nothing a quick power nap won't fix, at least for awhile.
And now the holidays are upon us. I'm trying to get my Xmas gift making done amidst all this other stuff, & it's proving to be a challenge. All I can do is give it my best effort & put the rest in God's hands. But I DO want you all to know that you are never far from my thoughts. Please pray that no more of my boys are harmed & that they will all come home safe. And please pray for me, that I have enough energy to keep on with my mission, & to keep on with my wl. I'm sorry this is so long, but that's what happens when one stays away for too long. I love you all so much. I will continue to pop in when I get the chance.
Hugs!
Ann
Please help support our troops in harm's way. Go to AnySoldier.com
Tomorrow is our future...yesterday our history...today our surprise & that's why it's called Present! 
Thank you, Jeane. I got my band nearly 17 months ago. The most I've lost is about 42 lbs, but I've gained a little bit back. I'm beginning to think I will NEVER see onederland. Dr. Mo chose not to do a fill when I saw him a couple weeks ago. In fact, he had to take some out before because EVERYTHING was getting stuck. My problem is with my heart the way it is, I'm not able to exercise as much as I need to. Anymore, I'm lucky I can walk a few feet without tiring. It's all very frustrating & at times I feel defeated, but then I shake that off & keep on trying. If it's meant to be, then it will happen for me. In the meantime, all I can do is stick to the basics & hope for the best.
How much have you lost so far? And what do you have the most difficulty with? Maybe we can mentor each other.
How much have you lost so far? And what do you have the most difficulty with? Maybe we can mentor each other.
Hugs!
Ann
Please help support our troops in harm's way. Go to AnySoldier.com
Tomorrow is our future...yesterday our history...today our surprise & that's why it's called Present!
Jeane:
Hmmm...maybe I should try that too. Liquids for 24 hours, then pureed for 24. Might jump start the wl again.
You will notice restriction after this next fill. Just make doubly sure that you chew, chew, chew so that you don't get a log jam & barf it all back up. Do you have papaya enzyme on hand? It can help in case you do get food stuck.
Hmmm...maybe I should try that too. Liquids for 24 hours, then pureed for 24. Might jump start the wl again.
You will notice restriction after this next fill. Just make doubly sure that you chew, chew, chew so that you don't get a log jam & barf it all back up. Do you have papaya enzyme on hand? It can help in case you do get food stuck.
Hugs!
Ann
Please help support our troops in harm's way. Go to AnySoldier.com
Tomorrow is our future...yesterday our history...today our surprise & that's why it's called Present!
You can get papaya enzymes from Walgreens, Wal-mart or probably any drug store. They are sold with the vitamins.
Tammy C
down 260+ pounds and loving life more than ever!!!
proud mom to Kara 12-08-1994 and our newest addition Claire Makenna born 03-26-09 weighing 6 lbs 13 ounces and 19.25 inches long and very healthy. happily dating...i honestly never knew it could be this good! there is that special Guy for everyone out there...either you already have him or you will find him when He is ready for it!
open RNY 04-25-2005
Life could not get any better than this!
You can get papaya enzymes at any drug store & pretty much most grocery stores. They chewable & actually quite tasty.
What protein recipe have you found that you can tollerate? I've only had 3 shakes, successfully, since I had surgery! No, actually, only 2...I yakked up the third! My stomach retches at the smell.
Do you exercise alot?
What protein recipe have you found that you can tollerate? I've only had 3 shakes, successfully, since I had surgery! No, actually, only 2...I yakked up the third! My stomach retches at the smell.
Do you exercise alot?
Hugs!
Ann
Please help support our troops in harm's way. Go to AnySoldier.com
Tomorrow is our future...yesterday our history...today our surprise & that's why it's called Present!
Most Active
Recent Topics
