Missing in Kentucky

Oh how I miss all of you.  Try as I may, I just can't seem to adjust to a South Eastern Kentucky way of life. It is such a depressing place. Being healthy is just not important to most people here. It seems like everyone is overweight and they smoke like a coal burning electric plant. Poverty is widespread and jobs are almost impossible to find.

There are only two real activities in Corbin this time of year, go to the movies (one theater in town) or go out to eat. And everything here is served deep fried and smothered with gravy. And unfortuantely I love fried food with gravy. The hospital cafeteria's morning menu is biscuits and gravy, bacon, eggs, sausage and hash browns cooked in bacon grease every morning. The only meat you can get that's not deep fried for lunch is in the cheeseburgers. The veggies are cooked to death, heavily salted and usually covered in cheese sauce.


I did join the hospitals health and fitness center, which is never crowded. I go M-W-F at 5:00 AM for an hour before going to work, but I haven't lost a pound after two months of exercise.

And while I know what I need to do to correct this, I don't seem to want too at this point. I have no obesity surgeon in the area so my follow-ups have stopped. I still take my pills and vitamins and work at getting as much protein as possible, but it's not enough.

I no longer have a support group like I did at Fair Oaks and in Fredericksburg. And I am depressed. I guess I'm just becoming a whine dispenser. Whoa is me.

Aren't you glad I don't communicate more often. I have become a major downer.

Michael,


Sounds like you have had a really rough time in KY. Keep your head up and just do the best you can with what you have. You still have a family here and we would love to hear updates on you.So don't be a stranger!!

 I will work at being a better communicator.

Michael,

OK...so I am late responding...but better late than never, right?  I miss you, too!  Just because you moved to KY does not mean you are not still family here...and we want you to post more often!  I can understand how being healthy is not important to a lot of those around you.  I deal with it often in my own family and it does have an effect on you.  You have to be strong enough to overcome all of it though.  I know you have it in you.  Pack a cooler with your lunch and snacks in it.  I carry something with me everyday and I have a drawer dedicated to snacks and such for those days when I can not pack something because I am in a rush.  I do try and prepack things at night so all I have to do is throw it in a cooler with an ice pack.  Fresh fruit is a great option for me to grab and go and I keep small cans at my desk, too.  I am proud of you for joing the gym!  I love going but do prefer nature time.  You do need to find a doctor even if it means traveling.  You will not be going daily or even weekly...maybe once or twice a year so you should be fine.  I am sure there is someone around that can see you.  Please don't stay away so long.  You are not a downer and we are always here for you...good or bad!

Thanks Tam for the supportive words and advice. I really apreciate the ideas on how to stick to the right foods. I promise to communicate more regularly.

Hey You! 

Wow...what a nice surprise to see your post on here...you are missed!  :)

It sure sounds like you are experiencing some real changes from this area.  It has to be tough.  How great, though, that you are working out at 5AM -- you are a better person than me!  Keep it up -- you may not have lost a pound, but you know that you are better off for it, and that muscle weighs more than fat...look at "Ahhhnold!"

As far as a support group -- you have US!!!  Don't be a stranger -- we are all here and would love to be there for you.  Drop in, and let us know how we can help.

In the meantime, think of how gross that food really is, and how much better off you are doing all of the right things!  Positive thoughts, right? 

Take care!  :)

 You are an inspiration. You look fantastic. I don't think I would have recognized you if I had seen you on the street. You must be so happy and you should be.

Michael

You are very sweet to say that...thank you, Michael.

I hope you know that I am here to support you -- I will never forget you showing up at Fair Oaks when I had my surgery with that great smile of yours and encouraging words! 

Take care!

Michael, first of all, welcome back HOME!!  Half of me wants to reach into my computer screen & hug the stuffing outta ya.  The other half wants to reach through my computer screen, smack you upside the head, & shout.."Hey!  Snap Out  Of It!!"  LOL.

Ok, so you've had your whine, now it's time for action.  Let's examine how you can fix some of the obstacles that you've encountered.

Eating healthy at work.  Since even the hospital isn't serving anything healthy, then it's up to you to make your own.  That means packing a small cooler.  If it were ME, I would get me a carton of egg beaters to take with me.  You MUST have access to a microwave somewhere, right?  So pour some egg beater into a bowl, add some chopped up ham (brought from home), some minced green onion, some grated lowfat cheese, & gently nuke it on like 50% power.  Just don't cook the stuff so long that it becomes rubbery.  Or drop some sort of healthy dry cereal into some yogurt.  Come on man...be creative.

Pack some lowfat string cheese, or turkey pepporoni in your cooler for a snack.

Pack some kind of lowfat, low sodium canned soup or make your own over the weekend.  Pack some turkey meat & sliced lowfat cheese.  Roll the meat into the cheese or vice versa, add a small salad from the cafeteria, bring your own dressing...I LOVE balsamic vinaigrette, or just squeeze lemon juice.  That's a nice healthy lunch.

More string cheese or pepperoni for another snack.

Don't forget your protein shakes too.

You're already doing the exercise thingie so that's good.

Don't neglect your water.  I HATE plain water, so I use Propell powder tubes.  Alot of you bypassers have spoken of Crystal Lite, so get it, use it.  Drink, drink, drink!

As for medical care, have you done a search here on OH to find out how far the nearest bariatric surgeon is to you?  Even if it means you have to drive a ways, there HAS to be one somewhere nearby.  I drive nearly 70 miles one way just to see Dr. Mo.

Come on Mike.  You didn't REALLY expect to come here, spill yer guts, & NOT get a reaction, right?  I love you dearly...this you already know...so I'm not gonna blow smoke up yer shorts.  I heard a lot of EXCUSES for not doing what you need to do.  Know how I know that?  Cuz I'm guilty of it too.  I've been sitting here getting caught up on everybody's posts of the past couple of weeks, & one message has ALWAYS been consistent...not just these past couple of weeks, but for all time here on our board.  We have to make a committment to US....ME...YOU... OURSELVES.  Sure, I can chew yer butt for slacking, just as you could chew mine, but the decision is individual.  We have to love ourselves enough, & hate what we've done to ourselves enough, to make the proper decisions to achieve our ultimate goals.  My God, Man...have you forgotten how much you went through to not only obtain your tool, but to recover from it afterwards?  Don't self sabotage!  Just because everybody in that town doesn't give a damn about their health or their appearance, does NOT give you permission to neglect yourself.  I want you to re-read your post, only pretend that me or one of your other fellow OHers wrote it...what would you say  in response?

Ok, I'm gonna crawl outta yer butt now & let somebody else who's not as mean as me come here to offer up their words of wisdom.  Just know that I miss you more than you realize.  I request that you PM me your address or email or cell phone or someway to keep in contact with you.  I wanted to send you a Christmas card but couldn't...that sucks!!  Did the kids come home for the holidays?  Did your wife find a job she likes?  It's been waaaay too long.  Even I don't dissappear that long...lol.

I love you, Little Brother.