Talk about changes in one's life!

Hard to believe that in a few days it will be my 5th year surgerversary.

5 years ago on October 15th, I had my RNY surgery.  Since then my life has been a roller coaster ride.  From the incredible weight loss,  losing friends, meeting new OH friends, well the list goes on and on.

My most recent journey (besides marring Ian from Canada), has taken me to the beautiful state of North Carolina.  Many times when the snow was falling in Ohio I wished for a warmer climate.  People would always ask, "If you hate the snow so much, why do you live in Ohio?"  WELL NOW I DON'T! 

My new husband who left everything including his job in Canada to move to Ohio to marry me recently was head hunted for a position in Raleigh which he gladly accepted.  Long story short, in three weeks we loaded up and head south with our cat, Tesla.  Was worried how he would make the 10 hour drive, but with his thunder jacket on and his litter box, he did splendidly.  Tesla is my baby to say the least.

At least I was able to locate the computer to post this blog, now I need to find everything else.  All in due time I suspect.

Best wishes to all my OH friends and will blog more later.

BLESS ALL OF YOU!

1.  The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.

2.  A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.

3.  The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

4.  It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't.

5.  There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.

6.  And remember that behind every successful woman......is a basket of dirty laundry.

7.  Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children.

8.  Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love.

9..  Biological possibility and desire are not the same as biological need. Women have childbearing equipment. For them to choose not to use the equipment is no more blocking what is instinctive than it is for a man who, muscles or no, chooses not to be a weightlifter.

10.  Men are what their mothers made them.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOMS

Terri B

This is such a happy and joyous time of year. Unfortunately it is also highly stressful and often depressing as well. What can you do? More than you might think actually. Try these 5 very simple suggestions to manage your holiday stress:

1. Get enough rest! This is hugely important. When your body lacks sleep, it is like running on empty. You feel awful and irritable. The easiest way for me to find extra time to rest is to turn of the TV and hit the sack a half hour earlier. Every bit counts.

2. Take your vitamins. This is the time of year when we overindulge on food, glorious food, and you know I'm not talking about raw organic vegetables. I take a  multivitamin, calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamin B12. Check with your doc first though.

3. Get at least 20 minutes of daylight on your retinas every day. This is huge. This means go outside without sunglasses. Go get the mail, make a second trip for the newspaper, walk your kids to the bus, or walk Fido. Exposing your eyes to sun rays (yes, even on dark cloudy days) for at least 20 minutes a day is a natural antidepressant. This is a great way to stave the winter blues.

4. Keep it simple. If you are entertaining, ask guests to bring a dish (less cooking). Put out half your Christmas decorations. Your kids won't notice if the tree doesn't have your hand blown glass heirloom ornaments. Decorate with the stuff they bring home from school or religion. This is the real treasure anyway. Bake 2 kinds of holiday cookies instead of the usual load and buy the rest if need be.  Besides, you are not eating any of them anyway!~  lol

5. Practice giving every day. The more you give, the more you receive. This is a universal law. Give a smile to the grouchy deli guy. Silently wish happiness and abundance on everyone you encounter. Pay someone a compliment without expecting one in return. Also, by doing #1-4, you are giving to yourself. When you love and serve yourself, you can better love and serve others.

Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Thanksgiving Tips

o    Don’t forgo your exercise. That said, nobody wants to (or has time to) hit the gym on Thanksgiving Day. Instead, invite your guests to a walk before the meal and another walk before dessert is served. It will keep the dogs calmer, the kids a bit less bouncy and everyone with a healthy appetite.

o    Even though you may be up early cooking or doing some last minute tiding up, have breakfast. A protein shake is a good option, since you can easily whip one up and continue with your busy schedule. The protein shake will also keep you feeling satisfied, so you will be less tempted to graze on all the goodies before the Thanksgiving meal.

o    If this is your first Thanksgiving after the Lap-Band, Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy, consider serving yourself a little less than what you think you will eat. When socializing and focusing on the guests, you may not realize how much you have eaten and feel very uncomfortable. Serving yourself less will help you avoid this problem. Plus, this gives you opportunity to reach for seconds if you choose to do so.

o    Be realistic. Thanksgiving is not about worrying about how much protein you had and how many calories are in the mashed potatoes. Just try to stick to this simple rule: have some protein first. Reach for the juicier dark meat turkey first and add some gravy, if you wish. Enjoy the food and savor the wonderful smells and flavors.

o    Go easy on the wine and cocktails. Some patients, especially during the rapid weight loss phase, have a much lower tolerance to alcohol. A little can go a long way. Also a word of caution: Gastric Bypass patients could experience dumping syndrome from alcohol, especially when drinking hard liquors that are mixed in the cocktails.

o    Focus on your family and friends. Ultimately, that is what thanksgiving is all about. Enjoy the holiday and the time that you can share with your loved ones.

Weight loss surgery is a serious undertaking. Before making a decision, talk to your doctor about the following benefits and risks.

Benefits

• Weight loss: Immediately following surgery, most patients lose weight rapidly and continue to do so until 18 to 24 months after the procedure. Although most patients then start to regain some of their lost weight, few regain it all.
• Obesity-related conditions improve: For example, in one study, blood sugar levels of most obese patients with diabetes returned to normal after surgery. Nearly all patients whose blood sugar levels did not return to normal were older or had diabetes for a long time.

Risks and Side Effects

• Vomiting: This is a common risk of restrictive surgery caused by the small stomach being overly stretched by food particles that have not been chewed well.
• "Dumping syndrome:" Caused by malabsorptive surgery, this is when stomach contents move too rapidly through the small intestine. Symptoms include nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness and, occasionally, diarrhea after eating, as well as the inability to eat sweets without becoming extremely weak.
• Nutritional deficiencies: Patients who have weight loss surgery may develop nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, osteoporosis, and metabolic bone disease. These deficiencies can be avoided if vitamin and mineral intakes are maintained.
• Complications: Some patients who have weight loss operations require follow-up operations to correct complications. Complications can include abdominal hernias, infections, breakdown of the staple line (used to make the stomach smaller), and stretched stomach outlets (when the stomach returns to its normal size).
• Gallstones: More than one-third of obese patients who have gastric surgery develop gallstones. Gallstones are clumps of cholesterol and other matter that form in the gallbladder. During rapid or substantial weight loss a person's risk of developing gallstones increases. Sometimes this can be prevented by taking supplemental bile salts for the first six months after surgery.
• Need to temporarily avoid pregnancy: Women of childbearing age should avoid pregnancy until their weight becomes stable because rapid weight loss and nutritional deficiencies can harm a developing fetus.
• Side effects: These include nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, excessive sweating, increased gas, and dizziness.
• Lifestyle changes: Patients with extensive bypasses of the normal digestive process require not only close monitoring, but also life-long diet and exercise modifications and vitamin and mineral supplementation.