As I get farther out from surgery, I am finding it more and more important to go to a support group. I lost my group a year ago when my doctor's office was closed down by the hospital that ran the program. It was very hard to deal with. Not only did I lose my AWESOME doctor, but I also lost my AWESOME support group. The hospital decided that they were not going to continue that part of the program either. I was devistated. I fully admit that I was not ready to be out on my OWN per say. I still needed my group so that I could get use to this NEW me. I lost my identity when I lost all my weight and I wasn't sure who I was anymore. I have floundered this past year because of it. I needed that support to help me through that. I longed for that support. Who knows better of what you are going through, than others who have also had the surgery.
Some of us have tried over the past year to start a group, but we didn't have a place to meet and we had scheduling problems. With a group that is already together the dates and times are already set so, you knew that on the third Wednesday of each month you had group and you worked out the conflict to get there. I always did, even though I had to drive 2 hours one way to get there. It was that important to me.
Tonight, I am going to a new support group. It will be different not seeing the ones from my original group, but maybe it is time to let go of that and move on. Who knows what God has in store for me there. It maybe something quite wonderful. It might be just the boost that I need to continue my journey. I know that I am not finished with it yet. Of course, I am not sure that anybody is ever really done with their journey. Say a prayer for me and I will do the same for you!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Walk from Obesity
Been a while since last I wrote. Many things have been happening. My friend, Shannon, and I are heading a committee to have a walk. We are organizing a "Walk from Obesity". I am very excited. We are going to have it at Ohio State. We are hoping to reach a lot of people. Who would have thought that 2 years after surgery, I would be organizing a walk. Certainly not me. When I first started my journey 2 years go, never in a million years did I ever think I would be able to go farther than a block. Last October I did my first 5K. How AWESOME is that!
The walk itself is a fund raiser for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Foundation (AMBS Foundation) and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). The funds that are raised will go towards research and public education and awareness. This definitley is a worth while cause. More important to me though, is the chance to help someone to be able to do something that maybe they have never done before.
In this walk, the length that is suggested is 1 - 3 miles. I would really like to break that down even more. I would like to have a 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, and 3/4 mile. I want everybody to participate regardless of how far they can go. For some, 1 mile might be overwhelming, so why not break it down for them so that they can feel a sence of accomplishment even if they can only do 1/4 mile. The length is not what is important, it's getting out there and trying. I need to figure out a way to convey that to people as we go around to support groups and speak to them about this walk.We are hoping to have a special speaker and have a few give aways.
If your interested, go out to www.walkfromobesity.com to get more information and to find a walk that you can join in your area. If you are in Columbus, I would love to meet you and we can all walk together.
The walk itself is a fund raiser for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Foundation (AMBS Foundation) and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). The funds that are raised will go towards research and public education and awareness. This definitley is a worth while cause. More important to me though, is the chance to help someone to be able to do something that maybe they have never done before.
In this walk, the length that is suggested is 1 - 3 miles. I would really like to break that down even more. I would like to have a 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, and 3/4 mile. I want everybody to participate regardless of how far they can go. For some, 1 mile might be overwhelming, so why not break it down for them so that they can feel a sence of accomplishment even if they can only do 1/4 mile. The length is not what is important, it's getting out there and trying. I need to figure out a way to convey that to people as we go around to support groups and speak to them about this walk.We are hoping to have a special speaker and have a few give aways.
If your interested, go out to www.walkfromobesity.com to get more information and to find a walk that you can join in your area. If you are in Columbus, I would love to meet you and we can all walk together.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
To Exercise or Not To Exercise That is the Question!
There days when just the thought of exercising makes me want to run away and hide. It is not easy to get up and get going or wait until the work day is done to go and get moving. I have found though that when I do go and work out. I feel so much better about myself and my mood is usually much brighter than before. I feel such a sence of accomplishment.
My favorite thing to do exercise wise is to swim. There are times I think I should have been born a fish. I could stay in the water all day. When I was little, my family would go to New York on vacation. We would swim in Long Island Sound or the ocean. I loved it.
I can still remember, I think I was about 11, we had gone to the Jersey Shore and we were told that we could not go to the beach alone. I didn't understand why. It never occurred to me that something could happen to you. Well, my sister and cousin did not want to go to the beach and the adults were all busy sitting and drinking coffee, so off I went. I don't even remember how long I was gone. All I know is that when I got out of the water, my Dad was standing on top of a dune with his hands on his hips and a foot tapping. Needless to say, I was in trouble.
As I got older and the pounds kept adding up. My love for water went away. I was to embarressed to go to a pool or the beach as I looked like a beached whale in a swim suit. I could not take the stares and the little comments.
Now however, I am back in the water and loving every minute of it. I am not the best swimmer there is, but I can swim. I am up to about a mile now. Not too shabby!
Exercise is so important in getting healthy. Before surgery, I could barely move. Now I swim and walk and really enjoy it. I still have times when I don't want to go and that is normal, but I go and feel so much better. I still have some things that I want to do again, like ride a bike and play golf. I haven't done either in years, but I'm getting that itch to go and do those things again. God willing I will be.
So if you are faced with the question of whether or not to exercise. It is a definite YES! You will feel so much better because you did.
My favorite thing to do exercise wise is to swim. There are times I think I should have been born a fish. I could stay in the water all day. When I was little, my family would go to New York on vacation. We would swim in Long Island Sound or the ocean. I loved it.
I can still remember, I think I was about 11, we had gone to the Jersey Shore and we were told that we could not go to the beach alone. I didn't understand why. It never occurred to me that something could happen to you. Well, my sister and cousin did not want to go to the beach and the adults were all busy sitting and drinking coffee, so off I went. I don't even remember how long I was gone. All I know is that when I got out of the water, my Dad was standing on top of a dune with his hands on his hips and a foot tapping. Needless to say, I was in trouble.
As I got older and the pounds kept adding up. My love for water went away. I was to embarressed to go to a pool or the beach as I looked like a beached whale in a swim suit. I could not take the stares and the little comments.
Now however, I am back in the water and loving every minute of it. I am not the best swimmer there is, but I can swim. I am up to about a mile now. Not too shabby!
Exercise is so important in getting healthy. Before surgery, I could barely move. Now I swim and walk and really enjoy it. I still have times when I don't want to go and that is normal, but I go and feel so much better. I still have some things that I want to do again, like ride a bike and play golf. I haven't done either in years, but I'm getting that itch to go and do those things again. God willing I will be.
So if you are faced with the question of whether or not to exercise. It is a definite YES! You will feel so much better because you did.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
I Want To Dance
Today on my FB page God wanted me to know... that this world was made for you too. Enjoy it, explore it, experience it. Don't hold back. It is God's gift to you. Don't be a wallflower in the dance of life.
That last line of what God wanted me to know made me remember a song that was out a few years ago by Lee Ann Womack called "I Hope You Dance". It was a great song. It talked about dancing through life and not sitting it out. For most of my life, I have sat it out. I was too big to move and be able to do things. Because of my obesity, I have missed out on many of life's experiences. Things that I wanted to happen, but didn't. It was very sad and depressing.
God has given me a gift though. He helped me to be able to have bariatic surgery and even though I had a rough time at first. I made it through and now I am enjoying my life. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to be able to just go and do something. I don't have to plot and plan.
I want to dance through life. I don't want to sit it out anymore. I want to be able to experience life to the fullest. I hope and pray that if you are reading this that you will also want to dance through life. Life really is for living. It's no fun being on the side line and not being able to play with the big kids. So, go and Dance!
That last line of what God wanted me to know made me remember a song that was out a few years ago by Lee Ann Womack called "I Hope You Dance". It was a great song. It talked about dancing through life and not sitting it out. For most of my life, I have sat it out. I was too big to move and be able to do things. Because of my obesity, I have missed out on many of life's experiences. Things that I wanted to happen, but didn't. It was very sad and depressing.
God has given me a gift though. He helped me to be able to have bariatic surgery and even though I had a rough time at first. I made it through and now I am enjoying my life. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to be able to just go and do something. I don't have to plot and plan.
I want to dance through life. I don't want to sit it out anymore. I want to be able to experience life to the fullest. I hope and pray that if you are reading this that you will also want to dance through life. Life really is for living. It's no fun being on the side line and not being able to play with the big kids. So, go and Dance!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Doctors, the bad and the BEST!
I was chatting with my friend, Shannon this morning at our first weekly get together to weigh in and do a little study by Joyce Meyers. I have been struggling with my program and since I do not have a formal support group to attend, Shannon has become my support group. Thank heavens for her. Since she has also had bariatric surgery, she knows how hard it is to be on the program and has an understanding of what I go through.
As we were chatting, we started talking about different doctors that we have had through the years and how they have treated us because of our obesity. Can I just say, it hasn't always been pretty. I have had doctors that were basically not willing to touch me. It's kind of like if they did they might also become obese.
I had one specific doctor and I can't even remember her name, that is probably a good thing, who just treated me badly all because I was fat. I had gone in for my yearly pap smear and she just was not nice about the whole thing. She asked me if everything else was okay and I told her that my knee was bothering me a little. Her reply was "If you would just lose some weight, that would help." She never examined my knee.
About 2 weeks after that, I was getting in the shower and twisted my knee and ended up spraining it. The doc in the ER was very nice and said that he felt I should see an orthopedic. The pracitce that I was going to at the time had to refer you to a specialist. When I went to see my doctor for a recheck, I told her what the ER doc said. She told me that she would not refer me. She said I just needed to lose weight. I asked her what was I suppose to do in the mean time with my knee. Her reply was "Go buy an ace bandage if you can find one big enough." I was so upset. I had never been treated this badly by a doctor before. I never went back.
My point in all this is, that even though I am obese, I am a person and I deserve to be treated by the medical profession with dignity and respect. If you aren't, don't go back. You are worth so much more than that. If you are looking for a bariatric doctor. Be picky. Find someone who will be respectful and want to know about the whole you and not just get you on the operating table to make a buck.
I was blessed when God found Dr. Dirk Rodriguez for me.( www.drdirkweightloss.com) He never ever looked at me like I was a horrible person because of my obesity. He treated me with respect and dignity. He protected me, complimented me, joked with me, but the biggest and most important thing that he did, was that he cared about the whole me and he helped me to become healthier so I could live my life and not watch it pass me by. For that, I will always be grateful.
As we were chatting, we started talking about different doctors that we have had through the years and how they have treated us because of our obesity. Can I just say, it hasn't always been pretty. I have had doctors that were basically not willing to touch me. It's kind of like if they did they might also become obese.
I had one specific doctor and I can't even remember her name, that is probably a good thing, who just treated me badly all because I was fat. I had gone in for my yearly pap smear and she just was not nice about the whole thing. She asked me if everything else was okay and I told her that my knee was bothering me a little. Her reply was "If you would just lose some weight, that would help." She never examined my knee.
About 2 weeks after that, I was getting in the shower and twisted my knee and ended up spraining it. The doc in the ER was very nice and said that he felt I should see an orthopedic. The pracitce that I was going to at the time had to refer you to a specialist. When I went to see my doctor for a recheck, I told her what the ER doc said. She told me that she would not refer me. She said I just needed to lose weight. I asked her what was I suppose to do in the mean time with my knee. Her reply was "Go buy an ace bandage if you can find one big enough." I was so upset. I had never been treated this badly by a doctor before. I never went back.
My point in all this is, that even though I am obese, I am a person and I deserve to be treated by the medical profession with dignity and respect. If you aren't, don't go back. You are worth so much more than that. If you are looking for a bariatric doctor. Be picky. Find someone who will be respectful and want to know about the whole you and not just get you on the operating table to make a buck.
I was blessed when God found Dr. Dirk Rodriguez for me.( www.drdirkweightloss.com) He never ever looked at me like I was a horrible person because of my obesity. He treated me with respect and dignity. He protected me, complimented me, joked with me, but the biggest and most important thing that he did, was that he cared about the whole me and he helped me to become healthier so I could live my life and not watch it pass me by. For that, I will always be grateful.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Past or Future, Your Choice!
Recently on my FB page, God wanted me to know... that I can be an echo of my past, or the glory of my future. Past is connected to future through the present. At this very moment, at every moment, I am choosing to carry on the past with all its troubles on my shoulders, OR to let it go and see bright future pull me forward.
I cannot tell you how true that statement is. In every thing I do, I can choose to be the old me or the new me. Same with weight loss and baraiatric surgery. I could have chosen not to have bariatric surgery. If I had chosen that, I would be DEAD. There is no doubt in my mind. I however, chose to live. I was desperate as all get out, but I was not ready to die. God blessed me and showed me a way out of my misery. I cannot thank Him or Praise Him enough for what He has done for me.
Today, I still have the choice of being stuck in the past and be miserable. I will admit that there are days when I do that. Sometimes I just cannot help it. I'm human.
Then there are the days when I make all the right choices and I feel so much better. Making the right choice is always better. Reaching for a bright future is always better than staying in the misery of the past. I hope and pray that as you read this and are contemplating whether or not you want to be miserable or happy. Choose happy. You are so WORTH all of it!
I cannot tell you how true that statement is. In every thing I do, I can choose to be the old me or the new me. Same with weight loss and baraiatric surgery. I could have chosen not to have bariatric surgery. If I had chosen that, I would be DEAD. There is no doubt in my mind. I however, chose to live. I was desperate as all get out, but I was not ready to die. God blessed me and showed me a way out of my misery. I cannot thank Him or Praise Him enough for what He has done for me.
Today, I still have the choice of being stuck in the past and be miserable. I will admit that there are days when I do that. Sometimes I just cannot help it. I'm human.
Then there are the days when I make all the right choices and I feel so much better. Making the right choice is always better. Reaching for a bright future is always better than staying in the misery of the past. I hope and pray that as you read this and are contemplating whether or not you want to be miserable or happy. Choose happy. You are so WORTH all of it!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
WOW Moment!
Your attention please! I have just completed a new WOW moment! I mowed my own lawn. Yeah, I know it's just a lawn, but it's my lawn and I just finished it. YIPEE! I will admit, it was a bit of a struggle. My lawn is so ruddy that it is not even funny. At one point, I was screaming to get enough momentum going to get up the little upgrade that there is. I was sweating and huffing and puffing and I am sure that I am pretty smelly too. I wish I had a picture. You would probably laugh. I am a complete mess, but I am so proud of myself for being able to accomplish this. For most, this is not a big thing, but to me it is. Now I can mark another thing off of my list of things to be able to do.
What are your WOW moments? Having a WOW moment can be anything from deciding to have baratric surgery to a little thing that most people take for granted like tying your shoes. My hope is that you will begin to have WOW moments and that you will enjoy everyone of them. Life really is for living and having WOW moments is a great part of that.
What are your WOW moments? Having a WOW moment can be anything from deciding to have baratric surgery to a little thing that most people take for granted like tying your shoes. My hope is that you will begin to have WOW moments and that you will enjoy everyone of them. Life really is for living and having WOW moments is a great part of that.
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