Support Group

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!

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.

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.