It'sNowOrNever

Cleopatra, Lady Godiva, Joan of Arc, Amelia Earhart....women of history. Now calm yourselves! I don't expect to be remembered at the level they are; but one thing I have learned as a historian is that we ALL have a history. No matter how unimportant you think your life is, you have lived through historical events and you have impacted others' lives. You have the choice to what level you will participate in history. You have the choice as to what YOUR STORY will be.
 
After much soul searching and failed dieting, I had decided I was just going to live with being heavy. I can be happy with it. The truth was, I was actually trying to convince myself. My body is getting larger. My health is getting worse. And one night at the mall, I could no longer keep up with my family at a regular pace. I was out of breath and had to stop for a moment. We hadn't even walked that far! I was so ashamed and humiliated as my boys looked at me with concern and confusion. It was supposed to be a happy evening, and I swallowed my shame and brushed it off. The night have been ruined for me, but I wasn't going to ruin it for my loved ones.
 
The next day, I looked up surgery options. I had looked into the local hospital's program, but was denied so I didn't really care. That was a few months and 15 lbs ago. Today, I no longer cared about the stigma of bariatric surgery. As I was looking, my doctor called. My B12 level was still low (not a surprise to me), but now so is my D levels. She also had concerns that I was showing signs of adult onset diabetes. Last night my right cheek (SLAP!), and now my left (SLAP!) WAAAAAAAAAKEEE UUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!!!!!!
 
So, that was that. I contacted My Bariatric Solutions and started asking questions. As if the stars aligned, mom called and she and dad had talked about my health issues. They were concerned because I am too young to be having my problems. I agreed. They suggested surgery and how to cover the costs. I felt like a minion...WHAAAAAAAA????!
 
I am making my own history. I am taking decisive action to show that I am in control of me. I do not have to be content with who I am. This is my journal to keep myself reminded that history is not made in a moment. There are always events and decisions leading up to the event.
 
Now....how to stay patient until surgery for the next 2.5 months......?

So it's 2 days before my 7 month sleeve anniversary- and it's blowing my mind... I remember thinking, I'm losing to slow, etc. But wow- the before and afters are speaking for themselves. Today I'm weighing in at 153.9 lbs from my heighest pre-op weight of 216 for a total loss of -62.1 lbs and I'm -18.9 lbs away from my ultimate goal of 135, and I'm only a few pounds for my second optimal goal of 145 (doctors original goal for me).
 
A lot of the reason I haven't posted in my blog lately is this funny thing called life. I've been living it. I wasn't before. Plain and simple. I hid behind my computer, I was socially done- I had no motivation to go out, or even go shopping. I had to force myself to interact and get dressed up. Well, a few months ago a met a nice guy, and we started casually dating. In January he asked me to make it official the day before his parents flew in for a visit so he could properly introduce me as his girlfriend. Life has been amazing ever since. He moved a couple of weeks ago and now we are doing the long distance thing while I finish my PhD for the next year or so. I'm getting back on the wagon and tracking my calories and carbs and protein like crazy on Myfitnesspal.com (screen name DLMeekie if you want to follow me). It's only been 7 months since my surgery, but it already feels like a life time ago. I can't believe I will be at goal or near it at my 1 year surgiversary. I'm so happy now, that I struggle thinking it could get any better.
 
My weight loss has slowed down tremendously, but I'm okay with that as long as I know I'm doing my best to eat right and work out. Since I stopped swimming last semester I joined a women's only gym with onsite daycare and I've been going at least 3 days a week, and walking at a steep incline for 3 miles, then I rotate the weight machines (upper body versus lower body) for at least an hour. So basically, I'm in the gym 3 days a week for 2 hours.I miss swimming a lot, and I don't enjoy the gym as much, BUT I'm getting it done. And it's not nearly as hard as it use to be. It fits into my schedule and my life with my son.
 
My only regret still remains. I wish I would have done this surgery sooner. I wish I could go back and reclaim my 20's. But I can't. So I must embrace my 30's when they arrive in 6 months or so.... Life is good.
 
Height: 5'9
 
Highest (Surgery) Weight: 216
 
1st Primary Goal Weight: 169 (Achieved 11/27)
2nd Optimal Goal Weight: 145
 
Sleeve Journey:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 8/17/12- PreOp/Surgery Day w/Pics Posted in Blog
Week 1 (8/24): 204.8 (-11.2)
Week 2 (8/31): 200.6 (-4.2)
Week 3 (9/7): 196.8 (-3.8)
Week 4 (9/14): 193.5 (-3.3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 9/17/12- 1 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-22.5 lbs)
Week 5 (9/21): 191.6 (-1.9)
Week 6 (9/28): 190.1 (-1.5)
Week 7 (10/5): 187.0 (-3.1)
Week 8 (10/12): 181.9 (-5.1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 10/17/12- 2 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-11.6 lbs)
Week 9 (10/19): 181.4 (-.5)
Week 10 (10/26): 177.9 (-3.5)
Week 11 (11/02): 176.8 (-1.1)
Week 12 (11/09): 174.7 (-2.1)
Week 13 (11/16): 173.3 (-1.4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 11/17/12- 3 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-8.6 lbs)
Week 14 (11/23): 173.1 (-.2)
Week 15 (11/30): 167.3 (-5.8)
Week 16 (12/7): 168.1 (+.8)
Week 17 (12/14): 164.6 (-3.5)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 12/17/12- 4 Month Anniversary (-8.7 lbs)
Week 18 (12/21): Holiday Break/Vacation- No Scale Available
Week 19 (12/28): Holiday Break/Vacation- No Scale Available
Week 20 (1/4/13): 164.5 (-.1)
Week 21 (1/11): 161.5 (-3.0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 01/17/13- 5 Month Anniversary (-3.1 lbs)
Week 22 (1/18): 161.7 (+.2)
Week 23 (1/25): 158.7 (-3.0)
Week 24 (2/1): Out of town- No scale Available
.2Week 25 (2/8): 157.2 (-1.5)
Week 26 (2/15): 157.2 ( .0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 02/17/13- 6 Month Anniversary 157.2 (-3.3 lbs)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 03/17/13- 7 Month Anniversary 153.9 (-3.3 lbs)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 04/17/13- 8 Month Anniversary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 05/17/13- 9 Month Anniversary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 06/17/13- 10 Month Anniversary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 07/17/13- 11 Month Anniversary
 
ONE YEAR SURGERY ANNIVERSARY~~~> 08/17/13- 12 Month Anniversary