LittleBill

Thank you everyone! I am going to have to put ice on my head to get through the door (to reduce the swelling, you know). This is a huge part of my background. I started a woodworking business 24 years ago because I hated working in the corporate world. I bought a lathe because I thought I would need one to make table legs and such. A whole new world I never imagined opened up before me. I discovered a gift for teaching and communicating, and soon people were literally lined up waiting for instruction. I was egged on by numerous students to make a video, and one day one of them offered to finance an instructional DVD. We ended up making two woodturning DVDs, selling just under 10,000 copies all over the world. There was even one guy in Antarctica who bought one, so I can say I have reached every single continent on the planet. One of the biggest things people talk about in relation to those DVDs is not a turning technique, but my (former) belly. I referred to it in the first video as my "turning muscle". Over the years, hundreds of people have proudly displayed their own, or cited a lack of a turning muscle as their reason for their ability. And now it is fast shrinking. I'm going to need a new schtick.

I just tell people outside my circle that I have changed my diet, and it is restrictive. As a result, my stomach size has changed. This is not all the truth, but it is enough of it to satisfy most people. I don't know if it would get past your Mom, but it might help. Good luck with it!

Oh, I do! And I am going to have to use that one! Thank you for posting it.

Wait wait wait! You can't stop there!

Today marks three months since I had my sleeve surgery on October 11 - Yom Kippur Day, and my personal day of atonement. I've come a long way since then, and since I began this effort in June of last year. I do not mind saying I started out with a considerable amount of trepidation, even fear of the surgery and the possible complications or side effects which could result. I am grateful to my Lord and God that none of that arose. It has been an exceptionally smooth process and recovery. As of this writing, I am down 125 lbs (I checked this morning), putting me at a svelte 356 lbs. When I lose another 9 lbs post surgery loss will equal pre surgery loss, and I am excited about that. Just last night I made my first professional presentation to a crowd since surgery, and that went extremely well. The attached picture was taken last night by a long time friend of mine (24 years) whose shop I was in for that presentation. I still have a ways to go, but I am well past the halfway point of the entire journey.

Today makes three months since my surgery On Oct 11. Thank you! When I am fairly local, it is almost always a crowd of the usual suspects, with a few people who have never heard of me before thrown in for good measure. The further out I go, the fewer people know me, although there is always someone. And some clubs keep inflicting me on themselves, sort of like codependents.

Tonight was my first public appearance post-op in a professional capacity. Now, I have been out in public since a few days after surgery. I mean appearance in that I was working and "performing" in front of a small crowd. This was a small private group of mixed professionals and hobbyists who are artistically inclined. I did a two hour presentation on the wood lathe for them, making a piece that was requested by one of the group's members. These demonstrations are a combination of instruction and entertainment. And I've got to be pretty much 100% spot on the whole time. Mistakes are remembered and recounted for years. So it was something of a NSV for me. First, I worked in front of a crowd for two solid hours on my feet, talking, working, answering questions, and trading barbs with a number of colleagues. Second, I did not have any major screw ups. That is always a good thing, and especially so my first time out of the gate from surgery and significant weight loss. Third was the weight loss itself. I've been in the crowd a couple of times, and wearing loose clothing. Tonight was jeans and a T shirt. There is no room for loose clothes around a lathe. And when you are on display for two hours, people have time to study you and take notice of things. Part of my notoriety is for my humor in these events, but part of it has been my size, which I joked about as well. You might say it has been a combination of mirth and girth. But anyway, I received a number of comments along the lines of, "Wow, you've really lost some weight, haven't you? No, not just a few pounds. You've lost a lot of pounds!" My stock answer was, "It's all from clean livin'." People seemed to accept that, although I got a few sidelong glances. In any case, it could not have been a better night. Okay, they could have paid me. That would have been nice, but this group doesn't pay anyone. It is for the exchange of ideas among peers, so I wasn't really expecting that. Now I am home. It is very late, and I am full of adrenaline. Or, it might be that they gave me caffeine coffee at the drive through by mistake. In any case, I am wide awake. But I am snuggled down in a warm bed, listening to the rain on the metal roof outside my window, and the soft sounds of the freight train, as it makes its way across the countryside about six miles from here, sounding his horn in the night at dozens of country crossings. At least that stupid owl isn't out tonight. He hoots it up on a regular basis and keeps me from my beauty sleep.

I ran back about two weeks on my calorie tracker, and I'm running between 20-35, with gusts up to 40 a couple of times. I don't put every single thing in, so it is probably just a bit higher, but not a lot.

I'm still waiting. Seriously, it is hard to tell, because I keep pushing harder and harder. Mrs. LittleBill says I have lots more energy, but what does she know? I do know that for the first couple of weeks, I could barely drag myself off to bed. Things are better now, but I am still bushed at the end of the day.

Everyone is different, so we all lose at different rates, and there is nothing linear about it. It goes in spurts. Do you have a nutritionist with whom you can speak? It isn't just about what you eat, but how much. You might actually not be eating enough, but that sort of depends on you and the plan you have from your program. Are you tracking calories at all? I got my sleeve just 10 days before you. I've already been through one stall, and started losing again. I boosted my calories to around 1200-1400 per day, and that seems to be helping.

@@kharenzhee That's what I do. If they aren't there, they are a lot harder to eat. The biggest issue then becomes getting past the display in the grocery store. Good luck with it!

I eat little crunchy things called peanuts. They are a little high in fat, but are great in the Protein department, as well as the low carb department, and especially in the crunchy department. If crackers are that big of an issue, I would say don't even have them in the house. Substitute something (like peanuts) for crunch and protein, and the cravings should eventually fade. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for failure.

You know I'm just having some fun with you, right?

I lost all my hair long before surgery - as in, I started balding by the time I was 19. Do like me and wear a hat. Besides, chicks dig that Jean Luc Picard look. As for extra skin, it is a reality. How much is hard to say. It is better than staying fat.

Most people seem to be uninformed about a lot of things, but always ready to offer an opinion. Probably the best thing you can do for your relationship with your mother is to be patient with her, and provide information that shows how safe this is. Heck, you can quote me if you want. I had two friends, one of them Mrs. LittleBill's maid of honor, who died from this surgery. But that was many years ago. I might have gone through with this sooner if they hadn't, but I finally got around to it, and I am still here, posting away as I waste away. Things have really improved over the years. You're in more danger going shopping in Chicago.

@@mrsNilla Ohhh, so it's a contest now, eh? Well it was so cold here one time the flame in our furnace froze solid. I had to take it out and leave it in the sun for almost the entire day before it finally thawed out and started burning again. It was so cold the bottom broke on the thermometer, and the mercury rolled down the hill on the ice, so we couldn't measure it.

There are so many potential jokes here that if I wrote even a few of them, you would all get together and get a gag order against me. So I will stop here, and just post the link for your own perusal. http://twentytwowords.com/scientific-study-reveals-something-very-interesting-about-women-with-big-butts/?utm_source=socialmob&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=article-or-quiz-name&utm_content=2023

@@izzy13 Wow, I thought I had it bad, having to drive all of 90 minutes to get to Philly. Of course, there is that one time where it took five hours one way to collect Mrs. LittleBill - Friday afternoon, torrential rains, and all the rats trying to leave the city at once.

@@Middus Stop it! You're making entirely too much sense here!

Relax. It is hard, but it is probably the most important thing you can do. Unless, of course, you are a Christian. Then you can relax and pray. It worked for me. Good luck!

Being the man of the world with refined tastes that I am, I opted for a coffee cup for my bourbon. Mrs. LittleBill has these fancy little glasses we haul out for company or special occasions, but they require hand washing, and that goes against the Code of the Bachelor. I laughed out loud at this. On those rare trips out of town without me, she is guaranteed to admonish me about the trash and the dishes, always in a very good natured way of course. You'd think I had given her cause of some sort... Hahaha, Dub! I know, I know. Look at the bright side though - you were comfortable, and you got it on a recording. It could be worse, right?

I wanted to name our middle daughter Daisy. Mrs. LittleBill wouldn't hear of it. I think attitudes on both sides were a result of picking her middle name first, which is May (we gave all our girls middle names from great grandmothers). I do like daisies. We seem to get two varieties here, and I always leave as many as possible when tending the yard. I did Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using the BariatricPal App And a very nice one it is!

@@sarahb309 People can be cruel, even without thinking. But a lot of the time, it is just the not thinking part, and being cruel isn't part of it from their point of view. That doesn't make it hurt any less. Keep trying, and do your best to keep your spirits up. You will find friends who will like and respect you for who you are, and not just how you look. It can be hard (it usually is, because most things worth having are hard) but it really is worth it. Been there, done that. You will get through it, and be the better person because of it.

@@SleeveSoon Yes, I was very careful. I have discovered that it affects me about the same now as it did pre surgery. I am also one of those people who can hold his liquor very well, but virtually never drinks anywhere but home, just because. And even then, moderation is the word.

@@izzy13 I mentioned this in passing earlier up. I was going through the airport line in Philly years ago. I took off my shoes, emptied my pockets, and stepped through the metal detector. DING DING DING!!! The woman came all unglued, and yelled at me, "YOU DIDN'T TAKE YOUR BELT OFF!!!!" "Lady, if I took my belt off, I'd be accused of another crime you REALLY don't want to see!" They did the hand wand thing on me and passed me through. The next thing I knew, I was yanked out of line for a special pat down. Now, if you have ever been in Philly, EVERYONE is in one big line. It stretches out beyond the horizon. So when they pulled me out, I was suspicious. "This is because I didn't take my belt off, right?" "Oh, no sir, this is completely random." This was said with an expression like butter would not melt in her mouth. "Right." This big mean looking man appeared, and proceeded to pat me down. Roughly. When he got done, he stood back up (he was crouched down patting my lower parts) and told me I was free to proceed. I probably should have just walked away, but I am not that way. As he started to turn away, I said, "Wait a minute". He turned back to me, staring me in the eye, and said, "Wut?" "Does this mean we're going steady now?" I thought his eyes were going to pop right out of his head. I imagined the snapping of latex gloves in the background as they prepped for a cavity search. He just looked at me for a few seconds, long enough for me to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Then he burst out laughing and said, "Get the hell out of here!"