It's been a LONG time!

So much has changed this past year. This blog has been the last on my list of priorities during all the changes. First, I had gastric bypass surgery on November 10, 2008. I became very sick, had all sorts of weird food issues, and didn;t have any energy.

Then my husband decided he didn't want to be married any longer. Despite all my efforts to salvage my marriage, I finally had to come to terms with his decision. You can't make someone else change their nind when they have made a decision. I didn't want to see my marriage end, but had absolutely no choice in the matter.

In April 2009, I went back to work full time as a care giver for Home Instead Senior Care. I began to meet new people and make new friends. In June, I filed for a divorce, although we were both living in the house at the time.

On July 27, 2009, the divorce papers were served to him while I was at work, and upon my homecoming that evening, it was obvious that I had to leave the home. I moved in with my Mom. I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful Mom to allow me to move in again at the age of 40.

In September, we went to court & I gave up the house rather than try to fight for it. In October, I was finally able to get my belongings out of the house.

In the meantime, I met new friends in Birmingham and began to spend a lot of my time there. They're truly a God-send. They help me see thiungs clearly & I'm learning to live my life in peace, joy & harmony.

During this process, I've had a lot of sick days due to the surgery, and as of yesterdy morning when I stepped on the scales, I've lost around 225 lbs! Right now, I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life. It feels good to be independent, to know that I can make it on my own, and to know that my life is mine to live. I don't have to answer to anyone, I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not any longer, and I am living the best life I can live.

Here's a current photo of me.

It's been a long time....

Sorry I never got my 5 month photos posted. I will have new ones taken for my six month surgiversary in a few weeks and will make sure to post those. I don't have internet access at home at the moment, but will try to update when I can. Things are still strained at my home. Let's just say that life isn't always fun, and sometimes you wonder how much you're supposed to take. But anyway, I'm sitting at a sweet little coffee shop enjoying a cup of decaf and had a biscotti for dinner while I'm checking in on my online friends. :) Have a good one!

Four months!!

Everyone kept telling me it would get easier, but I had a hard time believing it when I was so very sick, but here we are. I'm actually able to go out to eat and enjoy myself, and had a Chik-Fil-A wrap the other day. Of course, it made three meals for me, but it was GOOD!! So just thought I'd share my 4-month photos. :)

A new milestone!!

Wow, I've been making myself eat lately because you just don't lose weight if you don't eat enough. Odd, but so very true. I had gotten into a bad habit of not eating regular meals for a few weeks and my weight loss stalled out. So my phone has a handy dandy alarm feature on it, and I set it to go off every 3 hours during the day, starting at 8am and ending at 11pm. Since then, I've been making a concerted effort to eat, focusing on protein. I've also incorporated at least one, but try for two protein drinks a day as well.

So tonight, even after eating my meals, drinking several cups of coffee and working on my protein drink, I stepped on the scales, and the number that popped up was astonishing to me. It is the lowest I've been in many, many years. It was lower than my lowest weight when I was in Weight Watchers a few years ago!! I couldn't do anything but start hollering! I am SO excited!!

I pulled out one of Florabeth's pre-WLS shirts the other day, and it fit! The arms are a little tight, but not so bad that it was uncomfortable. :) I am also wearing clothes that I haven't been able to wear in several years. I'm thinking I may have to go through my closet and purge my clothes that fit me 100 lbs ago. I've been procrastinating about that, but really need to do it so I can put other clothes in there that actually fit me.

I am so thrilled about my surgery, even when I have ukky days, it's still the best thing I've ever done!! Thanks to those of you who give me support - it helps more than you know.

*Smiles*

3 Month Update

I knew it had been a while since I've updated, but wowsa!! Didn't realize it has been THIS long! It's been 3 months since my surgery, and it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. Not that it's been easy, it's been anything BUT easy, but I am so satisfied with my decision. At this point, I'm down over 100#, and I feel like an entirely different person. Just wanted to share some photos so you can see the progress I've made in just a few short months. :)

July 2008 - at my very highest weight

November 2008 - two days before surgery

February 2009 - almost 3 months after surgery

I'm back in clothes I haven't been able to wear in years. I no longer wear socks & tennies everywhere, I actually wear stockings & cute shoes 95% of the time now. I went and got my hair cut and styled, and put makeup on whenever I go out. I feel feminine and pretty for the first time in many years, and man, is it an awesome feeling!! :)

Please leave me a comment if you've made it all the way down here. Thanks!!

Happy New Year!!

Wow, seems like just yesterday we were entering the new Millineum, and now here we are almost a decade in!! It's hard to believe that time's flying by so quickly, but then, I have lost so much time in my depression and obesity in the past few years, it's just sad. I've lost a good chunk of my life but am determined to make up for it!

I'm amazed at the way this surgery has altered not only my body, but my outlook on life. I'm a lot more active now and am discovering that there are a lot of things that I can do on my own, which I depended on others for. I'm on the road going to Mom's, out shopping, to the grocery store, visiting family, at least 4 or 5 days a week now. Before, I may not have left the house for over a week!! I'm dressed almost every day, down to my knee-high nylons and earrings, when before, I may have stayed in jammies or a gown for the whole week!

Since my husband works all the time, I've also discovered I don't have to have someone go with me, either. In the past 5 or 6 years, it's been rare for me to go anywhere alone!! I went to Hartselle twice in the past week by myself (well, I had Hannah), and even went up to Gilbert's just to visit! Haven't been up there since August, which is just sad. I have also made plans to go do my own thing this weekend, and am looking forward to hanging out with my girlfriends and spend the weekend scrapbooking!! Haven't seen them in over a year now, and it's so exciting to me. Not to mention that scrapbooking has been the last thing on my mind for many months now!!

Anyway, here's to a wonderful, prosperous, happy, healthy and love-filled 2009.

*Smiles*