8 Months Today!

[Guest guest]

Well, 8 months ago today I was in Savannah, Georgia getting ready for

my MGB.

Since my best friend is about to have her RNY on the 14th of this

month (prayers everyone for please!), I have really strained my

brain to try and remember clearly my feelings right beforehand, and

my habits afterwards. It seems very long ago now, and just like

childbirth, the memories of the first weeks have faded some.

I wasn't frightened at all, until my consult with Dr. Quattlebaum.

He asked if my companion, my friend Rhonda, was my daughter! She was

43 and I had just turned 36, so that scared me some! LOL! Talk about

the weight adding years to a person! ECCCKKK. I also found out I

was number 13! ECCCKKKKK AGAIN! So the night before I was nervous,

but Sassy called me and talked me off the

windowledge...hahahaha...Thanks Sassy! I'm so glad you did!

The next day was so uneventful. I felt happy to be having it, went

in, and before I knew much, I was in recovery and not hurting too bad

at all. I remember getting up for the first walk as a new

person...it hurt, but I did it and the rest, as they say, is history.

I won't bore you will an eight month blow by blow, but I will bore

as I've really thought about each month and how my habits

changed and how each month brought new things to learn and do. So

watch out for a long report! LOL!

So here I am, 8 months out. 8 months ago I dreamt that I MIGHT one

day get to 180lbs., maybe at a year if I was very, very lucky. Today

I am 183lbs or less, per my last weigh in. Almost 140lbs. gone in 8

months. If I look at the numbers, that seems awesome to me. If I

look at my body, I feel sad that I damaged it so bad that I will

require plastic surgery to fix it. But dems da breaks, right kiddos?

My health is so much better than it has been in a decade!

Incredible, that most days I can walk for several miles without a

problem, not even a twitch! I remember when walking to the mailbox

was such an effort I had to exclaim to my hubby " I have GOT TO walk

to the mailbox everyday, no matter what! " and then failing to

accomplish even that! So life is certainly full of blessings, even

on the rare days that my fibro goes into overtime and limits me

severly. Those days are not often, and reminders of the old me, the

one who had given up until she heard about WLS and especially, the

MGB.

Do I have any regrets I'm often asked. No, none, except that I

didn't find out about this surgery earlier....that I had lost hope

for so long. I also regret that I cannot see how much I've lost due

to the ugly skin, but I am working on getting that corrected next

year! I want to SEE what has been accomplished for myself...and I

will! Heck, if I have this skin forever, but feel so much better, it

was worth it anyhow!

Today I don't feel eyes crawling all over me when I go into stores or

restaurants...no one notices me much, and that is a true blessing! I

have noticed men look me in the eyes more, open doors more, and smile

at me more. I could care less, but it is an interesting

observation! The only man's attention I want I have; my Tommy loves

my new lease on life, my new health and my BONES! LOL! He jumps

them often just to remind me! (hey, I'm ugly but honest, right?). I

feel so fortunate to have him by my side, and he has been such a

pillar of strength and support. He has laughed at me every month as

I say " I don't think I'm losing...maybe I'm gaining " and he rolls his

eyes and says " you ARE shrinking! You say that EVERY month! "

and he's right! LOL! I'm neurotic, but he loves me anyhow...ain't

life grand?

I'm not at the point that I am trying to slow my weightloss down

some. Sounds crazy, huh? I just want to be 160 at the least, 150 at

the VERY LEAST> I don't crave smallness, just normalacy. I am

wearing a 16 and if the skin were removed, I'd probably be in a 12

and that would be just right for me. Soooo I am hoping to not hit

below 170 in the next few months, because I KNOW I have more than 10

lbs of skin to be removed. I am having the lower body lift and there

is PLENTY of skin to go bye-bye...LOL...maybe 15 or more lbs of it!

So that's where I'm at. All you girls who crave being 115lbs, dont'

think I'm nuts....there is an ideal in all of our minds of our best

weight, and mine's just higher than most! My real goal was 180lb and

I'm almost there!!!!

Anyhow, love to all, thanks for everything and peace with with us all!

Tenbrook

MGB 3-08-01 with Dr. Q

322-183-Goal: contentment without skin! LOL!