Re: For the New Year.....my resolutions (another long one from )

[Guest guest]

, I will campaign for number 6 for you! Tell the publishers that you already have people lined up waiting to read your book! I do honestly have to say that this is the most exciting news I have read on this message board in a long time! Those of us who have been reading your posts over the last several months KNOW what kind of writer you are and I, for one, can't wait to read any and everything you write! This is awesome! I will add my list of resolutions later but yours are wonderful, heartwarming, and touching. I wish you the best of luck and I also wish that the BEST of your 2006 is the WORST of your 2007! (Does that make sense???) Jenni Currie DOB 2/23/06 247/231/152/145 <susan@...> wrote: Dear All,For the past er....well, let's just say years, rather than actually listing the full number or how many decades it has been....each January I've started off with my number one resolution being to LOSE WEIGHT.Other resolutions (again, depending on the particular decade) have been to be more tolerant of my parents/spouse/hormonal teenage daughter/insert pretty much anyone I've come into contact with on this list....Oh, and to stop smoking, save money, be a better (again, depending on

decade...student/wife/mom/neighbor/friend....I'd like to thank Dr. Aceves and his team, because THIS year, losing weight will not be just another goal that I set for myself. It is a given, and didn't even have to be added to the list this year!I'm hoping that this means that with all of the time, effort and emotional energy that I am saving by NOT failing at a diet, I will be able to make some real headway on those other resolutions of mine. Gosh, I really DO hope that is the case, because now that I can't use my weight as an excuse for failing to accomplish something, I *reallllllllllly* do NOT want to lapse into another negative behavior just to be able to have a rationalization all ready and waiting in the wings to be pulled out, dusted off, and used to explain why I haven't accomplished what I set out to do this year!So, in writing, and shared with all of you, instead of just in my

journal, here goes.....1.) I will stop smoking.Oh crap, I really hate to committ to that one. I LIKE smoking. I think there are only 2 types of people, really, smokers and non-smokers, and that you just need to decide which one of those you are going to be, and I made that choice a long long time ago. I like everything associated with the process, that first long inhale when you are grabbing a smoke instead of taking a lunch break, and that last exhale before you call it a day. But it is even harder to rationalize my desire to continue to do something that is a life-threatening behavior, after spending the money (for the lapband) under the "if I don't do this I will be dead in a few years" reasoning. 2.) I will do everything I can to remain positive and provide affirmations about the Lapband, and to constantly state my gratitude for the changes in my life that it has provided me with. PB'ng

once in a while, versus not being able to fit my fat ass in a plane seat so that I can go and visit my daughter in Texas.....Gee, that's not even a fair contest, is it? Since my banding procedure, I have not experienced a single physical discomfort that comes even close to comparing with the years of pain, both physical and emotional, that my obesity forced me to face on a daily basis. So to all I will say clearly and without hesitation that I would rather "yak" with EVERY bite, if that is what is required, than to stuff my fat face and swallow easily, because THAT, my friends, never helped me at all. I will gladly never drink another carbonated beverage, alcoholic or otherwise, because there isn't a drink in the world ( not sparkling sugar free water, not Perrier-Jouet Champagne) that made me feel as satisfied as being able to lose weight makes me feel. I will be pleased for the opportunity to spend

whatever it costs to have as many fills as are required on this journey, because they still will NEVER add up to the amount that I have spent over the years on impulse shopping because I was miserable, or on groceries ( like the junk food that never actually made it from the store to the pantry because I ate it on the drive home) or on clothing, constantly needing not only a bigger size, but getting to the point when the size that I needed could not even be found in any local stores,AND I will change my EBAY email settings to stop sending me messages when someone lists a size 5XXXXX dress for sale. ( For those of you who agreed that I needed to get rid of those jeans in my Christmas photo, the size 22's that I had in no way been able to squeeze into for at least 2 years, the ones that were hanging off of me, I'd like to say that I bought my first pair of size 18 pants in over 6 years a few days

ago, and there was something about having the first number be a "1" that was the greatest way posible to end a year that I can imagine.) 3.) I will be vocal and express my opinions on obesity in my community, on-line, and through the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) in the hopes that someday in the future, the recommendations of treatment made by the National Institute of Health will be adhered to by medical insurance companies, and the Lapband ( and other bariatric procedures) will be covered as a life-saving measure just as the treatments for so many comorbid conditions of obesity are. I will no longer hide behind my SUV and hope that no one sees me, no matter how far I am from reaching my own personal weight goals. 4.) I will practice what I preach. Nope, that one doesn't have anything to do with weight loss. I am passionate about my career, and often reference it in conversation,

because for me, being a psychiatric nurse is not a job, it is a blessing. I am doing my best to "come out of the closet" and stop speaking just as a psych nurse without also speaking as someone who experiences depression personally. Whew, and if you think the stigma for being FAT is harsh, try being a fat person with a serious mental illness. I will no longer use "Someone I know", or "My grandmother-cousin-best friend from college" to share an experience with my patients when I am trying to help them to acquire hope for the future. When I lead my groups, I say "We who suffer from the symptoms of mental illness", not you..... This does not mean that I am ready to walk up to the Board of Directors of the Hospital and announce my own history, but it does mean that I am becoming more and more open ever day about my own past experiences and using them in my work. And yes, it makes me a better nurse for it.

Hell, I truly believe that having experienced episodes of SMI that made me pretty much an inanimate object makes me not just a better nurse, but a better person- more compassionate and understanding, definitely. 5.) I WILL ENJOY MY LIFE. I will treasure every day, and not beat myself up for the years wasted in the past, I will do something for FUN every day, whether it is just reading fiction, or singing along with a song on the radio, and I will not avoid any activities because I am too fat for them. I will roller skate with my son, wear a bathing suit in public, ride my bike on our fabulous bike trail, and I will never again NOT do something because of my weight. I am SO done with hiding.6.) I will finish the book I am writing. I will send it to my husband's aunt, who works for McGraw-Hill, and published or not, I will have completed it.Anyone else willing to share their

resolutions?Happy New Year to all, __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I love your resolutions - one that I will adopt for myself is #5. Attitude is everything! Thanks,Ally

For the New Year.....my resolutions (another long one from )

Dear All,For the past er....well, let's just say years, rather than actually listing the full number or how many decades it has been....each January I've started off with my number one resolution being to LOSE WEIGHT.Other resolutions (again, depending on the particular decade) have been to be more tolerant of my parents/spouse/ hormonal teenage daughter/insert pretty much anyone I've come into contact with on this list....Oh, and to stop smoking, save money, be a better (again, depending on decade...student/ wife/mom/ neighbor/ friend... .I'd like to thank Dr. Aceves and his team, because THIS year, losing weight will not be just another goal that I set for myself. It is a given, and didn't even have to be added to the list this year!I'm hoping that this means that with all of the time, effort and emotional energy that I am saving by NOT failing at a diet, I will be able to make some real

headway on those other resolutions of mine. Gosh, I really DO hope that is the case, because now that I can't use my weight as an excuse for failing to accomplish something, I *reallllllllllly* do NOT want to lapse into another negative behavior just to be able to have a rationalization all ready and waiting in the wings to be pulled out, dusted off, and used to explain why I haven't accomplished what I set out to do this year!So, in writing, and shared with all of you, instead of just in my journal, here goes.....1.) I will stop smoking.Oh crap, I really hate to committ to that one. I LIKE smoking. I think there are only 2 types of people, really, smokers and non-smokers, and that you just need to decide which one of those you are going to be, and I made that choice a long long time ago. I like everything associated with the process, that first long inhale when you are grabbing a smoke instead

of taking a lunch break, and that last exhale before you call it a day. But it is even harder to rationalize my desire to continue to do something that is a life-threatening behavior, after spending the money (for the lapband) under the "if I don't do this I will be dead in a few years" reasoning. 2.) I will do everything I can to remain positive and provide affirmations about the Lapband, and to constantly state my gratitude for the changes in my life that it has provided me with. PB'ng once in a while, versus not being able to fit my fat ass in a plane seat so that I can go and visit my daughter in Texas.....Gee, that's not even a fair contest, is it? Since my banding procedure, I have not experienced a single physical discomfort that comes even close to comparing with the years of pain, both physical and emotional, that my obesity forced me to face on a daily basis. So to all I will say

clearly and without hesitation that I would rather "yak" with EVERY bite, if that is what is required, than to stuff my fat face and swallow easily, because THAT, my friends, never helped me at all. I will gladly never drink another carbonated beverage, alcoholic or otherwise, because there isn't a drink in the world ( not sparkling sugar free water, not Perrier-Jouet Champagne) that made me feel as satisfied as being able to lose weight makes me feel. I will be pleased for the opportunity to spend whatever it costs to have as many fills as are required on this journey, because they still will NEVER add up to the amount that I have spent over the years on impulse shopping because I was miserable, or on groceries ( like the junk food that never actually made it from the store to the pantry because I ate it on the drive home) or on clothing, constantly needing not only a bigger size, but getting to the

point when the size that I needed could not even be found in any local stores,AND I will change my EBAY email settings to stop sending me messages when someone lists a size 5XXXXX dress for sale. ( For those of you who agreed that I needed to get rid of those jeans in my Christmas photo, the size 22's that I had in no way been able to squeeze into for at least 2 years, the ones that were hanging off of me, I'd like to say that I bought my first pair of size 18 pants in over 6 years a few days ago, and there was something about having the first number be a "1" that was the greatest way posible to end a year that I can imagine.) 3.) I will be vocal and express my opinions on obesity in my community, on-line, and through the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) in the hopes that someday in the future, the recommendations of treatment made by the National Institute of Health will be adhered to by medical

insurance companies, and the Lapband ( and other bariatric procedures) will be covered as a life-saving measure just as the treatments for so many comorbid conditions of obesity are. I will no longer hide behind my SUV and hope that no one sees me, no matter how far I am from reaching my own personal weight goals. 4.) I will practice what I preach. Nope, that one doesn't have anything to do with weight loss. I am passionate about my career, and often reference it in conversation, because for me, being a psychiatric nurse is not a job, it is a blessing. I am doing my best to "come out of the closet" and stop speaking just as a psych nurse without also speaking as someone who experiences depression personally. Whew, and if you think the stigma for being FAT is harsh, try being a fat person with a serious mental illness. I will no longer use "Someone I know", or "My grandmother- cousin-best

friend from college" to share an experience with my patients when I am trying to help them to acquire hope for the future. When I lead my groups, I say "We who suffer from the symptoms of mental illness", not you..... This does not mean that I am ready to walk up to the Board of Directors of the Hospital and announce my own history, but it does mean that I am becoming more and more open ever day about my own past experiences and using them in my work. And yes, it makes me a better nurse for it. Hell, I truly believe that having experienced episodes of SMI that made me pretty much an inanimate object makes me not just a better nurse, but a better person- more compassionate and understanding, definitely. 5.) I WILL ENJOY MY LIFE. I will treasure every day, and not beat myself up for the years wasted in the past, I will do something for FUN every day, whether it is just reading fiction, or singing along

with a song on the radio, and I will not avoid any activities because I am too fat for them. I will roller skate with my son, wear a bathing suit in public, ride my bike on our fabulous bike trail, and I will never again NOT do something because of my weight. I am SO done with hiding.6.) I will finish the book I am writing. I will send it to my husband's aunt, who works for McGraw-Hill, and published or not, I will have completed it.Anyone else willing to share their resolutions?Happy New Year to all, __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

...

I love your list. I read it twice, it's fantastic.

I have one resolution that I can set and do right here in this

email. It is to thank you and Jessie. You and Jessie were the two

people that I seriously needed to make this decision, the decision to

have surgery. After some bizarre emails from me to you, , I

made up my mind that this is what I wanted to do. Your support and

honesty was what made the difference. Then right before surgery and

I was starting to panic a little Jessie and I emailed back and forth

for hours one evening.

So my first resolution is to thank both of you because those emails

made a huge difference in my life. Reaching out to strangers paid

off for me and for you two to reach out to me is making for a life

changing process in my world. So with all my heart and soul, thank

you so much and Jessie!

There, one resolution set and completed! ;o)

My other resolution is simply to lose weight. I'm not going to even

try to quit smoking. Weight is my only goal in life right now. This

year I'm going to do it.

Something I am considering, but not sure. When I went back to

Mexicali after surgery I met a woman that told me it was her mission

in life to bring folks to Dr. A so they could have life changing

experiences too. She had surgery a long time ago and routinely

brings folks to Dr. A. I kinda filed that in the back of my mind and

I've been thinking about it ever since. I really like that idea.

What a cool way to spend your time, helping people to change their

lives in such a drastic and positive manner. I like that idea. It

really makes sense because I have the time so why not reach out to

others?

I have a friend I really respect a great deal. I've known her for

about 3 years now and we have shared the frustrations and struggles

with failed diets and such. She is considering the lap band and I'm

thrilled for her. I really mean it, I am so sincerely happy for her

and I hope she decides this is for her. It's so hard not to push.

I'm so excited about my band, " The Evil One " (only feel that way

after sliming) and the progress I have made to date. I just want

others to experience the same thing but I don't want to push either.

Maybe the band isn't for everyone, personally I think everyone should

be banded ... even skinny people so they never get fat! LOL

I guess that I'm trying to say that I can't think of a better way to

spend my time than to help others achieve what we are, every big

person deserves nothing less. But I need to remember that I am still

an excited newbie and I need to make sure I am not overly ... hmmm,

pushy? People need to make their own decisions about what is right

for them. I can't let my thrill and excitement push anyone into

anything they don't want to do. But in Phoenix this friend is really

the only person that knows what I have done. I haven't told lots of

people, well... except those on this email list.

I'm rambling. Anyway, one resolution completed, one resolution I am

working on, and one I am considering. ;o)

Have an absolutely wonderful New Year everyone and (((HUGS))) to all!

>

> Dear All,

>

> For the past er....well, let's just say years, rather than actually

> listing the full number or how many decades it has been....each

> January

> I've started off with my number one resolution being to LOSE WEIGHT.

> Other resolutions (again, depending on the particular decade) have

> been

> to be more tolerant of my parents/spouse/hormonal teenage

> daughter/insert pretty much anyone I've come into contact with on

> this

> list....Oh, and to stop smoking, save money, be a better (again,

> depending on decade...student/wife/mom/neighbor/friend....

>

> I'd like to thank Dr. Aceves and his team, because THIS year,

losing

> weight will not be just another goal that I set for myself. It is a

> given, and didn't even have to be added to the list this year!

>

> I'm hoping that this means that with all of the time, effort and

> emotional energy that I am saving by NOT failing at a diet, I will

be

> able to make some real headway on those other resolutions of mine.

> Gosh, I really DO hope that is the case, because now that I can't

use

> my weight as an excuse for failing to accomplish something, I

> *reallllllllllly* do NOT want to lapse into another negative

behavior

> just to be able to have a rationalization all ready and waiting in

> the

> wings to be pulled out, dusted off, and used to explain why I

haven't

> accomplished what I set out to do this year!

>

> So, in writing, and shared with all of you, instead of just in my

> journal, here goes.....

>

> 1.) I will stop smoking.

> Oh crap, I really hate to committ to that one. I LIKE smoking. I

> think

> there are only 2 types of people, really, smokers and non-smokers,

> and

> that you just need to decide which one of those you are going to

be,

> and I made that choice a long long time ago. I like everything

> associated with the process, that first long inhale when you are

> grabbing a smoke instead of taking a lunch break, and that last

> exhale

> before you call it a day. But it is even harder to rationalize my

> desire to continue to do something that is a life-threatening

> behavior,

> after spending the money (for the lapband) under the " if I don't do

> this I will be dead in a few years " reasoning.

>

> 2.) I will do everything I can to remain positive and provide

> affirmations about the Lapband, and to constantly state my

gratitude

> for the changes in my life that it has provided me with. PB'ng once

> in

> a while, versus not being able to fit my fat ass in a plane seat so

> that I can go and visit my daughter in Texas.....Gee, that's not

even

> a

> fair contest, is it? Since my banding procedure, I have not

> experienced a single physical discomfort that comes even close to

> comparing with the years of pain, both physical and emotional, that

> my

> obesity forced me to face on a daily basis. So to all I will say

> clearly and without hesitation that I would rather " yak " with EVERY

> bite, if that is what is required, than to stuff my fat face and

> swallow easily, because THAT, my friends, never helped me at all. I

> will gladly never drink another carbonated beverage, alcoholic or

> otherwise, because there isn't a drink in the world ( not sparkling

> sugar free water, not Perrier-Jouet Champagne) that made me feel as

> satisfied as being able to lose weight makes me feel. I will be

> pleased

> for the opportunity to spend whatever it costs to have as many

fills

> as

> are required on this journey, because they still will NEVER add up

to

> the amount that I have spent over the years on impulse shopping

> because

> I was miserable, or on groceries ( like the junk food that never

> actually made it from the store to the pantry because I ate it on

the

> drive home) or on clothing, constantly needing not only a bigger

> size,

> but getting to the point when the size that I needed could not even

> be

> found in any local stores,AND I will change my EBAY email settings

to

> stop sending me messages when someone lists a size 5XXXXX dress for

> sale. ( For those of you who agreed that I needed to get rid of

> those

> jeans in my Christmas photo, the size 22's that I had in no way

been

> able to squeeze into for at least 2 years, the ones that were

hanging

> off of me, I'd like to say that I bought my first pair of size 18

> pants

> in over 6 years a few days ago, and there was something about

having

> the first number be a " 1 " that was the greatest way posible to end

a

> year that I can imagine.)

>

> 3.) I will be vocal and express my opinions on obesity in my

> community, on-line, and through the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition)

in

> the hopes that someday in the future, the recommendations of

> treatment

> made by the National Institute of Health will be adhered to by

> medical

> insurance companies, and the Lapband ( and other bariatric

> procedures)

> will be covered as a life-saving measure just as the treatments for

> so

> many comorbid conditions of obesity are. I will no longer hide

> behind

> my SUV and hope that no one sees me, no matter how far I am from

> reaching my own personal weight goals.

>

> 4.) I will practice what I preach. Nope, that one doesn't have

> anything to do with weight loss. I am passionate about my career,

and

> often reference it in conversation, because for me, being a

> psychiatric

> nurse is not a job, it is a blessing. I am doing my best to " come

out

> of the closet " and stop speaking just as a psych nurse without also

> speaking as someone who experiences depression personally. Whew,

and

> if

> you think the stigma for being FAT is harsh, try being a fat person

> with a serious mental illness. I will no longer use " Someone I

know " ,

> or " My grandmother-cousin-best friend from college " to share an

> experience with my patients when I am trying to help them to

acquire

> hope for the future. When I lead my groups, I say " We who suffer

from

> the symptoms of mental illness " , not you..... This does not mean

that

> I

> am ready to walk up to the Board of Directors of the Hospital and

> announce my own history, but it does mean that I am becoming more

and

> more open ever day about my own past experiences and using them in

my

> work. And yes, it makes me a better nurse for it. Hell, I truly

> believe

> that having experienced episodes of SMI that made me pretty much an

> inanimate object makes me not just a better nurse, but a better

> person-

> more compassionate and understanding, definitely.

>

>

> 5.) I WILL ENJOY MY LIFE. I will treasure every day, and not beat

> myself up for the years wasted in the past, I will do something for

> FUN

> every day, whether it is just reading fiction, or singing along

with

> a

> song on the radio, and I will not avoid any activities because I am

> too

> fat for them. I will roller skate with my son, wear a bathing suit

in

> public, ride my bike on our fabulous bike trail, and I will never

> again

> NOT do something because of my weight. I am SO done with hiding.

>

>

> 6.) I will finish the book I am writing. I will send it to my

> husband's

> aunt, who works for McGraw-Hill, and published or not, I will have

> completed it.

>

> Anyone else willing to share their resolutions?

>

> Happy New Year to all,

>

>

[Guest guest]

, Shirley here, What a nice and uplifting post. Please let us know when you finish your book and where we can buy one. You have such a knack for writing I am sure that you will sell many. I guess everyone's # 1 resolution is to lose weight, but I also am going to stop smoking. I like you really enjoy smoking but I am tired of my grandchildren begging me to stop and I find that more and more it is unexceptable in so many places but also it would be terrible to spend all the money we have on weight loss just to die of Lung Cancer or some smoke related disease. Maybe we can get a support group going on stopping. I know I need all the help I can get and I know there is help out there but seems like I have tried them all. Hugs and a Very Happy New Year. <susan@...> wrote: Dear All,For the past er....well, let's just say years, rather than actually listing the full number or how many decades it has been....each January I've started off with my number one resolution being to LOSE WEIGHT.Other resolutions (again, depending on the particular decade) have been to be more tolerant of my parents/spouse/hormonal teenage daughter/insert pretty much anyone I've come into contact with on this list....Oh, and to stop smoking, save money, be a better (again, depending on decade...student/wife/mom/neighbor/friend....I'd

like to thank Dr. Aceves and his team, because THIS year, losing weight will not be just another goal that I set for myself. It is a given, and didn't even have to be added to the list this year!I'm hoping that this means that with all of the time, effort and emotional energy that I am saving by NOT failing at a diet, I will be able to make some real headway on those other resolutions of mine. Gosh, I really DO hope that is the case, because now that I can't use my weight as an excuse for failing to accomplish something, I *reallllllllllly* do NOT want to lapse into another negative behavior just to be able to have a rationalization all ready and waiting in the wings to be pulled out, dusted off, and used to explain why I haven't accomplished what I set out to do this year!So, in writing, and shared with all of you, instead of just in my journal, here goes.....1.) I will stop smoking.Oh crap, I

really hate to committ to that one. I LIKE smoking. I think there are only 2 types of people, really, smokers and non-smokers, and that you just need to decide which one of those you are going to be, and I made that choice a long long time ago. I like everything associated with the process, that first long inhale when you are grabbing a smoke instead of taking a lunch break, and that last exhale before you call it a day. But it is even harder to rationalize my desire to continue to do something that is a life-threatening behavior, after spending the money (for the lapband) under the "if I don't do this I will be dead in a few years" reasoning. 2.) I will do everything I can to remain positive and provide affirmations about the Lapband, and to constantly state my gratitude for the changes in my life that it has provided me with. PB'ng once in a while, versus not being able to fit my fat ass in a

plane seat so that I can go and visit my daughter in Texas.....Gee, that's not even a fair contest, is it? Since my banding procedure, I have not experienced a single physical discomfort that comes even close to comparing with the years of pain, both physical and emotional, that my obesity forced me to face on a daily basis. So to all I will say clearly and without hesitation that I would rather "yak" with EVERY bite, if that is what is required, than to stuff my fat face and swallow easily, because THAT, my friends, never helped me at all. I will gladly never drink another carbonated beverage, alcoholic or otherwise, because there isn't a drink in the world ( not sparkling sugar free water, not Perrier-Jouet Champagne) that made me feel as satisfied as being able to lose weight makes me feel. I will be pleased for the opportunity to spend whatever it costs to have as many fills as are required on this

journey, because they still will NEVER add up to the amount that I have spent over the years on impulse shopping because I was miserable, or on groceries ( like the junk food that never actually made it from the store to the pantry because I ate it on the drive home) or on clothing, constantly needing not only a bigger size, but getting to the point when the size that I needed could not even be found in any local stores,AND I will change my EBAY email settings to stop sending me messages when someone lists a size 5XXXXX dress for sale. ( For those of you who agreed that I needed to get rid of those jeans in my Christmas photo, the size 22's that I had in no way been able to squeeze into for at least 2 years, the ones that were hanging off of me, I'd like to say that I bought my first pair of size 18 pants in over 6 years a few days ago, and there was something about having the first number be a "1"

that was the greatest way posible to end a year that I can imagine.) 3.) I will be vocal and express my opinions on obesity in my community, on-line, and through the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) in the hopes that someday in the future, the recommendations of treatment made by the National Institute of Health will be adhered to by medical insurance companies, and the Lapband ( and other bariatric procedures) will be covered as a life-saving measure just as the treatments for so many comorbid conditions of obesity are. I will no longer hide behind my SUV and hope that no one sees me, no matter how far I am from reaching my own personal weight goals. 4.) I will practice what I preach. Nope, that one doesn't have anything to do with weight loss. I am passionate about my career, and often reference it in conversation, because for me, being a psychiatric nurse is not a job, it is a

blessing. I am doing my best to "come out of the closet" and stop speaking just as a psych nurse without also speaking as someone who experiences depression personally. Whew, and if you think the stigma for being FAT is harsh, try being a fat person with a serious mental illness. I will no longer use "Someone I know", or "My grandmother-cousin-best friend from college" to share an experience with my patients when I am trying to help them to acquire hope for the future. When I lead my groups, I say "We who suffer from the symptoms of mental illness", not you..... This does not mean that I am ready to walk up to the Board of Directors of the Hospital and announce my own history, but it does mean that I am becoming more and more open ever day about my own past experiences and using them in my work. And yes, it makes me a better nurse for it. Hell, I truly believe that having experienced episodes of SMI that

made me pretty much an inanimate object makes me not just a better nurse, but a better person- more compassionate and understanding, definitely. 5.) I WILL ENJOY MY LIFE. I will treasure every day, and not beat myself up for the years wasted in the past, I will do something for FUN every day, whether it is just reading fiction, or singing along with a song on the radio, and I will not avoid any activities because I am too fat for them. I will roller skate with my son, wear a bathing suit in public, ride my bike on our fabulous bike trail, and I will never again NOT do something because of my weight. I am SO done with hiding.6.) I will finish the book I am writing. I will send it to my husband's aunt, who works for McGraw-Hill, and published or not, I will have completed it.Anyone else willing to share their resolutions?Happy New Year to all,

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I don't know if you've had your surgery or not or if so which one you

will be having or had.

But please if you haven't had your surgery yet, please make quitting

smoking your number one priority!

IF you are having or had gastric by pass quit and quit quickly, it can

cause very dangerous problems with Gastric by pass.

I don't know about lap band, but I'm sur others do.

I quit 4.5 months ago, and it is still tough, Like you I loved

smoking, but I loved living more. I have interstitial cystitis, and

it was a must for it, but I also knew I'd be looking into WLS and I

don't want to ever smoke again. THE WLS will help me stick to that,

but I would have stuck to it anyway.

So please do put the quittng at the top. I'll be rooting for you.

[Guest guest]

, What wonderful resolutions you have made and will achieve I'm sure!!

I didn't openly make any resolutions. As I sit here, I know I have conquered my biggest evil..the one thing that made me feel like a failure for years..losing weight. The only remaining evil, the one that everyone frowns upon, hearing over and over again... "you smell like an ashtray", "can't believe your a nurse that smokes" Those statements I would love to never hear again!! I resolve to never utter those words to any smoker when I become a non-smoker!! I pledge that I will let any smoker smoke around me and not be the nasty X-smoker many of us know!! I don't know just yet when I will quit, I have only quit once.. for Dr. A and couldn't wait to go out the ER doors for a smoke the day after surgery!!

With that said...I personally know I will quit...this month?, this year?? Life changing things take a little time as we all know but are worth the effort. I want to enjoy my time without a cigarette. Spend all that money on new clothes (that won't smell like smoke) and proudly say..I'm a non-smoker!! This evil will be defeated!!

Congrat's on the book! As soon as they publish it..you'll be "sold out" from all of us on this group!!

You have "come a long way baby!" You look amazing and I know all your dreams will come true!

Happy New year to you and yours!!

Dana

-------------- Original message -------------- From: " " <susan@...>

Dear All,For the past er....well, let's just say years, rather than actually listing the full number or how many decades it has been....each January I've started off with my number one resolution being to LOSE WEIGHT.Other resolutions (again, depending on the particular decade) have been to be more tolerant of my parents/spouse/hormonal teenage daughter/insert pretty much anyone I've come into contact with on this list....Oh, and to stop smoking, save money, be a better (again, depending on decade...student/wife/mom/neighbor/friend....I'd like to thank Dr. Aceves and his team, because THIS year, losing weight will not be just another goal that I set for myself. It is a given, and didn't even have to be added to the list this year!I'm hoping that this means that with all of the time, effort and emotional energy that I am saving by NOT failing at a diet, I will be able to make some real headway on those other resolutions of mine. Gosh, I really DO hope that is the case, because now that I can't use my weight as an excuse for failing to accomplish something, I *reallllllllllly* do NOT want to lapse into another negative behavior just to be able to have a rationalization all ready and waiting in the wings to be pulled out, dusted off, and used to explain why I haven't accomplished what I set out to do this year!So, in writing, and shared with all of you, instead of just in my journal, here goes.....1.) I will stop smoking.Oh crap, I really hate to committ to that one. I LIKE smoking. I think there are only 2 types of people, really, smokers and non-smokers, and that you just need to decide which one of those you are going to be, and I made that choice a long long time ago. I like everything associated with the process, that first long inhale when you are grabbing a smoke instea

d of taking a lunch break, and that last exhale before you call it a day. But it is even harder to rationalize my desire to continue to do something that is a life-threatening behavior, after spending the money (for the lapband) under the "if I don't do this I will be dead in a few years" reasoning. 2.) I will do everything I can to remain positive and provide affirmations about the Lapband, and to constantly state my gratitude for the changes in my life that it has provided me with. PB'ng once in a while, versus not being able to fit my fat ass in a plane seat so that I can go and visit my daughter in Texas.....Gee, that's not even a fair contest, is it? Since my banding procedure, I have not experienced a single physical discomfort that comes even close to comparing with the years of pain, both physical and emotional, that my obesity forced me to face on a daily basis. So to all I will say clearly and

without hesitation that I would rather "yak" with EVERY bite, if that is what is required, than to stuff my fat face and swallow easily, because THAT, my friends, never helped me at all. I will gladly never drink another carbonated beverage, alcoholic or otherwise, because there isn't a drink in the world ( not sparkling sugar free water, not Perrier-Jouet Champagne) that made me feel as satisfied as being able to lose weight makes me feel. I will be pleased for the opportunity to spend whatever it costs to have as many fills as are required on this journey, because they still will NEVER add up to the amount that I have spent over the years on impulse shopping because I was miserable, or on groceries ( like the junk food that never actually made it from the store to the pantry because I ate it on the drive home) or on clothing, constantly needing not only a bigger size, but getting to the point when the size that I needed could not even be found in any local stores,AND I will change my EBAY email settings to stop sending me messages when someone lists a size 5XXXXX dress for sale. ( For those of you who agreed that I needed to get rid of those jeans in my Christmas photo, the size 22's that I had in no way been able to squeeze into for at least 2 years, the ones that were hanging off of me, I'd like to say that I bought my first pair of size 18 pants in over 6 years a few days ago, and there was something about having the first number be a "1" that was the greatest way posible to end a year that I can imagine.) 3.) I will be vocal and express my opinions on obesity in my community, on-line, and through the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) in the hopes that someday in the future, the recommendations of treatment made by the National Institute of Health will be adhered to by medical insurance companies, and the Lapb

and ( and other bariatric procedures) will be covered as a life-saving measure just as the treatments for so many comorbid conditions of obesity are. I will no longer hide behind my SUV and hope that no one sees me, no matter how far I am from reaching my own personal weight goals. 4.) I will practice what I preach. Nope, that one doesn't have anything to do with weight loss. I am passionate about my career, and often reference it in conversation, because for me, being a psychiatric nurse is not a job, it is a blessing. I am doing my best to "come out of the closet" and stop speaking just as a psych nurse without also speaking as someone who experiences depression personally. Whew, and if you think the stigma for being FAT is harsh, try being a fat person with a serious mental illness. I will no longer use "Someone I know", or "My grandmother-cousin-best friend from college" to share an experien

ce with my patients when I am trying to help them to acquire hope for the future. When I lead my groups, I say "We who suffer from the symptoms of mental illness", not you..... This does not mean that I am ready to walk up to the Board of Directors of the Hospital and announce my own history, but it does mean that I am becoming more and more open ever day about my own past experiences and using them in my work. And yes, it makes me a better nurse for it. Hell, I truly believe that having experienced episodes of SMI that made me pretty much an inanimate object makes me not just a better nurse, but a better person- more compassionate and understanding, definitely. 5.) I WILL ENJOY MY LIFE. I will treasure every day, and not beat myself up for the years wasted in the past, I will do something for FUN every day, whether it is just reading fiction, or singing along with a song on the radio, and I will not avoid any activities because I am too fat for them. I will roller skate with my son, wear a bathing suit in public, ride my bike on our fabulous bike trail, and I will never again NOT do something because of my weight. I am SO done with hiding.6.) I will finish the book I am writing. I will send it to my husband's aunt, who works for McGraw-Hill, and published or not, I will have completed it.Anyone else willing to share their resolutions?Happy New Year to all,

[Guest guest]

, You didn't sign off with your d.o.b. or your weight loss stats. Would love to see how far you have come. <susan@...> wrote: Dear All,For the past er....well, let's just say years, rather than actually listing the full number or how many decades it has been....each January I've started off with my number one resolution being to LOSE WEIGHT.Other resolutions (again, depending on the particular decade) have been to be

more tolerant of my parents/spouse/hormonal teenage daughter/insert pretty much anyone I've come into contact with on this list....Oh, and to stop smoking, save money, be a better (again, depending on decade...student/wife/mom/neighbor/friend....I'd like to thank Dr. Aceves and his team, because THIS year, losing weight will not be just another goal that I set for myself. It is a given, and didn't even have to be added to the list this year!I'm hoping that this means that with all of the time, effort and emotional energy that I am saving by NOT failing at a diet, I will be able to make some real headway on those other resolutions of mine. Gosh, I really DO hope that is the case, because now that I can't use my weight as an excuse for failing to accomplish something, I *reallllllllllly* do NOT want to lapse into another negative behavior just to be able to have a rationalization all

ready and waiting in the wings to be pulled out, dusted off, and used to explain why I haven't accomplished what I set out to do this year!So, in writing, and shared with all of you, instead of just in my journal, here goes.....1.) I will stop smoking.Oh crap, I really hate to committ to that one. I LIKE smoking. I think there are only 2 types of people, really, smokers and non-smokers, and that you just need to decide which one of those you are going to be, and I made that choice a long long time ago. I like everything associated with the process, that first long inhale when you are grabbing a smoke instead of taking a lunch break, and that last exhale before you call it a day. But it is even harder to rationalize my desire to continue to do something that is a life-threatening behavior, after spending the money (for the lapband) under the "if I don't do this I will be dead in a few

years" reasoning. 2.) I will do everything I can to remain positive and provide affirmations about the Lapband, and to constantly state my gratitude for the changes in my life that it has provided me with. PB'ng once in a while, versus not being able to fit my fat ass in a plane seat so that I can go and visit my daughter in Texas.....Gee, that's not even a fair contest, is it? Since my banding procedure, I have not experienced a single physical discomfort that comes even close to comparing with the years of pain, both physical and emotional, that my obesity forced me to face on a daily basis. So to all I will say clearly and without hesitation that I would rather "yak" with EVERY bite, if that is what is required, than to stuff my fat face and swallow easily, because THAT, my friends, never helped me at all. I will gladly never drink another carbonated beverage, alcoholic or otherwise, because there

isn't a drink in the world ( not sparkling sugar free water, not Perrier-Jouet Champagne) that made me feel as satisfied as being able to lose weight makes me feel. I will be pleased for the opportunity to spend whatever it costs to have as many fills as are required on this journey, because they still will NEVER add up to the amount that I have spent over the years on impulse shopping because I was miserable, or on groceries ( like the junk food that never actually made it from the store to the pantry because I ate it on the drive home) or on clothing, constantly needing not only a bigger size, but getting to the point when the size that I needed could not even be found in any local stores,AND I will change my EBAY email settings to stop sending me messages when someone lists a size 5XXXXX dress for sale. ( For those of you who agreed that I needed to get rid of those jeans in my Christmas photo,

the size 22's that I had in no way been able to squeeze into for at least 2 years, the ones that were hanging off of me, I'd like to say that I bought my first pair of size 18 pants in over 6 years a few days ago, and there was something about having the first number be a "1" that was the greatest way posible to end a year that I can imagine.) 3.) I will be vocal and express my opinions on obesity in my community, on-line, and through the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) in the hopes that someday in the future, the recommendations of treatment made by the National Institute of Health will be adhered to by medical insurance companies, and the Lapband ( and other bariatric procedures) will be covered as a life-saving measure just as the treatments for so many comorbid conditions of obesity are. I will no longer hide behind my SUV and hope that no one sees me, no matter how far I am from

reaching my own personal weight goals. 4.) I will practice what I preach. Nope, that one doesn't have anything to do with weight loss. I am passionate about my career, and often reference it in conversation, because for me, being a psychiatric nurse is not a job, it is a blessing. I am doing my best to "come out of the closet" and stop speaking just as a psych nurse without also speaking as someone who experiences depression personally. Whew, and if you think the stigma for being FAT is harsh, try being a fat person with a serious mental illness. I will no longer use "Someone I know", or "My grandmother-cousin-best friend from college" to share an experience with my patients when I am trying to help them to acquire hope for the future. When I lead my groups, I say "We who suffer from the symptoms of mental illness", not you..... This does not mean that I am ready to walk up to the Board of

Directors of the Hospital and announce my own history, but it does mean that I am becoming more and more open ever day about my own past experiences and using them in my work. And yes, it makes me a better nurse for it. Hell, I truly believe that having experienced episodes of SMI that made me pretty much an inanimate object makes me not just a better nurse, but a better person- more compassionate and understanding, definitely. 5.) I WILL ENJOY MY LIFE. I will treasure every day, and not beat myself up for the years wasted in the past, I will do something for FUN every day, whether it is just reading fiction, or singing along with a song on the radio, and I will not avoid any activities because I am too fat for them. I will roller skate with my son, wear a bathing suit in public, ride my bike on our fabulous bike trail, and I will never again NOT do something because of my weight. I am SO done

with hiding.6.) I will finish the book I am writing. I will send it to my husband's aunt, who works for McGraw-Hill, and published or not, I will have completed it.Anyone else willing to share their resolutions?Happy New Year to all, __________________________________________________