Sharing my life.....

[Guest guest]

OK, someone (can't remember who) told me I needed to " share my life " with

the newbies since I hardly post anymore. (But I read mostly everything, I

swear!)

I'm Melisa, I had surgery 3/26/02. Before surgery, I weighed 318 pounds.

My BMI was 52.8. I took up to 6 shots a day for diabetes, an insulin

resistance medication, two blood pressure pills, steroids for my asthma and

8 bipolar pills. I, at the age of 33, had already had a mini-stroke, a

hysterectomy, pancreatitis, my gallbladder removed in my 20s, knee surgeries

and an elbow surgery. My depression was so bad, I couldn't leave the house.

If my mother-in-law was coming into town, my husband had to take a day off

work to help clean house, because I just couldn't do it. I got winded

walking the mall, so I quit. I was just a total train wreck.

Today, I weigh in at 175, my BMI is somewhere around 28 I think, which as

Marta pointed out to me, is no longer " obese " just simply " overweight " . I

can deal with that. I wear, depending on make and " model " LOL, a 14-18, I

use to wear a tight 28. Now, I can roller blade with my kids, bike ride

with my kids, clean house because mother-in-law is coming, and today.....

I'm cooking for a baby shower. I'm making flautas for 30 people with

guacamole, soupa, pico de gallo and I have others bringing the beans and

other condiments. Then Saturday, my mother-in-law, her sister, my husband's

cousin's, my brother-in-law, his girlfriend, my niece and the girlfriend's

son are coming into to town for a family reunion on Sunday. So, they all

want to meet here on Saturday. So, I'm BBQing for 13 people on Saturday,

making Chicken, potato salad, fruit salad and a green salad. Then the next

day we're going to the family reunion in Bakersfield.

Before surgery there is no way I could have done all that. NONE. And while

I'm making the flautas today, I'm going to be doing some " batch cooking " for

our family, so after this weekend is over, I don't have to worry about

cooking for a few days, because dinners will already be made and in the

freezer.

My kids say I'm a really cool mom now... makes me wonder what they thought

before. My 12 year old and I are sharing clothes all the time, and

occasionally my almost 14 year old asks if she can wear " one of my cute

tops? " She's so cute.

Diabetes--CURED

High Blood Pressure -- under control with no medication

Asthma -- only use an emergency inhaler when needed (twice in the last year)

knees -- ache with arthritis not pain of weight bearing.

Bipolar Disorder -- I have not had to take medication for this since 2 days

before surgery. My psychiatrist has written me off until such time that I

need to take medication again. He says, I'm " in remission " . I haven't seen

him since September of last year.

At church, people are always confusing my daughters and I. I have one

person that is constantly talking to one of my kids (Kymmie) waiting for her

to smile or say something to make sure she's got braces on and it's not me.

LOL All my kids just laugh and say, " she's in the library " . It's really

comical. I got IDed the other day at the school, they thought I was a kid

trying to sign myself out of school. ROFL.

I have a friend who is a Sheriff and he told me I needed to get a new

license because the picture of me doesn't look anything like me. So, I

guess I should probably do that before he " writes me up " .

OK, there ya go... there's me. Welcome to all the newbies!

Melisa in CA

-142