The Losing Side

Happy ‘3rd Birthday’ To Me!!!! The Good, The Bad, The Pretty And The Ugly; A Reveal All Post!

January 31st, 2010

My ‘3rd Birthday’ is coming up this Friday, Feb 5, 2010. 3 years ago on Friday I arrived at ’stupid o’clock’ in the morning at Roanoke Memorial Hospital amidst a windchill that can only be described as what Northern Canada must feel like. It was awful and in fact snowed the next day while I was recovering.

At approx 7:30 AM, after asking a couple of the nurses if I was the heaviest person ever to have gastric bypass (only to get the same reaction, a laugh followed by “Oh Lord no!”), I was wheeled into the surgery room and there were SO MANY people in there! Wow! The sleep juice doctor and I always talk and come to an understanding. Due to a scary experience I had when I was 10 years old and was put under for my tonsils, I always; and I mean always, hold the mask. So I held the mask, drifted off, woke up 5 1/2 hours later.Keeping with my tradition of coming out of it very quickly, the recovery room nurse said, “I am not going to have you for very long” and within minutes was taken to my room in the PICU (baby ICU).

You can read all the recovery stuff, if you so desire if you go back to the beginnning of the blog.

I am going to write about the good, the bad, the pretty and the ugly and for the first time am going to reveal numbers.

I went on the table at 302 lbs. My heaviest weight that I know of is 318 lbs. That was years ago. I got down below 300 lbs for a good long while but was still in the high 200’s. Anyway; went on at 302 lbs. With my age and bone structure, my goal was set at 170. That is a respectable weight for where I was and I was happy enough t0 shoot for that. I am 5 f 8 in…. tall…. so , ok. Well, I got to 170 and just kept going, going , going. I, now,  basically keep a holding pattern around 140 lbs. I am very happy at this weight!  With 10 lbs of skin and my large frame it is at the low end of normal. When I got sick a few weeks back I got down to 132 lbs. I got it clarified that I was beginning to show signs of malnutrition. However, that was a special circumstance.  140  ish or 10 stone for my Northern Irish family is my sweet spot. My family and both my nurse practitioner at my surgeon’s office  and my family doctor want me to gain 10 lbs, but I just don’t think I can! I know what they want and why but it just seems so wrong!

OK, so the good, bad, the pretty, the ugly…..

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat a gazillion times over!

The good: My heart health is great; cholesterol, bp and blood sugar; fantastic. Endocrinologist report states I have a “less than average chance for coronary heart disease”. Before my surgery, I had a higher than average risk. God is so good!

The bad: Thank you God!: I have not thrown up one time since my surgery! I have come very close, but have been able to work it through; however, I do have a lot of gastro- intestinal issues and have 4 tummy meds available to take (as needed)

The pretty: Shopping for regular, cute and saucy clothes! Hubby is impressed at my talent for super bargain shopping, a real plus!

The ugly: My extra skin    It isn’t super bad but I hate it. No one sees it except Me, Paul and occasionally medical professionals. I am going to look into some options for plastic surgery but doubt my insurance will cover it.

The good: The ‘freedom’ I feel as I ‘fly’ through grocery stores, feeling small in roller coaster seats; just plain feeling light on my feet. It just ‘feels healthy’.

The bad: Having to take a bazillion vitamins everyday or else find myself in a situation that I am in now, having to get a script for Vitamin D and low on protein, etc. For the rest of my life,  once a year, I am going to have to have my blood checked to make sure all is ok with my vitamins and if it is not, will have to correct it.

The pretty: HIGH HEELS!  I was never able to wear them because of my weight. Now they are easy to wear and I love wearing them!

The ugly: Since my face has gotten so ‘thin’ as they say, I really have to work on my eyes. Because my eyes are already ’small and hazy’ (I get that from my Dad) and I have what are called ‘nasal shiners’ from my bad allergies, the ‘dark circles’ I am prone to are worse. I get so tired of people telling me that I look tired.

Anyway, the good, the bad, the pretty, the ugly…. you get the drift. It has not all been a piece of cake. There have been a few bumps along the road but for the most part, I am what you would call a success story. The main reason, however, I am a success story is that I was given a tool and I did the work.  I know of people that have the surgery and think they can just do what thay want and then wonder why they aren’t losing weight.

As far as things like holidays, etc? It is quite simple. I have what everyone else is, I just have a few bites of everything, including pie (yum!) and I am stuffed! I don’t feel deprived! As long as I can eat a few bites of everything, I am good! Nothing tastes as good as being ‘thin’ feels!

I have had numerous bumps; mostly dealing with my stomach. I get terrible stomach spasms at times and it is generally when things, em, er, eh…. get ‘backed up’ (something very common with bariatric patients). Sometimes the pain is horrible for days and my weight drops. Last time this happened I also had broken out in shingles and my weight had dropped to 132 lbs. I actually had these discolorations and bruises on my skin. I would later find out I was in the early stages of malnutrition! Yikes! I got my weight up to 140 ish again. But a part of me thought, “Oh cool, I am losing again.” And, yes, I am working diligently with my counselor of 7 years on my warped body image.

I am really opening myself up here. However, what I want people to know is this: I believe in this surgery 150%. I would do it again a bazillion times over. I think it is the cure for obesity; diets don’t work. Now don’t get me wrong! I believe you CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN! You just have to be really strong and determined. Bear in mind too, with my hashimoto’s disease, I was fighting a bum metabolism too.

I also am saying it is not an easy ticket. You still have to do plenty of work. You still think about your weight every minute nearly. I highly recommend finding a good counselor to ride the ride.

It is not an easy ticket, but it is a great tool. You have to have the determination and know it is a long road!

I can’t believe it has been 3 years. What a long strange trip it has been. Below are some of my favorite outfits this winter.

 

Happy New Year 2010!!!!!!!

January 1st, 2010

Here it is, another New Year. Where did the last one go? They all seem to go faster and faster? It is so hard to believe it has been 10 years since Y2k. It is scary. In any event, it has been a challenging couple of years (not so much weight wise, thank goodness, but in other ways), so I think this year is finally our turn to get a break.

As for my weight, well I couldn’t be happier. As for others, well I will explain in a moment.

I have my ‘zone’. This ‘zone’ is about 5 lbs I teeter between and as long as I stay there, I feel great and am at my sweet spot. The last time I was at my primary care Dr to get 2 steroid shots for my asthma (the 2nd round in 2 months after blowing through my last rescue inhaler in 6 weeks) I had to confess (when he wanted to up my advair) that I was not taking my controller meds for my asthma like I should because I was afraid advair might make me gain weight. Now bear in mind, I have researched advair and found no data to say it can cause weight gain. It is not on the list of side effects (for the same reason I won’t take lyrica for my fibromyalgia even though it is wonderful, but weight gain is truly one of the possible side effects). Well, never fear, the Dr and a student he had with him made me way more afraid of the steroid shots than the advair. So I promised to take my controllers faithfully for a month, see how it goes and if I continue to have the attacks like I was, then they could up my advair (like he suggested when he thought I was actually taking it like I should but wasn’t). When I went in there I was at the upper end of my zone (weight wise). The Dr. stated that I was at the LOW end of normal for my weight and that I did not need to lose anymore weight and in fact it would not hurt for me to gain a few pounds. That still sounds so crazy to me. But I have been hearing this from family, other doctors, friends and co workers for months. My Uncle David gave me a 30 minute ear-full on how I needed to gain weight. My mum-in-law in Ireland, the same and on and on. But the thing is, I feel good in ‘my zone’. It feels great; light as a feather though I absolutely recognize I do not need to lose anymore weight.

So, as I start this New Year, I not only start with zero collateral damage from the holidays, I start 1 lb below the low end of my zone weight.

What is the secret 3 years out to keeping it off?

I wish I had one good answer but I think it is just as simple as this: when I had the surgery on 2-5-07, I had been through so much to get there and had learned so much I knew what I had to do. Dr. Lucktong gave me the tool, but it was up to me to use it. It was up to me to make lifestyle changes that would insure my success in keeping a healthy weight. I fight urges nearly every day to ward off the vending machine monsters. I make decisions everyday to stay away from certain foods. Sometimes; especially that ‘certain’ time of month, I give in. But I always make sure I am in control.

I enjoyed myself over the holidays. I had goodies. I did not deprive myself, but I did not go hog-wild either.

There is NOTHING in this world that tastes as good as feeling the way I do in my ‘zone’ weight.

Changes as I come upon my 3rd ‘birthday’? Well, to help a bit with $$$$$$ and just due to the fact that I think the time has come that I can part ways with them, I am giving up my morning protein shake. I am eating a yogurt each morning and a cottage cheese doubler as part of my lunch each day. I will get some extra protein with a few peanut butter crackers (a lot cheaper) during the day. The protein shake is $40 a month and I just feel I have come to the point where I don’t need it anymore.

What I love most is ‘good’ foods taste the best to me. Sure I have a few treats here and there, but give me good healthy foods for the most part.

Coming upon my 3rd ‘birthday’ and still the only ‘regret’ I have is that I did not have the surgery sooner.

May everyone have a blessed 2010.

At Last!

October 21st, 2009

I knew I would make it! I am too determined not to gain weight to not make it so I did it! I got the ten pounds and then some off! I am actually, as of this morning, at my all time low. My husband is not at all pleased. He says I have lost too much weight and I also hear it from my youngest daughter. Bear in mind I was not trying to get down to my all time low (making it actually 14ish lbs  I have dropped in the last few weeks) it just happened. The last day has been emotionally distraught for me. I won’t go into the why’s or what’s but my stomach feels like the eviquelent of receiving a horses head in your bed from the mafia or something, so I am lucky to get 1/2 a protein shake down today and 1/2 a cup of coffee. Yesterday was Paul’s birthday and  I did not even finish one piece of pizza. Anyway; that is not how I recommend losing weight. Nontheless, the last two days aside; eating the right things and splurging a bit here and there and walking along with plenty of water! Yep, that is the trick! God Bless All! Remember, Our God is an Awesome God!

My First Real Battle; And I Will Win

September 29th, 2009

I am not quite sure when it happened. I think it was the marathon birthdays (Taylor’s, mine and Sarah’s) and the fact I can’t tear myself away from the vending machine at work when they load it with Cinnamon Toast Crunch bites, but somewhere over the last several weeks I have gained nearly 10 lbs! I am mad, sad, depressed, scared and devastated. The thing is, I don’t know where it has gone as I can’t really tell much of a difference.

Paul has a theory. I have become a walking machine. Yep, finally 2+ years out I decided I wold faithfull exercise so I have started walking everday on my 10 min and lunch break. So I getting  50 mins of exercise a day in. Paul thinks maybe it is muscle? I don’t know. All I know is old habits are creeping back in. I see it. And it stops NOW. I will not allow it. Simple. I have turned it over to God and I know He will keep me on the straight and narrow. The good news is, it is ‘only’ 10 lbs. And yes, even though I had exceeded my goal by 30 lbs and had numerous family members saying I lost ‘too much’, it felt so good so it is CRUNCH time, especially with the holiday’s around the corner. I am going to keep up with my walking because I love it and love the way it is making me feel; even if it is building muscle. However, I am going to make some small changes in my food intake and I think that will help me get this little bit back off.

After my appointment with my endocrinologist (think of it as this: remember your hardest class in high school? Rembember that final exam in the hardest class with the hardest teacher?) Not that the teacher wasn’t nice. Actually my thyroid doc is what I would call a hyper ‘old hippie’.  But for years it was “your weight this, and your weight that”. Now since the RNY it is different. He tests me for everything and now my cholesteral is good, my BP is too low really, my heart rate resting is usually in the 50’s (no, I am NOT kidding), and my insulin resistance gave way to an A-1c of 4.1. He is pleased as punch. When I went yesterday, I weighed exactly what I did last time I saw him. I did not mention the losing of 10 more lbs, etc. He was pleased; said my weight is great and that is that  You would think I would ‘get it’; that my weight is ‘ok’. Alas, I still think I am fat. And Paul really does think it is the walking because since my BMI is 21. whatever, he said it like this, “You don’t have much, if any fat to lose. You have loose skin (all gastric bypass patients do), but I can tell since you have been walking that you are actually firming up and gaining muscle tone.” So, maybe there is something there? My jeans from last year are not the least bit tight. In fact if anything they are a bit too loose and may need a tuck by my seanstress.  In any event, I am still going to try to get this 10 lbs off even though my husband, my daughter Taylor and yes, even my ‘hardest’ doctor says I am fine where I am.

Like I said, it is nothing anyone has noticed. However, to me I hate it. So, I WILL WIN.

Here are some of Paul’s latest pics of me

 

Yellow

July 14th, 2009

Look at the stars,  Look how they shine for you,  And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow……… Coldplay   “Yellow”

Awwwwwwwww yes, one of my favorite Coldplay songs. My yellow, however, is one of my newer shirts that I managed to get free from a local discount retail store after unbeknownst to me, my dressing room had mystery liquid in it. After the shirt I was wearing became wet with this liquid, the manager agreed to give me the new yellow shirt. I was not going to wear my shirt out with that unknown liquid on it. Also, she gave me a discount on the grey capri’s I am wearing  and another sharp looking pair of black capri’s that are  great for work, church, etc

I am doing good with my RNY….. working the program…. pulling the reigns if the scale goes one way and adding some ooooomf if it goes the other.

So here you go….. my yellow…..

But Seriously…….

July 5th, 2009

A lot has happened in the last few weeks to make the world stop and take notice. On the same day the world lost two big entertainers. One, a beautiful , golden locked lady with the million dollar smile that this pudgy 12 year old would have given anything to look like. Oh, how I wanted to be beautiful like Farrah and have the boys want to be her boyfriend. But who was I? I was just a mish mosh of Irish and Mediterranean with a Dutch (big) build compounded by a mom with an addiction (bear in mind I hold no animosity towards her; I love her; her problems are just as real as anyone else’s). However with her problems, it was easier to keep her 12 year old happy with big macs and baskin and robbins than to spend time with me.  Of course,  that did not help the pudginess.

Anyway…. yes, like every other pudgy little girl, I wanted to be just like Farrah.  Perfect and untouchable.

And then there  is Michael Jackson. This same little pudgy girl had a HUGE crush on the youngest and cutest of the brothers. Oh, he was such a cutie! As I got older and saw him turn into the best of the best…… that boy could DANCE! WOW! I mean, to this day nothing can beat “Thriller”,  his talent amazed me and millions of others.

Fast forward many years. Millions of dollars later, the two die hours apart years before they should.

What does it all mean? Being rich, beautiful (I refer to Farrah; when Michael started doing all that plastic surgery he came off my ‘cute’ list really fast tho I still considered him a talented entertainer), and being a super star does not mean squat in the eyes of God. We are still all human beings and we have a one way ticket into this world and a one way ticket out. As the Bible says, “We know not the time or the place”.  So we all must be ready. Farrah had warning, yes. Michael? Maybe. Depends on what they find out. But the bottom line is all the money, fame, beauty and even being THIN will not buy immortality.

I knew when I had my surgery I would likely add, GOD WILLING, some years and QUALITY to my life. But in the end that is Gods’ call. For now, I can attest, I have added QUALITY. Oh sweet Jesus I have added quality. For that I thank  God everyday. But the bottom line is, in the eyes of God we are all the same. From the poorest of the poor in a third world country to the richest of the rich who wants for nothing.

Just a few thoughts……. God Bless.

Wow! Wow! Wow!

July 5th, 2009

Ok, so I have had some first! A few WOW! moments as we call them in the WLS world.  One for me is the ability to wear high heels without falling over. Actually, the ability to wear high heels and even stand up! LOL. When I was at my heaviest and even at some weights well below this, wearing heels was just a dream. But not anymore! I had the chunky heels I bought years ago in Belfast that just sat in my closet. I have been wearing those for months but now I can even buy cute little summer sandal heels.

The other WOW! moment was buying my first pair of size 8 pants (well actually gaucho capris). Happy as a clam at a size 10, I was astonished when I took something back to exchange it and found I needed a size 8!!!!!!! Huh???? No way! But I did. Now bear in mind, several of my shirts are size smalls and  I have been ‘getting into’ size 8’s’  for a while but with the loose skin and the fact I cannot stand anything the least bit tight, I opted for the 10’s which was fine for me. Considering when I went into surgery I always stated I would be thrilled to be a 14 again (I was size 26-28 when I went on the table).

So, I present to you pics of me in my heels (black gaucho capris, size medium from Target and cute black and white blouse from one of my new favorite stores SUPER DISCOUNT with really cute clothes, ROSS, size medium). The next is my size 8 dark denim gauchos with my coral shirt, size medium from Old Navy.

Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!

June 15th, 2009

Just a quick update. I had a super WOW moment on Saturday!

I was taking a pair of capri’s back to JC Penny’s that I just was not too happy with because they were a bit baggy in the hips and rear end. They were low rise (which I love low rise) but were even a bit big in the waist area too. I thought perhaps being levi brand (I had got them on a SUPER MEGA sale) I had accidentally grabbed size 12’s instead of my normal 10’s but no, they were 10’s and too big.

I tried on a pair of ‘designer’ foo foo gaucho type capris that were SIZE 8’s and they FIT!!!!!!!!!! I wasn’t sure if they looked better than the others but they FIT GREAT and were a SIZE 8!!!!!!!!!! I was so JAZZED!!!!!!

So as it would happen, I did not know and was going to keep the ones I had first bought. Well, I ran into a friend from church and asked her opinion. She liked the 8’s better! She explained to me why and I agreed. It was an even exchange so I was not out any money SO….. I own my first size 8 pair pants/capris/shorts! What a feeling!!!!!!!

My Week Without Paul and Goals

June 13th, 2009

BMI today 21.3

Well, it is Saturday and Paul will be home tomorrow night!  Yay!  So, how did my week without Paul go; my first week apart since he came over from Ireland?  It has been a trying one, that is for sure!

The first weekend went pretty good. I had a ‘mother-daughter’ Saturday with my youngest daughter. Money was a bit tight, so we decided an inexspensive lunch with this really great discount store in the area to see what they might have followed by our favorite thrift store (Goodwill; that place saved my bacon when I was losing the weight) would be a fun Saturday.

We went to lunch and  both ordered the same thing; taco salad, no tomato’s. I ate maybe 1/3 rd of mine, but what I did eat was muy bueno! I had to finally breakdown and ask my daughter if it was my imagination or was our waiter flirting with both of us! She said she wanted to say something but was embarassed but YES, he was! Oh my! That was funny! Speaking Spanish to us and flirting with a mother and daughter. It made for a good laugh!

So we went and did some very lite shopping and went home and had her boyfriend over for dinner. Oh, the one hitch was my drivers side window (power) in my car, which I loathe, decided not to roll down. I thought, “Paul has not even landed in San Jose yet, and something has broke on the car”. Later that afternoon, it decided to start working again and Praise God has been working ever since.

The next day Taylor and I went to Sunday School at my church as it was the last Sunday School for my class (long sad story about changes coming at my church) and them came home and had my older 2 daughters and son in law over for lunch. The girls presented me with a beautiful boquet of flowers and lunch was very enjoyable tho everyone, myself included. got stuffed. I think next time I have the girls over we will play some  “Scene It” or the like after we eat.

The rest of the week? Well I wish it had gone as well. See, I had been fighting this sinus infection. My regular NP was on vacation and I had to see a doctor I don’t care for too much. He put me on Kflex and it TORE my tummy/ pouch to shreds. I was doubled over in pain by Tues and by Wed had called and said I am ’stopping this medicine now’. They called me in something else called a ‘z pack’ but the bottom line is I get WAY too many sinus infections and am put on WAY too many antibiotics and I have decided I am going to see an ENT to get to the bottom of it.

So, my sinus’s are hurting, my stomach is tore up, my neck is hurting where my fibro usually gets me because of my sinus’s,  and this big snow ball has been created. I am looking at every OTC pain reliever I can find including NSAIDS which are NOT good for the pouch and I am NOT supposed to take, period.  But when you are alone and hurting and it won’t stop, you just think, “Hmmmmmmm excedrin migraine, what the _______. I will try it and in fact I will take 1/2 talblet more than it calls for. I am a ‘blg girl’  WAIT, no, I used to say that. Does that count anymore? Can I use that argument? At a BMI of 21.3 does that count, you know, the I-am-a-big-girl-so-I-can-take-an-extra-excedrin? ” “I know the ‘gastric bypass’ people say NSAIDS are evil, but they are not stuck in a doom of pain from head to toe, alone with thunder and lightning  with no husband to rub their neck or feet or just make them feel comforted. and have to get up and go to work in the morning …. and…. and….  and….”

Yes, when you are in pain this is really how your mid thinks! :-O

So by mid week mine and Pauls FRUSTRATING phone conversations over a ‘free’ internet based phone connection that many times sounded like two cans and a string were more frustrating than anything. I hoped online a few times and just talked via IM because this was much less frustrating.  At one point, I had Brody our beagle out in a thunder storm trying to get him to ‘go’. It was like someone was dumping buckets of water on me. So there I am ‘hurting’ in various places, trying to get a lazy beagle that hates water to ‘go poo poo’ and talk to my husband in Costa Rica on my cell phone via a crappy connection during a thunderstorm (which I am certain was not real safe on my end). Just shoot me now.  :-/

Yesterday (Friday) my alarm did not wake me up, my stomach did. The first thoughts that fleeted through my mind were, “This is why the gastric bypass people tell you not to take NSAIDS”. Then I sat up and rememberd I still have sinus’s that are still being treated and am still very prone to headaches. I grappled with ‘do I go to work or don’t I?’. I tried. I went in for like 4 hours or so and then threw in the towel.

This morning I am still not feeling so hot but hoping a lazy weekend at home will help me. I AM , however, going to get some TYLENOL or the generic version of it today. No more NSAIDS on this pouch unless I absolutely am pushed against a wall. For those of you reading this that have had RNY; TAKE IT FROM ME; DO NOT TAKE NSAIDS UNLESS YOUR PHYS SAYS IT IS OK!

Paul will be home tomorrow night/ very early Monday morning and I am so glad. I miss him so. He is the love of my life, my other half, my breath. When he is gone, I feel like I am holding my breath or something. He is so very good to me and treats me with such RESPECT. Something I did not ever get from my first husband…….. respect as an equal.

The only ‘good’ thing is I have lost some weight (which most of my close family and friends would not consider so good). I am way on the lower end of my zone. 27 lbs below goal and 2 lbs from my lowest ever.  I consider it good but many would not. Paul and my youngest daughter have lots of heart to hearts with me about having ‘lost too much’

Ok, so how are my GOALS going! ………..

I am keeping the RNY stuff going good. Starting nearly every morning with an Amplify. I really need to take my vitamins. I am terrible about it. I have been so sick this week tho, I feared I would not keep them down.

Spending more time with my daughters; started with my lunch and Saturday with my youngest. We will do it again soon. Also took youngest out for a meal although I am sure we will do it again before 2011 

We just hosted small group a few Sunday nights ago and  had a nacho bar which went over very well. Everyone had a good time! Likewise we had been invited and went over to our dinner for 8 group a few weeks ago for a cookout and had a great time.

For ‘new experiences’ I did something very spontaneous…. I was rung up for a newspaper I did not put on the counter.  Rather than have them give me the refund, I said to just give it to the next person in line as a ‘random act of kindness’. THIS REALLY FELT FANTASTIC! I have never done anything like this before! It was a small gesture, but was really neat! So I will try to do little things like that more often!

I am working each day on being a better Christian; trying to walk the walk and spread the news of the Love of Jesus.

So I am working the GOALS

As for my post Gastric Bypass life. Things are pretty much the same ole same ole. My biggest issue right now is my eyes are bigger than my pouch. I pile my plate and can’t begin to even make a dent in it. I need to go back to the old days when I took teeny tiny portions which is really all I can eat. I don’t know what in the world makes me think I can eat some of these portions I allow myself.

I find I get nausea pretty easy so I kinda have to lean hard on the anti nausea meds; but that is what they are there for. As long as I take them, I am fine. I pretty well know how to eat. Sometimes something totally random (like last night I literally ate 1 bite too much and overfilled my pouch and was so miserable; and I did not even eat that much!).  For the most part, however, I know what to do and what I can and can’t eat. I just keep working it by the Grace of God and giving thanks to our Lord Jesus everyday.

101 Goals in 1001 Days!

May 9th, 2009

Health

* Keep the weight I lost from my RNY off; keep it at the sweet spot. Contrary to popular belief , it is not the ‘easy way out’.  I had to find a program that works for me and work it!

The surgeon gave me the tool and I did the work. I still have to watch everything I put in my mouth and will have to for the rest of my life.

*Continue starting each day with an Amplify protein shake which gives me a good punch of protein I need.

*Eat healthy and only splurge once in a great while. Eat grilled meats, veggies, legumes, whole grains, high fiber, etc. This is not just about weight; this is about health.

*Try one new food from the health food  store at least 3 times.
*Start walking at least four times a week, regularly.
*Take my vitamins faithfully and not slack like I do so much of the time.
* Drink more water and less diet cokes.
* Get a treadmill and use it.

*Try to keep my stress levels down. I am so stressed out all the time about work and some other personal things it is not good for my health or my asthma.

*To quit being such a worrier. I worry about everything and it is not good for me.

*Get a 2^nd opinion on my Hashimoto’s disease (enlarged/underactive thyroid). I don’t think my endocrinologist has my synthroid at a high enough level.

*Eat vegetarian for one week.

*Start cooking more with legumes and find some creative ways of serving them. They are cheap and healthy.

*Get my feet in shape! That means loofaing the rough patches on the heals and applying lotion on a regular basis; everyday if possible!

 

*Faithfully floss my teeth once a day (dentist told me you only need to floss every 24 hours) and brush my teeth so I can avoid another abscess. After I get this next crown put on, get a full check up and cleaning and go faithfully every 6 months.

 Relationships

* Surprise my husband as much as I can with little gifts, love letters, cards, etc just to let him know how much I love him. He is so good to me and does so much to try and fix my mangled self-esteem. I just love him so much.
* Spend more time with my daughters. Everyone is so busy running here and there. I want to start making time to spend together on a regular basis.
* Write my daughters 1 letter, note, or card once a month for at least a year straight just to let them know how much I love them.
* Call my Uncle David more often.
* Send my Uncle David homemade goodies throughout the year ‘just because’.

*Take my husband on at least two romantic picnics somewhere in this beautiful area we live. I will make all the food, plan where to go and even drive! He does so much for me, I want to do something for him!

*Try to get all my girls (and my son-in-law) and my girls boyfriends together and go on a picnic on the parkway. Again, I will supply all the food. We will have to meet up but I will supply the goodies. Fun should be had by all!

*Take my daughter Hollie out for a meal

*Take my daughter Sarah out for a meal

*Take my daughter Melissa out for a meal

*Take my daughter Taylor out for a meal
* I have a beautiful ‘new’ nephew in N. Ireland named Sam. I want to start writing him ‘notes of love’ so he can get to know his American Auntie Kelli. I will strive to do this at least every three months.
* Turn my N. Irish nephew Sam into the only N. Irish all “Va Tech Hokie boy” in N. Ireland. This includes sending him Va Tech clothing, toys, etc for b-days and holidays so he can become a true Hokie and know the true way of the Hokie.

*Surprise my counselor (who is more than a counselor; she is a friend) with baked goodies, etc from time to time. She does so much for me and it will take years for this to heal this fractured self esteem that was 38 years in the making.

*Say at least one nice thing to my family, friends, co-workers, church-family, etc everyday.

*Go to my brother-in-law and future sister-in-law’s wedding in Northern Ireland in the summer of 2010.

*E mail my friend Veronda more faithfully.

*Surprise each of my daughters from time to time with a small gift, etc just at random so they know I am just ‘thinking of them’.

*E mail my mother in law more often.

*Have my daughter Hollie, son-in-law Johnny and daughter Sarah over for dinner at least 3-4 times a year if not more

*Start doing some lite hiking off the Blue Ridge Parkway with Paul. We both love the scenery and the walking will do us good. Hey, I think we will take Brody our Beagle. He would love it!

*IMPORTANT! Realize I am doing all I can to live a good life. I am not perfect. I make mistakes and if others expect me to be perfect, they need to take a look at their faults. So this goal is to stress and worry less about what other people think, put those worries in the hands of my Lord and Savior, pray and know I am doing all I can to be the best I can. The stress of worrying and being upset for ’not being perfect’ is creating health issues and I don’t deserve that.

*Host small group in our Sunday School Class at least once or twice a year. We are so close to this bunch of people; they are ’family’. I enjoyed hosting for the first time a few months ago and YES, everyone fit in our wee house! J

*Continue with our ’dinner for 8’ group we have at church and keep meeting up with this great new bunch of people. I love the fellowship and wonderful people that belong to our church. God has led us to a church where we do not feel judged; we can be ourselves. He has led us to a place where we are enriched and cared for and His word above all is taught to us by great pastors and fellow Christians.

*Attempt to find a traveling Broadway show; “Les Miserables” within a few hours of here and take my daughter Taylor to see the play. It is my absolute favorite play; so powerful and so many lessons of love, forgiveness and resolve. She would love it. In the next year or so I will start looking around and if I find a show within a 2 or so hour drive I will get the tickets. If not in this time frame, even after the goal date passes, I will keeo looking until I find it!

 

New Experiences

*Get a massage. I have a coupon for a free spa treatment. I am calling soon and opting for a massage. Awwwwwwww……. J

*Do one random act of kindness at least 5 times a week for at least a month but longer if possible!

*Take my husband to my hometown of Bakersfield, Ca! Though Bakersfield is not new to me, showing my husband the city I grew up and spent the first 32 years of my life in will be an exciting new experience for me! J

*Watch a James Bond movie from start to finish. I have never seen one all the way through.

* Go on more ’day’ trips with Paul so we can enjoy some of the sites and experiences around us.

*Start researching my family tree by doing online genealogy.

*Visit at least two winery’s and do the tour and tasting too!

*Try one new recipe a month

 

 Intelligence

*I know I am not a spring chicken, but I do have a lot of college units that I have completed. I would like to go back to school and finish my degree. I hope I can do that in this time frame if money and time permit. If not hopefully in the next 5 years. So lets say this goal is to start back to school.

*Learn one new thing everyday.

*I put read A LOT more in the ‘for me’ category. However, I want to also read more than just for pleasure. I want to read more educational/self improvement books.

*Visit the new art museum in Roanoke.

*Pick one random subject per month and research it online just to learn something new. It can be on anything from an illness to current events to a person making news, etc.

*E mail 2 local TV stations regarding a great pet peeve of mine that I think would make a very good news story. It is worth noting I did get a letter to the editor published on this same subject.

 

Creativity

*Work on my writing project diligently.

*Carry a notebook with me to write down ideas and experiences and ideas for my writing project.

*Start scrap-booking. I have a bunch of scrap-booking items; I want to put them to use.

*Finish several cross stitches I have started.

*Work to make my weight loss surgery blog not just about weight loss surgery but about weight loss and health in general. Not everyone chooses weight loss surgery. I was given a tool. What I do after that is what everyone else who makes a lifestyle change does. So maybe I can help others who are opting to lose weight without having surgery or the band.

*A long with the one big writing project I have going, work on some other writing projects on the side such as poetry, my personal journal, etc.

*Start dabbling back into photography.

 

 Practicality

*Organize my photo’s for scrap booking , framing and just plain knowing where which photo’s are where.

*Organize my two ‘closets of doom’ and have Paul put shelves in the one so we can organize our huge collection of books.

*Go through/clean all the stuff in the basement

*Organize my kitchen better and put shelf liner in the cupboards that need shelf liner.

*Continue to work on and stick to our budget. Paul is doing an awesome job of keeping track of everything on the computer. Even though we struggle like everyone, this new system at least allows us to know just where we stand!

*Work hard on becoming more and more of a bargain grocery shopper.

*Get another car

*Get the siding on our house repaired.

*Get the windows on our house repaired.

*When I go through the closets of doom and the basement, have a yard sale.

*Manage my time better to be more productive

*Become more organized in my ‘big-cleaning’ (which Paul is great about helping with) so we don’t get stuck doing it on the weekend’s all the time.

*Go through and organize (and delete doubles, duds and unwanted ) photo’s on my computer, I.E. clean them up.

*Go through and organize and (delete unwanted) music on my computer, I.E clean up the 1,000’s of songs I have but only a fraction I ever listen to.

*Make a chore list each week so we don’t get so bogged down

*Organize my filing cabinet. This really needs attention; it is a scary place to go.

 

For Me

*Work each day to be a better Christian.

*Start reading my Bible on a regular basis

*Besides reading my Bible, become well versed on scriptures

*Read A LOT more.

*Play my piano A LOT more. Allow myself 15-30 minutes a day at least 5 times a week no matter how busy I am.

*Listen to more CD’s

*Watch more DVD’s

*When we are financially able, I would like to take some piano lessons for a few months just as a refresher.

*Spend at least 10 sunny Saturday and/ or Sunday afternoon’s just sitting and reading or relaxing and enjoying the sunny day out on my deck or in my yard for a few hours.

*Go to another Godsmack concert

*Go to another Shinedown concert (I wonder if I will get to meet the band again?)

*Ride on my husband’s boss’s jet ski again! That was amazing fun!

*When money gets a bit better, buy something frivolous and saucy at Victoria’s Secret because I can now shop there and just want to, for once, get something from there.

*Go to Busch Gardens in October for Hallowscream

*Get back to the tanning salon on a regular basis (in the spring and summer months)

*Try department store make up’s at least once.

*If at all possible, have my plastic surgery done to remove my skin on my tummy and arms. I am not sure I can achieve this goal, however, in this time frame due to finances. If not, however, at least consult with a plastic surgeon and see what is involved and the costs, etc.

*Keeping my toenails painted

*Trying to let my fingernails grow and put some clear polish on then that will strengthen

*Keep letting my hair grow out long. For once in my life I want long hair!

*Get at least one new and different hair style (as long as it is a long hairstyle).

*Buy myself at least 2 new handbags.

*Add to collection of Contemporary Christian CD’s and build up a really nice collection so I can listen and sing God’s praises all the time!

*Purely for ME; and a big no-no, but once and only once in this time frame; order 1 pound of Sees Bordeaux candy and enjoy every last bite. When it is gone, get back on my normal healthy eating!

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