I have the best support team on the planet & 12 of them, lead by Nicki, got together today to wish me well. I am truly blessed to have so many in my life who care, I sincerely appreciate all of the kind words and supportive gestures from all of you! Here are the details of what this group of friends did for me. Scheming .... In January, we were certain I was doing this so Nicki set the plans in motion. She told me that a friend, Janis, wanted to have an oils party the week before I left and she will do everything and for a brief moment was suspicious then... but I quickly completely forgot about it. Up until the afternoon before the party when Janis mysteriously didn't have heat and Nicki moved the party to Arvest bank (where mom works) without going through me to ask my mom I was"going to an oils party." I thought she was possibly scheming, but felt selfish thinking it, so I still went along with it & wasn't 100% sure until we pulling in the parking lot and I saw Nicki in a pancho. For future reference though... Note to self .... be suspicious immediately when... - When you're sent a group message asking if you wanted to have a party before you leave in a FB message, and your BFF never responds or mentions it ... it should strike you as odd. - You are told that rescheduling the party is "impossible," even if your church canceled due to weather. - Your mom tells you she is asked to make a Mexican themed cake for Ethel! - Your co-worker keeps asking where Janis lives, even though there has been little to no discussion of the party with her & never was it discussed that she would attend. - when you ask your mom if she wants to ride together and she stutters and says has to take the key to Nicki 1st ... even if she is currently in Neosho "just driving around." - When your BFF goes shopping at Hobby Lobby, in February, for party supplies for her BIG 8th anniversary party in May. - ... and never ever trust 12 scheming ladies, who are suspiciously closed lipped. We had a good time together and certainly some laughs! Thanks to all of you who are praying for me continually.
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Since we were of of school today and Michael was coming home from OKC I thought it'd be fun to have a sit down Valentine's dinner as a family. I headed to town and grabbed a bunch of really cheap vanlentiney decor to set the table. The kids had requested lasagna, so I ran with that idea.The whole night exceeded my expectations.
MENU olive garden style salad Lasagna w/ gr. turkey, wheat noodles HM sauce & ricotta ch. fresh sauteed green beans buttered squash & zucchini garlic bread swirled brownies Dear Me, I love you. I want you to be successful, so I am writing you this letter to help you remember what you already know. When times get tough I know you will regret this decision so I am writing this to remind you of why you started this journey! Remember ... at about three weeks you will have a weight loss stall. If you don't have it at three weeks, you will have it soon enough. This is your body adjusting to the rapid lose of weight. Trust the process, put away the scale, increase calories and exercise and keep keeping on. Stalls suck, but everyone has them. You will stall at some point, even while you're doing everything right. The stall will eventually break. They always do. You had valid and compelling reasons for doing this. Remember the pain. Remember the battle. There were reasons. Your job now is to work hard and not blow this. You have a choice: Return to your previous habits or Stay the course ... which will it be? Seriously. There are only two options. The only thing that would be worse than being fat would be being fat after having had your stomach amputated... so really there is only the one choice! DRINK DRINK DRINK - You cannot afford dehydration! PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN - I can't stress it enough... You have to get it in. FIND A WAY TO GET IT IN. You can put yourself in a stall if you don't get enough AND your muscles will atrophy so fast!!! They make flavorless and natural flavor protein powders now, so explore away! But do NOT forget it. Just because you don't have heartburn or reflux actually 'coming up' doesn't mean you are not having acid issues within the sleeve. Take the antacids for the first couple months at least - acid can be mistaken for hunger. Hunger - keep an open mind and allow your sleeve to heal. You will find, once the sleeve is no longer swollen and angry and you are eating more normal foods again that you actually were not really hungry after all. I know it is hard to imagine, but you will just have to hang through it and see what I mean once you are on the other side. Take antacids, drink lots of fluids....you will make it through. Also, did you take the stool softeners? I told you to take the stool softeners. You really don't want to experience weeks of constipation! Oh, the pills are hard to take? Does it come in a LIQUID? Use your brain, future me. Yes, you can. Are you bummed? Talk to someone! You have an amazing support system, take advantage of them. Write a blog post that always helps. You ever thought about talking to God? Don't let this spiral out of control. Get up and get moving! Here are some things that we knew going into this:
And don't forget to MOVE! No matter how little, how awkward, whether you sweat or don't sweat~ find something you like to get you MOVING!! I am proud of you!!! When I was contemplating having this surgery... in Mexico, there was one very important person that I had dreaded facing. One person I knew would question my judgement and play devils advocate, One person who would tell me I was crazy, one person who would be hurt there was no way she could join me & one person who would insist on a minute by minute play as the surgery took place! I knew this because this is exactly how I would expect to react to her if the roles were reversed. So like any mature person would do, I dropped hints about the sx then changed the subject. When I finally told her, her reaction was exactly as I had expected! It took a couple of days for her to warm up to the idea, and now she had better be prepared to be the nutrition tab to all of my Google searches! We both have a few close knit friends, but at the end of the day, she is the one I'd hide a body for! Speaking of hiding a body ... I cannot begin to tell you all that we have been through together, party lines, white trash bashes & photo shoots, but its the big things that kept is strong... Relationships: Chicken burgers, star gazers, love note, parking lot brawls, bailes, t-shirt dresses, celebratory bonfires & lottery tickets ... enough said! Children: We were there for the 1st day of everyone of our children's life's, I MAY have burst with pride watching her kids receive awards or perform, our kids know that they are "family" and are expected to stand up for each other, and they do! Families: Parents- UGH ... Grandparent - the tears that come from them getting older ... Siblings - When the pressure of being the eldest gets to be too much! ... for rich, for poor, in sickness, in health, in happiness and in sorrow... Ha...Maybe we should have married each other ... heaven knows this is the longest relationship either one of us has had! Nicki is literally my "person," we come as a package deal, ask our boss! One of the biggest hang-ups I had when making this decision was that the people I love would be no less than a world away, and she was one of the faces that popped into my mind when I struggled with it! I don't think that either one of us are over the fact that I will be so far away, but 40 days out we have learned to accept it. Facebook talk will be busy that week! Tonight she shared 23 Promises Every Girl Should Make To Her Best Friends And Keep Forever ... I couldn't have said it better She's my best friend...As I scroll through my Facebook news feed, I stumbled on this picture. I had a quick burst of anxiety ... Reality has set in! 'Is this really going to be a meal to me?' I shared it with Sunny wondering if I was crazy. After all she is the one who has vowed to go on this journey with me, for rich or for poor, in sickness or in health. I told her I thought that this process may challenge me more mentally than I had once thought. Her advice, was nothing I haven't heard before on many occasions. It is sound advice and is usually useful to me when I heed to it. What is this Earth shaking advice that she gave to me you ask? She simply said to me, "stop thinking!" So for now that's what I plan on doing! You know those people that you meet and you know that they are destined to be in your life for a long time? You have an instant connection with them. You know you can trust them and you would adopt them into your very own family if you could. That's how we feel about our very own Sunny. In May 2012 our family changed forever when we brought Dacota home to live with us. With that decision came a lot of new responsibilities, a lot of new rules, and a lot of new people making decisions that would effect this little girl forever, you quickly learn to question everyone and everything. Somewhere along the way, Dacota's parents were ordered to attend supervised visits, and we were so lucky when the court appointed Sunny to supervise those visits. From the very 1st time I dropped Dacota off I knew that I could trust Sunny to take good care of that girl and keep her parents in line. When Dacota was awarded to us permanently and her visits were over, we were pretty bummed that we wouldn't see her every week and decided that we would unofficially adopt her as our Aunt Sunny. Since then, I have called on this woman countless times for advice or a big dose of honesty. By now you know that she and I have committed to have the gastric sleeve surgery together. We have settled into our sleeve buddies roles pretty well I think. I am the researcher, she has the follow through. I am the cheerleader, she's the motivator. I am the dreamer, she is the level headed one. So far along the way we have each given each other just enough push to take the next step. I look forward to this journey with her. Happy Birthday Sunny Brooks, thanks for putting up with the Price family!
It cracks me up to hear all of the reasons that people have come-up with to try to convince me NOT to have the sleeve. They lump all weightloss surgeries together and they start telling stories about their Aunt/Grandma who had the "Real bi-pass" done and it about killed her, she can't eat bread anymore or she will vomit and since she can't eat bread her arms and legs are the like of very fragile twigs, no chopstick, yea that's right , skinny straight chopsticks with a chunk of chicken hanging off like big wrinkled feet. To be honest, I feel sorry for Aunt/Grandma Twiggy, but I am not too interested in her weightloss freak out ... the bright side is that I don't plan on having the "Real bi-pass" so we're good... right? ANYWAY, I have compiled a list of top 10 reasons people don't want me to get the surgery, and my response ... #10 - Your hair will fall out! It will grow back! I have hair now, I have never seen a case where it doesn't fall out... but if I am the acceptation to the rule, I will rock the hat and wigs! #9 - Your husband may get jealous & your friends and family won't know you anymore. I hope he gets jealous, in a healthy way. We are secure in our relationship, weight loss is the least of our worries. Will I change? SURE! Will they recognize me? Ummm yes! If they know me now they will know me then. #8 - You can't have Soda anymore Yea, and guess what I can't have beer refraining from that hasn't killed me yet. and I can't have greasy food or junk either, that is not something that is going to kill me, however, continuing to consume it might! #7 - People have had WLS and gained it back! I know a guy who cut his hair and it grew back... what's your point ... It is a life style change ... #6 - You LOVE food too much, you will never be able to handle it. You're right, I LOVE food, but not as much as I love my family and myself. After the surgery I will have to handle it, I have no choice, it isn't like they can sew it back on, or give me a donor stomach. There is no turning back & that is exactly the commitment I need to make the change! #5 - Are you even mentally ready to be Skinny? Are you kidding? There is FINALLY hope for me and I can't wait. Of course I was concerned about missing Fat Frick, but I will work through it and find Frick'n Awesome!. Again, I have no choice, what is done is done, and the thought that I can't mentally handle being a skinny girl is laughable when you think about it. #4 - This is the EASY way out! Yep, it is ..... 5 holes cut into my abdomen, a portion of my stomach pulled out through one of those holes. Letting go of so many things that have defined me for so many years. Leaving my kids for a week and flying for the 1st time across the country on the week of my son's basketball tournament. Weeks on a liquid diet, then eating ping pong sized portions, are all easy things to endure. I suppose that you are going to tell the paraplegic that his prosthetic are the easy way, or the woman who just got laser eye surgery that she took the easy way. Maybe the man who had a triple bypass should have just powered through. Nope not buying that one. This will not be easy! #3 - You will have to take Vitamins forever! As opposed to the metformin, the blood pressure pills, the cholesterol pills the insulin shots... Yep I'll take the vitamins. #2 - You could Die ... and so could you, on your way to work or walking out the door or brushing your teeth ... Thanks for that! So very encouraging. I could also die of a heart attack tomorrow. If it is my time, then it is my time. #1 - You can do it on your own! Have you seen my salads? 1/3 lettuce 2/3's toppings and dressing... and my exercise program, 2 laps to the mailbox 2 days in a row ... yep I am really making a commitment to change! OH and for those who worry about the surgery because it is in "Mexico" the bonus answer is for you... Bonus - Why do you have to go to Mexico, they do the surgery in the USA you know. Yes I know. Let me break it down for you ... It's true the hospital is in Tijuana, but it is in Baja California and is completely safe. It is certified by the American Academy of Hospital blah blah blah and it is just as clean as the hospitals her... there are 2 reasons I chose Mexico... #1 They have made it affordable, and #2 I have been telling you all forever I am Mexican... no really, I cannot handle all of the overkill procedures that the US requires, I am all about getting in and getting it done. I have to go drastic to make a difference. This is what will work for me, I am grateful to all of those who have concerns & know you worry, but now you can see that I have weighed the pro's and con's. ..... women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 1 Timothy 5:14 Instead of our regular Sunday night mission visit to Yarbrough, we had to attend our Church because the kids had to practice for the Christmas program. They are studying the Book of 1 Timothy and Brother Jared brought up something that stuck with me. He asked if we knew what it meant in 1 Timothy 5:14 when they say "guide the house" other translations say "manage the House" after a few attempts at explanation from church members he explained that he believes that it is the woman who sets the tone for her home. Her attitude sets the mood. What she does is a direct result of what make the house a home. It hit me, The hormonal issue I have due to my weight really effect my home. They obviously effect my attitude, but they also keep me from doing more to make this place a home. I want my husband and children to feel like this is the one place they can go to retreat. That my attitude will be calm and Christ like in order to set the standards for their future. I can try as hard as I can, but I am expecting the shift in my hormones to be huge. I am expecting an even personality without all of the hormone surges. My attitude about the surgery and weightloss before and after will make a HUGE impact on the health of my family also. It is a lot of responsibility and something no one tells you about. Father God, I ask you to be with me tonight as I prepare my heart for this journey. I pray that the changes it brings in my life and the life of my family set the attitude of the family.Thank you for opening my eyes to what a bad attitude or poor personality might do to my family. I know that it is what I do that will effect who they become. Give me patience and consistency, give me discernment and wisdom everyday Lord to grow them into amazing Husbands and Wives who teach their families to live for You! Let the choices I make influence the choices they make in a positive way. Help me to be the wife my husband deserves. That I am able to set the tone of our home in such a way that he desires to be here. That he experiences overwhelming joy when he is at home and that the stresses of our daily lives do not stand in between us and a loving relationship in which we honor you 1st and foremost. Thank You for Your grace and love, In His Holy Name, Amen Throughout this journey, as I break the news to different people in my life, I discovered reactions are so different. They range from completely shocked and non-supportive to complete compassionate and on board. It's funny how people are either ALL for it or totally against it. I usually don't even start by talking about Mexico, I break them in with the news of the operation, then when the timing is right, I say oh yeah and the operations is in Tijuana. The people who were very supportive, remain supportive, but those who were against it are even more so and tend to blame their apprehension on Mexico. On thanksgiving, I got a text from a friend, it read, - happy thanksgiving, enjoy eating as much as you want of anything.- This person understands my sense of humor & this is the kind of support I appreciate. Just a little comment that says thinking of me every step of the journey. I did it, I made the decision to change my life ... NOW to tell "My People" ... Who are "My People?" - My People are those who have my back NO MATTER the out come. The people I turn to at a moment's notice and for the most part my very closest family members. I feel like not everyone wants to, nor do they need to hear the details of my every whim, but My People are out of luck, they have no choice! This is how I broke the news all at once in a Facebook group message ..... This is a link to the Dr. I will be using and the facilities ... it answers a lot of questions ... http://www.tijuanabariatrics.com/bariatric-surgery/gastric-sleeve-surgery You are my people so I need you to know .... |
This weight loss is only from June 2015 (I had lost another 51 pounds prior to this)
Blog MissionIt has taken me a long time to get to this point, but I feel like God opened the right doors at the right time. My vision for this blog is not only to document and share my journey with those who care, but also to encourage those who may be following in my footsteps. First and foremost though, I want to give all the glory to God & to focus on his plan for me throughout the journey. What you talkin' 'bout?VSG = Vertical Gastric Sleeve Categories
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