Things I am Thankful For

This Blog is by its title about my life during and after weight loss surgery (WLS). I have posted many topics associated with my life during this time. But after reading one of my granddaughter’s Blog where she listed the things she is grateful for, I have decided that I need to do the same thing so here is my list. 

1. I was born of goodly parents and grandparents who loved me and did all they could to give me a successful life.

2. I was raised in a time when hard work, integrity, and self reliance were valued. Not dependent on others especially the government to help me. 

3. I grew up in a town, and neighborhood where we were safe and free to play outside and learn to interact with each other. And just have fun being a kid. 

4. I was privileged to be given a good education. I did not take advantage of all my opportunities, but that was my fault, not the system. 

5. I am grateful I was raised with music and the love of playing and listening to good music still makes my life much better and enjoyable. 

6. I am grateful for my belief in God and his many blessings upon me. I have always considered myself a lucky man, but maybe Heavenly Father has given me so many blessings that I just feel lucky. 

7. I am grateful that I have never had a very serious illness or physical deformity other than a serious weight control problem. 

8. I am thankful that I was told about, and had WLS. It has made my life so much better and I can do things just a year ago I though I could never be able to do again. 

9. I am grateful I am a father, husband, grandfather and in fact a great grandfather. This was my life calling and makes me very happy.

10. Last and by no way the least, is the love and support of my wife Jackie. She has been my best friend, and supporter for over 50 years now. Side by side we have been together all these years, are hearts and souls are melded together very tightly and I am so happy that we found each other long ago. Without her, I am sure I would not have had the happy life I have enjoyed. 

This is not the end of the things I am grateful for, just some things off the top of my head. More to come down the line. 

Near Goal and Future

I am 6 pounds from my goal weight. But thinking about the future and how I am going to manage myself after I am at goal for a time. From what I can understand by reading and going to my support meetings and listening to other there who have been out for a long time. In my past diet life, I was always able to lose the weight but the hard part is keeping it off without a slow creep. Which unfortunately for me has always happened.

My surgeon and PCP have both told me that WSL is not a cure for obesity just a kick start to a lifelong diet. The difference of course is that our bodies have been surgically modified and we now have a small pouch instead of a stomach. So as I understand it and I sure hope I am not wrong, I will never be able to eat more than about a cup or so at one sitting. So I know that will help me.

My plan is to drop my calorie count down to 900 or so as it is now, for as long as it takes to get my weight down again. Then go back on a normal caloric amount that my NUT is going to set for me in the near future. I know of no other magic to regulate the weight. If I don’t get on the scale regularly and count calories, how in the world do I adjust my diet and reduce my weight? I know of no other way.

I hear over and over again people who have had WLS say…When my weight loss stopped…that makes no sense to me. When my weight loss stops is when I am dead. The rules of dieting do not stop anymore than any other law. If you put less calories in than you burn (use) you will lose weight. I know of nobody lost in the wilderness or any other condition where they had NOTHING to eat that gained weight. No you should not starve yourself, but I think many have a distorted idea as to what starvation really is. We can go long periods of time with nothing to eat without ill effects. I have people say that “gee I am hardly eating anything” but what are they eating and how much.

As I get closer to my goal weight I get even more apprehensive about my ability and know this is going to be the hardest part of the process. With the help of my friends, and support groups and my loving wife, I will be able to be really successful this time around. Only time will tell and I will post as much as I can about my progress.

Able to work around the house now.

Today I started to paint our master bedroom and bath. Jackie picked out a green color, what else she loves green, and we started painting. Had to move the furniture around to get to the walls but with the help of those little pads you can get these days it was not so hard to do. 

We got the furniture from one of the walls and used that blue painters tape to mask off the woodwork although using the little square brush thing with the rolling wheels on it, worked just as well as using tape. Anyway we got started and in less than an hour we had two of the walls painted. We are going to have to move the furniture back in that part of the room and then move the bed our of the way and paint the rest. We hope to get that done on Saturday. 

The main point of why I am bloging this is that I did all the work of moving stuff around, getting the paint in and ready and then clean up afterwards and I did not even break a sweat. Before surgery, I would have been covered with sweat, would have had a hard time breathing, everything would have hurt, and my heart would be racing. What a difference losing 130 lbs makes. I can now work and do things that used to be way to hard on me. I love being able to get things done now and not feel like I was going to die. 

One mistake I have made however, is that I tossed all my old baggy cloths our and did not have anything to wear while I painted that I did not mind getting paint on. So I painted in my shorts. Not a pretty sight, but I got it done and the only paint I got was on my arms. It will wash off. 

Going over to Sundee’s house today to give Sela her birthday presents.