BLT4ever

Well!  I’ve been away again for much longer than was intended.  My Christmas and New Years was just lovely.  We had my mom down here with the kids and I for Christmas eve/morning.  A wonderful time was had by all.  Then the morning of the 26th we drove up to my moms place and spent the day visiting with her, her husband and son, and my in-laws came over too.  New Years was just the kids and me here at home hanging out playing video games all night.  At midnight we went out front and made LOTS of noise and watched some fireworks that some neighbors set off.  Good times.  I had every intention of coming on here within a few days after the holidays, but life went crazy around here for a short while.

First, my mom had a mammogram done right before Christmas, and she got a letter in the mail saying that there was a worrisome spot on there and they wanted her to go back in to have it done again.  So we were a little on the worried side for a couple of days and prayed hard for her, and thankfully everything turned out okay.

My sister in law (she’s married to my husbands brother) though…she is a different story.  About a year and a half ago she had gastric bypass surgery done.  God only knows why…she only weighed 287 pounds.  I have very strong opinions on where the surgery is concerned and I think if you aren’t over 300 lbs, or if you can’t move, that you should not be allowed to have the surgery done.  I’m not here to debate this issue with anyone….it is just my opinion and I will forever stick by that opinion.  Weight loss surgery is NOT a fix, but so many people treat it as if it is and it’s one of the most over used, and abused, surgeries in this country.  Yes, I am biased, because I was at 338 lbs. and chose to learn the new habits rather then go for the surgery, and it was not easy but it was so worth it.  I wish that everyone would find the strength they need to get it done, rather then resort to a risky surgery. 

 My mom had it done, my cousin had it done, my sister in law had it done, and several friends and aquantiances have had it done.  My mom has since gained back 50+ lbs. of the 150 she lost, because she never learned new habits of eating and exercising.  My cousin had the lap band surgery in early August, and I have lost more weight then her in the same time frame.  Yeah, I still have about 40 lbs. to go to get to my ultimate goal, and I have gone up and down a little bit, but overall I am the biggest success rate of everyone I know.  I’m not trying to brag or anything like that.  All I’m trying to say is that eating right and exercising daily IS the only TRUE way to weight loss, and to keeping the weight off.  Even if one does have the surgery, and everything goes well, they have to learn new habits in order to keep the weight off.  There is no magic to the surgery, just like there is no magic to pills, drinks, or any other strange concoction.

Anyway, I’m digressing here big time and I didn’t mean to do so.  My sister in law had the surgery done a year and a half ago and it’s been a nightmare life for her ever since.  She has become an anorexic and she tries to eat…this isn’t a mental condition.  Her body just will NOT digest food properly anymore.  Anything she eats just comes right out in a bowel movement.  Also, come to find out, her stomach has a leak and some foods and drinks leak out into her abdominal cavity.  I forget exactly what day it was now, but it was around the 3rd or 4th of January, she passed out and was rushed to emergency.   She was on deaths door, nearly in a diabetic coma with a blood glucose level of 32.  And no…she is NOT a diabetic.  This was caused from her severe malnutrition!  It is causing her to become a diabetic.  She had to have ANOTHER surgery…her sixth after the first main bypass surgery!  They again tried rebuilding her stomach walls to stop the leakage.  They also had to take some of her intestines out because the malnutrition is causing them to turn to mush.  She was in the hospital for just over a week this time.  They needed to keep her on an IV because there was no other way to get nutrients into her body.  She could become the next advocate for NOT getting the surgery done.  It’s been a nightmare for her, her husband and their kids.  It’s just been ridiculously crazy.  She is now at home resting and trying to build up strength, and there is hope that this was the last surgery she will need, but who knows?  She is in need of prayer, without doubt.

So, I spent a stressful first week of January and ended up putting more weight back on because I was stressed, eating and not exercising.  Went right back up to 213…AGAIN.  Then, last weekend I didn’t hear from my husband via email on Sunday and he didn’t call that night either.  This was very unusual, because he emails every single day and he calls every Sunday and Wednesday.  The only time he doesn’t come through with his contact is when they shut down communication on the base due to a death.   Got an email from him Monday morning and he did call Monday night.  There was an angel flight that came into his base on it’s way back here to the states…meaning that yes, someone did die and the body was being sent home.  So they cut off communication until the family of the dead has been notified.  Otherwise, the family may here through the rumor tree about what happened, and that would be no good. 

So yeah…I was stressing big time that weekend, too.  Gained another two pounds, put me back at 215 lbs. last Sunday.  Decided YET AGAIN to get off my butt and get moving and get eating right.  I am so sick of this crap.  I’d say you have no idea….but I’m sure that the vast majority of you do.  It’s a never ending battle, isn’t it?

I would’ve came on and blogged about it all, but my laptop’s hard drive fried right after all this.  I could’ve just bought a new hard drive and installed it, but the thing had been driving me mad with all of it’s quirks and I just plain had it at that point.  So, I ended up buying a new laptop and here I am on it…FINALLY back to my beloved Buddyslim!  Only thing that sucks, aside of having to dip into savings to get a new laptop, is that ALL of my pictures are gone.  That really, truly sucks.  Every picture I’ve taken over the last six months or so….gone…..my 12 year old sons black belt test pictures, gone…..my 16 year old sons “sweet 16″ birthday party pics….gone….so many others.  My daughters boyfriends father is a computer expert and he is going to try and save the pics but it doesn’t look good.

Sometimes, life just kinda slaps you around a bit.  We all know that.  It can bring you down.  I don’t think there’s anyone here who doesn’t understand.

Anyway, on to the good.  For there is ALWAYS good to be found in any situation.  Sometimes we just gotta look (hard) for it.  In my case, the good is easy to see.  My mom is okay, there is no cancer.  My sister in law is home and there is hope that she will get better this time around.  My laptop was a P.O.S. and I was able to get a new one because we do have a meager savings that I was able to dip into (my husband ROCKS!).  I got ALOT of emails and booster notes from my precious buddies here….it is SO nice to be missed!  I’m back on track with the weight loss and have lost 7 lbs. this last week (went from 215 to 208!!!)…and there’s no stopping me over the next four week period.  Four weeks, you might ask?  Why four weeks?  Why…that is the GREATEST news of all!!!!  Four weeks (thereabouts), my husband will be home again!!!!!!  I can hardly wait to see him again!  I am already getting so excited!!!!