It's Almost Christmas!!!

Does time fly for you as much as it does for me??? Holy cow! Christmas is literally just around the corner. Its weird because all my Christmas shopping is basically done but I don't feel ready for the holiday. We have Thanksgiving and all the sudden Christmas is looking at us right in the eyes.

The past week has been one of the most interestingly bad experiences I've had in my life. I've had to give up control on a lot of aspects of my life. I've had to lean on family and doctors and trust them with........well trust them with my life. So in this season of giving I feel like I'm only taking.

As my meds have been taken away, pushed back on, and started all over in some cases, you may say I've been somewhat of a basket case. I've missed one whole week of work, it was what needed to happen because there's no telling what would have happened had I been at work. People would have been scared, very, very scared! However, I look at the support network around me: my family, my friends, and even my doctors. At least they are pulling for me, even if I won't pull for myself. I can see that now, as my mind has been able to come out of that fog a little, maybe the alternative isn't a better option.

The spirit of Christmas, the gift of Christmas, it's a gift that keeps on giving. And you know what? It's a gift I can keep taking from and it doesn't make me selfish. It's the time of year for good cheer, for forgetting our imperfections, for remembering why we are here on this Earth. There has only been one perfect person, and He's there for me, and He's been there for me through my family, through my friends, and through my doctors. I can see Him in the goodness of those around me, in strangers' smiles when I walk by, and hear Him in the songs of the season. All I need to remember is to take a minute, even a second to remember what this season is about and how I can carry it with me for the entire year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

R Is For Argyle

Well not really it's not, but if you've ever heard the BNL alphabet song, you'd get why I said that. Anyway, I have become a huge fan of argyle! I wanted to pay a little tribute to it in my blog.

Of course argyle has mostly been seen in Scotland, after all that's where it was originated, but it made its way over to the USA in the early 1900's as golf apparel. It is a pattern of overlapping diamonds, adding a sense of three-demensionality, movement, and texture. To me, argyle seems studious, classy, and just down right awesome! As a fat lady buying fat clothes, there was never any clothing containing the argyle pattern. As I've lost weight and have been able to shop in 'regular' clothing stores, argyle has been ever present. So naturally, I'm drawn to it. Argyle is a different pattern, much different than plain old pinstripe or polka dots. However, to me, it's not just a pattern. It's a symbol of success and acceptance!

Back To the Grind

Disneyland was so much fun! It was so nice to go somewhere and not have any commitments, except for a dining reservation at The Blue Bayou. And even that didn't have to be honored! I've been back to work for 3 days and the vacation seems like it was just a dream! Crazy how the real life just sucks you back in!

We decided that Disneyland is going to be an annual trip every November. I'm really excited because my sister and bro in law are coming with us next year. Along with my nephews, Jordan and Andrew. They are so stoked too!

Family vacations rock!

I Can't Wait!

I'M SO EXCITED!

I leave tomorrow at 10:00 AM, drive down to Vegas, spend the night, drive to Anaheim, play in Disneyland for 3 whole days, drive to St. George, spend the night, then drive home! How's that for a run-on sentence?

WOO HOO! DISNEYLAND ROCKS!

Looking Forward

So things have been at a stale mate lately. Not just my weight but it seems like with everything in life. It's easy to give up and let life consume and control you, wouldn't you agree? Its easy to go through the motions of life and just....well....be. How does one get out of these funks? For me, I need to voice it. That's half my battle! With the admitting that life is at a halt comes acceptance and reflection. What can I do to change that? What can I look forward to?

Disneyland! A week and a half away, and I'm in a funk why? Well there are lots of reasons why, but I guarantee those will all fly out of the window the moment I step foot on Disney soil. There is no anti-depressant strong enough to stand up to it!

I want to thank my sister, for coming with me along my life and stopping right by me when my life stops. For waiting patiently as I try to figure myself out. I want to thank her for rooting for me on the side lines and for taking the time to pray for me even when I don't. Because of her I am saner now then I was this morning. She is a rock, a rock that not only I hold on to but that my family does as well. She is the link to the real world and the sane world to me. To her I say I appreciate your love and will forever be in your debt for as long as I live. I love you so very much.

I also want to thank my mentor. The one that gives me advice even when I may not be looking for it, but it always leaves an imprint on my mind and heart. He knows what I need and when I need it, and he is truly an inspiration. He is the example of living life to its fullest and recognizes every single beautiful day. He is the epitomy of stepping outside of oneself and serving all around him. He knows the pains of life, the struggles, and the joys. He is my mentor with life and with work. To him I say thank you. Thank you for your most powerful gift to bestow blessings to those in need. At a time I needed it the most, you were there.

So when life is stale, when life is stopped, what do you have to look forward to. Is it something as simple as a mini-vacation? Is it the holidays with your family? Or maybe just reading a book when it's raining outside?

'Tis the month of gratitude. I am so grateful for the opportunity to travel, to be able to "get away". But I am also so grateful to be home near a family that is so close and rises together through trials and misfortunes. Who is there for each other no matter what. I am also grateful for a family, a mentor and friends that love me for who I am, and believe in me more than I do. Thank you to all who have made such a difference in my life.

Changes

Is there such thing as too much change at once?

Man, life has been hectic lately. Have you ever felt like you are standing still and the world is moving on without you? Like you are standing still and there is a whirl wind around you?

Yeah I'm there.

6 MONTHS=100 POUNDS!!!

Can you believe it?? Today is my 6 month anniversary from my surgery and I have lost a total of 100 pounds! (Well 100.1 pounds, but who's counting??)

HOORAY! The average is 75 lbs lost, so I'm glad I'm above that. Its been a fun ride and a hard ride at times. But for some reason, hitting 6 months out is even more an inspiration to keep going! I've got 6 months before Disneyworld, and I want to lose at least another 30 by then. So here's to weight loss!!!

Thanks to all of you that have been a huge support to me this entire time!!!

Aruba Pics

Hello! Here are a few pics from Aruba that I promised I'd post!

The View of the Lazy River at the Aruba Surf Club

LeeAnn and Zoey
Heather and Me

Nic up on a pillar at the California Lighthouse

View from the Atlantis Submarine Tour

Jennie and Zoey


Zoey and Me at Madame Jeanette's


Coastline/Ocean View from Aruba Ocean Club


LeeAnn and Me


Me and Maria


The Guys and Me
(Nick, Yury, Nic)


So as you can see, we had the time of our lives! From snorkeling at Baby Beach to jeep tours, to sunset cruises, to submarine rides, to the Kukoo Kanuku Bus, we were laughing and smiling all the way. Aruba is a gorgeous island, and a perfect getaway. Its geared to romantic getaways and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something just like that! The Marriott's there not just the timeshares, but the hotels as well are amazing. There is so much to do and even though our days were filled to the brim with activites, it still felt like we were relaxing and taking our time with everything we did. I would definitely go back again!

True Before and After Pictures

Hi all!

Here are true before and after pictures.

The before picture was taken in mid-April. Right after the Gastric Bypass surgery. (You can see the bruise on my arm from the IV)

The after picture was taken yesterday. September 29th, 2008.
93 lbs lighter.

Back from Aruba!

Hi All!

I got back from Aruba about a week ago! Just trying to get back into the groove of things. This week has been CRAZY at work, but I wanted to check in, to say hi, and to let you know that pictures will be up very shortly!

Good Ol' Branson Missouri

What a city! Branson MO was actually a really fun vacation! Its amazing how much you don't realize you need to get away until you are actually away! As you all know, I work for Marriott Vacation Club. Horizons at Branson is a beeeautiful resort. You'll see in the picture the Horizon's logo on a wall of leather. This is the entire wall behind the check in desk. Its really incredible, the picture doesn't really do it justice.




We also met a turtle friend. He was just crawling around on the sidewalk at the resort, by the pool. (Which the pool is incredible!) We'll call him, Tubby the Turtle.




I was really impressed by the beauty of the city. Its really green and they have hard wood forests everywhere! Its quite different from the Utah scene. I do have to comment on the Ozark Mountains. To them they are in fact mountains...to us Utahns, they would be considered hills. I actually said this to a man we met in Silver Dollar City, and he kind of got offended. So I'm sorry guy, I don't mean to take anything away from the beauty of the Ozark "Mountains" but really, if you want to see a mountain come to SLC.

So besides the resort being beautiful, they do have fun attractions. We went to Silver Dollar City (the nations oldest theme park). They had some cheesy rides, but they also have updated really fast rides. That was a fun day. There are caves there that are called the Marvel Caves. We took their "Lantern Tour" which starts at 4:30 and ends at 6:30. They shut off all the lights and the only light source we had was our personal lanterns. Ghost stories and history of the caves were told, and it was an incredible experience. We hiked 530 feet down and then had to climb 8 flights of stairs to exit. Piece of cake! 5 months ago? Not a piece of cake. But it was a wonderful feeling to have the energy to do it!

Of course other attractions in the area include a plethora of corny theater shows. (You know, Dolly Parton Dixie Stampede, The Duttons, Yakov Smirnoff, etc) We didn't partake of that aspect of Branson, however, we did go to the Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum. That was really interesting, I would definitely recommend that!

The Tanger Outlets are the other attraction we took advantage of. It was exciting to walk around a huge outside mall and window shop/shop at a big selection of stores. While we were walking, the sun shone down on this building. I looked up and "AHHHH" (Angels singing) low and behold there stands a Disney outlet store. So I'm sure you can come to your own conclusion as to where most of my money was spent!

All in all? You should go to Branson. Its really pretty and it was a great place to just get away. Seriously, it was so very nice to go somewhere semi-secluded and relax. I didn't have to answer to any timeclock, I got to sleep in, work on my tan, and decide on the spur of the moment what I wanted to do. Yay for vacations!

By Popular Request!

I've had a lot of people ask for before and now/after pictures. (Definitely not the "after" I want yet) So here ya go! There are days where I HATE my diet. Where nothing sits well, and everything I can't have is what I'm craving. During those times I think is this ______ really worth it? Of course it isn't! So yay for the diet (most of the time) ;o)

Anyway, here's good ol' me.

Remember when..

I used to fit in these pants?

Yeah...me neither!



Just kidding.

To All My Friends

My pledge as your friend:

1. When you are sad -- I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry person who made you sad.
2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3. When you smile -- I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.
4. When you are scared -- I will rag on you about it every chance I get.
5. When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.
6. When you are confused -- I will use little words.
7. When you are sick -- Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
8. When you fall -- I will point and laugh at your clumsy butt.
9. This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask; 'because you are my friend'.

SORE and SORER!

Have you ever been so sore you can't function? That every move you make is a huge feat accomplished? Oh my goodness. That was me yesterday. On Saturday we played 3 games of Softball in the horrible heat of Summer! It's true, I'm not in shape, but I'm getting there. But believe you me! I could barely move yesterday. I felt like I was 80 years old, but it was also a good feeling too! Knowing I had ripped my muscles to make them stronger. :) Anyway, I just needed to tell the world how sore I am, I don't want to suffer alone! Ha ha! Today is a little better, but I still feel the burn!

For those that are interested, the Bearcats qualified for the next round. We play next Saturday and if we win our first game we're guaranteed bronze at least.

Jebus the Beta Fish Final Crusade

Day 3: July 31, 2008 9:32 PM

Here lies Jebus....

Correction: Here floats Jebus.

Jebus was a good fish. Not just any eulogy will do.

Jebus, you ate well, you swam well, and in the end you floated well. Rest in peace little buddy. You will be missed.

Jebus the Beta Fish Part 3

Day 2: July 30, 2008 8:05 PM

Jebus has risen.......




.....to the top of the fish bowl.


He still appears to be dead.

Jebus the Beta Fish Part 2

Day 1: July 29, 2008 11:54 PM

Jebus appears to be dead.

Location in fish bowl: bottom, among the rocks

Ever Heard Of It?

Gang Bang. Ever heard of it? Well I was invited to go to lunch with a couple of girls today and one of them, we'll call her girl Z, actually asked me a couple of days ago if I'd like to go. I apparently didn't give a full answer, but I thought I had. Anyway, I digress. The other of the two, girl H, asked girl Z if she could invite me. Well girl Z told girl H that she had already asked me, but never got a real answer. So girl Z says to girl H, lets go gang bang her and make her go with us. Yep, gang bang. Ever heard of it?

Half Way There! WOO HOO!

Holy Cow! Can you believe it? I'm halfway to my goal! 68 lbs to go! YAY me!

So what's the picture for? This is Mysterious Cartoon-Face Man . He's showing his amazed face that I've done so awesome with the weight loss!

So I thank you Mysterious Cartoon-Face Man , for your support and confidence in me! I also want to thank everyone who has been so supportive through this journey. 3 months so far, its going fast, but rocking the whole way. (The weight loss will start slowing down soon, but at this rate I should be where I want to be by next April!)

In the words of MCF Man, Never Fear, Weight Loss is Here! Woo Hoo!

Life is too short!

I just wanted to take a moment and blog about family, friends and life. A wonderful man that works at MVCI passed away this past week. I attended his funeral yesterday and there was a common theme. Everyone talked about his passion for life and his love for his family and friends. He was and still is a wonderful example to all who knew him, and we will all miss him very much.

I want to publically thank my family and friends. What a support they've been for me through my life. I've learned to live and love from them. I heard a line from WALL*E last night: "I don't want to survive, I want to LIVE!" I think this is an excellent line to learn from. Life is too short to be worried about the small trivial things that seem to consume our lives daily. It's time to look at the big picture. From now on I'm going to look to do the things that mean so much more. That have more of an impact, rather than living life day by day, just getting by.

After all, we all can survive...that's the easy part. I'm choosing to live!

Wii Fit!

So we made the purchase of Wii Fit. Holy Cow! It has so many different exercises. From balancing practices, to yoga, to strength training and aerobics. It also determines what your "balance age" is. Yeah...mine is 44. I'm a klutz, its true, but little did I know I was that bad. But I can't help thinking that Wii Fit may be the reason I've fallen down twice today!!!

Yes, I've fallen down twice today! Hilarious stories though! So the first fall...I was walking out to my car this morning to get Melissa's name badge since we were driving to work separately today. So I get the badge and am heading up the stairs to my house. Well my left shoe got caught on the silver plate thingy that sits in the threshold and I was already in the motion of walking in. So....SLAM I fall flat on the floor. Melissa's badge went flying and my hand slid under the open door, so I got a little scrape...not too bad!

Second fall...so we were walking back from playing foosball (I lost twice to Jeff...grr!) and I was so close to my desk, so close! So about 2 feet away I rolled my left ankle and BAM, I'm on the floor yet again! (The rolling of the ankle didn't hurt BTW) This wasn't a fall I could just bounce back up from. I was in such an awkward position so it took a second to get up. So of course everyone sees me and I was so embarassed! So yes, by 10:20 this morning I had fallen down twice! I'm such a lame! (That was for you Zoey)

So it has to be the Wii Fit that is causing this disorder that I now have: uprightly challenged. It can't be that I'm just a klutz/not paying attention/not picking up my feet. ;) But I will continue to play Wii Fit. It is an awesome and fun game with a hard workout included! I get much more out of it (sweat, etc) than I do with jogging at the park, walking on the treadmill, or my eliptical machine. So if you've been thinking about purchasing this game, I strongly recommend it!

My New Found Addiction!

Yes, I just said addiction. I'm not so sure how "new" it is though. Our former GM put a great idea to work. He made a game room in our building. All hale the foosball table! Yes, yes I'm addicted to the game. I need to play at least two times a day. The reason(s) I am not sure of. Maybe its an outlet for unexplained anger. Maybe its a way to alieviate stress. Or maybe its because it feels down right amazing to beat Ron! I've always underestimated the fun of the game....and boy have I been wasting my life away! :o) If you are ever near a foosball table, don't just pass it by, grab an opponent and dive into the game! You won't be sorry!

To My Team:

Hi Team! I just wanted to publically thank you all for being so awesome! I've written a little cheesy poem to express my pride that I have in this team! Thanks for being you! Go Fairibbean!!!

I love my team!
They rock my socks!
I love my team!
Even all the mocks!

I love my team!
They are the best!
I love my team!
More than the rest!

I love my team!
They work real hard!
I love my team!
Each other they guard!

I love my team!
They know the most!
I love my team!
And yes they boast!

I love my team!
They rise above!
I love my team!
They’re full of love!

I love my team!
They love me too!
I love my team!
They always come through!

I love my team!
I have to shout!
I love my team!
Both inside and out!

The Big 5-0!

I hit 50 lbs today! Gone forever! I'm more than a third way to reaching my goal! That is so unreal to me! Of course the weight loss won't go this fast always, it will start to slow down the closer I get to my goal weight. But I'm lovin' every minute of it!

Go Bearcats!

Tonight's softball game was off the hook!! We started off the game not doing so well, all thinking, oh no, what's going on? Well that didn't last very long! The score ended 14 to 5, we won of course! Ron hit a home run (after all: Ron came to SCORE!), Chow made the best play getting the runner out at 1st base by throwing the ball uberfast to Vickers, fly balls were caught, and Adrian didn't walk a single person, his pitching was awesome! The first run that I got in killed me! This is the most stress I've put on my body since the surgery! I'm on 1st base, right? So Chow hits this AMAZING hit and I have to run all the way home. I know, its not that far to run, but getting over a cold and not pushing myself this hard in 6 weeks was a feat! I probably looked so funny out there. All I could do was look down, screw my face up in this look of concentration and run as fast as my stubby legs could take me. All the while thinking be a train like Vickers, be a train! We had so much fun, everyone was a star, EVERYONE! Jane rocked on her stopping the balls and catching at 3rd base, LeeAnn was a killer player just like always! Buddy is the most freaking fast runner ever. I think he should be called the Road Runner or at least make the "Meep Meep" sound while he runs! Zoey has a hurt ankle, but she played anyway! She was awesome for being there for the team! I love you Zoey! Oh and Kimmy Dean! She caught the best throw at home getting the runner out, so no run was scored! Mindy was awesome too! Running like the wind out there! We also had the pleasure of having our little cheerleader back at the game! Neve would yell "Go Mommy, Go Mommy!" But her favorite phrase was and always has been and always will be: "GO CHOW, GO CHOW!" Tony as always was a great ump, I love that he knows us and always has compliments for us. Chow made the comment that actions speak louder than words, as the other team was talking smack. Man did our actions put their trash talking to shame! What a great game! Go Bearcats!!!

Happy Memorial Day!

A day late, I know, but hope all had a Happy Memorial Day--even despite the rain! We had a BBQ as a family at my sister, Nicole's house. It was great to get together with my siblings and my mom. Lots of laughter and games.

I'm very grateful for all the soldiers that fight for the freedom of this country and for those that have sacrificed their life for that very cause.

Melissa is home from her surgery. Thursday night is when she came home. Just one day at the hospital. She's doing so much better with the water than I did. I think she learned all the don'ts through me! :) I'm afraid she's going to catch up with me or even surpass me. I can't let that happen! (not that its a race, but I can't lose!) :) So the game is on! Although I do have more to lose than her so I should win. But wish me luck anyway!

Word to the wise update...

So yesterday I had kidney pain in my right side. It woke me up at about 4:00 am. So we went to the hospital and I actually passed a stone while there! So hopefully this is the end of it all. I drank so much water yesterday, you could probably stick a pin in in me and I'd leak! :o) Anyway all is well now, and I'm pretty confident no more stones await to hurt me!

Word to the wise!

If you ever get surgery, make sure you drink enough water! I had the pleasure of passing a kidney stone yesterday. Remember how I said earlier that I had been dehydrated soon after the surgery? Well it caught up with me in a tiny little spiky stone form! Happy Mother's Day Mom...sorry you had to spend the whole day in the hospital with me!

I feel much better today. I felt much better after passing the stone at 4:30 in the afternoon yesterday! ha ha! Anyway, I have a new born respect for my aunt who has kidney stones often. I would never wish that pain on anyone. She is a saint for going through that pain, over and over again.

This week's lesson: Drink your water! Always!

Two weeks!

I've had the pleasure of having two of my nephews spending the week with Melissa and I. My sister, Nicole and her husband went to Newport Coast for a week. Jordan and Andrew arrived at our house on the 29th and we've had so much fun! We've gone to Classic Skating, the park to fly kites, to see Horton Hears A Who, and bowling! Boondocks will be on Monday. They've been really fun to have around. Everyday is a day filled with laughter. Those two can make anyone in the universe laugh their heads off!

I'm a little over two weeks out now. Things are great! I went to my 2 week follow up and was told I'm dehydrated. (Liquids are so hard to get down, especially 64 ounces worth!) So I've made a big effort trying to get more than 32 oz down per day since my visit. Its worked well, my eyes aren't as sunken in and I do have more energy!

One Week Out...

And I feel great! I've had a lot of people surprised that I was back to work on Monday. They were all worried I wasn't giving myself time to heal. To that I say, with laparoscopic surgery, the faster you are up and moving the faster you heal. I've gone on at least two walks a day and noticed that even though I only eat 2 ounces of food 3 times a day, I've had more energy than I've had in a long time! I can't get enough water. (I used to gulp water, but now I have to sip it all day long) The only bad thing is that I can't drink 30 minutes before my meal or 30 minutes after my meal. I get pretty thirsty during those times. The reason for it though is so the food won't move through my stomach too fast, and that I'll stay full longer. Although I'm not really hungry through the day. Like yesterday, I forgot to eat my breakfast and finally ate it at 11:00 AM. :o) Anyway, I'm doing great, I'm enjoying the transition, and I'm grateful for all the support that surrounds me!

I live!

Check out the bruise! That's one of eight! This one is the most ugly, but hurts the least. This came from when the nurse was trying to find a vein to put the IV in. Well obviously this one didn't work. :o)

The surgery went well. My doctor told me I was his "star patient" and that everything went text book smooth! I had a hard time waking up from the anesthesia. I felt so out of it for a while. Not to mention having to get up and walk the halls every hour. But that made me heal faster and I'm doing great!

My mom and my sister were by my side the entire time. Its a good thing my mom stayed the night in the hospital with me. My blood pressure dropped to something like 70 over 44. (It was because I was pushing the pain pump every 10 minutes...not because I was in pain, I just didn't want to ever feel it.) Well the nurse didn't really react much and said that couldn't be the reason, so my mom told me not to push the button at all for the next hour and when the nurse came back to check my vitals, my blood pressure was back to normal: 122 over 70. Moms are soooo smart! I'm so grateful for my mom! I got kind of annoyed with Melissa, as she was the one that made me get up every hour...so sorry about that Melissa. :o) It helped for sure!

Anyway, everything is great. I'm planning on going back to work tomorrow! I'm so happy everything worked out. Its been a great experience. Its really weird to feel full with a sip of water. I'm very aware of my stomach and every gurgle! I'm excited for what adventures await!

This is it! Time to fly!

Tomorrow is the big day! I'm really, really excited. Yesterday I was really, really nervous! I asked my dad to give me a blessing and that has helped a TON! Thank goodness for the Priesthood! This morning I woke up and thought Wow! Tomorrow I get surgery! but no nervousness came with it. What a wonderful thing!

So this to the left is my before picture. To me, this represents someone who is going to be in my past. Although this person has had a great life up until now, this person is going to have a much greater life from here on out! I can't wait to be able to enjoy all the sports that I love to play, go hiking, fly comfortably, enjoy Disneyworld to its fullest! I won't have to worry about whether or not I go on that roller coaster, always wondering if I'm going to fit.

Hooray for all the posibilities this surgery is going to open up for me! I know its just a tool, but I've finally found the right tool. Its as if I've always had nails to hang things up with, but have had to use a wrench to nail them into the wall. I finally have my hammer! Like I said in the title. Its time to fly! So hang on and enjoy this amazing ride with me! Wish me luck that everything will go smooth tomorrow!

Still trekking along!

5 more days! Its starting to get really close! I'm still excited but the nerves are creaping in too! It doesn't seem that real yet. I know it will the day of! :o)

The diet has been really good. Not too hard. The first two days were crazy. I was crazy! I think I've found out how I'd be if I were to get drunk. I got to the point where I was laughing at everything! I thought everything was so funny and I felt like I was out of it.

Then everything evened out, and I'm doing well. I ate something higher in fat yesterday (I had the calories left to do it) but it actually made my stomach hurt. So that's a good sign! I've lost 3 pounds while doing this (water weight of course!) although I didn't expect to lose anything, any little bit helps! Anyway, its been great! I've had lots of support and for that I'm grateful! Just like the subject, I keep trekking along and that's what counts! Here's to less than a week before my life changes for good! YAY!

Happy Birthday to me!

26 years old today. Wow. I could actually be considered to be in my late 20's, however I think I'm going to stick with my mid-20's for now. Today was a fun day! I went to work and my team had decorated my desk, and they also bought me a gift card! Rock star! I got A Thousand Splendid Suns from Zoey...I'm so excited to read this book! The Kite Runner was amazing! (same author if you didn't know) I left work early and went shopping with my mom and my sister. What could be better than that? Well I'll tell you, to top off a great birthday I got to spend the evening with my 2 sisters, my mom, and my 2 nephews. We watched Evan Almighty, the boys loved it! It was really fun to watch that movie with them.

Here's to a new year! A new year with many changes to come, and I can't wait!

1,000 Calorie Diet

So I started the 1,000 calories a day diet yesterday. (The whole reason for the diet is to shrink my liver before surgery, to avoid any possible complications with that) It's not too bad at all! (Probably because there's a light at the end of the tunnel with this diet!!!) I'm sure I'll be sick of slimfast at the end of the two weeks, but then again, its only two weeks! I get to clean out my pantry tonight, which I'm really excited to do, just one more step closer to the surgery! The only kind of sad thing about this diet is that tomorrow is my birthday, so no birthday cake for me... but its totally worth it! We should have thought about having cake this past weekend, but of course we didn't. Life happens too fast! Anyway, I think the diet will be good and it will go fast. My team at work is super supportive and alleviated me from all the candy in my house! :o) My family is super supportive as well. I love the people that surround me in life!

My Puffy-Eyed Friend

Hello! This is Zoey. She's my best friend! This chica has been through so much and she's an amazing example of strength to me! As you can see her left eye is really puffy...it turns out she has a staff infection in her eyelid! She had a staff infection last year too, except not on her eye, it was in her sinuses. She also has a broken ankle. She broke it about a month ago and still has to wear a boot for quite a while longer. On top of this she works full time and goes to school full time, and she's setting herself up to graduate next May!

Even after all she's gone through, she is still a major support to me! She's been right there with me through this whole deciding on surgery stuff. She's just as excited as me! I've got 15 days left! On Wednesday I start a 1,000 calorie a day diet. This will shrink my liver so the operation will go smoother. Zoey has said she is going to go on a diet along with me. (Although I don't think she needs to!) Anyway, I really appreciate Zoey and I wanted to thank her publically for her tremendous support! Thanks Zoey!

The Ultimate Peep Show

Happy Easter everyone! Hope you all enjoy(ed) your holiday! Thought you'd also like to enjoy an Easter Peep Show! :o)

Fish Tale

Once upon a time, there lived a beta fish at Katie's house. He was a good fish, but Katie felt bad that she didn't pay much attention to the beta fish. The beta fish liked to swim to the top of the bowl and hang out up there. Katie would often look at the beta fish and ask her sister Melissa if this fish was dead. But every time Melissa would check it out and tap the glass, the beta fish would swim away, allowing Katie to feel better that the fish wasn't dead.
On a Sunday night not too far from today (the 16th), Melissa walked up to the fish bowl in the evening. She tapped the bowl, shook it a little, then looked up. She turned to Katie and said "Guess what, the fish is really dead." Katie was so upset. She started to cry a little and muttering something to the affect of "I've failed that fish, I've failed him." Melissa thought this to be funny and told Katie that fish don't have long lives and you can't really interact with fish like you do with dogs. But Katie really thought that she could have done more to make that fish feel like he was part of the family.
Well Katie had grieved and was moving on. All the while the fish floated upside down at the top of the fish bowl. Katie isn't one to touch fish so she never gave the beta fish a proper burial by flushing him down the toilet, and Melissa said she would flush him, but still hadn't by the time Tuesday night rolled around. Now on this said Tuesday night, Melissa was telling Katie a funny story, when Katie saw something move out of the corner of her eye. The fish bowl had caught her attention and it seemed like the beta fish in the bowl was moving slightly. She was mesmerized. Melissa noticed that Katie wasn't looking at her anymore and she turned to look at the fish bowl as well. "No way", said Katie. "It can't be", said Melissa. Melissa got up and walked over to the fish bowl, tapped on the glass, and a startled beta fish began swimming around! You can only imaging the surprise upon the two girls' faces! The beta fish was alive! After floating upside down for a day and a half, the fish was alive! Melissa tapped on the glass again and said "Welcome back, little buddy!"
It was a miracle! Katie exclaimed, "How did this happen? How is this possible??" Melissa replied with, "Its because you are paying your tithing!"
The End.

Happy Lucky St. Patrick's Day!!!

Do you ever notice that when you need money the most, you never have it? Although that seems always the case with me! There's a part in Dan In Real Life where they are doing a crossword puzzle and the hint is a 10 letter word that means whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. M-U-R-P-H-Y-S-L-A-W. Isn't that the truth? I got in my car this morning, my new car, that I just got in December...yep. So I got in my car to find that the front driver's side tire is flat. Murphy's Law is at it again! Anyway, today has been one of those days...actually this weekend has been one of those weekends. I wanted to post today and thank those close to me that really help me get through those "Murphy's Law" times. Thank you Melissa. Thank you Mom. Thank you Jeff. And thanks to everyone else's nice little comments that they may not think mean a lot but they do. :o) I'm so LUCKY to have people in my life with great influences and attitudes!

Surgery Date!

APRIL 16th!!

Wahoo! I have a date set for my surgery! April 16th, if you couldn't tell. :o) That's a month away! So I have a pre-surgery class to attend and then I'm set. I get to start a 2 week diet plan before the surgery, its to make sure my liver is small for the surgery. Anyway, not much more to say, just that I'm really, really excited! YAY!

Say Cheese!

I'd like to thank Ron for this hilarious cartoon! I sure hope that my mouse stomach doesn't make me want cheese all the time! HA HA! I had to share!

Absolutely Andrew!

I had to blog about my nephew, Andrew. He's such a funny kid. Anytime I'm having a stressful moment or just feeling really "out of it", I just remember the funniest thing he did. We have the Playstation game "Sing Star" and Andrew and his older brother, Jordan spent the night and played the game with us. Well the game records each song, and boy am I glad it does! Jordan and Andrew, not wanting to sing the whole time, were making very funny noises in the microphone. Well towards the end of the song, Andrew gets this very convicting look on his facy and screams "Ahi...Ahu..., Ahi, Aha, Ahu", then punched his fists forward. It was the funniest thing ever! I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard! This is where the recording of the song came in handy. We were able to play it for his parents, who of course thought it was just as funny. What's even better is that my sister told me that Andrew goes around the house chanting these words over and over! I'm sure she's annoyed, but I love it! So I say "Thanks" to Andrew for making my day over and over again!

Surgery Approved!!!

FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY!

The insurance approved the procedure! I called RMAP (doctor's office) and asked what happens next and she said that once they receive the approval letter that they will set the final surgery date. She told me to call in on Monday to see if they've received it. For some reason I was really nervous that they weren't going to approve it...don't know why. But now all that tension is gone and it's more real! It's a great feeling!

Anyway, YAY for me! More info to come!

Finally! Getting somewhere!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!
Hooray! I got a call yesterday from Paula, the insurance lady at RMAP (Rockey Mountain Associated Physicians). She faxed over my paperwork to my insurance in the morning! Its amazing the change that took place! I went from just excited to nervous/excited combination! The excitement still is the more dominant emotion, but its becoming more real to me. I like the reality of this situation though! So, within the next two-three weeks I will get a call from RMAP to schedule the day of surgery! Happy day!!!

An Update Of the Non-update!!!

So I called the insurance lady last Wednesday to see what the status was of my paperwork getting sent to UHC. (From reading the posts on the membership forums on the support website, this lady tends to take her time!) So the answer I got from her was that she's in the process of sending it out and that I'll get a letter in the mail when she sends it out, letting me know that she has in fact sent it to UHC. So suffice it to say, no letter in my mailbox yet. I'm going in tomorrow for my sister's consultation, so I will ask them face to face then. Maybe it will hurry the process a little. (I can hope anyway!) :o)

So this is my update on the non-update. Once it all starts rolling, I will be posting a lot more, that's for sure!

Ready for a new life

I've been researching Gastric Bypass over a year now, and I've decided that I'm ready to take the leap and get surgery! After years and years of trying to lose weight, I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I've always been able to lose 25-30 pounds but never more and I always gain the weight back, if not more. You name the diet, I've tried it! :o)
I've gone to classes and met with the medical center to start my journey. I've met with my surgeon and everything has gone quite smoothly so far. I am now just waiting for the approval letter from the insurance to come back. The target date for surgery is somewhere around the middle of March. I'm really, really excited for this new outlook on life. I've been preparing myself for the past year to get ready for this.
Now there may be some of you that say, "you don't need surgery, just diet and exercise". To that I say, you have never struggled with being truly overweight. When someone is obese, (I hate the word, but it is what it is), they've tried to "just" diet and exercise. However, I strongly believe that Gastric Bypass is ONLY a tool to help me become healthy. It is the road I need to take, but I still have to drive on that road...I still have to call the shots and decide whether or not I'm in it to win it. And I am!
So here I go! I'm excited to begin this journey, and I hope that some of the things I share will be of interest, that my thoughts may motivate others out there. Stay tuned!
This Katie is going to become Not-So-Weighty. :o)