Best Decision I Made for Myself

Jun 05, 2016

Life got busy post-surgery for me and I haven't really posted or even browsed OH, embarrassed to admit this, since December... I no longer feel like a newbie to this whole post-wls/loser's bench club, but I'm by no means a vet, I'm still surprised and excited to discover new things about this life, my tinier stomach and ultimately this tool I've been given. I can't believe it's been over 7 months since my surgery date Oct. 27th. I can truly say that has been one of the most pivotal moments in my life.  Lately, "best decision of my life" has rattled around in my head, everyday for a different reason.  I' m more comfortable in my skin and truly feel like I'm not on the sidelines watching life go by any longer.  It's an amazing and exhilarating feeling. I feel blessed and grateful for all the support I've received with my family, friends and for all the inspiring stories of strangers I've read on here and watched on YouTube.

I've lost weight slow and steady since surgery, but I've had a lot of NSV's to balance out the slower moments of the scale... Here are just a few I wanted to preserve for posterity:

I trained for/ran and completed my first 5K race in 10 years in early-April (and weighed about 20lbs less this time than I did 10 years ago). I also managed to beat my time by a full 3 minutes and did I mention I was 10 years older :-)?!

I traveled on a plane in May for the first time since surgery & fit COMFORTABLY in my seat and had room to spare with the seatbelt. Last time I flew in April 2015 -- I needed to ask for a seatbelt extender and it was truly a low point feeling for me. 

During the same May trip I went to an amusement park and road on several roller coaster and again was comfortable (will admit I was nervous to go the night before -- because I hadn't been on a roller coaster fo about 12 years and also struggled back then in the seats and needed a belt extender) and felt well for lack of a better word, normal while doing it. I did throw up after riding too many roller coasters (tmi I know, but I've never really been a roller coaster person and battle motion sickness), but it was one of those times I wanted to do it to prove to myself how far I've come.

Shopping is probably one of the things that has felt most satisfying. Don't get me wrong, even at my peak weight in the low 300s I was a girl who LOVED and needed no excuse to shop, but it was frustrating most of th time). There were stores and departments I felt excluded from and I couldn't just see it, like it and try it on. I remember being a freshman/sophomore in high school in the late 90s/early 00s, and being embarrassed to tell people I was shopping at stores like Lane Bryant because I couldn't fit into juniors or "popular clothing stores... I of course got over that and was grateful for options like LB, but I longed to walk into any store and just try on something because it visually appealed to me and not worry about it not coming in my size. I am traveling along this journey still and am still ways from my personal goals, but taking a size large top and size 16 pants off the hanger reiterates to me that I've come a long way and I've made the best decision for myself.

I congratulate and cheer on all of the people who've traveled this journey to the loser's bench and wls ahead of me... You inspire me and gave me the confidence I needed to take control of something that felt out of my control and I wish all of you considering this major life decision clarity and confidence and calm in whatever decision you make for yourself!

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