Question:
Happiness is....
Just thought I'd try to start a running Q&A on small victories. I really think it's the little things that keeps us encouraged through our day-to-day WLS journey and I think it would be fun to share them with others. So, I will start with mine: My brother owns a muffler shop and got T-shirts printed to give away. He asked me what size I wanted, and I said, "Oh, 2-3x". He said, "No way! That will be too big on you!" So knowing that we sometimes don't see ourselves the way others do, I settled on a 1x. When I brought it home, my daughter said, "Mom, that's too big!" Even though it doesn't exactly hang on me, but fits well, at least my brother WAS right. And when I wear the T-shirt now, I just can't believe it's me inside it! What are your small victories? Please share! — Allie B. (posted on October 25, 2000)
October 25, 2000
Allie! CONGRATULATIONS, I know that clothes size will be important to me,
post-op. I am pre-op and every time I get through a phone call with the
insurance company or doctor's office I feel victorious. These are NO SMALL
VICTORIES! They are HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENTS! CELEBRATE! :)
— Laura B.
October 25, 2000
I have 6 days to go for surgery, so my small victory is still being able to
sleep through the night. Also, although I am nervous, and my mind rambles
a lot this last week, I have not had 1 panic attack waiting for surgery. I
only hope it remains that way for the next 6 days.
— enjo4
October 25, 2000
Small victories, maybe, but BIG differences in our lives -- things like:
being able to see my feet, having "tunic tops" fit like tunic
tops and not like sausage casings, wearing shoes a full size smaller,
wearing clothes FOUR sizes smaller, not getting winded tying my shoes,
having the confidence to apply for, and get, a job I wouldn't have had the
guts to go after before my surgery, not shredding the inside thighs of
every pair of pants I own, CLOTHES WITH ZIPPERS, having people who haven't
seen me for a while walk by me on the street without recognizing me, ankles
that aren't swollen, being able to wear my great-aunt's ring again, doing
45 minutes of Aquafit every week without needing rescusitation, not having
my sons get in fights at school defending their fat mother's honour,
rediscovering sex, falling in love with my husband again, LIVING my life,
instead of watching it. This surgery is a blessing beyond measure.
— Cheryl Denomy
October 25, 2000
I consider every step I've made toward rebuilding my life a tremendous
victory. My most favorite? Wearing real jeans for the first time in over
five years.
— [Deactivated Member]
October 25, 2000
All the afore mentioned things plus: Fitting into the
restroom stall without having to use the handicapped one,
being able to squat in Portapotties:), refereeing soccer and
keeping up with the plays, PLAYING soccer (I start in 2
weeks- pray for me:), buying clothes off the rack, crossing
my legs, FLANNEL!!!!! Allie, thanks for reminding us
how blessed we are- great uplifting idea!
— M B.
October 25, 2000
Happiness is wearing new corduroy pants and <b>NOT</b> hearing
zzzzzzzing, zzzzzzing, zzzzzzing with every step I take!!! :-)
— Roseann M.
October 25, 2000
HAPPINESS FOR ME IS..... Losing 100 pounds at 6 months without a plateau. I
never thought I could do it even with the surgery. Happiness is me finally
taking care of myself like I should have done in the first place. Happiness
is feeling good and looking good to myself and others.
— Sharon T.
October 25, 2000
Allie, my favorite victories are: wearing size 12 jeans, breathing much
better, excruciating pain in feet gone, heightened self-esteem, no double
chin, wearing a bathing suit confidently, in-line skating, regular sized
pantyhose, saving $ from all the eating out I used to do, much smaller ring
size, my mom telling me that she doesn't cry anymore over my weight, the
warm glow of success, being smaller than my husband-to be, being able to
consider triathlons, better treatment from salespeople, less anxiety
because a goal that was hard to achieve is achieved, looking forward to
life instead of dread 24-7, beauty, good health, I'm going to be a thin
bride, collar bones that show, I take adult ballet now, relief, sleeping in
peace, cute clothes. Yes, happiness is the way!! Jennifer...surgery
1/4/00...146 lbs. lost forever...
— [Deactivated Member]
October 25, 2000
Playing and chasing my 2 1/2 daughter around the
playground... I couldn't believe I could do the Monkey bars...Oh... and
yesterday... I went thru the Hamster Trail Tubes at Chuck E. Cheese's with
her...talk about a proud moment!!! Not a day goes by, where I am not
thankful for this surgery... and my new way of life !!!!
— Michele Z.
October 25, 2000
Happiness is.....
being able to put the seatbelt on with one hand while driving.....seeing
the outline of my collar bone for the very first time....wearing high heels
all day without the pain....ovulating again!!!!!
— Tracey D.
October 25, 2000
A few weeks ago, while buying groceries for a group camping trip, the clerk
at the store announced that since I was under 35 I had to show ID in order
to buy beer. Now I'm closer to 50 than I am to 35, so I didn't believe she
was serious, she must have been joking. But no ID, no beer. So, I pulled
out my ID and showed it to her. I almost didn't get to buy the beer because
I don't look like the fat old woman on the driver's liscence anymore. The
clerk had to be convinced I wasn't using someone else's ID. That was a very
good day.
— Sharyle L.
October 25, 2000
What a great post! It's especially enlightening to our pre-ops who are a
bit nervous. Happiness is.......wearing a piece of clothing that was a
shirt last year and is now a dress, having to change out my wardrobe after
only 5 months post op, being able to fit in a restaurant booth and still
have lots of room, having my 5 year old nephew ask me why I look different,
riding amusement park rides with my 5 year old nephew instead of watching
him do it alone, being able to wear pants in misses sizes instead of
women's, having LOTS of energy to keep up with my active life, having
people do a double take because they're not sure they recognize me, being
able to easily clip my toenails, not sleeping with a CPAP machine any
longer, having a lap for kids to sit on, having to get new eyeglasses
because the old ones were falling off my face, recognizing that I look more
and more like my mother, being able to shop in more places than just Lane
Bryant, spending $5-7 per week on work lunches instead of $7-10 per day,
having the ability to say to no to every junk food known to man,
recognizing that I have done a lot to insure my long term health, the list
goes on and on!!! :):):)
— Paula G.
October 25, 2000
Thank you Allie for such a wonderful idea! I would have to say that
Happiness is.......feeling much better about my pre-op jitters and an
easing up of my self-doubt about how I will do after my surgery on 12/12/00
since reading the answers to your post!!
— Meryl F.
October 25, 2000
Allie, what a great way to share our little happy rays with each other. The
day I knew I was really going to make it all the way was when a girl I work
with came up to me and said "Barb, this is incredible, you have a
neck". Well I always had a neck, but now you can see it. Happiness is
also when your husband runs his hands down your side and exclaims
"What are all these bumps on your side", when you know it is just
your ribs that he hasn't felt in 20 years. LOL. I am only 8 wks out so the
fun and happiness is just beginning.
— Barbara S.
October 25, 2000
Victories: Gardening, vacationing, plane seats, feeling so much lighter
and most importantly being healthier! Oh, and a funny thing that happened
shortly after I had surgery - my husband's arms started growing! They're
actually long enough to reach all the way around me, cross in the back and
come around my sides!
— Diane S.
October 25, 2000
Being able to wake every single morning and not think "THIS IS THE DAY
I WILL DIE". Being able to jump down on the floor and play with my
seven year old. Being able to cross my legs for the first time in my life.
Being able to take a deep breath and not almost choke to death letting it
out. Being able to open my eyes evey morning and close them every night
and know that If that was the last time I closed them I closed them as a
very healthy and happy person with more love for myself and others than I
had even had in my entire life. Happinesee is.....being able to sit here
and tell you what happiness is to me.
— anitawilson
October 25, 2000
Happiness was.......running into an old boyfriend who I hadn't seen in 9
years just a week ago. I thought I reconized him, but I wasn't sure. I
walked into a gas station and saw this man that had a familiar face, only
the man I saw was very heavy. He kept staring at me and I stared right
back. He thought that he knew me but wasn't sure. He walked out and kept
staring as he walked past the window. I stared back and smiled. He
mouthed my name and I smiled bigger and mouthed, "yes, it's me."
He came running back in and hugged me and told me that I looked gorgeous.
I felt wonderful. He asked if I was married and I told him yes. I walked
out and pumped my gas and he stared all the way out of the parking lot.
That was the best feeling in the world.
— allendepot1
October 25, 2000
My small victory is actually many. I have lost 22 pant sizes going from a
size 70 to a 48. I have gone from a 6x to an XL shirt. I was able to ride
the roller coaster at Kings Island. I was able to fly in an airline seat
fairly comfortably. I had room to move . I got to participate in an
infomercial shooting and didn't worry that someone might make a comment
about my weight. I looked like everybody else. What a glorious feeling
— snicklefritz
October 26, 2000
Happiness for me involves a few things. First, fitting into a public
bathroom stall and not having to drip dry because I couldn't move my arms
or body, sitting in the car and being able to reach down and flip up the
remote levers (which open the trunk and gas cap), and scratching my feet
while I am driving, being able to drive my '72 Volkswagon Beetle again (I
couldn't fit in the drivers seat and I have owned that car for 28
years!!!!!!) being able to reach everywhere in the area of personal
hygiene, being able to use a tampon (sorry guys) my college ring fits, I
fit in the seats just about everywhere, Happiness is losing 145 pounds in 9
and a half months and having hope for the first time in my life. My small
victories really all have to do with the day to day aspects of my life and
the social and emotional freedom. The renewed health is great but my
primary reason for having the operation was to get thin and it is
happening. Yahoo. Now watch God have the last laugh and throw a man into
the equation!!!!!!
— Fran B.
October 26, 2000
A few thoughts on this subject. Happiness for me was actualy seeing that I
had a private area and being able to reach it. Being able to cross my legs
and then cross my ankles too at the same time. (I have always loved how
people do that and it's so easy now) Any my last thing is this....I am
happily married but it's such an ego booster to have men strangers come up
and ask me if I am married and then look forlorn when I say yes. One man
told me it was a waste for such a beautiful woman to be married! Geez I
know that I am not beautiful but wow did that make my day.
— Barbara H.
December 7, 2000
I think happiness would be, being able to go to the doctor and being able
to wear the gown they give you at first without getting a bigger one, and
being able for them to use the regular sized blood pressure cuff instead of
going around the office searching for the "BIG ONE". Happiness
would be being able to wrap a regular sized towel around yourself when
getting out the shower or "SWIMMING". That's what I looking
forward to LOL.
— Vicki V.
January 1, 2001
This one tickled me on New Year's Eve: I met an AMOS member online and she
invited me to celebrate with her and her husband. When I got to her house,
her son, 12, asked me when I had the surgery. "July", I replied.
"July this year?" he asked. I said, "yes". He said,
"I thought you had it a long time ago, because you're skinny
NOW!" Out of the mouths of babes, but I am OFFICIALLY HALF WAY
THERE!!!!
— Allie B.
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