Help! I'm Drowning In Activities

The next week and a half are going to kill me. #2 is leaving for 4th grade camp and my stepdad is going with her. I'll be running the sign shop. #1 graduates from 8th grade tomorrow night and I'm in charge of the food. Friday #1, my mom and I are going on #1's class trip to Chicago for the day. We'll get home after midnight. Mr. Sign is graduating from college (finally!) on Saturday morning and it's an hour's drive.

The trip to Chicago is 4 hours by bus on a good day. 8 hours on a bus with 13 & 14 year olds. Ugh! You should see the itinerary. There is no way in hell that we are going to be able to do everything.

• Science & Industry Museum 10 am

• Shedd's Aquarium 11:30 am, Adler Planetarium if time permits (ha!)
  

• Lunch and shopping on Navy Pier 1:00pm

• Sears Tower 2:30pm

• Shopping on Michigan Ave. 4:00pm

• Leaving Chicago 5:30pm (yeah, right. Just in time for rushhour.)
  

I mentioned to the teacher (who has never been to Chicago) that there is a little thing in the city called traffic. I also mentioned that going to the Field Museum would be a better choice since it's within walking distance to Shedd's and the Planetarium. This woman has not clue. The teacher also thinks it's only three hours to Chi town. Another mother and I tried to convince her that four hours on a Friday is being optimistic.

My mom and daughter have never been to Chicago so it will be fun to see their responses. I've been dozens of times and it's my favorite big city. I only hope this trip doesn't kill us all.

I hope the next week and a half don't kill me.

Humidity Can Kiss My Butt!

It was 95 degrees F on my deck yesterday. It's supposed to be just as hot today. I have to say that I was sweaty in spots I didn't know where possible.

Mr. Sign was on the phone last night to his sister. I had had a couple of drinks trying to recover all of the fluids I had depleted during the day ;-) I decided to go into the bathroom which is close to where Mr. Sign was. I let out the loudest belch you have ever heard, courtesy of the alcohol. I started to giggle hysterically and couldn't stop. Girls, I know this giggling has happened to you but men never seem to understand. Once I recovered from my gigglefest, I had tears running down my face so I decided to blow my nose. I'm one of those annoying people who sometimes has to make that honking noise when I clear my nasal passages and it sounds like a goose. Once again I was thrown into a fit of giggles which echoed in the bathroom. Mr. Sign yells out, "Is everything ok in there?" I couldn't even respond because I was just gone. He was trying to explain to his sister that I'd had a few drinks and he thought I would be ok. I can't believe a few drinks could make me lose myself like that. Good times!

And It Goes A Little Something Like This

The doctors visit went as expected. I decided while my butt was hanging in the wind that the thin piece of paper under me wasn't really protecting me from those before me. To make matters worse, because I sweat when I'm nervous, the paper was stuck to my butt when the doctor asked me to stand up. I'm trying to pull the paper off me and stay covered up. Hard to do when the "gown" is open to the back. Then he wants me to bend over in front of him so he can look at the alignment of my shoulders and spine (he's an osteopath). Luckily I did have a paper drape to hold over my holy land. The nurse was standing behind me and says to me later, "I was noticing the back of your hair when I was standing behind you. How do you get it to do that?" I laughed really loud and said, "Thank God! I'm just glad you were looking at my hair and not my butt!"

Dr. Googly Eyes was totally amazed at my blood work. He said that he could see 200 patients and none of them would have results as good as mine. He said that he has to admit that a fat person can be healthy.

I was impressed with the weight loss surgery center since they had already sent their final report to my doctor which means that they have sent it to the insurance company. It took less than two days. The doctor had to get one last final dig in by reading part of the report to me and adding his own words. When he got to the part where the doctor had described my abdomen (good bowel sounds & soft) he said, "Abdomen, abundant." I said, "Thanks for telling me that. It really made me feel much better about myself." I can't wait until I don't have anything for him to comment about. I highly doubt that he makes rude remarks about women who aren't overweight.

This doctor is well respected in the community. He is the Chief of Staff at one of the local hospitals. He's also 78 years old. He loves Mr. Sign and my kids. I only stick with him because he really is good at what he does. I decided he doesn't like me because I have some medical knowledge (I was going to be a doctor in my previous life) and have diagnosed Mr. Sign and my kids before he has. He seems to be misogynistic and can't seem to believe that a mother would know what's wrong with her children.

I'm excited because all of my info is now being considered at the insurance company. I should know soon whether or not I will be having gastric bypass surgery.

I had to work yesterday (Saturday) because we are so busy at work. Today we are planting all the annuals and the garden. It's hotter than Hades here. It's supposed to be 90 and humid. I hope I live through it.

What Women Have To Do

I've groomed the cooch and scrubbed until I'm sparkly clean. In less than an hour I'll be at Dr. Googly Eyes with his face inches from the land that gave life. I dread this more than anything. I'd rather have my teeth drilled without anesthesia (which I do anyway) than get a yearly exam.

I hate the paper gown that opens in the front. What's the purpose of this? It doesn't cover much. I hate the drape that goes across your lap. I hate that your ass is hanging in the air with the wind blowing across it. I hate the cold hardness of the speculum. I hate all the goop that continues to ooze out of you for the rest of the day.

Ok, I got that out of my system. After that, I'm having an honor roll pizza party at the school for the 4th and 5th grades. It's gonna suck because it's supposed to storm so it will have to be done inside.

I'm going to go kick my negative self in the ass. I promise to be a little more chipper as soon as June 8th gets here. Then, I'll have much more time on my hands.

I Blew A Nut

Hehe, that sounds so dirty. I'm not talking about what I did to Mr. Sign. That's my friend's favorite saying for "losing it".

Mr. Sign and I had our last visit with the Internist today before all of our information is turned into the insurance company to determine if we fit the criteria for weight loss surgery.

I wasn't preprared to have an EKG but I did. The medical assistant (an adorable brunette) who did it was very nice. She was unhooking one of the leads and she dropped one on my face. She said, "I didn't mean to beat you up". To which I replied, "Sometimes it can be fun". I have no idea how that slipped out but she didn't seem very amused. She told me to strip except for my underwear and put on this ginormous gown. It's always nice to meet someone in your skivies.

The doctor was a woman. She entered the room and immediately made me feel uncomfortable. She was very aloof and treated me like I wasn't human. She got right to the point and asked me if I had any doctor supervised diets. I told her that I didn't even have a primary care physician for 8 years.

She asked me what I do for a living so I told her I make signs. She said, "Oh, you paint signs by hand?" I told her that it's all computerized now. I let her know that I do everything from designing to the actual making of and installing the signs. She said that it was interesting. I'm assuming that she was looking down her nose at me.

She then felt me up (haha, at least my legs and belly). She listened to my heart and lungs. I guess I've never had a woman doctor before. Weird.

She said my EKG looked great. I asked her about my bloodwork. She kept looking at it and squinting like she couldn't read it. She said everything looks good, "surprising". My cholesterol is 160. LDL is 99. HDL is 51 which could be a little higher since that's the good one. Glucose is 91. My pulse is 65 and blood pressure is 117/72. All of my liver functions were great as were my thyroid tests. So basically I'm damned healthy for a big girl.

When she was leaving she said, "You should prepare yourself for the insurance company to deny your request based on the fact that you don't have 2 years of doctor supervised diets. I've asked my billing specialist about working with your insurance company and they are likely to reject you." I was devastated. I told her that I had asked all along every step of the way if this was a possiblity and was assured that I was a prime candidate.

I had to wait in the waiting room for Mr. Sign to get done. I sat stewing in my own madness about the whole thing. I was pissed because I now know that they put everyone through this process just to get their money knowing that they will be rejected. If anyone had tried to talk to me right then, I would have exploded.

As soon as I saw Mr. Sign I broke down and went on a rampage yelling about how this was bullshit. He tried to calm me down but I was inconsolable.

He immediately got on the phone and called the insurance company to ask (for the third time) what criteria we had to meet. She said that with our plan of coverage, we don't have to do the 2 years of doctor supervised weight loss. Apparently there are different levels of coverage and ours covers weight loss surgery.

The doctor was trying to cover her ass. I realize now that she was judging me based on my job. She thought that since I'm a lowly sign maker that I would have the lowest coverage.

It would seem that someone who works with people who have researched and put all of their heart and soul into making the decision to have a life changing surgery would be a little more gentle in her approach of rejection. I realize now that she was just preparing me in case it happened so that I wouldn't be devastated. She really burst my bubble.

Everything now goes into the insurance company. I hope it doesn't take too long to find out the outcome.

Next stop, my primary care physician on Thursday for my yearly physical. Dr. Googly Eyes will have his huge bug eyed glasses near my cooch yelling, "I can't find it". At least that's what he said last time. I lifted off the table and asked him how could he not find it? He said it was my cervix he was having a hard time locating. Just my luck. A doctor that can't find all my parts.

I can hardly wait.

No Romance, Just the Finanace

When Mr. Sign and I got married, we both had full time jobs. Once daughter #1 came along, I just couldn't leave her. I had planned all through my pregnancy to put her in daycare and continue to work. Once she was born, I felt the need to be with her and care for her so I quit my job as an underwriter's assistant at a large life insurance company. I was close to becoming an underwriter but decided to put my child before money. It was the right decision for me.

Going from two incomes down to one was tough. It wasn't just hard for the first couple of years, it was hard for the first ten. A month after #1 was born, I was home and received our first phone call that we were in default on our loan. The woman was ruthless and told me that I had better go get a job so I could pay my bills. I was scared shitless and cried and carried on. Mr. Sign called up the bank and let them have it.

Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of our collection calls. Both of Mr. Sign's parents became terminally ill and we had to care for them. This meant more money for gas since they lived 50 miles away. I was cleaning 12 houses a week to try to earn extra money.

We were very close to paying off our van but things kept getting financially worse. I wasn't able to make the payments and missed 2 in a row. I had no idea of how serious this was until a woman knocked on my door to tell me she was taking away my van. My first reaction was panic and then compliance. I asked her if she wanted the keys and she said that it would make her job easier. She allowed me to get some things (like car seats) out. I sobbed as I pulled our belongings out in the pouring rain. I was upset that things had gotten so bad that my vehicle was being repossesed. The ridiculous part was that we only owed $1200.

The woman gave me a paper with info about where the van was going. I was so embarrassed that I wasn't sure if I could get up the nerve to tell anyone. I finally gave in and told my mother. We had borrowed money from her when we purchased our house and had never gotten around to paying it back. I wasn't sure she would be so willing to help us out. She went into action and bailed us out.

I took the money to the bank and payed off the van. I still had to figure out how I was going to collect the vehicle. I got up the nerve to tell my best friend what had happened. She and I took all of our kids to pick it up. Once I got there, one of the tires was flat. Luckily I carried a small compressor in the van and was able to blow it up enough to get it home.

This all transpired in two days but it seemed like years. It was tax time and I knew we had a large refund coming back so we took our taxes to one of those places that promises a quick return. They saw us coming and promply charged us $380 to do the paperwork. I was horrified but stuck between a rock and a hard place so we payed it. We paid my parents back immediately just in case we needed them again.

That wasn't to be the end of our problems but I can say that we are doing well now and have been for the last several years.

The worst part about not having money is that you are penalized for it. If you pay your payment late, you are charged extra. Duh, if you don't have enough for the payment, how are you going to pay the late fees? It seemed like we were digging ourselves deeper and deeper into a hole. In Michigan, you are penalized for your credit score on your auto insurance. Part of your rating is based on your credit history. Totally not fair. Just because I'm poor and in debt doesn't mean I'm a bad driver.

Anyway, my point in writing this was to let those of you in rough financial times know that things do eventually get better.

Exhausted!

My day on Friday began at 6 am. By 8 am I was on a dead run trying to finish up last minute details for the spring carnival.

I did get to have a nice lunch with two other ladies and that was the only time that I sat down until I passed out at 11 pm.

The weather here on Friday was a little less than desirable but could have been worse. It had been raining for over a week so the ground was muddy. The temperature was in the high 50's but the winds were 20 miles per hour making it feel like it was in the 40's. I had decided to make plans to hold the carnival inside. You know, the best laid plans....

At the last minute before the carnival started, the sun came out so we decided to put some things outside and the rest inside. It worked out great!

There were over 20 games, face painting, sillouettes, moon walk, pizza, hot dogs, cotton candy, soda, popcorn and prizes galore.

Mr. Sign and #1 are in charge of the infamous cakewalk. I believe that is our biggest draw. people will do for sugar. If you aren't familiar with a cakewalk, I will explain how we do it. Mr. Sign places It's amazing what numbers from 1 to 25 in a crazy pattern on the floor. (This picture is an example. Mr. Sign's pattern is more eradic.) Everyone stands on a number and waits for the music to begin. Once the music begins, the participants follow the numbers in order until the music stops. A number from 1 to 25 is then drawn out of a hat and whomever is standing on that number wins a cake that has been donated. The adults were way more excited than the kids when they won. My stepdad finally won one and he figures that it's cost him $200 over the years that he's tried to win one.

I can't explain to you how hard it was for me to try and keep up the frenetic pace all day. I was afraid that if I sat down, I wouln't get up. By the time we were cleaning up, I could barely put one foot in front of the other. As soon as I got home, I took a shower, took 800 mg of Ibuprofen and went to bed.

I have no idea whether or not we made a profit since the treasurer hasn't counted the money yet. I hope it was all worth it.

Saturday morning I was enlisted to do hard labor with my family. My grandparents own a large pond with a huge pavillion that sits back from the road over 1/2 mile that can comfortably hold more than 150 people. It's my favorite getaway spot since there are no phones or electricity. Because it is not used all winter long except for an occasional ice skating or skiing day, it gets dirty. Everything had to be removed and scrubbed. This wouldn't have been so bad had I not put in a 16 hour day the day before.

It's a fun bonding experience since there are about 25 of us cleaning and fixing what needs to be fixed. My aunt, uncle and most of their kids were there as well as my grandparents.

I tried to get some stuff done around my house but didn't get to it until late this afternoon out of sheer laziness. I figure I'm entitled :)

The Sun'll Come Out

We finally saw some sun yesterday. It was the first since last Thursday. It still supposed to rain for a couple more days.

A combination of the rain, hormones and stress had me in tears all week. I'm not used to be so emotionally out of control. The sun definately cheered me up.

Unfortunately, it's supposed to rain on Friday when we are having the carnival. We put a rain plan in place and hopefully we won't have to use it. It's really muddy though so we may just do it inside anyway.

WTF is up with American Idol? I didn't watch it since I was watching Lost but saw the results this morning. Are only retarded people voting, or what? I'll admit that in the very beginning I was rooting for Taylor just because he seemed so "off". He's definately had his 15 minutes so it's time to get out of the light and back into the psych ward. Since my boy Chris was kicked off (and Mandisa before that) I'm totally boycotting it. There's just no way real people are voting.

Some people have asked what my next step is in the qualifying process for gastric bypass surgery. Next Tuesday I have an appointment with the internist. Thursday I have an appointment with my primary care physican for my yearly exam and this time he will do an EKG and a head to toe exam (whatever that is). It seems that I will be poked and prodded in every orifice next week. I can't wait. *insert eyeroll here* After that, all information will be turned into the insurance company for them to either deny or approve me for surgery. If approved, surgery will be scheduled hopefully sooner than later.

I still haven't had much time to visit blogs but hopefully things will slow down a bit but not til after June 8th.

Behaviorist Visit

The behaviorist visit was interesting and intense. They make you fill out a five page questionairre that asks ridiculous questions like do you have voices in your head that tell you to do things. I had to refrain from saying, "Doesn't everyone?" *snort* I understand that they are trying to rule out the mentally ill patients but come on, five pages of crap?

After you fill out the questionairre the behaviorist meets with you and really doesn't even look at the stupid thing. He touched on something in my past that is a sore spot right away that I may someday talk about here. He would not have passed me if I hadn't been journaling. He stated that research states that one of the best kinds of therapy is journaling. I'm so thankful that I started doing it seriously some time ago.

I asked him what he thought about me being rejected by the insurance company for gastric bypass surgery and he said that he would be totally shocked if I was. Everything points to this happening.

I'm so glad Monday is over. I just need to get through the next three weeks and I'll be golden. #1 has another concert tonight. This one will be a little less stellar since it's her middle school that's performing. She will play her bass, the piano, the bells and percussion tonight. She will be running all over the stage to get to her next instrument. I hope she doesn't trip.

Busy Week

Happy Mother's Day!!! I got breakfast in bed that consisted of fresh fruit and scrambled eggs. It was delish!

I didn't get lost or forget about the blog world. I decided to take a little breather. This week coming up is going to be a douzy (sp?) for me. If you don't see a lot of me, don't hold it against me. I'm just busy in the outside world.

We got two huge jobs at work that will take me the better part of the summer to complete. I'm happy for the work but wondering how I will ever get them done. I know I can do it.

This Friday is the annual Spring Carnival at #2's school. Another woman and I head up the whole thing and every year after it's over we swear we will never do it again. We are 40 volunteers short right now. We have never been that short before. We are reworking everything tomorrow to decide what to cut out. This carnival is one of the highest attended and the most profitable in the entire area. It's funny to get calls from other schools asking what we do different. Of course they are asking in May and we begin planning in September of the year before. Anywho, it's fun for everyone but also one of the most exhausting weeks of my life.

Now, about my last post. Apparently some of you took that as depressing. I don't know, maybe it was. I didnt' intend for it to be. I have really been soul searching and have found some answers. I am thankful every day for the great family and the many talents that have been bestowed upon me. I wouldn't change who I am for anything. I've worked hard to be me and even when I'm raw and wrong, I'm still happy to be me.

Tomorrow (Monday) I have an appointment with the behaviorist. I'm a little apprehensive as I know it will be all about how I see myself. I've written post after post in my head about my self confidence and have never been able to get it out. Maybe I'll keep working on that.

Next week we have appointments with the internist. After that, our information will be turned into the insurance company for them to accept or deny us for gastric bypass surgery. I'm not sure how I will handle it if I am rejected.

Hope you all had a great weekend. Remember, if you don't see me around, know I'll be back as soon as I get a chance.

I Know You Will All Be Thrilled To Know These Things

Even though Madame X didn't tag me with this, I did it anyway.

I AM: Feeling sad today.

I SAID: Don't we all need the same things out of life no matter what we look like?

I WANT: To be healthy

I WISH: My children will continue to be healthy

I HATE: The word hate

I MISS: My grandma

I FEAR: Losing my children

I HEAR: "You would be so beautiful if you just lost weight"

I WONDER: If I will make a difference in the world

I REGRET: Not taking better care of myself

I AM NOT: Always perky

I DANCE: Urban hustle very well for a big girl

I SING: A lot of the time to myself

I CRY: When I hear circus music and at parades. I think I was a circus clown in a former life who was trampled by an elephant during a parade while the band played.

I AM NOT ALWAYS: Thinking before speaking.

I MADE: A beautiful deck with my husband.

I WRITE: Like I think

I CONFUSE: Myself with my schedule

I NEED: To be loved

I SHOULD: Stop worrying about crap I can't control

I START: to freak out at about 3 am about what I have to do that day

I FINISH: showering in 4 minutes

*I believe: In a higher power. I am spiritual but not religious. I feel that I can worship God anywhere, not just in a church that only cares about how much I'm tithing.

*I know: I'm a bitch sometimes to my husband

*I can: Drink 12 or more shots of Tequila or ingest more than 100 Jello shots in a weekend

*I can't: stand people that make others feel less intelligent because they aren't geniuses

*I see: My eyelids closing

*I blog: because I enjoy the interaction and the release of the demons in my mind

*I read: Mostly true crime novels although I just finished James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" and liked it even if it's not 100% accurate. Frey's writing style was a little hard to follow at first but I got used to it.

*I am aroused by: Nature, especially a warm breeze on a bare breast

*It pisses me off: When someone pulls out in front of me in traffic with their car

*I find: Hair ties in every room that belong to my daughters

*I like: Interacting with people

*I love: My family. They are my reason for living.

Wireless Sucks Sometimes

The Postman Always Rings Twice?

I was reading a post at Alex & Suze's the other day that inspired me to write about my hatred of our mail carrier.

It all started on the second day after we moved in. The postal carriers walk their routes since the houses are so close . I had attached the mail box onto the front of our house as is customary since we live in the city. It was on the right hand side of the door (when exiting the house). I was quite proud of myself for doing the job on my own.

This was our first house, and being that we were young and in love, we took it upon ourselves to do what young lovers do and initiated the family room in the back of the house. The French doors were open since it was a beautiful Spring day.

I looked like a spider on top of my prey as we did our thing on the floor. Suddenly, we heard a knock at the back door (remember, it's open. New house = no curtains or blinds). I jumped off Mr. Sign and quickly looked around for my clothes. Mr. Sign just layed there smirking at me as I scrounged around for my clothes and ended up with Mr. Sign's shirt on.

I sheepishly looked out the door only to be greeted aggressively by the mailman. He began to yell at me about my placement of the mailbox. He said that I had placed it on the wrong side as it was on his left side and that he had to walk up steps to reach it.

I said, "Why are you knocking on our back door? Did you even try the front bell? Isn't it your job to get the mail into the box no matter what side it's on?" He told me to move the box or he wouldn't deliver the mail.

And so began a 14 year hate/hate relationship with the mail jerk. None of the neighbors cared for him either. He married a woman who was on our route. That's probably why he delivered our mail at 8 p.m. most nights (using a flashlight in the winter months).

I still laugh when I think about his first impression of us since I know damned well he knew what we were doing when he knocked on the back door.

Surgeon Visit

I forgot to mention that Mr. Sign is also planning on having the gastric bypass surgery. He will have it 2-3 months after I do since he has major health problems that will require more extensive testing.

Mr. Sign and I rode together for the one hour commute since he had business in Grand Rapids. He dropped me off early at the medical facility. I thought I would be bored so I brought books and my MP3 player. I didn't need them since there were so many other patients waiting. I got to hear their stories and progresses. It was so interesting that the time flew by.

We met with the surgeon today. He's a little guy with dark hair and very blue eyes. He's really handsome. (I can just picture him on top of a stool doing surgeries.) The doctor saw us both at the same time. He spoke to and examined me first. When I hopped up on the huge table (this thing was as big as a full sized bed) he remarked that I should always wear blue because it brought out the color in my eyes. I giggled as he told Mr. Sign that he wasn't hitting on me.

We discussed surgical procedures and I had already decided on the Roux En Y. The facility does 99% of the surgeries laproscopically which means that the recovery period will only be 1-2 weeks rather than 4-6 weeks with an open procedure.

I have to begin an diet immediately as they ask you to lose 10% of your body weight pre-operatively. Two weeks before the surgery I will be placed on an 800 calorie diet. The reason they ask you to lose the weight is to aid in reducing the liver. The area that the surgery is performed is very close to it. The liver carries a large amount of fat and shrinking it gives them more room to work. Makes sense. It sucks, but it makes sense.

I asked him about the time line and he stated that it would be closer to the end of July. A spoke with another one of his patients who had it within a month of the first visit so now I don't know when it will happen. I think sooner is better.

On a completely different note, I went into a bathroom stall after a woman was in there and the toilet seat was up. WTF? I didn't even want to think of why it was up. Weird, huh?

Note completely off topic again, did anyone look at the links I posted on the previous post? The one of Ryan Seacrest is hilarious!

Fly On The Wall

I wish I was a fly on the wall when....

• my dad met my mom

• my mom told my dad it was over

• my mom told my Grams she was pregnant at 17

• someone offers drugs to my daughters

• someone tries to take advantage of my daughters

• I have weight loss surgery
  

• Marilyn said her last goodbye

• Pee Wee visited the theater

• John C. Holmes decided to be a porn star

• Charles Manson decided he was God

• Jim Morrison was on his first acid trip

• someone told Ryan Seacrest he was Hollywood worthy

• Studio 54 was at it's peak

What event do you wish you could be a fly on the wall for?

Things Are Moving Quickly

When I first talked to the people at the health center they gave me a timeline for the gastric bypass surgery. I was told it would take over a month to get my first appointment after attending the orientation on Tuesday. Well, I have 4 appointments scheduled in the next three weeks! The first one with the surgeon is Monday.

After you you see the surgeon, the behaviorist, the internist and the dietician, your information is then sent on to the insurance company. They make the final decision.

The only requirements that my insurance company has are having been overweight for 5 years and a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 40%. The insurance pays for 100% of the surgery. If I have to stay in the hospital (which I more than likely will have to) I have a $500 copay. Small price to pay for a new way of life.

I'll keep you all updated and hopefully will not bore you.

Update~ I just talked to the scheduler and she said that I can expect to have surgery by the end of June or the beginning of July! Woo Hoo!!!! Doing the happy dance ~*~*~*~*~

HNT #24

This is where I end up every night.

It's the place I long to be all day.

Don't know why I'm half nekkid?

See the HNT King here.

And So It Begins...

I have deliberated about putting something on my blog. It's something I've been thinking about for about three years. What I'm about to tell you will change your view of me be it for better or worse. I've decided to take you on a journey with me if you chose to go.

If you have read much of my stuff you will know that I've struggled with my weight my entire life. I've spent years dieting and exercising but haven't been able to keep the weight off. I don't want to lose weight for vanity purposes. My desire to lose weight has to do with my health. Right now, my health is great. I have low blood pressure and cholesterol. This might not always be the case. What I do have right now are some aching knees and hips.

The process has been started to allow me to have Gastric Bypass Surgery. Wow! I know! Big step. This is not something that I've entered into lightly. The surgery will change my life forever but it's something that I now know I have to do.

I have been reading everything I can get my hands on and have also spoken to several persons who have had the surgery. A great blogger friend (who shall remain nameless unless that person decides to out themself) has been emailing me the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of life before and after Gastric Bypass.

I'm not even sure that the surgery will happen since it is a long process to qualify. It will take from 4 to 7 months from today to have the surgery if I am candidate. I attended a seminar today and will shortly begin the barrage of tests and doctor visits.

It's taken me this long to get the the point where I knew this was the right thing for me to do. My personal physician did not support me in this decision because he's an old school doctor with dreams of making his diet plan a national success. I tried his and everyone elses and couldn't make it work. In the end I had to say to him, "I've already made up my mind that this is what I'm going to do, with or without you. I would really appreciate having you on board to help me manage my health through the process." He said that he wasn't familiar with the surgery but promised to do some research. I have to say that if you know that something is right for you in regards to your health but your physician isn't supportive, get a different opinion! I have wasted too much time trying to tip toe around my doctor.

So, if you are still with me here, I would appreciate good thoughts and prayers that it will happen as I take you on my journey.

Gramisms

My favorite uncle had a heart attack last week and he was too week to have surgery. He got so upset that he was going to die that he ripped out all of his leads and IV's. About five minutes later, he decided that he wanted them put back in since his father (my great grandfather) lived to be 94 years old. Unfortunately, he died later that night.

Uncle John is my maternal grandmother's older brother. He was such a cool guy. He drove truck for 50 years putting millions of miles on his semi's. He always wore a captain's hat because when he wasn't on the road, he was sailing. He was always nice to me and went out of his way for everyone. I will miss his hearty "Hullo".

On the way to the memorial service yesterday, my grandma starts in with her hilarious antics even though she was sad about losing her last brother. We were riding in the 2nd seat in her van. She turned to me and asked whether my van's windows opened in the 2nd seats. I said, "No". She said, " I really miss having them open because I can't flip people off. They can't see me because of the tinted windows." Good point, Gram.

The memorial service was attended by 250 people so there was a lot of extra noise. Someone had a child, about 3 years old that was crying and fussing. Gram blurts out, "That kid needs to be rocked!" Now everyone would think that she means rocked in a chair. What she really means is have rocks thrown at it. Yeah, isn't she just adorable? That's my Gram.