tjmom

Cris , your blog was/is emotional, exceptional and heart felt.... just stating the obvious...

i like the sound of "retraining".... that took away some of the disappointment i felt in myself for using my chair today.... i feel so good when i am up walking...so proud of how far i have come since surgery on May 2nd... so i forget it hasn't been 3 months since surgery vs years in the chair... i need to listen to you all and stop being so hard on myself... thank you all!!!

O.T.R. ..... i live north of Seattle...in Bellingham.... love it up here.... do you know the Bellingham area ?

my heart aches for you and your husband...also, for your entire family... i have been praying for you all... there are no words to express the pain you must be going through but please know you are in my thoughts daily.... when you need strength and don't have anyone around... Lean on me!!! i am an unknown who cares for you...who will support you...who will never judge you... ((if you want to scream, cuss or blame something, i will listen))... understanding hugz and support sent your way... lean on me ... sincerely sandy/tjmom

today is a wheelchair day....the weather changed so drastically last night (got so cold) my back is not supporting my torso today, without pain. so sorry to say, motorized chair got dusted off... it did make me smile at how much dust had already accumulated i was hoping my back would have been stronger before the winter coldness....but can't beat mother nature.... if/when sun comes back to the Pacific Northwest, i will be out of chair !!! thank you all.... OBTW ... i fell asleep last night and did not wake up until 10:30 am....oh my i feel so refreshed !!

thank you all so much!!! your kind words encourage me to keep going.... Saturday i walked all day... not just around the house, but had my husband ride the motorized chair beside me and we went for a walk down our driveway.... when i got to the point where my legs felt like rubber, i sat down for a few minutes...i was/am a bit stubborn - so i did not drive back. I just rested, got up and walked home. (its not far, probably 6 car lengths, but it is gravel. so a bit unsteady) AND we went to a BBQ.... i walked the entire day!!! QUESTION: Does anyone have a problem sleeping? (sorry to be talking so much) .... last night when i went to bed - (and i was really sleepy from being outside most of the day) - but as soon as my head hit the pillow, my eyes popped open! i did not sleep all night! and haven't been to sleep yet today... just wondering if anyone else has problems sleeping... thanks again for all your encouragement!!!

thank you both...your comments are so supportive and encouraging... Each morning, i sit on the side of the bed with my sore back and knees screaming at me for the strain i put them both through yesterday, by walking. i pick up my phone, sign into VST and re-read every ones posts.... it warms my soul to have all this support!!! i look at my motorized chair, and say: "not today. today i am walking. 1 hour or 10 hours, it doesn't matter. i AM going to walk today! " thank you all for keeping me motivated!

crystal .... i have also had the mood swings! i also have had a hyst years ago, but feel pms'y... i understand what everyone is saying, but it still doesn't make me feel better when i bite my husbands head off "because he looked at me wrong"... i just make sure that when my mood changes back to "friendly Sandy" that i apologize to him.. give him hugs and kisses.... and that makes me feel better, too.... Even though he understands all this too, i don't want him to ever think "b*t*hy Sandy" is who i have become because of the sleeve. The mood swings will stop (I've been told)

congratulations ! your progress sounds great... I, too, love my sleeve. I was sleeved on May 2 and as of this am, am down 43 pounds post-op... we have our own happy sleevers club!

I am 11 weeks + 2 days and i still have not figured out my "signal".... luckily i have only slimmed a couple times. what happens to me is - ((if i do not weigh and measure my food "every time", i inadvertently eat 1 bite to much))...i just get that "burp stuck" feeling. Very uncomfortable ... sometimes even painful. i guess that could be my signal but it hurts like the dickens ... ""I wish my nose would run, instead""...

i had it until about half way through the "soft and mushy" week...then things started to become normal... while it was happening it was very nerve racking to say the least...

Iweightnomore ... wow i am sorry that happened but so happy the physician repaired it so quickly... Speaking openly and honestly about your concerns with your physician will be the best way to go...Ask him out right if he has done the sleeve who previously had gallbladder surgery... Having your physician put your mind at ease is the best way to go... IMO

Lissa and O T ... both your posts were very uplifting.... thank you and when i am no longer using my chair...i just might drive it out to the back fence, put a wash tub in the seat and plant a climbing plant of some kind in the tub to overtake the chair!!! that's a visual that brings a smile to my face!!!

It's ok to be scared...i think most of us were, even if we don't admit it.... it's a big life style change... but it is so worth it... good luck, you can do it

thank you Beth. today i was OUT of wheelchair until 6:30 pm...another good day...

thank you fir your support... yesterday i was back in wheelchair....legs just didn't want to work..kept getting off balance, didn't want to fall... today, feeling good, so far no chair! yippie !!

thank you so much Lissa ... i remember talking to you about it... i really am believing "life without a wheelchair" is in my future... life is so fabulous!!!

Julie, O.T.R. and Aaron....thank you for your encouragement... O.T.R. i didn't think about it in that way..weight training ! i have a friend who does massage, and i am sure she knows deep tissue massage and will work on my legs if i ask... great suggestion...

Tuesday i went until 5 pm before i needed my chair... I have to admit i was/am pretty proud of myself... 2 days in a row with 10 - 12 hours of mobility!!! Last night was another story, about 8 pm my left calf started getting charlie horses ... about 3 in one hour... my left knee is the one that hurts me the most, so not a restful night... in fact, i finally got out of bed (tossing and turning so much, trying to find a pain free position)... and went to the living room to watch TV... so when Russ got up at 5:30 i fixed Breakfast : poached egg and bacon... Russ left for work at 6:30 and i am going to try this "sleep" thing again... (today i think sleep, is highly over rated)... everyone have a great day! ~me

Today i am SORE SORE SORE ...but... I am not in my wheelchair... I am finding places to rest the joints sooner today than yesterday .... Due to the pain, i am going to take 1 hour at a time....my goal is "2 days without my wheelchair" I love my sleeve!!!!! (((BTW ...i lost 2 pounds.... Can we say "motivation")))

Vjslim and southern Oregon ... Thanks for all the supportive words... They all help me through this adventure ...

OregonDaisy and stillooking ((hope i remembered your names correctly, i am using my phone...yes, i am in bed with a heating pad on my back! BUT ... Still so happy about today)) anyway: thank you both for your wonderful comments, to my post!

Thank you Queen... Would love to do Hawaii when at goal.... Yes, totally wheelchair bound on May 2 (day of surgery) and today July 16, out of wheelchair all day! It's truly amazing...

Good Luck tomorrow Sparky !!! It will be a fantastic day!

Thank you both....it feels great!