Countdown Begins...

I will be in Denver, Colorado on Thursday!!!

Digital Delights

Mind Over Fat Matters

I'm With Fatty

Designated Fat Girl

I'm looking forward to some good Kindle reading!

Why I Write...

Although my blog has branched out and is not really about losing weight, but more to how I am trying to live my life as a person who was formally SSMO.  I found two quotes that really get to the heart of why I am writing:

"I write out of ignorance...It's what I don't know that stimulates me.  I merely know enough to get started."
- Tony Morrison

"We do not write what we know; we write what we want to find out."  - Wallace Stegner

Thanks for hanging with me on the journey.  I look forward to many more road stops along the way.  Weight loss and maintenance is a life-long trip.

Repost from Dina at Living the DS Life

This post is from Dina's Blog "Living the DS Life."  Dina had the DS eight years ago.  She is one of the main reasons I decided to go with the surgery after reading about her journey.  Please go check out her blog!

Sorry, I Just Gotta Rant....

I know (or at least I thought I did!) without a doubt, that when you decide the DS is the surgery for you that about 90% of the patients really do due diligence and research the ins and outs and at least think they have an understanding of what it will take to Live the DS Life.


PEOPLE!

I’m sorry – but – DO NOT BE STUPID!

There is NEVER a time as a post-op when you just arbitrarily stop taking your vitamins/supplements and getting your labs done.

As in N-E-V-E-R.

Ever.

NEVER EVER!

What convoluted thinking goes through the mind of someone who ASKED for malabsorption to decide to do something like (which I’ve overheard more than once in the past couple of weeks…):

“Well, when I hit 4 years post-op I decided I probably didn’t need to take vitamins anymore…”

or…

“I quit taking my vitamins – oh – about a year ago – and gosh, I haven’t been feeling very well…”

HELLO?!

McFly!

DID YOU CHECK YOUR BRAIN AT THE DOOR?!

(Yes, I’m mad. If you are fortunate enough to HAVE a DS and you choose to be an idiot with it – then yes, I’m mad!)

NO – a multivitamin now and then is NOT sufficient.

NO – taking some bariatric vitamin company’s “special” formulation DOESN’T cut it!

NO – just because you feel okay now doesn’t mean it’s not all going to EVENTUALLY hit the fan.

UGH!

Please, please, please! Raise your right hand and repeat after me, “I will not be a stupid DS’er! I will get my labs done REGULARLY, FAITHFULLY. I WILL NOT be stupid and let someone else tell me that because the result falls in “normal range” that everything is fine. I WILL NOT CHECK MY BRAIN AT THE DOOR! I WILL do due diligence and take my vitamins, get my labs done, and have someone who understands them interpret them! I will NOT take my DS for granted!”

Okay?

Please!

Alright, I’m going to try and calm down now. Thank you for putting up with my rant.

By the Numbers: Countdown to Christmas Break Edition

28 School Days Until Christmas Break.....Cake Huh?  Try this on for size....

* 5 Developmental Reading Asssessments to give to my lowest students
* 4 Faculty Meetings
* 5 Instructional Leadership Meetings
* 1 Reading Proficiency Exam
* 1 Math Diagnostic Exam
* 1 Social Studies Proficiency Exam
* 1 Math Proficiency Exam
* 2 weeks of homework packets to create (my team member does the other two)
* 21 report cards to do
* 2 formal observations for my student teacher (who is currently failing her placement)....so most likely more
* 3 three hour professional development sessions in the evenings
* 4 weeks of literature letters (that is 21 letters per week) for part of a University research project I am in
* 1 Saturday to work as a follow-up to my summer writing project
* 2 weeks worth of before school duty
* 1 conference to attend in Denver, Colorado (Ok, I'm so not complaining about this one!)
* 3 "Fun Friday" mini-professional development sessions (30 minutes each)
* 1 Paul Revere book review set of questions to answer
* 21 digital student profiles to update
* 4 tutoring sessions for a student in Math (the one I do voluntarily)

I know we all have bad stuff with our jobs, and in this economy it is great to "just have a job"..... but please remember that teachers do a lot.

I Love Morgan Freeman

Photo Fest

HH packed treat bags for the kids at school with care. 

I asked HH to make a silly face by this $180 half wheel of cheese.

One of my favorite students.  He had a lot of problems last year.  I requested him, and don't regret it for one minute!

I have the boy in my room.  His sister visits frequently while he is being tutored.

This was the costume of a friend's dog.  How cute is that?

We were hippies for Halloween!

This is Chris that I work with.  He went to see Waiting for Superman with me on Saturday.  I really wanted to hate the movie, and I went into the movie fully expecting that.  Yet, I couldn't.  It told about 70% of the story in my opinion.  It did bring up some very valid points.

HH carving our second pumpkin.  We saw white pumpkins at the store, and decided to get one this year. 

I am very pleased with the final product!

One of these photos will probably be on our Christmas card this year.  I am ordering it later this week.

This is our third annual trip to Hillcrest where all things Halloween come alive.  It was jam-packed!

My favorite yard: Charlie Brown!

On a much more serious note:  It has been
ONE MONTH since my BIL's accident.

I can't believe it has only been a month.  It really seems like it has been much longer.  This week the jerk neurologist has been on call.  He talked to my sister two days ago about considering the quality of life, and letting nature take its course.  Also if it was his loved one....  My sister finally said, "The other two doctors think he is making a lot of progress.  Maybe there is a reason you are are not the chief neurosurgeon."  He left at that point.  The biggest form of progress we saw on Saturday night.  Dad tells Matt that we are going downstairs to eat, and we'll be back soon.  He raised his head a full inch off the bed, and moved his facial muscles like he was trying to say something.  He is still in a coma, but seeing that really makes me wonder to what degree he is in a coma.

Tomorrow is election day.  Yeah for sleeping in!  I can vote pretty quickly at my polling location.  See you guys soon.

Would You Like a Check with That?

Obese Worker Sues McDonalds Over Weight Gain

I am blogging at the GED Center while the students are taking their tests.  Please check out the article linked above.  This is not meant to be a bashing post, but my personal take on things and how it relates to my journey out of obesity.

McDonalds has been a huge part of my life.  I had my third birthday there.  (That was back when it was THE premier place to have your birthday party.  I even got to see Ronald McDonald.)  My mom did most of the child rearing, as my dad typically worked second or third shift, and was always doing odd jobs (primarly painting) for my uncle to supplement our family income.  My mom did the best that she could, but many nights we had McDonalds for dinner because she was too tired, or we had to stay late for a school function.  Part of my blog has been about personal ownership of what "I" did to get to almost 400 pounds.  I couldn't help my upbringing, but I made a lot of poor choices when I from 18-27 that skyrocketed my weight to 393.6 pounds.

I don't think the man should be able to sue McDonalds.  I understand there might be pressure to drink the kool-aid and eat there everyday, but after some time you just have to get TIRED of eating the same thing everyday.  If I didn't want to say it was for my health, I would say it was for lack of variety/boredom with what I was eating.  I do think that he had a choice. 

I had a choice.  I decided to eat McDonalds twice a day a least 3-4 days a week.  I always supersized my coke and fries.  I got things to dip my fries into.  Heaven help me with those 2 for $1 Apple Pies!  (Funny, now apple pies are the only thing I will get from McDonalds.  The smell of the restaurant physically makes me ill.  Even when I am not eating it, I cannot stand the smell.  I am happy for big miracles there!)

Late to the Game with this One...

Marie Claire's article "Should Fatties Get a Room (Even on TV)?"  You have got to be kidding me?  I'm glad she held back and didn't tell us how she was really feeling.  I believe the aology at the end of the story was half-hearted trying to cover her tail. 

Also, Fooducate's "Not All Calories Equal, Indeed?" and "Forty Percent of Kid's Calories Come from Junk Food."

I got the image below from Glam, Glitz, and Gutz....

And for the teachers out there....

High School Memory Lane Trip....

We were watching (I was grading papers...sigh) Queen of Kings tonight.  He was at a pep rally reliving his high school glory days.  I started to chuckle as told HH our high school had so much "spirit" during pep rallys that the eachers would threaten us if we didn't have more pep, they would send us back to class.  Ah, the good old days!