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How you you lose a whole person? (Random ramblings and bariatric surgery, part 1)
The Joyful Nonconformist Blog ^ | 05/09/11 | Joyful Nonconformist

Posted on 05/10/2011 9:58:36 AM PDT by MintyHippo1980

This is no kidding...we take roll call before we go anywhere in the Big Red Bus of Love. Some of you may find this a foreign concept. Many of you probably can't decide whether to laugh maniacally or throw up at the thought of the necessity of it. And a precious few of you are thinking, "Well, duh!"

True story:

On a recent activity/errand night, I had four of the kids with me. We dropped Gracie off at the YMCA so she could go to her water aerobics class, and then I fled the parking lot...because all the Zumba-ites were arriving, and I was still on crutches, and it made me sad to watch them scampering happily into the Y. :-(

Our next stop was Auto Zone, where I was supposed to acquire some sort of information about something involving a battery for that other car we have that isn't my big van. (You didn't know I was so smart about car stuff, huh?) Jamie went in with me because it seemed ill-advised to enter a man cave without bringing some testosterone along, and I figured there might be carrying required.

Samantha opted to stay in the van with Hannah...or so I thought!

When Jamie and I returned to the van, I looked behind me so I could back that thing up, and I didn't see Hannah. I figured she was hiding behind one of the seats, trying to be all cute and funny and freak me out like they do sometimes. So, I decided to play along and ask, "Where's Hannah?"

And there was silence.

Then I realized that Samantha and Jamie were both looking at me like I had lobsters crawling out my ears, and Jamie said, "She got out of the van at the YMCA, Mom."

Now, I'm pretty good at multi-tasking, so as we drove back across town to the Y, I spent my time practicing my interviewing skills:

Why did she get out of the van? Why did you let her get out of the van?! She wasn't supposed to get out of the van! What do you mean she saw her friend and decided she needed to go tell her hi?! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?! What was she thinking?! What is wrong with you people?! What in the world is her dad going to say when he finds out I lost an entire person?!

Well...we got back to the YMCA to find Hannah right where we had left her...and she had a lot of questions of her own. And she was looking at me like I should have anticipated her unscheduled exit from the vehicle...and what in the world was wrong with me?!

Ah...she was probably right. Who am I kidding? Ending the day with everyone I started with is way high on my daily to-do list.

Near fail!

We may have well exceeded the weight limit on that elevator!

A couple summers ago, we went on our first bi-annual whole-family three-generation vacation (Bennecation 2009). At that time, putting the entire show on the road involved 7 adults (and I use that term kind of loosely), 9 children between the ages of 17 months and 12 years old, the Big Red Bus of Love, and a mini-van borrowed from my brave, trusting mother.

I have two things to say about that:

It's a good thing I was in a college band that did a bit of touring. Praise God for cell phones! (How else are you going to take roll call between multiple vehicles?!)

I love my peeps, see...and I don't want to lose anyone...but I'm also pretty sure the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells wouldn't have been too enthused about my leaving anyone behind either! ;-)

Do I have a point in here anywhere?

How far are you willing to stretch?

If you know me in real life (or if you've read my blog bio), you already know I had bariatric surgery in January of 2010.

When I was born, I weighed over 9 pounds...and I proceeded to have what doctors call "a little bit of a weight problem" from that point on. My dad--with all affection, I'm sure--once told me that I was born at breakfast time and I'd been hungry ever since.

Guilty as charged!

Attempts at weight loss make for really, really boring blog-fodder, so let me just say that I tried it all. All of it.

I knew about weight loss surgery, but any time the thought of it flitted through my mind, I immediately shot it down. Too expensive...too risky...and it seemed like, well...cheating. Taking the easy way out.

As the years marched on, I gradually ran into more and more people who had gone through the surgery and lived to tell the tale...and I finally decided there wasn't much harm in getting some information. And then a friend of Jim's from the old neighborhood got it done...and with remarkably great results! Finally...someone I could harass with a long list of questions!

And I did!

We talked a long time one night about her experience with the surgery...but there were two things she said that had a huge impact on me. One was that she, too, had struggled with feeling like she was taking the easy way out by going ahead with the surgery...and her dad (a pastor) had assured her that it's not "easy" when you have to contribute as much emotional and physiological currency as bariatric surgery requires. The second thing that stood out in our conversation was that, at that time, she had lost 160 pounds!

My response was something profound like, "Wow! Whoa!"

And she said, "Yeah...I've lost a whole person."

It has only been very recently that I have really begun to meditate on that statement...because at this point, I have also lost the equivalent of an entire person. Weird.

I'm still sort of in the process of sorting out my thoughts about that...wondering, really, if I can write about it in a way that will make sense to anyone besides me. Wondering, really, if I can even get it to fully make sense to me! :-)

Be looking for Part 2 in a few days!

Blessings! Missy

If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

Matthew 18:8-9


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine; Humor; Religion
KEYWORDS: bariatric; christian; goofycrap; parenting; weight
The Roux-n-y procedure...
1 posted on 05/10/2011 9:58:42 AM PDT by MintyHippo1980
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To: MintyHippo1980
...but there were two things she said that had a huge impact on me. One was that she, too, had struggled with feeling like she was taking the easy way out by going ahead with the surgery...and her dad (a pastor) had assured her that it's not "easy" when you have to contribute as much emotional and physiological currency as bariatric surgery requires. The second thing that stood out in our conversation was that, at that time, she had lost 160 pounds!

I had Roux N Y 0ne year and 150 lbs ago and I know what she's saying about the easy way out. I felt ashamed that I was giving in and taking the easy way out too. Let me tell you it's anything but easy! It's been great and I would recommend the procedure to anyone facing the kind of serious health issues I was facing a year ago,,,even someone trying to avoid facing those issues, but I would not call it easy!

2 posted on 05/10/2011 10:20:05 AM PDT by pgkdan ( "Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine / There's always laughter and good red wine / ...Belloc)
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To: MintyHippo1980
Do I have a point in here anywhere?

How far are you willing to stretch?

That's a pretty far stretch.

Talk about ramblings of an undisciplined mind.

3 posted on 05/10/2011 11:00:15 AM PDT by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: MintyHippo1980

They don’t lose someone.
The correct term is disappeared.


4 posted on 05/10/2011 12:54:59 PM PDT by BuffaloJack (Obama did not learn incompetence; he was born to it.)
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To: MintyHippo1980

I have known 2 women who had it done, one committed suicide and the other left her longtime husband for a series of lovers and one night stands. In some cases, weight may just be hiding more serious issues.


5 posted on 05/10/2011 1:05:29 PM PDT by kalee (The offences we give, we write in the dust; Those we take, we engrave in marble. J Huett 1658)
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To: MintyHippo1980

I had Roux-En-Y in January 2002, and a kidney transplant May 2003. I would probably have died prior to the transplant had I not had gastric bypass. Best thing I ever did.


6 posted on 05/10/2011 3:44:10 PM PDT by Born Conservative
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