The Most Inspirational VSG EPIC SUCCESS Story EVER!

Dear World,

Walter B. Sleeved aka The Weight-loss Warrior has been a super huge inspiration to me from the very beginning of his journey.  In fact, it really was Walter that gave me the courage to make the decision to just go for it.  He is a total crack up. HE DID IT!!!!!!!!!

He just posted his EPIC 275lbs Gone Gastric Sleeve Saga Extravaganza!

CONGRATS MY FRIEND! 

I LOVE YOU MAN!

Week 19 VSG Post-Op Goodness...

Yo Peeps,

It's time for my Friday update and I have good news.  Mercury Retrograde in Libra ends today, I was not laid off during the re-org that was announced today, and my ass is two pounds lighter than last week.  HELLZ YEA!!!!  I'm plugging along getting lean and all my clothes are hella longer.  I am only 13 lbs. from my halfway point, 213 lbs. a 68 lb loss.  I have a ways to go to get to my goal weight of 145 pounds. So far it's working.

55 pounds lost so far!
30 INCHES LOST TOTAL TO DATE!

I also decided in memory of my sweet black kitty Diva (God rest her purring soul), that I would get my first tattoo.  I designed it and had my consultation with an awesome artist friend of mine, Matt Decker, who has his own bitchin Tattoo Shop PREMIUM TATTOO in Oakland, CA. (My old stomping grounds), it was nice to see my old neighborhood again. Check out some of his work here.

I wanted to get the tattoo for my birthday in December, but with the significant weight-loss I still am undergoing, we made a date for March 12th 2016. The Tattoo will go on most of my back-my upper back and the length of my spine.  By then I should be getting closer to my goal weight.

Think about it, I was wearing a shirt size of a 3X a little over four months ago.  I now am wearing an XL-1X t-shirt size.  By then I may be a medium or smaller.  It will be smarter to wait until next year.  I put down the deposit and it's going to be beautiful, sexy and bad-ass.

Yep, I'm gonna be one of those tiny sexy old broads with a huge Tattoo on her back and maybe have it continue to wrap around in the future to hide any other scars that happen after I heal up from a tummy tuck and a breast lift.  I can get a side job as a "Carni" and learn to spin plates with my teeth and a stick.  I have a great future ahead of me.

Matt is an outstanding tattoo artist and he digs my design.  I'll get a fun backless dress and we will take photos, I look forward to sharing it with you all.

What gets me through some days is just being thankful and grateful for my life.  What we appreciate about where we are and who we are lucky to share our lives with.  I keep focusing on what IS WORKING IN MY LIFE and KEEP MOVING FORWARD and let go of everything else.

Because all we really have in NOW.

Unless you are a time traveler, than THAT is a whole other subject.

Ugly duckling becoming a swan....

So I got on the scale this morning to give my weekly VSG Post-Op update.  I have not really exercised much since my kitty died. I was hesitant to get on the scale.  My hope was to have made it from the 230's at least to 229lbs.  Guess what?

4 months ago I weighed 281 lbs.
Today I weigh 228 lbs.!  

That is a total loss of 53 pounds so far!  

I feel way smaller in my clothes too.  I have lost a couple more inches.  See my measurements on the side bar.  I am almost to my halfway point to my goal weight.  I started this journey with 136 lbs to lose total.  68 lbs. is the half way point, and I'm only 15 lbs. away from that.

I know I need to start a serious work-out routine to get as much flab firmed up as possible.  Once I make my goal, I will most likely look into a boobie lift and possibly a tummy tuck, we will see.  The medical spa packages are affordable.

I want to also say something that I am noticing.  People are treating me very different than when I was fat.  Men are going out of there way to open doors for me, talk to me, flirt with me and also, woman are just plain nicer to me now.  People in general are more receptive to me.  I am noticing people in general are taking notice of me.  It's strange on some level because only 4 1/2 months ago, I was fat as hell and I looked pretty unhealthy, like I had just let myself go.  I HAD.

If you have never been over 100 pounds overweight, you should never give a fat person weight-loss advise.  Don't even try, unless you yourself have been there and had success long term.  You sound like a patronizing asshole no matter how sincere or kind you are.  Being REALLY overweight is overwhelming when it's a huge daunting number.  Fatties like me, who have tried every diet and weight-loss program can lose weight great, BUT KEEPING IT OFF WAS THE CHALLENGE.

I always gained it all back plus 20 lbs.  Over the years, it got so discouraging, I just had to stop the dieting madness.  Anytime I swallowed any food, I had anxiety.  People were mean.  If I didn't order salad while we all went out to lunch or dinner together, there was judgement and criticizing behind my back.  WELL FUCK YOU people who did that to me for the past 10 years - and YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.  Fat discrimination in our culture sucks in general, but when it is your family and friends - it's just plain mean and defeats the purpose. It makes it even worse.

My weight-loss success feels good on many levels.  I think I am entering into that place in my weight-loss that is transforming from the ugly duckling into a swan kind of feeling.  What beauty I had was being hidden before, is now beginning to show on my physical form.  I am beginning to feel in balance.  I am sure that when I do make my goal weight, people may not even recognize me.  Isn't it weird how much image and identity plays a part in our lives? 

My ego is still the same lame chattering thing it always was, but I am still that quiet soft kind spark of light animating this floppy skin suit around for a few more years. I gotta take care of this meat bag so the quality of life from here on out will be as good as I can make it. 

Being lighter on my feet feels much better overall physically and emotionally.

So if you are reading this and are as fat as hell and just can't take it anymore- VSG surgery is a great solution for BIG NUMBER weight-loss.   I figure once I make my goal of 145 lbs. (which actually may be to low for my size, we will see)  I will gain some back and my body will settle into it's new weight set point long term.  Having a tiny tummy has been the best tool for big time weight-loss and we will see how it goes long term.  I heard some people have gained their weight back, but most VSGers people do not. I am going to make sure I don't.  I can still be the bartender and "Glamorously Camp" and stay on plan.

 IT'S WORKING!

Very Sad ~ Week 17 VSG Post-Op

It's sort of a miracle that I did not gain any weight from my feasting last weekend.  I danced, worked, cooked, sang, and had a merry time.  I drank some, but also found myself drinking more water than vodka. I cooked gourmet meals for the masses and mixed and served over 40 chocolate martini's.  I tasted a little bit of everything from cake, chocolate, and even home-made ice cream and I didn't gain a pound.

When I arrived home Monday night, I found my sweet 15 year old kitty DIVA, dead on the floor of my bedroom.  She looked like she died peacefully in her sleep.  I had a girlfriend nearby check on her and feed her all weekend while I was a way.  She said the last time she saw her was on Sunday around 2:30pm and Diva was okay.  My baby must have passed away on Monday morning sometime, based on her litter box tells and the state of her little body.

To lose my best friend and 15 year sleeping and cuddle companion has been devastating for me.  I have been unable to sleep or eat much all week.  Diva was like a child to me and very close life companion for so long.
 

I wrote something in her honor:

IN MEMORY OF DIVA: - also known as Angel with fur, Squirrel Girl, Black Angora Squirrel, Mink Black Panther-ess, Circus Cat, Stampede Kitty, AND Kitten Mitten, died peacefully in her sleep at home in Pacifica, CA at the age of 15. 

Diva was known for her sweet and cuddly nature with humans, but revered for her "Death Stare" – a look so intense it was able to kill birds from 100 yards away through a double-paned window with just her eyes alone. The stare became known by many cats in the land. 

She didn't mind moving or where or how we lived, even when we were homeless at one time, she stayed right by my side. We had each other and that is all that mattered. There were darker times, where she saved my life just by being there to care for.

Diva was a good listener and one of the only living creature that laughed at my jokes. She was a huntress, a climber and a poet. She talked all the time. She was named Diva appropriately. 

She was 100% Female, refined, demanding, elegant, witty, and young at heart to her very last day. She was private and sweet, loyal and soft. She was a healing mystical cat that knew just what to say or do in any given situation to make it a happier more beautiful place.

She was the love of my life, my best friend and female companion. It was an honor to have been her kitty mommy and lifelong friend. Rest In Peace my Angel, with fur.
a MEMORIAL will be held this Sunday, September 27th, in Pacifca, CA

A very nice man from the Pet Rest Cemetery & Crematory came Wednesday and picked up her remains and she was cremated yesterday.  They said they will call me today when her aches are ready.  I will pick her up tomorrow.  Sunday, I am holding a small memorial for her at sunset on my favorite beach, sprinkling some of her aches to sea and burying the rest on my secret hill overlooking the Pacific ocean.

Needless to say, I have been a mess emotionally.  It has been so hard to come home and be there without her.  It's going to take sometime to get used to her not being there by my side.  I am grateful she passed over in her sleep and was not sick or suffered.  I have been feeling guilt for not being there, of course when she died.  She was old, skinny as hell, she ate like a horse and never gained a pound, (Hyperthyroid) but very healthy the vet said last February, so I am not sure of her cause of death.  The reality of it hit me and I have been grieving BIG TIME. including vomiting, sobbing and complete meltdown.  My girlfriends have been a great support to me. I am so very sad. I am grieving and emotional eating may ensue, we will see.  I can eat comfort food, just in very small amounts.  I scheduled a massage for Saturday to replace food as comfort.  I keep remembering that when I need comfort.

I got on the scale this morning and I weigh 231 lbs.  I am hoping to make it to 229 next week....

I'm happy for my weight-loss but so very heartbroken.  All I can do now is celebrate her life and remember how our hearts are always connected, no matter how far apart we are from one another.

50 pounds down so far ~ Week 16!

Hi yall,

I missed posting last Friday, I was out of town.  Here are the latest photos of me. I'm in less pain.  I have more energy and people were really noticing the weight-loss.  You can start to really see it in my face.

The face is slimming down.

Grilled Breakfast Pizzas - Cowgirl Style!

PEOPLE CAN CHANGE! I am proof anyone can change themselves!

Yes folks, I'm still losing steadily.  I jumped on the scale this morning and it read 232lbs.  My surgery day weight was 281lbs. 15 weeks ago from today.  OMG, it's working!

I HAVE LOST EXACTLY 49 POUNDS SO FAR!

I am only 87 lbs. away from making my goal of 145lbs.  I am getting used to my new style of eating.  I do not deprive myself of anything.  I still cook lavish fun dinners, glamorously camp and BBQ wild fun food in impossible terrains with funny musical friends,  and still am a foodie that loves to entertain.  I still bake cakes and cookies and still drink (mostly Vodka w/Pomegranate juice, when I do) on the weekends, just very small amounts.  I can drink coffee again without it hurting my tummy, That is AWESOME.  I can really feel and see the difference in my size and body overall.

This is my big health change year.  I finally qualified for health insurance with my employment and found a local primary care doctor in my little seaside town.  I went in for a routine general medical exam and am getting my first Mammogram Screening, Lab work including - CBC, TSH, Free T4, Comp metabolic panel, Lipid Panel, HGBA1C, HSCRP, Vitamin D25OH, Vitamin B12, Mg, Estrogen, Progesterone and FSH tested.  I am also finally getting a Pelvic Ultrasound and a Colonoscopy. I'm getting a baseline for THE WORKS.  I want to get the real numbers as my body adjusts to the new body weight set point when I reach my goal and begin maintenance.

What I am noticing is the little things that are changing.  For overweight struggling others out there who may be reading this, imagine not getting winded as much walking up a flight of stairs.  I am no longer feeling the need to wear a jacket to hide my stomach and lack of waistline.  I have more energy and my mind is clearer.  I feel stronger.  I am thinking faster and quicker.  I can fit in a movie theater seat comfortably.  I stop eating when I am full, because I don't want to feel sick.  I literally can not overeat.  This is very comforting.  Things I wore before are WAY TOO BIG on me now.  I am enjoying shopping and trying new clothes on.  My feet don't ache at the end of the day like they used to.  I am noticing my attitude is better about myself.  I have a new sense of freedom of expression and acceptance.  This is giving me a natural sense of ambition to go for things I never would have considered before. I am making better decisions everyday.  I think my life direction is improving because of this.

It is amazing how just a couple of degrees of change along your path, can take you to an entirely new direction - FOR THE BETTER. WHO KNOWS WHAT'S NEXT?!

My life purpose is all about creating BEAUTY, FUN, COMMUNITY, AND FREEDOM, with Music, Food, Art and hopefully LOVE will be added to this mix somewhere down the road.

People can change.  PEOPLE REALLY CAN CHANGE THEMSELVES.  Let me be an example.  If I can do it, ANYONE CAN.

But for some of us SEEING THE SIZE OF YOUR ASS SHRINK makes a HUGE difference. :  )

 

14 weeks Post Op VSG...

Getting over a cold this week.  No changes to report.  I didn't walk at all.  Just taking it slow and trying to get rest.  No appetite that is for sure.  I'm looking forward to getting organized and have some fun over the Labor Day weekend.

Losing weight in my body is also making me want to get rid of other stuff too, - I'M BECOMING A MINIMALIST!  Or at least I want to be.  I feel freer not owning a bunch of stuff.  I am keeping the quality, and recycling and discarding the quantity.  I'm downsizing and preparing for a relocation in the near future.

Everything I own is in a 10' x 20' storage unit up the street.  There is stuff in there I haven't seen since 2008.  I need my own space to go through all this stuff, so I'm looking for new digs.  I love where I live, but the space is way too small.  I want to get a treadmill to workout at home in the evenings when the weather is yucky out.  I need a creative space to work on my art projects.  I must be able to park my vintage VW Bus Art Car in an enclosed safe, weather-free space.  

2016 is going to be a NEW YEAR BIG TIME!