nursldyjen

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 Hello Oh friends and family here we are in  2012 another year has passed for many o us veterans of obesity surgery and for others you newbies the dates have either come or are approaching and the nerves are rattling be brave and be proud of your decision to get healthy and do this for yourself taking this step to provide yourself with a tool for optimal health
 it is a big decision that goes without saying and it is a decision that will be lifelong it Is a lifelong commitment to lifestyle change eating habits that must be forgotten and choice that will forever be altered but what a gift! To say no to lane Bryant avenue fashion bug  and hello to h& m Macy's and maybe petites who knew! Goodbye to insulin and clap machines goodbye to medicines and multiple physicians and always feeling like shit maybe even wheelchairs and ortho surgeries OMG its the best Xmas and bday gift you can ever give yourself and your success is not in 100 pounds or 200 pounds or more lost its in the total overall health of you remember that it's a rebirth of you and you make this happen with sacrifice like no one can imagine and there will be skeptics and people who are mean and jealous you will lose some friends over this but they were not in your corner any way so set then free and rise and soar and explore all the new life you will experience on theis incredible journey  of weight loss Life is Good!!

It's almost my third Surgiversary. 10/23/2008- 10/23/2011 = 3 years. WOW!!
Looking back to when I first started this journey into weight loss ...I don't think I could have imagined 3 years later. But, Here I am three years later.
My highest weight was 315#, My lowest (because i was sick) 110#.
I am living life at 135-145# and i feel healthy finally, really healthy. My appetite frightens me sometimes and when that happens I go Back to Basics. Proportions. Shakes. Jello. Puddings. Lots of water.
Addictions. I do not smoke, never have. I dont drink regularly but I have partaken in some cocktails most recently and it takes a lot more to give me that "special" feeling than 3 years ago. Moderation and special occasions.
Food......OH I love food. Texture and taste have become such a HUGE part of my meal choices. I think I dream about food. Is this normal? I watch sugars, not as good as once before. I can nibble on breads, uh oh. Not good, and I know it. I know when I am "cheating" myself and "helping" myself. Its a gamble some days. It's still a tough living situation.
D_I_V_O_R_C_E the number one side effect...... not not me!!!!!!!!!
YES me! This is the one area I would have fought you about. My ex-husband "likes everything I changed", "fluffy", "BIG" etc etc. My Boobs (44DD)....gone.
My arse (size 24).... gone. My thunder thighs, "I say still here" Its proportionate to the new frame.....but he says gone. Don't kid yourself that your relationship post-surgery wont change. It does dramatically. I have lost friends, family, jobs. It is wrong....but what can you do. "Just keep swimmin"  like Dorey in Little Nemo. When all gets tough I say "just Keep Swimming Jennifer" and I do, And I have. and "I will"
So "swim" I have into a new loving, rewarding relationship and guess what!!!??? He did not know me before! He only knows me now. So there is no expectations.
My new relationship to LTJ is so fun, kind, healthy, compassionate and "HOT" I am falling in love all over again. It's so nice to be in love again and have it returned. How we get here is a tough rode, scary and unknown, but living in it is just FABULOUS
So this coming weekend I am off to "OH" reunion in Long island.
I hope to re-connect with people I met a few years ago. I hope to make new friends. I hope to re-charge my weight loss. I am not going alone this time. I will have my guy by my side. I will cry and laugh and pass gas like the rest of you and I will be ful-filled to be successful at this tough, long, hard forever journey. Would I do it again? I do  not know. But  I am glad I did It. I love buying, small, size 4,6 or 8 depending on the designer. OK so my Boobs are small, My Arse wierd and my Thighs floppy, I am AU-Natural and I am living again.
A thousand thank you's to all who have helped me get here, friends who did stand by me, family that did not tell me "your too skinny" , My wonderful Dr. Thomas Cerebona and the Gastric Institute at Westchester Medical Center, and "OH" thank you to you. a place I can always come to when I need a push, a shove , to whine, to express to gloat!!!!
A forever member.....Jennifer Ann Colvin, aka Nursldyjen

Hello friends and family in the OH world and beyond. Well it is a year. One whole year and one whole person shed off my back or at least the pounds are!!!! 10/23/2008 - 10/23/2009 HAPPY SURGIVERSARY!
I cannot believe it is here. That I journeyed this far with minimal to no complications, a few tears, and well shock. It's daily shock to see all that has changed in me. My body is a foreign land right now. I do not know that woman staring back in the mirror. But I like her and I know I am going to love her. I will never regret this decision to have the RNY, I did wonder many many times along the way. But as scary as it was I have to thank the support people who helped me and nudged me into the success I am now. There were some skeptics, always are, I think they help keep you balanced. My family was up and down, a few jokes from my brother's and dad, but I am used to that. My husband has had the hardest time adjusting and we are adjusting together because I am NOT the same woman he met and married. He liked that "fluffy" me. Most black men do. no pun intended. He says who is this woman walking around my house and sharing my bed I do not know her. He actuallly liked/loved the 315# pounder with the bipap mask on that used to sleep next to him( HE THOUGHT THAT WAS SEXY LOLOL), he loved the woman who could not go up the stairs, used to push me from behind, wipe my tears when I could not fit in the seat at the front of the roller coaster that he and our son and dtr's enjoyed, he would look back to see if I was OK  walking up a hill or stairs, often trailing behind, unable to go on the zip line on a cruise excursion because I exceeded the weight limit. Well NO MORE of that....Now I am thinner than him and he has to catch up!!!!! I have been on many roller coaters this past year the biggest one has been on my own Weight loss journey and let me tell you its been a hell of a ride. I would do it again to see me now. The finished product. 140 lbs, size 6-8 and I am GORGEOUS!!!
God bless all of you who are taking the journey, thinking about taking it or already there. God Bless all of you for all your hugs and encouragement you have shown me, my co-workers , the doc's and nurses, who have endured the belching and gas bubbling, my crazy meals and meal times and all the pictures I keep showing, God Bless my family and friends who have supported this Giant task I had to do and may God bless my mommy who never got to see the finished product of me. I don't even fit into her clothes anymore but I wear them still because they smell like her and are my comfort each and every day. Love you Mommy Look at me now. LOOK AT ME NOW!!!!!!!!! :)
Tonight I will be meeting many members of the OH family at the New York event. Tomorrow I will be sashaying up the runway in the Fashion Show to my theme song Gorgeous from Idina Menzel and I cant wait to have some fun. Time to celebrate us and me and its gonna be just great! What a perfect way to celebrate my year anniversary!

10/2/09 Tonight is the Bariatric Reunion hosted by our Surgeons and staff in Tarrytown NY. This is a tribute to all the patients past , present and even future, young, old, sisters, fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, all shapes and sizes.
The place was very nice. The people very friendly. Looking around you just were not sure who is thepatient who is the support person. All sizes and shapes of people, all of us celebrating and smiling. Dressed up for a nice night of fun.
I went with Janice my support person, very dear friend and future bypass patient, her surgery will bein January2010. Janice has been with me every step of the way, meetings, appts, day of surgery and so on.Greg my husband also by my side. I am excited and nervous. Not sure what to expect but going looking pretty. New dress. New hair. New body. I did not prepare the shoes or jacket right...who would of thought your feet get smaller too! Dress size 8! Oh how great is a size 8!!!
Sign in, grab a table. looking around everyone looks so nice. Outside Crystal light fountains, cucumbers and tomatoes with hummus...yummy. Dinner chicken, lentils, beans and salad with oil&vin. (did not get to eat much of this being in the fashion show, I missed out on the meat, non left) So nice to have this all prepared for us, what we can eat, not having to explain to the waiter or manager portion size etc. Dessert fresh fruit with Sugar Free chocolate dipping sauce and the most incredible vanilla, choc layered mouse/parfait ever with just a hint of PB and a dollop of whipped cream. Now what I also love is the way the food is timed. Over a 3 hour period. This is the way we eat. Slowly, portions, control our new way of life. Splenda, Equal, Sweet and low. No Sugar anywhere sorry greg. That was kind of funny.
The DJ a former patient.
Fashion show........Before pictures and then the TADA moment out we come and smile wide! This is our success. My number is 23, What is with this number. Everything this year was number 23, Mind you the names are in alphabetical order and still I got 23. Crazy. Met lots of nice people on line waiting ot go out. Pictures taken and posted on facebook and here. I am so proud of me. I am so many emotions as I wait and look around at everyone and share their success as well as my own. 'dancing not too much just the right amount and I am not winded, my knees held up this is great.
Thank you Dr. Cerebona and staff for a wonderful night to celebrate us. I am so filled with emotions and I am so very happy to share these moments with you.
Next event...the OH conference 10/23 & 24....see 23 there is is again and that is my surgiversary

October 23rd I went to Westchester Medical Center here in NY at 6am for my Gastric Bypas, RNY. My best buddy Janice came with me and thank god for that. She watched over me like a mother hen guarding a chick. Surgery went well it was longer than the surgeons expected due to adhesions from prior surgeries, ( C-sect x 3, Ovarian Cyst rupture x 2, TAH, SBO and an abdominal wedge resection) and I am only 37 at the time. Anyway we make it through. Nursing care was substandard at best and once again I am more than grateful my buddy Janice is with me. We laugh, we cry, I wonder did I do the right thing, what did I just do! 6 months of preperation for this moment and now I wonder did I do the right thing? I am in the hospital 3 days, start to finish, go home with tarry stol that never seem to stop cannot even sip water get very dehydrated and end up back in the hospital for rehydration. Somehow the 5 days of tarry stool stop as I enter the ER dorrs, amazing. But I buy myself 3 more days in the hospital, this time I feel so much better and I am off and running, well walking to a new slimmer me. Its October, Happy Halloween, I walk a little with my son for trick or treating. Not too much not much energy. I am back to work pretty quickly, always need money. Sip Walk Rest, Sip walk rest. This is my mantra. A little further walking each day. Sipping isopure and water. Try a little broth, jello and crystal light. Minimal weight loss. November its Thanksgiving, mom wants me to eat some turkey, I have a bite and some mashed potatoe and some sweet potatoe, feel sick for hours. Too much too soon. I did it to make her happy. December 14th my bday mom makes me my favorite meal, Cheese Dumplings. Yummy. can only eat a little bit but its great. Now I am seeing some weight loss. This surgery is working. Go away with hubby to Poconos, cant eat too much, take lots of pictures, these will be very important later. December 18th mom goes into the hospital for the first of three sequential visits to get worse each time and eventually leave us all behind on Febuary 23rd. there are pictures during these times, lots of emotions and somehow I have bypassed sizes and didn't even know it was happening. The months were too short and are a blur of emotions. What do i weigh now? I know somewhere i broke the 200 mark that means i have lost over 90 lbs, when and how? Surgery is working. I feel good. I am looking good. Losing lots of hair, this is normal. taking vitamins, working, trying to be a part of life. My heart is ripped out over my mom and there is so much more I can say on the subject but I will move on. March is another of those blur months. I went to South carolina Myrtle Beach to support my middle dtr in her cheer competition. All the clothes I bring with me do not fit at all. they fit when i packed them 2 weeks ago. Hmmmm losing still. eating little. taking in all my proteins as I am supposed to do. The team comes in 2nd, i was happy to be a part of the sport. April this is cruise month. i am going with the hubby and my sweet little sister carolyn. We go to San francisco first for a visit then fly to LA and go on the Carnival Splendor to go to Mexico.... nope...Swine flu scare prevented our disembarktion from the ship. But we had a really great time. This trip had many firsts. My first alcohol, just a taste makes me drunk, Carolyn had to finish all my drinks. lol. I am able to wear my hubby's shorts, never ever could do this before. Most of my clothes are way too big. bought my first jacket size Small in Sauslito. WOW!!! Fit in the robe that they give you to wear in the room, never ever could before. Take lots of great pictures, have an amazing time and off to home in NY. We were OK with no Mexico. Happy Anniversary Greg you are now married to a thinner me! May just working and losing. June Summertime and no clothes to wear, hee he. I love it. July my debue to most of my family and friends, XS - Sm tops, size 10 botooms, Whose that girl! August is here I am 150lbs lighter! September is now and I am 145 lbs. I started at 315 in January of 2008. I am now 145# I never knew how good thin felt until now! Just bought my Size 8 dress. My Surgiversary is only a month in a half away. There are ups and downs. My body has changed, I don't recognize it. My hair no longer is falling out. People are telling me now to stop losing weight instead of the opposite. I dont think i like hearing that either. I am still in limbo with clothes. Winter is coming and I need a coat. WOW! What an amazing journey!