As Promised!

The year started as promised.
I have great energy, bike, walk fast, I am restless, meeting people, this is and will be my best year ever.
Many trips are planned and booked.
Pants size dropped to 32-33!
After the infection healed - the recovery was remarkably fast, with almost daily noticeable progress.
I am riding to school three times per week on the bicycle, and each day I am doing it faster with much less effort. It is noticeable when I have to cross the bridge over Willamette river - and the little climb is no longer even noticed.
I keep replacing clothes, and the motorcycle gear I bought last summer is way too big. Spending money on new outfits never felt so good.

This bariatric trip turned out to be a miracle.

Looking Back...

On June 19, 2009, one week before the Gastric Bypass surgery, I wrote this here:

What I am looking forward:
•    Of course weight lost.

Accomplished!!!

•    Get rid of my diabetes that I could not control without Insulin, but with insulin I gain weight. Bayetta did not affect my weight – but blood sugar stayed high (mornings on the average 200). Actually diabetes is bigger motivation than just weight loss. Gastric bypass supposed to eliminate 90% of diabetes and I hope I will be among that number.

Accomplished!!! Diabetes is a long forgotten history! Sweet!

•    Increased energy level. At work I could be full of energy – but at home I collapse. Instead of doing some physical activities I use to love to do, biking, walking, etc, I prefer to go to bed. A lot of times I am just incredibly exhausted…

Gee, I somehow remember that I had more energy than I have now, I guess I was not that good… OK – I am working on this one. I believe that the 'old' tiredness was caused by diabetes - not an extra weight.

•    I have become very conscious about my weight and for sure decided that I would not date any woman who is so overweight, and therefore I feel like a hypocrite when I expect women to ignore my looks.

There was a time after couple of failed relationships that I blamed my weight for their collapse. It does not matter if that was true or not, but that is how I ended up to see it. I am very happy with my looks now.

As Steward Smiley (I mean Senator...)  used to say: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me."  8^)

What I am afraid:
•    Changes in all food related activities, which really mean almost all social interaction.

It turned out to be true, but not so difficult to cope. No problem!

•    Replacing one disease (or handicap) with self-inflicted another.

Yes – but this one is very much controllable – take multivitamins, calcium, D3, B12, make sure that you have enough protein… No problem!

•    Lose skin and looking like 100 years old.

Not too bad – still looking younger than my 63, but the extra skin and loose muscles were fixed.

•    I understand that many people who underwent this surgery develop depression. I guess this is my fear number one.

Did not happen.

•    I am not sure how this procedure will affect my work. Teaching is not an easy job.

While it was physically difficult – the two major surgeries caused me to miss two lectures total. No problem!