18 Month Celebration

Eighteen months ago today I underwent gastric bypass surgery.  It was the beginning of a new era of my life.  Today I celebrated. I ran/walked in the Toulouse-Lautrekkin 5K for the Evansville Museum.  It's been nearly a year since I participated in a 5K and to be honest, I didn't train at all.  As I mentioned in my last post, I decided to use these races as the motivation to get moving again.  Since I didn't prepare, I wasn't quite as ready as I wanted to be, and I didn't finish as fast I as I had hoped.  But you know what?  I finished!  I was off my fastest time by 20 seconds.  I finished the race in 43:26.5.  I could "blame" the strong wind (yes, really...it was WAY windy) for the time, but there's nothing to blame.  I did it and doggone it I'm proud of it! So that's how I spent my 18-month surgiversary!

In other celebrations, my 18-month post-op was good!  Some things, though, never change.  I even told nurse that the scale still intimidates me.  I still hate getting on the scale.  It's been so mean to me in the past, and though I weigh at home, to step on the scale in front of someone makes me nervous.  What if I had gained weight?  What if I failed?  What if....?  Yeah...ugly stinkin' thinkin' again!  But my fear was irrational (no surprise); though I'm "slightly" up from my lowest weight, I was still 2 pounds less than I was at my 12 month check up. My BP was 96/60 and all medically appears to be really good!  MD was very pleased and even said I was like the poster child for RNY!  I laughed.  Really.  I don't see me as a poster child.  I see that God has continued to bless me and that even though it's harder every day, He keeps me in line. To God be the glory for the success that I've had!  

The time has gone fast and 'm so thankful that God gave me the courage to go through this process 18 months ago!  I feel great and I can only hope and pray that God uses the healthier me in ways that I cannot even begin to imagine!

After the race with the daughter of a friend of mine.  She's absolutely precious!!!

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"I praise you [God] because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." ~Psalm 139:14