Fin

I think this blog is officially done. I wouldn't say the "journey" is over at all. But I've said all I think I can say about the general subject of me and bariatric surgery.

I have maintained my weight for one year now. This last year was big. I recently finalized my divorce and my ex is still in jail. I'm sad things ended the way that they did but if those things are what needed to happen in order for my marriage to end, so be it. I hope he can get his life together so he can be a safe parent for our daughter. I don't hold a lot of hope for that, though.

I also ran my first half marathon in August. It wasn't easy and I walked the last bit, but I did it. I might do a couple this year, but I am feeling a little burned out on running, honestly. I've been switching it up from longer runs to HIIT sessions to try to shake things up a bit for me.

I'm struggling with a couple extra pounds that have crept back on, trying to get them back off. The trouble is that I really enjoy beer. :)  It's one of the great things about no longer living with an alcoholic, I can enjoy alcohol and keep it in my home again. Having the experience I have had for the past 10 years does make me very aware of my own drinking habits and what I want to have around my young daughter. I want her to see that adults can drink as a normal part of life and it doesn't have to be a focus or an illness or a dysfunction that negatively affects her.  But, the beer I like is loaded with calories! So I'm trying to work that balance out a little bit.

It has now been just over 2 years since my revision from lap band to sleeve gastrectomy.  I can eat a little bit more than I used to be able to but not much. I still have to be conscious about things like chewing well, not drinking while eating, and stopping eating before I feel full--because if I wait until I feel full I am actually over-full. The full sensation is pretty delayed.

Thank you to those who have followed this blog for the past 8 years and those who have stumbled in and out of it. I met a lot of fantastic people and got a lot of great support. I hope I passed on some useful perspectives as well. The beginning stages of having WLS are marked by an obsession with the subject--afraid to be excited for the possibility of actually overcoming obesity, anxious that it won't work, worried that something will go wrong, et cetera. Eventually that excitement and anxiety passes, and you have to learn how to incorporate your new health habits into everyday life. It just becomes another part of your life. Whether one considers themselves a "success" at WLS or not, life will change afterward. How you feel about yourself will change. How you look to yourself and others will change. How you feel about your life will change. The degree to which all of this changes is of course very individual, but no matter what, it will surprise you.

Good luck to all, wherever you are in your process of achieving better health!